Cold Love (5 page)

A Walk in The Park

A few weeks later, life
gradually settles down. Arjun gets some time to catch up on his classes, as the
investigation slows down to a routine pace. After their MBA class, Arjun and
Riya are walking to a park close to their home. The beautiful flowers and lush
green trees made it a pleasant picturesque stroll. Riya is wearing a lovely
summer floral skirt, looking stunning in it. They walk down in a leisurely
manner, discussing their studies, the classes they share and also catching up
on childhood memories.

Arjun points to the places he
used to visit in this park as a kid. It pains him to see that the same ground
that used to be full of kids, and where he spent most of his childhood days
playing cricket with his gang of friends, is now completely deserted, with
portions of the ground full of long, overgrown grass and shrubs. Kids nowadays
prefer to spend their time indoors on electronic gadgets and video games. Riya
and Arjun pass by a road next to a bench where a group of guys are seated
eating peanuts. Their appearance befits that of roadside ruffians as they have
left a long trail of garbage around them. The guys notice Riya and can’t help
commenting about her.

“
Hey
check out man! Lovely flowers in the park today!”

“Right buddy! Wow! If I had
such a flowery girlfriend, then it will be one joyous ride!” he gestures
obscenely, as all the others laugh.

Arjun is offended and is
about to respond violently, but Riya holds him back.

“
Arjun
please let’s leave this place!” She grabs his hand, and pulls him away, shaking
her head to gesture “no” when Arjun tries to break free.

“Where are you off to
sweetheart?! Oh! Why don’t you take us with you as well, so lovingly?” one of
them continues to banter on.

Riya stops this time and
turns back to respond.

“
I’m
going to the police station. Do you want to come? … Don’t act smart with me,
else all of you will be inside the jail, mind it!”

“
We
are also eager to go inside and outside my love,” the guy moves his waist in an
obscene gesture as all the others laugh. Arjun is absolutely furious and turns
around, forcefully pushing the guy so that he falls on the bench, as his
friends hold onto him in time. The guy immediately bounces back, pulling a
knife from his pocket. Riya intervenes immediately, sensing trouble.

“Listen, we don’t need any
trouble. Take it easy… Arjun, come with me!” she pulls Arjun back using all her
strength, as he resists, “Arjun!”

“
How
dare he!” Arjun is now furious and ready for a fight.

“
Arjun,
for God’s sake please let’s go!” 

“
Oye
hero! Go run and hide behind your girlfriend!” they all laugh, seeing that Riya
has convinced Arjun to leave. Riya holds Arjun’s arm tightly, pulling him
briskly along with her on the pathway. Arjun is fuming inside, and suddenly
turns around, shouting back at the ruffians, “You guys stay here… I am coming!”

“
Yeah!
Yeah! Come back if you dare! Drop your bird back home! We are not going anywhere!”

Riya and Arjun briskly walk
away from the park, silent, with Arjun fuming with rage. They reach home in a
few minutes and Riya firmly pulls Arjun’s hand along to bring him inside.
Unfortunately for her, no one else is home. Arjun sits on the sofa and turns
the television on. Meanwhile, Riya quickly calls Kamla and narrates the
incident.

“
A
unty, Papa and mummy are not at home
either. I’ve asked them to come soon. … Yes… he is fine now, but he was really
mad at them in the park. … No, please don’t worry, I’ll keep him here. …Yes,
bye.”

Riya goes over to sit on the
sofa next to Arjun and tries to start a casual conversation. But Arjun does not
respond as he is still angry and also annoyed at Riya for not letting him
respond to the vulgar behavior of the ruffians. Riya desperately tries to brush
the incident aside casually. 

“
Seems
like this is your first time walking alongside a beautiful girl in India! This
is not America or Europe, mister. You will find such wierdos on the streets
everywhere… And they say you should ignore the dogs barking on the streets!”

“
I’ll
break his nose! How dare he speak about you like that?”

 “
Please
let it go Arjun… just forget it! For my sake…pretty please…!” she tries to
offer him a coke, but Arjun is not interested; he’s still in a very serious
mood. Suddenly, Arjun gets up and starts walking.

“
Where
are you going?” Riya anxiously runs around and closes the main door, pocketing
the keys.
“
You are
not going anywhere, Arjun. Give me your car keys please!” The car keys are
still on the table by the television. Riya quickly latches on to them before
Arjun can move.

“
Listen
Arjun! You are not going anywhere! Pinky promise if you try to go away from
me!” she moves her tiny finger in a quick gesture and clasps it around his.

“I don’t believe in such
stupid promises,” Arjun immediately takes his finger away with a quick jerk.

“
But
I do!” Riya remains composed and calm, “And if after touching each other, a
promise is broken, something really awful happens. That means… that since you
have touched me, if you break the promise something terrible will happen to me.
So if you care even a bit about me…”

Arjun stares at her for a
moment, as Riya pleads with her eyes, begging him to stay. Although
unconvinced, Arjun grudgingly returns to the sofa.

“Please don’t be so angry…
just let it go!” She holds Arjun’s face in her hand, “You are such a little
kid, you know.”

Arjun gently shrugs her hand
off. Riya’s phone starts to ring that very moment and she picks it up quickly.
She speaks on the phone and returns in a few minutes back to the sofa next to
Arjun. They sit there watching the TV for a while, although Arjun is just
switching channels blindly. Suddenly the doorbell rings. Riya rushes to open
the door and is excited as well as relieved to see the family back.

“
Beta,
what happened?” Kamla asks as she enters. They talk inaudibly at the door and
she quickly walks over to the sofa to hug her son. “Arjun beta, these things
should be ignored … … OK?” Arjun nods half-heartedly, “And I forbid you from
going out! …Just don’t think about it beta; all these small things keep
happening. Anyway, we have the puja in the afternoon, and you have to be at
home!”

Soon, the rest of the family
is back and busy preparing for the puja. Arjun grabs his laptop and pretends to
work, even though he is still annoyed at the turn of events. The family members
leave him alone for a while. Meanwhile, Riya dresses for the festival and puja,
in a beautiful ethnic outfit. She notices Arjun still sitting on the sofa fiddling
with his laptop, and stealthily walks behind him. She tries to lighten the mood
and tickle Arjun by blowing into his ear.

“
Phoo!”

Arjun is not impressed and
tries to ignore her, continuing his work on the laptop.
“
Oh God! What does it take to get a smile
from you?... Although you know… you look cute when you are angry. OK, tell me;
do you like this outfit?”

Arjun glances at her but does
not respond. Riya tries again but has to return to her activities, unsuccessful
in her endeavor to cheer Arjun up. The entire house is getting ready for the
festival preparations later in the evening, even though all the family members,
including Riya intermittently keep a constant eye on Arjun. After a while,
amidst the hubbub, Riya suddenly sees Arjun going out. She dashes out after him
and in the rush forgets to wear her slippers.

“
Arjun…
Wait…”, Arjun turns and looks back but continues walking towards his car
outside the house, “Arjun! Where are you going?”

Arjun is about to get into
the car. Riya realizes she is too far behind him and whilst still trying to
catch up with him, she intentionally steps on to a sharp stone on the pathway.

“
Ah!”
She screams loudly, as she falls in pain on the ground. “Arjun!”

Arjun sees her fall, and
rushes back to her immediately.

“Hey, what happened?! Show
me!”

“Ah!” Riya is in great pain,
Arjun looks at her feet and notices a lot of blood oozing out. He offers his
hand that Riya holds tightly; but after a couple of hops forward, she stops in
the pathway, clinging on to Arjun’s arm. “It’s hurting a lot, Arjun!”

Without a word, Arjun
suddenly lifts her up in his arms and carries her across.  Kamla and Shanti see
them pass through the living room as Arjun takes her to her bed room. Both the
ladies immediately come rushing up.

“Arjun, what are you doing?”
Riya is blushing as red as a tomato, as she spots their moms in the distance.
“Please let me down!”

Arjun ignores her and carries
her to the bedroom, and eventually puts her gently on the bed.

“Where’s the first aid box?”

Riya points at the cupboard.

Just then, Kamla and Shanti
walk in.

“What happened beta? How did
you get hurt?” Shanti asks inquisitively.

“Nothing mama, it’s just a
small cut. I’ll do it Arjun…”. Now, Arjun is sitting on the floor and grabs her
foot to put the ointment on the wound. Riya hesitantly tries to pull her leg
back. “What are you doing Arjun?” she speaks to Arjun in a hushed sharp tone,
blushing even more.  Finally, Arjun speaks, in a loud scolding tone.

“Will you just shut up and
stay still? Absolutely still! And not another word!” Riya is cringing with
shyness, as Arjun holds her foot in his hand and starts putting the ointment.
“Why did you rush behind me bare-footed?! I was not going anywhere!”

Riya is speechless; Kamla
comes closer and kneels down on the floor to have a look.

 “Come on Shanti; it’s just a
small cut, the kids will take care of it.” The ladies leave the kids to their
act.

“What are you doing Arjun?
What will everyone think? You’re crazy!”

Arjun stares at her, doesn’t
bother to respond and instead continues putting the ointment and a bandage.
Riya watches him as mixed emotions surge within her. She is spell bound at
Arjun’s sudden expression of concern and care towards her, as he completes the
bandage with utmost care. Priya and Puja look in momentarily as well; Arjun’s
back is to the door, and both the girls leave without a word. Riya bites her
lip as she notices Puja wink back at her mischievously.

“You will need to rest and no
jumping or playing around! Understood? And no crazy activities or dancing in
the festival later in the evening.”

 “You are speaking to me as
if I am a child!” Riya replies in a sulky tone.

Arjun turns around to put
back the first aid box, and sees Shanti and Kamla entering the room again.

“Ma, I need to go for work.
Don’t worry; I am not going to fight with anyone. I really have work at the
headquarters. I will be back before the puja starts.”

Kamla allows her son to go,
though she would have preferred him to stay. Arjun dashes to the headquarters,
and on the way visits the park again, but finds no one there. At the
headquarters he gets a specialist team in to prepare an identikit picture of
the guys at the park.

After a couple of hours,
Arjun does manage to return before the puja starts. No one notices him enter as
he walks into the main hall and spots Riya immediately sitting among the other
ladies as a musical event is on. A few girls try to pull her into the dance.
She resists a few times, but eventually gets up and starts to dance to the
music, though being very careful and gentle with her legs. Suddenly Riya spots
Arjun coming from a distance and freezes mid-way in her dance routine.

“Uff, I’m done now!” she
shakes her head, and starts walking briskly up the stairs towards Arjun’s room.
Kamla and Shanti cannot help but notice the attention their kids have been
giving each other.

“Shanti, are you seeing what
I’m seeing too?”

“Yes Kamla… our kids have
grown up, isn’t that so? But don’t get too happy too soon; we should give them
the freedom to decide for themselves…. Let’s wait and watch! Should we?” Both
nod grinning at each other and embrace in a friendly manner.

Riya follows Arjun back to
his room. She walks in but pauses at the door, lost for words. Arjun looks at
her, but doesn’t say anything. Riya is looking mesmerizingly beautiful in her
ethnic outfit, which consists of a beautiful colorful skirt and an elegant
blouse with threads criss crossing across an open back, covered by a thin
decorated veil drape. She finally gathers the courage to speak.

 “Please don’t be angry,
Arjun. My leg is absolutely fine now … True. Look it’s not even hurting
anymore.” She tries to sound casual, as if nothing has happened, though she can
sense that Arjun is still very angry from the event earlier in the day. He
doesn’t bother to respond. He is looking for something around the room.