Part 25 (ii)
The chauffeur drove the car, while the butler sat at the back, with both of them. Armaan cursed him the moment he settled, while Riddhima just giggled. For the first fifteen minutes of the ride, the butler kept showing Riddhima some of the buildings and places as they went past them. Armaan was irritated beyond anything. The butler had managed to take away Riddhima's attention, and this panged him. When he couldnt take it anymore, an idea struck him. He asked the car to be stopped, and when the butler questioned him, he replied,
"Butler bhaiyya, maine socha ki aage akele baithe baithe kahin Chauffeur uncle bore na ho jaayein, if you understand what i mean..."
The butler looked a bit aghast, Riddhima was flushed with embarassment, as she avoided any eye contact. To add to this, from the corner of her eye, Riddhima saw Armaan grinning shamelessly, giving 'the look' to the butler, and she was sure she'd heard a giggle from the driver's direction as well. The butler just shrugged his head, and getting down the car, joined the other man in front. The car started again, Armaan still gave his dimpled smile to her, when she was glaring at him. She continued to show her anger, when she saw him pout, and make the cutest face. Unable to resist him anymore, she hugged him, and snuggled her head in his chest. Armaan was reminded of the time he'd carried her to the car when she was sleeping, when they were leaving for the airport.
FLASHBACK:
After he was done, he texted Atul to meet him at the airport with the neccesary things, and Riddhima's luggage. He loaded his stuff in the car, and when it was time to wake up Riddhima, his heart still did not want to disturb her. So he very carefully picked her up in his arms and started moving towards the car. He had been very careful in his actions so as not to disturb her, but contrary to his thoughts, Riddhima seemed far away from being disturbed. Instead, as soon as he had made her comfortable in his arms, a smile crossed her face, which was not missed by him. At once he thought that she was pretending to sleep, and so to tease her back, he brought his face closer to her, very dangerously close, but getting no reaction from her, he knew that she was actually asleep. But with this realisation, came another one. He was too close to her, which was quite dangerous for his self-control. He could feel and listen to her smooth breath, which was an addition with her soothing fragrance. With great difficulty, and remebering the trust Riddhima held for him, he moved his face away from her, but it looked like fate wasnt with him today. Riddhima shifted more closer to him, and thanks to his unbuttoned jacket, she managed to get in touch with his skin by placing her lips next to his bare chest. This immediately created a havoc in his heart, her lips burned his skin, and he had the immediate urge to just crush her lips under his, or to throw her away to get rid of this burning sensation, but he was helpless, as going with either of the options, he would land himself in an unwanted situation. Forcing himself to the extremes, he tried making a distance between them by pushing her a little away from him, never leaving his eyes from her enchanting face.
It was as if her favourite toy was being snatched away from her, and he saw Riddhima's smile change into a frown, as she put her hands around his waist, and snuggled even closer. Armaan felt shivers run through his spine, as he was losing his control because of their physical proximity. This time he really thought that she was doing it all on purpose, but observing her carefully, he knew he was wrong again. He again tried shifting her a little far from his body, and only he knew that it took him all his emotional and physical strength in doing this, but for once, her strength was stronger than his. She held him tightly, as if holding on for her dear life, and didnt loosen her hold at his numerous attempts. He finally gave up fighting her, and let her be comfortable however she may want. As a reaction to his surrender, he saw the smile return to her lips, as if she had been given the world's biggest and her favourite stuff toy to cuddle to.
FLASHBACK ENDS.
Armaan thought of this as the best time for his payback. He started narrating the whole incident to Riddhima, who was still hugging him. As he kept telling her more and more, he noticed, contradictory to his thinking that she would jerk away from him, she kept snuggling closer to him. Slowly and slowly, he felt her hands at his back creating a havoc in him. Her soft hands felt warm as they came in contact with his skin. She planted small kisses on his chest. He got this strange dizzying feeling taking over him and closed his eyes. Riddhima was bubbling up the storm inside him, something he himself had been unaware of. He felt himself shiver deep down. He felt as a teenager with raging hormones, unable to control himself. It was a torcher, a sweet pain inflicted upon him, and Riddhima was the reason. Just when he was basking in the glory of her love, everything came to a standstill as she moved away from him. All the millions of emotions that he'd been feeling a second ago, vanished into thin air. From being into paradise, Armaan was brutally thrown down on earth, on a patch of thorns he supposed. He opened his eyes, and looked at her. She sat a few centimetres away from him, grinning widely. Her smirk broadened as she saw him gaping at her open mouthed.
"Tumhe kya laga Mr Armaan Mallik, tum mujhe chidate rahoge, aur main blush maar maarke, maar maarke, chidti rahugi? Well, agar aisa hai, to you couldnt be more wrong. You have no idea, taking you by surprise shall be a task i shall continue doing all our life. If you've forgotten, then let me remind you. I aint your girl next door, jo tumhare mazaak bedardi se chup-chap sehti rahegi. Main Riddhima hoon, Riddhima Basket Gupta, future ki Mrs Riddhima Armaan Mallik. Ye mera personal experience hai, ki ek Gupta, aur ek Mallik, kabhi haarte nahi hain. Aur jab ye dono mil jaayein, tab to kisi ka koi chance hie nahi hai. Muahahahahahaha, this was my payback to you", saying this, Riddhima continued her soft-not-so-devilish-laughter, while Armaan turned his face to the other side and sat expressionlessly.
To be honest with himself, he didnt exactly know how to feel right now. Just a few seconds back, the physical intimacy with Riddhima had landed him on another planet. He was surprised by his own response. True he'd dated the other girls in the past, but it was a passing relation on both the sides. Moreover, he wouldnt have admitted back then, but now he could, he'd always wanted a girl like Riddhima at the back of his mind. As the memory of being so close to her flashed back in his mind, he thought about what would have happened had she not stopped? He was so lost in those strange new feelings, that he was sure they would've done something, which they would later regret. Regret not because any of them had any doubts on their love, but because it would be betraying the trust their elders had so blindly placed on them. They both themselves knew that they had some limitations, and never wanted to cross it. But a very tiny part of him desired to go close to her again. Though he reprimanded that part, but however tiny it was, it was a deeper part of him. He wanted to face her, take her in his arms, feel her soft skin, kiss her as if there were no tomorrow, still he sat there using all his self control, looking out of the window.
But fate couldnt be against him any other day except today. He felt Riddhima shift closer to him, and sit right besides him, putting some of her weight on him. He held the door of the car and put all his force there. Riddhima had seen his expressionless face, and she also saw him clenching his teeth, with his jaw tight. Had her joke been too serious, she wondered and took his free hand in both of hers. She was surprised to find him all cold. The temperature had definitely fallen, and the butler had told them to keep their woollens ready, they would need them as soon as they stopped, but it wasnt so cold right now that his hands were freezing. She rubbed his hand in hers, and felt a little colour return in his hand. He still wasnt looking at her, and Riddhima felt petrified if she'd hurt him deeply. She put her hand on his cheek, and turned his face towards herself. She was shocked beyond limits to see a few tears make their way out of his eyes. Something hit her in heart as she saw those beautiful blue orbs full of water.
"Armaan", she said in a mere whisper as if he was beyond her reach, and her heart shouted to call him back. Armaan looked once in her eyes, where a pool of water similar to his was forming. He put his head in the crook of her neck and spilled all those tears that had formed as he sobbed. Riddhima was taken aback by his act, but she put her arms around him, consoling him by rubbing his back. After a few minutes, when Armaan finally calmed down, he came out of her embrace and looked at her. Silent tears were still there. He immediately wiped them away.
"Tum kyun ro rahi ho?", he asked her.
"Kyunki tum ro rahe they... i felt so scared Armaan. Tumhare aansoo main nahi seh sakti. Unhe is tarah mat waste kiya karo, it really hurts...", Riddhima didnt speak more. They both looked at each other for a while, when Riddhima suddenly asked him.
"I'm sorry Armaan, shayad mujhe aisa mazaak nahi karna chahiye tha. Maine realise hie nahi kiya ki mere mazaak se tumhe itni chot pohuchegi...", Armaan put his hand on her mouth.
"Basket, i know ki ye muh pe haath rakhne ka tareeka bohut purana ho gaya kisi ko chup karane ka, lekin jo dusra idea mere dimaag mein hai, of you know... placing something else on your lips... not my hand but my... ehem ehem, i thought ki shayad wo tumhe pasand nahi aayega. (she blushed at this) Tum khud sochkar batao, tumhare mazaak mein aisa kuch tha, jis se mujhe chot pohuche?", Armaan asked, and Riddhima readily shook her head. She knew the answer was no because this was what she'd been thinking when she was consoling him.
"To phir, tumne mujhe hurt nahi kiya. Samjhi?", he removed his hand.
"To phir kya hua tha Armaan?", she asked, still unsure. Armaan thought for a few seconds before he spoke, as he saw her curious gaze on him.
"Pata nahi Basket, i dont know how to explain myself. I dont have the right words jis se tumhe samjha saku...", he spoke in helplessness.
"Try karke dekho Armaan, maybe i will understand", she assured him. He looked at her, and saw the stream of hope in her eyes, and couldnt hold himself.
"Basket, jab main tumhe car tak la raha tha, when you were asleep, the closeness that we shared then, aur abhi thodi der pehle, our proximity, and even many other times when we've gotten close, i've realised you make me feel so special. It is a feeling i've only even heard of, totally different, so blissful. Maybe, you also feel the same way, i dont know, par jo main feel karta hoon, i am totally in love with that. I feel as if koi to hai, jiske liye main as an individual, as Armaan, important hoon. I feel i am wanted, koi hai who likes spending time with me, koi aisa who loves the real me. I like being in love with you Basket, i have no words to exactly tell you how you make me feel. Its just that i am so attached to you, my life is so intermingled with yours, that even thinking about my life without you, i feel the hollowness burn inside me. And the thought just passed my mind, what if in the end, we dont get toge...", Armaan's words were cut short as he felt Riddhima's lips upon his own. She kissed him with an urgent need. Initially, he didnt come out of the shock she'd inflicted upon him, but as he felt her desire, he also kissed her back. Her hand moved in his hair, as she moved closer to him. He enveloped her in his arms, tightening his hold by the seconds. Finally, both of them moved away to breathe in some air. It was then that Riddhima took his face in her hands, and spoke to him.
"Armaan, galti se bhi aisa sochne ki galti mat karna, ki hum saath nahi honge. Chahe kuch bhi ho jaye, tumhe mujhe apna banana hoga. Mujhe nahi pata ki ye kaise hoga, lekin main apni life tumhare alawa kisi aur ke saath bitaane ka soch bhi nahi sakti. Mere liye sirf ek hie insaan hai, aur wo tum ho. Tumhe kya lagta hai, jo tum feel karte ho, wo main nahi karti? Mere liye tum important nahi ho? Jo feelings mere andar sirf tumhari wajah se hain, kya wo bematlab hain? Nahi na, to phir tumhe kyun doubt hai ki end mein kuch bura hoga. Ji nai, mujhe bas itna pata hai ki hum saath honge, mujhe bharosa hai tum par, aur apne pyaar par. Humein koi alag nahi kar sakta...", Riddhima kept on speaking.
"Pakka?", he questioned, and as an answer, she kissed him again. This was the best answer she could give him. After a few minutes, Armaan asked her.
"Basket, tumne to poochha hie nahi ki hum kahaan ja rahe hain, na hie tumne ye poochha ki mera plan kya hai?"
"Maine kaha hai na Armaan, tum jahaan le jaoge, main chup chap chalungi, bina kisi sawaal jawaab ke. Mujhe pata hai ki hum jis bhi jagah jayenge, wahaan sirf ye important hoga ki hum dono saath hai, aur kuch nahi. Isliye mujhe koi problem nahi hai, ki hum kahaan ja rahe hain", she gave him her warm smile, which inturn made him smile. He was touched by the faith she'd put on her, and he kissed her cheek.
"Basket, i promise you wont be disappointed"
"I know Armaan, i am sure of it", she said softly.
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(complete)
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