A/N – This OS was lying in my laptop since a long time. I was not sure which characters to choose for this story. Finally my decision was made so posting it now! Happy Reading! Includes a bit of AbhiRika! Read and Review

Stuck in the Elevator

The elevator door slid open and Abhijeet, Tarika, Dr Salunkhe and ACP Pradyuman walked in.

'Kya baat hai aaj sab jaldi aa gaye?' said ACP Pradyuman.

'Hum toh roz hi jaldi aate hai boss!' said Dr Salunkhe merrily.

The elevator closed the door with a clatter and it started moving up slowly.

A moment later, the lights flickered and died. They were plunged into darkness as the elevator clanged to a stop, stuck between the floors.

'Oh no ye kya ho gaya lift ko!' exclaimed Abhijeet.

'Lagta hai bijli chali gayi hai' said ACP Pradyuman in a cool voice.

'Hello? Koi hai? Are bahar nikalo hame yaha se!' Dr Salunkhe said in an octave higher than usual.

'Are Dr Saab aap itne pareshan kyun ho rahe hai? Shaant ho jayein! Bijli aa jayegi' said Abhijeet coolly.

'Pradyuman tum Daya ko phone karo. Isi waqt bulao use yaha par!' said Dr Salunkhe.

'Are sir aap kya bol rahe hai? Daya lift ka darwja kaise tod sakta hai!' said Abhijeet.

Tarika giggled.

'Tarika tum has kyu rahi ho?' Dr Salunkhe snapped.

'Nahi sir! Main toh bas aise hi' she said immediately.

'Kuch dikhai nahi de raha' said Abhijeet letting out an exasperated sigh.

'Kitna suffocation hai yaha!' said Tarika.

'Abhijeet tum toh apne aap ko bohot young aur dashing samajhte ho na? Toh kuch karo na! Aur iss lift se hame bahar nikalo!' said Dr Salunkhe.

'Are sir main kya aapko Superman lagta hoon? Bahar kaise jaun lift se? Aur har lift ko generator ka backup hota hai! Aap thodhe aaram se baithiye lift chalu ho jayegi!' said Abhijeet.

'Kab kaam aayega tumhare ye generator ka backup? 10 minute toh already ho gaye!' said Dr Salunkhe.

'Par isme main kya jar sakta hoon?' interjected Abhijeet.

'Bas karo tum dono!' said ACP Pradyuman suddenly.

Both of them fell silent.

'Kyu ladh rahe ho tum dono? Tarika tumhare mobile ka flashlight jara ON karo. Salunkhe yaar baccho jaise ladhna band karo. Lift chalu ho jayegi!' said ACP Pradyuman.

'Dekhiye na sir khamakha mujhe daat rahe hai!' said Abhijeet.

'Main daat raha hoon? Main bas baat kar raha hoon tumse Abjijeet!' said Dr Salunkhe angrily.

'Shhh! Chup raho tum dono! Aur Salunkhe tujhe kaunsi train pakadni hai bahar jake? Do minute lift me band hue toh isme itne pareshan honewali kaunsi baat hai?' asked ACP Pradyuman.

'Yaar tumhe pata hai na mujhe band kamro se ghabrahat hoti hai! I hate dark enclosed spaces!' said Dr Salunkhe.

'Kya?' said Abhijeet and Tarika in unision.

'Hahhahhahaahah' ACP Pradyuman let out a snort of laughter.

'Salunkhe tumhara ye darr abhi tak gaya nahi?! Mujhe abhi bhi yaad hai tumhare wo college ke dino ka kissa!' said ACP Pradyuman.

'Kaunsa kissa sir?' asked Tarika.

'Koi kissa nahi hai! Pradyuman tum chup raho!' said Dr Salunkhe.

'Ek minute Daya ka phone hai. Maine use message bheja tha problem kya huwa hai wo pata karne ke liye' said Abhijeet.

Abhijeet pressed the answer button.

'Haan Daya bolo... Kya? Oh my god! Thik hai par use kaho technician ko jara jaldi bheje! Wo kya hai na Salunkhe sir bohot utavale ho rahe hai bahar aane ke liye! Haan... kya pata shayad Valentine Day ka kuch plan hoga unka apni girlfriend ke saath!' said Abhijeet laughing.

'Abhijeet! Tumhe toh main dekh lunga!' said Dr Salunkhe through gritted teeth.

'Accha thik hai... wo aane ke baad call kar dena mujhe' said Abhijeet and disconnected the call.

'Kya hua Abhijeet? Kya kaha Daya ne?' asked ACP Pradyuman.

'Sir generator kharab ho gaya hai. Daya ne technician ko phone kiya hai. Wo aata hi hoga. Tab tak hum intejar ke alava toh kuch kar nahi sakte' said Abhijeet.

'Bas umeed hai ki bijli jald se jald aa jaye' said Tarika sighing.

'Aacha sir aap kya bol rahe the? Dr saab ka college wala kissa?' asked Abhijeet in a playful voice.

'Wo! Tumhi Batao Salunkhe!' urged ACP Pradyuman.

'Batayein na sir waise bhi ab hum bahar to nahi jaa sakte aur kuch nahi hai karne ke liye!' said Tarika.

'Tum sab logon ne milkar aaj mera majak udane ka decide kiya hai kya?' asked Dr Salunkhe.

'Kya sir aap bhi! Accha ACP sir aap batayein. Aapko to pata hi hoga na uss incident ke baare me?' said Abjijeet.

'Haan haan... thik hai main hi bata deta hoon' said ACP Pradyuman.

'Pradyuman agar tumhe ek bhi shabd bola na toh main bhi tumhare saare kisse bata dunga poori CID team ko!' warned Dr Salunkhe.

'Thik hai yaar bata de! Main nahi darta kisise!' said ACP Pradyuman.

'Wah! Yeh hui na baat! Dekha Salunkhe saab aapne...' said Abhijeet.

'Bhai ab main kya bol sakta hoon? Tum logon ne meri taang kheechne ka decide kar hi liya hai toh ab main kar bhi kya sakta hoon!' said Dr Salunkhe.

'Batayein na sir' said Tarika in an excited voice.

'Bada maja aa raha hai na Tarika! Lab me milta hoon tumse. Phir dekh lenge!' said Dr Salunkhe.

'Are sir kya aap bhi? Kya ho jayega agar hum logon ko pata chal gaya toh? Sab CID family ke hi ho log hai. Aur Tarika jee bhi toh apni hi hai, kyu Tarika jee?' asked Abhijeet with a smile.

'Shut up!' Tarika whispered.

'Haan haan... sabko pata hai Tarika jee kiski hai' said Dr Salunkhe.

'Are sir aap woh sab chodiye. ACP saab batayein aap' said Abhijeet diverting the topic quickly.

'Ek din hostel me shaam ko ye Salunkhe nahane gaya tha. Humne uska majak udane ke liye bathroom ka darwaja bahar se lock kar diya. Aur hum sab log niche chale gaye. Tab achanak bijli chali gayi thi. Aur ye bathroom me chillate baitha tha 2 ghanto tak! Hum sab log to niche gaye the football khelne. Jab main upar aaya tab ye dar ke marre adha behosh hua tha bathroom me' said ACP Pradyuman sniggering.

Abhijeet and Tarika were shaking with laughter. They could picture the eccentric forensic doctor banging the bathroom door in their mind's eye.

'Aur aage ki baat to sabse comedy hai' said ACP Pradyuman guffawing.

'Wo k - kya sir?' asked Abhijeet hiccupping.

'Us din ke baad ye Salunkhe nahane se pehle sab ko room bahar nikalta tha aur saari khidkiyan band karta tha. Phir bathroom ka darwaja khula rakh ke nahata tha! Taki ye phir se bathroom me phas na jaye!' said ACP Pradyuman laughing heartily.

'Oh my god! Salunkhe saab! Hahahaha!' said Abhijeet laughing hard.

'Aaaahhh... bas sir! Mera pet dukh raha hai ab!' said Tarika laughing uncontrollably.

Dr Salunkhe couldn't help but smile. He missed those awesome college days!

'Are mobile ka torch band karo yaar! Mere aakh me dard ho raha hai' said ACP Pradyuman.

Tarika switched off the flashlight.

'Ho gaya tum logon ka?' Dr Salunkhe asked with fake anger.

'Sorry sir! Par ye sachme bohot funny hai!' said Abhijeet.

'Aur tumhara ye Pradyuman. Ise toh neend me chalne ki bimari thi. Raat ko chalte chalte ghus jata tha kisi ke bhi kamre me! Accha hua hamara sirf boys hostel tha! Nahi toh ab tak iske do char pitayi wale kisse bhi sun liye hote tum logon ne' said Dr Salunkhe laughing.

'What? ACP sir aap ko neend me chalne ki bimari thi!' said Abhijeet shocked.

Tears of laughter were rolling down his cheeks.

'Salunkhe! Bohot jyada bolne laga hai tu aaj kal!' ACP Pradyuman muttered.

'Tumhe yaad hai na Pradyuman ek baar first year me jab main alag dormitory me rehta tha tab main kitna dar gaya tha tha tumhe raat ko dekhke!' said Dr Salunkhe.

'Haan... agle do din tak so nahi paya tha tu' said ACP Pradyuman smiling.

'Yaar kaise sota? Ek toh horror fim dekhi thi. Upar se baarish ho rahi thi. Aur raat ko 2 baje neend khuli toh tum mere saamne khade the! Wo badi badi phati hui aakhein aur wo ajeeb si muskaan tumhare chehre par. Bilkul bhoot lag rahe the tum' said Dr Salunkhe.

'Kya din the yaar wo! Bohot maje kiye hamne college me' said ACP Pradyuman becoming nostalgic.

'Haan yaar... bohot miss karta hoon main wo din' said Dr Salunkhe dreamily.

'Tumhe wo ladki yaad hai? Jo mere piche padi thi?' he asked laughing.

'Haaann... kya naam tha uska... waise tum bhi toh piche the uske!' said ACP Pradyuman.

'Main? Bilkul nahi... main toh dekhta bhi nahi tha uski taraf' said Dr Salunkhe.

'Zhooth mat bolo... mujhe sab pata hai' said ACP Pradyuman.

They continued their playful banter without noticing what Abhijeet and Tarika were upto.

Abhijeet moved closer to her in the darkness.

'Tarika' he whispered softly touching her shoulder.

'Kya... Abhijeet... ouch!' Tarika yelled suddenly. There was a loud thud. Abhijeet had pushed her towards the wall of the lift moving dangerously close to her.

ACP Pradyuman and Dr Salunkhe had stopped talking hearing the noise.

'Tarika kya hua?' asked Dr Salunkhe suspiciously.

'K - kuch nahi sir... wo Abhijeet ka pair mere pair ke upar aaya isliye main chillayi. Ufff! Bohot stuffy hai yaha par.' said Tarika awkardly.

'Haan kitni garmi ho rahi hai yaha!' agreed ACP Pradyuman.

'Sir Daya ka message aaya hai ki wo lift ka mechanic aa gaya hai. Kisi bhi waqt lift chalu ho jayegi' said Abhijeet.

Both ACP Pradyuman and Dr Salunkhe continued their talk.

'Tarika shhh...chup raho!' Abhijeet whispered.

And then he did something totally unexpected. He kissed her.

The muffled 'hmph' from Tarika was drowned his lips captured hers in a hot sensuous kiss.
The kiss lasted merely for five seconds but it was enough to set her heart racing.

Exactly a minute later, the lights in the elevator flickered back on.

'Wow lift chalu ho gayi!' exclaimed Dr Salunkhe.

The elevator took them to their desired floor.

The door opened and they saw Daya and Freddy waiting for them.

'Sir aap thik toh hai? Wo mechanic ne aane me thodi der kar di' said Daya.

'Nahi nahi Daya hume bilkul takleef nahi hui. Purani yaadein taaza ho gayi' said ACP Pradyuman happily.

'Sir bohot garmi thi kya andar?' asked Freddy looking at sweaty faced Abhijeet and Tarika.

Tarika felt herself going red in face.

Daya, Dr Salunkhe and ACP Pradyuman eyed them with curious and suspicious looks.

'Haan... bohot garmi thi...' said Abhijeet wiping his face with a handkerchief and smiling warmly at Tarika.

Really it was too hot inside... in more ways than one!

*** THE END ***