'Ridz!! Come na! It's so nice out here,' Muskaan yelled while simultaneously trying to drown Rahul who kept splashing her to avoid her evil clutches, 'Rahul! You just wait,' she spluttered as he went underwater and successfully pulled her leg, making her lose her balance...Riddhima shook her head as she watched her two friends fight it out in the pool while she relaxed on one of the chairs, having her drink of chilled orange juice...She glanced towards the entrance again but no, no such luck today..Armaan was nowhere in sight. Muskaan finally got out of the pool, deciding that she had wasted enough of her time fighting it out with that loser Rahul in the pool and wanting to spend some 'sane time' with her bestest friend in the world, Riddhima Gupta. Riddhima and Muskaan had known each for close to 9 years.. They had studied in the same class for a majority of those years and had bonded extremely well right from the word go.
'Ridz,' Muskaan plopped herself on the chair next to Riddhima's, 'Chal na, the water's not too cold,'
'I'll come in a while,' Riddhima promised, while taking another sip of her drink.
'Kab? When Armaan comes?' Muskaan taunted and then immediately felt bad for her insensitive tone, 'Acha Sorry, I didn't mean it like that,' she quickly apologized.
'It's ok Muski,' Riddhima said quietly...she would be lying if she said she hadn't felt just a little hurt at the pointed tone in which Muskaan had taken Armaan's name..she knew that both Rahul and Muskaan were aware of the feelings she harboured for Armaan..feelings that had simply grown stronger over the 3 years of college during which she'd known him..Muskaan obviously knew because Riddhima herself had blurted it out to her after having a little too much to drink at one of their college parties whereas Rahul..well, he was a smart guy..she was sure he had figured it out even before Muskaan had even though she had never uttered a single word to him regarding what she felt for Armaan..well, rather she couldn't say anything to him..he was Armaan's closest friend after all. She knew he wouldn't tell Armaan anything if she asked him not to, but then again, secrets do have a tendency of spilling out at weak moments(read: drunk)..but even if Rahul knew anything, he never gave the slightest indication that he did for which Riddhima was grateful. It was bad enough dealing with Muskaan where Armaan's topic was concerned..
'Riddhima, come on in...don't make me get up to come get you,' Rahul grinned, splashing a little water on Riddhima to make her get the hint..Riddhima sighed and forced a smile..it was getting late and she would have to leave soon..she might as well go and have some fun..she had had quite a few expectations from the day..when Rahul had suggested that they come over to his place to relax by the pool side, Riddhima had thought he would invite everybody from their friend circle...however, when she got to know that the people who the invitation was extended to was just her, Muski and Armaan, she had been overjoyed..even though Armaan had said a casual 'yes', looking like it was not such a big deal, she couldn't help the slight flutter that she felt when she thought of the possible time that she could spend with Armaan when no one was around. It wasn't that she didn't get to spend time with him on a regular basis but what irked her was that there were always so many people around them that she couldn't get the kind of alone time that she wanted with Armaan...ofcourse, this wish to spend quality time with each other was entirely one-sided..it wasn't that Armaan didn't know Riddhima existed or something..she was one of his closest friends but having said that, he had never felt any need whatsoever to be with Riddhima alone..the only time he probably had felt that was when he had some problem and he knew she would be there to listen..she was his really good friend and thats all there was to it for Armaan Mallik.
Riddhima was trying to have a good time at the pool..she knew Rahul and Muskaan were having a ball..they couldn't get enough of trying to kill each other..and they tried their best to include her in all the fun and frolic..she put up a good front, pretending that she was equally happy to be there with them, however, she couldn't help feeling her heart break just a little more as she realized that he had probably ditched..again...
Ofcourse, she wasn't the only one he had ditched..it was all 3 of them..and she knew the other 2 couldn't care less..it was ok..he just hadn't turned up for one of their outings..however, it meant something else to her..she had looked forward to this outing..dressed up a little extra carefully, knowing that Armaan would be there..she had tried on her swimming outfit in her room earlier this afternoon and stood for hours contemplating how she was looking..would he notice her..was she looking OK..she couldn't help the urge to cry just a little, knowing that he didn't think of things her way..he didn't look forward to this outing as an opportunity to spend more time with..he didn't come right on time to Rahul's place as she had so that she wouldn't miss a single moment of being with him...it hurt her that he had chosen something else, someone else over the option of being with her..but mostly it hurt because she knew that it really wasn't his fault..he didn't know anything..he didn't know that she was in love with him, had been since the last 3 years of when they had supposedly been 'best friends'..it hurt that she couldn't tell him how she felt because she was so scared of rejection and of probably losing the awesome friendship they shared...there were so many things she wanted to tell him, to explain to him but she just couldn't..and so it was all bottled up inside her, hoping that maybe one day he would see as clearly through her as she could see through him..that maybe he would understand what she felt for him and respect it..
A sudden splash of water bought her out of her reverie...she glanced one last time at the entrance..it was beginning to get dark and she knew she would have to leave soon..she had missed another chance of spending time with him..like so many other times in the recent past..they were slowly but definitely drifting apart and Riddhima just hoped that she could keep herself together during this time while the guy she loved remained completely and absolutely oblivious to her feelings for him.
Indian Idol 15
41