The World's Oldest Story!! - AR - Page 9

"Guys kuch toh help karo! I cant get engaged to Riddhima!", Rahul was worried! His mom hadn't stopped talking about the engagement since the last one week.

"oh Hello! Mujhe bhi tumse shaadi karne ka shauk nahi hai!", Riddhima was very irritated. Rahul was cribbing away to glory since morning... it wasn't leading to any solution and simply adding to her tension!

"Tum dono lad kyun rahe ho yaar!", as Muskaan said this, Riddhima lost it, "Yeh tu keh rahi hai Muskaan! Tu jo humesha iske saath ladti hai woh!"

"What's all this noise! Ooh... Basket's angry!!", Armaan who had just entered saw Riddhima with her finger angrily pointed towards Muskaan...

"Armaan, really! Nows not the time... not unless you want to go home on a sretcher! ", Riddhima couldn't take Armaan right now. She was boiling with anger'

"Really Basket! I m so scared...", Armaan replied sarcastically.

"Guys Please stop fighting!", Rahul shouted at the two of them.

"Fine! But she started it!", Armaan pointed at Riddhima

"Liar!! you started it!", Riddhima retorted.

Rahul couldn't take it anymore, so he started to walk out ready to go home and listen to his mom brag about his impending doom!

"Raaool! Ruk yaar! I have the perfect solution to your problem!", Armaan stopped him before he could leave. 'I'll trouble Basket later', he thought. Rahul stopped instantly, and both he and Riddhima exclaimed, "Kya?"

Armaan went and laid down on the couch, his hands folded behind his head, all eyes on him',"Tumhari problem ka sirf ek hi solution hai! And that is...", He was deliberately testing their patience! "What Armaan?", Riddhima couldn't stand this any longer.

"Raool will have to fall in love with Muskaan!", Armaan stated clearly...

"WHAT??", all three of them screamed! Muskaan looked like he had insulted her while Rahul wanted to kill him for bringing that up. Armaan was teasing him about it throughout the week. Riddhima was just confused!, "Armaan! Have you lost it! Muskaan kaise..", Riddhima started but was stopped by Armaan, "Haan... haan.. haan... Basket, Poori Baat toh suno. They'll have to pretend they are in love just so that your engagement gets cancelled. There's no other way!"

But Rahul was quick for Armaan, "Why.. Why! Armaan! Of course there's another way! Why don't you and Riddhima fall in love!" Armaan was shocked to hear Rahul's comment. How dare he!! That too 'In front of Basket!!' He gave him a glare and was about to retort but..

"No way!! Dad ko pata chala toh who Armaan ko maar denge!", Riddhima said with genuine fear in her eyes... Armaan was intrigued! His brain started working in fifth gear and he started making the connections... So was that why Basket wasn't talking to him properly?

"Arre haan! I forgot ke Dr. Shashank hates Armaan!", Rahul mocked Armaan, then muttering under his breath, "Poor you..."

Riddhima looked at Armaan and realized that he had made the connection. She quickly made some excuse and fled from there!

"Oy! Armaan!! What in the world makes you think I will do anything for this Loser!!", Muskaan was mad at him for even suggesting such a thing! But Armaan gave her a deaf ear and walked out of the cabin behind Riddhima!

As he walked through the corridor, he recollected what Riddhima had said! 'That Shanky is out to ruin my life', he thought... 'But I thought Basket was my friend... why is she doing this to me!' He spotted her a little ahead of him and called out, "Riddhima! Riddhima!!", but Riddhima wasn't stopping. On the contrary she increased her pace... Armaan was furious now. He caught up with her and pulled her into the fire escape.

"Armaan! What are you doing? Leave my hand! Right now!!", Riddhima ordered him, breathing fire.. No one had ever behaved like this with her.

"Not till you answer my questions Riddhima!", Armaan was equally furious. Riddhima looked everywhere but at him! Armaan cooled down a little and in a softer voice said, "Look I am sorry Riddhima! Main aise behave nahi karna chahta tha! But tum mujhse bhaag kyun rahi ho? I thought we were friends!", Armaan sounded genuinely depressed. Riddhima couldn't look into his eyes, "Aisi koi baat nahi hai Armaan! Main tumse kyun bhagoongi! Now please leave my hand!"

"Don't do this to me Basket! Hum dono jaante hain ki you're trying to keep a distance from me... and we both know the reason why! And as far as your hand is concerned who maine kabka chod diya hai!", as soon as Armaan said that, Riddhima looked into his eyes... she was free from his hold, but his gaze held her there! He sounded so defeated that Riddhima couldn't help but look at him! As they stared into each other's eyes, she realized she was looking into those ocean blue eyes after eons. She saw a glimpse of that loneliness in them that she had seen in Goa. Her heart pined for him and at that moment she forgot all about her dad and her confusion and her engagement and just extended her hand to touch his face! She had wanted to do that since forever! She had dreamt about it so many times... and now that it was actually happening, it all felt like a dream...

Armaan was also lost in the moment... The way she caressed his face, brought a feeling of acceptance.. After a long time he felt like something was right... something that was amiss was falling into place... all the confusion was gone.. It was clear to him at this moment, that he wanted this moment to last forever!

He closed his eyes, taking in the feeling...

Riddhima was speeding like she was running for her life... She couldn't believe what she had done a few minutes back... How could she lose control?... What would she tell him if he asks... She was cursing herself for behaving the way she did!! She was running away... what she didn't understand was, that she was trying to run away from herself...

No one could take away what she had felt when she had caressed his face... when he closed his eyes in acceptance she felt like she'd found her sun... she could've stayed like that forever... if her phone wouldn't have beeped she would have never let go of him... But as soon as she realized what she was doing, she fled from there trying to get as much distance between them as possible... but she left a part of her heart behind in the fire escape with Armaan...

"Hello Nikki!", Armaan spoke almost in a whisper...

"Armaan! its one in the night! What's wrong?", Nikki sounded worried..

"Nikki relax! Mujhe tujhse ek important baat karni thi!", hearing Nikki's worried voice Armaan spoke louder and more confidently!

"Armaan tujhe raat ke ek baje important baat karni hai!", Nikki was annoyed now. What was it that couldn't wait till morning?

"Nikki actually na, mere dost ko lagta hai ki usse pyaar ho gaya hai! But I'm... I mean... he's.. not sure' you know.. About love and stuff!", Armaan was half stuttering and half biting his tongue from saying 'I' instead of 'he'!

Nikki jumped up in her bed! So finally Mr. Love-is-all-a-lie had fallen in love!, "Oh Armaan! I am so happy for you! Kaun hai who! Bol na! I knew it ki tujhe ek na ek din pyaar ho hi jaayega!"

"Slow down Nikki! And mujhe koi pyaar vyaar nahi hua hai! Woh... woh.. Haan! Rahul ko Muskaan se pyaar hua hai!", Armaan tried defending himself.

"What? Rahul! Rahul Grewaal Mumbai mein hai?? Him and Muskaan!! Wow!", Nikki was very excited now. She completely forgot that she was sleepy five minutes ago!

"Haan... toh he wants to know for sure if what he feels is love!", Armaan asked her confidently now that Nikki had bought his fib!

But Nikki was quite smart herself, "Rahul Grewaal isn't sure of what love is? Who are you kidding Armaan! Now toh I am sure ki tujhe hi pyaar hua hai!"

Armaan bit his tongue and punched his pillow... Damn you! Rahul Grewaal!! PhD in Love Psychology!! He cursed Rahul in his mind for famously being the expert in 'the matters of the heart' in college!, "Actually... Nikki, haan.. He's been in and out of what he thought was love so many times that he isn't sure of what it is this time!", Armaan tried convincing Nikki of his innocence'

"Theek hai! Toh tu Rahul ko mera number de, aur usse khud phone karne ko bol!", Nikki was smart, she was going to grill Armaan till he blurted the truth.

"Arre yaar Nikki!... Fine... bye!! Tujhe kuch poochna hi nahi chahiye!", Armaan gave up and was about to cut the call but Nikki stopped him. She knew that the only way of knowing Armaan's feelings was if she pretended that they were talking about Rahul!, "Theek hai bol! Kya poochna hai Rahul ko?"

"Who actually usse ek ladki... I mean Muskaan bohot acchi lagti hai! Usse na.. Muskaan ko tang karna bohot accha lagta hai! He loves the way she gets irritated at every thing he says... he loves to see her scowl... he loves to see her smile... he loves the way she dresses... the way she smells... he loves everything about her... ", Armaan said all this very dreamily thinking about Riddhima....

"Then what's the problem Armaan! If 'Rahul' loves everything about 'Muskaan' then obviously he's in love with her!", Nikki said it matter-of-factly... but she was almost jumping around in her room out of excitement!

"Nahi.. Woh... he just wasn't sure you know!! Like, what to call this feeling! He thought, maybe... they are just friends!", Armaan was unsure now of what he really wanted to ask. He had almost answered himself!

Nikki took charge, "I think Rahul is completely and madly in love with Muskaan and should go and tell her how he feels about her!"

"But Muskaan just wants to be friends... What if she doesn't like him? What if she stops talking to him?", Armaan asked her sincerely, chewing his nails...

"Armaan, stop being such a wuss...!! I mean tell Rahul to stop being such a wuss and make Muskaan fall in love with him! After all Rahul is such a 'gem of a person' and also 'very handsome' I might add! How can anyone resst him!!", Nikki was being patient with Armaan but was losing it now! 'The Armaan Mallik' who had girls swooning over him left, right and center was being such a coward... 'Nahi chahiye tab bakwaas ki flirting karta rehta hai... Aur ab sach bolne se dar raha hai... moron!', she thought to herself..., "So Armaan, kya Rahul ki problem maine solve kar di?", she asked still under the 'Rahul' pretence..

"Mujhe kaise pata Nikki! I'll tell him tomorrow and let you know... thanks a million Nikki, I love you!", Armaan wanted to get off the phone asap and analyze things for himself... this was a big thing.. So he was in LOVE!!!

"I love you too moron!! And agli baar 'Rahul' ko advice leni ho toh jaldi phone karna... Normal people sleep at night you know!!", Nikki was very happy for him. Of all the people... she knew he deserved this the most! He deserved to get his share of love in life...

Armaan felt much better after talking to Nikki, but still wasn't sure of this love thing!! He remembered the incident in the fire escape earlier today... he had never felt like that ever before... her touch made him feel protected, so secure... he didn't want it to end... ever... But then Riddhima had run away when she realized what she was doing... plus that Shanky has told her to stay away from him... Does she feel anything for him at all?... He remembered the time they spent in Goa! Their first dance... the sleepless nights.... the bickering... The basketball fight... The tattoo she got on her ankle! He recollected her last night in Goa, when she had unintentionally hurt him, but more importantly, had been there for him like nobody had ever before... he recollected how her phone conversations had taken his loneliness away!! But then... since he had come to Mumbai she had changed... but so had he... She meant so much more to him now than she had then!! The pain he had felt when he learnt of her and Rahul's engagement was still fresh in his mind... it had hurt so much... he didn't want to recall it... he was grateful that all that was just a pretence... he recollected how relieved he had been when they had finally revealed the truth... coz if they wouldn't have, he wouldn't have been able to keep up with his Happy-for-my-friends pretence for long, he was sure!! Throughout the week he had been fighting his feelings and emotions... but now he had understood that he was actually running away from them... something that he'd never done in his life... he's always faced everything that life gave him.. So now finally, the moment of truth had arrived... but he still was apprehensive to accept it!!

Half Of My Heart! - John Mayer

I was born in the arms of imaginary friends

Free to roam, made a home out of everywhere I've been

Then you come crashing in, like the realest thing

Trying my best to understand all that your love can bring

Oh half of my heart's got a grip on the situation

Half of my heart takes time

Half of my heart's got a right mind to tell you

That I can't keep loving you

Oh, with half of my heart

I was made to believe I'd never love somebody else

I made a plan, to stay the man who can only love himself

Lonely was the song I sang, 'til the day you came

Showing me a better way and all that my love can bring

Half of my heart's got a real good imagination

Half of my heart's got you

Half of my heart's got a right mind to tell you

That half of my heart won't do

Half of my heart is a shotgun wedding to a bride with a paper ring

And half of my heart is the part of a man who's never really loved anything!!