ARAKSHI FF: Ray Of Hope (Important Note On Page 51) - Page 8

Chapter 6:

Half an hour ago:

Riya was totally exhausted. Today she had to do a lot of work. Today was Tanisha's birthday. She was helping Mrs. Shukla with all the preparations. Now it's 12 PM and she also have to shopping too. Finally she is going to meet them. She will have to look perfect. Last night, she was looking through her wardrobe but she didn't find anything that could satisfy her. So she decided to go to shopping today. She quickly took bath and got ready. She got down from her apartment and hired a cab. Suddenly driver stopped the cab.

Riya: Keya baath hai vaia? Aapp ne gadi kiyu rok di?

Driver: Madam thodisi problem ho geyi hai. Check karna padega. Aap bethiye. Main dekhti hoom.

Riya: Thik hai bhaia. Jara jaldi kijiye..

Riya was waiting in the car and getting bored. She was looking here and there when she noticed a stall. She laughed seeing this. How many times she fought up with her friends for eating in this such unhygenic place. Suddenly a car stopped at front of that stall. The sticker of ETF was visible from there. Her heart started beating faster seeing this.

Riya (in mind): Who could be there? May be Shree and Chotu aur the new girls.

She chuckled when the thought of Arjun crossed her mind. Arjun doesn't like this kind of outing. She smiled to herself when she saw Sakshi came out from the car and ran to panipuriwala but the smile vanished when she Arjun coming out from the driver seat of the car. She couldn't believe her eyes. Then she saw Sakshi's gussa, Arjun ka usse manana, their carefree laugh. Though she couldn't hear what they were saying she could see Arjun looking at Sakshi as if she is the most precious jem of the world. As if she is the center of his world. As if she is his anchor to life. Meanwhile the driver returned and started the cab. Riya's mind couldn't process what she just saw. While her mind deny the possibility of Arjun moving on her brain reminded her that she was the one who left him in the most vulnerable position.

Riya( in mind): They could just be friends. Arjun can't move on this soon. Arjun can't stop loving me this soon. He just doesn't know that I am back. When he will know he will come back to me. Mujhe pure teen saal lage Arjun ke karib jane mein. Sakshi ne ETF join kiye sirf ek saal hue toh itni jaldi Arjun ko usse peyar kaise hoga?? Nehi woh dono sirf dost honge aur kuch nehi..

Riya's mind move back to the past. After Roshni's death Arjun went into a shell. Even after killing Sikander It took Riya almost three year to get past his berrier. Even when they started dating Arjun never became this open. He wold talk to her. He would smile. But she never heard his carefree laugh. She never saw his naughty side. She never knew that Arjun could play prank. This is a whole new Arjun to her.

While shopping she bought a sky blue saree with matching jwellery because she knew that blue was his favourite color. Today she will get ready only for her Arjun.

Same time, ETF:

Shree is sitting in the conference room playing games at laptop. Sameer is in her cabin. Others are nowhere to be seen. Suddenly Shree's phone started ringing. Pausing the game Shree checked the caller ID and pick up the call.

Shree: Ha bol.

Other side: ***********************************

Shree: Keya? Tujhe patha bhi hai ki tu keya keh raha hai?

8 PM , Mrs. Shukla's Apartment:

Tanisha (for the 20^th time): Mamma woh abhi taak aye kiyu nehi?

Mr. Shukla: Aa jayenge beta. Kise kaam mein faas geye shayed.

As it was getting late so Tanisha cut the cake already. Riya is also getting impetient. She is looking beautiful. She is waiting eagerly. Suddenly the bell rang. She quickly went to the other room. This is Mrs. Shukla's idea. She want to give them a real surprise. She heard someone open the door. She is getting nervous by the time. Then she heard Shree's voice.

Shree: Happy birthday to you Tannu.

Tanisha: Thank you uncle. But baki saab kaha hai?

Shree: Woh beta achanak ek jaruri kaam aa geya toh unsaabko jana pada. But dekho unsab ne aapke liye gifts bheje hai.

Tanisha: Sacchi?? Ye sab mere liye?

Shree (laughing): Ha. Aap ke liye.

Riya got disappointed. What was she thinking and what happened. After a little hesitation she come out from the room to meet Shree. But Shree wasn't even surprised to see Riya here as if he knew that she is back. Riya got puzzled at his behaviour.

Shree: Hi Riya. Kaisi ho?

Shree talked to Riya as if nothing happened. Riya asumed that Shree doesn't want to make a scene that's why he is talking like this.

Riya: Haan. Main thik hoom. Tum kaise ho? Baki saab kaise hai?

Shree: Main thik hoon. Baki saab bhi thik hai. Achanak ek case aa geya iss liye sabko Shahapur jana pada. Case khatam hone takh wahi rukna padega. Mujhe bhi jana hai. Bas yeh gifts pouchane ayi thi. Sakshi ne insist kiya.

Shree smiled at the memory. Riya also noticed Shree's smile.

Mr. Shukla: Haam bohot khush hai ki at least aap aye.

Shree: Par mujhe abhi jana hoga.

Mrs. Shukla: Abhi!! Aise kaise abhi chale jayenge??

Shree: Mujjhe jald se jad waha pouch na hai. Waise bhi yaha late ho geya hai. Mai chalta hoom?

Riya: Main tumhe bahar taak chod deti hoom..

Shree just nod but didn't say anything. After saying good bye they went out. Even in lift Shree didn't utter a word. Riya feels like she didn't know him. They came to the car but before enteerning Shree turn towards Riya.

Shree (in a calm voice): Kiyu ayi tum wapas.

Riya didn't expected this. She didn't thought that he would be happy this early but she didn't even thought that he would be asking this.

Riya (taking a deep breath): Tumsaab ke liye. Arjun ke liye.

Shree: Wapas chali jao. Haame tumhaari koi jaroorat nehi hai. Arjun sir ko tumhaari koi jaarorat nehi hai. Haam bohot khush hai. Aab tumhare bina jeene ki adat daal liyea hai humne. London wapas chali jao. Yeh tumhaare liye accha hai aur hamaare liye bhi.

Riya: But Shree meri baath toh suno.

Shree: Nehi. Mujhe tumhaari koibhi baath nehi sunna hai.

Riya: But Arjun..

Riya couldn't finish her sentence because suddenly Shree's phone buzzed. Shree pick up the phone but an instant take the phone away because other person had started screaming. Shree make a face.

Shree: Udi baba. Mera kaan hai koi mike nehi hai. Tu keya mujhe behra banana chahti hai. Yaar Sakshi yeh tu mujhse kaunsi janam ki dushmani niva rahi hai?

From the other side of the phone Sakshi started laughing uncontrolably..

Shree: Oye dramaqueen aab haasna bandh kar aur yeh baatha ki tune call kiyu kiya?

Saksh: Kaha hai tu? Jaldi aana. Sameer ne chinese order kiya hai aur woh aa bhi geya hai. Aaj haam saab sath mein dinner karenge. Plz yaar jaldi aaja. Pet mein chuhe dour rahe hai.

Shree (smiling): Aaraha hu baba aaraha hu. Chal phone rakh..(shaking his head in amusement)..nautangki. Yeh kabhi nehi sudhregi.

Before Riya could say something Shree get in the car and went away. Riya just stood there. For the first time after coming back India, she felt that she is all alone.

Shree straight went to the ETF headquarter.

Shree (in mind): Sorry Riya. Ho saake toh mujhe maaf kar dena. Mujhe patha hai ki maine tera dil nohot dukha diya. Par keya karu? Majbur hoom. Itne saalo ke baad mujhe ek neyi family mila hai. Mai isse toot the hue nehi dekh sakhta. Ho sake toh mujhe maaf kar dena.

After parking the car Shree went to conference room. All the others were waiting for him.

Sameer: Shree tum Mr. Shukla ke ghar geye the? Aab tabiyat kaisi hai unki?

Shree: Haan sir geya tha. Mr. Shukla ko delhi le geye hai. Mrs. Shukla bhi geye hai unke sath.

Aisha: Toh ghar pe Tanisha ke saath koun hai?

Shree: Uski dada-dadi aye hai. Bechari bohot mayus thi par gifts dekhtehi khush ho geyi.

Sakshi: Chalo accha hai. Jab tumne hume bataya ki Mr. Shukla ke tabiyaat achanak kharab ho geya hai toh haam ghabra hi geye the.

Liza: Haan. I hope saabh thik ho.

Chotu: Haan. Aab pray karne ke liye toh pet mein kuch hona chahiye na? Bohot bhuk lagi hai. Chalo kha lete hai.

Liza: Keya Chotu. Tumhe toh hamesha bhook lagti hai.

Arjun: Sirf Chotu ko hi nehi haam sabhko bohot bhook lagi hai. Chalo khana suru karte hai.

They all agree with it. Aisha, Sakshi and Liza serves the food and they all started eating together. During food they all pull each others leg and do masti. Like a big happy family.

Phew. Badasa update tha thak geyi hoom. No silent reading. Hit the like like button and do comment..😊