Ariya Of Roses and Thorns - Page 5

Part 3

Rathore: paagal ho gaya hai ye admi! (changing the focus) pakdo in dono ko aur interrogation karo!

Ayesha: yes sir!....................................

Jeevan Nirmal-

Riya straight away collapsed on her bed. Her exams were finally over. Now all she had to do was wait for the results. She gazed at the fan rotating on the ceiling, going down the memory lane. Many times, she still couldn’t believe that her life had taken such a drastic turn. She had left all her hopes and dreams a long time ago and then suddenly he waltzed into her life chaotically turning it upside down. All of it, just because of that one night. Else, she would not have trusted him when he returned.

Flashback

Pydhoonie Red Light-

An SUV screeched to a halt near the famed Kotha. The street was filled with women, pimps and men of every age. The chawls on both side of the street were bustling with activity. Two men and a woman stepped out of the car.

One of the men scanned the area. He knew that a police car arriving there on official business would put everyone in worry. The spectacled man adjusted his sling and looked at the lady questioningly. She shrugged. He rolled his eyes and decided to bell the cat himself.

Man: Arjun sir? hum yaha kyun aaye hai? ye log hume kuch nahi batayenge, Ayesha ke interrogation par bhi nahi

Arjun: main jaanta hun Shree

He started walking ahead. Shree asked Ayesha.

Shree: pata hai toh fir kyun aaye hai? aur ye jaa kaha rahe hai?

Ayesha: aaj tak kabhi unki baat samaj mein aayi hai?

Shree: nahi

Ayesha: toh fir? (Shree nodded) chal ab!

They followed Arjun who had caught hold of a guy.

Arjun: kya naam hai?

Man: saab woh…maine kuch nahi kiya, main toh bas customer hu

Arjun rolled his eyes and let go of him. The man ran out of the place as fast as his legs could carry him. From the first floor of the left chawl a girl’s eyes fell on him. She was surprised to see him there mv “ye yaha?”

Ayesha: sir in logon ko chodiye, sach bol rahe hai ya jhoot nahi pata chalega, main kisi ladki se baat karti hu

Arjun nodded in reply. She looked around and gestured to a lady in her late-thirties who was staring at them like almost all the people over there were. She saw the gesture but ignored her and went inside the room.

Ayesha: what the hell!

She stormed forward and burst open the door. The lady was shocked to see her audacity. Ayesha grabbed her wrist and pulled her along with her.

Lady: ae ladki chod mujhe! Warna…

Ayesha twisted her hand making her scream: warna kya huh? Kya karegi? muh band rakh apna! Jitna pucha jaaye uska jawab do samjhi!!!

She brought her in front of Arjun.

Arjun: tum logon ka handler kaun hai?

Lady(sharply): koi handler wandler nahi hai!

Arjun glanced at Ayesha. She twisted the lady’s arm further.

Lady: AAAAHHHH!!! Haath Chod Kamini!! Tum Logon Ke Liye Yahi Acha Hoga Ki Chup-Chap Yaha Se Nikal Jao Warna Bahot Pachtaoge

Arjun: tu humari chinta mat kar woh hum khud kar lenge…

Just then a man comes running there: ae policewaale!

Arjun raises his eyebrow.

He jerks his head to gesture towards the left chawl: madam ji bula rahi

Shree(angrily): Teri Madam Ji Ko…

However, Arjun stops him by placing a hand on his shoulder. He gestures Ayesha to leave the lady and turns to the man.

Arjun: chal!

The man nods and leads them to the last room on the first floor. The room was exactly as one might’ve imagined it. Cheap décor which flashed too much and string curtains that made one cringe instead of aesthetic.

There were girls standing all around. The queen bee was lying on the sofa in the centre of the room, smoking a hookah. The table in front of her had a silver box filled with paan. She smirked seeing the officers enter. Leaving the tube of her hookah, she picked a paan and pushed it to the corner of her mouth.

Madam ji: Ayiye ACP sahab, aaj yaha kaise aana hua?

Arjun: Jaanti nahi ho ya fir na jaane ka naatak kar rahi ho?

Madam ji: Hume kaise pata hoga? hum toh bas apna kaam karte hai, aapka kanoon bhi toh hume iski ijazat deta hai, dhandha karna koi gunaah nahi hai

Arjun: Dhandha karna gair kanooni nahi hai lekin karwaana gair kanooni zaroor hai

Madam ji: Kaun karwa raha hai? yaha sab apni marzi se hai

Arjun: Toh tum kis khushi mein rani bankar baithi ho?

Madam ji: Hum toh bas in sabka khayal rakhte hai, sab ek pariwar ki tarah rehte hai, ab ye mujhe apni maa samaan maante hai toh meri kya galti?

Arjun: Bakwas Band Kar Apni, Mujhe Achese Pata Hai Ki Yaha Kya Hota Hai Aur Kya Nahi! Ab Seedhe-Seedhe Bata Ki Kal Jo Ladkiyaan Aayi Thi Woh Kaha Hai?

Madam ji: Kaunsi ladkiyaan? Yaha toh koi naya nahi aaya hai, aapko agar bharosa na ho toh talaashi le lena….lekin warrant laane ke baad

Arjun: Ek Baat Kaan Khol Kar Sun Le Aur Tere Upar Jo Koi Bhi Baitha Hai Use Bhi Suna Dena, Ki Apne Dhandhe Ki Ulti Ginti Gin Na Shuru Kar De, Agar Tum Logon Ki Dukaan Par Taala Nahi Lagaya Toh Mera Naam Bhi ACP Arjun Suryakant Rawte Nahi, Samjhi Ya Samjhau?

He stormed out, followed by Shree and Ayesha. As he was about to go down the stairs, a girl suddenly crashed into him. He tried to help her but she ran away muttering an apology. Arjun squinted and stared in the direction of the girl mv “yaha kaunsi ladki is tarah scarf se chehra chupa kar rehti hai?”

Ayesha: kya hua sir?

Arjun came out of his thoughts and turned to her: kuch nahi, chalo!

The trio reached the car.

Shree: agar kal ki raid flop na hui hoti toh hum un ladkiyon ko bacha lete

Ayesha: lekin Shree, sirf unhe bachane se toh sab khatam nahi hoga, ye gangs kitni badi hoti hai ye tum bhi jaante ho

Shree: ha but, atleast un ladkiyon ki zindgi toh bach jaati na

Ayesha: ha woh toh hai, par mujhe toh abhi tak ye samaj nahi aa raha hai ki un logon ko pata kaise chala ki hum waha unka wait kar rahe hai and considering the fact ki unhone deal ki jagah change kar di, unhe sufficient time mila planning change karne ke liye

Arjun: zyaada sochne waali baat nahi hai Ayesha, maine Rathore se pehle hi kaha ki local police ko involve na kare, waha se baat aasani se leak ho sakti hai, trace karna bhi aasan nahi hai

Ayesha nodded: ha but sir (her gaze faltered and fell on his pocket) sir aapka paper gir jaayega

Arjun(looking down): kaunsa pa…

A small piece of white was sticking out of his jean. He furrowed his brow and pulled it out. A note scrawled on it.

Dahisar check-post 10 pm, today

His mind flashed to the girl who had crashed into him. Realising the plan, he flipped the chit.

Arjun: lagta hai mole sirf unke paas nahi hai

A smile appeared on Shree and Ayesha’s face. They hopped into the car and sped off towards the office.

Flashback Ends

A knock on the door brought Riya out her thoughts. She smiled hearing the double knock.

Riya(sitting up straight): khula hai Arjun

Arjun entered with a wide smile on his face: ye kya?

Riya: kya?

Arjun: tum aise kyun baithi ho? change bhi nahi kiya?

Riya: woh main zara aaram kar rahi thi, itne din se soyi nahi na theek se

Arjun’s face fell: are ha, mere dhyaan se nikal gaya

Riya: kya hua?

Arjun(sitting on the bed): kuch nahi, maine socha tha tumhari exam khatam hone ki khushi mein party karenge par tum thak gayi ho toh baad mein jaayenge

Riya: party?

Arjun: are wahi usual yaar, dinner aur bagal wali ice cream.

Riya smiled: tum itni jaldi kaise aa gaye?

Arjun sulked again: are woh office mein sab mujhe pareshaan kar rahe the toh main unse peecha chudaane ke liye jaldi aa gaya

Riya: pareshaan kar rahe the?

Arjun: ha

Riya: woh log?

Arjun: ha

Riya: tumhe?

Arjun: ha yaar!

Riya: are you sure ki it was not the other way round?

Arjun made a face: tumhe main kya koi Hitler ka bhateeja lagta hu?

Riya: mujhe kya pata? Tumhari pusht ko tum hi jaano

Arjun looked at her flatly. She giggled.

Riya: chalo chodo, agar tumhe jaana hai toh hum jaa sakte

Arjun: tum thaki nahi kya? Aaram karo(she smiled) hum kal-parso chale jaayenge, waise kuch khaaya ya nahi?

Riya: abhi toh aayi hu, socha thodi der baad seedhe dinner kar leti hu

Arjun: are woh toh tum karogi, exam ke beech time tha na ek ghante ka? Lunch kiya ya nahi?

Riya: uh….woh…main…(he squinted) main…padhayi kar rahi thi

Arjun shook his head in disbelief: kitna padhti ho tum? Itni preparation maine apni IPS ki entrance ke liye bhi nahi ki

Riya: are pehli exam ki memory ko nikal ke dusre exam ki memory refresh toh karni padegi na? warna pata chala ki programming ke paper mein theory likh kar aa gayi

Arjun chuckled: kya Riya? dono ke questions same thodi honge? Ki tum confuse ho jaogi?

Riya: woh jo bhi ho, mujhe satisfaction nahi milta

He shook his head in disbelief: khair chodo, ab toh kuch kha lo

Riya: par abhi kha lungi toh dinner ke time bhook nahi lagegi fir raat ko bhook lagegi

Arjun: tum jaldi so jaogi na aaj?

Riya: are ha, woh toh maine socha hi nahi

Arjun held her wrist and pulled her along: toh chalo!

Riya: are Arjun dheere!

They sat in the canteen and ordered.

Arjun: by the way, results kab aayenge?

Riya: ek dedh mahine mein

She sighed deeply. He softly took her hand in his making her eyes dart to his face.

Arjun: scared?

Riya: very

Arjun: time hai, abhi se tension lekar kya faayda? Tumhare chinta karne se woh jaldi nahi aa jayenge

Riya: ha woh toh hai

They were interrupted by the ringing of Arjun’s phone.

Arjun: ha kamine bol

Rathore: Jatin confessed

Arjun: very good, bye!

Rathore: abe oye ruk!

Arjun: kya?

Rathore: tu kaha hai?

Arjun: Jeevan Nirmal

Rathore: tu sach mein Riya ke paas chala gaya?

Arjun: ha, abhi tera time pass ho gaya ho toh phone rakhu?

Rathore: nahi ruk ek second

Arjun: kya hai yaar Sam, pakka mat!!

Rathore: are baba ek minute baat toh sun

Arjun: bol jaldi

Rathore: kal subah commissioner sir ne bulaya toh 9 baje headquarters pahunch jaana

Arjun: theek hai, bye!

Rathore: bye

Call disconnect…………………………

Hey guys! 

Ok since the storyline and plot is more or less clearer now. Do let me know if anyone is uncomfortable and wants to be skipped from the pm list.