Thanks again everyone.
Read on.
Part 7A
Fortis Hospital
Chottu and Shree slammed the doors of the SUV after getting out and continued their discussion. "So you are saying that may be Arjun sir and Priya had something going between them before Arjun sir met and married his wife Roshni?" Chottu asked.
Shree bobbed his head up and down to confirm. "Yes and I have a feeling Arjun sir may have mistook Priya and Rathore sir's relationship, decided to keep his feelings to himself and later married Roshni."
Chottu was having hard time picturing his two seniors falling for the same girl and he was sure that Rathore sir thought of Priya, more as a younger sister than a potential girlfriend, but that could have been misinterpreted by Arjun sir easily.
Chottu nodded his head in agreement as he and Shree headed towards the billing office. "You could be right Shree and you are also right about the reason for Arjun sir being affected by Riya because she had reminded him of Priya. He obviously does not like Priya now but she must have left a big impact on him in the past for sure."
The two friends continued to discuss the life of their senior officers unaware that Dr. Swati Gupta was right behind them listening to their discussion. Swati had been on her way to her office after examining a patient when she noticed the ETF vehicle screech to halt in front of the hospital entrance. She had waited to see if Sameer or Priya had returned but to her disappointment she only saw a big, bulky man with a ponytail and an obviously smart looking man with glasses and curly hair emerge from the vehicle.
She had waited few moments before she started walking behind them towards her office. Once she reached her office she immediately went to stand by the window to gaze out at the gardens behind the huge hospital. Her mind automatically focused on the past and her first meeting with Sameer and Arjun.
Five years ago, Maharashtra Police Academy, Nasik
Swati gave the handsome man walking beside her a sideway look as she tried to come up with something to talk about. She sighed when her mind went blank, she felt like an idiot for not even coming up with something casual to talk about. For the first time in her life Swati felt tongue-tied in front of a man. She had never shied away or had a hard time talking with a man before but Sameer Rathore made her heart race and left her mind blank.
It's not that she hasn't encountered handsome men in the past either; her pretty face and petite frame had attracted her share of handsome eligible men in college but none had been able to spark an interest in her with a first look. May be it was because she had felt as if she had been electrocuted at his first touch that is distracting her from making an intelligent conversation with him.
"So you are good friends with Priya?" Swati snapped out of her thoughts when Sameer asked her the question. She glanced at him and smiled; she was relieved that he broke the silence between them before it became very uncomfortable between them.
She was also glad he asked about Priya, one person guaranteed to relax her. "Yeah we have been friends since we were kids. We lived next to each other until her father and mother were killed when Priya turned sixteen."
Sameer understood why Priya was always so serious now; "It must have been tough on her losing her parents at such age."
Swati nodded her head, "Yes it was, and it still is hard for her. Her father was a police officer also and a guy he put in jail killed him and Priya's mom. Only reason Priya was spared was because she was with me and my family at the time."
Sameer understood what it is like to lose family so tragically; he and Priya had that in common; he lost his parents at a young age also. "Where did she go after her parents were killed?"
Swati glanced at him sharply then frowned wondering why he wanted to know so much about Priya. Sameer guessed at her worry and smiled at her reassuringly.
"You don't have to tell me if you don't' want to, I am just asking because I have tried to get her to mingle with everyone here but she prefers to keep to herself and I was curious as to why she prefers to be alone." He also wanted to know as much as he can about Priya for Arjun's sake but he didn't want to say this to Swati.
"Hmm'that is why I am here," Swati said, "I am sure its against the rules but the last time I spoke to her she sounded distracted and worried so I wanted to see for myself that she is okay. And like I told Sharma uncle I won't be able to see her for a while so I called in a favor to him."
"I am sure she will be happy to see you." Sameer murmured.
Swati grinned at that. "She will be shocked I am sure. After her parents died she went to live with her uncle, her mother's brother, and his family, we didn't get to visit each other much after that but we made sure to get to together at any opportunity we get."
Sameer sensed that there was more to the story but he didn't push Swati. He had enough information to know that Priya is harmless. He had worried at first about Arjun's interest in the girl but now that he knew little bit of her past he can relax and see if he can get Priya to relax. He also had a reason to wanting to get to know Priya but he will keep that to himself for now.
Shooting range
Priya cursed under her breath when she once again missed the moving target. This was rare occasion for her but she also knew the reason for her distraction.
"You are trying too hard." Priya groaned when she heard the husky voice from behind her. Speak of the devil, her distraction. If she isn't careful she is going to end up failing the training. She ignored him and took aim again and missed once again, to her surprise her hands were trembling a bit.
Arjun wasn't surprised when she didn't turn towards him and continued to shoot the target. He had never met anyone more stubborn than him and she intrigued him. He wasn't a type of person who chased women but for some reason he found himself wanting to know more about Priya. He wished he knew why he couldn't leave her alone like she prefers to be. "Did anyone ever tell you that you are a very stubborn person?"
"All the time and she is hard headed too." Arjun was startled to hear another female voice answer his question and turned to see his friend Sameer standing with a young, petite girl standing next to him.
Priya gasped when she heard the familiar voice of her best friend Swati. She turned to see Swati standing, few feet, away grinning at her.
Priya grinned back at her; she immediately put her gun away and hurried towards her friend to hug her. "How did you know I needed you?" She murmured in Swati's ear.
Arjun raised an eyebrow at Sameer when he saw Priya smile happily and hug the other woman. Sameer came to stand next to him. "Priya's best friend Swati, I was called to the commissioner's office to escort her to Priya.
Arjun nodded absently because he was too distracted by smiling and relaxed Priya. It was amazing to see the transformation in her from the determined and too serious young woman to the woman in front him who was smiling and joking with her friend. He wondered why she was always so serious and avoided people.
Sameer was watching Arjun while he observed Priya. He couldn't help the amusing smile that formed on his lips as he watched Arjun watch Priya as if he was trying to solve a puzzle. It has been like this since he first met Priya the few weeks before.
He shook his head at his friends's confusion. Arjun is one of the best cop when it comes to solving crimes but when it comes to the matters of the heart he is the dumbest person around. Sameer is well aware that Arjun has yet to figure out the reason for his fascination with Priya.
Sameer glanced at the two women few feet away from them to realize that the conversation between them was getting intense and judging by the covert glances that Priya kept giving Arjun he knew that Swati was saying something to her about Arjun. Now he knew why Priya kept avoiding Arjun and him.
"You are running scared Priya." Swati murmured to her friend.
Priya frowned at Swati and folded her arms across her chest. "I am not scared." She said denying the fact that she is indeed very scared by the feelings that one Arjun Raute evoked in her.
"But you are running," Swati stated with a teasing grin.
Priya sighed and dropped her arms to her side; it was no use hiding anything from her best friend. Swati could read her like a book.
"We will talk about this later," Priya said as she glanced at the two men standing away from them. She mustered up smile on her face as she walked towards them. She avoided looking at Arjun and addressed Sameer only. "Thanks Sameer for escorting Swati. I am going to take her to my room now, I will walk her out when she leaves."
Sameer kept his face blank but he was disappointed that he wouldn't be able to see Swati before she left. "Sure no problem let me know if you need anything."
Priya nodded then turned and joined her friend. Sameer and Arjun watched as Priya hooked her arm around Swati's elbow to take her towards the women's quarters.
Arjun turned to Sameer to make a comment but stopped when he saw his friend gaze towards the two women intently. He frowned and wondered at his friend's intent look then shrugged it off as unimportant.
The day that Swati met Sameer was the day that changed the course of four lives forever.
Present time, Swati's office
Sudden noise outside her door brought Swati back to the present with a jolt. She sighed in relief; she couldn't help but feel responsible for Priya's welfare now. If she hadn't forced Priya to interact with Sameer and Arjun that day during dinner hour Priya would have never had to go through the ordeal she did.
At the time she had wanted to spend more time with Sameer and she had also sensed that Priya was avoiding Arjun because he made her feel things that she hadn't wanted to. In the end both she and Priya had lost out on love. Priya's pain was far greater than Swati's, her love had been returned at least but Priya has had to live with unrequited love for a long time.
In her own selfishness, Swati had forgotten that there was someone in Priya's life who had vowed to destroy any little happiness that Priya got in life. They had all been unaware that Priya's every move at the academy was being reported to the person who couldn't stand to see Priya happy.
As for herself, Swati was still smarting from the pain caused by her dad, who had left her and her mother for another woman, and the pain that Sameer dealt her by leaving just before they were to marry because of his fears.
Priya and Swati had gotten through their individual heartbreak with determination and supporting one another. Priya's only wish for her friend is for her to get through this last phase of her life that had started after she decided to take the undercover assignment three and half years ago. She prayed that her friend is spared more pain on top of what she has been through since it all started.
Swati picked up her patient's chart to make her notes and got back to work. There is no changing what has happened and what will happen once Sikandar comes forward.
Arjun slammed the SUV door and made his way towards the billing office. It wasn't that he didn't trust Chottu and Shree to do their investigation properly but being confined in the office with Priya and Rathore had made him restless so he decided to join Shree and Chottu.
It wasn't just the fact that silence among the three people, who had been close friends, had been full of tension, but Arjun's thoughts refused to leave him alone. Again and again his mind kept going back on the overheard conversation between Swati and Rathore and Priya and Rathore. His mind refused to stay silent and kept wondering what happened to Priya. When does she feel she doesn't deserve to be loved or be with the one she loves? Is it because of the scar on her face? When did she get the scar?
Arjun's mind is full of questions but not answers were coming forth in his mind. His ulterior motive in coming to the hospital was also to see Swati and to see if he can gain some insight into Priya's life. He doubted he would get any straight answers from Swati but he had to try.
Few minutes later he knocked on Swati's office door and waited for her to grant him permission to go in before turning the handle and walking in as if he owned the place.
Swati was quiet surprised to see Arjun enter her office and wondered why he came to see her today when he had practically acted at a stranger the night before. "ACP Raute, what can I do for you?" She asked formally.
Arjun didn't react at her formal question. He took off his aviators and threw them under his shirt then focused his gaze on Swati without showing any of the turmoil he was feeling. "For starters you can accept my apology for not acknowledging you last night," he said as he folded his arms across his chest.
Swati nodded, "It's okay and you didn't have to come back to apologize."
"Actually I am here to follow up on a lead on the two murder cases we are investigating. Do you know anything about the head of your billing department?"
Swati frowned at the mention of Ashish Chopra, the head of billing department. "I don't know him that well but most people seem to like him."
Arjun nodded his head but he couldn't help but feel they needed to dig deeper into Ashish's pas life. Chottu and Shree had been unable to come up with much information but when Arjun met the man he had felt bad vibes come from the man. His instincts usually never failed him and this time he also felt that they shouldn't dismiss Chopra so easily.
Arjun uncrossed his arms, "Thanks Swati," he turned then hesitated before glancing back at Swati.
Swati sensed Arjun wanted to ask her something about Priya and waited but he didn't say anything. "I know you want to know about her but I cannot tell you anything without breaking her confidence and her trust. Just remember one thing Arjun, she never stopped being your friend."
Arjun felt his anger rise at the mention of the friendship between him and Priya. "Then tell me Swati, where was my friend when I needed her the most? Where was my friend when my wife, her cousin, was being killed?"
*~+~*
Hope I didn't bore you guys to tears.😆
Next part will be soon, in next couple of days for sure.
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