KUCH NAYE FEELINGS

21.Shut up

"Aapne itna der kyun lagaye f.i.r. file karne main" asked the police. Aarohi was now quiet. "Bataiye kyun der Hui?" Asked the police again. "Dar ke vajah se aur support Naa Milne ki vajah se" said Aarohi in one breath. The police wrote the statement in the f.i.r. along with the other details. He pushed the notepad towards Aarohi. "Aur kuch likhna hai ya koi changes karne ho toh abhi bata dijiye. Agar kuch nahi hai toh sign kar dijiye." He said to Aarohi. Aarohi went through the f.i.r. and nodded her head in negative and grabbed the pen from the table and signed on the sheet. "Aapko culprit pata hai toh process Kam hai. Voh abhi Kolkata ki police station main hai na... attempt to rape case par. Toh aur bhi aasan hoga." Said the police. "Investigation kab shuru hoga?" Asked Neil. "Ek baar culprit ko udaipur le aaye phir shuru ho jaayega. Usko shift karenge 1-2 din main. Aarohi ji aapko investigation ke liye aate rehna hoga. Aapke paas medical reports toh hai na?"
"Ji hain mere paas" said Aarohi.
"Ab aap Jaa sakte hai. Vikrant ko yahan laane ke baad hum aapko call karenge. Aap apne lawyer ko taiyaar rakhiye."
"Ji sir thank you."
They left from the police station.
Neil and Aarohi stopped at a cafe.
Neil: Toh kaise lag raha hai case file karke uske khilaf?
Aarohi: honestly Neil, I'm nervous. 2 saal hogaye us incident ke aur main us se move on karne ki bohot koshish ki hai lekin the thought of facing him in the court woh sab yaadein waapas aati hai."
Neil: I understand chipkali. Aisa feel karna normal hain. Par yaad rakhna awaaz utha kar tum Naa sirf apne aap ke liye insaaf maang rahe ho balki un saare ladkiyon keliye Jo in sab se guzar rahe ho. Aur bade papa ko reality check bhi de rahe ho.
Neil said the last word under his breath hoping Aarohi would not listen.
Aarohi: maine suna hai chamgadar.
Said Aarohi chuckling.
Neil: voh...voh toh main.
Neil tried to cover his words.
Aarohi: waise tum sahi keh rahe ho. I just hope ke mai in legal proceedings ke pressure handle kar paau.
Neil: you are stronger than you think Aarohi. Aur yaad hai na tum akeli nahi ho. Ab toh tumhare Bhai behen bhi saath hai tumhare.
Aarohi: Neil agar tum nahi hote toh pata nahi Mai kya karti. Thank you chamgadar.
Neil: Friends isi liye hote hai na mushkil vakt main saath Dene ke liye. Aur vaise bhi main Naa ho toh bhi tum bohot kuch kar sakti ho. Sab ke liye tum akeli kaafi ho.
Aarohi: haan... Tumhe pata hai mumma kya kehti thi... Mere aankhein bohot fiercing hai. Koi mujhe tang kare toh ek stare du aur log dar jaaenge.
Neil: tumhe gurne ki zaroorat nahi hai vaise... aankhein kaafi hai doob ke Mar jaate hai log.
Aarohi rolled her eyes to which Neil said
"Sach me... Tumhe jooth lag raha hai na."
Aarohi: haan haan mujhe pata hai ki tum meri aankhon main doob gaye. Hain na... Hain Naa.
She said teasing him.
Neil: kuch bhi. Main... tumhare aankhon main... Doob gaya... No chance.
Said Neil and before Aarohi could react he went out of the cafe after paying the bill.
They both reached home.

In the evening.

Aarohi was searching for something in her bag which she brought from Kolkata, when Neil entered the room.
Neil: yeh kya dhund rahe ho chipkali.
Aarohi: mere medical reports. Voh SI ne bataya tha na ki evidence ke liye bohot zaroori hai. Vahi dundh rahi hu.
Neil: nahin hai kya?
Aarohi: honge kahi par dikh nahi rahe.
Neil: tum itni pareshan kyu hoti ho har cheez ke liye. Tumhe yaad hai na tumne bag mein rakha.
Aarohi: haan.
Neil: toh bas phir mil jaaenge. Lao main dundhta hu.
Aarohi moves away from the bag to allow him to check.
Neil searches for some good 5 mins and says
"Mil gaye"
And he hands it over to Aarohi.
Neil: ek baar check karlo ki sab hai ki nahi.
Aarohi: haan sab hai.
Neil: tumhare paas abhi bhi yeh reports kyun hai. Tum case karna chahti thi kya?
Aarohi: thanks to my medical reports save karne ki aadat.
Neil: acha.
Aarohi: vaise tum yaha kya kar rahe ho.
Neil: kuch nahi bas aise hi.
Aarohi: acha toh kuch bolo phir.
Said Aarohi getting up from the bed and putting the file on the table.
Aarohi had a jumpscare as Neil was right behind her when she turned back.
Aarohi: Dara hi Diya tumne... kya hua bol kyun nahi rahe ho kuch.
Neil: acha tum ready toh ho na Vikrant ko face karne ke liye. I mean mujhe pata hai you are nervous...par tum na bilkul tension mat lena hum sab hai tumhare saath. Investigation ke liye bhi jab jaaenge toh tumhe details batane honge toh panic mat karna haa. Aur humesha yaad rakhna TUM AKELI NAHI HO. Thik hai aur....
Aarohi: tum abhi panic kar rahe ho. Sambhalo. Aur ufffff itna koun bolta hai. Saas bhi Lelo Zara.
Neil: main zyada bolta hun.main tumhare liye concerned hoke yeh sab bataa raha hun aur tumhe lag raha hai ki main zyada bolta hu. Tumhe na.............
Neil was continuously blabbering his rants for the words she just said.
Aarohi's frustration bubbled as Neil continued his relentless tirade. His words sliced through the air like daggers, and she couldn't take it anymore. With a mixture of annoyance and determination, she closed the gap between them, pressing her lips firmly against his. At first, Neil was taken aback, his rant silenced by the unexpected kiss. Then, as Aarohi's lips lingered on his, he melted into the moment, his anger dissipating like morning mist under the sun. The world around them seemed to fade away as they shared a brief, intense connection, a silent understanding passing between them. When they finally parted, there was a newfound calm in the air, and Neil found himself at a loss for words, his anger replaced by a sense of wonder at the unexpected turn of events.

Soooo..... How was it. The sudden, unexpected way of Aarohi to shut Neil up. And how was the chapter. Do vote and comment so that I get some motivation to write. Warna likh ne main aalas aata hai phir.