Chapter 7

            A LOVE STORY (AR)

 

 

Not every love story has a happy ending,

 

Today is the biggest day of my life, i am getting married to him, the one person who i

know loves me the most in the world, whom i love the most. Our friends say that we are the

best couple anyone cud ever see, the 'Made For Each Other' couple. I, Dr Riddhima Shashank

Gupta, is soon to be Dr Riddhima Armaan Mallik. This name sounds like sweet chocolates to

my ears. Every time i speak it, i feel i am in heaven. Armaan and my relation was a matter

of denial to everyone, my friends and family, all were against us, because of the playboy

image they'd set of Armaan. They protested us being together in the name of protecting me.

Only Rahul and Nikki were with us, trying to convince. Finally, Armaan's friendship won

over, and, they all started convincing dad. Even my family was divided in this, mom

thought i cudnt get anyone better than Armaan, dad and Anjie di thought i cud get anyone

better than him, such irony right. Nani didnt know which side to go, so, she didnt

interfere, but in her heart, even she'd approved Armaan for me, she's told me that.

Finally, after lots of drama, with the help of Atul, Muskaan, Nikki and Rahul, dad agreed

to marry me to Armaan. That was the happiest day of my life, exception is today's day.

Preparations started taking a height, and guess what, cupid striked all my friends during

this time. Nikki came close to Dr Modi, Dr Abhimanyu Modi. Rahul and Muskaan got together

finally, and Anjie di who was angry with Atul for siding with Armaan also forgave him, and

to be honest, this was the best u cud expect. I am glad di has moved forward, coz after

that horrible experience, we all had given hope, but di is so di, she overcame all that

too.

Anyways, right now, i'm all ready, just waiting for di to come and take me. Meanwhile, i

decided to check myself out, in the mirror, i saw myself. Dressed in that heavy red

lehanga, with silver and blue work done on it, i wonder how he'd react as i remember our

conversation in the mall a few days back.

****************************************

"No Riddhima, you are wearing this sky blue dress, and this is final. Blue is your

favourite, moreover, imagine, you'll look like an angel descending from heaven. Blue shall

represent heaven, blue, heaven, heaven, blue, get it?"

"Armaan, i can look like an angel even in red, woh bhi saus wala. Someone's told me that i

look like a pari in anything and everything i wear"

"Did he mention about nothing, huh?", he said with a twinkle in his eyes, and i blushed

beet root red as i looked down,

"Oye Hoye"

"Anyways, i dont care, i am wearing red for my marriage, red brings out the happiness,

love and depth of marriage the best, moreover, my boyfriend loves red, so red it is"

When nothing worked, he went for the last resort, making the cutest puppy face one cud

ever imagine, he spoke to me,

"Please, sky blue wala, mere liye"

"All right, sky blue will do, i'll wear it"

****************************************

Riddhima smiled thinking how he'd react when he will see her in this red dress, although

in her heart she knew he's gonna love it. He'd been adamant that he wear a sky blue

sherwaani too, so that they both matched. But keping her plan in mind, she somehow

persuaded him to wear red. Mind you, he did look hot in red, she'd just seen from behind

the window, when the baraat had arrived. His top buttons were open like always, showing

off his well toned chest, and surprisingly, Shashank also complimented him this time.

"Haye mera Armaan beta definitely looks hot in this sherwaani, kyun Shashank?"

"Haan Padma, after all, he has to keep himself in form to match my Riddhima", everyone had

laughed while Armaan stared at him with an open mouth. Muskaan had come and told all this

to Riddhima, she laughed at the fact that Armaan was spreading like some flu in everyone,

only, people wud die to have this flu. Yes, she was right, seeing him dance with Atul,

Muskaan and Nikki down there, she thanked God for blessing her with his most precious and

favourite person.

Lost in her thoughts, Riddhima did not hear Padma come in and lock the door behind her.

She only realised her presence when an upset Padma shook her. She asked her the reason of

why she was so upset, and what Padma spoke next seemed to take the world away from

Riddhima.

****************************************

Armaan was sitting amongst his friends as an object of teasing, they all were pulling his

leg upto the heights.

"Haan haan, kheench lo, mere baad tum sab ki bhi baari aane wali hai, then i'll see how u

all escape", they all laughed even more at this. Armaan was already irritated by the fact

that Riddhima and him wud not match in the colour of their dresses, the fact that he was

dying to meet her, and all this just piled up his frustration. This was what he thought,

but the actual reason was that he knew something was extremely wrong, very very wrong, but

he cudnt pin point to it. Or rather, he didnt want to accept the fact was that whatever

the matter was, it was related to Riddhima. The vibes he'd received of something bad, came

from his heart. But to avoid any scene, he walked off from there, only to be hit into

Padma. One look at her and he knew something was definitely wrong. Was Riddhima alright?

Oh God, plz dont let anything happen to her, plz God!

"Padma aanty, kya hua, sab theek to hai na, aur Riddhima......"

"Armaan mere saath chalo, Riddhima wants to meet you", with that both of them rushed off

to her room.

****************************************

The door to her room opened, and he hurriedly entered, while Padma stood to close the

door. It was when he saw her, she looked like........ he cudnt find words. If he said tht

an angel had descended from heaven, it wud be an understatement, rather, an insult to her.

OMG, she was dressed in red lehenga, no wonder she'd been firm he wear red. As his gaze

went to her face, he felt something amiss. The spark, the charm which normally used to be

on her face was lost, let alone the shine and glow of a bride's face. She seemed to be

staring in space, with a hurt expression in her eyes, he knew she was in pain, he'd

realised that earlier, and now it only confirmed what he already knew.

"Riddhima, Riddhima, kya hua, plz kuch to bolo na", and when lots of persuasion she didnt

speak up, he asked Padma,

"Aanty, aap hi bata dijiye, plz?"

"Armaan, Riddhima does not want to marry you, she's backing from the marriage and......

She was cut in between as an angry Armaan spoke up,

"Shut up, how can you say such a thing, Riddhima, what crap is she talking abt, look,

Padma Aanty is saying tht u do not want to marry me, its lies i know you want to marry me,

right, Riddhima speak up, plz Riddhima, say something..", he continued shaking her

vigorously,

"Armaan, grow up, she's said she doesnt wanna marry you, but if we call off the marriage,

it will lead to great insult of the families, so, so..... i suggest why dont you marry

Anjali. You two are great friends, and she's ready to do it, she's ready to sacrifice her

career and independence and her goals for the family's name. She's unlike Riddhima, who

only cares abt her freaking pre marital nerves, so, is it ok with you now?", Padma finally

completed her speech of how bad Riddhima was and how good Anjali was.

"I dont trust you, dont you see her state, she's in pain, so much pain, and you still

expect me to believe she's called off the marriage, you really take me to be kid aanty,

dont you. Moreover, if she refuses to marry me, then why cant she say it to me too, why

has she chosen to be silent. Aanty, i wanna know the truth, what has happened to Riddhima,

tell me now?"

Padma was quite scared listening to the anger held up in Armaan's voice, but she managed

to utter,

"Armaan, i am speaking the truth, trust me....."

"Trust you for what Padma, trust you for what?", Shashank suddenly emerged inside with a

voice as angry as Armaan's,

"Shashank, you, here?"

"Yes Padma, i shouldnt be here, right, it might disturb your so called beautiful plan of

ruining Riddhima's life, right?"

"But Shashank, what about Anjali, she'll...."

"To hell with Anjali, i dont care what happens, but i'm not letting you destroy Riddhima"

"To hell with me dad, why to hell with me, u dont care dad, u dont care for me now, like u

never did"

Armaan saw a  teary eyed Anjie standing and shouting at her dad. What was all this, Anjie

crying, Padma Aanty baffled, Shashank Sir angry, what was happening, and Riddhima,

Riddhima was still indifferent from her surroundings. He knew only one person cud answer

him right now,

"Sir, plz do me a favour and tell me whats going on, plz?", the request and plead in his

voice seemed to calm Shashank's anger, and Armaan noticed that. He remembered the day of

his and Shashank's conversation.

********************************

"Armaan, whats all this with sir sir, next week you're getting married, do u ever plan to

call me dad?"

"Sir, i'll be honest with you, i'm quite afraid to call u dad. Whenever i am happy abt

something, everytime i am abt to gain some happiness, its taken away before i can cherish

it, so, i wanna call you dad only after Riddhima is officially mine"

"Huh, logic to bada gehra hai beta ji, and you guys getting married is just a formality,

becoz Riddhima was mine, but she is and will always be yours, coz i know no one can love

her more than you"

********************************

"Armaan, remember, Anjali had recently gone to attend a conference in Delhi for a week,

there she met this Dr Vivek Arora. She fell in love and went beyond limits with him. Later

on, she discovered it was all just fun for him, so she came back with a broken heart, but

managed herself due to Riddhima's support. She then decided to move on in life"

So this explained Anjie's weird behaviour in those past days, she had been extermely quite

and cut off. And Riddhima tried to be with her whenever she cud, n soon Anjie was back to

normal. Hats off to my dearest Riddhima, he saw her and thought - this is why i love you

Riddhima. When he spoke it, she looked at him for a fraction of second, so short look tht

Armaan thought he'd just imagined it, but he knew she'd looked, his heart just knew it.

"About today, Anjali just discovered that she was pregant, with Vivek's child. Padma came

to know of it, and came up with the idea of Anjali marrying you, coz according to her,

this wud be the best way of repaying me. Maa heard it and came straight to inform me"

"What debt sir?"

"Well Armaan, you know Riddhima is actually Padma's daughter (Armaan noticed Shashank did

not say 'Riddhima is not my daughter or adopted daghter'), and Padma here has always

believed herself to be in debt of Smriti and me, coz we saved her being insulted

publically. Mind you, she's not in debt because i gave her child a new life, she's in debt

because of her own prestige. Sheesh (he added spitefully)!!! Now, she wants to repay that

by marrying off Anjali, and who better than you. You've a great status, ur family

background is amazing, and as a guy, there's no one better than you, so she planned to

break this marriage. I am sure her plan is responsible for Riddhima's such state. To be

honest Armaan, both Anjali and Padma are envious of Riddhima, the always lovable child.

Everyone loves Riddhima more than both of them, including me, and off course you. They

both despise the fact that how come this simple girl won over your heart, and how come she

gets the privilege of being loved so much by you that you can do everything for you.

Anjali feels she shud've got someone like you, Padma thinks tht if her love despised n

dithched her, then why shud Riddhima get her true love. I hate to say this, but her own

family hates her, i'm sorry Riddhima, i'm so sorry"

Shashank held the hands of the statue cum Riddhima and cried out,

"Pappa, dont cry, plz", Riddhima finally came out of the trance and wiped away his tears,

"Armaan, u love me, right, no, dont interrupt me, listen, plz marry Anjali di, i ask u to

do this not for her, not for mom, not for me, but for dad. I wont be able to bear him

being insulted, plz Armaan marry her"

"I'll do it for u Riddhima, with all due respects to sir, but i'll do this only and only

for u Riddhima, i'll marry Anjali (not Anjie, he he he), but let me tell you, this will

only destroy three lives, urs, mine, and Anjali's. I promise to take care of her child,

but not Anjali, she's even lost the friendship i had for her. And remember, I'll always

love you, only you", with that he pulled her in for a hug, probably his last one, and

therefore tried putting all that he felt for her in tht onw hug. She too squeezed him as

hard as he did, to take in all the warmth he had, which wud be her support for the rest of

her life. Finally he parted (not she) and waled off from the room without looking back.

BANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The world fell for Riddhima then and there.

*********************************

He was already waiting in the mandap as Nikki and Muskaan brought her down. He did not

even bother looking up, the ceremony started and all the rituals took place. Armaan did

not know when the marriage started and finished off, he was too busy in his own world.

Every moment that he'd spent with Riddhima striked his mind every now and then, he just

cud not take her out of his mind, thoughts of her floated all over. Riddhima like this,

Riddhima like that, Riddhima here, Riddhima there, Riddhima with him, this was the only

thing he cud think off. So busy thinking abt her, he came out of this only when his

friends shook him. He realised he was in his home, it meant that he'd gone through the

marriage like a puppet. But now it was all over, and it was time he had a talk with

Anjali.

**********************************

"Hey Anjie, how are you, i bet u're fine, u've got all wht u wanted right?"

He spoke with sarcasm in his voice, as he entered in the room and found her on the bed

with the ghoonghat on her face. Hel*, he'd entered the room only to get positive vibes

from Riddhima's pictures that hung all over the room and all those gifts which reminded

him of her. But now it was time for some action,

"You know what Anjie, your child will get everything he should, name, love, care and

everything. But wht abt u, how are u gonna live, i'll tell u, i'll make life worse than

hell, u'll wish it were better u went to hell. And how will i do that, well, easy, i'll do

nothing, simply nothing, except watch u gettin tortured by this new life of urs,welcome to

hell Miss Gupta", he added poisonously,

"I already met hell 2 years back Mr Armaan Mallik, when i met you"

"What the he**? (he hurried off to pull over the ghoonghat) Riddhima? You, What are u

doing here? How come and......"

Without waiting any longer, he took her into a rib crashing hug, and only broke after wht

was eternity, but still less for the two lovers (oooops, i meant the newly weds).

"Riddhima, how, i mean when, how, and like what happened....."

She put her hand n his mouth as she saw him get restless, and out of habit, he immediately

kissed it. She blushed and he smiled giving his million dollar dimpled smile. She knew he

was waiting for answers.

"Armaan (the name felt like chocolates to him as she said it), as soon as u pulled me in

the hug, i knew my decision was wrong (he gave her THE look), OK, i already knew it was

wrong, right from the beginning, but at that moment, i realised i cud not live wth this

decision and without you. So i told them what i felt.

***********************************

"Papa, main Armaan se shaadi karoongi, i am not calling off the marriage"

While papa's face shone up, mom came screaming at me,

"No Riddhima, are u crazy, u cant marry him, he'll marry Anjali, think about her, what'll

happen when everyone comes to know of her pregnancy, dont do it,do u get it, u wont marry

him, for me"

"Mom, even after what papa has said, i love u and di. I love you both, very much, but i

love Armaan LOTS MORE than how much i love you all. If Armaan had been ok with this

decision, trust me, i'd have immediately backed off. But as you've already heard, my

backing out shall completely destroy him, and may whatever happen, i wont let Armaan

suffer, not even a bit. I'll go to every end to make him live his life happily, EVERY END

mom, he deserves it, he deserves only the best"

If Padma was scared seeing the emotions boil up in Armaan's eyes, then she did know what

she felt now. If looks cud kill, Padma wud've been dead, for good. Riddhima's eyes spitted

the fire tht cud burn everything. She then moved to Anjali who had been a silent spectator

after that one dialogue to Shashank.

"Di, i still love u like i used to (Anjali saw the sincerity and honesty in her eyes), but

i cannot let u marry my Armaan, he's only mine. You marrying him will make life worse for

him, and i wont let that happen. I wont let him break down coz of me. Di, u know i cud've

given my life to u, but now, my life is not mine, it's Armaan's, everything i have now, my

heart, my soul, my body, my life, everything belongs to him, and his belong to me. Even if

i want to give them you, i wont be able to. These things are here, deep in my heart (she

said pointing to her heart), and they'll never part with me, even after i die. Its because

of him that i'm living. Uske aane se pehle main bus saans le rahi thi, mere dil ne

dhadakna aur maine zindagi jeena to Armaan ke saath seekha. So forgive me, but i have to

marry Armaan, at every cost, and no one can stop me"

For once, Anjali agreed with Riddhima and did not want to argue, she hugged her and

Riddhima knew she had to reach out for Armaan soon. Shashank too came and hugged his

daughters. Finally, Padma muttered "I'm sorry beta" as she hugged Riddhima and cried her

heart out.

**********************************

"So?"

"What so?"

"So am here with you, how do u feel"

"Riddhima, u've no idea, actually, u have a full idea of how do i feel, coz u're feeling

the same way, and i know the hug was enf to tell u how badly i missed u in these few

hours, i thought i'd lost u, forever. Haan, but tht reminds me, what about Anjali?"

"Well, just as u stormed out, Atul came there after a few minutes, when i'd already

announced of my decision, he seemed to have heard everything and asked for di's hand and

surprisingly, it was di who accepted it", seeing a doubt forming on his face, she

continued, "Dont worry, she did not do it because of her present condition. She truly

respects him. Maybe she does not love him yet, but she does like him more than a friend,

she came real close to him recently, and honestly, she wud've married him only, she agreed

to u just coz of her grudge towards me. Anyways, i'm sure she'll soon fall in love too, i

am sure. Dont look so tensed, i guarantee tht Atul did not take the wrong decision"

How did she understood him so well, obviously the way he understood her. He was ecstatic,

maybe becoz Riddhima had gone against her family, for him, and was ready to take the world

against her too. Or actually, he was ecstatic knowing the fact that he was married to her,

his 'Dr Riddhima Armaan Mallik', the name was so complete.

"I love you Riddhima"

"I love you too Armaan"

With that, they both lost each other into each other.

************************************

 

Not every love story has a happy ending,

sometimes.................

It is a happy beginning!!!!!!!