1. The Beginning
Crimson fabric fluttered around the patch of skin couple of inches above her naval playing peek-a-boo along with passing wind. Had they not been carrying case records and performing duties at hospital, he would have run his palms over the fabric and pulled her towards him. She caught him glancing towards her and let out a sigh.
"Armaan, are you listening to what I am saying?" She asked exasperated.
"Your sari is very distracting, Dr. Riddhima", he grinned an answer. She hit him across the chest with the file she was carrying and hid a smile.
"What made you wear a sari anyway? And isn't today your off?" He asked walking a tad closer to her.
"Secret!" She gushed amidst chuckles.
He shook his head and went on about his job for the day taking case files wiping out mirth from his face but retaining only a small smile. He had admired that woman for long and they were now in a position where he could tease her only to be teased back or play along.
She was an enigma gift wrapped in intelligence and bow-tied with wit.
If she hadn't been that, he was doubtful of the attention he was desperately seeking whenever she buzzed around.
Three hours later he trotted around the hospital corridors dragging his exhausted butt slowly to the lockers. Given the lateness of the time, he wasn't surprised to find it dimly lit with residue of passed day lingering in its ambience.
It was then he heard the sound of lighting of matchstick and silhouette of the woman who was now lighting candles; candles which stood on a small sized cake of irregular shape which seemed to have more icing than actual baked cake with "Happy Birthday" written on it in an urgent scrawl.
"Riddhima?" He said hesitatingly.
"Happy birthday Armaan", she looked up and said with a shy smile. Her shyness was completely understandable as they had never really publicized or even accepted to themselves what they mean to each other. Armaan was quite a popular guy with friends strewn across every few yards and she wondered what she was to him. And when her heart stuttered for a logical answer, her stomach had dropped in anticipation.
Armaan walked towards her happiness evident in his eyes. He was aware of the embarrassment which Riddhima was trying desperately to hide by the way she was looking at the cake and steadily avoided to look at him.
He understood her then. In that one unexplainable moment where everything around them stood still and she looked up to see straight in his eyes. The residual confusion from her inner argument lay there and the barely there smile held a bit of fear of rejection.
As he walked towards her ignoring her personal face, the confusion in her eyes now spread to her face and pink laced her cheeks. Her eyes widened as she felt his face coming closer to her and gasped as his arms wrapped her small waist and pulled her towards him.
"I wanted to do this since I saw you this morning." He said.
And then he kissed her erasing all possible doubts that her heart harbored.
Candles swooshed in the wind refusing to blow out and marked the beginning of something exhilarating and magical.
Sookie
Edited by -Sookie- - 14 years ago
Anupamaa
200