AR FF-Ten Ways to Get Him Back-Ch1 to Ch9 - Page 78

Originally posted by: ksgforlife07

Hey! Actually, my exam is from 6 to 9. I shall update as soon as I reach home! It is 3:45 here now!

Love, Alisha K.

Originally posted by: Ethereal-Path

I hope your exam went well and now finally you (and we) can breathe in relief. 😆

The day is about to end! Update! Update! =D

~Chapter Nine: A Trip to Memory Lane~

"If you feel that you really, truly love this person, then perhaps you can love them unconditionally. You'll know you've reached that point when you can genuinely feel happy for them, even if that happiness does not include you. With unconditional love, there's no sense of loss, because it's about deriving all your happiness from the act of giving - not from receiving." Muskaan read the words monotonously.

"Seriously Rahul, are you trying to depress your readers? Who in their right mind wants to read an article called 'How to Cope with Unrequited Love'. Your writing is great. You write as if it all happened to you, but couldn't you find a better topic?" She threw his draft copy messily on his desk. She knew how much of a clean freak the man was. As she expected, Rahul straighten the papers up and put them on the right corner.

"OCD much?" She smiled as she took a seat on the couch.

"Not really, I just like to be clean, unlike someone in this room." He hinted.

"I have no idea what you're talking what you're talking about" She sang back.

"My poor eardrums Muskaan, have some compassion for me."

"Oh shut up! By the way, do-" A large ringing sound interrupted her. Who would call him this late? She watched Rahul curiously as he answered the phone quickly. Suddenly, his jaw clenched and his lips set themselves into a thin line. "I'm coming." He marched across the room, grabbed his keys and threw his jacket on. Without so much of a backward glance, he said "I have to go. Riddhima needs me." And he was gone, leaving the curly haired lady behind.

What just happened? Muskaan was baffled by the scenario. One moment, they were joking, and the next, it seemed that anger took him over. God, she wished Riddhima was alright. She heard about the little incident that took place in the hospital, and how she was forced to fix the hospital files. Poor girl. Her brother could really be a jerk at times, but could she blame him.

She thought back to that fateful day, years ago, and shivered. Seeing her brother in that state was never something she wanted to see again. She couldn't help him, couldn't understand his pain; she just stood in the sidelines and watch her brother drive himself crazy for days. There was nothing she could have done. But not now. Now, God had given her a chance to finally help her him get the happiness he deserved. She didn't have to stand in the sidelines anymore.

She smiled at herself as she thought of the future. Armaan and Riddhima getting back together. Getting married. She was definitely going to kill Riddhima if she was not the maid honour. Imaging them having kids. They better pick her as the godmother of their child as well. That spot was already reserved for her. Maybe, she would have children of her own. Her children running in the backyard from Rahul and- Wait what?

Did she just imagine Rahul as the father of her children? Oh dear. She had it bad. Ever since that fateful carnival day, she couldn't help herself. The feelings she had refused to go away. Every time, he entered the room, her eyes lit up and her heart rate accelerated. At first, she was completely annoyed by him, but who wouldn't? The guy traumatized her. But now, it was different. She loved their little banters. She loved how he would smile to her. She loved his fierce loyalty to those he loved. She loved his obsession to be neat at all times. She loved his cheerful laugh. She loved'

"Oh my god!" She exclaimed as realization hit her with a crash! Actually the crash was from outside, but the effect was still the same. She was completely and utterly in love with Rahul. "Oh boy" She exhaled sharply. She was in love for the first time ever in her life. So this is how it felt. She thought to herself as she drifted off to sleep.

I am Barbie girl in a Barbie world'

"What the hell" Muskaan opened her eyes. Her neck was hurting and so was her back. She rubbed her eyes as she took her surroundings in. She was still in Rahul's couch. She found the source of the sound that was currently giving her the biggest headache in the world-her phone. She absolutely had to change the horrible ringtone. What was she thinking when she had first put that on.

"Hello" She answered without bothering to look at the caller I.D.

"Muskaan, I need a favour." She heard her brother say.

"Good Morning to you too brother." She retorted. Not only did he wake her up, but he was trying to order her.

"Listen, I need you check on Riddhima. Make sure she is okay." He said. "Do this for me okay. I have to go, my director is calling me." He hung up before she could tease him a bit about his sudden concern. She roamed around the house in search of the man who plagued her dreams, but to her surprise, his bed was empty and made. Not a single crease. It was as if he never slept in it. She left before Rahul came back, because that would be awkward. She laughed to herself thinking about the absurd scenario.

Instead of heading home, she went to knock on Riddhima's door, but found it unlocked. She slowly poked her head in and saw two figures on the couch.

Rahul was sleeping soundly on the couch and Riddhima was curled to his side. His arm was protectively draped around her shoulders. Even in her sleep, Riddhima face showed sadness and longing. Rahul had stayed the night to comfort from whatever Armaan did again. He really cared about her. He would do anything for her, she knew that.

Muskaan slowly closed the door, not wanting to wake them up.

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"CUT" Christopher Nolan screamed. "Armaan, what is wrong with you? That was the 31^st take, and you're still doing it all wrong. Your lines are all wrong. Your acting is just horrible today."

"Sorry Chris, my head is just not in the right place today." The Hollywood heartthrob sighed.

"Okay, it's a wrap for today guy" the director yelled letting everyone know the shooting was done for the day. "Armaan, next week, you better be ready." He warned before leaving. "You, bring me coffee to my trailer" He picked an intern to boss around.

Armaan headed to his own trailer. He was in dire need of Tylenols and some sleep. He wasn't able to sleep since that night. Even after he locked that bas***d up, he kept having nightmares about what would have happened had he not reached the park in time. The guilt was eating him inside. It was his entire fault. He let his temper get the better of him, and it had led to this disaster. Every word she said was still etched into his mind and kept replaying repeatedly.

Why are you punishing me so? Why was he? Was it because she left him, or was it because he couldn't forget her despite all his effort? I skipped my class just so I can catch the first show. The ever perfect Riddhima skipped class for him. She probably destroyed her perfect attendance record just for him. You were the only man I kissed, and I lost that too today. He couldn't help but feel happy that she had never been with another man in her life, but at the same time, he took that away from her too. God, she must have felt heartbroken when he flaunted his dates on TV. I loved you Armaan, I loved you so much it hurt when I left. She loved him when she left, but then why leave at all. If she was in trouble, why not tell him. He would have helped her. Why take money from his mother and disappear completely. Just vanish from his life completely without reason or explanation.

Knock. Knock.

"Come in" He said as he removed the linen shirt the costume designer forced him to wear. They were the most uncomfortable thing on earth. How would they expect their actors to act if the clothes they put them in are completely itched?

"Darling, I know you want to get naked with me, but now is hardly the time." A female voice said. He turned his attention to the door immediately to the door, and there stood Felicia in the flesh.

"Felicia, what are you doing here?" He asked, his voice clearly indicating that her presence was completely unwanted. What has he gotten himself into? Another complication he needed to fix immediately.

"That is no way to speak to your girlfriend Armaan. Has your mother never told you that?" She said as she marched in into his trailer and made herself comfortable on the leather couch.

"We both know what the truth is. There is no need to pretend here. So I'll ask you again. What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to know when we were going to go out on a date. I think it's time we showed ourselves to the public a bit. We are supposed to be in love"

There was no way Armaan was going to keep up the pretence anymore. He had enough complication in his life. "Felicia, look, you held your end of the bargain. I already gave you the money. I don't need your services anymore."

"What do you mean, you don't need me anymore?" Felicia was clearly angry. She was enjoying the spotlight she got by being with Armaan. She already got two movie offers. There was no way she wanted to end this little charade. Besides, the man was too hot to let go. "I am not breaking up with you."

"It's over Felicia, not that there was anything to start with."

"Is this because of that girl? She isn't worth your time, affection or money. You're Armaan the superstar. You need someone that can match up to your standards." She approached him and trailed her fingers on his bare chest.

He grabbed her hands and yanked them away "That's none of your concern."

"Just because I am blond, it does not mean that I am dumb. I've seen the way you look at her. I see the love you have for her. What can you possibly see in a girl like her?"

"Felicia, just leave. This conversation is over. We are done. You got your money so leave me alone." He pushed his door open, signalling her that her time was up.

She looked at her long, trimmed and perfect nail "You know, I don't only see love in your eyes every time you look at her." She came closer and pressed her cheek to his and purred into his ears "I see pain, anguish, agony. So, if you ever want to forget all that, come find me. I'll make sure you don't feel any of it for the night."

"I'll keep that in mind" He replied sarcastically. There was something he needed to do in the morning. He needed to get to the bottom of things if he wanted to have some piece of time.

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"Mom"Armaan screamed as he barged into his parent's house. "Mom, I need to talk to you" He yelled once more.

"Armaan, what is wrong with you? It's 6 six in the morning. Why are you making so much noise?" Serena appeared at the top of the stairway, fastening her silk robe tightly as she elegantly strolled down the stairs. "This better be something important!"

"Oh believe me, it is" He muttered angrily. "Why did you do it?"

Serena blinked. What was her son talking about? There was just one thing that could get the young man this angry, but he couldn't have known, could he? "I have no clue what you are talk-"

"Please mom, don't give me that now. I think you know exactly what I am talking about." His mother kept staring elsewhere, unwilling to answer his question. "Mom, I need to know why you paid Riddhima five hundred grand to leave me."

She finally looked up and met his gaze "She told you didn't she. She just couldn't keep her mouth shut."

"No, she didn't tell me anything. I found out. So what I want to know is how you could have done something like that to your own son. You saw what it did to me and yet, you never said a single word. Why?" He whispered the last bit.

"I did it for your own good" Serena spat.

"For my own good? OWN GOOD? In what way mom, because I really can't see the connection here."

"She was going to bring down your career." The woman simply stated. She took a seat on the divan and exhaled loudly. Armaan stared at her, waiting for her to continue further. "She was enough for you Armaan. With her around, you would of never have fought for your career as much as you did in the past. She would have filled any void you had and you would have been happy. I wanted more for you Armaan. I wanted you to reach the top. I wanted you to get what I never had. Look at you. You're twenty-seven and you're going to get an Oscar."

Armaan was shocked by his mom's revelation. Was it true? After Riddhima left, he buried himself deep in his work and his hard work had brought him success. He wanted to show the world his worth. He wanted to show her that she had missed out her chance. He had used the emptiness inside of him to push himself further, but it might have been different. "You can't be sure mom. Maybe if she was by my side, she would push me further. Maybe I would have already got an Oscar. Maybe her love was going to make me a legend. It was my choice to make, not yours."

"Armaan, I did what I thought was best for you. I just wanted-"

"For me or for you?" He spat angrily.

"I wanted you to have the life you deserved. The fame and glory you wanted. The recognition of a lifetime." She stood up and embraced her son, but he just stood there, his arms dangling by his side. "You're my son, and I love you dearly. I just wanted you to get everything in life. Trust me when I- "

Armaan pulled back roughly from his mother's arms. "Trust mom' I don't know who to trust anymore. I'm an actor. People always want something from me. Forgive me for thinking those I love were different." He headed for the door, but paused, his hand resting on the door knob. There was still something he really needed to know.

"When you offered her the money, did she take it right away?" He asked, as he rested his head on the door. His heart feared what the answer might be. He closed his eyes. He needed to know to have some piece of mind. Was that too much to ask? "I need the truth mom. Did she?"

"No Son, she didn't." Serena couldn't bare the state of her son. She did this to him. She had turned him into the biggest star in Hollywood, but at the cost of his happiness. What kind of mother was she? She saw what it did to him? Maybe this was her chance to repent her sins. She never liked Riddhima, nor will she ever. But then again, no one would ever be good enough for her son in her eyes. "She didn't. She was actually really mad by my offer."

Armaan sighed in relief. She had initially refused to take the money. His heart jumped in joy. She refused first, but then said yes, for god knows what reason. He was going to leave when his mom continued her story. "She said no, and demanded I leave her house. She came back afterwards and she seemed torn. She couldn't even ask for the money properly. I gave her the check and she left."

"Thank you Mom. You don't know what this means to me."

"Armaan, I know I have never been the mother you deserved, but I love you Armaan, and I am sorry for what I did."

Armaan turned towards his mom and smiled. It was all he needed to do to bring a smile to her lips. His mother had flaws. She had made mistakes, but then so did he. So did they all. And that's what made them all human.

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"Hey Jake" Armaan answered his phone. Ever since he came back from his mother's place, he had been sitting on the deck, trying to make sense of his messy life. He was sure the reporters would have a field day if they knew what was going on in his head. His thoughts were disturbed by his best friend's call.

"Hey man, I can see that you don't have time for your best friend anymore, now that you're Mr. Hollywood" He heard his friends say.

"Actually, there are a lot of things going on in my mind. Plus, with new movie, didn't really get anytime to myself recently." He defended himself. It was true; with Riddhima, his movies, Felicia, he really forgot all about his best friend. "So what's up?"

"I proposed to Roxanne, and she said yes" Jake tried to say normally, but the excitement and happiness was clear in his voice. Jake and Roxanne dated since high school. Armaan was actually surprised that Jake waited all these years to propose. Probably the cold feet.

"Congrats man! I wish you guys the very best"

"What do you mean wish us the very best? On the phone? You, my man, are my best man. In two weeks, you are getting your ass here in Hawaii, and during your speech, you can wish us all the best. Besides, Christmas is coming. I am sure they can give you a long break."

"I'll be there, no worries. So what made you finally pop the question? Got over the fear of being tied down?"

"Ha ha, very funny. I just wanted to be stable before getting married. I have been tied down to the same woman for the past 8 years and I couldn't be happier. What can I say, I am completely whipped." He laughed through the phone.

"Well, we always knew you were whipped since high school. That's nothing new."

"Look who's talking. You weren't any better. Every one even thought that you and Riddhima would be the first to tie the knot. Everyone-" Jake abruptly stopped. "Sorry bud, I know that's a taboo subject with you." Jake remembered how bad Armaan was that summer. Their entire group of friends were banned to say her name in front of him.

"Actually, Jake, I wanted to talk to you about her"

"Who are you and what have you done to Armaan" He joked, trying to lighten up the mood.

"Jokes apart, Jake. I sort of ran into her here in New York."

"And you're okay with that?"

"I wasn't initially" Armaan narrated the events from the day first day he ran into her, and everything that came afterwards.

"You go through all that crap, and now you call me. Well, it seems liked you screwed up. So you still don't know why she took the money?" Jake was confused by the whole scenario. For an actor, his life really resembled a movie. Hopefully, like most movies, his would have a happy ending.

"Nope, and she refuses to tell me. I mean if she had an explanation, why not just say it? Wouldn't it make things easier for her? For me?"

"As your best friend, I will be honest with you. What Riddhima did to you was wrong, whether it was for a noble cause or not. I saw its repercussion, and they were not pretty. But if it was, it makes her actions understandable. Based on the Riddhima I knew, she would never intentionally hurt anyone and I think you know it too. So at the end of the day, it comes back to you. Do you trust her enough to let her back in, regardless of her the reasons. Or, do you really need to know the reason why she took the money." He paused "It's your choice and no one else's."

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Riddhima was sitting by the window. It had been a couple of days since the incident. She had to formally make a statement, but apparently Armaan had taken care of everything. Well, it was his fault to start with; he had better clean up his mess. How stupid was she to think that Armaan would come back to her? It was time she left her dream world and came back to reality.

She couldn't take it anymore. Having the man you love more than life itself treat you ill was more than she could bear. She had lost Armaan the moment that check came into her hand. She knew it then, and she knows it now. She just forgot it for a little while.

"Riddhima?" Muskaan peered into her room. Riddhima quickly wiped away her tears. "Sorry, I found your door unlocked and let myself in."

"Not a problem Muskaan. Come in." Riddhima was always happy to see Muskaan. That girl was a walking bundle of joy, sharing it with all those she touched. She watched as the girl took a seat at the edge of the bed.

"How have you been?" Muskaan asked. She had heard about the entire incident from Armaan. He called quite often to make sure she was okay, but it probably wasn't the best moment to mention her brother's name. "I'm fine" She heard her friend say. The famous fine, which actually translates to I am not doing well at all.

"Riddhima, look what I have." Rahul waltzed into the room with an envelope into her room. "Oh Hey Muskaan" He added when he saw the added company. He turned back his attention to Riddhima and gave his parcel "Open it"

She carefully slid her pinkie below the top and gently tore it. Inside, there were tickets to any destination in the States. Riddhima smiled at her best friend. She must have done some good in some other life to deserve someone like him. "I thought that you might want to get out of the city. We can go anywhere you want." She jumped on him and hugged him fiercely. He always knew what to do to cheer her up.

"How about we go to Hawaii? I always loved beaches" Which was true. She had always loved them because it reminded her of Armaan. The point of this trip was to make her forget him, but she knew that would never happen. So why not go to a place she always wanted to visit.

For the first time ever since she had moved in their apartment building, Muskaan felt out of place. Somehow, with her new feelings, she couldn't converse properly with the man of her dreams standing a few feet away. And today, the two of them seemed so at ease with each other, she felt like she was intruding something. "I'll just be going" She got up and headed for the door.

"Muskaan" Riddhima's voice halted her steps. "There's a ticket for you in here you know. You better pack for the Holidays, because we are going to go to Hawaii."

"You didn't think we were going to go without you, did you? With whom will I fight if not you?" Rahul winked at her. She felt her cheeks flame, and decided to bolt before she looked like a lobster. Her feelings about the man were something she wished to keep to herself and herself only.

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Flashback Starts

Armaan lied down on his bed, his curtains were shut, blocking every ray of sun light into the room-his arm was covering his eyes while the other one clutched the heart shaped pendant. It had been two weeks since the day he came back from his trip from Yale. Two weeks since his heart was ripped out of his chest. Two weeks since he stopped living. Two weeks since he promised himself not to shed a tear. It was two weeks of despair. Two weeks of pain. Two weeks of anguish. Two weeks of darkness. Two weeks of complete emptiness.

Creek

Armaan lifted his head to see who had dared enter his sanctuary. Muskaan stood in the doorway, holding a tray of food in her hand. "Armaan" He heard her say. He didn't answer. He hasn't been answering for the past two weeks. Why should today be any different?

"Armaan" She spoke again, concern evident in her voice. "Armaan, you haven't been eating properly for the past weeks. You barely ever touch you plate."

Armaan didn't move. He kept his arm on his eyes, refusing to let anyone glimpse through his broken soul. How could he eat when he was never hungry? How can one eat when there is no appetite? Granted, it was unhealthy, but health was the last thought in his head. No, the only thing that was on his mind was Riddhima. Why had she left him? Was his love not enough for her? Wasn't she happy with him? Why leave without a single word, a single goodbye?

"'You haven't shaved, you haven't left your room'" A distant voice was telling him, but he blocked it out. His mind had no time to ponder on such trivial matter. He had to figure out why she left him. Just thinking about the girl he so madly loved made his heart ache-it was an excruciating pain he couldn't stop. It was as if someone was twisting a knife inside a heart. Why would she leave? Why? Why? It made no sense. He clutched the necklace even harder. Maybe if he kept it close to him, magically she would realise her mistake and some back to him.

"Armaan are you even listening?" The voice was back. It was trying to tell him something, but the pain inside of him was too much to bear. It blocked out all of his sense. "Armaan, Armaan" He felt a small tug on his shirt, but he couldn't respond. His eyelids felt heavy and his head was turning. And then it went black.

Flashback End

Muskaan jerked out of bed. She hadn't dreamed of that fateful day for years. Suddenly, she was back to being her old vulnerable 17 year old self. The one who tugged his shirt and got no response. The one who thought she had lost her brother when she couldn't feel his pulse. The one who screamed because she didn't know what else to do.

She remembered that day as if it were yesterday. On the day Armaan came back from his trip, he came home drenched. He didn't bother saying hi to anyone and went straight to his room. He didn't talk to anyone, didn't answer his phone, refused to have any visitors. His food was taken to his room, and it came back barely touched-a sip of water, and if lucky, she would see a little bite on the sandwich.

She was tired of seeing her brother in that state. No one seemed to know why he was acting like that. Most of his friends were out filling out their registration forms and wouldn't be back for a couple of days. She tried getting hold of Jake, but there was no answer on his phone. That day, she decided to bring the food herself. She missed her brother and she wanted him back. She tried telling him that his behaviour was scaring her. That he needed to come out of his little cocoon and talk to her. The next thing she knew, Armaan was breathing weirdly, and then it stopped. She tried feeling a pulse, but she couldn't find one. And then, she screamed.

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Armaan sat down on his deck, his guitar in hand, strumming the chords mindlessly. There was no proper melody, just the sound of the same five key. Do you trust her enough to let her back in, regardless of her the reasons. Or, do you really need to know the reason why she took the money. Did he trust her enough, he wished he did, he really did but he didn't. For some reason, it was something he couldn't let go.

When someone tears you apart for money, you want to know who she did it for. Riddhima probably took the money for some reason, but who would need it. If she needed it for something, why not ask him for it; he would have helped her with whatever she would have wanted. Some questions always plagued his mind. What was it that made her suddenly change her mind and seek the money from his mom? What could have been so important? Why say no and comeback for it?

It's your choice and no one else's.

Jake was right. It was his choice to make. And he knew what he chose as he took out the phone from his pocket and dialled a number. "Officer Parker. I need to call in a favour."

He had feelings for her. Actually, feelings were an understatement. He was still in love with her. He could try all he wanted, but forgetting her was not an option. But he couldn't take the risk again without knowing the truth. He wasn't ready to jump into anything. He needed to know where that money went too. He needed it if he wanted to solve this mess called life. He needed to know before he tried anything with her again.

He had made his choice.

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Riddhima sat on the plane. The last time she was on a plane was when she left California all those years back. She hated flying. Yes, she was one of those types who liked to take the plan only if it was necessary. Since Hawaii was an island, there was no way she would have taken the train or the plane. At least, she was flying first class-they upgraded her ticket at the counter. Apparently, an elderly woman wanted to sit with her family, and since the seating arrangement conflicted with her seat, they upgraded her ticket. She didn't want to leave her friends initially, but then again, those two can be quite persuasive when they put their minds together.

So here she was, seating by the window seat in first class with an empty seat beside her. And not to forget, she had leg space. The plane was supposed to take off already; apparently someone issued a boarding card a bit last minute, so they had no choice but to wait for him to get here. She rested her head on the window and put her scarf on her face. The light was quite annoying. A few minutes later, she heard some noise beside her. Great, Mr. Tardy was going to occupy the empty seat beside her. She had plans for that seat.

"Good evening ladies and gentleman and welcome to United States Airways. Please put your seatbelt on as we ready to take off." She heard. She tried to put on a brave act, but the moment the plane started moving, she grabbed her armrest, or what she presumed to be would be her armrest. Nope, instead of an armrest, she actually grabbed someone's arm. How embarrassing. She let go immediately.

Before she could remove the scarf from her face, she heard a deep soothing voice tell her "It's okay Riddhima. I know you're terrified of planes." And it's exactly at the moment that her head shot up and she took in the sight of the person beside her.

The great Armaan Malik was sitting on her free extra seat, and he was acting as if this whole scenario was normal. It was not. She did not want to see him.

"What are you doing here?" She asked coldly.

"Going to Hawaii, just like every other person in the plane."

"Yes, but why are you going to Hawaii?" She asked suspiciously. Why is it that when she was finally leaving him alone, he popped out of nowhere.

"If you must know, Jake is getting married in Hawaii. I am his best man."

"Please tell me he's getting married to Roxanne?" Riddhima asked. Those two were such a cute couple. If there ever was a couple that could have possibly more famous then themselves, them it was definitely Jake and Roxanne.

"Good" She said quietly. There was an awkward silence. Riddhima stared out the window as Armaan kept fidgeting with his watch. Of all the places, he had to meet her in a confined space where none of them would be able to go anywhere but the washroom.

"Anything to drink Sir?" The lovely air hostess asked politely, breaking the silence. Armaan shook his head. "And you Ma'am". Riddhima took a glass of water. She needed to calm her nerves.

"Listen, Riddhima. I just wanted to say I am sorry. For everything." He murmured slowly. He needed to get the apology out of his chest before the guilt of what he did killed him.

"It's nice to know you have a conscience."

"Please Riddhima, just-"

"You hurt me Armaan. You really did. I know you meant no harm when you did what you did, but I can change the fact that it's because of what you did that I can't sleep at night. I still have nightmares from that night."

"I know Riddhima. It is my fault." He looked down at his shoes as if they were the most interesting things. "I have nightmares too" The last few words were nothing but a whisper for himself, but she heard him.

"Why do you have nightmares, I was the one that was attacked. I was the one that was kissed forcefully by a scum. I was the one that had my clothes torn of. I was the one that was almost r-"

"Please don't say that word. At night, I have dreams where I don't reach you on time, and they terrify me. I keep wondering what would have happen had I not come."

He took a sharp breath before continuing. Maybe, it was time he was honest with her, just like she had been with him. "I was angry Riddhima, angry that you came back in my life, angry that you left me in the first place. So I took out my anger on you. I thought that it would make me feel better since you were the cause of it, but it didn't. Because more than anything, I was angry at myself, angry that I couldn't be indifferent to you, angry that you could stir up emotions I buried long time ago."

"Armaan-" Riddhima tried to interrupt him, but the man just continued.

"At the carnival, I kissed you because I wanted to prove you that you didn't affect me, but God knows how much will power it took me not to deepen that kiss. And then, when I found out about your date with Ian, I was grumpy all day. I was jealous. I was extremely jealous."

Riddhima remembered her date with Ian. The purpose of it was to make Armaan jealous, and it seems that she has succeeded.

"I didn't know how to act around you. I tried to be normal, but you always brought the worst out of me. I act for a living, and yet in front of you, I feel like an open book. You came to my house searching for clue. That day, after you and Muskaan left, I actually looked through the yearbook you found. I was so busy trying to keep my feelings shut, that when you told me you heard me sing, I felt exposed and naked. I was afraid that if I showed you how vulnerable I really was, you would crush my heart again. So once again, I vented out my anger on you."

"I didn't know my actions would have such drastic consequences. I was angry and acted on impulse. I came back to the hospital that night, because I wanted to apologize. You didn't come out and I heard a scream. I saw red when I saw you with that man. I wanted to kill him, and maybe I would have had you not whispered my name."

"I know we have strong feelings for one another, but I don't know if we can ever be happy again together. There are too many unresolved issues between us. There is just too much history, too many lies that can tear us apart. I am not asking for answers too. I am not asking you to forgive me either. All I am asking for is a chance to prove to you that I can be someone worth forgiving."

Riddhima stared out the window. She didn't have the heart to face him after that confession. He didn't want to get back together with her, and he was right, the past was something that could tear them apart. There were just too many lies. Lies she couldn't turn into truth. They weren't ready for that. He was simply asking for a chance to show her that he was truly sorry for what he did. Whatever happens after that, they just had to leave it to fate and pray for the best.

"Thank you Armaan, for saving me the other night" She whispered. And just like that, Armaan had gotten his second chance.

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Flashback Starts

"Armaan" He heard Riddhima's voice call to him. "Wake up love" The voice said again. "You have come back to me" He heard her soothing voice again. She was back. She came back for him. He had to open his eyes if he wished to see her angelic face again, her radiant smile, her…

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Armaan groaned as pain shot through him. He slowly opened his eyes, expecting to see deep pools of blue staring at him, but he was wrong. Instead, he was greeted by a worried Muskaan. He looked around him- the walls were bare and white, the window pane was covered with flowers. There was a small little chair at the far end of the room draped with a blanket and a pillow. Machines and tubes were connected to his forearm.

Muskaan stared at him with relief and joy "I'll go call a doctor. You've been out for two days" She walked towards the door and stopped immediately when her brother talked for the first time in weeks "Where is Riddhima?"

"Riddhima is not here Armaan" Muskaan had found out that the cause of her brother's demise was the sudden disappearance of his girlfriend.

"No, that's impossible" He started to sit up straight, but didn't have the energy at all. "She told me I needed to come back to her. I heard her" He frantically said. He looked down at his arm "Where's the necklace?"

"What necklace?"

"Riddhima's necklace, where is it" He asked distraught. "I have to find it" He pulled on the tubes, but before he succeeded, Muskaan jumped and placed her hand on his. "Armaan, please, you need to rest. I'll find the necklace and bring it to you."

"Please find it. Please."

Flashback End

"Anything to drink Ma'am?" Muskaan's thoughts were disrupted by the air hostess. "No, thank you" She politely declined. That damn dream she had kept pulling her back in the past. She hadn't thought about those days for years, but now, she couldn't stop herself from letting her mind wander back to those dark days. Hopefully, this new hobby of hers wouldn't last too long.

She knew that the couple was in first class now. When she find out about Jake's wedding, she volunteered to choose the hotel they would staying at. Their rooms were booked be her as well. She even made Armaan's reservations. Hopefully, if everything went well, by the time they would leave this island, Armaan and Riddhima would give their relationship a try.

"You know, I always knew you were crazy" Rahul brought her back to reality. "May I enquire as to why you are smiling?" He asked, his eyes shining with mischief.

"Nothing" She stated.

"I believe you" He replied sarcastically. "So Muskaan how is life?" Rahul asked. Maybe a vacation in the tropical island was what he needed to woo the girl. He liked her. He liked her a lot, but for the last couple of days, she seemed to be avoiding him. There was no way he was letting this opportunity go.

"I am going on a vacation to Hawaii. My life is great! I am so excited to go to the beach. Do you realise how pale I became ever since I moved to New York?" She pointed her face.

"You're fine Muskaan. Pale or tan, you'll look beautiful"

Beautiful. He called her beautiful. Muskaan cheeks flamed and she lowered her gaze. Why was the plane suddenly getting so hot? They were miles above the Earth, not under.

"Though, I have to admit, you would look gorgeous in a bikini." He winked at her and left for the restrooms before she could throw something at him. That woman was known for violence. He turned his head to catch a glimpse of her surprised face-her cheeks were red and the cutest frown plastered her face. She mouthed a word to him. Pervert.

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"So why are you going to Hawaii?" Armaan asked as he broke the silence. There was no way he was going to sit there for the next few hours in complete silence.

"Rahul, Muskaan and I decided to go on a little trip, that's all. I was actually supposed to sit with them, but somehow I ended with this seat." Riddhima answered. Her gaze was still fixated outside.

Armaan chucked. It made sense to him. Muskaan seemed very wiling in helping with his ticket and hotel reservation. He wondered if it was a good thing or a bad thing to have such a meddling sister. "That's nice."

"I wonder if those two aren't killing each other again. They fight all the time." She giggled. Armaan couldn't tear his eyes away from her. Her eyes were dancing and her lips were set into a small smile.

"Like we used to at first" Armaan said without thinking. He remembered the day that completely changed his life.

"Yeah, sort of like we used to." She answered. "Though if I recall, it was your entire fault."

"Mine? No way. It was all yours. You were the one crossing the streets. I was driving innocently."

"It seemed that we have to refresh your memory.

Flashback Starts

"Ugh" Riddhima sighed as she took heavy steps along the sidewalk. Her father was supposed to drop her at school, but unfortunately, he had to run to their shop. As a result, she was stuck with walking on her very first day at school. To top her distress, she hadn't even had time to get ready properly. Not that she cared much about popularity, but what would her teachers think of her if she wasn't the living embodiment of perfectness.

She checked her watch. Oh Crap, thirty minutes. She still had to pass by the office, get her locker and manage to find her way to her first class. She picked up her pace. Walking wasn't going to cut it. She needed to run. She strapped her side bag properly and bolted through the streets. She reached an intersection and tried catching her breath. She was definitely not going to make the track team. Or any sports team.

She looked to the left, but the car was pretty far. Besides, there was a stop sign. She begun crossing the street when strapped broke. Great. Just Great. She started to pick up her books, expecting to hear honks any minutes but she jolted back up. The car was coming towards her with no sign of stopping- the driver seemed to be occupied my something. Her feet were glued to the ground and she had stopped breathing. This was it. She was going to die before going to College. She shut her eyes, expecting a painful impact.

SCREECHHH.

The shiny red Porsche came to an abrupt stop inches away from her. The driver angrily got out of the car and cursed "Shit. Are you f**cking blind?"

Riddhima peeked one eye open to see a tall young man talking-scratch that-yelling at her. "Are you suicidal or something? Couldn't you find another car to die under?" He continued ranting, but all rational thoughts flew away from her mind. The boy in front of her was the definition of drop dead drop gorgeous. His think dark hair was messily done, going for the I- just- woke- up look. His skin was tan and she knew there was biceps, triceps and all type of ceps under that white T-Shirt of his. But that wasn't really what put her in her trance, nope, it was his eyes. They were a shade of dark green with flickers of gold them.

"Take a picture, it will last longer" She heard him finally say. She could feel her cheeks flame, but thank god she had been running. They were already red from before.

"Don't flatter yourself" She lied. Why couldn't the hot ones be gentlemen? He was hot, and he knew it. "I was just getting a good look at the man who tried to kill me"

"Kill you? You were f**cking just standing in the middle of the street!"

"Unless you haven't noticed, there is a freaking stop sign right there!" She pointed the octagonal shaped flashy red sign.

"Freaking? Interesting. To afraid to curse, are we?" He teased.

"I'd rather not lower myself to such standards. I think my vocabulary is strong enough to reduce you into crumbs with having to disgrace my mouth with profanities." God, the man was infuriating. He was a complete jerk. A total hunk, but a jerk nonetheless. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get school." She walked passed him, but he grabbed her arm.

"Wait a minute here. So you think I have low standards because I curse?"

"No I think you lower your own standards by cursing" She retorted quickly.

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"No, it is not" She replied haughtily. "One means you have low standards, and the other means that your standards could have been higher had you not used such words."

"Yeah, but at the end of I still have low standards." He pulled her closer.

"What are you doing?"

"Proving your point." He stated nonchalantly as he brought his face closer to hers.

Riddhima's eyes widened and she tried to wiggle out of his grip. She was about to scream, when the man suddenly burst out laughing. "You should have seen your face" He cracked up.

"Well, glad I'm a source of entertainment for you" She muttered, heavy sarcasm evident in her voice. She watched the boy raked his eyes over her, and stop as his gaze reached her neck. She was supposed to dislike that boy, yet under his gaze, her knees felt weak. Snap out of it Riddhima. He raised his eyes back to hers and smirked.

Oh God! Dimples! Why oh why?

He took a couple of steps towards her, his gaze fixated on hers and touched the R shaped locket that adorned her neck. "Well Miss R., it's going to be an interesting year."

That being said, he hoped back into his car "By the way, hope you enjoy detention tonight. Late policies are quite strict in our school, whether you're new or not.

Flashback Ends

"You didn't even offer me a ride. I had to run like a maniac to avoid detention." Riddhima added as her story came to an end.

"You're right, it was my fault. I was busy looking for CDs and wasn't paying attention to the streets." Armaan was quite happy that he had been distracted that day. If he hadn't been, he would have never met her. She was a sophomore when she first came, and he a junior. He had missed a year due to his mom's extensive travelling. Despite the past, some of his happiest memories were with her. He couldn't deny that. "But the next fight was completely your fault."

Flashback Starts

"Riddhima" Someone called. Riddhima searched for the source of the voice. It was Mirra, a small little girl who had History with her. She had fiery red hair and pale green eyes. Riddhima carried her lunch and took a seat beside the very enthusiastic girl. "So how was your day so far? Oh, give me your schedule."

Riddhima reluctantly gave her the sheet of paper. "Here it is"

Mirra jumped in excitement "We have Spanish, AP Biology, AP English and Calculus together. Ugh you have Drama next. Why would you take drama?"

"Tell me about it" Riddhima argued with the lady for hours. She didn't want to take that dumb class, but apparently her numerous advanced placement classes clashed with arts and music "I tried switching, but it was my only option."

"I don't know if I should call you lucky or unlucky"

"Why?" Riddhima asked curiously.

"Well, drama class is a mixed class with all level students, so you will probably have the great and mighty Armaan Malik with you. He is seriously hot. Quarterback of the Football team. On the other hand, most skanks take that class, you know so they can woo him. So you're going to be stuck with those low life girls who have nothing better to do than wine for Armaan's attention.

"So who is the mighty Armaan?" Riddhima asked curiously. She was after all a fifteen year old teenage girl. Of course she wanted to know who the hot guy was. Not that she was interested. Dumb jocks weren't really her types.

"Someone's curious" Mirra said mischievously. "You won't find him in the cafeteria. He usually hangs out with his buddies near the field at lunch." Mirra said.

Lunch time flew away fast. The bell rand and students scattered away, trying desperately not to get a detention on the first day back to school. Riddhima bid her new friend farewell and rushed to her locker. She had no clue where the auditorium was. She should have asked Mirra. Most people now would just give her wrong directions.

After a few minutes observing the very useless map, she figured out where her next class was. The second bell rand indicating she had five minutes to get her butt to the other end of the school. She shut her locket with a loud thud and picked up her pace, keeping her eyes on the map. "Ok, turn here and it should be the door to the right" She said to herself as she rounded the corner.

Thud

The next thing she knew, she smashed against something hard and fell back, her books and papers scattered around her. She looked up and instantly recognized those green compelling eyes. He was wearing his varsity football jacket on top his T-shirt now. He grinned "Well, if it isn't Miss R again. You have to stop trying to get my attention by throwing yourself me." He said cockily.

"I did not throw myself at you. You bumped into me"

"Woah. Slow down there. You bumped into me. You weren't even looking up. Your eyes were glued to that scrap of paper."

"Well if you were a gentleman, you would have tried to stop me from falling or at least offered me a hand instead of mocking me."

"You're right. Why don't I offer you a hand?" He extended his hand, but the moment Riddhima tried to grab it, he pulled away. "On second thought, I'd rather not act like a prince charming."

He bent down and picked up her schedule. "Riddhima Gupta. Sophomore. All AP classes. You're going to have some tough shoes to fill in."

She got up and tore her schedule away from him. "As if you would know anything about it. Don't you have some football game to play?"

"Actually, I do know, because those shoes happened to be mine. Didn't think the Quarterback was able to be an honour student?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Quarterback?" Oh lord no! That could only mean one thing. She was standing in front of the great and mighty Armaan Malik.

Flashback Ends

"Okay" Riddhima admitted. "I was completely wrong to judge you so. I guess when I heard about the great Armaan Malik, I expected a womanizer who only cared about football. Not some sensitive genius who played the guitar."

"You weren't a very good bookworm than were you?"

Riddhima raised her eyebrow "And why is that?"

"Didn't you know" He asked astounded "The only rule a bookworm had to follow, asides from reading a gazillion books, is to never judge a book by its cover. You just broke a sacred oath there."

Riddhima laughed at his words. "Well, than, I guess it was a good thing I gave that book a chance wasn't it?"

"Yeah" He smiled. "I guess it was" He sat before letting a confortable silence fall upon them. They hadn't spoken this freely for days. Maybe remembering the past wasn't such a bad idea. Maybe it didn't have to hurt so much all the time. Good memories always triumph the bad ones right?

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Flashback Starts

Armaan sat on his bed, his guitar in his lap. His finger was playing the empty strings while the other still clutched the necklace. Somehow, he refused to let go of that piece of jewellery. He needed to have to ready. He needed to give it to her when she came back for him.

"Hey Buddy" Jake came into his room. Seeing his best friend in such a state broke his heart. They were men; hid their emotion from the world, didn't tell each other about them like girls did, didn't cry no matter how much they hurt, but at the moment he wished they did. He wanted Armaan to tell him what was going on inside his mind. He wanted Armaan to cry his eyes out, because crying apparently felt good.

It had been three weeks since Armaan blacked out. He still kept to himself and didn't say much. That stupid necklace was always in his hand. He refused to let go of it. "Hey Jake" He heard the man say. "What brings you here?"

"I was thinking maybe we could go toss a football out in the field."

"I'm in no mood to play football now"

"C'mon man, you haven't left your house in days. You either come willingly, or I'll drag you. With all the weight loss, it should be quite easy"

Armaan shot his friend a tired look, but gave in. Maybe some fresh air would be good for him. He threw on a pair of sweats and a black tee, and placed the heart shaped necklace around his neck. The T-shirt hid it well, and no one would even know it was there. He wasn't going to let go of it. They both headed to the school field-it was empty during the summer as most students were away on trips.

Jake tossed the first shot, and hit Armaan in the head "Dude, focus. Don't tell me you forgot how to shoot!" Jake tried to act normal, tried to get him back into his normal routine, just this time, it was minus Riddhima. He didn't understand why the girl would leave him. They were madly in love with each other. Maybe her feelings weren't as strong as his. People think men are fickle, but the truth was that fickle men don't pretend to be otherwise. If they were womanizers, they made sure everyone they dated knew that. Women on the other hand broke hearts without letting giving them a single clue about the storm that would hit them.

"I was the Quarterback for a reason" He tossed back the ball. They set a small rhythm. Jake threw and Armaan caught and vice versa. There was no talking, no joking, no laughing. Just something to ease his mind, vent his anger and keep him otherwise occupied. The sun began to set, and a cool breeze greeted them.

"I'm going to go look for her." Armaan stated as he tossed the football.

"Okay"

"You don't seem happy with my decision" Jake didn't look too thrilled by the idea, and it was quite evident in his face.

"What do you want me to say? Go ahead. Go find her." The girl had left him, and he refused to see it. If she wanted him to find her, she would have left a note, a message. There's even Facebook and emails. She hardly moved to a place where Internet wasn't accessible. The point was if she wanted him to contact her, she would have done something already. She had left him. Why? Who knew, but for whatever reason it was, it didn't allow her to break Armaan's heart as she did. "Open your eyes bro. She left you"

"What would you do if one day Roxanne just left you? Don't tell me you would just sit here and continue with your life."

"Honestly, I don't know what I would do, but I know exactly what I would want you to do. I would want you to act as the best friend I know you are and stop me from getting hurt"

"Hurt Jake, how much more hurt do you think I can get?" He tossed the football with much more force, forcing his friend to take a couple of step back as he caught it.

"What do you expect to find? Tell me." He roared, as he tossed the ball back to Armaan, hitting him right in the chest. "You don't even know where she is. Do you know how many Gupta families are in the States? Do you know how big the States is? You don't even have the proper connection to start looking for her?"

"I don't know what I expect…"

"What you expect? I'll tell you what you expect. You think you'll go there find her, and she'll come running into your arms. She left you Armaan. Why are you doing this to yourself?"

He chucked the football one last time. "I don't expect you to understand"

Flashback Ends

Jake waited patiently in the airport. Who cared if his friend was a famous actor, it was always nice to have someone receive you. Besides, they were in Hawaii, not too many people came here around this time. People preferred spending Christmas with their family, not on some tropical island that had no snow.

Ever since Armaan mentioned Riddhima in his phone conversation, he kept telling to himself that Armaan was a grown mature man now. He would not act as he did last time should Riddhima break his heart again, but he couldn't help but to feel a little concern about him. There are things about that summer that no one knew. Not Muskaan. Not his mother. Not Roxanne. Not his other friends. There are things that happened that only he and Armaan knew about.

"Jake" He heard his voice being called out. He lifted his gaze and saw Armaan heading for him, but what surprised him most is that he wasn't alone. Riddhima was right behind him. As the duo approached him, he shot Armaan a confused look.

"Hi Jake" Riddhima said weakly. There was a time where Riddhima greeted him with a hug, a friendly punch or a high-five. Somehow, she didn't think that they were that type of friends now. Jake probably didn't like her much.

"Riddhima, didn't expect to see you here." Jake nodded in her direction. After Armaan's story, he didn't know what to think of her. There seemed to be more to this story that what meets the eye, but it was up to Armaan to unravel and decipher the story. Not his. He didn't want to seem rude to her, so he stuck his hand out to her.

Riddhima reluctantly shook his hand. "Sorry, I'm just waiting for Rahul and Muskaan. There were in economy, so they should take more time arrive."

"It's fine. We'll just wait here with you. Wouldn't want to leave you alone now, would we" Jake added with a smile. Jake didn't really like her all that much right now, but he was always a gentleman.

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"Rahul, catch that one. That's mine too" She jumped excitedly as her luggage came into view.

"Muskaan, we are here for two weeks. Did you pack your whole wardrobe in here?" He grabbed the glossy pink bag and gently placed it on the kart. Heaven's forbid if something should ever happen to her precious Prada bags. "Anything else?"

"Yup, I still have one more bag" She continued texting while ordering him around. She needed to maximize the time Armaan and Riddhima spent together.

"Okay, I have all of them." Rahul finally placed all four of her bags in the kart. His black one remained at the very end it.

Maybe it was time to tell him the truth, well a part of it. "Umm, Rahul" She said, her voice coated with an extra layer of sugar. "There is something you should know. Armaan is here too. He has a wedding to attend here in Hawaii."

Rahul sighed. "So, it's a big island, there isn't much chance that their path crosses. That way, she can enjoy a warm nice vacation without that a-"

Muskaan raised her eyebrow, daring him to finish that sentence. "Without your brother" He replaced his previous words.

"That's the thing. Riddhima already ran into him, and apparently we have the same hotel, and since she was tired, she left with him. She texted me since your phone was unreachable" Muskaan said in one breath. Why is it lying was so hard? God would forgive her right, if she lied for a good cause.

"She left with him already?" He asked confused. "Why would she leave with him?"

"She was really tired. Apparently, her fear of plane got to her, and she couldn't stand being in the airport any longer. C'mon, I rented a car for us. Let's go" She leaded him before asking he could pursue his investigation any further.

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Armaan, Rahul and I are having problem with baggage. Bring Riddhima with you.

Armaan read the words on his phone. Why did he have a feeling this was his sister meddling with his life again. "Riddhima, apparently Muskaan and your guy friend are having trouble at customs. Why don't you come with us? We are staying at the same hotel after all."

"Really it's fine. I can wait. You guys can go. I don't want to inconvenience any one." She declined his offer politely. Why hadn't Rahul called her to tell her? Also, since when did they know Armaan was with them? "I think I'll give them a call and ask them how long it will take?"

Riddhima dialled Rahul number under the watchful eye of the two men. "Hello Rahul, how long do you think it will take to clear up your baggage issue?"

"What do you mean you left? You guys left without me. Why didn't you take me? You know what, leave it." Armaan heard her say. Yup, definitely a meddling sister.

"They already left" She snapped the phone shut and threw it in her purse. She didn't want to spend an hour confined in a car with Armaan and Jake. Talk about major weird. "I'll grab a taxi or something."

"So guy friend and my sis left you? C'mon we'll bring you."

"His name is Rahul, and I think you know that" She made sure to emphasize his name.

"Guy friend it is" There was no way he was ever going to like that man. He might have been a wise person, but that didn't mean he couldn't dislike the man. And he better stay away from his sister, or else it would be him that would be throwing the punched this time.

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Rahul was seated in the passenger's seat observing the scenery as they drove. He wanted to drive, but the girl knew how to convince you. And it didn't help that she pouted. It should be illegal for woman to pout when they want something. Those things are deadly. They make it so hard to say no. He felt his phone vibrate and answered immediately.

"Hello"

Muskaan kept driving silently. Her full proof plan wasn't so perfect after all. She kept thinking what others convincing lies and scenario she might need to invent to keep her story running.

"What do you mean baggage issue? We already left. I thought you had already left" What was going on. She asked him to leave it and hung up on him.

"Can you tell me why Riddhima just called to ask me why we left without her?" Rahul frowned as he shoved the phone back into his pockets. Of course! Muskaan planed all this. He should have known better? No wonder she was all jumpy.

Muskaan gave him an innocent look and resumed driving. Darn it. Caught red handed. "I might have steered away from the truth a bit."

"Turn back the car. We are going back" He fumed. There was no way he was going to leave Riddhima with that worthless spine. Not after what he did. "Muskaan, what were you thinking? I don't trust him."

"Well too late. We left already, and she's getting a ride with Armaan. I already sent him a text."

"Muskaan, turn the car back, or I'll seriously make you. How can you leave your friend there with him? You know I don't trust him." He emphasized on the little fact once more.

"Well I do." She spat furiously. "I do. As much as Riddhima is my friend, he's my brother" She kept her eyes on the road and whispered "He's my brother and I trust him. I want both of them to be happy. They deserve that"

"Muskaan the whole point of this trip was to make her forget about him. Not make him remember him by having him around him."

"No Rahul, Riddhima picked Hawaii, and Armaan was headed to Hawaii. It was sign for me. I had to help them"

"You didn't have to do anything. Are you out of your mind? There are no such thing as signs, it was nothing but a mere coincidence." Rahul said. Muskaan wasn't there the night he brought Riddhima back from the hospital. He had never seen her this broken "You weren't there Muskaan, that night, you weren't there. If you were, you would understand why I don't want her near him."

"Well you weren't there when Riddhima left Armaan" She retorted quickly. How dare he judge her? "You weren't there the day my brother came back drenched. You weren't there when my brother didn't touch his food. You weren't there when he was hospitalized. He didn't talk, he shut himself completely. I was there Rahul." She paused.

"I saw how broken he was, and it broke my heart. He didn't even let me in. Jake is the only one who knows how bad Armaan was. And yet, I was still willing to help Riddhima, because I know that they are meant to be together. I know that their happiness lies with each other. So don't you dare judge me because I have faith in my brother!"

Muskaan was right. He might have hated the man, but Riddhima seemed fine on the phone. And after all, Armaan was her brother and she knew him better. He couldn't make her chose. He would never make her choose amongst the two. That would be unfair. He was being unjust to her so he apologized before his words caused any permanent damage. "I'm sorry"