MMZ – The Inmate – Chapter 6

The Inmate
Chapter 6

Please do ignore my typos and grammatical errors.
NO PROOF READING.
Happy reading 
……….

Radhika stammered….she was one sweaty nervous doll. It was a treat for Arjun to watch her like that. He struggled hard to keep a straight face. But couldn’t wipe out the amused expression off his eyes.

Radhika twitched with her watch, “ar-arj-arjun…I-I wanted….” She trailed off.
She took a deep breath and looked up in his eyes.
She instantly recognized the amused, that fun smirk in his eyes. She felt embarrassed straight away. Her throat convulsed. She turned around instantly.

Arjun, who until now was staring at her face to his heart’s content, was surprised to find all her long gorgeous black messy hair facing him. This surprised him. He knew her so well and from long, but her wasn’t expecting her to react this way. Had they met in normal circumstances, he could bet anything that she wouldn’t ever turn away. She would have either started punching him or would have scolded him. But she didn’t. The girl, he thought he knew deeply…..and more or less completely, was acting different. It hurt him to think that he no longer knew the new version of his lady love, Radhika.
Soon, the psychiatrist in him took over. All his learning compelled him to look at the issue from radhika’s point of view. He could understand what Radhika was feeling. It isn’t easy to find yourself stammering before a person you previously were so comfortable with.
Arjun walked to her, turned her around. And to his utter shock he found her crying…..his heart melted at the sight. All the previous hatred and annoyance, flew out of the window. All his attention now was only hers. He held her by shoulders and his thumb wiped hers tears.

He gently spoke in a soothing voice, “radhikaaa.”

Radhika keep looking down at her hands and her dress.
“Radhika, look at me..” he coaxed her.

Finally, Radhika obliged and turned to look up in his eyes. This time, this wasn’t any smirk or amusement….all she could find was pure and true affection.

Arjun found his thumb rubbing her cheek before he could comprehend what was happening.
He locked her eyes with his in a intense eye lock, “what happened?”
The look seemed to assure her. She just pulled him in a tight hug, and found herself sobbing on his shoulder. It was sort of involuntary. Why weren’t the tears seeming to stop….why was she even angry, seeing him smirk…why was she feeling so safe and secure in his arms…these questions remained unanswered….as if her heart wasn’t willing to open up to her brain. It was a weird feeling all together.

Suddenly, Arjun felt her body go stiff in his arms. She tried to pull away. Arjun loosened his grip, but his arms still lingered on her waist. He cocked up his eyesbrows as to ask what.
She motioned for him to hear…….tap…tap…tap…
“footsteps….so?”

“neil’s…..”

“and so?”

She slapped her forehead, “ jailer…”

Arjun didn’t know that the jailer, neil was her best friend, who also liked her secretly. For him, he was just the jailer, who would prohibit her to come ever again….

Arjun swiftly turned her around and made her sit on a chair, while he placed himself on the bench opposite to hers, handing her a pad and pen.
She looked lost.
“just like college days.” She nodded.
But instead of focusing on he said, she went on a past tour.
………….

Detention room.
Both Radhika and Arjun were in the detention…..punished for roaming in the college premises after hours. The students were allowed in the university grounds but not within the college.

Both Arjun and Radhika were give administrative work to do. But were instead happily chatting…..making merry….passing their time. Arjun sensed the chancellor coming and an instant transformation was seen…..radhika in one corner and Arjun in the opposite. Each having a hard time, keeping their faces straight pretending to be deep in work, while internally they were laughing their hearts out.
………..
Radhika looked at Arjun with moist eyes. And suddenly, off she went on another detour.
……………..
Late night, university grounds.

Arjun and Radhika were roaming aimlessly. Each had a beer bottle in hand. They weren’t regular drinkers but didn’t mind an occasional drink. Suddenly the principal emerged from behind a corner. Arjun instantly grabbed radhika’s bottle and threw both of them behind a bush. And Radhika on the other hand, grabbed a passerby’s bottle of coke, which in turn earned her a bewildered look.
After the principal passed, Arjun heaved a sigh of relief.
“another great save.” He whispered, In a volume just audible to Radhika.

“partner in crime.” She winked.

“forever?” he asked innocently.
“hell, yeah.”
……….
Radhika’s eyes turned red and moist. She asked Arjun innocently, meaning each word she spoke, “what happened to our forever, arjun?”

Arjun looked at surprised. He jerked her knee up.
“jailer.” He muttered.

Radhika gulped and tried to act professional, “so Mr. Mehra, what forced you to commit the crime, you did. how was your life before the fateful day?”

Neil looked inside the cell, radhika’s back was facing him and the guard stood outside. On a whole things looked quite satisfactory to him.

Radhika’s breath turned tense as the gate clicked open. She knew one look at her face and neil would automatically know that something was wrong. He was about to enter when the alarm on his phone rang.
“shittt….sammy.” he muttered. He jerked up, he was late …..he had to pick up samaira from the airport.
He slapped his forehead and rushed towards his car. He chuckled imagining sam running behind him with a broom in hand, in case, he reached after she landed.

He barely made it to the airport in time. He entered just as sam was exiting the baggage check. She ran up to him and jumped on him.
He fake groaned. He pretended to be in deep pain, “Sammy….yaar, neither are you a kid nor you are light. You almost killed me.” He teased.

Sam pouted for a second before punching him hard in the belly, “try calling me fat again.”

Neil, “this really did hurt.”

“well, you truly and completely deserved it.” She chipped.

“now, did chashni spoil you so much that you forgot manners?” she teased as she handed over her bags to him. His eyes widened at the amount of luggage. He chugged it along while she walked ahead of him.
“Sammy, did you plan on spending half your life there? You probably filled half the storage capacity of the plane. 6 bags…like seriously?” he joked.

Sam groaned, “neil…your sense of humours makes me want to cry….just got a few gifts for you guys..”

She gasped as if suddenly realising something, “where is Radhika?”
Neil sighed, “she was in the middle of a session with Inmate mehra, didn’t disturb her.”

Sam got worked up, she was thoroughly excited, “Arjun mehra????”

Neil spoke disinterestedly, “yeah.”

Sam sighed dreamily..
“what?” he asked somewhat irritably.

“neil, didn’t you ever see his face or his body….he was such a handsome hunk”

“what used to be of his body…..that’s what you mean.” He cut off…he was pretty pissed by the fact, that both his best friends were literally drooling over this guy.

Sam teased him, looking at his expression, “somebody seems to jealous…huh? I can bet anything that his body is still in a better shape than yours.”

“shut up, sammy.” He barked.

He concentrated on his driving. His temper was rising. He didn’t want to say something to sam that he may regret later.

He didn’t realise that he was going to burst once he reached their apartment. Well, he couldn’t possibly oversee what await him…could he?

The central jail
“he is gone…open your eyes, sweetie.”
Arjun held radhika’s hands softly but jerked him hard suddenly, as if he was brought back to his senses. He got up and turned away. He stared outside, facing the jail bars.

His voice hardened, with all the emotions drained out of it, “what did you want to say, Doctor?”
…………
I know…I know….i am really late…and I am sorry for the short update as well. I know, It isn’t up to the mark in addition to shorter than most of my updates. But please bear with me.

I realised I have come a long way…..from the daily updates of our story….to the alternate day updates of the passion project…..to the now, irregular and unforeseeable updates of the inmate and legally yours. Sorryyyyyyyy.

I am wasn’t really feeling well and my hectic schedule just made me sicker.

Will post legally yours next….sun or Monday…

Thank you!