Chapter 1

4 years ago

BitterBerry

@BitterBerry

Chapter 1

The team all finished the discussions of the most important case of their hand and set all the plan of for the case. Now all are heading towards home. At the same time Sameer Rathod, the chief of ETF, ordered Riya to come into his cabin. She followed him inside the cabin, which made the ETF second in command curious. After a few minutes she comes out of his cabin and without even looking at him she followed the way out.

What happened to her today?? Won't she go with me? He thought and followed her outside. He called her name aloud, but she didn't even bother to answer. Seeing this he sped up and reached up to her but she was still walking away from him as if avoiding him. He abruptly dragged her towards him while her body crashed with him. She was not even looking at him. That angered him more.

" What is wrong with you Riya? why are you avoiding me?"  He was pissed by her behavior today. The whole day, she very unusual. She was not her usual self. When every time her eyes met with him, that doe shaped coal-black structure reflected something alien feeling. Which he had never seen. As if those feelings or whatever that was in her eyes, were not meant to be there. Those eyes reflected, FEAR, CONFUSION as if he found these are the only truth in her eyes and everything was a lie. And this time she didn't dare to look up and match her eyes with him.

"Riya!! What happened? his voice softened and the concern in his voice somehow calmed her down. Then she felt his grip lose. She took one step away and looked at him with a stern face. Her inner side was trying hard to mask the stern face and she herself wanted to run into his arms. But she could not...

Arjun again asked, " Riya why are you worried"?

She could not answer his question, only she could do was to avoid him. She has her own reason for going away from him.

She slowly raised her hand and cupped his face, " Arjun,  I need a little space!" Though her words were assuring him that everything is fine with her but for the first time he could say, her words didn't reach her eyes. But he was ready to give her what she was asking him. some space. 

"okay Riya, I am not rushing anything, take your time. let's go, I will drop you at your place."

"Er... NO"!! She shouted instantly; he was taken aback by her reluctance but she calmed down and said, " I will go with Shree, you don't have to worry"! 

"I know, but. . ."

"No, Arjun. . . please"

"Okay, take care Riya".

He comes close and hugged her. He always felt the same thing, when she was in his arms, the feeling was always like, he was complete. But today there was something incomplete...He patted her hair and kissed her forehead.     

She smiled a little assuring him. "You're my life". He whispered. she always turns this crimson red whenever he says such a thing, but not today. she was rather pale and her face ashen. he was visibly bothered with her rather strange behavior today. 

Riya instantly turned her heel and tears rolled down her cheeks. She wanted to run away before he would make any attempt to stop her again.

She opened the front seat of SUV while Shree was inside at the driver's seat. It was a little dark in the parking so he could not see her face or her tear brimming eyes. She instantly used the tissue that was on the dashboard of the SUV, wiped away her tears before she would be caught by Shree.

Shree looked at her with concern and asked "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, let's go."

He started the SUV, but exactly after coming out of the gate of the ETF office, she asked Shree to stop. He was confused, *why she was saying to stop the car in this heavy rain? he thought while he looked out.

"are you out of your mind"?

"Shree please don't ask anything. just listen to me and stop". 

Shree was quick to guess that something is absolutely wrong with her, but she will never tell anything. So he decided to let her go without even his wish.

Riya stepped out of the SUV and mouthed a bye while he did not responded except glaring at her. So she turn away and resumed walking in that lonely street. Shree waited for her till she vanished into the street, rain pouring heavily over her head as she walked carelessly. 

She walked down the streets, while she has no idea where she was going or what is her destination. she was walking endlessly. The pouring rain somehow soothing her senses, making her unstable mind a little stable. After that she drowned herself inside the storm that was arising in her mind.

" How could I do this with HIM "?? I have no right to play with this man's emotions. 

You are selfish Riya.

You are just plain selfish and nothing else. 

But why this sudden realization? Her mind fired back.  JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE TRULY FALLING FOR HIM.

"But was there any other choice"? she asked herself!  She was never so helpless as she was feeling now.

"How could I break you Arjun, when you are the one who collected me"!!

'' How could I betray you, when you are my only Truth"???

" How could I destroy you, when you are the only one who can repair me"

"How can I let you go, while you are my only struggle".

" How will I tell you that, the love reflected in between us ...was just a Mirage. "

"How will I bear your hatred Arjun,  while you are my only love."

No I can't. The little thing inside her, which is called heart, denied her. But she was bound by situation. 

Then she thought otherwise, " What about his revenge, what about his agony, what about his endurance, what about his longing?" I cant snatch the little happiness he deserves. She was completely torn between his love and her lies. Unknowingly she slumped on the bench nearby, Oblivious to where she was. She closed her eyes searching for a little peace! But the thoughts of betraying him took over her heart and mind, that made her thought " if she is worthy of this PEACE or not!! At a moment she thought, why could not she run away from the whole world along with him. " The answer came: No I could not".

"Oh! So you wanted 'space' here?" A deep husky voice broke her trance and she searched for the source of the voice. She gathered her courage and looked up. There he was standing plastering a stern face, still she could read the concern behind the face.

"I was just..." She started saying something and stood up.

" No Riya, no excuses please ", he instantly removed his jacket and covered both of their head stopping the rain from pouring over their heads, and this time her eyes showed complete admiration and respect for the man with whom she was about to spend her whole life, her would be better half. 

She again tried to justify herself with her broken shaky voice. But again shut by him, when he put his finger on her lips that startled her. He was holding the Jacket covering them and his finger on her lips.

"Riya, you can't do this to yourself. whatever you are bothered with, just tell me. you are not alone. and you can't be irresponsible with your health like this."By hearing those concerned words she burst out crying. For how much time she could hold herself? Whatever may be the reason, once again he collected her in his arms and let her heart cry out...