Ariya FF: The One I Love Last Chapter Pg 53 June 5, 2016 - Page 7

Another day came with another promise. Riya opened her sleepy eyes as her alarm started ringing. Frustrated she snoozed it off and went to sleep again. Not more than 10 minutes passed when the alarm rang again.

Cursing her alarm, she got up. Taking a quick bath she walked towards her garden where her favourite flowers were kept. She had a small balcony garden. This was her favorite place in the house. She was really attached to it as it was her 14^th birthday present from her parents, her last birthday she spent with them. As she sat in the swing she recalled the day when she lost them.

Flashback Starts

It was 2 weeks after her 14^th birthday. Riya was happily watering the pants. In between she was looking at the road. She was eagerly waiting for her parents who had gone to a flower show to get some new additions to their garden.

Her wait turned into hours and her cute pout turned into frown. She tried calling their numbers, but it was switched off. Feeling bored, she went down and on the TV. As she was switching through the channels, flash news got her attention.

"Mugging gone wrong in exhibition ground. A couple murdered in broad daylight."

Remote fell from her hand as a couple's bloodied picture displayed on TV. Riya slumped onto the floor chocked. Her eyes fixed on the TV as she saw her mom's fingers clutched around a rose plant, the white rose bathed in her blood.

Flashback ends

Riya jerked open her eyes to get rid of those memories. Tears flew from her eyes yet again. Long 12 years! Still the wounds are deep and raw. It's been long 12 years that she was orphaned, long 12 years that she had been living alone. Being the only child of her parents, she never knew any relatives. Since her parents' was a love marriage, their family has disowned them. They didn't come to see Riya even when she was left alone.

All thanks to the fortune her parents had left for her, Riya didn't have to beg in front of anybody. But still it was difficult for a 14 year old. She matured overnight. She spent her time either studying or locking herself up in her house. She rarely trusted others, never went partying yet didn't stop smiling. It was Shree who was her best friend, the person whom she let in her life after so many years. And now he also had gone far away from her.

Wiping the tears, she got up only to notice a fallen orchid flower. She picked it up and fingered slowly.

"My life is also like you my Orchid flower. Before one year, it was filled with colors that I gathered from my life. Now those memories are wilting away. Just like you, I am away from the bunch of people whom I considered my family."

***

Nothing could escape from the sharp eyes of the super cop Arjun. He easily noticed the pain hidden in her eyes as soon as she stepped into the office. It pained him to see the happy and bubbly Riya retrieving back to her shell. Even though he was not sure why it was hurting him to see her hurt, he decided that he will bring back the smile on her face.

At 11 Am, Rathod barged into the conference room.

"Guys, get ready. We have a case"

Riya gathered her stuff and about to go when she felt someone's gaze on her.  She looked sideways to only see Shree looking intently on her. For a fleeting second their eyes locked. A genuine smile started to emerge in her face but died down as Shree quickly averted the gaze and walked away. Riya closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Letting out a sad sigh, she followed others out of conference room. Unknown to both of them, Arjun was a witness to this interaction.

As they reached the crime spot she felt the world twirling around her.  History was repeating. She stood in front of the same place where as a kid she used to come with her parents and the same place where her parents breathed last leaving her alone. Gathering herself she started walking. There were flowers everywhere. But their beauty didn't attract her, instead the scene in front of her horrified. There was a man and lady on the floor lying in a pool of blood. In her mind that image was replaced with her parents'. Her Body started shivering. She could hear someone calling her from distance. But she felt numb.

"Riya..."

Chotu again shook her. And this time she responded. She looked at him as if she just came out of a trance. She looked at herself and saw her palms were sweaty and there were tears rolling down form her eyes. She looked back at her team members and who were concerned seeing her in that state.

"I... I gotta go..."

Before anyone could anything she bolted out of the exit. Shree was the first one to come out of shock.

"Rathod Sir. Please excuse me. I need to go and find Riya..."

Rathod nodded his head giving him permission. Shree thanked him and about to go when he felt a tug on his hand. He looked back and found a furious Liza holding his hand. He sighed.

"Please Liza. Don't stop me today. She really needs me"

"Shree, you can't be there for her always. As I told you before also, you have to choose one. You can't have both of us"

He sighed exasperated. He looked at Chotu for help. Before Chotu could say something, they heard the sound of Arjun's SUV starting. Everyone looked at the direction and saw Arjun speeding off in the SUV.

Shree sighed helplessly.  Rathod gritted his teeth in frustration. Liza held onto Shree's hand possessively. Sakshi fumed looking at the direction Arjun went. And Chotu, well he just smiled, a genuine happy one.

Arjun's SUV followed the cab he saw Riya getting in. he saw the cab stopping in front of her house. She paid the cab and hurriedly moved towards the house. Arjun too parked his SUV and ran towards her house. To his luck, she had forgotten to close the door. Stepping in, he locked the door from inside. His eyes widened seeing the huge interiors of the house. He was impressed. He mentally slapped himself for diverting from the matter in hand. He concentrated and hear sobbing from a room. He dashed towards the room.

The scene that welcomed him hurt him to the core. There she was lying on the floor in a fetus position, her hands held a fistful of cloths possessively.

He looked at the cloths and realized that those are Sarees and Shirts. His gaze then travelled to the wall. He saw a 14 year old Riya with a couple. He saw all the photos and realized that after a certain age, there was no photo of Riya with them. It didn't take much time for the super cop in Arjun to understand that they are no more.

He took baby steps towards her, as if sensing his presence; she looked up through her teary eyes. But she didn't make any attempt to move. Lying in the same position, she continued looking him. Arjun slowly lay on the floor parallel to her in such a way that the only thing separating them was those clothes. He lifted his hand and caressed her cheeks wiping the tears away. She closed her eyes feeling his touch while her tears continued to flow. She gasped as she felt him pulling her closer. Her head now tucked into the crook of his neck while he had his chin placed on top her head. He started rubbing her back to calm her down.

"Sir, why my parents left me alone? Why did they go away from me?"

He was tongue tied for a moment. There were tears in his eyes as well.

"Riya, who told you that they left you alone? They are here, always with you. Even if they are not here, you won't be alone. Your Arjun Sir will be there with you, as your mentor and as your friend. I won't leave you alone. Now be a good girl and go to sleep."

For the first time in years, Riya slept peacefully, not having any nightmare which haunted her.