She was a fallen angel
An angel on earth in search of her true love
But all she got in return was pain and betrayal
And one day she lost the will to live
That day the God called her back
To end her misery, to hide her in his arms...
Somewhere in Europe
A girl opened the door to her balcony and stepped out. She wore a white t-shirt and pink loose bottom. There was a heart painted on her t-shirt. She lovingly gazed at the moon. She inhaled a lungful of fresh air.
"Arjun, I am coming back. It's been 7 long years. I can still remember that day we were separated. I kept my promise. I am still yours Arjun and always will be. I know you also will be waiting for me. I won't make you wait long now. Atlast I got freedom from this torturous life. One more day and your Angel will be with you Arjun."
Tears rolled down from her doe eyes. She wiped those tears away and blew a kiss towards the full moon hoping it to reach her Arjun.
The same time, in India
The sunrays peeking through the window disturbed the sleep of a couple entangled in a bed. The girl opened her eyes and looked towards the alarm which indicated 6 am. Yawning she got up but was pulled back by the guy. He pinned her back to the floor. She looked up and found his hazel orbs intensely looking at her.
"Arjun..."
But she was silenced as his lips descended down on hers. She sighed in satisfaction as his lips took her to ecstasy. 3 years! It's been exact 3 years that he has come to her life. They dated for around 1 year and then tied the holy knot 2 years back. The life with him was always blissful. He showered love upon her. She knew, he was the best lover and the best husband in this world. She closed her eyes feeling blissful in his embrace.
Somewhere in Europe
"I love you Arjun. I wish this night passes fast so that I could hear you say that to me again"
Same time, in India
"Sakshi..."
"Yes Arjun..."
"I love you..."
She gave him a knowing smile. It's her routine for the past 2 years, to hear him say how much he loves her. So instead of replying in words she decided to reply him through action and pulled him for a passionate kiss. Soon the room filled with moans and groans.
***(@)***
The super cop Arjun and his loving wife Sakshi headed towards their office, their ETF. As soon as the couple stepped onto the office everyone greeted them in admiration. Everyone in the office admired Arjun. Being his wife, Sakshi also always got the privilege. But she was no less. She was also talented and lovable.
"Rawte, we have a case"
Arjun Rawte looked towards ETF chief come his best buddy Sameer Rathod. One look at him and he knew that the case was indeed bigger.
"Guys, there is an Interpol report that a terrorist called "Iqbal" is landing in Mumbai airport. He has the blueprint of the next terrorist attack they are going to do. But we have no photo of him. So we have to go there and nab him by hook or crook. So get ready"
The ETF reached the airport. The same time the girl got down from her plane and inhaled a lungful of air.
She walked towards the exit, her eyes wandering excitedly. That was when she collided with someone. She looked up and saw that person running fast. Confused she picked up her bag. Automatically her hand went around her neck and she realized that the chain was not there. Alarmed, she searched her surroundings. That when she realized that it was probably with that guy. So she ran behind him. As she caught up with him she started hitting him to stop running.
On the other hand, Rathod, Chotu and Shree found a suspicious looking man. As soon as that man saw the trio, he started running. Now realizing that he is the terrorist they also ran behind him. Suddenly they saw a girl jumping upon on him and scuffling. The trio caught up with them.
Riya looked up in gratitude at the trio who came to help her. She told them why she was chasing him. Rathod searched his pocket and handed over the locket to her. Hurriedly taking it, she kissed it hard and wore it.
She bid adieu to them, hailed a cab and went away. After a few seconds Arjun and Sakshi reached there.
"What happened Rathod? Did you get him?"
Sameer showed him the terrorist. Arjun lunged forward and held his collar. But Sakshi pulled him back. Controlling himself, he looked at his best friend lost in thought.
"What happened Sameer? Why are you lost?"
Sameer looked at Arjun and shook his head in denial.
"Nothing special yaar. Actually we met a girl now. In fact only because of her we were able to catch him. When me, Shree and Chotu came she was engaged in a scuffle with this b*****d. He had a knife in his hand whereas she was fighting him with her nails and teeth."
Arjun was amused hearing that.
"what? But why?"
Sameer chuckled at that.
"That's the most amazing part Arjun. When I asked her what happened, she told me that this guy had bumped with her and her chain fell into his pocket. So she was fighting with him to get that back.
"Wow!!! Is that girl crazy? To get a chain she was fighting with an armed terrorist."
"I don't think that it's just a chain Arjun. You should have seen her happiness when she saw that chain. The dimpled smile that came across her face blinded me for a moment. I think that chain is really special to her. Anyway, just leave that. Let's take him to the interrogation."
With that he left leaving Arjun behind. Arjun's mind stuck to the one word he used, dimpled smile'. He remembered the dimpled smile she used to give to him.
He was snapped back to realty by the shrill ringing of his phone. He fingered through his hair in frustration thinking why he had remember about her after all these years.
***(@)***
She nervously stood outside of the tall building which read "E.T.F". She was excited to see her Arjun after all these years. Her eyes welled up just at the thought of seeing him. She took a deep breath and walked towards the reception.
"I am here to meet Mr. Arjun Rawte"
She informed the lady in the reception. She ignored the looks given by the receptionist and walked towards the direction she had pointed. She read the board which read conference room'. She stood outside gathering courage. Then raised her hand and slowly knocked the door. From inside she heard someone giving her permission. She gently pushed the door open and went inside.
As she scanned the room she found 7 people standing near a conference table. As she stepped inside she saw everyone turning to look at her except a guy who had his back towards her. Her gaze then stopped at a guy with moustache whom she had seen the previous day.
Sameer turned towards the door only to find the same dimple girl. He was confused for a moment.
"You are here? What happened? Are you ok?"
She nodded smiling at then. Sameer noticed the nervousness in her. She was clenching and unclenching her fingers. He looked at her questioningly. She passed him a nervous smile.
"I am Riya. I want to meet Arjun."
Arjun who was busy examining the facts gathered in the board was shocked as he heard her voice. He twirled around to look at the source of that voice. There she stood in flesh in front of him, after 7 long years. He could see the tears pooled in her doe eyes as their eyes locked with each other. The next thing he knew was she whispering his name and her soft body crashes with his masculine one. He stumbled a little but found balanced. His hands wound around her body supporting her while she bitterly cried on his embrace.
"I came back Arjun...yo..ur Angel came bac..kk... I missed yo...u... ssoo much..."
He stood there rooted to spot. He never expected a blast from the past. She was his past. And he thought that she had moved on in her life. But the way she was crying, he knew he was wrong. He looked up only to meet his astonished team members. Along with that his present, his Sakshi stood there with tears in her eyes seeing him with his past, Riya.
He came out of the shock as he saw Sakshi running out of the room. He eyed Ayesha to go look for her. He then separated himself from Riya suddenly. Riya who was cherishing the warmth in his hold after 7 long years was shocked with his sudden withdrawal.
"Riya, why are you here now?"
He asked with emotions. She was shocked for a moment.
"Arjun... I am... I am..."
Before she could say something, he stormed out of the office. She was stunned for a moment but ran behind him, others too followed them.
Riya caught up with Arjun and was saying how much she loved him and missed him. Suddenly he stopped in his track and pulled her by elbow.
"If you loved me, where were you for the past 7 years Riya? You know how much hurt I was? Why didn't you even tell me that you are alive? Where was your love that time when I was withering in pain? Where were you Riya?"
Arjun barked at her in anger. She recoiled in fear. She lowered her eyes and whispered.
"Confined in the dark walls of a mental asylum in Northern England"
Arjun's grip on her loosened as his eyes widened in shock. He stepped back a little, his legs wobbly.
"What? What...are you telling?"
She nodded her head.
"I am telling the truth. After my father separated us, he took me to England. He didn't want his ego to fail, even if it takes away his daughter's life. He knew that I will try my level best to come to you. He even knew that I won't stop loving you. So he told everyone that I am mad. They kept me locked up in a mental hospital. You know Arjun, I was really scared. Each and every moment I was dying thousand deaths. Only one thing was keep me going. That was your face. Every time he used to come to me and ask me whether I was ready to forget you. But every time my answer was a big no'. So he used to get angry on me and beat me till I bleed. Somewhere he even forgot that I was his flesh and blood, his only kid. "
She sobbed as her fingers unconsciously moved towards her hand. Arjun's gaze followed her actions and saw the brown and purples marks in her hand. He felt rage and pain in his heart as he imagined the pain she had gone through. He was broken out of his revere by her voice.
"Long 7 years! I waited for this day for long 7 years. Every day I used to pray to almighty for my father's death. I know I will be the first child to wish for that. But what to do? He was never a father. He was a monster who was happy seeing me bleed. If all fathers are like that, I wish no one has fathers. But I knew, I am the only unfortunate one to have such a father. So I prayed every day to God. So before 4 days he granted me my wish. My so called father was shot dead by his rival and I got the freedom. And atlast I could come back to my Arjun..."
By now she was crying badly. Arjun was looking at her helplessly. His angel suffered so much for him and he can't even hold her now as he is bounded to Sakshi, that too in love.
Riya looked at Arjun.
"Arjun..."
He looked at her who was looking at him with all the hope in her eyes. She forwarded her hands to him as if asking him to hold her. He remembered that Riya was always like this. Whenever she needed him most, she used to forward her hand to him urging him to hide her in his arms.
She stood there, arms outstretched hoping that like every time he will take her in his arms and hide her from the pain. But it never came.
She saw him shaking his head and taking steps backward. She felt deep pain in her heart as she saw him walking away from him. She stood there rooted to spot unable to move. Her arms still outstretched.
"Riya."
She looked animatedly at Sameer who shook her. Sameer felt his insides clench seeing her. He knew he had to reveal everything to her.
"Riya, you are a strong girl. You lived without him for these many years. Now also you can live without him. But the thing is... Arjun has moved on his life. He is married. That too a love marriage. He loves his wife a lot... I hope you don't come between them... you are a nice girl Riya..."
He patted her back and left. Soon everyone followed him leaving Riya deserted like always. Sameer's word rang in her ears again and again. Unable to keep steady, she slide onto the floor, her eyes showed the emptiness in her life.
***(@)***
Arjun was driving his SUV. He looked at the passenger seat and sighed as he saw Sakshi asleep. But his heart was far away where he left Riya. Someone said it correct, if your first love was true, you could never erase it from your heart. Those years where he had to live without Riya was the most painful moments in his life. Then Sakshi came along. She stood as a pillar of support in his life. And when she proposed him, he didn't had to think twice to say yes'. The feelings were mutual and he was sure that he had forgotten Riya, until now. Riya! His angel, the only girl whom he desired so much yet couldn't get. He had met her while she was in college. She was 2 years younger to him. In those days, Arjun was just Arjun. He was just out of college and searching for a job. She fell in love with him despite of him being jobless. She always stood through him thick and thin. Their life was perfect until her father decided to show up. Her father who was a business man Europe had come to know of her love and flew back to India. His men beat up Arjun in front of Riya. She pleaded with everyone and clung to him taking half the blow in her body. But being the ruthless man he was, her father didn't listen to her. He forcefully separated the couple and dragged her away.
"Angel...I will wait for you... you have to come back for your Arjun..."
"Arjun... Don't forget me... Wait for me... Your Angel will be always yours..."
That was the last thing she told him before her father took her away. He waited her for 4 years. By this time he got into the police academy and became the Arjun Rawte now. In the tides of time he gradually forgot Riya and her words.
Now those same words and face came to haunt him back. She had kept her end of promise where as he had broken his long time back. She suffered day and night in the past 7 years for him and never gave up whereas he gave up on her and their love long back. Now thinking back, he was ashamed of himself...
***(@)***
Riya stood under the shower in her hotel room. She was not even sure how she came back. The walk back to her hotel was in a trance. The revelation had changed her life. The only truth which she held on with her dear life was a lie. The mere thought of Arjun being someone else's crushed her world. The pain, those whiplashes, that never ending darkness, those medicines filed air she breathed, everything she faced for the past 7 years was for nothing. Her Arjun had left her long back.
She let out a painful scream as she slide onto the floor.
***(@)***
A new day came. But for ETF, it was never the same. There was grave silence in the atmosphere. Sameer sighed helplessly. Suddenly phone started ringing showing an arrival of a new case. The team became alert.
They reached a warehouse where they got the information that drug peddling was going on. They took out their guns and jumped out of the SUV and stealthily moved towards the warehouse. Everybody stood in their position. They peeped inside and saw 10-12 people inside loading something into a truck. Arjun was about to shoot when he saw something which blew his mind. There was a steel plank next to him through which he saw Riya walking towards the warehouse unaware of the danger.
Riya who was on her way to ETF saw the ETF SUV's parked. She got down from the cab and walked towards the warehouse deducing that they might be inside. She was about to reach the vicinity of the factory when out of nowhere she felt a grip in her hand yanking away. She knew to whom that touch belong to. It was her Arjun's. She looked up and found him looking at her with anger in his face.
"What the hell are you doing here Riya?"
"I... I saw your SUV... i... wanted to speak to you..."
His grip on her tightened. She winced in pain but he was too angry to notice that.
"Just go away Riya. There is nothing to speak about. I have moved on. And you should too... I am on a mission now. So don't lurk around here and attract trouble..."
She flinched hearing the harshness in his voice.
"Arjun... just 5 minutes..."
"I said GO AWAY... Which part of I-Had-Moved-On you don't understand? You were my past. Sakshi is my present. And I love her. I don't want my past to affect my present. Do me a favour and go away from my life..."
He looked at her and he knew he had hurt her enough. He had made sure that he had broken the last piece of hope in her. He saw her eyes welling up as her tears started falling. He left her in a jerk and walked back to join her team.
Inside shootout has started. Being the efficient team ETF was, they had almost nabbed the peddlers. Suddenly Arjun heard shooting from his backside and someone yelling in pain but he was distracted the same time by Sakshi who has been shot in her shoulder. Arjun frantically ran towards Sakshi. Scooping her up in his arms he joined his other team members who had killed every goon. They climbed the SUV and drove off.
A tear stricken Riya slowly came out of the warehouse only to witness this scene. For a fleeting second Arjun's eyes locked with hers but he averted his gaze and concentrated on Sakshi.
A tear rolled down Riya's eyes as their SUV vanished from her eyes. A jolt of weakness passed through her body. She looked down her stomach where she had kept her hand. She carefully removed her hand and looked at the blood in her hands. She remembered how she came and took the shot upon her when a goon was about to shoot Arjun.
She fell down to the floor, clutching her stomach. She fiddled with her sling bag as she took out her mobile and dialed a number. As the call got connected she uttered to that person;
"Unka Mohabath mein, mein iss tharah doob jao ki
uske tharaf aane vale mauth ko bhi mere saamna karna pade."
***(@)***
The ETF team was pacing in the hospital corridor worriedly. They heaved a sigh of relief as the doctor came out and told them that the bullet had just grazed Sakshi's arms and there is nothing to worry. Arjun sat near her while she assured him through her eyes.
Two days passed like that. It was the day of Sakshi's discharge. Whole ETF team was present there. They were waiting for the doctor to come for one last checkup. Suddenly they heard some commotion from outside. All of them went outside to check what that was. They saw a guy in late twenties holding the collar of the doctor and yelling.
"How could you say that? She can't be dead. Why didn't you save her? You are a doctor. You are supposed to save her..."
The doctor who was scared like hell was struggling to come out of his grip.
"Please Mr. Arman calm down"
The ward boys were trying their level best but were not able to contain the angry Arman. At last the ETF stepped in and freed the doctor.
"What's going on? This is a hospital for God's sake" barked a furious Sameer.
Arman looked at him with equal furious eyes and yelled at him with same voice.
"I don't care. Tell him to stop saying that she is dead. She can't be dead."
Everyone was dumbstruck hearing him. They understood that he had lost someone dear.
Rathod mellowed down looking at his condition. He slowly kept his hand on that Arman's shoulder and pulled him to a nearby chair. Seating him there he told,
"Calm down. Everything will be fine..."
Arman shook his head in denial.
"Nothing will be fine. She is gone, never to come back. She is dead. She breathed her last and I couldn't do anything. I couldn't help her before 7 years, I couldn't help her in during those 7 years and I couldn't help her now. My Ri is dead. She will never rise from ashes like a phoenix."
The name Ri and the thing about 7 year' caught everyone's attention, especially Arjun's. With large strides he walked towards the stretcher where the body was placed and removed the cloth covering. He felt his whole world come crumpling down as she saw her peaceful face. He stumbled a little. Shree came to support him but he managed it himself. He then walked towards the stretcher. He whispered;
"Angel..."
That caught the Arman's attention. He wiped his tears and stood up.
"Who are you?"
"He is Arjun." Sameer answered.
The pain in Arman's eyes gave away to anger. He walked towards Arjun and punched his face.
Everyone was momentarily stumped. Arjun stumbled back a little but was supported by his team.
"Mr. Arman, what the hell do you think you are doing?" barked Sameer.
"Don't you dare interfere in this Mr who-ever-you-are..." Arman retorted with fire spitting eyes.
He then turned towards Arjun.
"Don't you dare come to her Arjun. I don't want you to even touch her body. Everything happened because of you. 7 years back, if she was not in love with you, she would have at least led a life somewhere. But your love changed everything. She was deprived of love from childhood. Me, being her childhood friend had seen her crying for the lack of love from her father and an absence of her mother. She was fine with it. Then one day you came along. You changed her life. You made her dream again. I couldn't be part of her life that time because I was in Australia. But whenever I contacted her she always used to tell about you. I was happy for her. Then came that fateful day. I came to know about everything really late. And when I went to see her, her father didn't allow me. I couldn't do anything to help her because of her wretched father. But I had faith in my friend and her love. Then I came to know about her father's death. That was the day I realized how much she had suffered"
He stopped and took a deep breath.
"She was not the Riya I knew. She was like a Skelton. There were marks of whiplashes on her hands and legs. There were dark circles around her eyes. I was horrified knowing the extent of pain she suffered. All for what, just for you love. Do you have any idea what she told as soon as I freed her from that wretched mental hospital? She told she wanted to go back to India; she wanted to meet her Arjun and sleep in his lap. It's been soo long that she felt safe..."
He stopped as tears started choking his voice. Hearing his words Arjun felt his vision blur as he imagined his angel going through all those pain just for him.
"And I am being the stupid, who just wanted her happiness let her come to India. And when I came to know from my source that you had moved on in your life, I followed her to India. But I was too late. I got her call while I am on my way to ETF. Do you know how and where I found her? She was lying on the floor in a pool of blood outside a warehouse"
Arjun eyes snapped to attention as he heard the mentioning of ware house. Suddenly his mind drifted back to the moment where he saw Riya and how he hurt her. Then he remembered a gun shot behind him and someone's scream. Then later when they were driving away he had seen her standing there and looking at him with pain filled eyed. His eyes widened in horror. Could that be?
As if guessing him, Arman continued.
"Yes, you guessed it correct Rawte. The bullet was for you, but she took it upon her. And you, you didn't even glance her back. You left her there alone, like you did always. I do remember she telling many times that death has to come through her to get her Arjun. And she proved her words true. She lived for you. And died for you. And you know what was her last words?"
Armaan stopped to fight back the tears.
"Arman, If I die today, please let Arjun know that Riya was his and will always be his, even if he is not mine"
With that he broke down. By this time everyone was in tears. Arjun was cursing himself for giving her pain. He kept looking at her angelic face which had a peaceful expression on her face.
Arman gathered himself and walked towards Arjun. He looked at Sakshi who was holding Arjun.
"This is your wife, right? Was it so easy for you to fall in and fall out of love? if you had to leave my Riya one day, why did you gave her those false promises? How could you move on in your life? How could you? Was she just a passing fantasy for you?"
Arjun folded his hand in front of Arman.
"Please, I beg you. Please don't say anything. Please..."
Arman let out a sadistic laugh.
"The great Arjun Rawte is begging in front of me? But let me tell you, even if you beg, it won't change the hatred I feel towards you now. Normally it's not in my character to laugh upon seeing someone's pain. But today I am happy seeing you in pain. But your pain is nothing compared to Riya's. My best friend had left me and this world only because of you. Riya was half-died the day her baby died in her womb. And you killed her fully now."
It was a jolt to Arjun. Riya and baby?
"What? Riya... baby?"
Arman's face crunched in disgust.
"Oh so you didn't know that. She was pregnant with your baby when she was taken away. Even though she was away from you, she was happy to have your part grow in her. But the constant beatings and pressure killed her baby in her womb"
Arjun fell onto the floor lifelessly. What had he done? How could he let go of the girl who loved him beyond her life. She suffered everything for him. If she would have said yes' to her father and forget Arjun, she would have lived somewhere in this world in happiness. But instead she stuck to the promise she had given him. She waited for him. And their baby. Their baby couldn't even see the light. How devastated she would have been. But still she survived everything. So that she could see him one day. And when she saw him, what he had done? He pushed her away showing that he had moved on in his life. He rememeberd the last sentence he had said to her;
"I said GO AWAY... Which part of I-Had-Moved-On you don't understand? You were my past. Sakshi is my present. And I love her. I don't want my past to affect my present. Do me a favour and go away from my life..."
What would have she felt when she heard that? She would have died a thousand deaths. And surely she listened to him and went away from his life. This time for ever. He let out a painful scream clutching his hair.
A white light appeared in the corridor blinding everyone for a moment. As their eyes adjusted towards the light, they saw an old saint looking person dressed in pure white with white beard standing near Riya's body. Everyone had their eyes wide open seeing that. The man then caressed Riya's hair. She opened her eyes. She held onto the man's hand and stepped out of the stretcher. Standing near him she looked down to her body which is lying in the stretcher. Her eyes then darted towards Arman and then fixed on Arjun. A tear rolled down her cheek as their eyes locked.
She let out a sad smile as she uttered in a broken voice;
She turned to the old man and looked at his outstretched hand. She slowly placed her hand on his hand. He gave a warm and gentle squeeze. The brightness increased. Not able to withstand it any longer everyone covered their face. After a few seconds they opened their eyes and found the place to be as usual. There was Riya's body lying on the stretcher.
Arjun was the first one to come out of shock. He ran towards the place where he had seen the old man and Riya. But there was no one there. He painfully realized that her soul had left him and the earth forever. He looked at her body lying in the stretcher. Slowly he gathered her body in his arms and wept like a child. In an attempt to gather his present, he lost the most important part in his past, the girl who could fight against the entire world for him, the girl who could go any length to see him happy and alive. People had said to him, she was your past, forget her and move on. He did exactly that and lived in the present. But she spend her days in the past itself, not ready to move on. She waited for him like an idiot for years. She kept her promise. She was his and will be always his. But he, he failed in the test of love and he failed in his life. He had wanted to live in present, and she, in past. Now, he wanted to live in past, but alas! He was too late.
Riya looked down to earth from heaven for a last time. She saw the love of her life crying over her death. She let out a sad smile as she recited another shayari;
***(@)***
After several years Somewhere in England
The doctor moved through the corridor examining his patient. He stopped in front of a room. Slowly opening the door he peeped inside. He saw a young man curled upon the floor speaking something incoherent to someone invisible. He sighed and walked away.
A fallen angel fell in love with a man. The Angel's father caged her in a darkroom for 7 years. She escaped his clutches and flew back to her soul mate. But fate had something else for her. The fallen angel died painfully. And her soul mate not able to withstand her loss ultimately came back to where his angel spent 7 years waiting for him. He lived his life there withdrawn from the world, waiting for her to come back and take him away with her. He knew, one day his angel will come back for him because she loves him too much to stay away from him...
CID
46