ArShi GONE CASE | Season 2 Chapter 3 - THE IDENTITY (Pg 28) [OH HOLD] - Page 7

Link to SEASON 1

__________________________

SEASON 2

Chapter 1 : Secret Love

Arnav and Khushi reached the place sharp at 11 pm, as was decided. It was a lonely road, seemingly in the outskirts of the City. Arnav stopped the Innova at the roadside and killed the engine and turned off the lights. Arnav and Khushi didn't step out. They waited, constantly keeping an eye on the huge banyan tree that stood at some distance away from the vehicle.

Arnav looked at his watch. Quarter past 11. Looking at the tree he said, "Where is this Pakya?"

Khushi looked at Arnav and put forth her doubt. "Are you sure Pakya can be trusted?"

"Ofcourse!" replied Arnav confidently.

"But was is a thief afterall" said Khushi, still in doubt.

"So what?" said Arnav, "He is my informer and I trust him. If you don't want to, it's not my problem!"

Khushi gave a tough look to Arnav and looked away. Arnav smirked. Both were quiet. Arnav looked around. Khushi was noticing him.

"Arnav" she said, "I am noticing since long, why are you looking back again and again?"

Arnav looked at Khushi not expecting this question. He kept looking at her for a moment thinking what to say. Finally he said, "First you tell me... Why are YOU looking back again and again? You are using the mirror doesn't mean I can't understand!"

Khushi was surprised at the counter question. She became serious and said, "Uhm... Actually, I think someone is following me since some days"

"What?!" Arnav was shocked. "Someone is following you too?"

"What do you mean by "you too"?" asked Khushi instantly though she knew what Arnav meant.

"Yes Khushi, someone's following me too" said Arnav, "But why would anyone follow us?"

Khushi was about to say something but was interrupted by the ring of Arnav's phone... Arnav answered the call.

"Yes Lavanya..." he said.

As Arnav spoke over the phone, Khushi frowned that Lavanya had called Arnav at this hour. She quietly looked out of the window as she swallowed her secret. Yes, her secret - her love for Arnav. She sighed. Looking back at Arnav she thought, "Will I ever be able to tell him?" Her heart was beating faster by the moment with the fear that she would lose Arnav if he knew she loved him.

Meanwhile Arnav was done speaking to Lavanya. As he kept his phone into his pocket, he noticed Khushi looking at him intently. "What?" he asked her bringing her out of her thoughts.

Khushi looked away nervously knowing not what to say. Her throat was dry, her pulse uneven.

"Are you alright?" asked Arnav. Khushi nodded in reply.

Both were quiet waiting for Pakya to come. Suddenly Arnav broke the silence as he remembered something.

"You were going to tell me something that day, sorry I was not in a good mood at that time" he said.

Khushi knew what Arnav was talking about. She remembered what had happened that day.

It was a great day for Khushi. She had decided to confess her feelings to Arnav. She had told Arnav that she wanted to tell him something very important. She was very excited and was anxiously waiting for Arnav to return home. He had returned late that night. Khushi had stayed awake for him only to have dinner with him and then tell him what she felt for him. But Arnav was in a very bad mood because of the case he was handling. It was a case of betrayal and money. They guy whom Arnav was helping was cheated by a girl whom he loved a lot. And Arnav was so disturbed by what the girl had done, that he was venting out in front of Khushi saying, "I tell you Khushi, these girls are just..." He had paused for a while to calm himself down. But then he had continued, "Girls make our life worse than hell!" He had not realised that Khushi too was a girl. And that never actually mattered. Because Khushi was the person Arnav could share any thoughts with. Khushi had stood there listening silently as Arnav spoke, "And you know what, I will never let a girl come close to me! And even if one tries to, I will just throw her out of my life! Mark my words!" Khushi's excitement had died away. Her heart had been unknowingly broken by Arnav's words. Her eyes had watered but Arnav never got to know.

"Khushi? What's wrong?" asked Arnav again, seeing Khushi lost in her thoughts. "Tell me, what was it that you wanted to tell me that day?"

Trying to avoid the topic, Khushi chuckled and said, "I always keep saying silly things" and she let out a fake laugh.

"Ah stop acting Khushi!" said Arnav who knew Khushi very well. "Don't run away from my question" he said sternly. Khushi's fake laughter faded away. "What's so important and yet you haven't told me all these days?"

Khushi was scared. She knew she couldn't escape now. "Arnav..." she began nervously, "you might feel that I am crazy after you know what I want to say, but I know you understand me..." Both faces serious now, Arnav keenly looked at Khushi who continued, "You already know Arnav that I have..."

Khushi was interrupted by the sound of the horn of a bike. Both looked in front to see the bike and its driver near the Banyan Tree. The head light of the bike went ON and OFF twice.

"He's here" said Arnav looking at the signal given by Pakya. He wanted to hear more from Khushi, but now they had work to do.

Arnav opened the door of the car to get out. Khushi just closed her wet eyes, trying to swallow her feelings. The knock on her window glass brought her back to her senses and she got out joining Arnav. Arnav just looked at her and in that mere 20 metre distance to the tree, numerous thoughts poured into Arnav's mind. Khsuhi's words had made him somewhat restless. He could sense the seriousness of what Khushi was about to tell.

Pakya's voice broke the link of Arnav's thoughts.

Handing Arnav something wrapped in a paper, Pakya said "Take this saab, I will leave" and he hurried to his bike.

"Wait! Where are you going?" asked Arnav, "For a moment we thought you would not come at all".

"No saab, have I ever done that before?" said Pakya.

"Not yet... But we can't even trust our close ones these days.." said Arnav jokingly.

Khushi stared at Arnav, stunned.

"No no saab" said Pakya nervously.

Arnav smiled. He noticed Khushi staring at him. "What happened Khushi? Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked, confused.

Khushi just nodded to say "nothing". Looking at what Pakya had handed to Arnav, she said to Pakya, "What is this? And where are you going in such a hurry?"

"Memsaab, you see that later, you will understand everything. Right now I have to go" replied Pakya. Looking at Arnav he said, "You know how dangerous those people are. They are always looking for me". Saying so, he started his Bike. Arnav just pulled his hand and slipped in a 500-rupee note, saying "Take your mother to a good doctor"

Pakya's eyes watered at the concern, the care. He wiped his eyes saying "Saab, tell me if there's any other work to be done!"

Arnav just smiled. "Leave now" he said. Pakya left the place.

Khushi was still staring at Arnav. "Poor guy, his mother is detected with cancer. He had come to me for money a few days ago. He is not that bad guy anymore. He wants to lead a normal life now. But his gang has made his life hell"

Khushi was in her own thoughts. Arnav shook Khushi's shoulder saying "Khushi!!! What's wrong?"

Khushi just shook her head.

"Let's go!" said Arnav.

As the roadside was dark, Arnav and Khushi went inside the car to see what Pakya had handed them. They switched on the overhead light in the car. Arnav unwrapped the paper and they were shocked to see the orange and greenish coloured lace-less shoe under the yellow light. They remembered seeing similar red and blue coloured shoes. Both looked at each other instantly and said, "This is Riya's shoe!!" The red and blue colours seemed orange and green under the yellow light in the car. Arnav and Khushi were sure that this was one of the shoes Riya was wearing when she had suddenly come in front of their car and the car had stopped with a screech with Arnav pressing his foot hard on the brake paddle.

Arnav and Khushi checked the shoe carefully to get some clue. Nothing. They checked inside the shoe to see if Pakya had left any information, but no luck. Pakya had told them that they would know everything when they saw the parcel.

Checking the shoe again, Khushi said, "Pakya gave us just a shoe?"

"Nope!" said Arnav, smiling. "He has given us the address of the shoe as well!"

Arnav picked up the paper, in which the shoe was wrapped, which was fallen on the foot mat below.

"Address of the shoe! That means address of Riya!!" said Khushi with excitement.

"That's what it seems..." said Arnav looking at the address written on the paper. "Maybe Pakya has seen Riya at this address" Arnav read the address aloud, "S48, 114/7, Shanti Nagar".

"Shanti Nagar?!" Khushi's eyes widened. "This is the same place where Riya had come across our car!!" she exclaimed looking at Arnav.

Just then Khushi got a call from Shyam. "Hello" she said receiving the call. Arnav didn't understand why Shyam had to call Khushi at this hour. He heard Khushi speaking over the phone as, "Yes, I know it's quite late now. But... Don't worry... I am fine... No... Yes, I had dinner... Yes, I am with Arnav... Okay, bye!" The call ended.

Arnav didn't like this. "What was he saying?" he asked Khushi.

"Nothing, he just wanted to know where I am" replied Khushi.

"He doesn't need to care about you! Who is he to ask you whether you had dinner!"

"C'mon Arnav, he is one of us... We are a team" said Khushi trying to calm Arnav. She was feeling very happy from within seeing Arnav possessive of her.

"He never considers us as a team. And you! Stop favouring him, get it?!"

"Yes Sir!" said Khushi dramatically. But Arnav was in no mood to react to it.

Khushi looked at the paper and the little shoe and silently prayed for Riya's wellbeing.

__________________________

Link to Next Chapter

__________________________

Waiting eagerly for your comments... Do hit the "LIKE" button below 😳

PS : PM List is updated.

Others, let me know if you wish to receive PMs for the updates