Chapter 16

Bloomie

@bloomie

The school day flew past and soon it was 2 pm. Riya was packing up in the staff room when..

Shashank: Miss Shivangi

Riya: yes?

Shashank: which way do you go? Can I drop you?

Riya smiled: no thank you, I have my transport. And she left before he could pose another proposal and gesturing Arjun meaningfully. Riya waited for Arjun by their SUV in a secluded lane near the school. Arjun arrived soon and saw her busy doing something on her phone.

Arjun: Miss Shivangi, phone se nazar hata kar hume bhi dekh lijiye

Riya looked up at him and then frowned: are ya kya? Aapne apni nakli daadhi aur much nikal di? Ache lag rahe the

Before Arjun could answer the clouds above the city burst into a torrential rain.

Arjun: oho! Ye baarish…

He covered his head with a hand and tried to get into the car. He pulled Riya along but she kept him in the rain as she drenched in it.

Arjun: Riya kya kar rahi ho? Bheeg kyun rahi ho? Bimar ho jaogi

But Riya just spread her arms: oho! Arjun sir, baarish ka mausam khatam hone ko hai, ab seedhe agle saal milenge! abhi enjoy kar lijiye Warna baad mein pachtayenge !! aur waise bhi mujhe bheegne se kuch nahi hota.

Arjun shook his head in disbelief and watched her play in the rain. He smiled and leaned against the car busily watching her. A sudden urge came over him. He stepped forward and held her hand. Riya looked at him in amusement. He pulled her closer and started singing…

Tenu itna main pyar karaan

Ik pal vich sau baar karaan

Tu jaave je mainu chhad ke

Maut da intezaar karaan

Ke tere liye duniya chod di hai

Tujhpe hi sans aake ruke

Main tujh ko kitna chahta hoon

Ye tu kabhi soch na sake

Ke tere liye duniya chod di hai

Tujhpe hi sans aake ruke

Main tujh ko kitna chahta hoon

Ye tu kabhi soch na sake

Riya’s eyes twinkled hearing his melodious voice. They swayed lightly in Nature’s lap with his hands around her waist and her around his neck. He slowly leaned forward and kissed her, touching her forehead with his….

Riya could barely whisper: aap humesha mujhe bollywood ki film ke kaise pahuncha dete hai?

Arjun chuckled: tum humesha heroin ki tarah dikhti ho na, isliye

Riya blushed red and buried her face in his chest: I love you

Arjun kissed her head: I love you too!.....ek baat kahu?

Riya: hmm

Arjun: tum saree mein bahot khubsurat lagti ho

Riya(blushing): thank….

A shrill ringtone disturbed them. Arjun frowned. Riya giggled at his reaction.

Riya: ha Shree?.....ha bas nikal rahe hai….ok, bye!

Arjun hugged her wrapping his hands around her waist as she disconnected.

Arjun: thodi der baad niklenge kyun nahi keh sakti thi?

Riya teased him: kyun? Aapko thodi baarish mein bheegna pasand hai?

Arjun: tumhare saath meri har na pasand bhi pasand ban jaati hai

Riya laughed: Arjun sir? kya ho gaya aapko achanak? Itna pyar kyun umad raha hai?

Arjun frowned: mujhe nahi jaana office, firse Rathore se jhagda karna padega…ekto mere samaj mein nahi aa raha hai ki hum Jasmine se Pathan tak kaise pahunchenge? Aur agar pahunch bhi gaye toh Pathan se kaise ugalwayenge? Main Jasmine ka istemaal nahi karna chahta par aur koi raasta bhi nahi dikh raha hai. Use, use kiye bagair Pathan ke muh kaise kholenge? Sikandar tak kaise pahunchenge aur upar se Rathore….

Riya comforted him: Arjun sir relax! Sab ho jaayega…

Arjun: kaise hoga Riya? Mera toh soch-soch kar sar fat raha hai aur agar…agar hume Sikandar ke baare mein pata chale usse pehle use humare baare mein pata chal gaya toh? (horrified) agar usne tumhe kuch…

Riya was taken aback by the sudden shift in his emotions and tried to calm him in earnest: sir! Arjun sir…

Arjun: Riya agar tumhe..

Riya cupped his face: Arjun sir shaant ho jayiye, kuch nahi hoga mujhe! Okay? Main apni raksha ache se kar sakti hun aur mujhe pura yakeen hai ki aap bhi kar sakte hai…

Arjun: par…

Riya: par war kuch nahi! Nothing is going to happen to me okay? Aur main hu na aapke saath? Koi na koi raasta nikal jaayega, I’m sure of it aur kya pata ki hume Pathan ke ilawa aur koi lead bhi mil jaaye jise hum Sikandar tak pahunch sake?

Arjun: aur Rathore?

Riya: Rathore sir jaaye bhaad mein! He is not important! Aur mere liye toh bilcul bhi nahi! (staring into his eyes) Aap mere liye zaroori hai, hmm?

Arjun nodded softly. Riya smiled and kissed his forehead earning a warm embrace from him. they stayed like that for a few minutes before leaving for office. They grabbed a small takeaway of pakoras from a roadside stall and had a quick lunch en route.

ETF office-

Everyone had returned from lunch and were waiting for Arjun and Riya. Sakshi almost jumped up when she saw Arjun through the glass door.

Sakshi: Arjun aa gaya!!

Everyone shook their head in disbelief. Arjun and Riya entered and that’s when they noticed, the couple was completely drenched.

Rathore: tum log itna bheeg kaise gaye?

Riya(slightly nervous): woh sir…

Arjun: andhe ho? Baahar baarish nahi dikh rahi?

Rathore(annoyed): Rawte tum…

Riya took charge of the situation: sir woh baarish achanak shuru ho gayi aur humare paas chaate bhi nahi the isliye...(Rathore and Arjun continue to glare at each other) uh….main change karke aati hun.

Rathore nodded. Riya shot both of them a quick glance and left for the washroom. Arjun too left to change after shooting a glare at Rathore. The team had gotten pretty much used to the daily happenings, only Sakshi was fuming internally at the thought that the two of them got drenched in the rain….more importantly together.

Riya arrived soon and took her seat: hey!

Shree: are Riya,

Riya: ha?

Shree: tum saree mein bahot achi lagti ho

Riya: thank you!

Rathore: ye Rawte kaha reh gaya? Chotu bula kar lao use!

Sakshi(excitedly): main jaati hun.

Aur isse pehle ki koi aur kuch kahe ya samjhe Sakshi Arjun ke cabin ki taraf bhaag jaati hai. Riya ki nazar evidence board par padti hai. apparently naya murder case tha. woh use study kar rahi thi ki utne mein Arjun aur Sakshi dono aate hai. Arjun ne bhi kapde badal diye the, Sakshi dreamily use dekhte hue uske peeche chal rahi hai.. Riya disbelief mein sar hilati hai.

Rathore shuru karta hai: kuch pata chala tum dono ko?

Riya: not exactly sir, humne Jasmine ko dekha aur jaisi humari information thi uske hissab se do armed guards building ke baahar khade the, Jasmine ke school ke time woh usi building ke baahar khade rehte hai aur jab school khatam hota hai aur woh hostel jaati hai toh woh dono bhi waha shift ho jaate hai. bas ek chota sa doubt hai mujhe

Ayesha: kya?

Riya: do bande hai right? Ab woh din bhar waha honge ye toh samaj mein aata hai lekin raat ka kya? Raat mein bhi guards toh hote hai ab ek hi insaan 24 ghante roz-roz toh kaam nahi kar sakta toh obviously waha ek nahi do pair honge. Ek din ki duty ke liye aur dusre raat ki ab dekhna ye hai ki woh baakhi ke dono kab aate hai aur kab jaate hai aur kaise

Sakshi: usse kya hoga?

Arjun Sakshi ka har baar Riya ko sawaal karte dekh irritate hota hai.

Arjun(sternly): Agar Unki Shift Change Hote Waqt Time Gap Hai Toh Hum Use Kar Sakte Hai Samjhi Ya Samjhau?

Rathore: aur Jasmine?

Riya:  class mein sabke saath banti hai uski

Arjun: aur padhayi mein bhi bright hai, pretty sure topper hogi, agli exam mein pata chal jaayega

Riya(surprised): exam? Kaunsi exam?

Arjun: Tumhare Shashank aur Sahil ne bataya nahi ki agle hafte se internals shuru ho rahe hai? aur unke baad PTA meeting hai?

Riya raised her eyebrow when he said tumhare but teased him: nahi Mere Shashank aur Sahil ne mujhe kuch nahi bataya

Arjun use glare karta hai.

Rathore: ek minute! Ab ye Shashank aur Sahil kaun hai?

Riya: koi nahi sir bas professors hai, case ka koi lena dena nahi hai

Rathore: theek hai, kuch din us par nazar rakhte hai, tum dono un guards ke baare mein bhi pata karne ki koshish karo, fir dekhte hai kya hota hai PTA mein, Pathan aata hai ya nahi

Riya: ji sir

Rathore waha se apna dhyaan hatakar din ke case par focus karta hai. Arjun ko bhi tabhi dhyaan jaata hai ki naya case aaya hai. Sab us par focus karte hai shaam tak woh bhi solve ho jaata hai. Aise hi kuch din chale jaate hai. Arjun aur Riya subah school mein padhate hai aur lunch ke baad ETF mein case solve karte.

Ek raid mein-

Arjun aur Sameer both were running behind a criminal who was trying to escape. He was happy with the distance he had created between him and policemen but suddenly Riya came in front of him.

Riya: are! Are ruko!!! Chot lag jaayegi.

Annoyed he tried to dodge her but the next second Riya punched him. His nose broke and he fell to the ground writhing in pain. Seeing him down, Arjun and Sameer jogged to them. The rest of the team too arrived.

Riya: kaha tha na maine chot lag jaayegi? Aurat ki kabiliyat par kabhi shak nahi karna chahiye

Arjun: samjhe ya samjhau?

Riya smiled warmly at him. The rest of the team was shocked, one because Riya knocked out the guy in a single punch and two because Arjun joined his dialogue with hers. Arjun grabbed hold of the guy from his neck and threw him at Chotu!

Arjun: arrest karo ise!

Chotu came out of trance when the guy fell on his feet and arrested him.

Arjun/Sameer: good job Riya!

Startled, they looked at each other and the team got another shock, Arjun could compliment?

Riya: thank you!

Another day-

Everyone had gathered in the lab where Liza was showing an anomaly in the body.

Liza: sir iske neck par blood clot ho gaya lekin…kisi hathiyaar ka nishaan nahi hai.

Ayesha: toh phir kya ye natural death hai?

Liza: nahi…wahi toh problem hai, natural cases mein heparin ki kami ki wajah se ya blood pressure problems ki wajah se blood clot hota hai. lekin iski medical report mein koi Blood pressure nahi hai aur toh aur heparin levels bhi normal hai. upar se uske blood mein neend ki goliyaan mili mujhe? Par woh neend ki goliyaan nahi khaata tha but ha uska dose bilcul perfect hai, just enough to induce deep sleep, below danger level. Aur uski maut dum ghutne ki wajah se hui hai

Chotu: lekin kuch na kuch toh hua hoga na? warna ye clot aata kaha se aur ye marta kaise?

Liza: wahi toh mere samaj mein bhi nahi aa raha hai

Sameer(sarcastically): tum kya kehna chahti ho Liza ki achanak iske khoon ko mood swing hua and it decided to stop flowing?

Liza: sir mujhe nahi pata…

Riya: agar choke hold de toh ho sakta haina?

Ayesha: ha lekin aisa hota toh ungliyon ke nishaan hote na?

Riya: ha Ayesha but, insaan ka gala ghotne ke liye throat ke base par press karna hi kaafi hai aur choke hold mein blood clot form ho sakta unknowingly bhi aur agar koi karna chahe toh jaan buchkar bhi. agar use neend ki goliyaan di gayi thi toh fir woh dum ghutne par uthta nahi. Khooni ne sula diya aur fir point press karke uske gala ghot diya is kadar se ki blood clot bhi ban gaya taaki kisi ko shak na ho

Everyone looked at her in awe.

Shree: par Riya tumhe kaise pata?

Riya was about to answer but…

Arjun: kyunki woh 4 type ke martial arts mein black belt hai. shareer ke kaunse hisse ko kaise torture karna hai use ache se aata hai (isse pehle ki koi kuch aur kahe) is sab ke peeche Sonali ka haath hai

Sameer uske judgement se irritate hota hai: really? Kaise?

Riya ko achanak realisation hota hai: kyunki woh doctor hai…usse behtar neend ki goliyaan ka dose aur pressure points ke baare mein kaun jaanega?

Arjun nod karta hai: ha

Sameer raised his eyebrow mv “humse toh kabhi seedhe muh baat nahi karta…khair mujhe kya?”

Ek din-

Sameer commissioner office meeting ke liye gaya hai. Arjun apne cabin mein hai. baakhi sab conference room mein hai. Shree ke haath mein ek envelope hai. woh uske saath fidget kiye jaa raha hai mv “Dammit! Is Dammit ko bhi aaj hi meeting ke liye jaana tha, ab ye kal se pehle nahi aayenge, Arjun sir ke paas jaa nahi sakta aur udhar ghar mein maa mera khoon kar degi, hey Durga ma bachao mujhe!!” tabhi uski nazar Riya par padhti hai.

Shree achanak chillata hai: Riya!!!

Sab uske josh se choukte hai.

Riya: ha Shree?

Shree: tum humari senior hona?

Riya: umm…ha

Shree: iska matlab tum leave sanction kar sakti ho, haina???

Riya: sorry Shree lekin woh main nahi kar sakti, uske liye tujhe Rathore sir ya Arjun sir ke paas hi jaana hoga

Shree ka dil tut jaata hai: are aise kyun? Rathore sir nahi haina….woh ab seedhe kal aayenge. Meri maa ek hafte se mujhe keh rahi hai agar aaj maine leave sanction nahi karayi toh woh mujhe ped se ulta latka degi

Sab haste hai.

Chotu: are waah, matlab tere naam ka fruit banega?

Shree: shut up! Yaha meri jaan nikli padi hai aur tujhe fruit ki padi hai? Riya please kuch karo na, sign kar dena

Riya: are baba, Arjun sir haina? Unse karwa le

Shree: Riya woh mujhe humesha ke liye leave de denge

Ayesha: par tujhe leave kyun chahiye ye toh bata

Shree: are agle mahine mere chachere bhai ki shaadi hai toh uske liye…ek week

Liza: fir toh tu Arjun sir ke paas galti se bhi nahi jaa sakta, ek hafta sun kar hi woh tujhe ETF se ravana kar denge

Riya: are yaar, kuch nahi hoga, tum jao aur unhe batao ki tumhare bhai ki shaadi, woh leave de denge

Ayesha: nahi denge Riya

Sakshi: bilcul nahi dega, woh Arjun hai Arjun, na woh khud leave leta hai na dusro ko lene deta hai aur woh bhi ek hafta? Permanent chutti ho jaayegi Shree ki.

Chotu: 100 nahi 1000% gurantee hai

Riya: aisa kuch nahi hoga

Sakshi is hell bent on trying to prove her wrong: aisa hi hoga

Riya use ignore karke Shree ko dekhti hai: Shree, tumhe mujh par bharosa haina? Bindaas ja aur bol sir ko

Shree: lekin…

Riya: agar kuch gadbad ho toh mera naam bol dena okay?

Shree abhi bhi thoda unsure hai: pakka?

Riya: ha…

Shree: nahi re! tum meri wajah se musibat mein pad jaogi

Riya: main koi musibat mein nahi padungi, tum jao aur sir se kehdo…ab baithe kya ho? (use waha se bhagate hue) chalo niklo yaha se

Shree: are par…lekin Riya use conference room ke baahar bhej deti hai.

Ayesha: Riya, Arjun sir nahi maanenge, itna toh hum sab jaante hai unhe

Riya: lekin mujhse zyaada nahi

Sakshi(jealous): theek hai toh phir dekh lete hai (500 ki note nikal kar) lagi shart?

Riya apni eyebrow raise karti hai aur fir smile karke 1000 ki note nikalti hai: lag gayi

Sakshi bhi baakhi ke 500 nikalti hai: tum haar jaogi

Riya: nahi haarungi

Sakshi: dekh lenge…. Chotu, Ayesha, Liza

Teeno ek dusre ko glance karte hai. unhe Arjun ki khadusiyat par pura bharosa hai lekin Riya ke confidence ki wajah se katrate hai

Sakshi: are itna kya soch rahe ho? Jeetenge toh hum hi, 1000 ki income ho jaayegi

Teeno sigh karke apne paise add karte hai. Riya smile karti hai.

Sakshi firse Riya ko warn karti hai: soch lo Riya, hum chaaron ko 1000 dene pakdenge, tumhare faayda ke liye keh rahi hun, kam karke 500 kar lo

Riya: Sakshi, main itna toh samajh hi chuki hun ki tumhe meri chinta nahi hai, aur waise bhi main peeche hatne waalon mein se nahi

Sakshi: jeetungi toh main hi

Riya: dekh lenge

Kuch pal baad Shree chillate hue aata hai: RIYAA!!!

Sakshi smile karti hai: dekha maine kaha….

Par Shree jaa kar seedha Riya ko hug karta hai: thank you thank you thank you so much!!!

Riya hasti hai: your welcome

Sab shock hokar Shree ko dekhte hai.

Liza: Specky? Leave mil gayi?

Shree(khushi se naachte hue): Ha!!!! Aur Pata Hai Unhone Mujhse Kuch Kaha Bhi Nahi…..Main Gaya Aur Unhe Envelope Diya, Unhone Padh Kar Seedhe Sign Kar Diya, Aur Toh Aur GUESS WHAT?!?!

Ayesha: kya?

Shree: maine shaadi ke liye 7 din apply kiya tha na? Unhone 7 Ko Cut Karke 10 Kar Diya!!!! MUJHE 3 DIN ZYAADA CHUTTI MILI!!!

Chorus(except Riya): WHAT?!?!!?

Shree: ha!!!!!

Riya apne gala clear karti hai aur Sakshi ko sarcastic look dete hue table par rakhe saare paise le leti hai. woh Sakshi ke ilawa sabko unke paise lauta deti hai. Liza aur Chotu khush hokar use dekhte hai.

Sakshi use glare karti hai: agar waapis hi karne hai toh mere bhi kar do

Riya: meri shart tumse lagi thi, un sab se nahi….be a sport!

Aur itne keh kar apne file mein ghus jaati hai. Sakshi use glare karti hai. Riya table ke neeche se Arjun ko text karti hai.

Riya – dinner tonight? My treat!

Arjun- sure! Tumhe kya mujhe le jaane ke liye kabhi bhi treat ki laalach deni padi hai?

Riya- nahi….Love you! *hugs and kisses*

Arjun- I love you too!

Aur aise hi Riya apni skills se sabko choukati rehti hai.

School mein bhi ab tak sabko pata chal gaya hai ki Atharv ek khadoos aur strict teacher hai. koi bhi bacha uske class mein chu tak karne ki himmat nahi karta hai. on the other hand Shivangi has turned out to be a soft and fun loving teacher.

Arjun aur Riya un guards ke baare mein pata lagane mein bhi kamyaab hote hai. As they had predicted, do pair hai ek day shift aur dusri night, 12 hour. Guards baahar se aate hai aur agle shift ki pair aane ke baad hi pehli shift ki pair jaati hai. isliye un dono ke beech koi gap nahi hai jiska woh log faayda utha sake.…………………………….