Chapter 14

"Careful. You have two people to look after, and I don't think both of them would be too happy ending up on the floor" he remarked, pointedly gesturing at her stomach.

ridz giggled as she straightened herself out of angads's embrace. She always felt so carefree and happy when she was with angad. He never made her feel bad about herself, and he never judged her. ridz's face fell. What did he think of her now, seeing the whole school had found out about her, armaan and the baby? ngad tilted his head, his brows furrowing.

"What's wrong?" he asked gently.

ridz bit her lip, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Why don't you hate me?" she murmured, twisting her hands nervously.

angad looked confused.

"Why would I hate you?"

"Because I'm a slut! Because I'm knocked up with a baby when I should be studying for mid-term exams! Because if I didn't even sleep with armaan that night, nobody would even know I existed!" ridz yelled.

Angry tears streaming down her cheeks as all her bitter, pent-up emotions poured out in one go.

And she trusted angad enough to do that in front of him.

angad closed his eyes as he breathed in her scent. She smelt like rose, almost making him sigh with contentment. He could just hold her in his arms forever. A moment he could hold into his memory forever. Before it hit him she was crying because of another guy. Specifically ARMAAN MALIK, the most popular guy in the whole of college. Well, maybe not after the baby fiasco, he thought. He looked down at the quietly crying girl in his arms. She looked so tired and weary. The day must had taken a lot of her, he mused. angad inwardly sighed.

Maybe now wasn't the best time to tell ridz how he felt about her.

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Armaan  wasn't going to follow angad and ridz. No, of course not!

He was just'in the neighborhood.

armaan inwardly cringed at his lame excuse as he slunk against the wall. If anyone had seen him, they would've thought he was some creep listening on other people's conversations. armaan strained his ears to listen to ridz and angad. He heard ridz's sweet, tinkling laughter and angad's husky, joking voice. A few moments later, he heard angry yelling. Alarmed, armaan poked his head out from his hiding place.

He really wished he didn't.

His throat constricted as the scene before him pounded at his heart. angad had ridz wrapped in a tight embrace, and she looked perfectly comfortable in it, her hands wrapping themselves securely around his back. They looked lost in their own world. armaan choked on his breath. So that was what angad had to talk to ridz about! armaan clenched his hands in anger. There were plenty of girls out there who were available. 

Someone like angad.

armaan looked away, a lump growing in his throat. He closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath. Maybe it wasn't enough just to like her. He had to be able to commit to her, and that was the one thing he couldn't do. He snuck a final glance at ridz and angad, who were now quietly talking. And still embracing each other. He swallowed. All he could give ridz was a roof over her head, and some money.

It was for the sake of the baby, anyway.

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ridz leant against the wall, breathing out slowly. Today had been one of the most difficult days in her life. She had faced public humiliation, intense hatred and an emotional breakdown, all in one day. I wonder if the baby will turn out mentally damaged after all that drama, she mused. She giggled out loud. Students threw her curious looks. ridz blushed. She almost forgot she was the gossip of the day.ridz looked down at her watch. Where was armaan? He was supposed to take her back to 'their' home after college.

On cue, armaan walked out of collges gates, a solemn expression on his face. ridz's brows furrowed.

"What's wrong?" she asked innocently.

armaan shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Nothing" he answered coldly.

ridz was taken aback by the unfeeling tone armaan used. Her hormones kicked into overdrive as tears burned the back of her throat. The only reason she hated being pregnant was how over sensitive she got when dealing with feelings.

Especially those towards armaan.

armaan inwardly groaned as ridz 's expression changed from giddy to disappointed. He hated himself for making her feel bad. An image of angad and ridz together flashed in his mind. His striking face darkened. She didn't need him to care about her in that way. He opened his mouth to tell ridz where the car was when she gasped loudly, her dark eyes widening in shock. On impulse, ridz reached out and grabbed armaan's arm. He ignored his racing heartbeat as he nudged her.

"What is it?" he muttered quizzically.

ridz ignored him, shock and confusion on her face evident as she stared out on front of them. armaan turned to face the object of ridz's attention, before realization dawned on him. ridz gulped, before squeaking out-

"Mum? Dad?"