AR OS|Love-Unrequited or Not?|PartC|pg11|03/06/11 - Page 3

GREAT JOB! Love the concept! Continue soon! 😃

Part B

But he was still my best friend and I could see it. Whenever someone mentioned the topic of love to me, he will look a bit worried and would the butt in and cleverly change the conversation. He was still the protective best friend I knew back in college.

I noticed him now coming towards. Seems like he has made his decision to talk to me.

"Hey, Ridz!"

"What's up, Armaan?"

"Um, shall we talk... um somewhere quite perhaps?"

"Ya sure," I agreed and I lead him up to the balcony. This was the first time I had come here since I got back and immediately memories of the past flooded my brain. There have been numerous occasions when Armaan and I have stayed up late doing some last minute cramming in of notes the night before the exam. He sat on the railing whilst I rested my arms on it looking at the sky. We sat like that for some moments until he broke the silence.

"So Ridz, you were saying about some guy earlier..."

"Ya, but don't think too much about it. He doesn't love me..."

"Woah! You actually told him as well! Girl, if he doesn't love you just forget him and move on!" He smiled at me.

"Have you moved on? From Priya, I mean..." I didn't know where that came from but I felt that I should ask. Priya...her name just brings back so many memories...

Flashback

"Armaan!!!!!!!" I screamed noticing that the chocolate bar I had left on the table seconds ago was now missing. And I very well knew who the culprit was.

"Yes Riddhima," he replied ever so innocently

"Oh I am not going to fall for that Mallik! I can see chocolate on your mouth!"

"What? Where?" And as expected he started to frantically wipe his cheek and I burst out laughing as soon as I saw him do that. Her looked at me confused until suddenly it dawned upon him...

"You tricked me!!!"

"You stole MY chocolate bar!"

"Oi! That bar was too big for you, my child! Learn to share!"

"First you learn not to steal!"

And with that I started to chase him around the whole canteen whilst everyone cheered either me or Armaan on. Suddenly, Armaan came to a halt and I, due to that, came crashing into Armaan. I was about to scream at him for stop him but something stopped me. I noticed that not only Armaan stood still but the whole college did. Not only that, there was no sound to be heard at all and everyone seemed to staring in the same direction. I followed their gaze which led to the source. I saw a tall and a very elegant looking girl standing at the doorway. The jaws of all the guys were literally on the floor. And as for the girls, they fuming and their faces sported a look of jealousy all over. I turned my gaze to Armaan and saw him act the same way as all the other guys. Somewhere, it hurt me but I avoided that feeling.

That girl was soon introduced to us. Her name was Priya and she was in our class. Son enough she joined our gang too. She was great fun; everyone loved her. However, the pain in my heart whenever she and Armaan were talking or close together, never seemed to stop. It took a while for my slow mind to register that it was indeed because I had deeply fallen in love with Armaan. I realised that I was always in love with him but never until the entry of Priya that I had realised this.

One day, long after I had realised my feelings, I decided to confess it all to Armaan. I wasn't so sure what kind of response I would get from him but I decided to tell him anyway as I couldn't hold it all within myself. After college that day, I headed straight for the local card shop to buy him a card in which I would express all my feelings. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a card that read "For the one I love the most...". As soon as I saw that, I thought it was perfect as it summarized everything in one line. I immediately bought it and spent the whole night trying to think of a decent message to put inside and once I had finished I had slept peacefully awaiting the next day.

The next day, I woke up extra early and went to college early. Armaan was always there early. As expected, when I arrived at college, I spotted Armaan. He was sitting there nervously and I didn't quite understand why. I called out to him and immediately, I saw him look up and a big smile crept up his face. I held the card behind my back and composed myself before I walked towards him.

"Ridz! Oh my god! I've got something to tell you..."

"What, Armaan?" I was pleasantly surprised by his excitement.

"I am in love," He started, "With Priya!"

"What?" My head started spinning and tears threatened to fall out but I kept myself composed. My grip on the card became harder. I looked up at Armaan who seemed visibly upset at my "What?".

"I'm sorry, Armaan, it just came as a shock! Priya is a great choice!" I lied but I felt happy when I saw him jump excitedly like a little boy. I smiled despite having the urge to blurt out everything to him. He ran towards his bag and took out a card. It was the exact same card that I had taken out.

"Look, Ridz! Isn't it just perfect?"

"Ya, it is! She will be so happy! Go quick and claim your love..."

"Thanks Ridz!" He gave a peck on the cheek and ran to claim his love. I stood there rooted to the spot letting my tears fall freely. Though I didn't want to cry, I couldn't help it. I looked down at the card which was now half crumpled due to me gripping it so hard.

However, it was not only me who was rejected. Armaan was also rejected. Priya said that she had only thought of him as a friend and Armaan took it in his stride. He never seemed so upset about it but probably was deep down.

Flashback End

I looked at him awaiting his answer. After what seemed like ages, he looked at me and spoke up.

"Priya was just a phase in my life. It was in college when everyone else around me had their own girlfriends and were deeply in love. Perhaps I was jealous of all that, I'm not sure but I am sure that I wasn't actually in love with her. It was just attraction which I mistook as love."

He shrugged his shoulders after he said whilst I stared at him intently. So he didn't love her after all. Unknowingly a smile crept up my face but was quick enough not to show it to him. I didn't want him to know of my love in case I was rejected again. I'd rather move away myself than hear it from him. Coming out of my thoughts, I sat down on the railing beside him.

"I'm sure there is a girl out there for you..." I started breaking the silence between us.

"Yeah, she might even be sitting right beside me but I wouldn't know it..."

My head jerked up as soon as he said that. I saw him staring at me intently and I could see that his eyes were trying to convey a message which I wasn't quite able to crack. But before I could dwell further into my thoughts, someone called me.

"Riddhima! Come downstairs quick!"

"Armaan, I'll be right back!" And with that I rushed downstairs. I couldn't get hold of Armaan for the rest of the day and soon he had left without me being able to say bye.

That night, I couldn't get myself to fall asleep. His words echoed in my ears... "she might even be sitting right beside me but I wouldn't know it"...Was he referring to me? Or was that just pure coincidence? One thing I did know was that I couldn't stand the fact that I was not confessing my feelings to him. This silence was hurting me more than I thought it would. I had thought going abroad will help me move on but it just made it worse. It made me realise how much I had missed him. Maybe if I confessed my feelings to him, I would still get a chance. There was no harm in trying.

I had made up my mind. I got dressed and headed for Armaan's house not caring about the fact that it was 2 in the morning. My life was at stake, I told myself. I drove through the streets to Armaan's apartment still lost in my thoughts. What would I do if he rejected me? What if he hates me after this?

I parked my car and raced up the stairs. I arrived at his door and took a deep breath before I knocked on his door. A few moments later he opened the door half asleep.

"Who is it?" He asked still not bothering to open his eyes properly.

"Its me! Stop standing in the way, Armaan! Let me in!"

Without waiting for him to respond, I barged right past him whilst he stared at me with his mouth wide open.

"Riddhima!" he exclaimed finally realising that I was here.

"Yes, it's me! Ooh, nice flat... I swear I don't remember the walls being blue when I last came here..." I said as I examined the whole flat.

"Riddhima, what are you doing here?"

"What else would I be doing? I came to visit you silly!"

"Now? Riddhima, are you even aware of the time?"

"Stop freaking out, Armaan! It's only two in the morning! Besides, I wouldn't come now if it wasn't important!"

"What do you mean by important? Can't it wait until morning?"

"No, Armaan!" I almost exclaimed but seeing him look shocked, I calmed down.

"What is it? Tell me quickly...I'm tired!"

"Here," I said thrusting a card into his hands, the same card that I had planned on giving him three years ago.

He took the card out of its envelope and his eyes grew wide as he saw the cover. I almost giggled but I controlled myself. His face read many emotions ' shock, happiness, regret, anger... I wasn't quite so sure how to take his response. I only had to wait for him answer me himself. Finally, he looked up after reading the card and engulfed me into a hug. I stood there shocked. I hadn't expected that.

"I love you too, Ridz"

That shocked me even more.

Coming out of the hug, I had an expression of confusion written all over my face. I had hoped that he would understand but I didn't him to be also in love with me.

"What's wrong, Ridz?"

"Armaan, I thought you didn't love me..."

"Did I ever tell you that?" He asked with a huge smile on his face.

"No but you didn't tell me that you loved me either..." I replied.

"Well, I would have if..."

"If?"