Chapter 13

Armaan stood up at this realization. How is that possible? But then why don't I care that Riddhima is marrying Sid. Why don't I feel any pain in my heart? Can a person really stop loving someone he had loved more that his life? Maybe…

"Don't worry Armaan.. I don't doubt Riddhima's love for me. And I can't tell you how happy it makes me to know that I can finally talk to you about Riddhima. I know for sure now that you are ready to move on." Sid smiled.

"But Armaan, sometimes you have to fight you own fights, you have have some realizations on your own. You need to give time to some relationships and some truthful acceptance. You have to sort your own mess…" Sid sighed, thinking about last night. I know not what shall fall…. I just hope everything goes well…

Part 12:

"But that's just it! I don't wanna accept what my heart is hinting at… These past few months have been crazy, and because of all that's been going on, I think I am going like super crazy too…" Armaan finished.

"What are you talking about?" Sid snapped out of whatever he was thinking and looked up at Armaan to find him in pensieve and somber mood and gave him a puzzled look.

Armaan walked towards the window and stared out at the horizon, a ghost of an expression flitting across his face. Sid looked at him, crossed over to where he was standing and put a hand on his shoulder.

"What's bothering you Armaan?"

"I am so confused right now I don't know where to start and where to end! My life is like some TV soap gone bad…"

"Okay, first of all I am a big fan of TV soaps." Sid said.

Armaan rolled his eyes and looked at him, Dude!

"What? Some of them are really good. And secondly can you start at the beginning and not talk in riddles please?" Sid finished.

"What do you wanna know? " Armaan shrugged and turned towards Sid and said "Just forget I mentioned anything… I can't believe I am asking advice from someone who scared of his own wife." Armaan tried to lighten the mood and change the subject.

"Hey! " Sid said a little outraged, "I don't fear her. It's just that I respect and love her too much to argue with Ridz…"

And Armaan gave him a "Yeah Right!" look.

"But on a more serious note, don't distract me. Just how much of a fool do you take me for?" Sid asked him seriously. "I mean one minute you're helping me out with my problems and in the process finally realizing that you don't love Riddhima anymore----"

"How do you know that?"

But Sid continued unfazed by the interruption.

"--- and the next minute you're talking about TV soaps gone bad! What the hell is that all about?"

Armaan was still a little surprised that Sid had figured it out. "How did you know that I was no longer in love with Riddhima?"

Sid sighed. "Because you cannot be in love with two people at the same time,"

Armaan looked at him, not sure if he was really listening to this. "Excuse me! two people… Sid you have finally lost it. yaha mujhe ek se pyaar karna itna bhaari pad raha hai aur tu mujhe do-do ke chakkar mein fasa raha hai!!!" Armaan started to walk away.

"Arre Armaan sun toh--"

"Forget I said anything. Teri baat sununga toh aur pagal ho jaunga! Hamesha flop ideas deta rehta hai!!"

"Oh my God! " Sid exclaimed.

Armaan stopped at Sid's exclamation and turned around. "Now what?" he asked impatiently.

"You really don't have a clue do you?"

"I know I am going to regret asking this but what the hell are you talking about?"

Sid coughed a laugh and contemplated for a while. Suddenly an idea struck him and he looked at Armaan and smiled a devilish smile.

"What? I know that expression… Its danger with a capital 'D'" Armaan said.

"Nothing. All I am going to do is ask you a question. But you have to promise me that you will give me an honest answer."

Armaan looked at Sid's serious expression and then at his hand outstretched in front of him. He nodded and shook Sid's hand.

"Okay, close your eyes-"

"Sid!" Armaan said a little irritated with his childish tactics.

"Just do it. If you want me to help you, you have to do it my way."

Armaan shrugged and closed his eyes.

"Now, imagine that you have just one day to live, just one single day to spend with the ones you love. With who would like to spend the day? Of all the people that you LOVE, who would you want to spend it with?" Sid asked in soft neutral tones.

Armaan closed his eyes, and a flash of thousands of memories entered his head, of all the people around him that he had come to care for, all the happy and the sad memories. But he didn't really see anyone those pictures, all the people just a blur in the images. Only one person really stood out. She stood in front of him, her back to him, and an epitome of something divine and heavenly. He looked at her, silently willing her to turn, so that he could prove Sid wrong.

He already knew who she was, had already thought of her as a reflex. There was only one person he wanted to spend his day with, his entire life with.

And then she turned, slowly and very deliberately, and looked at him. Armaan looked at her and the smile on his face froze. So shocked was he that he panicked and opened his eyes in a rush.

"What? Unbelievable!!! " Armaan whispered, muttering to himself.

"Who was it?" Sid asked.

Armaan looked up at him, still reeling from the revelation.

"Nothing. And this is a stupid way of solving anything. Just what sort of a trick is this? " Armaan lashed out.

"It was her, wasn't it? Whoa!!" Sid asked.

"What? Who? It was no one. I couldn't see anyone okay!"

"Really. Then why are you so disturbed? Man!! It must be someone you really hate for you to be so angry!!"

Armaan didn't think he just reacted.

"I don't hate Shilpa!! In fact I -" Armaan stopped short, realizing what he had just revealed unwittingly.

Sid smiled triumphantly. "Shilpa, huh? Good choice. She is kinda cute and sweet and -" Sid stopped when he looked at Armaan's murderous expression.

"You do realize you're getting married in a few days… don't you? and do remember you are talking about m-"Armaan halted mid-sentence and Sid looked up.

He smiled knowingly. "You were going to say MY SHILPA weren't you?" Sid smirked.

Armaan cursed "Dammit!" and Sid chuckled.

"Armaan!! I was just saying. No need to get possessive YET!!"

"Sid. Stop this right now!! Besides even if I did see Shilpa, in my subconscious mind, it means nothing."

"Really? For a doctor you are not so smart. And you call yourself an expert on love and relationships… Lagta hai tumhe shock treatment dena padega." Sid said.

"Ek baat bata," Sid continued "agar ridz ya mujhe kuch ho gaya toh?"

Armaan jerked his head up. "Sid yeh kaisa sawal hai?"

"Just answer the question. "

Armaan shrugged and a little tensely answered "Mujhse jo hoga who karunga tumhe thik karne ke liye…"

"Aur agar mere ya ridz ke place par Shilpa hoti toh-"

"Main Shilpa ko kuch nahi hone dunga!" Armaan blurted, his eyes blazing with determination and fierce protectiveness and something he hadn't felt for a long time now...

"That reaction is what I was hoping for. " Sid said. "I know that if something goes wrong with any of us, you will help us out of it. I am sure of it. but when it comes to Shilpa, you can't even bear the thought of anything happening to her. Why is that? You should see your face when you talk about her. why do you think you were able to move on after Shilpa entered sanjeevani? Just think about your life without Shilpa in it and you will get your answer." Sid said and walked out to give Armaan some time alone for introspection.

Armaan sat down on the bed, in a state of daze and shock. he recalled Shilpa's shy and smiling face that had flashed in his head when closed his eyes. He knew he was attracted to her, but affection is one thing. He remembered the intense pain he had felt at the thought of losing Shilpa. The fierce protectiveness and concern propelled by pure fear and pain that had made him react so vehemently to the very thought of anything happening to her. Heaven help him if anything actually happened to her.

When had she become so important to him? How had she switched places in his heart from a friend and a confidante to someone so special and vital that he couldn't imagine his life without her in it. How he did miss it, he didn't know, but now he couldn't deny the truth any longer.

He smiled at the realization…

HE LOVED HER. ARMAAN LOVED SHILPA….

So thats it for right now...guys do comment and silent readers hit the like button... couldn't write a lot amidst all the packing and shifting... but i'll be back soon with a lot of romance as our hero has finally acknowledged his love for shilpa. i cannot tell you what pleasure it gave me to write the last line :) hehe... ciao

Vanshika