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Off The Hook:
Chapter 2:
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"Make room for sister." Riddhima snapped out her thoughts to see Anjali waiting for her response, with two steaming mugs of coffee.
"Smells delicious." Riddhima smiled, taking her red-colour, zoozoo mug. It had been two days now since Riddhima had arrived back to India. Now that she thinks of it, she knows how much she missed it. How much she missed her family. How much she had missed her sister. A hot mug of Anjali special coffee, with a good romantic movie, on a chilly winter night. This event brought back tons of memories. Memories she will forever cherish. Memories she had now left behind.
Armaan knew she loves a hot mug of coffee with paneer pakoda on a chilly night. The last time she had the same experience was with him. It was a horror movie, something that Armaan loved, while she hated it. Riddhima clearly remembers how frightened she was that night after the movie was done, and how frightened she was for the rest of the month. A faint smile formed on her lips on remembering those golden memories which just came flashing back.
"I've something more for you." Riddhima snapped out of her memory flash back and looked interrogatively at Anjali. She was hiding something. Perhaps, another small surprise; surprise to cheer her up.
"Wow! Paneer Pakoda!" Riddhima's mouth had already begun watering, just by watching a plate filled of her favorite food.
"Yep. You like them right?" Anjali placed the plate on the center table and sat down near Riddhima.
"Like them? Love them!" Riddhima greedily grabbed a hand filled pakodas, trying to stuff them in her tiny mouth.
"Ow!Ow!My mouths on fire. Shit! Crap!" Riddhima began jumping while Anjali giggled.
"Oh, Ridzi! Missed you." Anjali gave her a warm, sisterly hug. Riddhima smiled. She had missed all of this. The place she had grown up in, her family, her friends, her sister. She had so much to catch up on.
All Riddhima knew at the moment was that her sister was getting married to a guy in about 4 months. 4 months? Just 4 months? Is that all she has to spend with her sister? She hadn't even met the guy yet. All she knew about him was that he was her colleague. The marriage was love cum arranged marriage.
Anjali and Atul were just friends until one day her father proposed the idea of their marriage. Atul's father, Omi Joshi, was a well known doctor and Shashank's father. After a lot of thinking, debates, approval, disapproval, Atul proposed her one fine day.
So everything was arranged neat & clean. Atul was a great guy, a fact well known to the whole family. A disciplined, dedicated, family-oriented guy, who would love Anjali and keep her happy; What more did Shashank need?
But Riddhima had missed all that out and she hated herself for that! She din't know that Atul existed, and that her sister was secretly in love with him, until the date of their marriage was fixed. She had totally missed on their story, and the proposal.
Anjali and Riddhima had decided to stay up and watch movies the entire night. It was one of their sister's day in! Both the sisters tugged themselves comfortably in the quilt, and switched the television on. The movie was Titanic, a movie both of them utterly and crazily love. Both of them never failed to comment on how hot the lead actor was and the comment would then turn into a small argument. Both the girls would debate that they deserved to marry him and then finally settle on the 'sharing is caring' term. Both would ooh and ahh during the movie.
"Ridzi?" Riddhima was totally into the movie, and the actors hotness, when her sister interrupted her.
"Hm?" Her focus was still on the movie, while she stuffed the food and coffee in her mouth.
"You din't sleep properly yesterday and the day before?" Riddhima's mind paused churning for a moment. She shifted her gaze to find Anjali looking at her. Anjali's question had done nothing but shocked her.
Oh, god. Now how should I explain the reason? She nervously tapped her fingers, thinking of a sensible answer.
"Um, Di. I'm not used to sleeping at this time. You know the time difference and stuff. Don't worry, I'll get used to it." She lied. But her lie seemed to satisfy Anjali's query. Riddhima was now thankful to the New York-India time difference and not so grateful to him.
"Hm." Riddhima sighed in relief secretly.
"Oh, I love this scene. Leo is totally mine, by the way." She tried to change the topic, but in vain.
"How's Armaan?"
Crap! Should I tell her about the break-up now? During the happiest days of her life?
"He's doing fine. He was asking about you too." She nervously sipped the coffee once more. The gulped the coffee as it continued to burn her throat and tongue.
"Did you both have fight?"
Good lord, am I seriously that predictable?
"No di! Why on earth will you think that?" Riddhima faked a laugh. Of course, that least helped.
"'Because you haven't called him once, since you have come back." All of a sudden all of Anjali's concentration was on her sisters expression.
"I have. You were probably busy talking to your ahem ahem then." Riddhima playfully tugged Anjali on her shoulder. That helped in meandering their conversation, since she could see her sister blush.
"So I've missed the story." Riddhima switched off the television and looked at her sister, who was turning scarlet right now.
"How did Jeeju..." She emphasized on the word, something that made Anjali blush to deep red colour.
"...propose? Huh? Was it love at first sight? How did you become friends? Was I the first one to know about it? Did you both go on a date? how was the first date? did you both kiss? How was the first kiss? Did you give you a present? Show me the present.."
"Oh, my god. Okay, okay! One by one. Let me start with the friendship." Anjali and Riddhima faced each other, giggling like young girls.
"Hm." Riddhima nodded like a obedient 8-year old girl. Thus the two got involved in discussing about the Anjali-Atul tale, something that was partly helpful for Riddhima too. For a change, Riddhima had taken her mind off him and their fight. Her sister was glad that she was back to herself, laughing, cracking jokes, being herself.
The sisters talk continued for a long time in which went everywhere from Anjali's story to her shopping marriage, until Riddhima decided to make a cup of coffee this time.
"Hold it there. Coffee and sandwiches coming up!" Riddhima got up and walked towards the kitchen. Anjali smiled. If Riddhima was thinking that she had successfully diverted Anjali's mind off her matters, she was wrong.
"You're so innocent, Ridzi! I love you." She saw her sister hoping towards the kitchen. Anjali had terribly missed Riddhima's 'The Pink Bunny Midnight hopping', which was hilarious!
When Riddhima was out of sight, Anjali looked at her phone. A message. She knew who it was. It was Armaan.
Armaan wanted to talk to Anjali. He had something in mind, and Anjali was going to help.
"Hey." Anjali kept throwing occasional glances towards the kitchen. She could hear Riddhima singing My heart will go on, hence knew that she must be busy.
"We need to talk." Armaan was serious.
God, that guy is crazy about Ridzi.
"Speak." Anjali had spoken to him on the phone dozen of times, after she got to know about Armaan-Riddhima. Armaan never failed to give Anjali a call, whenever Riddhima was upset or they had a fight. The fact that they were in love was known to her, but its depth came as a shock to her this time. He was serious and crazy about her!
"I've something in mind."
"Okay." Anjali mentally noted down the plan, as he continued speaking.
"Uh huh." She would nod occasionally.
"Di! Riddhima Gupta Sandwiches and Coffee all ready." Anjali's eyes widened in horror, as she heard Riddhima's footsteps drawing near.
"Oh, gosh. She is coming. Bye-bye!" She was about to cut the call, when Armaan stopped her.
"Wait. Don't cut the call." Armaan's interruption startled her. Did he want them to get caught? Then she would be screwed and would kill him definitely. But the following line brought a smile on her face.
"I need to hear her voice. I'm missing her." The intensity in his sigh made her smile.
"You really are missing her." Anjali took a moment to think, and instantly agreed due to shortage of time.
"Fine, bro-in-law" Anjali kept the phone hidden while Riddhima marched in.
"Ridzi?" Anjali laughed looking at Riddhima's face.
Riddhima was wearing the cooks hat, to go along with the red ketchup spot on her nose.
"Ketchup?" Riddhima was clueless about the ketchup, like always. Anjali sighed.
"Yes my sister, ketchup." Anjali wiped out the ketchup of her nose, and then laughed heartily.
"How did that get on my nose?" A mystery yet unsolved, how did the ketchup always get on the tip of her nose. Anjali laughed again.
Armaan, who was listening to the whole conversation, laughed along. He had the same conversation with Riddhima once before. He admitted the unquestionable fact-she is so cute! He sighed, as he remembered the fight suddenly. All the accusations were like thousand daggers punching hole in his body. He was missing her terribly!
Just then he heard her laugh like a carefree girl. He smiled. He took the cell phone and placed it right above his heart, something that belonged to heart. Closing his eyes, he mumbled, "I love you". On the other hand, Riddhima suddenly stopped laughing as if heard it all.
Her heart began thudding against her chest. She could feel him around. He is here and she knows that! She could sense him whispering "I love you" in her ears.
She scanned around the room. She wanted to see him there. She needed to see him there. How much ever had she fought, she'd wither and die without him. She loves him. But he wasn't going to follow her to India.
India? As if! Riddhima rolled her eyes, and then sighed.
"Lets watch the movie. Hm?" Anjali who was watching her actions, smiled secretly.
Riddhima again plastered a smile on her face and nodded.
"Hm." His memories weren't going to leave her alone. They would follow her, follow her till she was dead.
Anjali tugged her in the mickey-mouse quilt and snuggled her. She looked at her cell only to find it disconnected. Perhaps, Armaan had sensed it that she was missing him.
...........
Ye Hai Mohabbatein
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