Chapter 2
I went absolutely mad here and kept on writing and wrote almost 5000 words.
Hope you guys like it. 😃
Shilpa was in her apartment, sitting on the couch, flipping the channels randomly, while her mind was far away somewhere, when her phone rang.
Armaan.
She received his call immediately with a calm voice, "Hey Armaan."
He spoke from the other end in a thrilled tone,
"Hey Shilpa, just called to say that she agreed to come for the date..yayyy am so excited. Am taking her to that new Italian deli for dinner. Candle light dinner, just as you said. Oh and I also got pink carnations for her. I hope she likes them. Oh oh and I also bought Lindt Dark chocolates as well. Nice na. And am dressed to kill and am also wearing Davidoff Cool Water and I smell fantastic. I hope the date goes well. Am so nervous. Do wish me luck, Shilpa. I hope everything goes well tonight. I hope she reciprocates my feelings. She will like me back right!!" he added apprehensively.
And all she could do was try real hard to stifle her tears which were constantly running down her cheek.
This was sheer torture.
Listening to him babble away about the preparations he had done for his hot date tonight.
On one hand, she found it absolutely adorable how nervous he was to impress his date.
On the other hand, she could feel bitterness seeping in every nerve-end of hers.
How she wished she was his date.
As she had said, she didn't need all the grand stuffs that he had planned.
Just him.. And her.. And ofcourse, junk food.. And their feelings.
She sighed deeply, which didn't go unheard by him.
He spoke urgently from the other side, "Hey are you all right..why are you so quiet?? Didn't you like my plan!! Should I have done something more??"
Braving the tears, she spoke in a hoarse voice,
" Umm no Armaan..I was just thinking how lucky Riddhima was..You planned so much for her.. And am sure she's gonna love it. Who wouldn't!! And it really is incredible to know that you paid heed to my suggestions. I thought you were kidding when you said you wanted my opinion. Now, don't waste your time chit-chatting with me. Go and win her. Best of Luck, Armaan. And do call me after it ends. I want to know every detail of the date. Alright. "
He chuckled from the other end, "Yeah alright. And listen, if she cancels on me or runs out before the date even begins, I will expect you to be my back up. Just lend me your shoulder so that I can cry my heart out. You will do that for me,wont you!!" he added seriously.
Don't do this Armaan, she sighed inwardly. Just don't. Don't make it so hard for me by telling me all this.
Still she replied him in a croaked voice, "Don't be silly Armaan.. nothing of that sort will happen. Your date will be fantastic. All my best wishes with you. Go now, alright. Byeee"
And with that she hung up the phone abruptly and let the tears that she had been holding back for so long just flow away freely.
She slid back on the couch and sobbed away.
She just laid there for how long she didn't know. She didn't want to know.
Suddenly she got up. She switched the TV off. And she made up her mind.
Enough of this self-pity-party.
She wasn't someone who was gonna cry like a hapless baby just because her feelings weren't reciprocated.
So what if Armaan didn't like her!
What was his fault!
And what was her fault either!
It was all okay, she told herself.
She would feel horrible seeing them' together in the college campus.
She knew that the hurt would remain. But she would get over it.
But what if she didn't?
Then she would simply lock in her feelings and just move forth.
And she was pretty good at hiding what she felt.
So this would be a piece of cake.
The only difference was that her feelings for him were pretty intense.
And she knew that it would take a lot of mental strength from her part to put on a bright smile.
But she was determined to do it.
So she got up, walked over to her room, scanned through her closet, took out a lilac knee-length summer dress with an off-white shrug, along with comfy ballerinas, washed her face thoroughly to remove all the marks of tears, applied a gel-cream on her face, did up her eyes lightly with a sparkly-kohl, wore her black-specs, applied a little peach-shaded lip gloss, tied up her hair in a loose bun, sprayed on her fav magnolia body mist, grabbed her purse and she was all set to go to the nearby burger-joint to drown all her sorrows by gorging on delicious burgers, fries, colas and ice-cream.
It was nearly 7:50 pm now and just when she was about to leave, her phone rang again.
Armaan.
Oh God, now what.
She received his call and just when she was about to say hello, she heard him sobbing on the other end.
Oh crap.
"Hello, Armaan..helllooo..Armaan, are you crying??" Stupid question Shilpa, you know he's crying, you idiot, she muttered to herself.
She again began, "Armaan, please stop sobbing.tell me what happened, why are you crying..and where are you right now?? Armaan say something na..you are scaring me."
She was literally hyperventilating.
What happened to him? Was he hurt?? OhMyGod where was he?? What if he needed her help??
"Armaan say something please, I beg of you..please"
"Shilpa" he said in a broken voice.
"Yes Armaan am listening, tell me what's wrong!"She said trying to calm her edgy nerves.
"Shilpa could you come and meet me please..I need you right now..please" he managed to say.
"Ofcourse I can..tell me where..Is Riddhima with you..are you both hurt or in some trouble?" she just had to know.
"NO" came the retort from him. Just a plain and simple No.
She decided not to push further and again asked him where he was.
"Am sitting inside the burger joint near your place. Do come soon. Am waiting..please".
And with that he cut the call.
The helpless plea in his voice tugged her heart. She had to go meet him asap. Now was not the time to deal with her unreciprocated feelings. Now was the time to go and help a friend.
Okay so he was waiting at the burger joint near her apartment.
Wait..WHAT!!
Wasn't he supposed to be at the Italian deli..that was miles away from her place. Then what was he doing in her street!! And that too at the place where she was going to just a few minutes back!
WOW..kismat connection much!!
She left immediately with her wallet and keys and didn't wait for the elevator but instead sprinted down the stairs as if she was running the marathon.
The eatery was at a 10 minutes walking distance. She covered it within 5 minutes.
Walking. Running.
She reached the door and taking a deep breath to compose her senses, she pushed open the door.
She immediately spotted him, sitting at a corner table, beside the glass wall, overlooking the park at the other side of the restaurant.
The night air and dim lighting made the otherwise bustling joint seem quite romantic.
There were a few people scattered here and there but she couldn't be bothered to glance at them.
She immediately walked up to his table.
He was staring into space. He wasn't aware that she had arrived.
But the scent of magnolias was a giveaway.
He immediately snapped up his head and looked at her with teary eyes.
She didn't even bother to ask him whether she could take a seat.
She sat down at once on the opposite chair and grabbed hold of his hand that was lying limp on the table. They were cold.
They both just kept looking intently at each other, as if they would find the answers to their questions in each other's eyes.
She kept staring at him, asking him what was wrong through her pretty eyes. While he kept staring back at her with his appealing eyes which were red now, as if they were filled with hurt and some sort of emotion she couldn't really put her hand on.
Just as she was about to speak, he jerked his hand back from her reach and left the table abruptly.
Hurt. She was hurt and confused by what he did.
What on earth was wrong with him!!
Why was he behaving this way with her!!
What was his bloody problem!!
Now she was mad!!
Craning her neck, she saw where he was off to.
He was standing there at the counter, as if having a casual conversation with the manager of the joint.
It was then that she took in his appearance.
He looked gorgeous in whatever he wore.
But what he was wearing right now was not something that she would call dressed to kill'.
And he was most definitely not dressed for A date.
He was dressed casually..very casually, she would say.
With washed out denims and a gray button down shirt with the sleeves rolled and his trademark sneakers.
He looked ridiculously hot.
Okay, when did he get the time to change his clothes??
Was he carrying a spare in his car??
She again observed him carefully.
Now, he was smiling. He was chit-chatting with the lady-manager and here she was, with her pulse rate shooting up and there he was flirting with her!!
What nonsense!! How dare he!!
Was this some kind of a pathetic joke because she really did not have the time for all that!
Just as she was about to get up and go throttle him, he turned and started walking towards her in a lazy manner, all signs of tears gone, replaced with a dazzling smile!
Okay now she was really really flummoxed!
Had he gone mad or something!
He got near her and sat down leisurely, with that silly but lovable grin on his face.
She uttered the first thing that came on her mind.
"Armaan, did Riddhima stand you up or something that you have gone crazy with grief!!"She asked, concerned.
And what he said stunned her even more.
"Riddhima?? Who Riddhima!!"
Classic deflection.
Maybe he had been so hurt after Riddhima ditched him and his date night that he was behaving in this way.
And before she could open her mouth, he began again,
"I went to order the food. Am famished. I could eat like 10 burgers at one go. If I don't eat anything now am going to faint. But for now, I just ordered the combo-meal. Its okay na. If you want something more then we can always order later. Alright."
What was he saying!! Has he really lost it or what!!
"Armaan, you are behaving really weirdly. What happened to your date plan?? Where is Riddhima?? Why aren't you dressed for a proper date?? Where are the carnations?? Where are the chocolates?? Why are you ordering food here?? Is Riddhima going to come here!! But Armaan that was not the plan..You told me yourself that you were going to take her to the deli..And now this!! Have you gone crazy or what!! And you were crying a few minutes ago..Now you are smiling!! What is up with you?? Why are you..." she kept on blabbering when she was effectively shut up by a sshhh when she found Armaan's index-finger cushioned against her plump lips.
He was literally freaking her out now.
"My God, you talk so much Shilpa. There are times when you don't even say a word and look at you now, going on and on like Rajdhani express" , he added with a chuckle.
She was seething with indignation now. This was so insulting. Sitting with the guy she has fallen head over heels for, after she gave him such elaborate suggestions regarding his date night with a girl he apparently likes and now they are sitting here opposite each other at a burger joint near her place, ordering combo meals and stuffs and while he's chortling away & yet he doesn't have the nerve to explain to her what the hell was going on!!
So she just folded her hands across her chest and leaned back on her chair with a bitter frown, not looking at him or else she would just blast him off.
It was then that she saw many of their college mates were also present there gossiping away.
The whole joint was actually filled with their batch mates and some juniors.
She craned her neck a bit to look around and found, to her surprise that their whole group of friends were present.
Why didn't she notice them before!! Oh right, she was busy checking Armaan out and getting unnecessarily concerned for him!!
She saw Atul, Anjie, Muskaan, Rahul, JP, Jiggy, Yuvi, Naina, Sue, Sid, Riddhima who were all very busy in a conversation in very hushed tones.
Wait..Riddhima!!
OMG Riddhima!!!
What was she doing here..!!
What was going on!!
As she was busy taking in her surroundings and gaping at them, she didn't notice that the lights had been dimmed even more, giving the place a very romantic and peaceful ambience.
She didn't notice that the food had been already placed in front of her, neatly arranged in a tray.
She didn't notice that one particular plate was covered.
She didn't notice the passionate way Armaan was staring at her as if he would leap across the table and kiss her then and there.
She finally turned towards him, still bewildered, but one look at Armaan's intense expressions and she could feel a blush creeping up on her cheeks.
The whole diner felt balmy and pleasant.
A total date like environment.
OH.MY.LORD!!
"Happy 1st date, Shilpa" Armaan spoke huskily, leaning towards her a bit, so much so that she could see his twinkling eyes and that gorgeous, dimpled smile.
"This is a dream. Am going to wake up any minute now. Am still sleeping on the couch. Maybe I cried so much that is why I fell asleep and I am imagining all this. This is all my imagination", she thought dazedly while staring at him, all amazed.
Her cheeks were all warm and rosy and she looked stunning, he thought.
How he felt like kissing her out of her senses.
But he knew she had several questions in her mind.
And he knew that she demanded some answers from him.
Now was the time to unfold THE plan'.
His eyes were stuck on her when he moved forward and uncovered the plate.
And he urged her to look down and when she did she was shocked.
OHMYGOD.
OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OHMYFRIGGINGGOD !!!
There..right there on the plate..the French fries & ketchup were arranged in the words -
"I LOVE YOU, SHILPA."
HOLY LORD..GOD ALMIGHTY!!!
She could feel the prick of tears in her eyes.
This was too much.
This was just way frigging too much.
What on earth was all this!!
She looked up at him with watery eyes and a beaming smile, conveying every emotion to him -gratitude, affection, surprise and love.
To say that she was overwhelmed wouldn't even begin to explain it!
How! When! Where! Why! What!
Armaan Mallik loved Shilpa Malhotra.
Armaan himself felt emotional but still he had to do the talking. Holding her gaze and clasping her soft, delicate fingers with his sturdy hand, he began
"It was all a part of the plan Shilpa. This afternoon, I came to meet you at the library to actually ask You out. But then I saw you sitting there all dejected and I didn't want to bother you. I was so scared to ask you out . I had a conversation with the whole gang there and they all came up with weird and stupid ideas regarding me asking you out. So I decided to have a talk with you directly. I was gonna talk to you about our date but you jumped in by saying Riddhima's name. And I was shocked. But then I thought that I reveal everything to you directly then where was the fun. So I deliberately took her name to keep you in the dark about all the plans that I was making. Trust me, Shilpa, she is the last girl I would wanna date. 1stly because she and Sid are already a couple which I am gonna assume you didn't know and 2ndly, because she's so not my type.." which earned him a glare from Sid and an "I heard that" from a smirking Riddhima and Shilpa laughed, freely, for the 1st time since evening.
"Anywho" he again began excitedly, "The thing is, you are my girl, Shilpa. I really really love you. Maybe, from the 1st day you entered the college 9 and half months back. That is why I arranged all this here, junk food, pleasant ambience, me & you and our feelings. Like you, even I love things simple. It wouldn't have bothered me to go that extra mile and do things the grand way for you because honestly Shilpa, you deserve it and I would do anything for you.The thing is, I could never gather the courage to ask you out because you were out of my league, honestly. You are always so coy and quiet all the time that I get really tense around you. Not in the bad way, though. It's just that I have always found you a mystery. A mystery that I would like to know better for the rest of my life." He added sincerely.
While Shilpa was floating on a cloud of bliss.
He actually loved her!
Wooofreakinghooo!!
But she still had much confusion to be cleared.
So she again began with her rapid round -
"But Armaan the flowers, chocolates, the restaurant?? And why were you crying on the phone and even now??" she asked bewildered.
This girl really was so nave.. And endearing. She still didn't get it, did she!!
So he decided to do the next best thing he could.
He unclasped her hands, and walked over to the table where the gang were sitting and watching the love-story unfold.
He gestures something to them, and they handed him a big paper-bag and something that looked like flowers.
The Flowers. Finally.
So he did bring them.
Then he turned back and walked towards her.
And then she saw that they weren't carnations.
A bouquet of Pink & Purple Tulips.
Tulips!! OMG!!
Her favourite.
She was grinning like a maniac seeing him bringing her favourite flowers.
My Oh My!!!
She could just have fainted!!
He came near her and bent down on one knee.
She was a bit staggered.
What was he up to now!!
He handed her the tulips and she took them, giving him a heartwarming, adorable smile.
He then put down the paper bag beside him and began taking out one thing after the other.
1st came a huge box of Lindt chocolates.
Not dark chocolates.
But white chocolates.
Again her favourite.
Arman was on a roll today.
Next came another gift-wrapped box.
He gestured her to open it, nervously.
She did.
And what she found moved her to tears.
Neatly lying in the pretty blue-velvet box was a silver bracelet with all sorts of lovely charms attached it.
It was then she noticed what the charms were.
There were the letters A , S , a heart-shaped sign, a cute little cherub and several sparkly stones and baubles.
Just within a span of few hours, he had made her feel so special.
He saw the tears glistening in her eyes and before they could fall, he caught them in his hands.
"I am trying to be really romantic here despite being hell nervous and you are shedding tears, Shilpa. Not fair." He pouted.
And Shilpa chuckled, in spite of the tears and coochie cooed his cheeks.
He was legit adorable.
And he was hers.
Armaan carefully picked up the bracelet and clipped it to her right hand.
Stunning..it looked absolutely stunning on her slender wrists.
Last but not the least, came out another small box.
Looked like a box with a ring.
OMG a ring already.
He was proposing!!
But wasn't it too early!!
He could see her looking bewildered so he quickly spoke,
"It's not what you think..(idiot, he muttered) I mean it's just one step towards what will be."
"Armaan, I don't kn.." she stuttered when he interrupted her by saying,
"No Shilpa..just let me,," and with that he opened the box to reveal a gorgeous platinum ring studded with little diamonds.
And then he began to say earnestly, "I know that it really is too early for me to propose you. But Shilpa, I really wanted you to know that this is it for me. You are where my journey begins and you are where my journey ends. It's all you. This ring is a promise ring. A promise that I am going to wait for you forever. I promise am going to stick with you through thick and thin. I promise to eliminate all your insecurities. I promise to be there for you whenever you need me because you have always been there for me. I promise to love you till eternity and beyond because am crazily, obsessively, truly, madly, deeply in love with you. Only I and those morons sitting over there know how I controlled myself and my feelings for you whenever I was around you. I know you like me back but I wanted to tell you that there isn't going to be anybody else for me other than you. So do you, Shilpa Malhotra, promise to be with me in this journey of life, because if you say no, then this will be the end of me. I really really cant imagine life without you by my side. Say you'l be mine. Please." He finished saying.
And the tears just kept on flowing at their free will.
She nodded her head in a vigorous yes and he beamed at her and slipped the ring on her right hand ring finger.
And with that, they both hugged each other, through their tears and smiles, as if their life depended on it. The whole gang congratulated them and they all felt nothing less than ecstatic.
They all sat together and had their share of junk food' and chatted away, everyone with a beaming smile on their face and two people who couldn't stop blushing.
The celebration soon got over and it was time they all left.
Armaan and Shilpa bid the others goodnight when Armaan asked her whether she would like to take a walk in the park right beside the restaurant to which she shyly nodded a yes.
He grasped her hand and linked his arms with her and they began walking in a relaxed pace, as if they had all the time in the world, just taking in their surroundings and absorbing the love they had for each other, when Shilpa broke the silence by saying something ridiculous,
"But Armaan..the bill" she enquired.
"Ohoo Shilpa", He answered exasperated, "Its already paid for..this is our date..I have asked you out..I should be the one paying for it..I know you are very capable of paying it as well but I wanted to do it, so yeah..its done..now sit here", he made her sit on the park bench.
He scooted beside her and she just rested her head on his broad shoulders when he leaned his head and rested it upon hers. Both had a content smile playing on their lips, as if everything they wanted was right there..Them..together.
When Shilpa sat up abruptly, clicking her fingers as if she suddenly remembered something,
and then she began speaking,
"Sooo that is why you were constantly asking me about 1st dates..and here I was thinking that you wanted to take Riddhima out..my oh my..I must say..her & Sid have really kept their relationship well under the wraps. I always thought you had a crush on her. I mean, all of this is unbelievable. I still cant believe you actually love me. I kept on wishing that you would notice me. And I kept on telling myself that guys like you would never ever fall for girls like me. I was so.."
When Armaan leaned in quickly and gave her a peck on her rosy cheeks.
The blood gushed straight through to every pore of her. My God, what had gotten into him today.
"Armaan.." she began shyly.
"Yes, Shilpa", he gave her a cheeky grin.
"You are absolutely crazy" she laughingly responded.
"Only for you" he said sincerely when he again gave her a quick peck on the other cheek.
And she kept on giggling. When he began to speak,
"Shilpa, you are so very shy around me..it was me who kept thinking when will you notice ME. I have loved you for a very long time now. And you know what's funny - I thought you had a crush on Sid. Even today when you said that he walked you to the coffee shop and you waved him back with that beautiful smile of yours, I felt sooo jealous. I thought "my date plan will be such a flop". But I knew that you liked me. That is why you were so distracted today, weren't you."
To which she could only lower her eyes and nod timidly.
Armaan spoke again confidently," Never ever doubt my love for you. And never let any insecurity bother you. I love you and that is the ultimate truth. You do understand that, right!"
To which she nodded again with that gorgeous smile of hers.
"But listen, you didn't confess as of yet. That's not fair. Come on now out with it", he pouted.
Shilpa chuckled seeing him behaving like a little kid waiting for her to confess but she had 1 little thing to clear that was bothering her.
"Armaan, I still have one doubt" she added earnestly pushing him away slightly as she saw him leaning closer..dangerously close to her.
"Another doubt..now what" he said irritated, pouting again, but still leaning even more closer.
She giggled a bit which earned her a glare from him when she quickly spoke,
"You had tears in your eyes when I came..and your eyes were red too..why were you crying??" she asked sincerely.
He sighed a bit and then came a rumbling laughter from him.
Why was he laughing?? Had he again gone crazy or what!!
"Armaan tell na..dont laugh like that..tell now" she said annoyed.
"I wasn't crying", he said, still laughing which irritated her even more," It was that damn glycerin. I was going to put only two drops in my eyes but more than a few drops fell and my eyes were burning like hell. It was to make me look as I was crying that my date got ruined, but it was nothing but part of the plan' to bring you here. I was desperate. I had to do it otherwise I knew you wouldn't come." And he again started chuckling when Shilpa smacked his arm.
"Owww..what was that for." He asked, rubbing his arm.
"For worrying me so much." She added with a frown.
"Awww am sorry..okay now that all the misconceptions have been cleared, its time for you to tell me something." He spoke in a serious voice.
When she again lowered her eyes and the tell tale blush appeared on her lovely face but she remained silent.
"Say it back na Shilpa..I love you and I know you do too..please say it..please..for me" he added in a desperate tone and she couldn't help it but look straight into his eyes and said in a soft voice, "I love you too Armaan..I really really love you" and she immediately hugged him tight, hiding her petite self in his well-built frame and he hugged her back and placed a light kiss on her hair.
She snuggled even more close to him when he tilted her head a bit, looked deeply & intently in to her eyes as if asking for some kind of permission and she knew what he wanted because she wanted it too.
Then she gave a slight nod, still blushing to the core and Armaan leaned down a bit and kissed her on her lips, gently, lovingly, pouring out all the love he felt for her and she responded with the same passion.
They shared their beautiful, 1st kiss on their very 1st date and they both couldn't be any more happier than that.
So it can be said without a speck of doubt that Armaan's date plan went successful indeed. 😊
x---------------x
...and thats done. My god, the last bit sucked. I thought about making it more passionate and lovey-dovey but it totally went down the drain..Anywho, there's always a next time. So yeah, happy reading. 😆
Your reaction
Nice
Awesome
Loved
LOL
OMG
Cry
34 Comments