Arakshi/Arhi SS : True Lies *ch 7 & 8* 31/5 - Page 6

My head throbbed and I placed my tiny palms to reduce the dull ache in my temples. My eyelashes fluttered open as the vision in front cleared from a blurry mess to stark reality.

My eyes widened to find out the sole cause of my mini stroke - The Poseidon (mentally noted the fact that he was wearing many more clothes - Thank the Holy Lords!) and my Klutz urff now Khali Kumari Gupta staring at me.

And the first words that tumble out of my mouth "Yeh kya hua? Kaise hua? Kab hua? Kyun hua? And sorry, actually not so sorry but who are you!" I put on my angriest expression ever.

The Poseidon sighed slightly and bent a little towards me "See my dear love..." to be cut off by Khushi "Don't flirt with her - period!"

I sniffed in the care and concern by Khali Gupta while Mr. Poseidon raised an eyebrow and alternated his looks between Khali Gupta and I "Woah, you guys in a relationship or something? Don't worry I support LGBT rights!" Mr. Poseidon grinned while I smacked my face and Khali Kumari Gupta grabbed the collar of his shirt.

"I exactly know how to prove my feminine-ness!" Khali Kumari Gupta glared and The Poseidon stretched in all glory "Finally! Sabr karne ka phal meetha hota hai! So idhar or another room, you know where you will prove it to me!" The Poseidon winked to get a sharp tap on his head.

"Ugh I so want to kill you Arjun with my bare hands! Now shut up and let me talk to my bestie and if you dare to flirt with her without any disclaimer, I will KEEEL you!" Khali Kumari Gupta glared at The Poseidon.

"Alright Kay! Am zipped up!" The Poseidon ran a finger over his lips signaling it to be shut.

I chuckled at my best friend and then turned towards my other poor bestie who was lost and flustered by the recent happenings. I noticed Sakshi eyeing Arjun and then squinting her eyes towards the sweet Kamina - urff Arjun.

"Finally you got some clothes!" Sakshi glared at Sweet Kamina.

"Heard that!" Sweet Kamina smiled at me and then turned towards Sakshi "Why ma cherie? You liked me in lesser?" he winked at my red bestie who was about to open her mouth in protest.

"ARJUN!" I barked at him and he pinched his throat "She started it! I swear on my unborn kids from my future wife that I didn't start it!"

"You two seriously shut up and tell me what the hell is going on! Khush! Why was he damn showering in my room! What's happening! Why are you into a Khali Gupta now! What the friggin hell is going on!" Sakshi blasted and silenced us instantly.

"First of all I am damn sorry Sakshi!" I sighed and saw from the corner of his eye that Arjun - The SK was going to speak up and Sakshi frowning at him "And just don't worry about Arjun cause now if he speaks out of his turn I will take a bazooka and target it as his most prized possession - yeah that will keep him quiet!" I mentally danced as he gulped and sat at the edge of the bed.

Turning towards Sakshi I held her hand in mine and sighed "I have been your best friend and trust me you mean a lot to me sister! Now what I am going to tell you is going to be little hard to digest but yeah, I need to tell you think. You see I am not the usual Klutz Kumari Gupta at home, I am... yeah like every Hollywood movie it is true that your best friend is a member of a secret association and over there my name is Kay." Sakshi's face gave away no expression as she was staring at me.

"So I needed a perfect hideout and what could be better than an electrical engineer? For me situations turned better when I realised that you created mini bombs, I know they ended up being Diwali phatakas but often these little connections made you farther intelligent and I have been conducting tiny experiments at home using the gas which caused the food burns over half of the time. Trust me I loved you as a friend and sister for no other reasons, you aren't a suspect or anything! In fact you are just awesome and I love you loads sis!" I stared at Sakshi's face while she nodded a little.

"And then this hyperly hormonal idiot secret agent next to me" "Oi!" He glared at me "Is Rawte, Arjun Rawte. So Sakshi, this idiot is Arjun, Arjun this is Sakshi." I took a deep breathe as I finished my long speech. I could sense an anger Sakshi had towards me but I couldn't blame her much.

I couldn't help but feel that I was being used. Just because I secretly made mini bombs and tiny weird stuffs and was a normal girl hence she was my friend. Did she ever suspect me? Did she think I was related to something? No matter how much she stated she didn't I just felt myself to be some side character in a play, hence I didn't speak to her.

"Hey Red Face!" Poseidon urf Arjun Rawte winks at me "Am not Red Face you P.. Arjun!" I glared and bit my cheek on the slip of tongue. "Oh right, you should watched your face Red Face! It was as red as ripe fresh strawberries and you know I love strawberries!" Poseidon sighed and I glared at him.

"Yeah right! Enter any woman's bathroom with nothing at all and pin her to the wall with the hundred percent chance of making her feel that she is just going to get raped by an increasingly handsome man and leave her eyes open to watched all glory of your ripped muscles would leave even Bandit Queen red!" I blasted at Poseidon/Arjun and in fact directed a bit of anger towards Khali Gupta.

I am sure she knew it! How else would that fantasy come true!!!

"Sak! I didn't know anything! Maine just kaha tha ki ghar aake nahale, mujhe nahi pata tha that he would end up doing this! I mean he was out on a mission so I told him to come home and relax and he took it a bit too seriously!" Khali Gupta pinched her throat and I turned aside in anger.

"So basically am what, a messenger, used stuff... not a friend na!" My eyes blurred slightly while Khu hugged me tightly "I swear Sakshi this was not the case... I swear!" She looked at me and I bit my lips in confusion.

I nodded slightly and muttered an alright when Poseidon/Arjun looked at me "Am sorry for my intro to be like that! But wait a sec... if that's the case, sh*t Kay, you aren't a woman!!! I knew it! I mean many a times I have been in her bathroom, with of course nothing, but she just closes my eyes and throws a towel on my face and says GROW UP." Mr. PA stated so.

"Jun, bro just shut up for now and get into your cop mode and explain everything to her, in the mean time I need to get changed." Khu relaxed her shoulders while PA rested his elbows on my bed and propped himself up "Do you need any help?" he smiled impishly and I was mortified by his nature!

"Kaminey, main abhi tak shock main hoon ki tujhe goli se uda kyun nahi di!" Khu glared but laughed and left.

Ajeeb dosti! Par gehri bhi... I half smiled.

PA laughed heartily, his carefree laughter sending slight shivers down my spine.

"So umm Miss Sakshi, it's a Miss if I assume it right!" I chuckled slightly and looked at her annoyed face. Somehow it entertained me to a great deal. Even I had to admit I wasn't this shameless all the time but then this was the first woman to react so vehemently and be so darn innocent.

I liked her.

"Hmm." She answered and turned aside.

I felt a tad bit guilty and cleared my throat "Being the perfect gentleman that I truly am" her eyebrows shot at that statement "I truly apologise for the incident that happened."

"Hmm." She turned aside. She reminded me of the wives who were upset if their husbands were late.

Okay... wives & husbands? Tu satak gaya hai Rawte, but I couldn't help it. She was the soft types that anyone would want to take home to family. Sigh. Such dreams were just a wistful luxury for us.

Family... I have one, right in front of me and yet I can't be with them like a family.

"You're angry right?" I prodded her gently when her head swivelled towards me and glared at me "Listen you might be really handsome and breath taking and stuff but trust me this was not a behaviour I admire! There should be respect okay! I mean... this was truly incorrigible of you Mr. Rawte! Flirting is nice but I am not the ones who flirt neither the one who enjoys such shameless acts!"

" Secondly let me tell you that I am not your fangirl who will die for you and thirdly give me proper respect while talking to me and don't EVER call me Red Face!" She blasted at me and I flinched back at her anger.

Her words never ceased to stop and at one point it became slightly painful as she hurled words at me,

"I have never... urgh! All this seems great in a novel but not in real life mister and..." her words died on her lips as I placed a finger on her lips.

Somehow I knew I had crossed my limits too when his eyes hardened into steel and he firmly pressed a finger against my lips.

God knows why that touch was so scorching. He pulled it back immediately and stared at me "Listen, don't judge me without knowing me... Strawberry. I never meant to kiss you or do anything on the bed, you were just so annoyed so I irritated you further. You are absolutely safe with me and your Khu can guarantee this." He turned aside and pursed his lips hard.

Thoughts and words died on my lips as he suddenly seemed very cold and icy. In that second I knew that I had understood the man in a completely wrong manner. "Sorry..." he startled at that and looked at me in surprise.

"For what?" he asked, genuinely clueless.

"I shouldn't have spoke that much without actually knowing you... I mean..." I fumbled for words when warmth seeped back in his eyes and he crouched before me.

"I know you have strong morals and ethics and trust me I totally respect you for this!" He pinched my cheek slightly as if I were to be a little child.

Suddenly the playful glint was back in his eyes and I was mentally overjoyed to see it back. "Now please Strawberry smile! Else I will feel real bad! And do you know what do I do when I feel real bad?" He said solemnly.

"Kya?" I asked.

"I will pout and won't eat any of my favourite ice creams even if they are in front of me! I swear on my"

"Hahaha, I know I know on your unborn kids from your future wife!" I burst into laughter and swatted his arm.

"Exactly!" He chuckled back.

It seemed to be a huge thing off my chest when she relaxed and laughed in front of me.

Her laughter was infectious and I loved the way her eyes twinkled and crinkled in joy "You know you are crazy Mr. Rawte!" She chuckled. "I do know that very well Strawberry!" I laughed back.

"Strawberry? Really!" Her mahogany eyes rounded in surprise and then squinted for half a second. "Yeah Really!" I smiled back.

"By the way, heard from Kay that you designed a real sweet pendant." I enquired while Kay stood in front with me with the pendent in her hand "Here it is, it's damn pretty Sak." She smiled and passed the pendent to Strawberry who stared at her in shock.

"So what's the situation right now? What's wrong Sak?" Kay asked while Strawberry muttered "Khushi this is you?"

"It's Kay in front of you, I know it's a far call from the patialas and kurtis but Sak... that was the real me." Kay said softly while Strawberry nodded slightly.

"This isn't showy though... but why is it always black and tight?" Strawberry asked innocently "You see Sak, only in Hollywood films do we look more like Victoria Secret models instead of agents. Black so as to it helps as camouflage at night and tight because it doesn't get stuck anywhere while running, if I run with kurti the edge can get stuck and over that this material is half latex so not much chances of any thread getting caught up anywhere. And it also depends on what type of a mission are you going to." Kay explained and Strawberry nodded.

"So I hope Arjun has told you what's our mission and everything?" Kay looked at us and I grinned back.

"Yep Kay! We are hum saath saath hai! Hai na Strawberry?" I winked at her while she half smiled.

"Not Strawberry! And yeah, we sorted our differences - as of now " Strawberry glared back.

"As of now! I mean come on we are made for each other and inseparable! Janmo ke saathi, hum saath saath hai!" I purposely sang off tune and waited for Kay's half drool expression on her all time favourite Salman movie.

"Don't think you are going to get easy by stating Salman's movie! I mean you spent this five minutes in pacifying her! I mean by looking at her face am sure she listened to you solely because you are my friend! You still need to pacify her way more!" Kay raised and eyebrow.

I turned to find Sakshi grinning at me. "Kya?" I asked.

"Waise Khu, not bad choice of clothes you know..." Sak smiled at my tight black suit. "Of course, no wonder our boss and her assistant is fida over her..." I scrunched my nose at their mention and rolled my eyes.

"I am interested in neither!" I glared, he chuckled slightly and then looked straight in my eyes "Of course, it will always be the letter A..." he smirked and I felt the ground shake beneath me.

I knew Arjun wasn't smiling anymore. I gulped slightly and said "That's not funny." "It wasn't intended to be." his voice held a familiar pain and I turned aside, not meeting his eyes anymore.

Suddenly Sakshi quipped "Ab yeh A kaha se tapak gaya?"

I saw how comfortably Arjun put on his mask again "Arrey, A, boss and assistant - her louuuverboys" Arjun chuckled while Sakshi too joined him in the laughter.

"Shut up you two! And please there is nothing between A and I, get that straight!!" I snarled back when Arjun plonked himself on the bed.

"Haan haan, na na karke pyaar hai main kar gayi kar gayi kar gayi... don't go in front of him in this suit okay, trust me his pants would get tight right away!" Arjun winked at me and my eyes rounded in shock.

"Ewww! You both are terrible! Hamesha dirty talks! Eww!" Sakshi covered her ears.

"I swear I hate it too! Now come on, look Sakshi... you don't know me and I don't know you, Khushi has gone back to Lucknow for an urgent job and you are happy go lucky! And if anyone speaks to you, is slightly gentle, kind or asking about me or even about you - just smile without tension and run away or press this button and we would help you okay and ... devi maiyya what was that?" I squinted my eyes and checked the slight flickering of lights.

"According to me there are a few reasons why this is flickering, the last I remembered the circuit of my house was absolutely perfect and neither is there an issue with the fuse else the lights would be off in one switch, oh wait, I know this is the most random thought in my mind... someone is tampering with the connections and iska matlab, Arjun, Khushi... we need to GET OUT NOW!" Sakshi paled.

Arjun and I were shocked and gulped "Oh sh*t."

"Tu Sakshi ko leke bhaag, main dusra route dhundungi." I was about to leave when Sakshi tugged my hand.

"Oh God no way girl, we'll get out together, Khu no over smartness this time!" She glared at me and I nodded.

I watched how Arjun broke open the window while Khu locked my bedroom door. She quickly took a satchel and stuffed a few clothes in it.

Without a word I watched how the duo slipped into perfect agents as Arjun piled furnitures against the door as if they were to be a sack of potatoes while Khu bound a saree against the railing.

My eyes went round in amazement as Khu clambered off the building like a cat without using the rope and then Arjun follows too. But instead of going out he wounded an arm tightly around my waist.

"Trust me?" he breathed out, his warm breath fanning my face "Dunno." I answered. "Abhi pata lag jayega." stating that he gripped me tighter and jumped down using the rope while I clung on to him for my dear life.

"You're safe." He whispered while I still held on to the lapels of his jacket. "Jun, Sak... I need to rush, of course these are behind me. Take care of the pendent and run as far as you can - KP of course. Jun I trust you with Sak, she's damn precious. If I don't return then look after her okay." With that I ran and hug Khu tightly "Shut up Khu, nothing will happen... come with us please." I said softly but Khu kissed my forehead.

"No Sak, I gotta go right now. Jun no way are you coming behind me. Sakshi is your amanat okay? Love you both." Khu hugs Arjun tightly as he kisses her cheeks "I hate this." he grumbled "Shut up and help me on the bike and hug me once more." Khu said softly as Arjun set her bike straight. He kissed her forehead and then tugged my hand along with his and drove off with the jeep.

KP - Kalsubai Parvat

SCROLL DOWN FOR NEXT PART B

I hated to leave my Khu alone. But I knew she was right and there was probably more responsibility on me now. I sent a message to my trusted few to help Khu get to Europe for a task. I know Boss would be angry on me but at times I didn't give much of a damn to it.

Hours rolled by but not a word was exchanged amidst me and my new companion. I turned aside to find her teary. "Kya hua?" I asked while Strawberry bit her lips softly.

"Khu, my gut instincts are saying that she's not safe. I swear I will never be able to forgive myself if something happens to her!" tears pooled down Strawberry's cheeks and I felt compelled to wipe them.

"She will be safe, A & Boss wouldn't let anything happen to Kay. Secondly she's one of the best in our field! Mujhe bas yeh samaj nahi aa raha hai ki yeh log tumhare peeche kaise lag gaye" I hit my palm on the steering wheel.

"What do you mean by mere peeche?" Strawberry looked confused. "They were behind Kay and you." I sighed. Of course, had it been only Kay they would have resorted to other methods.

"Heard you were famous last week?" I asked "Oh! That... arrey there was this simple bomb near this government officer's house so I deactivated it - it's my second love after electrical engineering." Strawberry waved her hand in air in modesty.

"Anything else happened?" I asked "Yeah Mr. Rawte! You know the bomb defuser was adamant on cutting the wrong bomb, usually we were asked to get out but then I saw he was cutting the wrong wire so I started screaming that the person is cutting the wrong wire so out of public pressure I was allowed to get in." Strawberry half smiled.

"Then?" I asked "Then kya? I grabbed the pliers out of his hands and cut off the right wire... but tab se sab ajeeb ho raha hai..." Strawberry grew quiet.

I stopped my car and turned to her "Tell me what all's been happening..." "You see, waise toh kuch nahi hua... but" I interrupted her "Listen, did you face near accidents or shit or something like that" She looked at me in surprise " How do you know?"

"Haan ki na?" I asked, my impatience and doubts increasing per minute.

" Yeah, ever since last week, while I was crossing the road - if Khu hadn't pulled me then... I would have been killed in a road accident. Then in my house there was a snake which Khu said she would handle Then achanak se I remembered Shree throwing a bottle out of our house and telling me that it was nothing, even after the little explosion below she said it was a phataka... but I knew she was lying..." Sakshi murmured.

"That was a petrol filled bottle." I muttered gravely. She was quiet for a few minutes "It means that Khu has been saving me each and every time par Rawte, the bomb squad was sent by the government which means that... Oh Lord... there is an involvement..."

"Of the Government, I know. Not all are to be blamed... of course. You actually stopped a deadly assassination." I muttered again. "Assassination! But then why such a simple bomb!" Sakshi asked.

"Simple taaki forensic analyst ke hisaab se it could have been a chit gang sent to kill the person and the bomb squad ran out of time, samjhe ya samjhaaun?" I looked at her while she nodded gently and then dozed off.

[CENTER]Sakshi[/CENTER]

I got up the next morning to find myself amidst dry fields. The jeep had several amenities and thus I could brush and grab a nut bar. I was quiet pondering over my thoughts while Arjun explained that the "villains" thought that I was involved with one of the agencies to protect the people hence they were behind me with that they summarised that I was a part of the agency and then they traced Khu accidentally.

"Thus ek teer se do nishaan keh sakte ho!" Arjun sighed and I frowned harder. "Will Khu be safe?" I asked again while he nodded.

"Don't you worry about yourself?" He asked me when I quietly confessed, "After having travelled roughly two days with you, I know I can trust you with my life."

His gaze softened but his jaws clenched "Don't, I flirt and joke around - that's all I am good at. Trust your Khu or anyone else. I am famous for having let down people." The words got bitter at the end.

"It's not at all like that Rawte! I know I am in good hands and don't blame yourself for whatever happened in the past." I held his palm while he stared at me "You know?"

"Your words were more than enough to state something happened, I don't know what happened. No matter what it is... you are never to be blamed - remember that."

"Really, what if you fail to protect the only family you had?" he asked sarcastically.

" Well they certainly didn't die wishing you would be in a living hell because of the people you had loved the most." I said and he grew serious and drove on.

"By the way, where are we going?" I asked and he replied "HQ - headquarters."

"Oh... why?" "Got to report to Boss about Kay, and even A that his lovergirl is in trouble. Truth be told, I am scared for Khushi... I know our friendship seems weird but then, you never require any logic in relations, do you?" he opened up and I half smiled at him. <

"Nope you don't." And then he smiled back at me, the rare true smile.

"Hmm... woh toh hai... par mujhe nahi pata tha Khu kisise mohabbat karti ha... main toh uske baare main shayad kuch janti bhi nahi" I said softly, a sort of betrayal seeping up my heart.

He stopped the car again and held my hand "Na na, you know her the best - apart from me. Tumhe pata hai... billion times she has told me about you... how she feels she is close to home because of you.. kitne baar tumne usse ek bare didi ka sahara diya. In fact many a times you have made her thankful of the friend she has... woh toh kayi baar kehti hai... that she's happy you didn't get married off anywhere" He chuckled at my reaction as I said

"What!"

"Yep, otherwise she didn't know ki kaise woh jhelti sab kuch akele..." His words made me emotional and I sniffed back my tears " She will be fine na."

He kept his palm over mine "She will be."

Our eyes locked and I felt my heart race up as his eyes searched mine thoroughly. I felt highly exposed and thus looked aside. God knows why I felt my cheeks to be burning.

Hours later he suddenly spoke up,

"By the way it's a good thing that you aren't even engaged! My career would have got a black spot if I were to travel such a long path with a semi married female! Chee chee, Arjun... tera yehi haalat hona tha!" I glared back at him as he slipped into Poseidon mode!

"I guess you are pretty famous for chee things!" I said sarcastically at which he laughed back "OH yeah! This is nothing, the female agents are *gulp* but then in my field I am considered the best in killing female agents! What not I have to do to get them off hand! Kisses are just a child's play!" He winked at me.

Poseidon kahika!

"You are..." I grumbled "What?" he chuckled "Too much!" I glared.

"By the way Rawte..." "Hmm I like the way you call me Rawte, rolling the R in your tongue." Charm oozed in his voice and I forced myself to glare at him.

"I am not any female agent that you start off with all this!" I snapped at him, to my horror Mr. Poseidon Rawte leaned towards me and smirked "All what?"

"Yeh flirting shirting!" I pushed him aside and looked in annoyance as he bursted into peals of laughter.

"Oh my Strawberry!" he pulled my cheeks to my sheer annoyance "Then in that case you don't even know what's flirting!"

"Of course I know!" I protested back, he raised an eyebrow "According to Kay you are an innocent sweet angel! You can't be a flirt any day!"

"Yeah right! You have no idea how much I tease Khu! I even call her a tamatar - she turns red just the minute I start teasing her! You know what sort of a situation I gave?" I smiled in my defense as a highly amused Arjun/Poseidon looked at me "What?"

I chuckled in my head as she vehemently protested to show that she knows what flirting is, I tried to think what poor little Strawberry said to Kay while Strawberry started to animatedly describe the situation.

"Ok, so there was this mystery lover of hers... who came into her room every night and stared at her and then one night her hair strands get stuck on her lips... he feels serene by seeing her face... he thinks of trailing away the hair but then he gets a wicked idea!" She chuckled excitedly while I was thoroughly entertained by her innocent wicked idea.

"Aha so what does Romeo do?" I asked while she continued to speak, her hands waved and the little bangles chimed in air.

"He leans onto her, with hands on either sides of her face, and yeah not touching her - you dirty mind" She accused me.

"Haw! am not dirty mind... so what, he leans like this?" I leaned towards her suddenly...

My breathe got stuck as he suddenly leaned on me, my heart starts off with erratic heartbeats. His voice turns husky then and there as he whispers "Then?"

Play this song :)

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hjtqi8t0hFI[/YOUTUBE]

It sounded like the most sensual voice in the planet, added to that was the pale moonlight and the headlights of the car which were the only sources of light. I got terribly conscious. "Ttt... tthen he stares at her lips for quite some time" my voice cracked and the radio's soft music wafted into our ears.

"Ttt... tt...then he comes closer till he's a breath away..." for a strange reason my vocal cords refuse to listen to the little sane part of my brain and answer his questions.

Arjun lowered himself further till he's a breath away, he cupped my cheek gently and whispered "Then?"

Arjun's lips broke into a smile and he gently parts his lips to blow air on mine. My eyelashes flutter and shut while I clench at the side of my seat.

\His moist warm minty breath makes my heart dance on a tune from the heavens "Then" his utterly husky voice melted in my ears and I found myself too lost to reply.

I sent a quick prayer up to the Lord as he cupped my second cheek.

And this was just the beginning.

Hehe,

I know am little devil *Closing my eyes* trust me I didn't re-read this chapter at all!

Any further questions will be answered.

Precap : Guess karo 😉 Tab tak ke liye Jadoo hai nasha hai... ❤️