Chapter 15

shazia

@xarmaanx

"Mum! Dad! What are you doing here?" she asked in a falsely bright tone.

riddihma's father scoffed.

"Of course, to find out which son of a bitch knocked up my disgrace of a daughter" he spat out.

ridz flinched at her father's harsh tone, tears burning the back of her throat. armaan's blood boiled. He glanced at ridz, who was looking down at the pavement like it was the most interesting thing in the world. armaan felt his heart tug. He felt the urge to defend her. He faced ridz's father, sticking out his chin defiantly.

"Then you're looking at him"

ridz's mother raised her eyebrow. She placed her hand on her hip, surveying him closely. armaan  fidgeted nervously.

"You? Why am I not surprised? Spoiled rich boys like you have nothing else to do that go around partying and impregnating girls who have a bright future in front of them like ridz" she narrowed her eyes at him.

"I should beat you up into a pulp, you filthy little idiot!" ridz's father raised his fist.

ridz put her head in her hands. How embarrassing, she thought. And it had to happen in front of her collge. At least most people had gone home, she thought. ridz's mother placed a hand on her father's arm, placating him.

shashank! Don't make a scene!" she hissed.

shashank  nodded, lowering his arm as he glared fiercely at a startled armaan. He looked at ridz, his angry expression softening at his daughter's downcast eyes. He realised ridz was just a child, and she needed her parents to guide her through her life. But she had gotten herself pregnant with an unwanted child, meaning she had to grow up much faster than either shashank and padma expected.

"I just don't know how to act around her anymore, padma" he whispered sadly to his wife.

padma nodded, sighing softly as ridz bit her lip nervously. armaan stood beside her quietly, sensing that it wasn't his time to speak. It wasn't his business to butt into ridz's family matters. Er, yes it is! Damn, that little voice was back. Of course, it scoffed in his head. You were the one that got in ridz's pants, so suck it up and be a man. Talk to her parents, you idiot! shashank quietly watched the boy in front of him internally battle with himself. He could sense armaan really felt something for ridz, or else he would have scampered in the sight of said pregnant girl's parents. ridz snuck a glance at armaan. He smiled back nervously, biting down on his tongue. An awkward silence filled the air. Finally, padma sighed. She reached out and clasped ridz's hand. ridz looked up, surprised.

"We've missed you, ridz. I know we might not sound like it, especially your father-" she shot a glare at shashank. "-but we really do. I miss having my daughter around" she smiled fondly.

ridz blushed, a small smile spreading across her lips. She chanced a look at her strict father. shashank smiled softly at her. Her heart swelled. Her parents weren't mad at her anymore! shashank raised his eyebrow as if he read her mind.

"That doesn't mean we forgive you for making the stupidest mistake of your life however" he pointed out, glaring at armaan.

armaan nervously smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. ridz nudged armaan. He looked quizzically at her, before his mouth formed a perfect 'o'. He stuck out his hand politely.

"Hi, mr and mrs gupta , I'm armaan malik Your daughter's'" he trailed off.

What exactly was he to ridz? armaan inwardly searched for answer. Boyfriend? Sperm donator? Life ruiner? ridz bit her lip, anticipating the next words that would come out of his mouth.

"'friend" armaan finished.

ridz's heart fell. So she was just a friend to him. She forced a smile at her disbelieving parents.

"Um, yeah. armaan and I have figured things out and we've decided we're going to raise this child in a loving family. armaan's going to give the baby everything he needs and give him the best life possible" she beamed gratefully at armaan.

It took while for ridz's words to register to her parents. shashank blinked as armaan ignored his racing heartbeat at ridz's smile.

"I'm having a grandson?" he asked in awe.

ridz nodded. A small smile graced his face. He looked at padma, who had a fond, dreamy expression on her face. She looked at armaan, who was gazing at ridz in admiration. He couldn't believe how straightforward and direct she was to her parents. After all, his parents had found out through seeing them in a baby store. padma sighed.

"So armaan's actually taking responsibility for the baby?" she asked, looking at armaan .

He nodded. padma glanced at her daughter, who wore an expression of gratitude and'something else as she stared at armaan . She inwardly smirked. Trust her daughter to be such a romantic as to fall in love with the father of her child, who she sensed felt something back for ridz. It was something out of a indian drama! shashank nodded, his brain thinking of how to make things work. Finally, he nodded.

"Okay"

ridz's brows knitted together.

"Okay?"

shashank's eyes flickered from his daughter to her''friend'.

"Okay, as in, I accept you and armaan's baby and am willing to be a part of your life again"

ridz beamed and grabbed armaan's arm in joy. He grinned back, making her heart skip a beat or five. shashank held up a hand, indicating he was not finished.

"But on one condition. ridz's mother and I have to talk to your parents about this'situation" shashank said to armaan.

armaan's blue eyes widened, matching ridz's round saucers next to him. He looked at her, mortified. ridz inwardly groaned. Her parents meeting armaan's parents? It was a disaster waiting to happen. She snuck a glance at her parents. They raised their eyebrows expectantly. She forced a bright smile, gesturing them to get into armaan's swanky sports car. armaan  blinked as ridz, shashank and padma piled onto his Italian leather, ready to be driven home to greet his unsuspecting parents. He inwardly cringed.

What a great way to end the collge day.

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