Chapter 3

Part 3:

"I love you Sid, you know that." Armaan couldn't stop thinking about it. She loves him not me. Everything I believed in until today was a lie. Damn Riddhima how could you do that to me? I came back for nothing. "You were there when I needed someone the most." Those words pierced his heart like none other. But he couldn't do anything about it. When she needed him, he was fighting for his life in a hospital in California, with Anjali treating him. But Riddhima didn't know about that.

Armaan yeh kya soch raha hai? It's probably for the best. Maybe it is time for me to walk away from her. She needs Sid, he loves her, and will always strive for her happiness…

"But I am not sure if Armaan is ready to move on." Armaan walked back and forth in his apartment. He had to do something to make Riddhima and Sid believe that he was moving on, something drastic. Something that will convince them that he's alright and that they should continue with their wedding preparations without any delay. Once they are married there will be nothing for him in sanjeevani. I'll leave here then. Once the wedding, I can walk away. I cannot stand the thought of her with someone else, let alone see her with him. However, knowing that that is what she wants may make it a lil easier. I just need to come up with a plan. Maybe I'll talk to Sid and try and convince him. Then it'll be easy to convince Riddhima too.

With this in mind, he walked into CCD at looked around for Sid. Sid was sitting at one of the corner tables, waiting for him. He walked up to their table.

"Hey."

Sid looked up. "Hey. You look tired. Tough day at work?"

"You have no idea. So, how was your day?" Armaan asked changing the topic.

"Same old… oh btw Nikki is going to murder you because you haven't talked to her yet." Sid grinned.

"Damn!! But I didn't see her at the hospital? Where was she?" Armaan smiled.

"She's on maternity leave!! Please tell me you didn't forget!!" Sid asked.

"Hey, I forgot… why couldn't you have reminded earlier?? I'll talk to her once we leave here" Armaan said feeling a little guilty. "So anyways, what did you want to talk to me about?"

Sid's expression turned from amused to serious within a few seconds. "Oh, yeah… Well I don't really know if I should talk to you about it. but you are my friend Armaan and I really care for you, and so does Riddhima… you know about our decision to get married right?"

"Yeah… Shilpa told me about it… So, what about it??" Armaan replied a little too brightly.

"Armaan!! You don't need to pretend that this news does not affect you… I know what you are going through right now… that's why Riddhima and I have decided to postpone our wedding a little--"

"But why? I am perfectly alright. I have moved on. What will it take to convince you guys? " Armaan cut in.

"you won't fool me so easily, you know… if you really were ready to let go, you would have been back in the dating field. Not for a serious commitment, but just out there you know. Like going out with friends and having a healthy social life! Riddhima had almost convinced me that something was fishy between you and Shilpa! But no!!!" Sid commented.

Armaan's head jerked up to what Sid had just said. Shilpa!! Really!! And just like that a plan started forming in Armaan's head. Riddhima thinks something is going on between Shilpa and me. Agreed she's a little arrogant and an accomplished prankster, but she is kind of sweet like that. She would be the perfect choice for this charade. If I can convince Riddhima and Sid that there's something fishy between me and Shilpa, they will believe that I have moved on and won't postpone their wedding and I won't cause any interruptions in their happy married life anymore.

"But I am not going to be fooled that easily now!! I am ----" Sid commented.

"Okay, Okay!! Jeez!! Fine, there's…..there's…this girl…."Armaan stumbled upon the words.

Sid looked at him suspiciously. "Really?? Go on…Why haven't you mentioned her before?"

"Because of all this!! You guys fuss a lot… I just wanted to be sure of her feeling before asking her out …. But I knew if I told you guys, well you are all going to screw it up…"

"You really do like her…" Sid said, a little surprised to see Armaan like this. He had a solemn expression on his face, as if he really meant what he said. Though Sid wasn't entirely sure if Armaan was telling the truth, he was really curious to know who the girl was who put this expression on Armaan's face. If indeed she existed, he would make sure she does not leave from Armaan's life for a very long, long time.

"Well, if what you are saying is true, then let's have dinner together….what say?" Sid challenged.

Armaan stared at him. So soon!! I will need some time to woo Shilpa first, but if I refuse to this dinner Sid will know something's wrong…

"Okay… will do… Saturday night at Four Seasons around 9…" Armaan said.

"Sure… I am so looking forward to meeting this girl of yours!! " Sid said in relaxed anticipation.

Next day was a busy one for the entire sanjeevani. Where Shilpa, Armaan and Riddhima were busy with the Mehta case, Sid on the other hand had different issues about Armaan and what he had said yesterday bothering him. He thought about Riddhima's reaction when he told her about a new girl in Armaan's life…

"But Sid we haven't even heard about her. I won't believe it until I see her, and make sure she's the right one for Armaan. I know he would do the same…" Riddhima said.

"So, what you mean to say is that he has indeed checked that I am suitable for you… finally I have passed the biggest test of my life…"Sid teased.

"Oh shutup!! " Riddhima blushed.

Sid looked at gazed at her. Riddhima looked back at him… and they had their private moment…

Present : OT :

"Where is Dr. Shilpa? She is always late!! That girl, she has disrupted the entire discipline at sanjeevani!" Riddhima cribbed. Frankly, she had nothing against Shilpa. It's just that since the beginning Shilpa had been everyone's favorite. Everybody liked her, Sid, the new interns the senior doctors. What surprised her most was that even Armaan who was generally reserved these days seemed comfortable around her.

"She paged me a few minutes ago. She'll be here soon." Armaan said. "We should start working though. Shilpa was telling me she found something about the transfusions. There's a relatively new process that she had researched for her MBBS project… she's forwarded these documents… pretty impressive work… just go through it and tell me what you think?" He said.

"Fine!! Armaan, I wanted to talk to you about the dinner date on Saturday--" Riddhima started.

"Hey guys!!" Shilpa barged in. "Sorry, I am a little late."

Armaan turned around and was taken aback. There standing at the door was Shilpa, wearing a purple colored suit, with long lacey sleeves, her almond-shaped grey colored eyes shining, her long black hair loose but for a small pin holding them together at the back and her face, innocent of any make-up but radiant and shining of happiness. He just gaped at her, taking in the breath-taking sight. Was she always this beautiful? Why didn't I notice that before? Armaan jerked himself free. What the hell am I doing? That stupid plan is definitely playing tricks on my mind!!!

Shilpa, you truly are my savior!!! Right on time!! Armaan sighed. He was looking at Shilpa thinking, not realizing that he was virtually staring at her. Shilpa looked away awkwardly. Riddhima was looking from Shilpa to Armaan suspiciously when her pager went off.

"Okay guys!! There's some emergency at the desk. I need to leave. Armaan discuss the details of the case with Shilpa and forward those documents to me. I'll go through them and let you know." Riddhima said and hurried off towards the reception desk.

"Umm..Hi Shilpa…" Armaan said a little awkwardly.

"Hi !! what are we doing today?" Shilpa chirped, ignorant of the everything going on in Armaan's head.

"Nothing… lets discuss the new process that you told me about…"

PRECAP:

Armaan asks Shilpa out!!

The big date – what a fiasco!!!