Dil Se Dosti (part 8 in pg 26) - Page 16

Ridhima had also heard the door bell and came out of the dining hall but she couldn't see who was at the door as Armaan was standing in between her and the person shielding the person from her view.

Ridhima : "Kaun hain Armaan?"

Armaan smiled : "khud hi dekh lo."

And he moved to a side and now the person standing at the door came to proper view and a sweet smiled spread on Ridhima's face.

A beaming Riddhima whispered : "Aryan!"

It was none else than Aryan who was stationed at the door beaming at her mother. He entered the house and soon was pulled into a warm embrace by his dad, Armaan Mallik. Armaan patted his son's back proudly and soon they parted.

Armaan : "Well done buddy. I'm so proud of you."

Aryan beamed at him : "Thanx Dad."

Armaan winked at him : " Mujhse jyada garv toh tumhari mom ko hain tum par. Yeh usika sapna tha ke tum Sanjeevani mein tumhein apna internship complete karne ka mauka miley jo aaj tum ne poora kar dikhaya. We both are so proud of you."

Aryan thanked his father once again and then he walked past him and approached his mother. He bent down and touched her feet while tears of joy brimmed up in her eyes.

Riddhima : " I'm really proud of you son. Aaj tumne mera sapna poora kar dikhaya."

Aryan smiled : " Yeh sab aap ke aur dad ke blessings aur support ke wajah se hi mumkin hua hain mom. (For a moment he paused and then continued hesitantly) uh…um… mom wo aaj jo sanjeevani mein hua mujhe uske baare mein kuch baat karna tha. Trust me mom mujhe nehi pata ki wo larki kaun thi. Main toh….."

But he was cut in by Armaan who approached him and placed a soothing hand on his nervous son's shoulder : " Humein pata hain Aryan ke tum us larki ko jantey tak nehi ho. Aur yeh bhi ke wo Dr. Aarzoo ki dost hain jise usne tumhe call karke wo sab kehne ko kaha tha. It was just a prank played on you by her."

Aryan blinked in confusion as he wondered how did his parents came to know about it. Finally he voiced his doubt : " urm…ya but mom and dad how do you guys know about it? Aapko kaise pata chala?"

Riddhima smiled affectionately and ruffled Aryan's hair and replied : " Khud Aarzoo ne humein bataya. Shift khatam hone ke baad wo sabse pehle humse mili aur usne apni galti maan li aur tumhein innocent bataya. Usne humse apne kartoot ki maafi bhi maangi aur kaha ki hum jo chahe usko saja de saktey hain. Bas kisi begunah ko saja nehi milni chahiye."

Aryan was shocked out of his wits as the truth dawned on him. He was flabbergasted to know that it was Aarzoo who proved him innocent in front of his parents and aaccepted her fault and also asked for punishment as she believed that no innocent being should be castigated. It was also her who literally brought him out of his mental trauma and supported him at the moment when he needed someone's support so badly. He wondered whether he could ever understand this girl. Sometimes she would appear to be the most arrogant, obstinate and conceited human being but the next moment she would appear to be the most cordial, most supportive and most benevolent person.

Aryan's flow of thoughts was interrupted by a loud scream :

" BHAI!!!!"

Aryan looked up and found his sister striding down the stairs. He smiled and walked towards her in a leisurely pace with his arms wide open. A sweet and charming girl in her late teens came rushing down the stairs and as soon as she landed, she went straight into her brother's opened arms and engulfed him into a warm embrace. Aryan's smile widened even more and he wrapped his arms around his sister. Soon the brother-sister duo broke apart from the hug.

The girl chirped in an excited tone : " Congrats bhai. Aaj toh apne saabit kar diya ke aap Riya Armaan Mallik ke bhai hain. Meri tarah itni toh nehi par aap bhi kaafi hosiyar ho bhai."

Riya winked at Aryan and ducked the next moment, giggling, as Aryan playfully raised his hand to hit her.

Armaan and Riddhima chuckled seeing them fight as they used to in their childhood. Riddhima shook her head and leaving the duo to enjoy themselves she went back to see the arrangements for dinner after asking Aryan to get changed and freshen up and come for dinner soon.

As soon as Riddhima was out of sight, Armaan and riya both grabbed each arm of Aryan and dragged him to the nearby gallery. Leaving him Riya shut the door behind them and turned back to look at him with raised eyebrows while Armaan came and stood in front of him and cocked up his eyebrows. Aryan confusedly glanced back and forth from his sister to his dad and back from his dad to his sister. The weird looks they were throwing on his way confused him even more.

Aryan : "umm….Dad…Ri…wat's the matter guys? Why are you two giving me those weird looks? Mujhe kuch samajh nehi aa raha. Koi mujhe batayega baat kya hain?"

Riya smirked : "Wo toh humein aap se poochna chaiye na bhai ki baat aakhir hain kya? Kyun dad?"

Armaan : " offcourse princess. Yeh toh aap humein bataiye Aryan Armaan mallik ki aakhir baat hain kya?"

Aryan asked as sheer frustration and confusion took over him as they were talking in riddles : "Aap dono kya bol rahe ho? Kis baare mein baat kar rahe ho? Mujhe kuch samajh nehi aa raha."

Both Armaan and Riya chuckled making Aryan even more confused but the next moment the words which left Riya's lips cleared up his confusion and paved the way for a real shock.

Riya : "Accha koi baat nehi chaliye bhai hum seedhe saadhe tarike se poochte hain. Yeh Aarzoo kaun hain bhai? Aur aap dono ke beech chal kya raha hain? Dad ne kaha ki aap dono humesha larte rehtey hain par aaj jab aapko mom se uske wajah se daant pari toh wo bhaag ke aa gayi aapko bachane ke liye. Aur saari galti usne maan bhi li. Kuch toh garbar hain. Aaj se pehle toh Priya di ke alawa kisi bhi larki se aapki itni banti nehi thi. Lagta hain kuch khas baat hain is Aarzoo mein. Ab toh milna hi parega isse. Kya pata agar kalko yehi meri bhabhi bankar aa jaye toh pehle se jaan pehchaan banake rakhni paregi na."

Both Armaan and Riya chuckled to see Aryan gaping at them open mouthedly. Aryan was utterly flabbergasted as the conclusion they had drawn out of the incident dawned on him.

Aryan : "Dad! I dont believe this. Apne is riya ko sab bataya! Apko pata hain na rai ka pahar banane mein ustaad hain yeh. Aur dad maine kaha toh tha aapse ki mere aur Aarzoo ke beech waisa kuch nehi chal raha jaisa aaplog soch rahe hain."

Riya smirked n snapped : "Accha? Aur aapko kaise pata bhai ke hum kya soch rahe hain?"

Aryan glowered at his devil of a sister which only evoked her giggles.

Aryan helplessly turned back to their father : "Dad! Riya! Come on guys. I swear aisa kuch nehi hain."

Armaan replied thoughtfully : " hmm... Yani ki wo acchi nehi hain?"

Aryan was taken aback at the sudden question. Without thinking for a while he replied : " Maine aisa toh nehi kaha."

Riya grabbed the oppurtunity n immediately threw the question on Aryan's direction : "matlab wo acchi hain?"

Aryan was caught offguard by her sudden question n blurted out : "Haan. (But then realization of what mess he had got himself into dawned on him) Matlab nehi."

Armaan chuckled at the bewildered Condition of his son n decided that they had harassed the poor boy enough n now should put an end to it. However before he could utter a single word his mischievous daughter spoke up again.

Riya :" haan ka matlab=

nehi nehi haan hi hota hain bhaiya. Seedhe se kahiye na ke wo aapko acchi lagne lagi hain. Warna pehle toh kab bhi maine aapse kisi larki ke baare mein yeh sawal poocha toh apne jhat se accha nehi kaha. Baat kya hain haan?"

She had pulled the last straw of Aryan's patience n he could no longer retain his patience.

Aryan : "Abhi batata hu ki baat aakhir hain kya."

Saying this he chased his sister who swiftly unbolted the door n escaped into the hall with Aryan following her. Armaan laughed shaking his head n he too followed them n walked out of the gallery.

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(Aryan's room)

After relishing a good family time with delicious dinner, Aryan was settled on his king size bed in his room n was engrossed in some medical journals. It was quite late n he was about to withdraw to the comfort of his bed when a gush of chilling yet soothing breeze broke into his room n brushed past his face. For a moment he closed his eyes n then opened them the next moment. He walked towards the sea facing windows of his room which were wide open welcoming the breeze to enter the room. He went n stood by the open window, relishing the soothing breeze brushing past his face which caused his lips to curve into a sweet smile of satisfaction n to shut his eyes close. But soon his eyes snapped open with a confused n horrified expression adorning his face.