JEEVAN (Rawte Series- Book 1)

4- One Step Forward,Two Steps Back.

Kashvi and Kavin were laughing their heads off at Arnika's narration.

"And then...Maine kaha ki I don't want strawberry jam! I want mango jam on my bread and dang! the look on his face was so adorable! Trust me he was all ready to stomp his foot in frustation....it was so funny" she recited in between laughter.

Kashvi- "Tune chachu ko bohot pareshan Kiya na!"

Arni laughed but then grew quiet. Somewhere she was feeling guilty for troubling her father so much. A large part of her justified her actions with a simple answer, "He deserves it!" But the smaller, more close to her heart part felt sorry for him.

Kashvi looked at her friend. She put a comforting hand on hers and said, "Chachu will soon talk to you, Arni but usse pehle na unhe tujhpe thoda sa chillana hoga and tujhe unhe guilty feel karana hoga. Tabhi toh woh tujhe pamper karenge na?"

Arni looked at Kashvi. This friend of hers understood her plight without her words. Something she was thankful for. 

Kavin trying to lighten the mood- "Bas ek loophole hai plan me."

Arni looked at him. "Kya?"

Kavin- "Kahi tu pit na jaaye, Arni."

Arni smiled sadly. "I'll be the happiest girl on the earth if this happens." 

Only if her father raised his hand on her to draw her back in line rather than controlling himself like a complete stranger, she would have leapt in joy. When he whacked her with the file for running on the stairs, her heart warmed. But that happened once in a blue moon. Not that she was a big fan of getting whacked but her heart yearned for the essence of familiarity that comes with it.

Kavin gave her a questioning look- "Kashu dhund. Yahi kahi hoga. Jaldi dhund." He looked around.

Both Arni and Kashvi looked at him confused. "Abbe kya dhund Raha hai?" Arni asked.

Kavin- "Tere dimaag ka screw. Tu tension na le. Mil jaayega."

Arni rolled her eyes and walked away annoyed followed by Kashvi. Both the girl found him really annoying. He laughed and trailed off behind them.

Arjun was sitting in his cabin and going through the file on the recent murder case his team had solved. He heard a knock on his door and looked up only to find Sakshi standing there.

Arjun- "Kya hua Sakshi?'

Sakshi dreamily- "Kuch nahi. Bas tumhe dekhne ka man kar Raha tha." 

Arjun firmly- "Sakshi."

Sakshi- "Aree baba, shaant.Mazak tha."

Arjun in a monotonous voice- "Na mujhe mazak pasand hai aur na hi coffee. Toh tum bhi Jaa sakti ho aur ye Jo coffee apne saath layi ho usse bhi leke ja sakti ho."

Sakshi looked at him surprised. "Tumhe kaise pata ki mai ye coffee tumhare liye leke aayi thi?"

Arjun- "Tumne cup kaafi upar Tak bhara hai jis wajah se tum bohot carefully chal Rahi thi. Agar coffee tum apne liye leke aati toh ya toh Kam barti ya phir raaste me hi thodi si pee leti. Tumne dono hi nahi Kiya which means of course ye coffe tum mere liye laayi ho."

Sakshi just looked at him. She came out of her stance when Arjun cleared his throat. 

"Woh file tumne review kar Li ho toh Sameer sir ke paas bhi leke jaani hai." 

Arjun nodded and held out the file for her to take.

That night, Arnika sat in the living room waiting for Arjun. She knew she had to continue her plan if she had any hopes of getting through him. It was already 10 and there were no traces of Arjun.