Chapter 1

shazia

@xarmaanx

She felt dizzy, light-headed.

She felt like she was going to throw up.

riddihma closed her eyes as she felt the burning sensation rise up her throat. Taking in quick gulps of air, she pushed her desk away from her and rushed out of the classroom. She could feel the eyes of her fellow classmates following her as she hurried down the hallway and into the bathroom. All of her classmates were watching, whispering.

Except him.

She knew he wouldn't have been watching.

He wouldn't have even cared.

Tears spilled over the edges of her red-rimmed eyes as she slumped over the toilet bowl, spent. Gently caressing her stomach, a sad smile played on her lips. She was nearing the end of her second month, her baby a mere six weeks old. ridz could have sworn a small, swollen bump had grown, though barely noticeable through the long, flowing tops she wore to disguise it. Not that anyone did notice. She was quiet one, the shy one. Nobody knew she even existed. She was invisible.

And yet, he had seen her.

He had seen her in the crowd, trying her best to blend in to the rhythm of the party at some popular cheerleader's mansion. He had sent her a dazzling smile, and for that moment, ridz had forgotten how to breathe. It was like there was no one else in the room. Just him and her.

He made her laugh, convinced to try her first beer, and before she knew it, it was morning and his arms were wrapped securely around her naked body. She should've have left and gone home, but something in her heart told her to stay. That was her first mistake.

Her second was falling in love with him.

How could she have known he had wanted her to leave?

The moment he had awakened to see her still lying next to him was one she would never forget.

--

His bleary eyes blinked droopily as his head pounded fiercely. He groaned and turned over, only to find a petite body sharing the bed. Sleep left his body as he scrambled out of bed and frantically searched for his clothes. He quickly pulled on his jeans and opened the bedroom door, ready to run before a timid voice spoke up.

"Where are you going?"

armaan malik stiffened noticeably as he turned around to find an innocent, pretty girl sit up, holding up the sheet to cover herself. Her bright, round eyes blinked curiously at him, and armaan had the urge to laugh at her na'vet'. She looked so young and inexperienced, he nearly thought she was a freshman. So he had been her first. He cracked a half-hearted smile and ran a hand through his dark, tousled hair.

"I didn't think you'd be awake" he muttered, rolling his eyes and awkwardly leaning against the door.

ridz deeply flushed. Clutching the sheet tighter around her, she stared at the handsome boy who looked like he'd rather be somewhere else. Something in her heart lurched. Didn't he want her to stay? Didn't he want to know her better? Didn't he want to be with her?

Obviously not.

It was a one-night-stand.

And she was stupid to think it was anything more.

Her mouth went dry as the awkward silence grew longer. armaan tapped his foot impatiently as he watched the soft-spoken girl look away in embarrassment. She obviously thought he was one of those boys who stayed after a night of passion. How wrong she was. Heck, he didn't even know her name!

"Look, I'm sorry if you thought if this was ever going to turn out into anything more than one night, but this is all you're gonna get. I don't do seconds" he finished bitterly.

ridz swallowed the burning sensation in her throat and held back her tears. She nodded stiffly, before standing up and rushing to the bathroom. She held her breath until she heard the door slam. Clutching the sheet tighter around her body, ridz  looked at herself in the mirror. Her tousled hair, red cheeks and smeared makeup screamed 'whore'. The complete opposite of what riddihima gupta stood for.

Turning on the tap, she splashed cold water on her face. This wasn't her. She was a shy, quiet girl, a straight-A student and a filial daughter, not a slut that slept with the first guy she met! And it was my first too, ridz thought, banging her hand angrily against the sink. Tears threatened to fall when she thought of his disgusted expression when he saw her. Her heart pounded. Why did she have to care so much about what he thought of her?

It was her last thought before she promptly threw up in the toilet.

--

The bell rang as armaan jolted out of his reverie. The class began to file out as his stormy blue eyes flickered over to ridz's seat. She didn't come back, he thought, biting his lip worriedly. He looked out the window, deep in thought. It had been almost two weeks since he had spoken to her. He didn't mean to be so cold and aloof to her. He just didn't know how to react. What was he suppose to do with the baby, anyway? A wave of anger washed over him as he shoved his things in his bag and stomped out of the classroom. It isn't my fault, armaan  thought, irrationally pushing students out of his way.

But deep down, he knew it was. If he hadn't had noticed her, talked to her and eventually seduced her, they both wouldn't be in this mess. He was so drunk he didn't even remember to use protection! The sun momentarily blinded him as armaan walked into the campus courtyard. He shook the thoughts from his head. Girls flocked around him, giggling and batting their eyelashes. armaan instantly flashed a charming smile and winked.

This was what he was, a spoiled, careless player. He knew that. He told her that. He wasn't a responsible young man who looked after the consequences. What happens to her and the baby doesn't concern me, he thought selfishly as he wrapped his arm around a curvaceous girl standing beside him. She giggled and rested her head on his shoulder. All thoughts of ridz and their baby were wiped from his mind as he focused on the girl in front of him.

Nothing was going to change his playboy ways.

Not even his own child.

At least, that's what he told himself.

--