AR Out of love? part 2 pg 14 (9/4)

Out of Love?

Had anyone entered the room, it would have appeared empty. The lights were switched off and the entire room was still and deathly silent. In a dark corner of that dingy room, in a crumpled heap lay Riddhima. She had been crying for so long that now keeping her eyes open hurt. She had no idea what time of the night it was. Her head was throbbing with pain as she held it in her hands, closing her eyes in despair. Tears flowed down continuously, streaking her pale cheeks.She was drained completely with no energy left to even make a whimper. A small voice inside her head said "How could this have happened? When did it all fall apart? Everything was perfect, right? Then how could her life just crumple and fall like a house of cards?They were meant for each other right from the beginning, were they not? They were immersed in each other's love'she and Armaan. She loved him'more than her life. And he loved you too' said the voice.His heart beat for her alone.But why was everything in the past tense? Why was she so miserable today?Where had they come to? Why did they dread living with each other, why was it impossible to be with him any longer? Perhaps, had they fallen out of love with each other?Did she love him no more, did'nt he care about her any longer?

Plagued by these thoughts, she closed her eyes, desperate for answers. And the images of her wedding came floating into her mind

FLASHBACK

As Armaan stood outside the marriage registrar's office in his crisp white kurta pyjama, he glanced at his watch for the umpteenth time. It was not like Riddhima to be late, especially today.His heart craved to see her more than ever before at that moment.Just as he was about to try her cellphone again, an auto came to a halt in front of the office.

First came out two large suitcases and then emerged the most beautiful bride Armaan had ever set his eyes on'His Riddhima. Clad in a dark red saree with a gold border, light jewellery and minimalistic make-up, she had never looked more beautiful to him.Armaan felt as though he was falling for her all over again.Rahul and Abhimanyu came down the steps and hugged her, picking up her suitcases.Muskaan and Nikita hugged their best friend and told her how wonderful she was looking.Amidst all this, Armaan was still left standing on the steps with his mouth slightly open.

"Ridzi, what happened yaar? Your late?" Muskaan queried.

"Bechaara Armaan started to think you stood him up." Abhimanyu added.

" Arre yaar, don't ask.Last minute mein sab gadbad hogaya! I had told ma and papa that I'm going to Bangalore for one of my college friend's wedding.Today, all of a sudden papa insisted on dropping me to the airport, so I had change over there and catch an auto and come here, and with all this luggage'."

She stopped talking suddenly when Armaan came down and engulfed her in his arms, burying his face in her hair. She closed her eyes at his touch and all the doubts in her mind regarding what she was about to do vanished. She knew that as long as she stayed in his arms forever, everything would be fine. This reassuring hug was what they both needed at this moment for them to go ahead with what they were about to do. Raising his head slightly, " Your looking beautiful!" he whispered into her ears. She blushed a deep shade of red as Armaan adjusted her maang teeka and the gang hooted and wolf whistled.

"Ahem Ahem!" Muskaan cleared her throat. "Shaadi karne chalein?" she said prodding the two.

" Haan chal na" Rahul said, winking at her only to receive a blow on his arm from Muskaan.

Abhimanyu had brought his Santro along but with six of them and Riddhima's suitcases and bags there was hardly enough space.Nikita and Abhi settled down in front.Then,

" Riddhima will sit on my lap, then we'll have enough space." Armaan said.

" Oh please stop getting so horny already! You guys have your whole life for that okay?" Muskaan teased.

" I know! Height of desperation, I tell you." Rahul rolled his eyes at the pair of them.

"I'm sitting on Rahul's lap, that's it!" Muskaan declared, with her arms folded across her chest.

" Just say you wanna sit on his lap, na?" Armaan accused.

" Fine I do.So? So? So?" Muskaan charged at Armaan who pretended to cower behind Ridzi.Finally thay all packed into the Santro and set off.

" Muskaan! Kitni moti ho gayi tu?" Rahul grumbled.

" Oyye Gadhey! Moti hogi meri sautan!" Muskaan retorted.

"Pura din toh khaati rehti hain'weight nahi chadega kya? Poor me, abhi yeh haal hai, pata nahi shaadi ke baad, tu phat jaye?" Rahul asked.

"Rahul, ullo ke patthey, you moron! I should have left you at the mercy of sister Lovely, tab tujhey pata chalta moti ka kya matlab kya hota hai."

" Rahul yaar, this is nothing.I've been suffering for years now!" Abhimanyu interjected.

Nikita raised her eyebrows at him, "Excuse me?"

"Aur nahin toh kya? Yeh hamari Dr. Nikita Modi'.Dikhti choti hai, par wazan baap re!"

"That's bullshit!" Nikita fumed. " I play basketball regularly'aur main kabhi moti nahi hui!"

"Rahul, suna tuney? Chaar foot, do inch ki meri Nikki, basketball khelti hain, haina jaaneman?" Abhimanyu laughed while Nikki made futile attempts to convince them that she is fantastic basketball player despite her height. The four of them were so involved in this mundane argument that they failed to notice the newly wed couple.

Riddhima quietly placed her head on Armaan's shoulder and closed her eyes. Armaan took her hand in his and entwined his fingers with hers. It was an ambrosial moment for the two of them'their love was sanctified and their dream had come true. He turned her palm over in his hand and began softly caressing her palm with his thumb, admiring her dark red mehendi.

" Riddhima, I'm'.I'm sorry.I know you've always dreamt of a nice big wedding and reception and sangeet and stuff.I'm so sorry baby. I should have'"

" Ssh" She placed a finger on his lips, silencing him.

"I love you Armaan. And you know what I've dreamt of ? I've dreamt of being with you '.i've dreamt of spending every blissful moment of my life with you.That's all I ever wanted Armaan.And by the way what gives you this impression that I'm not happy with our wedding? You may not be mister, but it was the most precious moment of my life."

Armaan looked down at Riddhima and smiled. She went back to resting her head on his shoulder and he placed a tender long kiss on her forehead.

" Kya yaar tum log phir se shuru ho gaye?" Rahul interrupted.

Abhimanyu added, " Yeh dono toh aaj hi nayi bed ko thod kar rakh denge'Patience guys.Lo, we're here."

They entered the gates and were greeted by an old lady waiting at the doorstep with a pooja thali.

" Riddhima, yeh Shehnaaz bi hain.She lives downstairs and she's like my mum."Armaan told her as they both bent to touch her feet.

"Khushi khushi raho, tum dono."

"Bohat saari batein karta hai Armaan apke bare mein." Riddhima smiled at the old lady. She felt like she already knew her because Armaan had told her so much about bi.

"Haan haan mujhe bhi tumhaare bare mein sab kuch bataa diya hai usne" she said kindly.

She twisted Armaan's ear and said, " Itni soni kudi hai. Thik se khayal rakhna tu iska, samjha?"

Armaan smiled at her and nodded solemnly.

Muskaan and Nikki offered to unpack Riddhima's stuff and put it away in her cupboard, while the guys set up the bed and some of the new furniture.Riddhima went to the kitchen to fix a snack for all of them.She entered the kitchen and found it to be a complete mess. Dirty pots and pans lay here and there, spoons, knives and ladles lay strewn about on the counter. The basin looked like it had not been cleaned in ages and the aquaguard was leaking.Riddhima sighed. Armaan had truly lived a bachelor's life.Not wasting anymore time she set about cleaning up the kitchen, washing the dirty pots and pans and putting them away until the entire ktchen was squeaky clean.She decided she will make bhel puri for everyone. As she mixed the ingredients in a bowl, she recalled how her parents used to love her bhel puri.Immediately tears welled up in her eyes. She knew she was making them go through a terrible situation. But she was helpless. Her love for Armaan had overpowered everything else. Riddhima remembered the note she had left in her bedroom by heart. She had read it so many times in the past 3 months.

My dear ma and papa,

I'm so sorry to do this to you both. I know I have failed your expectations and hurt you both. By the time you read this note, I'll be married to Armaan. This would all have been so much easier if you had just accepted Armaan and our relationship. I know that you don't approve of him and detest this marriage, but I also know that he is everything to me and I cannot live without him, leave alone marry another man. I'm sorry for all the pain I'm making you go through, I really am. If possible please forgive your only daughter and accept our marriage. Tonight there is a dinner at my place and Armaan and I will be waiting for both of you to come and bless us. Please don't worry about me too much, Armaan is here for me.

I'm sorry.

Your daughter,

Riddhima

Tears fell as Riddhima remembered how she had left her house'cheating and lying to her parents. But what was she to do? She had known Armaan for about one and a half years now and the two of them were besotted with each other. Riddhima felt beautiful after falling in love with him'.and her entire life began to sparkle at Armaan's touch. Their secret meetings in the fire escape, coffee breaks and night duties with each other did not go unnoticed by Dr. Shashank Gupta and soon her family came to know about her relationship with Armaan. Right from the beginning of their courtship days Armaan had embarked on a quest to impress Dr. Shashank to win his daughter's hand in marriage. But Shashank could only spot the defects in Armaan'Impulsive, playful, laid back, prankster, flirtatious, no family, financially unstable, not focussedon his career, too emotionally attached to patients, no sense of money'

Dr. Gupta could not tolerate any aspect of Armaan Mallik ' right from that cheeky grin on his face those disgusting tattoos on his arms. According to him Armaan had committed the most grave sin'.of corrupting and polluting his virtuous daughter. He had destroyed her medical career by distracting her'destroyed her life. Armaan possessed all the qualities that Shashank would detest in his son-in-law. In front of his eyes he saw himself losing control over his only daughter. After Armaan's entry into her life, Riddhima had changed from a reserved , timid and obedient girl to an outspoken and fun-loving person who no longer wanted to do every surgery, no longer wanted to attend every conference and assist in every journal, no longer wanted to study abroad. She wasted her time with him playing chess and caram with the old people in the geriatrics ward or running off to the Lonavla Orphanage with him on some pretext or the other.

Shashank had always wanted Riddhima to become a prestigious doctorand marry a suitable groom of his choice who had money and status, an illustrious family of doctors with name and fame and most of all, aman who would remain under Shashank's thumb and take over Sanjeevani later. But Armaan was none of this. Shashank considered him to be an obnoxious bully and a disgrace to the medical profession and hence in an attempt to wean Riddhima off Armaan he had asked for Dr. Vivek Malhotra's hand in marriage for his daughter.But Riddhima was aghast, she had never imagined her father would trample her wishes like this and thrown up a huge big fuss, claiming that she could not live without Armaan.

The past few months had been nothing but turmoil for Riddhima. Everytime she broached the topic of Armaan and her relationship in front of her parents, her dad would throw a fit and vehemently oppose the idea while her mom would continuously try to convince her that she should marry an established and financially secure man with a reputable family. Fights, crying, and slamming doors had become a regular affair in the Gupta household.More than anything else her parents could not accept the fact that she was in love with a boy and was taking the descision to marry herself when they had always wanted an arranged marriagefor their demure and subdued daughter.

What hurt Riddhima was the fact that her parents never even considered Armaan. They thought this was a childish infatuation she had for a guy which she would get over in a few months. True, love marriages were common now. But that was for other outlandish girls, not their Riddhima. They were sure convinced that their would forget Armaan and his existence once she was married off to Vivek. Vivek was powerful, successful and could afford luxury beyond Riddhima's imagination. Padma failed to understand what fault her daughter could possibly find in this ideal boy.

For months together Riddhima tried and tried but her parents remained firm on their descision and looked for new ways of convincing her to forget Armaan. Whenever ahe shared her frustration and tears with Armaan he would make her laugh at something silly and soothe her with comforting words, telling her that maybe her parents needed more time to accept their love. He would cuddle her and cheer her up, making her get rid of all the stress at home. Armaan was prepared to wait, but heart of hearts Riddhima knew that her parents would never accept Armaan. As the date of the wedding drew nearer Riddhima grew more and more anxious.

Three months ago, desperate and helpless, Riddhima called Armaan to the fire escape. As he entered he found Riddhima standing on the steps with her back to him, and he knew instantly that she was very upset. "Riddhima" he touched her shoulder.

The moment he touched her, the damn of emotions broke. She flung her arms around his neck and hugged him tight as he backed up to the wall. His arms went around her tiny waist as she soaked his shirt with her tears.Copious tears flowed down her face and he tried to calm her down by gently rubbing her back. She clutched on to his collar and cried until her eyes became red, her face swollen. Try as he might, Armaan could not get her to stop crying. He closed his eyes and hugged her tight until her whole body relaxed. Then slowly moving her hair out of her face, he wiped her tears. He placed tender soothing kisses on her forehead, her eyelids and her cheeks'

She closed her eyes as his lips touched her skin and lost herself completely. Her lips brushed against his in a soft, gentle kiss which soon deepened, making them forget all their miseries.Their bodies drew closer in yearning for each other and they were enveloped together in this beautiful expression of their love.

Gently parting but yet together, they looked into each other's eyes. Armaan cupped her face in his hands:

"Riddhima, what's wrong?" Immediately fresh tears welled up in her eyes and she placed her head on his chest.

"Armaan, we have to elope!" she sobbed.

" What? Riddhima what are you saying?" Armaan broke the hug to face her.

" Armaan, I said I think we should elope!"she said.

" Riddhima, what's wrong with you? Your saying this? You know we can't elope!" Then he realized that perhaps something really drastic had occurred at her place to compel her to think of eloping.

"Listen to me, Riddhima. We cannot elope okay? I know things are a little rough at home but let's not get impulsive and make a mess out of this. Just wait for a little while and I'm sure things will work out for us'"

"Nothing is going to work out Armaan! If they had to change their mind it would have happened long ago!"

"But Riddhima try and understand, we cannot elope! It's just wrong!"

"Will it be right when I'm forced to marry Vivek? Will it be right when I can't spend my life with you? Will it be right when all our lives are ruined, Armaan?

Armaan did not have an answer. Riddhima was getting hysterical and he decided he would try to reason with her later.

She pulled him close and whispered, "Armaan, do you love me?"

"Riddhima, listen to me'"

"Armaan, I said, do you love me?"

"Yes, Riddhima, I love you baby, but we are being hasty'"

She grabbed his collar and pulled him towards herself until their lips were touching.

"Armaan please, please do this for me, do this for us'."

"Riddhima, this is not right" His eyes were closed.

"ARMAAN PLEASE!!! I'LL DIE WITHOUT YOU!" Riddhima shuddered and suddenly her grip on him slackened and giving up she slid down his body and fell down in a heap on the steps, sobbing uncontrollably. Armaan was shocked to see her like this and his throat choked up. He sat down on the steps and lifted her onto his lap, rocking her like a little baby. She cried for a long time, mumbling incoherently about how much she loved him and how her parents would never agree and how she hated vivek. Armaan listened to her weeping with intermittent hiccups, not realizing that silent tears were streaming down his face. Riddhima looked up at him after a while and found his eyes closed. She touched his face with her palm, "Armaan, please just say yes!"

He opened her eyes to her tear stained his face. " Let's wait for six months atleast, Riddhima please"

"We can't! The wedding's in three months, Armaan!"

"Okay, three months then! Something will work out for us, I'm sure!"

"Just three months Armaan, promise?"

"Promise"

She hugged him and they stayed that way for a long time. Three months flew by and the situation remained the same compelling them to elope a week before her wedding with Vivek.

Rahul, Muskaan, Abhimanyu and Nikita had managed to stall Armaan and successfully keep him away from his new bride for the past half hour. Everytime he moved towards the door they called him back to ask him which way should the bed be kept or which side should the TV face. They knew very well that he longed to go see Riddhima and enjoyed teasing and taunting him on the pretext of some work or the other.

Finally Armaan managed to slip out of the room as the four of them were busy arguing about the position of the new dressing table. He found Riddhima in the kitchen and quietly came up to her and slid his hands around her waist, placing his chin on her shoulder.

"Armaan!" she mumbled. He turned her around and found she had been crying.

"Ma aur Papa ki yaad aa rahi hai?" he asked cupping her face.

She nodded slowly. He knew her so well that words were no longer a necessity between them, their hearts spoke to each other in a language of their own.

"Armaan, maine ma aur papa ko aaj ki dinner ke liye bulaya hai." She told him.

He waited for a while before speaking. She was tender and vulnerable now and he didn't want to hurt her.Sighing he whispered, "They won't come Riddhima."

She looked up at him. " They might'"

" Give them some time, Riddhima. They'll have hard time accepting this now but after sometime, everything will be fine."

They hugged, seeking the comfort of each other's arms.

"Cough Cough" They broke apart to find Dr. Shubhanker and his wife Dr. Keerthi entering the kitchen.

" Thoda sabr karo, sabr ka phal bohat meetha hota hai." Shubhanker joked as Keerti hugged the newly wed couple and gave Riddhima a bunch of red orchids.

"Yeh kya Armaan? Abhi abhi toh shaadi hui hai aur Riddhima ro rahi hai?"

" Ladkiyan toh sirf ek din roti hain Armaan, lekin hum mardo ko toh zindagi bhar silently suffer karma padhta hai!" Shubhanker said.

" I know sir, meri umar quaed shuru ho chuki hai." Armaan added with a downcast face. "Shut up Armaan!" Riddhima hit his arm hard making him wince in pain.

"Chalo, ab tum dono baahar aa jao" Keerthi added. They came out and greeted all their guests ' Sister lovely, Sapna, Amit, Omar bhai, a few wardboys and nurses who were close to them and Shehnaaz bi.

They all wished the young couple and sat down for dinner after relishing Riddhima's bhel puri. According to the tradition, Armaan and Riddhima ate their first meal as husband and wife from the same plate. Throughout dinner all of them talked about the numerous times the staff of Sanjeevni had caught Armaan and Riddhima in various nooks and corners of the hospital.

After dinner all of them wished the couple and left. Rahul, Muski, Abhi and Nikki had gifted them a three day honeymoon in a place called Kumarakkom in Kerala.

" Riddhima, here this is for both of you." Keerthi handed her an envelope.

" We decided that it was best to give you both some cash as you are just going to start a new life'" Shubhankar added.

" Thank you so much." They both smiled at Dr. shubhankar and keerti.

"God bless you both!" said Keerti. "You both have just begun'..so there will be problems. But the most important thing is that you should be together. Support one another. Enjoy your time together, because this period just after the marriage is beautiful and won't come back. Look out for each other. You both are quite young so enjoy your married life but at the same time, Armaan, Riddhima is your responsibility and you are hers, so take care of each other and you'll be fine.All the best!"

Armaan placed an arm around Riddhima who had gone misty eyed listening to Dr. Keerti.

"Keerti! Don't scare them! And you both, relax. Sab kuch theek ho jayega." Shubhankar and Keerti hugged them and left. Abhimanyu and Rahul were just beginning to settle down to watch the Ipl match but Armaan vehemently opposed the idea and manually pushed them out with Muskaan and Nikita, claiming that it was high time they all left. Riddhima bid them goodbye and waited for a second finally digesting the fact that her parents would not come. She knew it was too much to expect them to come and forgive them today itself, but she couldn't help hoping. Locking the front door with a sigh, Riddhima walked back to the kitchen with Armaan in toe.

"Riddhima, kahaan ja rahi ho?" Armaan asked.

"Armaan woh kitchen mein plates clear karne hai'tum jao mein aati hoon."

"No way. Tum already bohat zyaada kaam kar chuki ho. You go take a shower. Main clear kar dunga."

"Nahi Armaan, bas do minat ka kaam hai, main kar deti hoon."

"Nope. Tum jao, you need rest. Main kar dunga."

Riddhima just smiled at him and turned to go to the bedroom.She opened the bedroom door and saw the most beautiful sight in front of her. The whole room was dark with only the moonlight streaming in from the two skylight windows in the room. Red rose petals lay scattered on the new white linen sheets. She walked forward realizing that Muskaan and Nikita must have done all this while they were downstairs. On the bed lay a pearly white satin nightgown with a single long stemmed red rose and note. She opened the note and blushed reading it.

"For my baby" it said.

She picked it up and walked into the loo and took a long warm shower, enjoying the sensation of water gliding down her body. Then drying her hair partially and putting on the nightgown she looked at herself in the mirror and smiled shyly. She felt nervous and scared but she also felt happy and excited. Smoothing down her nightgown, she looked at her reflection. Who was she kidding? Deep down inside her she knew she was anticipating this night as much as Armaan was. Inhaling deeply she came out into the bedroom and saw that Armaan had not come yet. There was a very strong breeze blowing so she closed the doors to the balcony and was trying to bolt it but this house was very old and the latch was too high for her. Armaan walked to find Riddhima standing on tip toe trying to latch the balcony door. He came up behind her and latched it making Riddhima jump.

"Oh, tum ho." Riddhima sighed in relief.

"Kyun kissi aur ka intezaar tha kya?" He winked at her cheekily.

"Shut up, Armaan!" She turned to go but he pulled her back, bringing her crashing into his chest.

He tilted her chin up to face him. They were standing under the skylight now and Riddhima was only wearing the kadaa and the sindoor and yet she looked breathtakingly beautiful to him. He traced her face with his fingers making her close her eyes feeling his touch. His thumb grazed her lower lip and pulling her closer he gently began kissing her. Slowly his lips probed hers, making her open up to him and put her arms round his neck deepening the kiss. His arms wandered over her body touching and feeling her in a way no one ever had. She moaned as he sucked on her lower lip, losing her senses in his love. Unconsciously her fingers moved in his hair, urging him on for she wanted him as much as he wanted her. His lips traveled all over her slender body, burning passionate kisses onto her skin. Armaan's soft fingers delicately slid off the straps of the white nightgown, while his lips played havoc on her collar bone. The moment the gown slid off her body, Riddhima felt vulnerable and insecure, and she clung to Armaan trying to hide herself in him. She peeled off his clothes slowly, trembling as his skin touched hers. Entwined together they fell on the bed, their passion rising. His fingers caressed her sensitive skin and she was slipping like silk beneath him. Shivering from his touch she drew him into her and then she felt a sharp pain and tears escaped her as she gasped. She was feeling pain and pleasure at the same untill both were the same and she did'nt know which was which. That night they explored an entirely different unreal world where all they could feel was pure love.

Labon ko Labon pe sajao
Kya ho tum mujhe ab batao
Labon ko Labon pe sajao
Kya ho tum mujhe abb batao

Todh do khud ko tum
Baanhon mein meri
Baanhon mein meri
Baanhon mein meri
Baanhon mein meri

Tere ehsaasson mein Bheege lamhato mein
Mujhko doobati tishnagi si hain
Teri adaao se dilkash khatao se
In lamho mein zindagi si hai
Haya ko zara bhool jao
Mere hi tarah pesh aao

Kho bhi do khud ko tum meri tum
Raaton mein meri

Raaton mein meri

Raaton mein meri

Labon ko Labon pe sajao
Kya ho tum mujhe abb batao
Labon ko Labon pe sajao
Kya ho tum mujhe abb batao

Tere jasbaaton mein mehki si saason mein
Yeh to mehek Sangali si hai
Dil ki panahon mein bikhri si aahon mein
Sone ki khwasish jagi si hai
Chehre se chehra chupao
Seene ki dhadkan sunao
Dekh lo khud ko tum

Annkhon mein meri

Aankhon mein meri

Ankhon mein meri

Labon ko Labon pe sajao
Kya ho tum mujhe abb batao
Labon ko Labon pe sajao
Kya ho tum mujhe abb batao

Sumedha nice story .Where he had gone nd why????????????

wanna read more......

Something From Nothing...





I want to be
the flock you tend,
the dream your
heart desires.
I want to be
your everything,
far more than
love requires.
I want to lay
all of my hopes
at your feet,
and turn all of
the bitterness that
ever touched you sweet.
I want to fill
your whole world
with fragrant flowers,
and shelter you
from springtime showers.
I want to occupy
your heart,
reside in all
of your thoughts.
I want to make something
out of nothing,
create a gem
out of naught.

thanks for pm.

love

ritu