PART 6
Riddhima was walking through the corridor of Sanjeevani towards the canteen to join the group at break time. It's been little more than two weeks that she has joined here and everything is going great. She has already started to be known as one of the most efficient doctors here and she also shares a good rapport with patients as well as the staff of the hospital. And its all are part of her blissful experience of working here but apart from that she has found some of the sweetest yet crazy friends here. A bright smile comes to her lips when she thinks of them. Rahul and Muskan are like the live wire in their small group. Muskan, well, to say truthfully, is a chatter box but still possesses a very clean and friendly heart. She can make acquaintance with anyone and everyone. And Rahul, that guy is a suprizing blend of maturity and child like mannerism. U can find an annoying kid as well as a strong shoulder to lean on at the same time. Atul, well, he is a sweetheart. Caring, soft hearted and sensible. U can talk to him about ur trouble or anything without any hesitation or the fear of being judged. And there is another reason for which she is fond of Atul so much as he is her would be brother in law and she is really happy that her sister had chosen a person like Atul as her life partner. Though she doesn't really understand how the two of them get together at first place. Her Di and Atul are totally two different kind of people. Her Di is strong headed and totally outgoing person whereas Atul is more of a reserve and composed type. May be this is what people call 'opposite attracts'.
She shakes her head smiling. May be someday she will get some one in her life too. Yes, its true, that inspite of being so attracvtive a women she is still single. It's not that she is all shy and too uptight with boys neither she had any inhibition for dating. Heck , she had dated quite a few among the most shot after types back in USA but quite surprisingly none of those realtions turned serious as she always felt there is something missing and stepped back. But to say the truth she actually never knew what she wants or looks for in her partner. If that fact had puzzeled her before back there then here her condition is far more shocking. Oweing to her growing popularity here, it's not really ashtonishing that she has already got some fine offers but this time somehow it doesn't attract her to even consider the offers. Why? She does't know, as some of them according to her friends and even herself, are indeed quite interesting to hang out with. Being unable to recognize the reason behind this sudden apathy she blemed it on her work pressure and forced herself to ignore the matter for the time being. May be like her Di, destiny has already thought something for her.
But unlike the previous matter there is something that she can not really ignore, even if she tries really hard and that is none other than The Armaan Mallik. In over last two weeks her relation with Armaan hav not changed a bit. He used to avoid her like anything and most of the time he behaved like she didn't even existed. The small talks that they had shared in these two weeks are all strictly restricted to the professional level. He even avoids joining the group if she is there which in a way is causing a kind of awkwardness in the group itself and she does not like it a bit. Slowly the relief that she had first experienced seeing him not crossing her path is now gradually giving way to irritation. Its not that she is dying to talk to him or being friendly with him but she is annoyed with the raising of curious brows at the way he behaves trying to avoid her. Moreover, how much ever she denys, the fact is that she was never been used to being ignored by the people of opposite sex. So to say the truth it certainly had hurted her ego somewhere and that too a big time.
However much to her dismay, in the last weeks she can not help but observe some things about him that not only puzzled her but also made her mind quite a battle field of self contradictory ideas about this guy. Even in this short span of time she has noticed how Armaan is liked by all here. It is as if he has charmed all of them in some way or other. She didn't find it too difficult to understand the reason of the female attention he receives. But it was quite obvious that the attention actually goes far beyond just one specific species to be shared by each and every kind present in the hospital -old, children alike. The easy comrade he shares with his friends and the cordial and hearty relationship he shares with his patients and stuff is quite envious and hard to ignore. He is like a son, a brother, a friend and a confident for them. And it has somehow created a doubt on her mind about her earlier judgment about him.
With the days passing she is discovering more and more different and newer shades of him. And one of them is his smile. He has a smile to die for with those cute and deep dimples adorning his wonderfully curved face. Though he doesn't smile too much and most of the time it not even seems like coming from his heart also but still it has a power to brighten the atmosphere and mood of the people around him. There is quite a few moments in these last weeks when her heart said that may be she had made a mistake and may be she is streaching the matter between them unnecessarily but being the stubborn girl she is, she always listened to her brain and tried holding on to her previous judgement about him. But she can not deny that there is a serious crack in her resolution and if she cares to look deep in her heart she can found that now she is actually getting annoyed by the silence between them but it's only her ego that is coming between calling it a truce.
Lost in her own thoughts she enters the canteen and looks for her friends. She found all of them chatting at a corner table but much to her surprise she notices that Armaan is also seating with them and telling them something to which all of them are laughing. It does not take her too long to know that her absence has actually brought him to that table. For a moment she contemplated on going there. May be she should leave him with his friends for some time as she very well knows that if she goes there the easy chattering will vanish in no time but then decided against it. Why would she go? They are her friend also. If he wants to go then he can. She started to approach them confidently but at the last moment hesitates and stands some far from them, observing them.. .
Armaan can not notice her as she is standing behind him and he continued with his conversation. In fact it's quite some time that he had chatted so freely with his friends. Avoiding Riddhima became so much compulsory for him that in that state of mind he had actually neglected his friends to a great extant. But they don't really know his reasons, did they? But that doesn't mean that he can ignore them also. They are his friends and they doen't deserve his negligent behavior. So today when they called him to join, and moreover when he found that the soul reason of his problem is not there, he gladly took their invitation and joins them. He has to admit that he didn't feeled so much off pressure and releved in these last few days. And it kind of lifts his mood and he felt light. But that relaxation short lived as suddenly Anjali notices Riddhima's presence and calls out" Hey Ridzy . .tu kab aye? Common join us". The smile which was almost coming on Armaan's face abruptly stops as he immediately turns back and looks at her direction. As their eyes locked he readily averted it which in turn made Riddima even more annoyed.
Riddhima comes there plastering a fake smile on her face, " Hey Di. . Sorry wo thora late ho gaye. . had some urjent work. . "and then looks here and there for a empty seat as all are accupied at the table.
Armaan notices that and tried to slip out from there. He stood up " Umm. . guys . . I think I better go . . I hav some important work. ."
Everyone loked at him confused. Just before a minute he is enjoying and having fun and now he is all worked up to leave. Riddhima looked at him fuming under her breath. Ok fine, he wants to avoid her but does he hav to make it so obvious?
But Atul speaks up this time, " Oye ruk. . tu kahi nahi jaraha . .chup chap baith. ." and pulled him by his hand and made him seat.
" But. ." he tried to argue. .
"No ifs And buts. . our waise bhi kounsa jaruri kam hai tujhe?.. "Atul asked him with angry eyes. He knows there is something wrong b/w his friend and Riddhima but he does not want that to affect ther frend's time.
"Wo ..umm. .wo. ." he fumbles at answering.
"Oye Saley . . itna bav kue kha raha hai. . baith na. . kam kar te karte hamsabko bhul gaya kya?. ."this time its Rahul and he certainly knows which bottom to press.
Armaan sighs. Rahul very well knows what their friendship means to him. And as a result did very well uses this fact for his advantage. "Ok fine. . " he reluctantly agreed and stopped argueing.
Atul goes and brings in a chair for Riddhima who is till now silently observing this how-can –make –Mr. Arrogent- seat –here game and getting angrier with each passing moment. 'bloody attention seeker. ."she thought.
Unfortunately for Armaan she sits exactly opposite to him. He sifted uncomfortably at his chair but keeps his eyes down and started to seep his coffee silently. He can bear this few minutes of torture for the shake of his friends, he reminded himself. But his heart knows that these few minutes will not end too soon, not when he has to share this time with Riddhima Gupta, sitting exactly infront of him. . . .
Love Friendship Dating and Relationships
Bindi
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