Adolescence of Love - Chap15/Pg136 (11/29)

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kabeeraspeaking

@kabeeraspeaking

Sparkler

+ 2

Posted: 15 years ago

#311

Originally posted by: spln

"Hey-lo!" He continued breaking the words in a way that was easily irritating for Abhimanyu, more so since the latter bit of this particular split at the roll of syllable sounded very suspiciously like 'love'. And then, much to his chagrin, Armaan put to display those infallible dimples. Abhimanyu had a fleeting vision of beating Malik to pulp till the smile no longer was, then standing up tall flexing his biceps in victory. It was followed by an image of ramming his own head into a wall. Conspicuously, he cleared his throat.

To do or not to do? 😆 Abhi's constantly fluctuating emotions towards Armaan are a riot. Ranging from grudging appreciation to restrain because of 'civil duty,' you'd think the guy was experiencing raging mood-swings. Ah.

Hmmm, I see where Nikki's coming from, especially with the first impression Abhi scored...and then with a girl's mind working on over-analyze, it's a very understandable conclusion to make. With Abhi kind of over it from the not-so-good 'date' too, I'm curious to see how both of them come into each other's bubble of interaction.

Armaan's been bitten by the love-bug big time, huh? The post-match conversation between the boys was interesting...the sober mood even after a win (btw, was the match anti-climatic or what? You took this one for a ride :P) And I have to agree with Anjie, poor thing really is out of the loop. Which makes me wonder, are her and Atul paired?

Lots of things to take up on, so looking forward to what you tackle next time. Enjoyed reading this one, thanks! 🤗

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@spln

Inactive

+ 5

Posted: 15 years ago

#312

@nij ... :) dude, i still think you screamed way out of league for my understanding then, and i still admit i was grinning like a bobcat on knowing the reason! obviously! the girls, the guys, sumit (and ur gussa) AND the end... if there's anything i'd change about the part, it language in some bits... order of events for now, yeh it fits! :) and yeh, wyfy wish on priority, i swear sucha wala!! love for armaan from before dmg... as in... love for .... *ahem* yeh i know, and insha allah! arav and his eyes, i told u, ur mad, and i can never EVER comprehend what part of the comment inspired sharing that here, or the part :D

@smriti... have a fun baby-sitting weekend hun!

@sai and @ftm_ca... (answering u both together on the certain armaan's reaction to ridhima not showing up scenario in bold) predictions! i thought i was becoming very easily predictable now, as nij also told me, after how much people had read from me jee! but glad i could still catch a surprise, and for the most despite the complication that it went well for those of you who have commented! anj had to come into picture as more than a name about time now! btw, i love your metaphor of hip hop to a cave man, had me in splits!! and armaan... well... to be honest, what i portrayed in my opinion was something of a reaction from a guy who wasnt expecting a girl to show up as much as not expecting her to, u know? its like he never has had those compromise situations for real, and in his head he had stepped no where wrong, somewhere perhaps seeing nikki come not ridhima, plus getting distracted plus doing bad on a game that to a boy can matter like life plus being sympathized with and told that it was cause of her... frustration inevidently right? hes not smitten or taken to her... but hes reasonable guy and thinks of her as reasonable and this sudden situation makes things appear differently to him in a way he cant handle yet... its that once in a while out of character reaction people can give, which can be understood empathized and justified nonetheless! as far as ridhima's parents/rahul bonding go... give me time ;)!! glad to have ur prompt comment sai!

@ftm_ca again! just realized i missed replying to ur previous comment, sorry about that and welcome to the thread, i'm glad u stumbled upon the thread and it seems like i have an AN fan here!
as far as anjali-atul are concerned, i thought i said somewhere in either the introduction or part 1 of how anjali knows nothing of atul... except about what she heard of him from ridhima/nikki after the romeo juliet-abhi scene at the fest! hoping to sounde clearer on that with coming parts... and its not quite intentional to have left her out... its what happens sometimes in groups of friends where some one confides somewhere on a brink of an impulse and then those who hear later take it not well, of course! but they're thick friends, all 4 girls, and the guys among themselves! hoping u will enoy reading as the track unfolds!

@palnika ... dont worry hun take ur time, although id love to hear back the details when u can manage the time!

@harika glad u like the chaos, and u interpret armaan's reaction exactly as i hoped it would come across! it is just that, a disturbance in a cool composed equilibrium! DCH link, wow, strangely it didn't occur to me, as i have something else in mind for that scene which u will soon see, but it does seem like such a ditto! thanks for pointing out, i ought to be more careful eessh!!

@nidha and @Anahet thanks girls!

@RT di ... lol, glad u found that amusing! i laughed writing it cause i thought i could imagine that happening! also, sumit! wait and watch!! :D

@sunaina james and sirius are an absolute riot!! i always said rowling should do a sort of prologue to the potter series wherein she talkks of the older gen, would love nothing more than to read of their antics! as far as all the bonds go, im glad u like the way they're coming. not telling anjali wasnt exactly what they ha dintended but it happens once in while in groups of friends, and of course that still remains a bad spot, but! they'll make up!! AR egos and bla!!... the fic is about them in the end, ain't it!!

@everyone else : it would nice to hear back from the reserves *ahem* 😆😆😆

Edited by spln - 15 years ago

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Robin

@Robin_M

Rocker

Posted: 15 years ago

#313

once again u have made my day nj :)
im still digesting this part...it was a bit unexpected....im pretty surprised with the turn of events! i happen to like the unpredictable so im really excited about where this is going :D my mind is working over time right now trying to figure out what your planning next lol
i really loved ridz and muskis scene...it was sweet the way they cleared the air and shared a cute moment! im glad thats all sorted out now... heheh ridz confessed she spied on them at ccd! and even told her about armaan! good stuff! i guess muskaan seems to have figured out the situation between AR! ohh and i really liked the play ridz wrote...do i sense an underlying meaning to it!? lol
ok now the confussion...niki thinks abhi is interested in ridz!!? uff men always find a way to mess things up dont they! it was going so nicely too...feel bad for niki and abhi! hahah but i loved armaan and abhis exchange...it was sheer entertainment!
ok why did ridz go and then leave!?! girls can be soo confused! but i think maybe if i were in her place i would be apprehensive too. so if sumit had not shown up then would she have gone to the game?! im suspicious about sumit...in the last part he was not too happy about AR and now in this part he asked her to coffee?! hmm does mr sumit have a thing for our romeo?! and didnt he already know that armaan invited her to the game? and why didnt he pass along ridz good luck to armaan?!! hmm me dont like!
im feeling really bad for armaan...bachara! he was genuinely looking forward to seeing riddhima at the game...and he was distracted because of her...and he was so upset about it :( hopefully they meet up soon!!! hint hint lol
atul having a art show...anjali loves art...niki planning on bribing anjali by taking her to an art show....abhi + atul .... niki + anjali ....atul saying that all the guys were going to meet up later....i smell a set up!!! haha im sooo excited nj! i dont know whats cooking here but it smells good :D
looking forward to the next one, keep up the good deeds ;)

Edited by Robin_M - 15 years ago

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kkanthan

@kkanthan

Inactive

Posted: 15 years ago

#314

As usual fantastic job! I really enjoyed this part although I missed AR interaction😭

Looking forward to the next part soooon😊😛

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not available

@ammy-ridz

Inactive

+ 3

Posted: 15 years ago

#315

Originally posted by: spln

@sai and @ftm_ca... (answering u both together on the certain armaan's reaction to ridhima not showing up scenario in bold) predictions! i thought i was becoming very easily predictable now, as nij also told me, after how much people had read from me jee! but glad i could still catch a surprise, and for the most despite the complication that it went well for those of you who have commented! anj had to come into picture as more than a name about time now! btw, i love your metaphor of hip hop to a cave man, had me in splits!! and armaan... well... to be honest, what i portrayed in my opinion was something of a reaction from a guy who wasnt expecting a girl to show up as much as not expecting her to, u know? its like he never has had those compromise situations for real, and in his head he had stepped no where wrong, somewhere perhaps seeing nikki come not ridhima, plus getting distracted plus doing bad on a game that to a boy can matter like life plus being sympathized with and told that it was cause of her... frustration inevidently right? hes not smitten or taken to her... but hes reasonable guy and thinks of her as reasonable and this sudden situation makes things appear differently to him in a way he cant handle yet... its that once in a while out of character reaction people can give, which can be understood empathized and justified nonetheless! as far as ridhima's parents/rahul bonding go... give me time ;)!! glad to have ur prompt comment sai!

Hi nj! Thanx for the clearing those facts. I actually never thought Armaan to be smitten by Ridz or something...It was like I thought Because of Ridz not showing up and he was atleast half expecting her to be there cauz if he din't he would never have disclosed it to his buddies...and I agree Nikki turning up and Ridz not definitely was distraction at the back of his head..and it may have lead to the 'Yellow' Card so I concluded that she had affected him..that's all.

Hmm..actually here i need to add something which i never added in my comment..Loved that Armaan-Abhi moment with nikki..it was hilarious.

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Armaan

@-Armaan-

Explorer

Posted: 15 years ago

#316

Edited my comment on page 41 !!

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@-Aria-

Dazzler

+ 6

Posted: 15 years ago

#317

Originally posted by: spln

@everyone else : it would nice to hear back from the reserves *ahem* 😆😆😆

Got the hint😆 sorry for backing out for the time being..didnt realise I would be so caught up with everything..and as if that was not bad enough- I meant reserving a space and not getting back to it, I should know a thing or two about that..but its been compounded by my injury..my mind can only say thank you for updating..which I understand would be a gross injustice equivalent to pressing the like button.😛..so I chose to remain aloof and not butt back in the reserved space....oh i hope that made some sense..if not..blame that on my semi-awake state of mind..two days of sleep...and i still dont make much sense..😕now coming to the last part, i love the impending AR confrontation with their respective egos attached to them..looking forward to their next meet. See thats about all I can muster up for now..Thanks for posting the updates regularly..😆

Edited by olive_green - 15 years ago

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Alia

@SimplyNice

Dazzler

+ 3

Posted: 15 years ago

#318

nj m so busted....feel my limbs will fall off& than i came & read dat tb article....will b bak soon 2 comment properly..

*edit*

well nj,i kno m too late 2 comment on the prev part bt i stand by my resolve 2 comment on each seperately & than move further.so part 6...."why didnot ridz go??!!" poor arman lost his concentration cz of her!! i cant even blame her u know...its her wish no2 & armaan shud hav taken it lightly cz it wz nt lyk they know eachother dat much 2 hav any kind of commitments as yet...2 hav felt her absence & actually not perform his best in the game sure hav stirred sumthin wich 4 now he z nt aware!! how will he confront ridz now? anyways dint lyk wt abhi said abt the girls& armaan in his state agreed 2 him...& the whole confusion dat poor nikki had gone thru,cant blame her cold attitude cz any girl wud hav got dat impression...

so now m gonna scroll down & read further, my major quaries dat i want answered r wat will arman reaction b wen he comes 2 know dat ridz did come bt dint c da game,will anjy 4giv her friends,how will abhi nikki resolve dat misundrstanding!!

aur intezaar khatam as i m getting2 read part 7 now!! wat a treat haha!! THANKS NJ LOVYA 4 DAT!!!!!!!!!

Edited by SimplyNice - 15 years ago

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@spln

Inactive

+ 5

Posted: 15 years ago

#319

~ Part 7 ~

"Finally! I thought you'd never answer."

"Armaan..." he mouthed silently to Abhimanyu who tried to grab the cell in a hope to be salvaged briefly but Atul had already slipped out of his spot leaving him behind to substitute instead.

"Champ... ?"

"Hang on," he whispered, walking out of the gallery's main doors before his volume revived to normal, "Now what were you saying?"

"I didn't say yet. And dude! You've been switched off forever." Then without letting him explain he analyzed, "But I guess that's a positive sign. How'd it go?" Atul smiled.

"Lets talk over dinner? My treat." Armaan raised an impressed eye. On his side, Atul realized he was standing in the way of a girl; with an apologetic gesture removed himself from blocking the door to let her walk in.

"That good, eh?!" She returned a polite smile back to him before walking through the doors. Atul missed Armaan's compliment.

"Huh?" He uttered absent mindedly. Tall, stylish, classy. Completely uptown. Was she here for his paintings? There had to be a genuine patronizing instinct to pay visits to amateur displays. From that brief look, she was as likely as she was unlikely to be found indulging an evening for such endeavors. He couldn't make up his mind.

"Still with me champ?"

"Uh... yeh... Sorry! I am. It packs up here in a bit. In fact I was going to see the floor manager for the clean up details next. Why don't we meet you at SDA directly in an hour? Nirula's?"

"You're on! I'm pretty close anyways. Some CDs I had to pick up at the mall." Armaan paused, walking past CCD, a fleeting vision of the last time some days ago flashed ignoring which he continued, moving his eyes elsewhere, "By the way, I got the worst grading panel ever. Arbit questioning for 57 minutes on a 30 minute presentation."

"Hmmm," Atul replied, absorbed, then registered what he had been told and added hastily, "Sounds intense..."

"You have no idea!" Armaan exclaimed exasperated, "I was staring at my wrist every five minutes and they were blatantly oblivious to all hints." The complaining sarcasm in his tone clearly invited a supportive empathy, would have even sounded a tad bit over dramatic by his usual standards, but Atul didn't respond. Armaan pulled the cell away from his ear to check if he was still connected. Gave it a funny look since he was, as if he expected Atul to see his face, then clicking his tongue completed, "But I'm still alive... talking to you..." almost like he had intended to remind him that he WAS still on the call. Belatedly it hit a point with Atul.

"I'm sorry. I just saw this girl walk in towards the exhibit and I feel like she might be in a wrong place."

"Girl... " Armaan repeated.

"That's right." There was an out of spot pause in conversation, cause Atul thought he was done, and Armaan expected more coming. When it didn't he spoke tentatively,

"Err... well, why don't you go back inside and see for yourself... Atul...?" attentive to a reaction, since he had not been obliged with words.

"I should."

"Right..." Scratching his head lowered at an angle, Armaan managed to keep the curiosity out of his voice, "See you guys in an hour then."

"Yeh. Bye!"

When he heard the call click, Armaan walked in slow, considering steps. Tapping the cell with his fingertips till a faintly amused smile finally made appearance. Then with no warning, he laughed to himself. Dinner he was sure looking forward to, slightly more than before! Shaking his head, he ruffled his hair and walked into Planet M.

***************************************
"Armaan..." the name escaped her lips soundlessly.

Still sorting the papers into her file, her mind preoccupied, she had walked some steps before it struck her. Abruptly, Ridhima turned around. There was a little boy whining for candy floss even as his mother paid no heed and dragged him on. There was another gang of girls, high school at max, six or seven- squealing and loud over some poster on the outside display of Planet M. A middle aged lady was supporting an older one, and even in a quick glance Ridhima saw the similarity of features- mother and daughter, she concluded. But there was no sign of... him. In fact, Ridhima realized, expectant and wary as she searched the crowd in her vicinity, no one around her in particular was laughing as such.

And yet, she had so certainly sensed that familiarity in the laugh. Had he not just... walked past her? Impulsively she smacked the file over her head. Great! This was all she needed. Now she was imagining, no hallucinating. Flustered, as she snapped back around a small child ran into her legs and the pages slipped through her fingers scattering all about her. Swearing at herself she moved with haste to retrieve them before she had either lost them, or they were stamped over with footprints. Hell! She didn't even have a back up for the latest bit edited, having only just gotten it done over the afternoon sitting in the CCD lounge. When she got up, frowning heavily, she found some sheets extended towards her. And behind it the kid who had caused the chaos.

His impish grin and floss lathered face were a sight, the floss a proof that he had gotten his way with his mother. It was the same whining boy from a minute ago. Inevitably, she had giggled at him before she even realized.

"Sorry!" he said, not quite apologetic. His eyes were big, observant and unblinking and he seemed too much a punk to be concerning himself with her accepting verdict, but he waited for her to say it anyways.

"Its okay..." she said, taking the papers from him. In an impulse she turned the flap of his P-cap to a side slant and winked at him before walking away. Smiling. And sorting her papers all over again, till the pace of her steps retarded until she had come to a standstill with the file in her hand. Her lips pursed. She turned around to look at the place she had walked out of once more. Scanned the crowd like before and found nothing. No one, that could have been him, or even seemed so. Ridhima sighed.

She had been lying to everyone, and to herself. There was no logical reason in opting for an overtly expensive CCD over her own college cafe. And it was a third day running that she had come here; there was no dearth of reasons that could support her sudden fetish, but wasn't it time she just accepted the real one?

Saturday afternoon had passed into evening and night, she had survived the distraction of the inexplicable unease, closer to guilt. It wasn't as simple when Sunday had dawned, even her philosophy of sleeping over the issue had not worked, and by mid day she was restless and left campus for a walk. Which ended in paying a visit to the mall. Getting herself a cup of tea and sitting around fiddling with her cell for an empty hour till Anjali had called her to come back. Nikki had been sent off to buy the exhibit passes; it was opportune to put her surprise birthday party plan into action. Monday lectures had been a relief and she had forced herself to take notes with the diligence of a fresher. The abstract had been submitted and they had a week before it would be corrected and returned, after which they had to commence working upon the final document. Ridhima had decided to put herself to it right away, again a diligence unusual. Her mind had been far from focused and she had ended up one more time, driving down to the mall 'for tea', and ambience.

And it was Tuesday evening now. She was back - for fresh air, for her favorite lemon ginger tea, for change of location, for a public spot to let ideas burgeon, and for what not.

The point was, Ridhima admitted to herself harshly now, him. Armaan Malik. There was this nagging sense of something that had been left hanging in the middle of nowhere. By the designs of that stubborn recess of her mind she normally chose to ignore, she had ended up visiting the one place day after day to chance running into him. Worse still was the fact that she had chosen to dwell in denial of her intention. Or would she not have just searched down Abhimanyu in Nikki's friends, then located Armaan? But no, that wasn't right, stalking people's profiles. Was this any better? She had only found herself a more twisted way of sorts, and one she could continue to pretend was innocent of motive.

Enough was enough! She wasn't going to live with double standards. It had been a simple complication, (how oxymoronish she mused at the choice of those words), which had led her to not make it to the game. He had done badly, or so she knew, but she couldn't continue blaming herself for it? Besides, was it even acceptable, for a player to have a bad show on such a whim? They were but acquaintances of two times. She had at least partially unwittingly come down to the mall three days in a row. If she had been meant to have the chance to present her side, to have him hear her out, it would have happened. He deserved to know, God knew she wanted it much more badly than she could understand or justify, but she didn't deserve to hide from herself. For now, she was done pushing her luck for a wishful encounter.

With a grim resolve, she walked out of the mall, to the park lot.

*****************************************
"You? And painting?" She did little to hide her scorn. He didn't reply, instead rolled his tongue in a way which answered on his behalf, yet left it to her discretion. "Well in that case... why were you not listed in the artists?"

"You were checking the list for my name?" His question was categorically vain, and the tone categorically prude, a definite move to put her into bad light for double reasons. And he had still not answered.

"I checked the list when I was buying passes. Period. And I'm sorry but unless you have been lying to me all this time, I don't recall anything that looked remotely like 'Abhimanyu' or 'Modi' in those five names."

"All this time?" Abhimanyu guffawed. Then gave a small smile to an old man crossing them. "I'm sorry!" He mimicked her words in a whisper, "But why did that sound like all this time 'We-Have-Been...' "

He left it that with a hint of only the obvious and a smirk to supplement. She gave him a look of disgust which commanded shame, but the task remained far from accomplished. As if to make a point out of his disinterest he concentrated on looking around and greeting the very crowd he had cursed not long ago, his eyes on anything, even nothing, but her. She knew he was provoking her, and the best answer back would have been to walk away, infinitely far away. Instead she reacted, even knowingly.

"You wish!"

"If you want me to," he replied promptly with a complying shrug, a suggestive glint in his eyes. Which only added insult in her opinion. And so she finally recoiled in delayed wisdom. With a last inaudible something she hissed at him, nothing he could expect to be a pleasantry, he saw her turn to walk away.

It was then he realized she was the first 'fun' element in this entire day of exhibits. Atul had been gone over ten minutes and his jaws ached from keeping up with the appeasing smile. When she had appeared before him out of no where, he had to force himself to not rub his eyes. Besides, that mix of disbelief, disgust, and displeasure on her face had awoken his drowsy senses like nothing else. They had, as if, testified it was her, Nikita Malhotra. And now, he could do better than to let her go.

"You were right!" She stopped in her steps. "There is no Abhimanyu Modi listed." She would still have been spared by walking away. But one he had admitted in her favor, and two she was intrigued by why he had. A second time she acted contrary to her better will and faced him. He gave her a sunny smile, she rolled her eyes, when she spoke in a jaded tone it was like she had picked up from where they had left it.

"What a surprise! Like there was ever anything about you that could be an artist?!"

"Oh but there is," he waited without hurry for her to look him in the eye, "I only need... an inspiration..."

She would have rubbished him, if his glance of survey then didn't affect her as it did. Nikki had to hold back the urge to run a hand over the pleats of her skirt or through the strands of her hair, and just be. It was impossible but butterflies had appeared inside in an instant, to her further displeasure, they were temptingly anticipatory. When he raised his gaze back to her she mentally swore.

"Why haven't you gone to see a doctor for your ego issues yet?" And caught him off guard. Just when he had been on the verge of complimenting her. Naturally, it changed his mind.

"They all resigned trying to deal with yours."

"While you're at it please get some truth pills injected."

"You really want to be told all that I don't say to your face?"

"For now I'm happy knowing all this wonderful art wasn't a low-life-gas-bag's inspiration."

"Low... life... What the...!" Abhimanyu grit his teeth to not curse. Nikki gave him a diabetic smile. And since that did nothing to console the hurt pride, he said what he had never intended to. "Too bad then. Miss mighty-and-high hooked onto such a low man's art." She smirked.

"Sure!"

"Abhimanyu Modi is not listed, doesn't imply I'm not. And no, I did not lie, it is still my name."

"Oooh!" She gestured, enjoying to witness his indignation at last. "So you chose to remain generously anonymous about your talent? Sounds just like you!" Her sarcasm didn't miss him. The need to stump it once and for all was surmounting.

"The list has my 'Nom de plume'..." Abhimanyu spoke in the apt accent with an arrogant wave of his hand.

"Huh?"

"Erm... fine, more like... Nom de brosse!" He corrected.

"This will disappoint you, but I don't talk alien tongues." He looked at her for a second. Before realizing.

"Thats French!" he informed her pointedly.

"Right!"

"Alright! Pseudonym... heard of THAT before?" She opened her mouth and shut it, and he knew he had forced her to think. Folding his arms across his chest confidently, he concluded. "I'm listed with a Nom de Brosse... a 'brush name', like a 'pen name'." Apparently, she wasn't as impressed as he had hoped for.

"Whatever!" That was even unfavorably dismissive. "So what is this 'Nom de brosse' you have yourself listed under?" She went on imitating his accent for the phrase in a rather jesting manner.

"I... erm..." he started, speechless for real this time as she looked at him expectantly.

"Dieu!"

Both of them looked up to face the new voice.

"Anj! There you are! Took ages parking didn't you." She said pointing the accusation at him. Abhimanyu would have reacted if he didn't have another confusion facing him.

"Dieu..." Anjali repeated, "That's his pseudonym..."

"DEW?! How do you know?" Nikki exclaimed shooting a weird look at Modi who equally puzzled by when and how exactly he had been allotted this name, before he could speak up for himself was cut off by Anjali.

"No Nikki, Dieu, as in, D.I.E.U." She explained spelling it out. "And I know cause I checked on the artist backgrounds on the website. Not surprisingly, there is but one IITian on the list who paints..." The curious trace of admiration in her voice, reluctant however it may have been, was unmistakable. Not that it raised Nikki's opinion.

"Alright, DIEU! Whatever in the world does that mean?" she asked looking at Abhimanyu.

"GOD!" the answer came back in a resounded echo this time, two voices, neither of which was Abhimanyu's. Who looked from Atul, who had just returned, to Anjali, to Nikki, before adding as an undertone after remark, "More French!"

Nikki mocked a snide smile at him. "God!" she repeated, the sarcasm in her voice refused to leave while it was him being addressed, matching that in her smile, "Indeed! How typical of you to address yourself hence!"

"Actually he doesn't," Atul spoke up to Abhimanyu's relief, Nikki's surprise and Anjali's intrigue. Atul smiled warmly at them all. Then facing Nikki in particular he said, "Much as I hate to become a peacemaker between the two of you when watching the dueling is so much more entertainment, I must claim my credits myself. The pseudonym is not his at all. Its mine. And so are the paintings." The three of them looked at him, blankly for a whole second. Before Anjali became the first one to break the silence.

"You call yourself God?" In a blatantly incredulous tone.

"I do," Atul confirmed, smiling at the girl he had met outside. "Everyone calls me that." Anjali wasn't certain what to make of his declaration, cause for however silly it sounded, there was no indication whatsoever that he wasn't serious about it. For some reason, she had associated a more sensible intuition to the sight of him at the doorstep outside not long ago.

"Everyone includes your friends I suppose," she said rather disdainfully before she could stop herself, giving Abhimanyu a side look to remind him he was as much to blame. At which he immediately clarified.

"Not me!" Atul raised an eye at him then grinned shaking his head lightly. He had to be in gross error, if Abhimanyu had ever even known that was the name he signed off his work with. If anyone, Armaan might just know it.

"Everyone..." he started looking back at Anjali who was getting confused with his sheer calm through this conversation which she had made clear wasn't going in her good books.. "Includes everyone!" he told her, with emphasis. Then casually he inquired, "I believe we haven't been introduced?"

"You were on the dance floor less than fifteen minutes champ! I doubt you really met anyone at all." Abhimanyu offered. Atul was confused by the reference till he put the pieces together at the sight of Nikki.

"Anjali." She informed him, without knowing why she had. On canvas, in her quick look around the hall, he had made an impression. But this easy, even amused sense of vanity was getting to her. He smiled.

"Atul..." he replied pointing to himself, "My name. It means God." Finishing simply with a light shrug. A second time, Anjali broke the silence.

"Atul..." she said, and it sounded like she had just spoken the name out loud for the heck of it. Until a whole moment later she added hastily, "Would you mind showing around your work?" With a smile that stood proof of the sudden change in her tone. Nikki looked at her with raised eyes, which she ignored. Abhi gave himself a small smile, at a private little joke. This now was starting to be fun. Atul opened his mouth to reply, then shut it with the slightest frown. As Anjali continued to look at him expectantly, he finally replied,

"Erm... Sure... Where did you want to start?"

"Excuse us!" Anjali said to the other two, before starting to answer his question as they walked away.

Abhimanyu stood gaping, oblivious that his mouth hung open. Which was how Nikki saw him seconds later as she turned her eyes away from the two of them who had conveniently disappeared. And she grinned, then with a single light but swift whack under his chin she caused him to shut it. And he faced her with a frown.

"Since you don't paint and have nothing here to show me..."

"Lets go catch some coffee?" Frankly, he was as surprised by his suggestion as she was. It had come almost in reaction to keep her from talking of his fib. And yet... pulling a straight face he hoped he had not given it away in the sense. "If you want to... ?"

"Alright..." she said, not immediately. Her face did not betray any emotion he could read, but since she had agreed, he indicated for Nikki to take the lead, as he pondered over all that had happened in the last less than half an hour...

********************************
Two streets away from IIT, her knuckles tightened over the wheel. Ridhima inhaled sharply, then bit her lower lip. The approaching light turned red, and she didn't know when being stuck in the traffic had become something of a comforting break.

"No Ridhima, don't think." The drumming of her fingers on the wheel became furious as if to drive all thought away in response to the words she had commanded. "Don't, don't, don't!" Slipping her feet out of the pair of 'Kohla-puris' she wriggled her toes. And sighed again.

It had been quite a decision to come to, driving down here. But she had made herself do it. And it would be the last chance she took. And she didn't know at the moment if she would look back at this whim and laugh over it, or regret it, but for now it was her justification to a closure she was seeking. If she had run into Sumit outside his campus, couldn't she run into Armaan? There was a good hour and a half before evening hostel hours and she would give herself the next one out of that. Herself, and him. If they were meant to meet, if her guilt had ever been worthy, if any of this had ever been of any consequence, she would meet him. Just here. Without a plan. At the gates of his campus. If not, she would give this matter no further thought.

The light turned green. What would she say to him? Just apologize for not showing up on Saturday? NO! That sounded so... desperate, in an alter definition of the word. But then, it was her precise idea to be here. Was that desperate? Yeh, of course, was there a lesser word to describe her moronic instinct? Ridhima blew at the bangs that were annoying her. A very tiny part of her knew, even admitted, it wasn't as if she had coaxed herself into this. She just... wanted ... a usual conversation. An easy conversation, the kind they had shared before. A unknown faint smile came upon her lips. Ironically, even as she was at a complete loss of how she would proceed once he did show up, there wasn't a bad gut feeling about the whole deal. It was strange how comfortable his company was. Even before she had confessed to her own best friend, and she had still not told her brother, or her other two besties, he had known she was 'spying' on them.

Ridhima tried to think how awkward it had felt to be caught. How conscious he had made her of the whole scenario. And it came to her as not much surprise that it had been the easiest to confess to him. What was more intriguing was the fact that he at no time seemed willing to acquit her of any blame. Or even just please her. In fact, it was as if Armaan Malik didn't bother with thought and effort into his interactions, but just let them come, and be. He was like that good guy who didn't consistently try to be that way. When he made jokes about her, she reacted like she had known him long, like he had the right to, and like she ought to tell him off for it. When he made a solemn stance, she could never find any implied underlying meanings. And, she didn't know when exactly she had spent time coming to all these conclusions.

Ridhima braked, with a barest of jerk, realizing campus was in sight. All this analyzing would have to be the doing of that same disarrayed bit of her mind, which seemed to have declared itself independent of her control. Closing in she decided to park a little farther off this time and keep an eye on the gates and the people who went through in and out. Turning off the ignition she pulled the lever and pushed her seat back giving herself space to stretch her legs. Leaning back into it she shut her eyes. And as if in reaction to the conflicts of her mind, she saw the night of the fest, the sight of him laughing heartily as she had caught him in a distance, the few dances they had shared, she saw him standing above her outside the cafe, she saw them chatting and closely she tried to replay and observe his expressions... she saw him pop his head back when she thought he was gone and invite her for the game.

Her eyes flew open. And she made a face. Checked her watch, 59 minutes to go. Sitting up straight in her seat again she narrowed her eyes focusing on the flow of people from the gates. Somehow the face of that little boy from the mall came back to her, from when he had waited upon her to say 'its ok'. She wondered if she was now him, waiting to be 'okayed' for her 'kind-of' mistake? Then she wondered if, considering the expression he had worn, the blend of mischief and candid surety of escaping it, he wasn't reminiscent of Armaan much more? Ridhima giggled at the idea. She could so imagine Armaan having been something quite that as a kid. What a silly thought! Rubbing her shoulders lightly, her eyes caught the lone star in a pale sky that was yet to turn dark. The first star of the evening. She wished she would meet him today.

Intermittently, her eyes back to the gate, she started humming some tune that had been at the back of her head all day...

***************************************
"Teriyaan meriyaan bhul gaya
Bhul gaya haar te jeet
Ve maahe ki karna main jeet nu
hove na je meet... hove na je meet..."

(Forgotten is all about 'You' and 'I'
forgotten also are the wins and losses
sweetheart! what would I do with a win
without the one I love...)

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERwrlgN6S38)

At the sight of the sender name, he pulled the headphones off with one hand, glanced at his other wrist and concluded he had not lost track of time as he often did idling with music. Curious, he opened the new received message.

'caught up. arbit, tell ya later. treat is due. ps: messaging all 3.'

Armaan frowned at his screen, crookedly replaced the head phones into their slot over the QJam's console without looking and stood thinking. It was as unlike Atul to go back on a commitment, as it was for Armaan and Abhi to not fight in over 24 hours. Which could also well come true, and soon, Armaan mused in a wry after thought, since they had not seen each other all day. At which, he jabbed some keys on the pad and put the phone to his ear. At the third ring he was condemned to humor himself with the recording for the number being busy. He flapped the cell shut and ran a hand through his hair perplexed. And the set vibrated in his hand again. A new text, which he believed would be a reply for his unattended call to Abhi.

'malik! guess wat! nah! keep guessing... tell ya later... got champ's sms? ;) '

"Okay..." Armaan muttered to himself. "OKAY!" He said louder, with a clasp of his hands. Like a question posed with an answer obviously expected, except those who could explain were no way accessible. He considered calling Atul, but knew better. If he had been intimated of a canceled plan via sms, calling would only be futile. Abhimanyu had already cut him off. He considered next, asking either or both to be somewhat explicit. Then dismissed that too. Really, if they had to elaborate, they would need no prompting. A third time he felt the cell buzz and looked at it hopefully. Sumit this time. Armaan wasn't surprised to see this text, Sumit rarely made calls.

'got atul's sms. evening off i guess.. m still at lab :S'

So... dinner was called off? Armaan couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed. The whole presentation had been rigorous, preparing for it, and giving the talk. And of course the insane doubt hour. After getting done he had treated himself to a luxurious shower, glad he didn't have to fight for an empty stall courtesy the odd time he had chosen to bathe, then changing into khakhi shorts and a shirt (keeping the month in mind and the late hour they were likely to be out) with sleeves rolled up for then, he had biked down to the mall. And the evening was meant to have only just begun. Armaan made a small face. Then threw his hands in the air, turned back to the player in half minds but decided otherwise.

Paying for the CDs at the counter he inevitably recalled the excitement he had associated with putting the project proposal before Abhimanyu over dinner tonight. For precisely which, he had selected the particular music he had. Now that would have to wait, as would the unraveling of this mysterious change of plans.

Out of the store, Armaan's eye was caught by CCD a second time. He walked past looking at it without much purpose and then just at the edge spotted the potted plant. Inevitably, as he paused his lips twitched to a smirk. He could almost picture the sight of her from that day, hiding behind that bush, and next he knew it made him chuckle. Standing there, all by himself. Shaking his head he moved on towards the exit doors, thinking of their conversation... and then the game. His expression was serious again. And further, in warning to self.

Minutes later riding the bike on a downhill road, the cool wind through his hair evoking its usual sense of liberation, was unwinding for Armaan, breathing in deeply however, her wrung his nose. If only Delhi air could be more like his home... And he considered his further options. He could go back and catch up on a much needed sleep. Except he felt far from it at the moment. He could go eat out by himself, mess had really not been his plan for tonight- that alone. He even thought of taking a reverse and going back to the mall, he had left in too much haste with no real thought. Unconscious of a bout of unspent energy, Armaan pedaled faster. And then it occurred to him. Football! A blurry image of sort tried to wiggle into the eye of his mind but he pushed he firmly back.Taking another deep breath he decided to go back and hit the grounds. It had been three days anyways...

***************************************
Ridhima glanced at her watch. Time was playing some evil trick with her, while on the one hand it felt like she had waited forever, on the other she couldn't believe three quarters of an hour had passed her by. One more to go before time was up. She had to go, it was what she had decided. Everytime Ridhima had seen anyone who could remotely be anything of him she had to subdue the rush of adrenaline and not flee the spot. And then every one of those times, since it had not been him, her disappointment had been furthered.

A sinking sense of a wasted impulse and a hope she had risked to deem too high made the whole deal seem like such a bad decision. The thing was she couldn't decide what made her more unhappy, the decision to come here in the first place, or that she had committed herself to an ultimatum...

She shot a furious look at the gate, willing him to appear. Really, if there was a way she would pull him out out of his hiding this second. Ridhima sighed, impatient... exhausted. What was happening to her? Sitting up suddenly she unlocked her door and let herself out. The dark was slowly but surely descending and she figured it would be alright now to stand outside. The domain of her luxury car was beginning to make her feel almost claustrophobic, she encircled the vehicle to lean against the passenger side which was in its currently parked position the inner edge. Every now and then she saw gangs of boys, and occasionally only, some girls, pass by. To her relief she managed to keep attention at bay, while her eyes remained fixed in that one direction. At five minutes to the hour she wiped a hand over her mouth, then curled it into a loose fist and picked with her front tooth on the thumbnail. Then let out a deep sigh, momentarily shutting her eyes. When she opened them her mind was a bitter clarity.

She turned around with a force and walked blindly into an odd shaped something.

"Ouch!" Ridhima had to bite her tongue to not exclaim loudly as she bent over to rub the knee beneath the soft fabric of her green pair of slacks. She looked up her forehead creased with criss crossing lines, which were ironed out in an instant, it took one more for her eyes to widen.

"Armaan..." she whispered, and in a third second she had to force the urge to laugh out nervously into an affected containing smile. "Hi... " then cleared her throat of the raspy edge it had developed in the last few hours of occupying herself in mental dialogue alone and tried again, "You're here..."

"Ridhima... ?" he cut her off, with narrowed eyes, sounding ever so slightly short of breath. He had barely mounted off the bike and was walking it down picking at a twig stuck in the spokes of the back wheel when he had felt the obstruction, followed by hearing the low exclamation. And looked up to find her.

She saw him scan their surroundings before settling back for her face with a raised eye. More about his reaction she could not guess, he had not let it on, at all. "Hello..." he left it hanging between them. If there was a smile he had intended with his greeting, it hadn't reached her yet.

"I... I guess I surprised you." He would have called it something closer to shock.

"I guess you did." he said out loud. Subtle as it was, he did not miss her spontaneous, possibly suitable as a reaction to his words, shiver. Her lips parted, then hesitantly they managed the ghost of a smile. "Are you cold?" he asked her, recalling it was an October night, a mist seemed to hint its presence and he meanwhile could feel a sweat break upon his back from the pace he had cycled down. She shook her head, then averted his eye. Then looked back again.

"Congratulations!" He was stumped at this next remark, and more at her hand extended towards him. And as if she had read his mind, she added, "I heard you guys won the game." Armaan braced himself with a poker face before meeting her eye this time. But their was, he thought, an anxiety so real in them, that he forgot to steel his gaze.

"Thanks!" It was a tentative word, as was his shake, but she saw a kind of acceptance which accompanied it and mentally bid herself to relax.

"I'm sorry I couldn't make it." she went on, "I..."

"That's alright." she tried to judge his tone, and his expression, even the smile he offered when she met his eye. He wasn't being cold to her, but there was an unfamiliar formality. She reminded herself she hardly knew this guy, and vice versa. But why had it never occurred to her in the previous meetings, let alone been apparent as it ought to have been? "Football isn't exactly a favorite for most girls."

"Oh but I love football..." she pounced upon his words, then paused, hoping she hadn't sounded as she believed she just had. His eyes bore down into hers and Ridhima held on to her breath unknowingly, determined to not blink first. If for nothing then to prove she hadn't made that up.

Armaan searched her, for anything that would explain- her words, her insinuation, her presence, here, right now. They were both silent for a moment, studying each other for answers. He decided to wind up the guess game.

"Ridhma why are you... " He gasped most audibly as she leaped forward towards him and he found her hand upon his collar. He stared disbelievingly, at the little frown of concentration on her face, her lowered eyes even as he wondered without meaning to what they would look like up close if she raised them this second, at the strand of hair which had come lose and errantly touched down to the tip of her nose. When she backed away he resumed breathing, only just realizing he had stopped to, and a lingering fruity smell tickled his nose. "Ridhima..."

"Sorry there was a... " she paused at his expression. There was finally one, and she couldn't make much of it anyways. Except that, he was decidedly not looking pleased. "A lady bug on your shirt." she finished in a small voice, then held up her hand for his inspection, the bug crawling in no hurry upon her palm. While he stared at it, her eyes remained dutifully on his face. And she saw the quickly changing range of frowns- incredulous, confused, observing, then incredulous again- before he looked up to her. She was startled when he broke out laughing. He scratched his wind-messed lock of thick hair, pointed at her like he would say something, then pulled back his finger and laughed more.

"Bug... !" He managed, pursed his lips rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. When he finally cleared his throat his mirth, despite being the target here, made her smile. Although she thought he was suddenly being out of zone weird. "For your information," he said, and she heard the kick of humor in his voice, "This is NOT a lady bug."

"But it..."

"Thanks for saving me an attack, nonetheless!" he completed without letting her, and the glint in his eye was unmistakable. She rolled her eyes.

"It is." she repeated with a stand of conviction.

"Uh-uh" he shook his head, then went on in an annoyingly patient voice of an enlightening elder, "You see Ridhima, lady bugs are red girls with black spots." Her mouth fell slightly open at his words, "I mean, red insects with black spots." he corrected, then while she was reeling at his lousy comment he surprised her by taking hold of her hand. A light simple grip of the front of her fingers, as he pointed with his own to the tiny, crawly creature there. "And that is... " he paused in thought, "Like a tiny scrapped ribbon of rusted iron, I'd say." She pulled her hand back, and shot him a nasty glare.

"It is a lady bug, as in a FEMALE bug." she informed him tartly, "In terms of gender you know?" Armaan opened his mouth to answer then shut it. Gave her a serious look of curiosity, then looked away tongue against his cheek.

"What?"

"Never mind."

Before she could retort he had gestured to a boy walking past them. She saw him instruct the boy, who she realized right away was a junior, to take his bike back to hostel safely. It was strange how he was standing here ordering random people, even if they were his juniors, and it came out like a humble authority, in an appealing way. He turned his attention back to her, and she shook off the feeling. Also, her eyes happened to fall onto a packet sticking out of his pocket.

"Planet M?" She asked cautiously. He followed her gaze.

"Oh that. Couple of CDs I bought."

"When?"

"Today... like a while ago..." he said uncertain about the look on her face.

"TODAY! At the mall?!" She threw her head back with a sharp intake of breath, before looking back at him. "You were at the mall. A while ago... I bet you also laughed." Armaan looked at her queerly. Her face didn't look it, but her words were sheer gibberish and he could make no sense of them. "I wasn't imagining..." he caught her muttering further on.

"Err... Ridhima... ?"

"Oh Armaan!" She chirped enthusiastically. And flashed him an infecting smile. He, however, did not return it. Instead he grabbed her hand again and was about to tick off the little insect when she retrieved her hand indignantly keeping it safe.

"What're you doing?"

"I think that thing just bit you."

"Huh?"

"Yeh! Do you even realize how deranged you just sounded?" He waited for her to react, more importantly explain. Instead she just blew at her bangs and brushed it off.

"You can't help it I suppose," she said matter of factly, "Being such an utter gentleman."

"I suppose not." He replied. "Were you born as you are?"

"Was that even an attempt at being witty?" She asked him after a pause, realistically.

"No. I'm dead serious. Apart from all other ways that you find to prove how crazy you are, I don't know a single girl who doesn't detest the sight of bugs, leave alone boast of her general knowledge in regards."

"And exactly how many girls do you happen to know, Mr. I.I.T.-ian?" He placed a hand upon his heart, hurt.

"You don't leave a chance to rub that in, do you?" Then conceded in a flat voice, "But its a point you make." Ridhima watched him agape, then unexpectedly chuckled. "What?"

"No its..." she shook her head smiling, "It so unlikely that you would not give me something back in kind but actually ...give in... "

"Makes you think you're smart?" He suggested, the pun was etched all over his face. She gave him a bright smile.

"No. Makes me wonder why you would suddenly want to acknowledge the fact." Armaan returned her smile.

"Oh well! A wise man knows when hes lost an argument." He said, with an accepting shrug.

"And a lame guy knows when to rip off popular authors and quote 'em as his own?" She shot back. Armaan gave a sheepish look.

"How did I forget? English major!" he submitted, "I ought to have tried better with you." Ridhima looked at him suspiciously. Then her eyes just widened and her lips pouted in self-pointed wonder.

"Good heavens!" she said slowly, "I might just faint if I'm not already dreaming. Thats the second time in seconds you admitted your defeat just like that. Tell me this is true."

"Alright. " he replied stepping in closer with a serious look, "You want me to repeat the ripped one liner or pinch you a bruise of reality." Ridhima jerked back with a loud squeal from his extended hand, making Armaan shush her as he looked around, then satisfied, he laughed at the sight of her face. Seconds later she whacked him, joining in. Catching his breath he saw her blow at the bug which had still been on her palm and it disappeared. A light smile graced her lips.

"Why are you here Ridhima?"

She did not look up immediately to his softly spelled distinct words, and he gave her time. In that instant they both knew the jesting was past, and a confrontation on. She had come all the way to give him some answers, if he was asking for them now, it was in a way half her job done, right?

"I was... " she started then looked up. His eyes were intent, but not intimidating and she could only thank him silently for that. "I felt bad about missing the game about Saturday." Armaan pursed his lips to keep the question on the tip of tongue to himself. It was replaced by a range of options anyways, none of which seemed mutually reasonable to be asked.

"Its alright. You must have been busy." For a second he thought he say a flicker of something in her eyes which resembled confusion very much. But it was gone too fast. And she simply nodded.

Ridhima interpreted from his words that Sumit had not talked to him of their encounter. And there was no conflict in her mind to keep that fact silent now, it would only get embarrassing for her. Already, she was unsure of how this current appearance she made at his campus was going to be understood by him, she wasn't about to add reasons to give him wrong ideas. Besides something in this conversation between them in the last few minutes was different from the times before. Casual, easy, but like something amiss. She didn't want to think what that was, she just wanted to keep herself far away from treading unknown, perilous waters.

"Coffee?" He broke into her thoughts. She took a second before coming back.

"I thought you would know better than to offer what I absolutely dislike." Armaan grinned.

"Alright. Since you have tonight gone as far as pronouncing me a gentleman, I'll adjust to your taste. Tea it is."

"Thanks. But no, I need to get going."

"Already?" He had said it before he could stop himself, then with a post composed look he added, "I mean..." Armaan looked at her as if debating on his words, "You came here to meet... " She fingered her bangs and fixed them behind her ear, "What if I'd taken longer to show up?"

"I would have gone." She replied simply. There was an ambivalence in her mind to see his reaction, in the end she kept her eyes away, until she could bring them back. "You know... hostel hours and stuff!" He nodded at her brief smile. In his mind there was heavy calculation in process. There was this part of him which told him to make way for her and let her go. Just like that.

"How long to reach back in time?" There was another part which was coming to terms with this unexpected visit from her.

"As a matter of fact, I should have left..." she glanced at her watch and he saw a sudden panic, "Shoot! I'll never make it." In a rush she walked past him towards the driver door. Opening it she looked at him before getting in. "I'm glad I could meet you." She had been waiting here for him, for he had no idea how long. Another thing in the list of all that he wanted to know.

"Wait!" he said just as she lowered herself to get in, and she paused although the hurry was evident as she brushed her hair off her eyes once more. "If you're already late, why bother?"

"What?!" She said after a silent pause in which she thought she heard him wrong. "Armaan! Rules are not as virtual for girls' hostel as they might be for you." He was standing next to her in a jiffy and she knew only when his arm snaked exceedingly close around her and shut the door behind.

"Right! But you said you're already late. The rule is broken right there. Does it matter than, how late?"

"Are you serious? Of course it does! I can just say I got stuck in the traffic for now, and at max, they will cancel my evening hours for a day or two. What you're suggesting is a way to get expelled from hostel." Much to her shock, and chagrin, Armaan gave a small laugh.

"Really, you believe that?"

"Apparently you don't." she replied back, not amused at all. Then with an agitated gesture she opened the door again but before she had gone any further he had turned her around to face him. His grip on the bend of her elbow was nothing compelling and she could have shaken it off in one shrug, but she didn't. Setting all contradictions aside in one clean sweep he made up his mind.

"Can I drive you back?" There was a pause in their conversation, or more in the verbal part of it. Until she replied,

"Yes. Yes you can." Then lowered her eyes to get her elbow free and walked around to the passenger door. Armaan inhaled deeply, held onto it, then let it out slowly, turning around to the door and getting in. Before she had to tell him, he had spotted the key dangling from the ignition and turned it on.

*****************************************
"Wouldn't you be sort of geeky for her champ?"

"Plus the height is a mismatch. She's way too tall." There was an outbreak of laughter, Atul meant to look wry, but their was a color in his cheeks which dubiously looked like a blush and became enough reason to nail him down. "Oi Malik?"

Armaan looked up, the smile on his face which on the outside covered up for his blank interludes from the boys' banter later that night over a post midnight pizza snack. Apparently, both Atul and Abhimanyu had ended up going for coffee, separately, with... their respective girls- he wasn't certain if he could say that about Atul Anjali, and he was only 'almost' certain Nikki would approve of him considering Abhi and her that way. For being the the unique pair, he paid his silent homage to Ridhima for denying his offer to coffee. The drive had been unexpected, different... and fun. Besides, they were past the coffee stage he mused. Then mentally mocked himself for such a typical thought. She was one heck of a girl, and he admitted ruefully, he could never quite predict what to expect of her.

Catching Abhimanyu's eye now, he racked his mind for what had just been said, and was surprised the words had not been missed, only not registered.

"Uh... Actually, I disagree." he said. All three looked at him in surprise. With an additional element of suspicion in Atul's.

"And why would you chose to be so kind to me?"

"Because we're friends." Armaan replied nicely. Then winked.

"Excuse me," Abhimanyu said in a disgusted tone, with a matching look, "But I think I need to throw up." He pretended to do it then, and looking back said, "Such love!" Sumit snorted biting into his slice. Armaan was unaffected. Atul just sighed rolling his eyes. Then looked at Armaan, in a tinge of genuine curiosity.

"I ditto Abhi." Sumit offered. "Saw her at the fest, she is quite another class Atul."

"I didn't say I was even considering the idea..."

"Do NOT listen to them," Armaan interrupted, "Champ!" And all looked back to him. "Height is severe advantage. Good height, lesser heels. You see?" Atul resigned to eating his food. Abhimanyu gave Armaan a retarded expression.

"Yeh right! And when exactly did The Malik have to bother with the danger high heels project? I thought that was for lesser 'erring' mortals."

"Correct! Its all in the goodwill Mr. Modi, which would serve well, especially you." Armaan said unprovoked, "For height of course lacks gravely in the case of a certain Miss Niki-ta." He dodged the register that was flung at him. "Oopz! Heels are therefore likely to replace ...Ouch!" The second one nicked his jaw. Which he rubbed with a sour smile. Abhi gave him a dry look and grabbed the last slice from the chicken pizza. Which was officially Armaan's share.

"I still don't understand why you begun with inviting her to a football game?" Sumit intervened wiping his hands off the tissues. "Ridhima was speechless when I even suggested the idea."

"WHAT?" Abhimanyu and Armaan came together. Atul looked up without a word.

"Yaah! Come on! Basic thinking, how many girls like football? As in the sport? Its... "

"No!" Abhimanyu interrupted. "I mean, what? As in... Ridhima... what idea?" Not quite wording it the way he had attempted he turned to Armaan, who looked around for tissues precisely that second. They, either, did not notice Atul, who's eyes were upon Sumit.

"Oh! I forgot to mention. I met her outside our gates on Saturday when you were playing." Abhi was forced to turn back to him, and Armaan heard him out. Even as his brain put itself into a frenzied activity level at the surfacing of this particular fact.

"You did... ?" he spoke aloud, surprising himself. Then looked up. It was either his imagination, or Sumit's smile faltered, by the minutest possible difference.

"Yeh! She was on her way to someplace, and had stopped outside campus for a bit to answer a call."

"What place Sumit?" Atul asked, and his was the first voice, Sumit thought, sounded simply, genuinely interested. He smiled. And shrugged.

"She didn't say. But she was getting late... and she still stayed on to talk for a bit." He added the last part with an innate happy ring to his note. Then turning to Abhimanyu he said, "And she told me about Nikita. So I asked her to come in but she seemed reluctant so I let it be." He paused, and in a brief impulse decided to skip going into his second invite which she unfortunately had to turn down.

"And she left?" It was Abhimanyu again. Sumit thought he looked strangely forlorn, even thoughtful. He smiled.

"Why do you look devastated? Nikki was inside, this is Ridhima I'm talking about." Then with a chuckle he added, "She asked me to convey her luck for the game."

"Why didn't you..."

"I'll be right back." Armaan interrupted Abhi in what he guessed was coming. Then he got up and left the room.

"Lets clean up," Atul said lifting himself off the chair too. And the other two followed, Abhi, unwillingly submitting to hints from both Armaan and Atul, and Sumit, absent mindedly wandering into his own thoughts.

Armaan shut the door of his room behind him. And most unusually, latched it from inside. Then stood leaning his back against the door. She had come for the game.

***************************************

ps: aite! here in ALMOST a week... just some 24 hours or so over issh! sorry nija, iti baar wada todi na main :(

err... hina (didi) :P nij just recalled... and i forgot (lame&amp;amp;nbsp; know) part 7 :)

the part :P its sooooooo long, i can't believe the length myself, but i wanted all of whats here in a single part, and tried as i did, couldn't cut it any more! still... i enjoyed doing, at least bits of it!!

which was, err, only after i plugged into 48 hours straight of ONLY death metal. took me back to my own undergrad for one, yes i'm truly a geek even in my relaxing music taste, for another, it kept my mind at bay from the crap headlines all over the forum...
to be honest (and this is ALL OF IT my opinion which i respect to not be countered, at least on my fiction thread... if u think otherwise, its ur take, just excuse me from having to know it here...) the thing is, when the rumor first came out, i laughed. i might have considered its possibility if the whole nicole angle didn't sound so completely utterly bollywood scripted... but then, as many have gone to point out, there were too many sources reporting and how many could be in error? more importantly, it was possible and in fact it has to be that the news has been blown out of proportion, but there can't be no news at all... i've been working with the BC on this forum for a while now, and i thought i could see through the freelancing angle to the articles, very well... yesterday, i was at my lowest believing that a mistake in the relationship had been, and i prayed they would over come it together, don't couples do it all the time? (even the big shots?) then, we had today... to be honest, the whole jennifer article has left me in high spirits... its relentless on the couple, even more on jen to be dragged in to this (nicole i have nothing to say for) but i was wondering for all our belief of injustice to shraddha and accusations for karan, err... are we all doomed to attributing not an iota percent common sense to jennifer winget? I mean seriously, she isn't a fresher to the industry, and this is NOT her first time working with karan... so this means they just suddenly realized after so many years they're in love? and she, for all that her years of professionalism MUST have granted her, just took his word about divorcing a wife he had been proudly sashaying all over national television all these months? dunno, that makes me think we consider jen to be a below average brain... i could convince myself that shradz went into error with the whole hurried wedding and out up with him for that... the whole three timing angle makes me think i'd be foolish to follow anything that my instinct denies...

it is true i have admired these celebrities and their work... but i credit myself for more logic and lack of bias than the forum in general has attributed to karan's fans. for the extent that i believe he may actually have wronged (and he must have somewhere for all the news and the fact that there are no statements from those in question) i have never had any intention to redeem him in my opinion as his fan... however, what disappoints me utterly, even if i should just ignore it (and i have done my best to that effect) is the sheer sadism people are drawing out of a rather unfortunate state of affairs... and people, who mostly claim to be 'i-always'knew-it' smart minds... it must be my folly that i fail to recognize the kind of celebration in believing one of victorious in having foretold a miserable truth... yes, u rejoice being smart, but does one rejoice being sick in the head? if there is an inexplicable obsession from those who defend karan despite his wrong, is there no inexplicable obsession in finding everything right and wrong about the guy as a fact to pin against him?

aite... really, i got carried away... lets say it was my one and only time venting out over this issue... i would appreciate to hear back nothing about this particular personal opinion in any of the comments you guys give me, whenever.. but if any of you agreed, please pray for them... sometimes, a rough phase is only for the best ahead... if not, then its a mistake that shall hopefully pass without getting any more ugly than it already has for all involved, esp those who were never to blame to begin with...

pps: hope u enjoyed the part of course... the death metal finally made me think of armaan as a char :P and i could write it out, somehow!! if you find gaping errors, let me know :) i have been so unceremoniously distracted :S lol...

ppps: lovya guys, even though i just seem to hear far too many 'i'm caught up' reasons than real feedbacks... *hints* :P

hugz,
nj

Link to next part :

Edited by spln - 15 years ago

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pickytg

@pickytg

Dazzler

Posted: 15 years ago

#320

reserved... gone for a bit nij, call u on the way back...

*edit*

My last reaction to the "long update" ....NOoo....Nooooo....Nooooooooo!!!! Yes! Say it out loud the way i typed it....exactly how it sounds! I wish to tell you - if i was flubbering in the skool corridor and banging my leg on the two-seater, after reading your update, right now i am glued to my bed and screaming in my mind (cause we have guests downstairs) and its triple the energy i was then, hence i strongly DISLIKE you at this moment (which i hope will pass SOON *sheepish*

Okay! I thought i would give you a four lined comment simply saying ...."it was a good update jauz. I liked everything about it. I can't decide what bit was better. Start writing the next one - right away." But i think i'll have to skip that POV and do what i always do - give you INTERSTING-lengthy-comments (in a way giving yeh back some of wat you generously do to us ;))

If you thought i was done, nah girley, not yet and am in no hurry. My dry n cold pasta sits lying on the pillow and the shadowing clouds are making my room light-less while i told hinz to wait for me to finish updating my comment which i TECHNICALLY still haven't got to. Ovb i didn't bother to read the ps again (except the added bit :D), and i feel like opening your a/c and re-editing the ps for an addition from my side which might read as
p^s: Upond nijAs request i shall update the next part in the next 24 hours. *winks*

I really don't want you to do what i ought to do now i am past my sense-less talks but you aren't online and hinz is waiting for me (maybe-my head wants to think that :P) so i will tell you and have you stop repeating in you head "Nij! tu pagal hai"

I loved the part. Period. As i said earlier my four lines for the update were true - i liked E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G the way it was.

Atul-Armaan....phone convo's last bit where armaan stopped and smiled. I could picture it just right. Lack of explanation or further implication, he had to tell atul to go back in :D i can somehow relate that to ridz- nikki.

Ridz ....time in the mall...hearing his laugh...from the number of people she knows in all her years of growing...she remembers his distinct laugh in the crowd cause hes been on her mind since ...nice! some bts were terribly boring...but in the same part u made up for it...the kid bit goodie....i thought of jalebi kid!

Abhimanyu-Nikki ...so teen and yet so real. they make me think tev'e never been with ne1 before....and yet it tells me...thats a good sign :D ...i like ther banter followed by their coffee...yeh! Butterflies...😃

Atul-Anjali.....oooohhh!! a good start...definitely the two are heads far bigger than ther other couples ....i could see...good job! :D i likes this tons! they were neither lke AN who hold an edge of freshers in everything they do...and nor like AR who are with a head to grasp all and yet in the mode of fitting the unknown....

Ridz ...on campus! okay....mast tha yeh...i was smiling n laughin n makin faces...throughout! Her last bit wer she says i'll meet him if m meant to ...the guilt to be ridden off....i thought of them jauz! =)

AR ...they have to be the best bit of the part....and if i was upset about the late update (at all)...this absolutely brushed that off my mind....i d loves! starting wit ridz..wen she on campus...i was ticking away..gritting my teeth..getting impatient...counting seconds...everything that you can think of....(reading/skipping/going back)...and was even worried that you would like i said last time...let either see the other and end it there.....phew! they were fab...the lady bird :D ...the closeness...the drive together....ooh-la-laaaa...

finally the bit i am pretending to be mad at you for...i liked the guys in this one (unlike before)..i cud picture them in a circle....tlkin n teasin....and armaans sudden exit...FANTAB...him behind the door...

For most of the parts in this i coudl see it all....visualize everything that i reading...that i cant remember ever being so calm (:)) while reading despite of witnessing so much of whats written...its a huge plus in my mind...

👏 n 🤗 n *thank you* (ters no smiley for it :S)

~ nija 😎

ps: i know i missed tons of reactions while reading...but you'll know! :D its unbelievable (the world abuses this word but i all i can say to mean it) how you pen a convo so gripping (like u say for aria) that's simply that, a piece of sum1s life...thats so real and yet so fantasizing that it makes u grin so hard and even get misty eyes. Isshhhh!!! ☺️

Edited by missypatel - 15 years ago

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Adolescence of Love - Chap15/Pg136 (11/29) - Page 32

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