Chipkali aur Chamgadar [Neirohi ff]

Chapter 3

Aarohi got home a little later than usual due to traffic. She sneaked into the house and as she she stepped into the living room the lights turned on.
"Aagayi tum, itni dher kyun lagadi?"
"Vo badi mama, bade papa , aaj traffic bohot zyada thi na."
"Tumhari behn aur bhai ko gaye wa kuch dhin hoye aur tum mazey karne Bahar nikalgayi!"
"Badi mama main—"
"Main kuch nahi! Bas arohi, apne kamre main jao."

Aarohi knew it was futile to argue against them. They had always done this, always assumed the worst of her, and never let her justify her actions. At this point, she had stopped entirely. No more arguing from her end, no more explaining or excuses. It was just indifference. She had become numb towards their baised behavior towards her. Sometimes, she wanted to leave this all behind and run far away. However, every time she thought this, she remembered her mother. She would never run away. She would stay and fight and make it all better.  That was all Aarohi ever tried to do, to be like her mama. Yet she could never do it right. She called Ajay her old friend, remembering he worked for udaipur Airport as an airline manager. He would definitely be able to get access to all flight details and passengers of the day Akshara went missing and the days after. If Akshu and Kairav bhaiya had really left the country, he would be able to find out.
The phone ring thrice before the other end was picked up.
"Hello?" A deep voice sounded from one end
"Hello AJ, it's me, Aarohi."
"I know stupid your number hasn't changed since high school. Ab bolo maharani koh aaj apne dost kasie pyare ho gaye."
Aarohi rolled her eyes at his antics. She had forgotten how much of a joker he was. She had been busy with her job and all her family problems that she had lost touch with her friends. Hearing his voice again and the jokes that always made her laugh, she started missing the old days. When her life was simpler and much more fun.
"Acha acha zyada emotional math ho, maine call khi hai kyunki mujhe tumhari help chaihe. AJ merhi behn missing hai and kairav bhaiya bhi aus ke saath he. I don't know why she left, why she took kairav bhaiya with her but I know the circumstances are mysterious. I need you to check all flight details for the previous week, Search for Akshara and Kairav Goenka. I'll explain the other details to you once we meet up, but please try to get any information you can on them."
"Okay, Aaru, don't worry. I'll help you find your siblings. I didn't know you were going through so much. You should have called me if not me, then at least called Priya aur Kanha."
"I know I should have, but I was in so much stress that I couldn't even think. It was like I was alone and trapped, and I didn't even try to get out of it at some point. Aaj itne time baad tumhe call kiya to realize huya I should have called sooner. I missed you guys, yaar."
"We missed you to Captain."
"Arey ab bhi captain bole ge?"
"Yes, once a captain is always a captain."
Aarohi laughed, remembering her days in highschoolnas the captain of the soccer team. She had convinced her school for a co-ed team. She believed they were equal, and she was the one who had ended up reading her school to victory. Those were her glory days. "Acha aaru rakhta hoon okay. I'll text you when I get the info so we can meet up."
"Okay, Aj, bye and thanks again."
"You're welcome." With that, the line ended
And Aaru sat on her bed, forgetting for a moment all her problems and reminiscing her old school days with her best friends. They were her partners in crime, Ajay (AJ), Priyanka (Priya), Krishna (Kanha), Aman (Ace),  and Minakshi (Minnie).