AR FF - UNWANTED note on pg 17 - Page 11

Part 9

EARLIER THAT DAY

"What are you saying, Mr. Mehta?" Arnav said surprised. "It's true, it has been going on for almost a week now..." Mr Mehta replied on the verge of crying. "I've had letters, phones calls, people banging on my door, the lot... Mr Mallik" Mr Mehta continued.

"Have you informed the police?" Arnav asked. "No, not yet... i wanted to tell you first... i've recorded a few of the phone call and have the letters with me." Mr Mehta said, handing the bag to Arnav. "The first thing you should have done was to call the police, you could have informed me later." Arnav explained. "We can definitely use this as evidence on Friday..." Arnav reassured, as Mr Mehta smiled.

*BEEP BEEP*

"Yes Sunaina..." Arnav said annoyed, for being disturbed. "Sorry to disturb you sir, but there's someone here to meet you, they say it's an emergency... I've tried explaining to them that your busy with another client.. but the gentleman insists on meeting you now..." Sunaina explained as she sensed his anger. "OK, sunaina..." Arnav said slamming the phone down.

"Mr Mehta, don't worry everything will be OK, if you want you can use my secretary's phone to inform the police." Arnav said as he escorted him to the door.

"Sunaina you may call them in... by the way who is it?" Arnav asked. "Sir, Mr Chatterjee" Sunaina replied. "Ok" Arnav replied. "Mr Chatterjee" Arnav whispered unfamiliar with the name.

*KNOCK KNOCK*

"Come in..." Arnav said still confused. "Hello... Mr Mallik and how are you doing today? The old aged man said in a sly voice. Arnav immediately looked up to see the defendant in front of him. "YOU, what are you doing here?" Arnav shot back.

"Why... shouldn't I be here... because of you and your client I've made a loss in my business, nobody wants to work for me, all my shareholders have backed out." The old man shouted as he took his gun out.

"Mr Chatterjee, what are you doing?" Arnav asked as his eyes fell to the gun in front of him. "You have any idea what kind of problem you will land up in... this s my office." Arnav said feeling his heart sink.

"I am completely aware of what I'm doing Mr Arnav Mallik, thank-you for your concern, now say your last prayers....kiddo" Mr Chatterjee slyly replied.

*BOOM BANG*

Arnav had tears in his eyes, all he could see was his family; his loving mother, his crazy father, and his dearest little brother.

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'FLASHBACK'

"MUM, WHAT ARE YOU DOING, I'm stuffed, you've already given me 5 paranthas to eat, and now 2 more... I'll be sleeping at work rather than working..." Arnav insisted. "Yeh kya baat howi Arnav- dekh tu kitna kamzor hogaya hai, itna khane se kuch nahi hoga... so zip up your non-sense and eat." Keerti said stuffing the parantha in his mouth.

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"ARNAV, ARNAV... KAHAN HO TUM..." Shubhankar called out. "I'm here dad..." Arnav said coming out of his room. "What's the problem... dad" ARnav continued, as his brows shot up. "PROBLEM, PROBLEM... urm, ku-kuch bhi toh nahi... main toh aise hi..." Shubhankar hesistantly replied. "Right dad... you don't have a problem..." Arnav asked teasingly.

"No, not at all... I didn't see in the morning that's why..." Shubhankar said hugging him. "Ab dekh liya dad... bye" Arnav replied, controlling his laughter, as he went back to his room. "Acha na... ruk" Shubhankar pleaded.

"Yes dad, now what have you done ke mum itna ghussa hogayi hain?" Arnav chuckled. "Woh, actually kya hai ke... mujhse na ghalti se... uski glasses toot gayi hain..." Shubhankar whispered. "Mujhse kahin chupa do..." Shubhankar pleaded. "Dad, phir se..." Arnav said irritated.

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"Hey bhai!" Armaan said as he entered Arnav's room. "Hey... uh, uh... tu yahan kya kar raha hai?" Arnav asked hesistantly, trying to hide something. "Why bhai, shouldn't I be here?" Armaan asked confused at his behaviour.

"N-o, no... I mean yes... I mean come sit..." Arnav stammered, sweating away. "Bhai, why are you sweating so much and what are you hiding from me?" Armaan questioned smirking. "Am I sweating…?" Arnav asked, touching his forehead not realising the photograph fell on the floor. Armaan immediately picked it up, whistling away. "Woh, actually air cond…" Arnav stopped as he saw the photograph in his hands, smiling away. "…And who is this gorgeous chick, bhai…?" Armaan asked, with his eyes wide open.

"Urm, urm, uh…"Arnav stuttered. "Urm, urm, uh kya… kaun hai yeh…?" Armaan teased. "Just a friend…" Arnav shot back, snatching the photograph from him. "Easy bro… you really think I'm going to believe this STUPID excuse… I'm sure it's just more than JUST a FRIEND." Armaan chuckled, elaborating on just a friend.

"Acha na… she's my girlfriend… idiot." Arnav blurted, extremely annoyed.

'END of FLASHBACK'

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"I love you… Nikki…" Arnav whispered.

*THUD*

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PRESENT

Armaan was still in shock and numb, he immediately got out of the car feeling suffocated with worry. Riddhima on the other, felt she should be with him, it would be selfish to think about herself at this time.

"Hi mama, where are you?" Riddhima asked. "Hi beta, I'm at home, kyon kya baat hai, you seem worried?" Padma questioned. "Mama, woh actually Armaan hai na… uske bhai ka accident hogaya hai, he got shot… toh main soch rahi thi ke I should go with him." Riddhima replied, hoping her mother would let her. "OK.. lekin shaam ho rahi hai, toh main tere papa ko kya jawab dungi?" Padma asked with concern.

"Urm, kyon na main DI ke paas raat guzaroon, waise bhi… It's been a while since I've seen her…" Riddhima suggested, hoping she would agree. "Theek hai, lekin ponch the hi mujhe phone karma… ok…" Padma said, smiling. "Thank-you mama… love you…" Riddhima replied with excitement.

Just as she hung up the phone, Armaan sat back in the car a little relaxed but still lostin his thoughts. Riddhima was finding it hard to digest that he was the same Armaan she knew, a while back in the restaurant.

"Urm, do you want me to drop you home or…" Armaan asked in a low voice. "If you don't want me to come with you… I mean I can understand what your family's going through." Riddhima cut him in, looking at him with tears in his eyes.

"Armaan I think I should drive your not in the right state of mind" Riddhima continued, pulling him out of the drivers seat. Armaan looked at her confused. "…But won't your parents be worried?" Armaan questioned, frowning. "I just spoke to mama and told her I'll call Anjali di to pick me up from the hospital…" Riddhima reassured, as she looked at him smile after so long.

"Thank-you…" Armaan whispered, as his voice yet again quivered. "And by the way, I'm doing this for your mum… she needs the support more than you… buddhu…" Riddhima replied, looking at him while sticking her tongue out, which made Armaan smile even more and break into laugh.

"Could you do me a favour and just text my sister the situation… my phone's in my bag…" Riddhima asked, as her eyes were glued to the road. "Yeh sure"

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The journey to the hospital had been extremely quiet, Armaan tried his best to surpress his feelings, while Riddhima was having great difficulty cheering him up. She felt as if she owed it to him, afterall he was there to listen to her non-sense earlier, so why couldn't she be there for him. The silence immediately broke as Riddhma's phone began to ring.

"Uh your phone's ringing" Armaan said. "Yeh, would you receive it please."Riddhima replied, as her eyes would not leave the road.

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"Hello, Riddhu!" Anjali said a little worried. "Hi, uh Riddhima's actually driving." Armaan clarified. "Oh, hi… your Armaan right?" Anjali confirmed. "Yeh!" Armaan replied. "I'm sorry to hear about your brother… have faith in God, nothing will happen to him… I actually wanted to know which hospital he is admitted in?" Anjali asked. "Uh, it's City hospital." Armaan replied looking out the window. "Thank-you I'll see you soon… take care!" Anjali said hanging up. "Bye" Armaan managed to utter.

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Mum… dad!" Armaan shouted running to them. "How's bhai?" Armaan asked, as his heart pounded. "The doctors haven't said anything yet" Shubhankar replied in a serious tone, while Keerti walked towards Riddhima, who was standing in a corner.

"Hi, aunty" Riddhima said, walking towards her, hugging her. From the moment Keert and Shubhankar had entered the hospital, Keerti expressed no emotion, while Shubhankar cried hysterically. Backing out of the hug, Keerti broke down, not able to to keep the pain in any longer. "Please aunty, calm down… if you break down like this… toh what would Arnav bhai think?" Riddhima tried consoling her. "Please sit down, I'll get you a glass of water." Riddhima said.

After an hours hard work of stopping Keerti from crying anymore, she noticed Armaan staring at her. Excusing herself from Keerti, she walked her way to Armaan.

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