Chapter 18

Bloomie

@bloomie

Part 18 [MEMBERSONLY][NOCOPY]

Voice: 100% cases mein ye toh Arjun sir ka dialogue hai toh fir aap kyun bol rahe hai Rathore sir?.................................

They turned to see Arjun and Riya at the door. More importantly, she was smiling. They were all pleasantly surprised to see the sudden change.

Arjun: are Riya ye toh kuch bhi nahi hai, tumhe pata hai Rathore sir ne mujhe 6 mahino mein kitna tang kiya? itna ki ab sab mujhe khadoos bulane ke bajay is Hitler ko khadoos bulaate hai

The team giggled as Rathore glared at Arjun.

Rathore: Saale tu toh chup hi kar! Aur waise bhi Riya ko ache se pata hai ki Arjun Rawte kitna khadoos hai, haina Riya?

Riya is taken aback now. She wasn’t expecting to be sandwiched between the two of them. She glances at Arjun from the corner of her eyes. True, he was khadoos but she liked him so much! That eventually it led her to fall for him.

Riya: aap kiski laparwahi ki baat kar rahe the?

Rathore teased her: daro mat Riya, tum use khadoos bol sakti ho. I promise woh kuch nahi karega, main hu na

Arjun steps forward to save her: tera timepass khatam ho gaya ho zara ye bataoge ki case ki kya progress hai?

Rathore: case tumhari raah nahi dekh raha tha, woh apne time par khatam ho gaya

Arjun: acha? Ab ye batane ka kasht karoge ki khoon kisne kiya tha?

Rathore: uski biwi ka bhai, reason wahi… affair, good job Riya

She smiled heartily: thank you sir!!!

Chotu: Ri…. Report

She giggles: hey bhagwan tune ab tak report likhna nahi sikha? Chal, main banati hu. Baad mein mujhe ice cream ki treat deni padegi

Chotu: done!!

He beamed. He had already been working on the report actually but just wanted to see if Riya was responding. The girls piped in as well and they got on to work on the paperwork of the case.

Rathore drags Arjun with him to his cabin.

Arjun: kya hua?

Rathore: ye tu bata… tune aisa kaunsa jadoo kar diya teen ghante mein Riya firse normal ho gayi

Arjun clears his throat and raises his collar: Arjun Rawte ka jadoo hai ACP saab

Rathore laughs: shut up yaar! Bol na… woh theek toh haina?

Arjun: ya ab theek hai, I guess 2-3 din mein pehle jaisi ho jaayegi

Rathore: par hua kya tha?

Arjun: are tumhe toh pata haina woh kitni sensitive hai bas thoda seham gayi thi jo kuch bhi hua usse. Anyway, (excitedly) tumhe pata hai…

Rathore: nahi

Arjun whines: shut up! Sun na!!

Rathore: acha baba bol

Arjun: Maine Firse Uski Aankhon Mein Apne Liye Pyaar Dekha!!

Rathore shook his head: bas dekhta hi rahega ya fir kuch bolega bhi usse?

Arjun: ha ab bolunga par… kaise bolu ye samaj mein nahi aa raha

Rathore: kaise bolu matlab? Tere paas toh experience bhi hai, ek ladki ko propose nahi kar sakta?

Arjun squints at him: ha lekin tere experience se toh kam hi hai, meri toh ek hi Roshni thi aur ab end tak Riya, teri tarah nahi

Rathore gives him a fake glare: chup kar! Aur Riya ke baare mein soch

Arjun: are wahi toh kar raha hun 6 mahino se (Rathore raises his eyebrow) par

Rathore groans: firse par?

Arjun: main bas soch raha tha ki abhi-abhi Shree ne use propose karke itna bada kaand kiya, kahi mere kehne se woh dar na jaaye

Rathore: are lekin woh tujhse pyaar karti haina? Shree se thodi karti thi

Arjun: ha lekin…

Rathore: lekin wekin kuch nahi! dekh pehle tu uska mood theek karne ka wait kar raha tha, ab is sab mein time waste mat kar aur aisa hai toh use bol dena ki shaanti se soch kar jawab de, par kam se kam use ye toh pata chalega ki tu bhi usse pyaar karta hai

Arjun rubs the back of his neck: ha ye bhi hai… lekin main use uncomfortable nahi feel karwaana chahta

Rathore felt like banging his head on the wall: Toh Kya Zindgi Bhar Kuwara Rahega?

Arjun: oh hero! Main shadi-shuda hun

Rathore: Are Toh Zindgi Bhar Use Kuwari Rakhega Kya?

Arjun: maine aisa kab kaha?

Rathore: Rawte dekh! Mujhe irritate mat kar, kuch toh kar

Arjun thinks over it: ha kuch kar sakta hun main

Rathore: matlab?

Arjun smirks: are pyaar jatane ke liye propose karna zaroori thodi hai?

Rathore: matlab?

He winks at him: dekhte jao!

Before Rathore could respond any further, he spun on his heel and left. He shook his head mv “agar ye Romeo banne ke plan mein hai toh Riya ko ek nahi, hazaar heart attacks aayenge.”

Rathore called the day off early since the case was over. Arjun stops his SUV in front of Riya as she tries to hail a cab.

Arjun: baitho Riya, main ghar chod deta hu

She smiles and sits beside him. She was surprised at the sudden offer but was more than happy to oblige. If it was within her, she would never leave his side. Just staying in the same room, feeling his presence was bliss for her.

Riya: Arjun sir

Arjun: ha Riya

Riya: woh thank you, us din aapne aapke admi bheje the…

Arjun: woh toh bhejne hi the, agar saara kaam tum kar bhi leti toh itni thak jaati ki agle din office nahi aa paati toh main kya karta?

She stops short, confused at the meaning of his words. Shrugging her thoughts aside, she continues.

Riya: fir bhi sir, aur aaj bhi…

Arjun: oh uske liye toh you’re always welcome

Unknowingly, a blush crept up her cheeks. She averts her gaze and starts looking out the window. Arjun was actually thinking to add a sweetheart, or a darling or dear at the end but refrained, not wanting her to lose her mind.

Arjun: so, ab kaisa feel kar rahi ho?

Riya turns to him: behtar hu sir, sach kahu toh halka mehsoos kar rahi hu

Arjun: chalo acha hai, lekin zyaada halka mat ho jaana

She looks at him questioningly.

Arjun glances at her: are, tum already zero figure ho, zyaada halki ho jaogi toh hawa ke saath ud jaogi fir main tumhe kaha dhundhunga?

Riya was stunned would be an understatement. Was he joking? Or was he flirting? She couldn’t figure it out. And what was up with the zero figure? Contemplating over the options, she settled on the former one. It made much more sense according to his changed nature she had noticed in the past few days. Besides, why would he flirt with her?

Riya(sheepishly): kya sir aap bhi?

Arjun chuckles. He drops her at her apartment.

Riya: thank you sir, good night

Arjun: ab tumne bola hai toh meri night good hogi hi

Her eyes widened in surprise. Arjun felt like laughing but controlled himself.

Arjun: ok, kal milte hai, sweet dreams

The poor girl could barely nod.

Arjun: ab khadi kyun ho, jao?

Riya: huh? Woh… aap

Arjun: are tum jao, tumhare flat ki light on hogi fir main jaunga

She received another blow: k…kya?

Arjun: ha baba, ab jao, mujhe ghar jaakar khaana hai, bhook lag rahi hai

Jerking her head, she runs into the building. Arjun laughs behind her. This was too much fun. The look on her face was priceless. He knew, he was going to enjoy this. He looked out the window to her flat. The lights came on and he turned his steering wheel, driving to his home.

Next day-

Riya enters the conference room with a cheerful wish on her lips. Sakshi and Chotu greet her happily.

Riya: aur koi nahi aaya?

Sakshi: Arjun haina, apne cabin mein, ye teeno bhi aate hi honge

Riya: oh, acha Chotu, woh mere drawer ka saaman kaha hai?

Chotu: are woh toh

He stops abruptly remembering Shree had taken all of her stuff and stashed it into his locker. ‘For safe-keeping’ he had told him. Anger rose in him for a moment.

Riya: woh toh kya?

Chotu: uh… shift karte waqt hum lekar toh aaye the par kaha rakha yaad nahi hai, tu ruk main dekhta hun

She nods: main help karu?

Chotu: nahi! (she raises her eyebrow) mera matlab, main dekhta hun, tu ruk na

Riya: ok

Chotu scurried off to Arjun’s cabin. He knocks on the door.

Arjun: come in

Chotu opens the door and enters: good morning sir

Arjun: good morning wish karne aaye ho?

Chotu: nahi sir, woh actually Riya apna samaan maang rahi thi

Arjun: toh de do na

Chotu: kaise du sir? Shree ke locker mein hai

Arjun stiffens.

Chotu: aapke paas duplicate chabi hogi na, toh main nikal deta hun

Arjun nods: Riya ko bataya ki…

Chotu: nahi sir

Arjun: acha kiya, chaabiyan Rathore ke cupboard mein hoti hai, aao

They go to Rathore’s cabin and Arjun searches for the bunch of duplicate keys. Finding Shree’s tag, he gives them to Chotu who thanks him. Arjun replaces the box and goes back to his cabin. He removes Riya’s photo frame from the drawer and places it on the desk. A smile appears on his face.

Arjun: ye Riya ko office ka samaan yaad hai lekin apne ghar ka samaan nahi? ye ladki humesha kuch na kuch bhul jaayegi (he smirks to himself) main hi yaad dila deta hun

Rathore arrived at the office, announcing a case for them. They dived into investigating the murder. Riya had gelled in by now, taking part in the discussion as she used to before. The boys were overjoyed. Even the girls were pleasantly surprised to see her jovial nature. Finally, everything was falling into place.

They wrapped up the case by evening and settled in the conference room for working on the report together. Ayesha stepped in with coffee for them.

Ayesha: are Riya, Arjun sir tumhe bula rahe hai

Riya: kyun?

Sakshi: kyun kya? Kaam hoga jao na

Riya: ha woh obviously kaam hoga, woh aur kyun bulayenge? lekin kuch kaha unhone kis baare mein?

Ayesha: nahi, main Rathore sir ko coffee dene gayi thi toh woh raaste mein mile

Sakshi: oh tabhi main sochu, ki tujhe itna time kyun laga

She blushes a little: Sakshi shut up!

Riya piped in as well: Ayesha tum bhi na, pehle hume dekar fir jaana chahiye tha na, zyaada time milta

They chuckled as Ayesha blushed red, half surprised at her mischievousness.  

Ayesha: are tum kya iski baaton mein aa rahi ho? tum jao, sir bula rahe hai, warna mujhe unka samjhe ya samjhau sunna padega

Riya stands up to leave: ha tumhe toh Dammit sunne ki zyaada aadat hogi na?

Ayesha(exasperated): Riya!

She laughs and runs out.

Liza(surprised): Chotu, ye kya tha?

Chotu: are woh toh humesha se aisi hi thi

Ayesha: ha dikh raha hai, lekin pehle warning deni chahiye thi na tumhe mujhe?

Sakshi: kyun Ayesha? Tumhare Sameer ne tumhe warning nahi di?

Ayesha: shut up guys!!

They burst into laughter at her plight.

Arjun’s cabin-

He was walking here and there waiting for Riya when a knock sounded on the door.

Arjun: come in

Riya enters to find him leaning against the table. She walks upto him.

Riya: aapne mujhe bulaya sir?

Arjun: tum Riya nahi ho?

Riya: ji?

Arjun: maine toh Riya ko bulaya tha

Riya(confused): sir main Riya hi toh hu

Arjun: mujhe pata hai

Riya: huh?

Arjun: tumhe nahi pata?

Riya: kya sir?

Arjun: ki tum Riya ho?

Riya felt her head spinning: pata hai sir

Arjun: toh pucha kyun?

Riya: kya?

Arjun: ki maine tumhe bulaya ya nahi? tum hi toh Riya ho, kya Riya tum bhi, time pass karti rehti ho

She was still bewildered. Jerking back to reality she asked.

Riya: kya kaam tha sir?

Arjun: kaam nahi hai

Riya: toh fir aapne kyun bulaya sir?

Arjun: kyun main tumhe kaam ka bagair nahi bula sakta?..................................