Chapter 10

BitterBerry

@BitterBerry

[NOCOPY]

[MEMBERSONLY]

Hey people😊

I am seeing that IF has changed a lot and it feels quite new to use it. And I am back after so so so long. I am just hoping to catch up on with you guys. The reason I am writing this story after so long is because, I saw Sana in her new show and I started missing Ariya all over again😭😭😭 so here is the story. I don't know if you guys are still interested.

One more thing, I am only writing and focusing on this story for now, so please do not ask for more. It would hurt me too to disappoint you people. 

And I hope you all enjoy this part.

Let me know what do you think about this part and do like the post. I will send PMs if you are interested for the next parts😊

Enjoy reading!!🤗

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Chapter Ten

Electrons cannot be friends, but they sure can be neighbors...

Arjun

She said Anshuman thinks he's in love with her. I tried to remember the way Riya took it. She was sort of joking about it. But for a greater part it pinched me. I tried to ignore what I heard that moment. Back those days, she saw without seeing too much and I ignored knowing everything about her feelings. Now as I am driving, I can't keep my eyes focused on the road. I found myself staring at her more than required and I know I can endanger their lives just because I am lost in her eyes. At the back seat Riya was too oblivious of behaviour. She was in some turmoil. I can't expect her to be normal knowing very much that someone close to her was shot. Even though she looked calm from outside, the lines on her face told another story. She was trying to pretend to be normal. Like I used to do back those days. Now I am more expressive I think. I couldn't focus on what Sakshi was saying to me.

"Riya, why are you so silent behind there"! I noticed as Sakshi's full attention shifted towards Riya from me who had an annoying look plastered over her face at the back seat. This woman can't keep her nose at the right place. I know what Sakshi was trying to do. She was digging up her past which I don't think Riya would ever take lightly. I just hoped she wouldn't go that far when Riya will do something Sakshi will regret for her entire life.

"Your boss don't like unnecessary chatter. Not when he's driving"! She said. And looks like she's having fun this time. Sarcastic replies. Taunts. Now history telling. That's all left for me now. Riya was in a trance and Sakshi broke it. She looked at the mirror and I was still staring. Our eyes stared into each other and I couldn't unlearn the fact that nothing was same as before.

"Oh! He isn't like that anymore"! Sakshi said proudly for reasons I couldn't understand. Riya frowned at her reply. This felt unsettling for her. The lines of worry on her face deepened and she avert eyes to hide that glint of hurt I managed to see. I have  hurt her enough in the past and now this woman sitting beside me doing nothing but making her feel like she failed miserably with her efforts with me. I couldn't come up with a clarification though.

"Well then congrats Miss Anand", She curtly replied going back to her previous trance. She looked more cold and that sent chills down my entire existence. She was looking exactly like a bubbling volcano and if touched she'd melt everything on her way. I tried not to poke her anymore. " eyes on the road ACP, I hope you didn't forget your basic road rules over the years" she said feeling my eyes upon her. After another fifteen minutes we reached at Dr. Raos.

Grief overburdens every emotions. I have realised that long before. You cant see past anyone but the ones you've lost. And I am seeing the same here. Preetika looked even more dull and devastated than the last time we came here.  Last time we promised them we will find something about her father's murderer. But here we are empty handed. That's the part of our job. We can only sympathize  with them and assure them. False assurity doesnt go well with someone grieving so deep and then they break beyond repair. Like I was.

 Broken beyond repair? Is there any way anyone can fix me? Exactly two years ago I stopped believing that I can be fixed. But now, when I look at her I see a hope. What kind of hope I am not sure. She is making me nostalgic for things I have never thought I will crave for. When I lost Roshni I thought I have nothing left with me but only her memories. And when Riya left, she left a void. I know and have realized that those memories with Roshni can't be relived. But riya can come back to fill the void she left. I still don't know what I do or should feel about her, but her mere presence here is making a hell lot of difference in my life since the day she came back. A difference I sort of started liking it.

Riya softened a bit seeing the dull face of Preetika and then there was something else. Empathy. Her face said it all, as if she understand. She comfortingly placed her hand on Preetika and made her sit on the sofa. I didn't really miss it. Did I? I saw a glimpse of what she used to be six years ago.

"I know what it feels preetika.  I know you won't believe but I do. And we will do everything we can to find to culprit". This wasn't just a statement. This was a promise Riya made to Preetika. She eyed Sakshi to go and check on Mrs. Rao, but Preetika stopped her. She couldn't control anymore and tears rolled down from her eyes silently.  "We've already lost so much officers and I would request you not to indulge her into this matter more than required. After Adi, she was depressed and now Dad...its difficult for her." Preetika finally broke down into tears. Riya pulled her closer having a comforting her hand around her shoulder.

She talked about some Adi. We thought the doctor had the only child and that's preetika. Then who's Adi?

"Adi.."? Sakshi questioned  not being able to control her curiosity anymore. "Adi was my brother. We lost him six years ago, to the XoraII outbreak, he was in his hostel those days and had the contaminated water before we could reach him and alert him"! There was uncontrolled sadness in that room, so much that it suffocated me. And it's not because of Adi only. My eyes darted towards Riya the moment Preetika said about about XoraII outbreak. I knew someday or other it will come up, but not like this. Along with sadness I saw an unbound fury building up inside her. Her eyes weren't soft anymore. And her rage looked uncontrolled. It was astounding to see how she transformed from being silent to a storm just in a matter of second.

But Preetika was in her own trance and she continued speaking. "Dad left hospital and his practice. He started researching about a possible treatment option for that infection. He couldn't see anything beyond his work. And after all these years when we thought he has finally found a way, he was snatched away from us...".

" there's always a way Preetika. There was always", said Riya lost in her own thoughts and then she got up abruptly leaving the room without any second word. And guiltyly I knew what triggered this response from her. She can't get over the guilt trip. Nor do we. We could have saved them... all of them, only if I had trust her that day. Even though it was difficult, I tried to focus on Preetika.

" What do you mean by he has finally found a way"? Preetika mentioned an important clue. " Dad was working on developing an alternative to antibiotics, as antibiotics didn't really work on XoraII. So he was onto developing an alternative", said Preetika. 

"Was he open about his research"? Asked Sakshi.

"No, he wasn't. That's the reason he opened his personal clinic, so he could independently do his work"!

"Have you seen him stressed or anything like that regarding his work"? Arjun asked.

"I am not sure Sir. But he didn't want to publish his work for a reason and we don't know why. His research could change lives...but what's the point of all of this when he's not anymore with us"! Preetika sadly said. 

"We will find out why Preetika! Can we see his study"? 

"He used to have drafts of his work, that's all you can see. It's in his personal work space"! Preetika lead us to Dr. Raos personal study, which was kept neat from all the angles. There were four bookshelves all filled with medical research books. A tiny table at the centre where piles of draft sheets were stacked one above other but in a bundle of mess. The doctor had invested a lot more of his time in this room and it looked exactly like that. As compared to cleanliness of the room, the centre table looked oddly messy. "Did anyone came here before us"? This looked noway normal. 

"Yes! Zakir bhai came here just an hour before you people arrived. He said he had to take some important papers that is required at the clinic"! Sakshi thoroughly went through all the papers kept on the table and the expression on her face just told, something isn't right. 

" who is this Zakir bhai"? I allowed Sakshi to study some more and kept Preetika busy with questions.

"He's dads assistant at the clinic"! Preetika was constantly looking at the papers. "Don't worry Preetika, these papers are safe with us, we just need them to understand what your father was doing and make sure if that's the reason why he's murdered. We'll find out very soon Preetika"!

"Thank you officers", was all she could manage. After sakshi arranged all the papers properly we came out of the doctors house. And when I looked at the SUV, my mind again drifted towards the missing person. She left with rage. She left with fury. But on top of that she left with guilt. Where are you Riya. I don't want you to go away this time. I just want you to stay here so that we all could make it up to you. I just terribly and desperately wanted to do that.

I looked around and there was no sign of her. I called Shree for her number, but he isn't even picking up. This frustrated me even more. 

"Arjun, where is Riya?" Sakshi asked.

"Sakshi, do you see her around"? She looked around and nodded her head in a no.

"Then how am I supposed to say that where she is Sakshi"? I smelled curiosity. And I am no way in a mood for adding more to my frustration.

"She left in a fury. I don't understand Arjun, she left as if she could kill someone"!

"That's not for you to understand Sakshi. And if you are done investigating her personal life should we go"? I have to warn her about what she's getting herself into. This Riya isn't anything like she used to be before. So it's better for Sakshi to stay away from her.

"First of all Arjun, she left an on going investigation on duty without any word. Second of all there wasn't anything that could trigger such a response from her. And last, I am not interested in her personal life. For all I can understand, its something personal between the two of you, but if it's coming in between the investigation, I might just be interested". She said, and slammed the door as she got into the SUV. I haven't ever heard anything logical like this come out of her mouth. Maybe its time, to sort things out with Riya.

I dropped Sakshi at her apartment and returned to the dull corners they call home. The moment I reached my floor there was something unusual. There was some extra activity going. My front door had a lot of garbage and everything looked foggy with dust. The flat in front of mine was open. Maybe the owner's back. 

"Okay sir I will get you all the things you need and you don't need to request me for that", the voice which said this was unmistakably of Chotu? What is he doing here? I walked towards the door. And it was indeed Chotu in the room. Along with him there was another man, I could only see his back. He looked like Kashyap. And when he turned, he indeed was Kashyap.

"What are you doing here Chotu"? I asked and he finally saw me. 

"Arjun sir, actually Kashyap Sir needed my help in cleaning this room so I came here"!

"So now you have started part time room service Chotu"! I curtly said. What rights Kashyap has to make chotu do all this personal work for him.

"No sir. I am just helping because Riya said. You know how much of cleanliness freak she is"? Chotu half smiled thinking about Riya. 

"Riya..."

"Yes sir. This flat is of Riya. She used to stay here when she was...", he didn't continue further. 

"You never told me this before"! I said much to myself because I didn't even know where she lived. And I realized just how much I have missed knowing about her life. 

"I don't think you ever wanted to know where she is"! Chotu said. There was bitterness in his voice. Chotu has immense respect for his seniors. But I have always seen him never letting his guards down when Riya is concerned. He's fiercely protective for her. I have seen him change a lot after she left and there was always this indifference towards me and Rathod. He never let us down with his behavior as an officer to the team, but on the emotional part, he always kept himself away. Its when Liza and Aisha joined ETF he somewhat became normal. That's about three years ago.

Kashyap turned to face me. A skeptical look on his face. He looked before me, as if searching someone. "Where is Riya"? He asked after he was sure I came here alone.

"I don't know". What more could I say, I really don't know where she went.

"What do you mean by you don't know? You three left together right?" His tone changed from normal to heavy and full of worry.

"She just left! That's all".

"She just doesn't leave like that ACP. What have you done again. I hope you just remember what I've told you before. Just stay away from her"! Kashyap was worried beyond my expectations. And what did he mean by again? Does he know everything about why Riya left ETF?

"Easy there Mr. Kashyap. Its not my duty to look around for irresponsible officers who leave an ongoing investigation in the middle way"! As much as I have hated myself to say those words I wanted to him to know this and understand this that if there's anything that's between me and Riya and he for that matter is no one to interfere.

"You better chose your words before speaking them", he just sounded furious and pulled his phone out from his pocket. He dialed a number. Maybe he's calling her. He cursed in frustration after many trials. Later he called someone else. 

"Is she there? When? Okay keep me updating. I will be there very soon" he said over the phone to someone and left without any word. Chotu was just a silent spectator of what just happened. He didn't seem to mind though. 

"Sir, is she okay"? Chotu asked.

" I don't know Chotu. I ... I shouldn't have let her leave like that", I sensed regret in my voice too.

"I think she's at her hotel." He said later.

"I hope she's there... I just  hope Chotu"! I said. And he didn't think he should be here anymore. 

"Uh Sir, I will just call someone to clean that mess we made in front of your door. If you could just wait some time here..."!  Then he left.

And I was all alone standing there in her living room. That room in every sense felt like her. There was a soft smell of mint. The room smelled like her. I couldn't control my urge to look around. The room was evenly clean in every aspect. It was exactly like my rooms but she had more life to the things she has than me. I don't think I could ever call that place my home. But this place felt oddly familiar. Something was there to keep me captive in between the four corners. Apart from books and research papers that room had so many photographs. Most of them were with Shree and Chotu. And some even older than that. There was also a picture of a little girl and a boy, sitting on the steps of a temple. There was a dimple on the girls face, and the boys hair was curly. I don't really doubt, they are Riya and Shree. And I didn't know since how long they knew each other. If there was anyone who was deeply affected when she left, its Shree. I could forget about how I felt but shree couldn't keep it to himself. His loss was evident and he made it appear very transparently that it was hurtful to watch him like that. 

There another picture of the team. The five of us. I realize this was the biggest frame on that wall as it was kept at the center. I looked closer. It was a photo taken just before the ganpati idol case. We looked surprisingly happy for some reason. In that picture we were looking at each other. Rathod, Chotu and Shree were laughing at something.

That day a bullet almost pierced my heart. I thought I would breath last that day. But I found my conciousness getting back, i didn't have time to think what saved me but when everything was sorted out and the paramedics came to check on me, one of the doctor said I had some sort of shield in my pocket that saved me. 

I remembered scanning my pocket. I found a coin, and the idol of Lord Ganesha carved on it. I remember the Pandit ji post who gave me that coin. I remember denying it. And then there was Riya who took that coin from Pandit ji and dropped it in my pocket. I couldn't really realize it saved my life that day. I remember going to Riya after the case was solved. And I told her, " I don't believe in your God Riya, but thank you. It saved my life". I tried to return it to her. I remember her saying, " it's in it's right place Sir"! She smiled. And unknowingly I was smiling too. 

She must have gotten this photo from one of our CSI. Unknowingly it brought a smile on my face. I looked around her room once again. And now I am her neighbor. 

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I will post the next part very soon.

Till then, please like and let me know about how this part was.

Regards 

Ankita😊