Ariya OS: The Parcel of Doubts

Hey guys🤗

Hope you are safe and healthy.

So what happened it, I was going through my old drafts and found something😆🤣 This I wrote probably in December 2019, for christmas but forgot to post  but when I found it now  I thought why not post it now. Of course it's not Christmas but anyway 😆 here it is. 

The parcel of doubts 

Papers scattered all over the desk, multiple files open and beside that four empty coffee mugs graced their existence on the table and she huffed tucking the pink ball pen in her messy bun. She read through the paper once again, trying to find the tiniest detail she might have missed and wondered how she's ever gonna deal with the boss.

Where are the hell are you specky? She cursed her fate as well as that idiot of her best friend who is very much duty bound and out on a case. Her case to be precise. And what’s worse is he had to take Chotu along with him, leaving her all alone in the ETF office for doing nothing but paper work.

Ever since she was back from the hospital Shree and Chotu became overtly obsessive about her health. Even though her  chief, ACP Sameer Rathore wouldn’t restrict her from the field job, both of her best friends made sure she’d go out less, she won’t strain herself in a case. They won’t inform her if there'd be a case in the middle of the night. Shree even did the worse. He made sure she has a tracker on herself every time she goes out because she has this tendency to go unconscious in stressful situations. Sometimes these antics of her best friend makes her crazy.  

But today she didn’t receive a single call from Shree or any text from Chotu. She was a bit relieved but worried at the same time. She’s missing them badly. However, she couldn’t voice out her worry in front of their second-in-command. She sighed and leaned against the backrest, pushing away the files she was working on. She closed her eyes, maybe for seconds. 

And then a fresh scent of caffeine hit her hard as she opened her eyes promptly. The steam emanating from the mug allured her as she finally touched the mug, slowly tracing the label of ETF over it. It’s for real! Who the hell will make her coffee at this hour? It’s almost eight in the evening. 

No. It can’t be him. She muttered herself. Probably too much of caffeine is making her erratic. ACP Arjun Rawte cant make coffee for her. She still thought she’s imagining mug. To test herself she took the mug to her lips and gulped. 

Pfff. . .

“That’s hot”! She spit the coffee, fortunately not over the table but unfortunately over someone’s shirt. When she noticed the person she was baffled. She instantly stood up and ran towards him in a way dropping the mug and spilling it over the floor.

“Just great.” The raspy voice and sharp eyes gaped at her when she stood inches away from him, in an effort to clean the coffee from his shirt. 

ACP Arjun Rawte was unsure how to deal with the woman in front of him. What made her act so clumsy?

“I am so sorry sir. I ... I”

“Probably you were just dreaming?” He raised a brow and asked. 

“Yeah. I mean how could you make coffee for me?”

Shit. Shit. Shit. Did I say that aloud? She smacked herself in her mind and bit her tongue.

“Why can’t I make coffee for you?” He asked skeptically, unsure where this conversation is going.

“I mean mostly Shree gets me coffee. So I thought. . .” she trailed off not knowing what to say.

“Well. . . since your boyfriend isn’t around, I thought if I’d make coffee you wont miss him much. Don’t worry, he will be back tomorrow.” He said blandly.

Boyfriend?

Shree? My boyfriend? He thinks Shree is my boyfriend? Well hell?

“He isn’t. . .”! He didn’t let her complete and left her with a look that said ‘clean the mess you created'.

She looked at the mess she created over the floor and scratched her head. Or rather she wondered the mess that was created in his mind to make him believe that Shree is her boyfriend. Shree is overtly protective of her, that never looked like anything other than this in her eyes. What made ACP Arjun Rawte think like that?

Other than that, she didn’t think him as a person who would make personal comments on anyone. Till now their interaction had been purely professional. Even though she had seen him in a weak point, when she was in the hospital bed, fighting against XoraII. That was the only time when she saw him react.

He reacted violently with the doctors. Probably because a teammate of his was about to die. She remembered him asking her not to give up on him. She had never expected he’d ever express himself like that, but he did.

She managed to survive. She was back in ETF. Things shortly started becoming normal for her. And so was her interaction with the hot headed cop. 

She cursed herself for spilling her secret to shree. She thought she was having a crush upon their second in command. After she came back, his indifference towards her was prominent. And gradually she forgot she even liked him.

But today was different. Today the hot headed cop noticed that she’s wearing a red shirt. He also cared enough to make a comment that red suits her. On top of that he made her coffee. She was totally overblown by his gesture.

That still didn’t answer her question as to why he called Shree as her boyfriend? Is this why he’s restraining? 

Her chain of thoughts broke as she heard someone cleared his throat. Well well, the ACP was here again. He presented her a hopeless look a he looked below and noticed the floor is still coffee stained. 

“Umm. . . I will make it soon sir.” She fumbled. 

“I’ll just ask someone from the ground floor. There’s a parcel for you.” He said as she noticed him holding a shining red box in his hands. He kept the box at a nearby table. 

She went swiftly and lifted the box. There was a little a note on top of the box which read ‘for Mukherjee’ and below that a very much recognizable doodle. An instant smile appeared on her face which was not gone unnoticed by the ACP. She slowly unwrapped the box and opened it to find a caramel cake inside. There was a cute Christmas tree made of fondant on the top. The cake was extra dazzling as she noticed it has food grade glitters all over. Then realization dawned upon her. Today’s Christmas. 

“Shit. Shit. Shit...” she muttered shocking her senior who was curiously looking at her now. She looked all happy at starting and now some sort of astonishment clouding her face. He couldn’t quite read her moods. When she realised she has audience, she lifted her eyes and saw him  gazing at her with confusion. 

“It’s Christmas. . . How can I forget this day?” she looked at him with horror and asked, more to herself.

“well I see there is someone who reminds you though.” He said in a Neutral voice. She failed to notice the uneasiness clouding his voice.

“It’s Shree.” she informed him with a smile on her face as  she already started cutting the cake and kept a piece for him. 

“Of course your boy. . .” He started saying. 

“Best friend.” She cut him short. His constant nagging her and teasing her about Shree rather irritated her. Then she took a piece of the cake and started towards him. But as soon as she moved further, she felt her flats slide on the floor and before she realize she was slipping. She closed her eyes fearing for the fall, but nothing happened. She felt like she was hanging in air, but not without any support. When she finally realised someone is holding her she opened her eyes. And there, she was staring right into ACP Arjun Suryakant Rawte's eyes. No words exchanged between them for a moment. He steadied her perfectly and made her stand still. What he didn’t realize was he was marked by her. 

The piece of cake that she was holding was crushed between their palm as his other hand still supported her on her back. She didn’t know what she’d do now. What a mess she created today. Her whole day at ETF is just a blunder only while all she wished was just a day with her  besties. 

“I . . . I am sorry . . . Sir.” She muttered feebly. He was still staring into her eyes, but what he did next surprised her to no extent. He freed his hand from her, took his index finger to his mouth and licked the caramel cream that was plastered all over his palm. She gaped at him shocked. 

“Your ‘bestfriend’ indeed has a good taste Riya.” He said to her and turned, leaving her behind in a state of shock. What in hell is wrong with Arjun Sir? 

Before going, he added, “Merry Christmas Riya. If you want to go somewhere for Christmas, let me know. I am wrapping up for today.” He left and she stood there baffled. 

As soon as he left a cleaner from the ground floor came to clean the room. She started wrapping up her work too. Her chief won’t be back until tomorrow. So she decided to leave. Twenty minutes later when she made it to the parking, she saw ACP Arjun leaning against the SUV while crossing his arms. He was wearing fresh shirt now as she remembered the way she spat her coffee on his shirt. And the more she noticed, the more she realised he looks less formal and more casual. The shirt wasn’t tucked in. Unknowingly she was smiling to herself seeing him. He’s acting weird today. But after like so many days she felt the same inexplicable feeling she always feels beside him. A feeling she hasn’t named yet. A feeling that makes her nervous, her thoughts about him.

She gathered courage finally as she walked up to him confidently. He saw her coming towards him. He relaxed against the SUV. “Arjun sir, will you take me to the Church.” She said. He looked at her for some moments and told her to get inside. 

Once inside, he said, he won’t go inside the church. She said, she wouldn’t ask him too. “Why did you even bothered to volunteer”. She said as she tied the seat belt. 

“I don’t know Riya. You were annoyed the whole day. I just wanted to . . .” he turned to look at her direction and said, “take you somewhere.” She was yet again surprised to his words but kept her mum. She couldn’t believe what she’s seeing in his eyes. Was it concern? Was it care? Of course he cares for you. But today his words felt something odd. Something oddly satisfying and soothing as well. His doubting her to Shree's girlfriend. Then him bringing her coffee. Forgiving the blunder she made. All of it were oddly unnatural for her on a normal day.

“Did you decide that after I said, Shree isn’t my boyfriend?” she asked him quizzically. He frowned at her words. “kind of.” He said and started the engine. She didn’t ask him any further questions as everything slowly started making sense to her. However, she didn’t want to jump into conclusions. She wanted to him to take time and decide what he wants from her. As he drove towards the church, she closed her eyes and leaned back being relaxed after a long time. 

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PS: There wont be any second part of it. 

Hope you guys like it. 

-Anki