AR: Love Is... #2[NewThreadLink: Page 1 & 150] - Page 15

What she WAS worried about, was the dream. She usually had it every few days but this time it was different. For the first time she dreamt about someone saving her. Armaan saving her. Why was that? Was she starting to depend on him? Was she starting to trust him more than she should? What if her trust backfired? What if she was left hurt again? This is too confusing. He's my friend. And a good one at that. But I also like him as more than a friend...is that why I dreamt about him? This isn't good Riddhima...you've changed. I've never let anyone affect me this way before. Then why him? Since years I've been wearing my mask perfectly, but seeing him, it falters. Hell, seeing him, everything falters. Maybe I should just stop thinking about it...maybe my mind's playing tricks with me. I probably dreamt about him because he helped in the elevator. Yeah! That must be it. Maybe I'll just let things go where they're going. See where it takes me...

Glad that she'd thought things out, Riddhima continued jogging to the beat of the music. Suddenly she saw Armaan smiling at her with that cheeky smile of his. She smiled back and he kept jogging towards her. She went to him and said, "Hi! What are you doing here?"

"Umm do I know you?"

Riddhima's head shot up at the sentence and she looked up. There was no Armaan. It was just some random jogger she was talking to. "Errm...Sorry! I thought you were someone I knew! My bad!" saying this she quickly, jogged away.

"I can't believe I just hallucinated about Armaan. I HALLUCINATED about Armaan??? What the f*** is wrong with me?" she whined to herself. Reprimanding herself, she focused on the music and started jogging more vigorously to keep her mind off him.

It was almost 7 when she finished jogging. She'd loved it! It'd cleared her mind and made her feel much better. She was walking her way out of Central Park when she saw him coming in. She was annoyed at herself now. How many times would she hallucinate??? She saw him approach her and stood with her hands on her hips, staring at him.

"You're going to disappear right about now, aren't you?"

"Umm Riddhima? What are you talking about?"

She scrunched her nose up and frowned adorably. Still frowning, she said, "Funny! You've never talked before."

Armaan was thoroughly confused now. What in the world was she talking about? He always worked out in the gym but today he kept thinking about her. How she smiled, how adorable she looked when she was angry and how much fun he'd had with her. Trying to distract himself from her, he came here, only to see her here too. He'd come over to say hi but here she was, talking about God-knows-what.

He snapped his fingers in front of her eyes. "Riddhima, are you all right?"

Riddhima snapped out of her ruminations at the worry in his voice. Oh shit. He was real? Arre yaar yeh mere saath kyun hota hai? This is SO embarassing! He probably thinks I'm a freak now. Ugh Riddhima Gupta...you're so stupid!!!

She looked at him and said, "Yeah...I'm umm fine..."

"What were you talking about?"

"Woh umm...nothing important!"

Saying that, she quickly ran away, avoiding further talks on the subject.

Armaan smiled at her retreating figure. She was crazy! And cute... though he still had no idea what she was talking about. Shaking his head, he started jogging.

Riddhima reached home, sweating. She took out her headphones and opened the door. Rahul and Muskaan were on the dining table. Rahul said something that made Muskaan blush and giggle. Riddhima smiled and went towards them. They were too engrossed to notice her. She quickly tip-toed behind them and asked, "Kya ho raha hai?" with a wink. Rahul and Muskaan jumped and looked at her.

"Riddhima! Man, you scared me!" said, Rahul.

Muskaan nodded in agreement.

"Acha? Main kya karoon agar tum dono ek doosre mein ITNE kho jaate ho ki ghar mein koi andar aata hai toh pata bhi nahi chalta!" She laughed at their embarrassed faces.

"Anyway, woh sab chodo...tum log muje kya bataane waale the?"

Rahul and Muskaan looked at each other. Muskaan said, "Riddhima, you go get dressed first! Baad mein we'll tell you over breakfast!"

Riddhima pouted at them hoping it'd melt them. She was really curious now and she wanted to know! "Please!! Batao na! I'll get ready afterwards!"

But they'd refused to budge. After a lot of grumbling, Riddhima went to get dressed.

She came down as fast as she could and sat on the table looking at them expectantly. "So??? What did you wanna say? Jaldi batao!"

Rahul and Muskaan looked at each other with happiness clearly visible in their eyes. Smiling, Rahul said, "We decided to have a baby."

Riddhima's eyes widened and it took her a moment to realize what he'd said. The moment she realized it, she squealed in glee and crushed both of them in a bear-hug.

"Oh my God!!! That is awesome you guys! A baby! Yay!" Muskaan looked at Riddhima, glad that she was happy. Her happiness meant a lot to them.

Riddhima looked at her 2 bestfriends and for a moment she felt lonely. For the first time she yearned for this happiness they'd got. A second later she was happy again and with a twinkle in her eyes, she said, "Will I have to move out?"

With worry laced in her voice, Muskaan said, "Arre riddhima! Tum aisi stupid baatein kyun kar rahi ho? You're family! Of course tum kahin nahi jaaogi! Tumhe aisa kyun laga ki you'll have to move out?!"

Riddhima could barely keep a straight face as she said, "Nahin...matlab if you're gonna be on it like ALL the time toh I'll have to move out na!"

"On it??? On what Ridzy?" asked a baffled Rahul.

"On the BABY making process silly!" said, Riddhima.

As comprehension dawned on Rahul and Muskaan, they ran after her, until they all were light with laughter. Giving both of them a quick peck on the cheek, she rushed for office.

Riddhima grinned as she got into the cab and gave the driver the intructions for office. A baby. Muskaan and Rahul are gonna try for a baby! It's gonna be so AWESOME! Just like in Mumbai...I could babysit him...or her! She's ...or he's gonna be amazing!

She got down at the office, still in a chirpy mood. She loved children to bits. She'd always been good with them. Even in the orphanage she'd earned money by babysitting children. They loved her and she loved them. And now her best friends were going to try for one. She couldn't be happier.

She went over to her cabin to start work. She'd started work on her second project after Ash and Nick's wedding. She was supposed to do the interior of a 3 bedroom apartment. Something that could be termed as simple but the client was the daughter of a rich business man and she was going to live alone. So not only did she have to design something that was exquisite but it wouldn't do if it looked too over the top for the apartment. She bit the back of her sketching pencil and closed her eyes to imagine the apartment she'd seen a week ago.

Armaan sat in his office when Brittany came in with letters adressed to him. He went through them one by one, telling Brittany "Yes" or "No" as to whether they were important or not. He came to one letter which was addressed to "Ms. Riddhima Gupta". Keeping that one aside he moved on with the rest of the stack; he'd give it to her later. As soon as the letters were done he nodded towards Brittany, indicating that she should leave.

"What about Riddhima's letter, Ammy?"

"Don't worry 'bout that. I'll give it to her later."

"Why don't you just give it to me? I'll give it to her when I pass by her cabin!"

Armaan looked at her, annoyed. "I said I'll do it, Brittany. You may leave."

Brittany walked away, scowling. What was with that Riddhima chick anyway? Cursing Riddhima under her breath, she went back to work.

Armaan took Riddhima's letter and went towards her cabin to give it to her. He knocked on her door but was greeted with silence. He knocked once more, calling out her name but she didn't open. He remembered how she was listening to music the last time. Maybe she was doing it again? But just to be sure he knocked a third time and he heard a "Come in!"

He went in to see Riddhima lost in sketching. She had her headphones plugged in and the tip of her tongue stuck out of the corner if her mouth as she sketched with utmost concentration. Unable to stop that grin from coming, he said, "Hey!"

Riddhima looked up and removed her headphones and putting her paperwork aside, she said, "Goodmorning!!!" in a bright voice.

Armaan raised his eyebrows at her bright voice. She looked unfathomably happy and barely concealed excitement glittered in her eyes. He wondered what was up with her. First, her extremely weird behavior at the park and now this sudden enthusiasm. She was absolutely unpredictable.

"Goodmorning! Special day today?" he asked, genuinely curious.

Riddhima wondered how he always knew her moods. She'd wanted to share the news about Rahul and Muskaan with someone but they'd decided they'd tell noone of the family members, lest something should go wrong. She'd been disappointed but had agreed. It was the sensible thing to do. But now Armaan had asked her and telling him wouldn't do any harm!

"Yeah!!! How'd you know?"

He grinned mentally. Had she no idea how apparent her happiness was? "Took a guess. So, what's so special about today?"

Riddhima grinned widely and said, "We're having a baby!!!! Isn't that so cool?"

Armaan looked shocked. What the hell was she talking about? "I'm sorry WHAT?"

Riddhima bit her lip as she realized what she'd said in her excitement. Mentally slapping her forehead, she corrected herself. "I mean, Rahul and Muskaan are having a baby! Or atleast they've decided to! Isn't that awesome?"

Armaan smiled. She really was something else! She was so happy, someone would've thought she's the one who's decided to have a baby! But he liked that about her. She was always so happy for everyone else. So involved in everyone else's joy. "Yeah it is!"

She nodded in response. "So...what'd you come here for?"

"Oh yeah! I forgot about that completely! This letter came for you. It was in my mail by mistake! Go ahead, open it!" Armaan blinked at her reassuringly. He knew exactly what was there in the letter. He'd received a similar one last year. He wanted to see the joy on her face when she opened it. That's why he'd refused Brittany. He wanted to do this himself.

Riddhima took the letter from him and opened the envelope.