And it started raining. It was as if every bad thing in this world had decided to strike her life. She cursed her bad luck and got inside that cottage, where her "khadoos" boss was laying down on a pile of dry grass. Eww yuck!! She would not even think about touching that pile, laying down was out of this world for her. She was getting cold of the air coming through the door and the little window at the back of that cottage. First she expected the person accompanying her to get up and close the door but she silently cursed herself for expecting anything from her boss, Arjun Rawte, the man who was said to own no heart. It wasn't too long ago that Riya had answered his call and was ordered to get ready in 7 minutes as they had to go and check on a suspect out of the town. Since Shree and Chotu were already following another suspect, Rathod asked Rawte to take care of another suspect of theirs, along with Riya. How could they do that to her? She had been home after so long and was about to watch her favorite movie - K3G when he called her. If it wasn't for her work, she could have simply refused but how can she ignore her work and watch something on t.v. peacefully?
Flashback
Arjun and Riya were in the car, not talking, not even giving each other any glances this time, when the car broke down in the middle of the unknown forest. Even though Riya knew the place but she had never been left out on a stranded road and it was almost midnight. She didn't feel ashamed to admit that she was scared. Arjun tried to fix the car but it was dark so he couldn't help much.
Riya was standing outside the car, next to passenger's seat when Arjun came to her.
Arjun: Riya.
Riya was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even realize that arjun was there too. She almost tripped when she heard a human's voice in that complete silence. Arjun almost chuckled on her actions but composed himself.
Arjun: It's me Riya. Arjun. Arjun Suryakant. Arjun Suryakant Rawte... ACP Arjun..
Riya: OKAY *she almost yelled* I got you... SIR. Is the car fixed?
Arjun: No. It seems to me that we have to go into the forest to find a shelter. It is dangerous to stay in the car. You know bandits!!
Riya was even more scared now.
After few minutes
Arjun was leading Riya deep into the forest to find some place to stay but they had no luck. Riya was scared to death. Even the sound of stepping on dry leaves were making her heart beat so fast that she could hear her heartbeats every now and then. She started to sing a song so that her fear won't take over her courage.
Is There a vacancy,
for somebody like me,
coz I feel tu hi meri tu hi meri Destiny.
Is there a vacany,
I am the best you see,
k tu , tu hi meri tu hi meri destiny.
la la la la.. la la la la..
Arjun was amused at her daring. Here they were in problem and she had the courage to sing? He couldn't take it from her.
Arjun: Would you shut up Riya? to be frank, I don't see a point in singing in the middle of the forest and that too, at midnight. So just zip it and continue following me.
Riya was so helpless that she couldn't even argue with him. how she wished to leave him in the middle of the forest, among the wild animals but where would she go without him.
They kept walking for some time when he could no longer her steps at his back. He stopped and called out her name.
Arjun: Riya.
No Response.
Arjun (louder): RIYAAA... *he felt scared as to what had happened to her*
Still no response.
Arjun went back calling her name but no luck. After walking back some more steps, he tripped over something and fell on something soft and fragile. Something familiar. A human body? Maybe. He thought it was a dead body until her arms started to move under his toned body. Oh ofcourse, he thought, the princess had to lay down and take a rest.
Arjun: (still on top of her) what were you thinking Riya? Why did you stop walking? and why didn't you answer when I called out for your name? Answer me damnit.
To his surprise, No Answer.
For a second he thought to repeat his questions but he knew she was adamant.
Arjun grabbed her shoulders and asked her to speak. He felt her head answering him in negative. He took her face in one of his hands strongly and yet again demanded her to speak. Once again, No response. He was mad now. He slid down his another hand under her back and got a tight hold of her. Riya could feel his breaths on her face and his proximity threw her fear of darkness miles away from her. She felt safe. Her chain of thoughts were broken by his one sentence.
Arjun: Riya speak or I will leave you here.
Riya: What should I speak Sir? You yourself had asked me to shut up and so I did. I could not ignore your orders Sir.
Arjun: Oh stop it Riya. I asked you to stop singing not cut your tongue and threw it away.
Riya: Sir you asked me to shut up. You never said anything about singing. Truth is truth.
Arjun: Stop it. Will you? Why the hell did you stop walking?
Riya: My shoe laces were open sir. I had to tie them but all of a sudden you came and landed on top of me, and you are still..
Arjun realized that he was holding her so close for so long. He was about to move when lightning struck and they could see each other for a second. He saw her face next to his face and so did she. He got up after some seconds and pulled her up with him. He now took her hand in his hand and led her into the forest. She realized that even in this cold, his hands were warm. She didn't even think about where they were going. All she could feel was his touch. It did something to her, like his touch had reached out to her soul. Soon they were standing near a cottage, which was locked from outside. Arjun tried to let go of her hand but she had held onto his hand so tightly that he gave up on that thought. He broke the lock outside the door with a little stone and entered the cottage. Riya let go of his hand and refused to step inside.
Arjun: Riya don't be childish. Come on in.
Riya: No sir, I watched this movie called Krishna Cottage. The cottage is just like the one in that movie. I am scared.
Arjun: Riya. Stop it and come on in. It is about to rain and how would you manage alone outside?
Riya thought he was right but staying outside was better than stepping in that haunted cottage.
Arjun saw Riya not moving and left her alone outside. He went in and took a look around the cottage, laid down but his mind was there where Riya was.
Flashback ends.
Arjun thought to himself, why are these girls so stubborn? When we tell them to do something, they would never do it and when they realize that we were right, they follow what we said. Girls are those mathematical problem sets that no one can ever solve, he told himself.
Riya had closed down all the possible ways where air would storm inside the cottage. She wasn't that scared now and decided to sit against a wall, with her eyes open. Arjun saw her settling down and thanked God mutely. Finally he could take some rest.
It was about half an hour since Riya had settled herself and was dozing off against the wall when she realized that her back was itching. She woke up and sensed something wrong and in no time, she realized that it was some sort of insect that had gotten inside her shirt. She started screaming.
Arjun woke up in no time and rushed towards her.
Arjun: Riya? Riyaaa.. Riya whats wrong? Why are you screaming on top of your lungs?
Riya: Sssiiirrr... Sir.. there is something.. something inside my shirt.. at my back.. aaahhh..
Arjun: shhh Riya.. I will take care of it.. stop jumping like a frog and sit still.
Riya: (kept moving continuously and screaming at the same time) aahhh... ouucchhh...
Arjun: Stop it Riya, I am not getting hold of anything at your back.
He was rubbing her back, trying to get hold of whatever it was.
His hands were sending a river of shivers down her spine. The spark his hands were igniting was much worse than the fear of that little insect.
Arjun saw Riya not calming down and tore apart her shirt at her back in one second. Riya was shocked beyond any limits and stood up. Arjun had her shirt in his hands and it came flying off her body when she got up. Arjun threw the shirt away and got up. He didn't think twice before running both his hands down her back to make sure that there was nothing on her back. Riya stood still at his touch. Her brains had stopped working and she felt numb. She could feel his hands at her back, running up and down, making Riya unable to stand on her feet. She needed some sort of support. She was about to fall when he grabbed her and pulled her back and held her protectively.
Arjun: What's wrong? Are you okay? Did you just feel so attached to Mother Earth that you wanted to hug her? Why were you about to fall? I got rid of whatever it was..
His words were lost in air when he realized what he had done.
He had, to be outspoken, stripped of her shirt. He took a step back.
Even though he couldn't much in dark, he turned away and started apologizing.
Arjun: Woh .. Riya.. I am.. I didn't mean to.. I am..
Riya: It's okay sir. I have my tanks on.
Arjun was relieved a bit but noticed the uneasiness in her voice.
Without saying a word, he flew to his place and laid down, facing the wall.
How would he ever meet her eyes again?
