SR FF Love Happens Part 17 Page 49 - Cmpltd - Page 11

Armaan and Shilpa were on duty and a gang of guys had come in after some kind of fight with injuries. Armaan had been attending to a more complicated case and since all of them seemed to just have minor injuries Shilpa said she could handle it on her own. After finishing up with his patient, Armaan decided to check in on Shilpa to find out if she needed help. The sight that he saw when he entered the room had his blood boiling. Shilpa was trying hard to maintain her professionalism and tend to the wounds while the guys were making lecherous comments. One of them even tried to grab hold of her. As much as she wanted to punch them herself, Shilpa had to maintain professionalism and she called out to security. But even before the call for help had left her lips, Armaan had literally torn the guy's hand off her and had him pinned against the bed, his eyes blood shot, rage roaring through his veins. The other guys in the group tried to intervene but Armaan sent them all flying with minimum effort. By the time the security guards came in, the minor injuries had turned into major ones.

After that incident, Armaan had to do a reality check. He wanted to tell himself that he'd have done that for any female and Shilpa wasn't special. But that was not the truth. He knew that the moment he had seen another guy touch Shilpa, he had snapped. Normally, he would have made a joke of it, tried to ease the situation without using force, handled it in any other way, anything but beat his patients up (coz no matter what duty came first and they had been patients) but seeing some other guy touch Shilpa had just sent him overboard and that was not normal. It was as if he couldn't stand the sight of anyone else with Shilpa; Shilpa was just his, to fight, to quarrel with and to love. To love!!! He was in love!! Oh God he was in love!!! But the big question was now what?

Sid, who was totally unaware of Armaan's prank, was heartbroken when he saw Armaan spending time with Riddhima. They were in love and finally he had no hope left. He felt crushed from within. It just seemed so incredible to him that the girl, the woman he loved did not recognize him; That 15 years worth of shared emotions meant nothing at all. He often felt like tearing away Riddhima's letters but could never get himself to do so. He was heart broken and he couldn't even cry out aloud. He finally decided that he had to get away from there.

Shilpa had gone home all excited to share her big news with Riddhima and though Riddhima was not at home, Shilpa had chanced upon Riddhima's diary. Being the mischievous female that she was, Shilpa seized the opportunity and started reading Riddhima's diary. As she read through Riddhima's diary, Shilpa's smile gave way to a frown and then to sobs. Page after page after page of Riddhima's diary was filled with Armaan. Her dreams, her hopes, her wishes.. Every single moment she'd spent with Armaan.. it was all in there.. Shilpa (oblivious to the existence of the letters) presumed that Riddhima had fallen in love with Armaan when he'd gotten close to Riddhima in an attempt to make Shilpa jealous. Oh God! Shilpa did not know what to do. She clutched the diary to her and cried her heart out. Before Riddhima came home, Shilpa had replaced the diary and was trying hard to be her normal self.

That evening when Armaan and Siddhant went over for dinner, Shilpa made an excuse of a headache and went to bed early without meeting them. However, she couldn't sleep. She went up to the terrace and noticed someone on the Modi terrace.

Shilpa : Kaun hai?

Sid turned at the voice.

Shilpa : Sid, tum?

Sid smiled at her.

Shilpa jumped over to the Modis' terrace with Sid's help. They both stood there looking out at the star lit sky.

Sid : Shilpa, tum ithni raath gaye? Soyi nahi?

Shilpa : Neend nahi aa rahi thi..

Sid : Lekin aunty ne tho kaha ki tumhari thabiyath kharab hai, tumhe aaram ki zaroorath hai..

Shilpa : Sid.. Kabhi tumhe aise laga hai ki tumhari zindagi ki sabse badi khushi tumhare ithne kareeb hothe hue bhi tum usse nahi paa sakthe?

Sid gave a sarcastic smile. He couldn't have phrased his present state of mind any better.

Sid : Haan.. Lekin tum yeh kyun pooch rahi ho?

Shilpa : Bass aise hi.. Samajh nahi aa raha ki apnon ke beech kise chunnu?

Sid : Jisme sab ki khushi ho wo chuno..

Shilpa : Mathlab?

Sid : Agar khud ki takleef se baaki sab ko khushi mile, tho khud ki takleef chuno..

Shilpa : Mujhe patha nahi tha ki tum aisi baatein bhi karthe ho.. Mujhe tho laga tha kaafi chill types ho..

Sid smiled.

Sid : Tum pareshaan kyun ho?

Shilpa : Tum takleef mein kyun ho?

Sid : Yeh mere sawal ka jawab nahi

Shilpa : Yeh mere bhi sawal ka jawab nahi.

They did not speak any further. Without putting it into words, they both knew that the other was hurting for giving up something that was too precious to them. Of course they did not know how interlinked their fates were at that point of time.

Sid : On count of three.. All clear!

He gave the brisk command.

Sid : One.. Two.. Three.. Clear!!

Everyone moved away from the patient bed as Sid applied the defib. The patient spasmed in response.

Sid : One.. Two.. Three.. Clear!!

Riddhima couldn't help but watch as Sid fought to save the patient's life. He was calm, cool and efficient. He knew what he was doing and Riddhima respected his professional capability. But she still could not be comfortable around him and she did not know why.

On the third defib shock, the ECG returned to normal and the pulse regained the healthy rhythm. Sid replaced the defib paddles and without a single word to anyone, stepped out of the room.

Shilpa : Di.. I mean Dr. Riddhima.. Main abhi aayi..

Riddhima nodded her head. Shilpa followed Sid on to the terrace of Sanjeevani. He had his back towards her and did not hear her coming.

Shilpa went up to him and gently placed her hand on his shoulder.

Shilpa : Sid?

Sid turned towards Shilpa and smiled.

Sid : Shilpa, tum yahan?

Shilpa : Tum ithne achche actor bhi nahi ho..

Sid : Mathlab?

Shilpa : Tum kithni bhi koshish kar lo, tumhari aankheinn jhoot nahi bol sakthi.. Inn mein tumhara dard saaf dikhayi detha hai..

Sid (turning away) : Tum kya baath kar rahi ho?

Shilpa : Maine kaha na tum ithne achche actor bhi nahi ho ki apna dard poori tarah se chhupa lo..

Sid : Jisne dard diya hai, jisse yeh dard dikhayi dena chahiye usse tho nahi dikhayi diya..

Shilpa : Riddhima di se pyaar karthe ho na tum?

Sid looks at Shilpa astonished.

Sid : Yeh.. Tum.. I mean..

Shilpa : Mujhe patha hai..

Sid : Ab inn sab baathon ka koi fayda nahi.. Bass thode dino ki baath hai phir sab theek ho jaayega..

Shilpa : Mathlab?

Sid : Main jaa raha hoon.. Maine Sanjeevani ke Houston branch ko join karne ka faisla kar liya hai..

Shilpa : Sid..

Sid : Mujhe iss baare mein koi baath nahi karni..

Shilpa : Hmmmm.. Aur.. Aur.. Armaan?

Sid : Armaan ko iss baare mein kuch nahi patha aur patha chalna bhi nahi chahiye..

Shilpa nods her head. She understood. She says nothing and walks away.

As she was walking back to the ICU, a hand pulls her into the fire escape.

Shilpa is about to scream when Armaan covers her mouth with his hand.

Armaan : Chillana math. Main hoon.

Shilpa : Dr. Armaan chodiye mujhe. I'm on duty.

Armaan is surprised by the formal way in which Shilpa was addressing him.

Armaan : Baath kya hai Shilpa? Tum ithne formal thareeke se kyun baath kar rahi ho mujhse?

Shilpa : Kyunki hamare beech professional rishtha hi tho hai.

Armaan : Tum kehna kya chahthi ho Shilpa?

Shilpa : Maine tumhe ullu banaya Dr. Armaan Modi.. Main tumse koi pyaar nahi karthi..

She tries hard to laugh over the lump that was forming in her throat and the tears that were stinging her eyes.

Armaan : Shilpa yeh kaisa mazak hai?

Shilpa : Tumhe kya laga sirf tum hi prank kar sakthe ho? Kaisa raha mera prank? Ullu banaya na US return dude?..

She continues her fake laughter. Armaan was taken aback. Was it true? Had she genuinely not loved him? Was it all a prank? Had life played a huge prank on him? Armaan's mind was reeling with all these questions as he backed away from Shilpa where he had pinned her against the wall. Shilpa saw her opening and quickly left the fire escape without another word.

Armaan was dazed. That day when Shilpa had confessed her love for him, it had been honest and true. He'd seen it in her eyes. When he had held her in his arms, it had felt so perfect. All of that couldn't have been faked.

That evening, when Sid and Armaan went over to the Guptas' for dinner, there was an uneasy silence. Finally, Dr. Shashank spoke.

Shashank : Sid, I got your transfer application today.

Armaan almost spit out what he had been eating.

Armaan : Transfer application???!!!

Shashank : Sid has asked for transfer to the Houston branch of Sanjeevani.

Armaan looks at Sid incredulously.

Armaan : DUDE??!!

Sid gives Armaan a look that reads we'll-talk-about-this-later.

Riddhima is surprised and somewhere in the deep recesses of her heart, she feels a tug. She does not however ponder on it and deliberately pushes it aside. Shilpa looks at Sid sympathetically.

Sid : Ji Sir, I mean uncle..

Padma : Ghar ki yaad aa rahi hai kya?

Sid : Hmmm..

Shashank senses Sid's reluctance to speak about the topic.

Shashank : Dekho beta hum tumhe kisi baath ke liye force nahi karna chahthe.. I just want you to know you are a very good doctor and we would love to have you continue here.

Sid just nods and says "Thank you."

Shashank : Mujhe ek aur important baath karni hai.. Maine tumhare parents ko yahan bulaya hai.

Armaan and Sid look up from their plates surprised.

Armaan ; Lekin uncle kyun?

Shashank and Padma look at each other and smile.

Padma : Armaan bete, tumne chahe hume kuch nahi bathaya lekin humari beti ne humme sab kuch batha diya.

Armaan's gaze immediately fixes on Shilpa. Shilpa, however, carefully avoids his gaze and her eyes rest on her sister who was sitting by her side. Riddhima, suddenly the focus of all attention blushed away happily. Try as he might, Sid could not help his heart skip a beat whenever he saw her blush and smile.

Padma : Riddhima ne humme bathaya ki tum aur Riddhima ek doosre se pyaar karthe ho..

Armaan looks surprised.

Padma : Haan ab zyada innocent banne ki koshish math karo.. Humme sab patha hai.. Isi liye humne tumhare mom dad ko bulaya hai.. wo parson aa rahe hain.. Tum dono ki shaadi pakki karne..

Armaan : Shaadi??!!

Suddenly, Armaan felt things were spiraling out of control. His prank had gone horribly wrong. Riddhima thought he loved her!! Oh God!! Realization dawned on him. That was the reason Shilpa had behaved oddly with him. She knew!! She knew that Riddhima had fallen in love with him and she was moving out of her sister's way. Armaan looked at Shilpa and for a few minutes, their eyes met. Armaan's eyes asked Shilpa a thousand questions and Shilpa looked away. She couldn't answer any of his questions. She just looked at Riddhima's smiling face and she knew what she was doing was right.

Sid felt his whole world crash down in those few moments. If he had felt shattered leaving his friends when he was just a kid, today he felt more than shattered losing out on the love of his life. He hadn't been able to say anything then and he couldn't say anything now. Armaan was his brother and Riddhima.. Riddhima was the only girl he had ever loved, he would ever love. If her happiness lay with Armaan.. Sid did not complete that thought as a wave of pain washed over him from the core of his being. Like his soul was crying. He looked over at Armaan. He managed to smile and pat him on the back.

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Sid did not know what to do. Armaan had grilled him regarding the transfer application as soon as they'd got home and Sid had managed to dodge his volley of questions by merely saying that he did not like it here and he missed America. Armaan could not understand why Sid, who had been so excited about coming to India, was suddenly saying he did not like it here. Though they were poles apart personality wise, they'd always been best buds. But today, looking into Sid's eyes, Armaan felt as if he'd never known this side to his twin brother. There was something bothering Sid but Armaan knew better than to pressure him. When Sid clammed up about something he would not speak of it, no matter what. Whatever was bothering Sid was something huge, otherwise he'd never let it show. In the state that Sid was in, Armaan did not feel like burdening him with his set of problems. So he'd left Sid alone and gone to work on his problems on his own.

Sid wanted to get away from here as soons as possible. But now he knew that it wasn't possible. His parents were coming and if Armaan and Riddhima's marriage.. Sid swallowed a lump in his throat.. If their marriage got fixed, surely his parents would stay back and then he wouldn't be able to make the excuse that he missed family and leave from here. All he could hope for was either the wedding happened real quick so that he could get away from here asap or the wedding got delayed so that he could say he'd get back in time for the wedding and leave but not come back. He closed his eyes and said a silent prayer looking out at the night sky from his balcony and just then a shooting star streaked the midnight blue sky and sprinkled stardust in its awake.

Scene : Next morning. Sanjeevani.

Armaan had decided that he was going to tell Riddhima the truth that he had only meant to make Shilpa jealous by acting as if he liked her and that he was in love with Shilpa and not her. There was no other way out. He should have told her right from the start but he just presumed that Riddhima would understand. Never in his wildest imaginations had he thought that a couple of nice words and a bit of undivided attention would have Riddhima falling for him so hard. It was his mistake but he was about to rectify it. Like they say, better late than never. Riddhima would be hurt, but then atleast she wouldn't end up with a guy who did not love her. Having decided that, Armaan was searching for Riddhima throughout Sanjeevani. He found her doing rounds in the general ward. Shilpa was there too. He cast one look at Shilpa and confronted Riddhima.

Armaan : Riddhima.. Mujhe tumse baath karni hai..

Riddhima (surprised) : Abhi? Main thodi si busy hoon Armaan. How about we talk over lunch?

Armaan nodded and left. Shilpa wondered what Armaan would want to talk to Riddhima about? Was he planning on telling her the truth? Shilpa was horrified at the prospect. She immediately excused herself from there and went looking for Armaan. She found him in the viewing gallery.

Shilpa : Armaan..

Armaan looked up at her but did not say anything.

Shilpa : Tum.. Wo.. Di se kya baath karna chahthe the?

Armaan : Wo mere aur Riddhima ke beech ki baath hai.

Shilpa flinched. Armaan knew that he had been intentionally rude but he was hurting, there was just so much confusion and complications and he hated that.

Shilpa : kahin tum unhe sachchayi bathane ke baare mein tho nahi soch rahe na?

Armaan remained quiet.

Shilpa : Jawab do Armaan.

Armaan : Tum kis haq se mujhse jawab maang rahi ho?

Again Shilpa flinched.

Shilpa : Yeh mere sawal ka jawab nahi.

Armaan : Main tumhare kisi bhi sawal ka jawab dena zaroori nahi samajhtha.

Shilpa felt tears well up in her eyes. She fought hard to remain calm.

Shilpa : Dekho Armaan, Di tumse bahut zyada pyaar karthi hain.. Aur main apni di se bahut pyaar karthi hoon.. Main unhe dukhi nahi dekh sakthi, aur unhe dukhi karke main kabhi khush nahi rah paoongi..

Armaan : Dammit!!!!!!!!!!!!

He said it so suddenly and with such viciousness that Shilpa was taken aback. He got up from where he was sitting and grabbed her by her shoulders. He pinned her against the wall and said.

Armaan : Dammit Shilpa, this is not some bloody bollywood movie or some stupid television drama that you are delivering this monologue on sacrifice. This is life dammit.. Your life, my life, our life.. And I won't let you screw it up because of your weird notion of duty.

Shilpa was dumbstruck by this sudden outburst.

Armaan : Tumhe kya lagtha hai huh? Ki tum apne pyaar ki kurbaani dekar mahan ban jaogi aur tumhari di mere saath khush rahegi? I don't love her!!I love you!!! Please Shilpa, don't do this to us.

Shilpa (crying now) : Main kuch nahi jaanthi Armaan. Main sirf aur sirf Di ki khushi chahthi hoon. Mama, Papa, di.. Sab kithne khush hain..

Armaan : Aur tum?

Shilpa : Unn sab ki khushi mein hi meri khushi hai.

As if saying that out loud gave her strength, Shilpa wiped off her tears and slowly took Armaan's hands off her where he held her pinned against the wall.

Shilpa : Di ki khushi tumse hai Armaan aur agar tumne kabhi mujhse pyaar kiya hai tho tum kisi ko sachchayi nahi bathaoge. Tumhe hamare pyaar ka vaastha.

Armaan : No Shilpa! Don't do this!

Shilpa : Yehi sahi hai Armaan.. Aur main jaanthi hoon ki.. with time.. even you will fall in love with di.. Wo kehthe hain na that you should marry someone who loves you and not the one you love.. Meri di bahut achchi hain..

Armaan looked away from Shilpa disgusted at the prospect of loving anyone else other than her. He punched the wall in frustration, but the pain he felt in his heart would not go away. Shilpa walked away from him. At the door, she turned to look at him one last time. It took every ounce of her will power not to go running to him and gather him in her arms and tell him how much she loved him. She ran away from there as fast as she could.

Armaan met Riddhima for lunch just as planned. Atleast one thing was going according to plan, Armaan thought sarcastically. He'd spent all these years of his life believing life was to enjoy, there was nothing worth being taken seriously in life other than life itself. And now, life had played the worst possible prank on him and how.

Riddhima : I am sorry wo mujhe mama papa ko hamare baare mein aise achanak se bathana pada. Wo actually..

Apparently, one of their relatives had brought a proposal for Riddhima and Riddhima had refused it inspite of the fact that it was a perfect match. She had been refusing every single proposal that had come for her over the past year or two for some reason or the other and now Shashank and Padma were worried. Upon continuous questioning, she'd finally buckled and confessed that she was in love with Armaan.. That they were in love with each other. Of course he hadn't said it to her as such but they both knew that that was the truth, wasn't it? And she couldn't possibly think of anyone else.

Armaan heard the whole incident dispassionately. He couldn't bring himself to converse with Riddhima. He felt guilty for having led her on but each time he looked at her, all he could remember was Shilpa's face. How could he? He thought to himself, "How could he ever forget Shilpa and move on?" Thankfully for him, the pager went off and he excused himself.

Hello everyone!!!! 🤗

Originally posted by: neet06

Hello everyone!!!! 🤗

Back with another twisted, complicated and excruciatingly long update. 😃

As you can see the plot is thickening with each update and everyone has fallen in a pit of their own digging. You can't blame just one person here. All of them are moving on with their own assumptions and convictions. If Sid was wrong in not confessing to Riddhima right away, Riddhima is wrong in overlooking what is so obviously in front of her. If Armaan was wrong in using Riddhima to get to Shilpa, Shilpa is wrong in not having let Armaan tell Riddhima the truth.. And the cherry on the cake is each one thinks that what he/she is doing is right for everyone 😛

And now its all going to be one huge mess with the parents jumping into the bandwagon and the game (or prank) going grossly out of hand and Armaan and Riddhima's wedding being planned. 😲

I know some of you might be disappointed with the way I've handled the Arsh part of the story just describing what happened between them without any real scenes or dialogues or anything and just cutting it to the point. But the fact is that this is predominantly an SR FF so the focus has to be on them. As it is my updates are getting really unbearably long. I did not want to stretch it further by focussing on the Arsh part too much so just included the absolutely necessary scenes. 😕

The next part has a major twist in the offing so sit tight for more sparks, rona dhona and emotional atyachar 😆

Thank you so much for your fabulous comments and keep them coming.. Do let me know how you liked this part coz this is not my usual style of writing. All your feedback, positive or negative including the jhoothe and chappal you want to throw at me for making Shilpa for fall for a certain someone are welcome. 🤗 😉

Take care

Cheers

Neet