Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"I'mgoing to get a shower, bahut bhookh lagi hai...", and he was about to leftfor his room but took two steps backward and threatened, "Ake classlunga", and left , with his departure daddu smiled, "Pyaar to huahai...ikrar ka pata nahi", and widened his smile shaking his head.

And hestarted singing the song pyaar hua ikraar hua hai


Armaan'sRoom

Armaansnatched a towel and clothes from his cupboard and tip toed towards thewashroom. He spun the knob of shower and removed his shirt. He was about tothrow it in the corner but stopped when the lipstick mark reached to hisvision.

The memory lane started painting pictures of the day which he spent withShilpa. The awkward looks of the Sanjeevani staff but all vanished whenShilpa's chuckle came to his mind through the passage of heart, and the waterstarted sprinkling the memories with each water droplet and he relived themwithout blinking his eyes.

Little Angels Orphanage

"My car is the best Anya", a boy was trying to impress the little Anya with histoy car when the other jumped, "No Anya! Girls ko bike ride jyada acchi lagtihai"

Shilpa was pressing her lips from a little distance and was witnessing themischievous behavior of the boys with the little and stopping herself to notlaugh.

"No Anya Car, this is BMW you know", he showed his car to her at which theother one interrupted, "Its bestest bike of the world...", he picked up his bikeand showed to her.

"I will decide whose vehicle is best not you too silly guys", she showed tongueto both of them at which Shilpa couldn't stop herself from laughing and tiptoed towards them.

She bentdown and pinched the cheek of the boy with the toy bike, "What's going onhere?", and raised his brow up pretending to be angry.

Anya thought it was a golden chance to complaint, "Shona di khullam khullaladki ched rahe hain dono", and pouted.

Shilpa chuckled and asked making a serious face, "Accha aisa?"

"No di!! Iwas just telling my car is best but he was like ke ladkiya bike jyada pasandkarti hain", the boy with car defended sheepishly and threw all the weight onthe other boy.


"kyu bhai ladki ched rahe ho?", Shilpa too was in a mood to throw prank overthe little ones and bombarded.

"No Di! Iwas saying my bike is best", he defended himself.

"Main kese maan loon", Anya interrupted in between.

"Silly girl Armaan bhaiya wali bike hai bilkulll waise hi chalti hai", hejustified himself.

 
Anya's eyes popped out and she asked, "If you will drive and I will seat at theback hum kese lagenge?"

"JaiseArmaan Bhaiya Or Shona Di lagte hai buddhu", he replied back and snapped herhead.

"Matlab like best couple of the world?", she asked innocently at which henodded in agreement.


This shrinked the mischievous smile from Shilpa's face and the only wordechoing in her ears were "the best couple of the world"

Shepressed her lips in thin line and she step backward the children kept chantingbut she wasn't hearing them but that line, the best couple of the world. Shegulped down the fresh lump formed in her throat and she ran with moist eyesinto her room.

She wassitting on the window sill, her long hairs were flying but her eyes weresprinkling the tears. She after few seconds roughly wipe the tears and giggled,"the best couple of the world"

"Huh! Ihope it could be the truth but alas", her lips shivered and she ended sobbingand gulping the saliva. She rested her head on the wall and shut her eye lidswhich fall tears down.

Armaan'sApartment

Armaanopened his closed eyes ruffled his hairs and smiled, "Silly girl and silly me",he laughed at himself and left the washroom after taking a shower.

He waswiping his wet hairs with towel and taunted daddu, "Apki haseena khana banakegayi thi milega kuch ya sab apne kha liya"

"Mujhebhukkad samjha hai. Listen I'm not like", daddu retorted back at which Armaanmocked and nodded his head in agreement.

He cametowards him and while checking daddu's fever said, "Nahi koi bharosa nahi aapkaHASEENA ne banaya to..."

"Areyyaar...", daddu was about to say something when he interrupted, "fever thik hogaya now go and give me some food"

Daddunodded his head in disbelief and murmured, "idiot"

"What didyou say? Suna mene", he asked.

"Sunane hi bola tha", he retorted back.

"Sunnasunana kam karo jyada kaam karo aur haan...", Armaan cut his own words and said,"Beti ki umar ki hai to line pe aa jao nahi to la bhi sakte hain"

Daddu gavehim a fake smile as he threaten him but Daddu thought while passing the plateof food, "Is gadhe ko kaun samjhae ke beti ki nahi bahu ki umar ki hai", andlooked him with disbelief.

Armaannoticed it and asked, "Kya?"

"Kuch nahikhana hai", he ended the conversation and Armaan switch on the tv to watchcricket match.

Next Day,

Sanjeevani, Mussorrie

Shilpa wason the fifth floor when she was about to took staircases when she thought,"Oops! Stairs nahi. Meri saans phoolegi elevator ka wait karti hoon"

She calledthe elevator and when the elevator doors get open she was stun, Armaan wasalready inside the elevator"

Armaan'seyes fell on him she was looking gorgeous in peach color chuidaar suit, hecouldn't stay away his eyes from her but her memory lane was only on that linewhich the children told in their childishness, last night about the best coupleof the world.

She closedher eyes and thought, "Yaha se kahi nahi ja sakti main, meri kismet mein shayadtumhara paas hona likha hai saath nahi"

Armaanclasped fingers on her face and said, "Quickly come inside, I have to reachsoon", at which she nodded in agreement and entered inside.

"So whatif I'm not your love, I'm at least your friend", she thought and smiled when heexchanged a glance with her.

Hemurmured in his mind, "I don't know why you are getting something more than afriend to me", and smiled back.

They wereexchanging the glance and the same time light disconnected and elevator getstop, which popped her eyes out.

"Armaan!Light chali gayi, please do something what if I will short my breath, pleasekuch karo", she sobbed.

Armaanremembered that Shilpa is claustrophobic and he immediately searched for hisphone, "Oh no! cabin me reh gaya, give me your phone"

"I don'thave it now Armaan, its not working", she replied.

He cuppedhis face when her breathing started shortening, he snatched the landline numberof lift immediately which was already disconnected and they had no optionexcept waiting for the light to come, and on the same side her breathing wasshortening.

"Ar-ar-armaa-aan",she tried to say while taking deep breathings and Armaan hold her fromshoulders, "Shilpa! Shilpa look into my eyes kuch nahi hoga I will make sure,you'll be out of here"

"K-aahh"kai---se",she stuttered.

"Main hoonna, sab thik kar doonga", and she loosened her control from herself and sliddown to sit and was gasping.

He satdown and cupped her face, "Just look into my eyes and think that...", but sheinterrupted him, "th-that aha I'mm sa-safe hhh", she gaspingly completed him.

He closedhis eyes tightly to control his emotions and said with moist eyes, "Calm down",she was gasping hardly and he wrapped her in his embrace, and started caressinghis back.

Shilpa wasfeeling first time that she was safe in the dark and less oxygen. She wasreally feeling safe, as she was in HIS arms. On the other way, he was trying tocontrol himself, his moist eyes destined a tear droplet on the floor and heclosed his eyes and held her even more tighter as he knew that she can be safeonly in HIS arms. Her head was on his shoulder and he looked at the sky as hewas asking something to God for the first time in his life time. She rested herhead on his heart and the same time light came back.

Armaan shut hiseyes tightly and thanked to the good for the miracle and immediately scoopedher in his arms and the unconscious Shilpa was in his arms, when he realizedthat she wasn't in her senses he ran and screamed, "Oxygen ready karo koi"

He ran with herin his arms he was crying and wasn't realizing too, he finally reached to theICU and attached the oxygen tank and the glucose bottle to her.

Few HoursLater,

Armaan wasleaning to the door of the room where Shilpa was sleeping, intoxicated withsleeping pills, and he was witnessing her pale and faded face. His memory lanewas going through all the circumstances whenever Shilpa has suffered with theclaustrophobic situation. He wanted to hug her hard on the patient bed but hergood health stopped him and he even didn't know why that thought of hugging hertightly bloom in his mind and how.

Armaan was stillwhen a voice from behind grab his attention, "Thank you"

He turned hisback and found the whole Sanjeevani Mussorrie gang, "For what?"

"For saving ourfriend", Gunjan replied.

"Rubbish!! Sheis mine as well", this slipped from his tongue.

"Your what?",Zaroon twisted his brow up and grinned.

"My - Myfriend", he stuttered in reply at which all of them grin except Kashaf, but shesaid, "You are nice guy. Shilpa was right. I misunderstood you, I'm reallysorry"

Kashaf hasmisunderstood him as she had a gut feeling that there was something betweenArmaan and Shilpa and when Masi told everything she misunderstood Armaan andstarted assuming that he is the reason for her dark nights, nightmares andcries.

Armaan in returngave her a friendly smile, tapped her cheek and gave a friendly hug.

Gupta Mansion,
Mumbai

All werecelebrating Nani's birthday in Gupta mansion, all the Sanjeevani staff wasinvited. Nani has become 80 today, and all were cheered. Riddhimaentered the Gupta Mansion with Sid, when the last night incident rememorized,when Shashank scolded her hardly for searching Shilpa and Armaan's transferfile, like a thief.

Riddhima gulpedthe fresh saliva formed in her throat down and Sid supported her to enterinside, at least for Nani at which she agreed grabbing all her strength. Sheput her right leg forward to enter when Nani's eyes fell on the apple of hereyes Riddhima and she smiled widely, "Riddhima! My child...", at which Riddhimasmiled and ran towards her to wrap her in a tight hug, "Many Many Happy returnsof the day Nani", and parted away at which Nani kissed her forehead.

Sid also wishedher and the same time Shashank entered the space, Riddhima was utter confusedhow would Shashank react on her presence and he tip toed towards her and shekept gulping down while licking her lips. She was worried would be anunderestimation she was afraid for losing her father's love, her eyes weremoist when he came in front of her and gave a fatherly hug, with full of love,as he wanted to say that your deeds are wrong, but your papa will always bewith you in every good and bad.

He kissed herforehead as well and a lone tear droplet destined towards the floor from hereyes, Shashank wiped the tears in her eyes and nodded negatively as he wastrying to say not to cry, at which she pressed her lips in thin line to smileand the same time Padma came with cake.

They were doingthe cake cutting ceremony and Nani was about to blow the candles when Sidstopped her and said, "Ahan Nani! You have to ask for a wish"

"Wish? Hmmm",she thought a while and wished, "Mujhe mere sare bacche khush chahiye pehle kitarah, wo bhi jo mere paas hain...", she stopped for a while and looked Riddhimawith the corner of eye and continued, "Wo bhi jo mujhse door hain...", and sheblow the candle.

All understood that she was indicating Armaan who was away from her and becameshocked but one person was there who was rooted to the ground, Riddhima, Nanicut the cake, the guests sung the birthday song but she was still numb andtears were flowing from her eyes and she ran away immediately to the corner andSid followed her.

SanjeevaniMussoorie,

Shilpa wasalright now and was sleeping peacefully on patient's bed when Armaan enteredand sat on the nearby stool, and the same time nurse departed, hearing anannouncement for her. He caressed Shilpa's pale face and smiled witnessing herinnocence and the same time she rolled and grabbed his hand in the slumber. Hebit his tongue and was trying to free his hand from her hold but then the sametime he realized that she will out of her peaceful slumber if he drags his handout so he rested like that and smiled.

He murmured,"Sote hue bhi mujhe pareshan karegi", and pouted.

"Okay Madam as you wish", he smiled and tugs her hair strand lying on hereyes to disturb her from his right hand, but this deed disturbed her slumberand she opened her eyes creasing her brows, Armaan left with a wide open mouth.

She slowlyopened her eyes and found Armaan in front of her, his hand was in her hold andthe same time she left her hold from his hand and tried to get up at which hehelped her placing the pillow on her back and she uncovered the blanket andglared him.

"Tum?", sheshockingly said.

"Haan mar jatimain nahi bachata to", he commented without any defending intension but totease her.

"Haww! You aretoo selfish man", she opened her mouth in an O shape.

"Selfish? Thikhai rakhleta hoon title par tum kam careless ho", he commented again.

"careless?How?", she retorted back.

"Doctor kodikhao ilaaj karao, I will not come third time to save you", he teased heragain.

At which sheargued, "Doctor ko kyu dikhau main"

"Kyunki tumpagal ho jake Dr. Awasthi ko dikhao, he is a good psychiatrist", he taunted.

She pointed herfinger on his face and clenched her jaw, "Dekho main pagal nahi hoon"

"Ofcourse ho!Claustrophobia bhi to ek kism ka pagalpan hai", he argued and grinned.

"Haww!! Tumhe tomain aaj chodne nahi wali ye nahi ke pooche shilpa tabiyat kesi hai, bas shuruho gaye", she made a gloomy face.

He grinned andmocked, "Shilpa! How are you feeling now?", and he laughed.

"Tumhari to...",she stopped and hit a pillow on his head.

"Violence!", heshockingly mocked.

She smiled andnodded her head positively and looked at him sarcastically.

"Kya yaar tumbhi na, madam itni mushkil se bachi ho aur tumhe ladne ki soojh rahi hai", hehit her head lightly.

"Because you areirritating me", she pouted like a child.

"Accha madamgalati ho gayi maaf karein", he commented sarcastically again and continued,"Mazak nahi kar raha sach mein Dr. Awasthi ko dikhao, tumhara dar nikalnazaroori hai"

She smiled andreplied, "I know it's important but ..."

"But?", he askedcreasing his brows.

She thought inher mind, "Agar ye dar chala gaya to tum mera khayal kese rakhoge", she lamelysmile.

He looked down on the floor realizing what she meant, he distracted himself from the topic and said, "Par doctor ko to dikhana padega na"

"But mujhe nahidikhana", she ignored.

"Kyu?", heglared her.

"Kyuki! Kyuki...main dawai-dawai nahi kha sakti", she lied sheepishly and he murmured in hismind, "Jhoot kaunsa bol sakti ho", he came to senses when she looked at hissuspiciously.

"Anya ke jitnichoti ho ya use bhi jyada", he giggled.

"Aur bhi jyada",she retorted back.

"Koi baat nahibut I'll make sure ke tum safe ho aur iske lie me tumhare sath jabarasti bhikar sakta hoon", he ended and she immediately covered herself from sheet, "whatdo do you mean?"

"Arey matlabdoctor ko dikhane ke lie idiot!", he replied back and hit his own head.

"Oh aise!! Karkedikhao", she replied back.

"Dikha dunga"

"Dekh lenge"

"Dekho Shilpazidd mat karo"

"Kyu", shetilted her head stubbornly.

He tightly heldfrom his arms and spilled out piercing her eyes, "Because main keh raha hoonaur is baar kya kabhi bhi main tumhari health ke sath risk nahi le sakta aur natumhe lene dunga samjhi"

She looked athim with all her love and automatically agreed.

Few daysLater,

Armaan wasgetting late for the hospital and was getting ready in hurry when his phone buzzed,"Shilpa hogi naya SIM card le lia shayad", and he picked the phone upimmediately without noticing the number and greeted, "Hello! Haan Shilpa bolo"

"Armaan!!", theperson on the other side of phone whispered and Armaan didn't took a second tounderstand the voice, it was Riddhima's.

...THE END...

A/N: Sorry for the late update I know a bit cliffy but there will be something different in next update. I promise.

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CreativeByBirth2019-03-30 03:28:46