Part 3
Armaan and Riddhima both agreed to go out with Atul and Anjali not thinking about what the night was to bring them. The Four interns went to their daily duties and then headed home to meet back later that evening.
"Armaan" Anjali spotted armaan walking out of the hospital and called out to him. "Would you be able to pick up Riddhima tonight? Actually I was supposed to but atul said he'll pick me up. Please!" Anjali pleaded to him.
"No way!! If you think I am having the Miss Mirchi in my car and wrecking its reputation. You got something else coming Anjie." Armaan snapped back at her grinning.
"Urgh, you're just impossible!" Flinging her perfectly layered hair she headed towards her car.
"You still want me to come?" Armaan shouted.
"If that was a way off getting you out of coming out tonight, well you got something else coming ammy!" Anjali grinned to herself as she waved him off.
~*~*~*
Riddhima, atul and Anjie parked their car and headed off to the beachside resort. Atul grasped Anjali's hand as Riddhima walked a bit behind them. Grazing around she found the place wonderful. Dressed in white dress and the scarf tied round her neck, she looking stunning. Thinking of atul and anjali she thought of making an effort today. The simple suit clad girl looked... Well irresistibly hot tonight.
"Why someone seems to have made an effort!" Out of nowhere the voice splashed her ears in a husky whisper.
Recognising it at once she pushed him hard against the chest.
"Hmmm… at least someone tried… unlike you Mr Armaan malik!" Riddhima snickered.
"Hey hello, my dressing sense is so much better than yours." He pointed a finger at her as Riddhima gazed him from top to toe. The white shirt with the 3 buttons undone. The ripped pair of jeans and the ruffled hair as usual, which all unexpectedly equalled a hot looking armaan malik. Shuddering of the thoughts, she walked with him as they went and got seated with Atul and anjali.
~*~*~*
"So you're telling me that a guy like you has never fallen in love?" Riddhima's eyes widened in shock as she felt her feet sink into the sand. The cool sensations spiralling through her. She watched atul and anjali form a distance as they were lost in their own world in the waves. Armaan and Riddhima walked along the beach line as the stars shone above them.
"A hell of a lot of affaires but no love thingy yet!" Armaan chuckled.
"You're kidding?" Riddhima's eyes popped even more. Armaan nodded his head. "So all the girls you've probably hung out with and had one night stands with, you're telling em you never loved any of them." Riddhima scrunched her eyebrows.
"Oi! That's just assumptions now Riddhima!" His forehead filled with frowns.
"What?? truth hurting?" Riddhima mocked a laugh.
"Hmm… actually no… but that's a bit harsh isn't it?" He laughed as Riddhima managed a smile.
"And hell it's not like I rape them or something!" Armaan dug his hands into his pocket.
"Mr Armaan malik, you are the most shameless man I have ever met!" Riddhima burst out laughing holding onto her stomach as he gazed her.
"But really, how do you know that non of them ever loved you?" She bore deep into his eyes.
"Well they can if they want, but the point is I don't so they're going to have to live with that!"
"And there we are finally, typical male chauvinist pigs!" Armaan's expressions hardened. "Hey!!" "Well what did I say wrong, its all back to square one isn't it, you men just want the physical love, you don't understand anything you men. They probably trusted you and there you went just using her or them as tissue and them chucking it away!" She paused for a mere moment as Armaan frantically waved his hands in the air to try and silence her! "Did you ever try and ask, or apologize, typical male ego… as always! God all me are just…"
Her sentence left incomplete and hanging in the air as she sucked in the air with the sudden shock of things. His lips sealed hers and his palms clasped her head tightly. Her own arms nailed to the side of her body, she just couldn't move. The nerve endings frozen... Not likely to move. Her eyes tightly shut as his lips prodded hers. Opening her eyes she felt the ho9ld tighten as her grey eyes exploded with horror.
"Next time, shut up when I tell you to… will you?" Armaan's hands dug into his pockets again as the shock stricken Riddhima opened her mouth wide!
"You moron!!! How dare you!!!! Ewwwww!!! My first kiss and that toooo with YOU!!!!" Her face turned form pale to tomato plum as the blood pumped through her again. Armaan snickered as she clicked her fingers in front of him.
"I hate you!!!!" Huffing and wiping her lips vigorously she walked out of sight leaving a very amused armaan!
*present day-airport*
"I can't believe you kissed me Armaan… that night… oh my gosh I was like did he just do that… if it wasn't for the stupid muscles in my body freezing.. You wouldn't have been alive today!" Riddhima lowered her yes as a certain crimson colour washed her cheeks…
"So are you telling me that my kiss was that good that you froze!" Armaan snickered as he watched her grey eyes explode in horror.
"Yes… I mean n-no… Urgghh… Armaan Malik I so hate you!" Riddhima moved her hair behind her ear.
"And, the famous hate you line gets the limelight once again." Armaan chuckled as he watched her bite into her cake again.
"Yh so where were we?" She asked with her mouth full.
Armaan shrugged. "Oh yeah… to the day on which the brat armaan changed into the wonderful friend he is now!" Her eyes twinkling, she spoke again as the slight tears brimmed on her eyelids.
*Flashback continued*
They became full fledged enemies after that night. More months passed and their fourth year was just starting. Armaan wandered through the corridor flinging the file in his hand. Seeing a figure in the fire escape he stopped. The figure clad in the blue suit wasn't hard to recognize. Her against the wall she sat lifeless. Agreed that things between them had always been so and so but they still considered each other friends. Slowly opening the door Armaan could now hear the small sobs coming from her. Suddenly worried, he gently sat down and placed his hand on her shoulder. Looking up she saw armaan and what she saw in his eyes was the care and the concern for her. Fresh pool of tears burst its banks as she wrapped hers arms around him. Letting her cry it all out, he caressed her back ever so gently.
Countless questions screened across his mind as he noticed her sobs subsiding now. She had always been strong and he had never seen the stress or pressure get to her.
"Thanks armaan." Wiping her tear stricken face she looked him in the eye and smiled at him honestly for the first time in ages.
"You know riddhima. I am a very good listener." He crossed over his arms as he saw her inhale deeply.
"I miss my mum and dad armaan." She sighed as her face softened again.
"So what's the big deal, we have got our annual leaves coming up, go ad pay them a visit." He suggested.
She smiled lightly at his innocence. "Where they live armaan, even I can't go there, not until I am alive." The tears cam back as Armaan's face sobered and he consoled her again. This girl was unimaginable. All these years and no one knew!!
"I am not from around here Armaan; I was born in California, and spent my entire life there." Armaan listened patiently.
"My parents Shashank and padma gupta owned a private nursing home in California. I am their only child; just say we were a small little family. My dad's older brother, siddharth uncle and his son. His wife had passed ago long back and we are really close. My best friend is my Rahul bhai. He always protects me like a little girl, calls me his angel" Riddhima paused briefly as Armaan nosed with her.
"So yes and with the addition of Muskaan bhabi in the family, let's just say our lives just got more and more beautiful, until…" She stopped mid sentence as the silent tears made her way down her cheeks.
"Mum and dad were coming home form a conference from New York, on their way form the airport, they had an accident. A lorry lost control and bashed into them, both of them, gone in one moment and you know the worst part..." Tears still streaming down her face, "I was on the phones to them armaan, the tears the cries, the shouts of help, it never leaves me armaan, all in my nightmares!" Riddhima clasped her head as in to try and get rid of the terrible voices coming from her head.
Armaan looked at her astounded. Clasping her again, he let her sob on his shoulder as he patted her back. Kissing her lightly on her forehead he made an attempt to wipe her tears but more followed after.
Just leaving her to it, he did the only thing he could, just be there for her.
~*~*~*~*~*
Hello everyone…. Me back... lol… exams over… personally not up to the mark in my opinion but leave your honest comments… love you all tons… Armaan's past coming up. Just big hugs for bearing with me all this time… cheers…
Rav
xx
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