Because this is life (AR).. Chap26: 2/12 - Page 8

Originally posted by: Gudduluvs

Wow..nice update..plz cpntinue soon...n pe wen u update plz

thanks😊

Wow..nice update..nthng extraordinry bt gud1..plz wil requst u 1 thng add sm romance btwn dem..

Chapter 18 – Bits and pieces

"it's so nice of you to have me over, Keerthi didi, it's been ages since I've had nice home cooked indian food."

'Why? i though you were a good cook, atleast armaan always said so.. and he eats at yours aswell sometimes right?'

"I cook didi.. but not indian, atleast not a lot.. only when I have the time to look at and follow a recipe.. or when mum skype's and teaches me.. but I haven't even talked back home in a week.. I think they've forgotton me..but anyway I haven't been having too much time lately so I just cook my stir fry's or bake chicken, these are things I can cook with touch and feel, but I don't understand indian spices too much and then the use of a pressure cooker is my nightmare.. not knowing what's happening inside.. that's way to thrilling for my poor little heart to handle.. When I first came here I used to skype mum you know.. and mum couldn't be happier, only it bugs my brother.. he's the one who has to set it up for her.. aswell as listen to her shout at the screen.. because that's how normal phones work." Finished riddhima and keerthi and riddhima ended up laughing at that.

'Oh is that why she was screaming at me..?" asked armaan walking back into the living room from the kitchen grabbing two mugs of soup for himself and riddhima.

"when did you talk to my mother?" asked riddhima.

'when you were at the lab a couple of nights ago with your phone being on silent on your desk.. and your mum freaked out forgetting that you could be in the lab and then she freaked out even more when she realised how late it was here… and I suppose she thought she'd just ask me.'

" I knew giving her your number wasn't a smooth move, but she made me, so I'm sorry I can't save you…. You can save yourself though by getting another number.. I'm sorry but that's the only way to save you.' Riddhima said dramatically with a cheeky grin plastered on her face, only keerthi didn't see it.

'What nonsense, armaan you are doing no such thing, her mum was scared about her child's wellbeing.. she should be able to contact you, infact riddhima you should give her my number too, just incase he's being as irresponsible as you.'

And at that both riddhima and armaan rolled their eyes after looking at each other, they felt just like kids at that moment.

"yes didi, I'll be sure to do that" replied riddhima marking the end of this topic.

But armaan just slapped her thigh as he sat down on the sofa next to her, making riddhima scrowl and rub the spot on her leg. An action that armaan didn't even bother registering.. instead he just rubbed her feet and tucked them under his legs as he sat cross legged on the couch.. riddhima didn't even register the move.. she just moved onto having her soup whilst dipping the bread sticks in them.

But keerthi did, and she immediately reprimanded armaan. 'Armaan don't sit on the poor girl, you're quite heavy you know and she already looks so fragile, what if she breaks a bone or something?' Keerthi said that in a really serious manner not knowing she offended two people at the same time. Both armaan and riddhima looked at her offended with wide eyes and open mouths wanting to retaliate. And did seconds later, speaking at the same time 'Hey I'm not fragile, what do you mean? Said riddhima whilst armaan said 'pepsi? Fat, really!'

Keerthi realised that it came out wrong, so she decided to make amends and calm these kids down. "now I didn't mean in general that you (pointing towards riddhima) that you're weak or that you (pointing towards armaan) are fat… you guys know that, but you know in the context, like in relation to each other.. you riddhima are weaker than armaan and you armaan are fatter than her.

"yea nice save pepsi, but seriously she's not that weak.. packs a good punch really.. and answering to your earlier question of my act of tucking her foot under my leg wasn't intended to crush her foot.. I'm not sitting on her..i'm not stupid pepsi.. But it's just that her feet are always freezing and you know I radiate heat because I'm so hot and all", he winked at that.. "so I was just trying to warm her foot I swear! She likes it, ask her".

'Yea keerti didi, sorry I know it's weird!' … at that she began taking her foot out from under him but he pulled it right back.. 'But I swear it's not hurting me, its quite comfortable actually.'

"well it's weird logic, but I suppose if you both don't have a problem with it…"

With that they broke bread and ended the night on a lovely laugh filled note, where karan got 2 people to play with, shubhankar had someone on his side in riddhima when their family feuds. And riddhima got a feeling of a family after a long time and armaan was just happy and always.

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"Hey man, did you have a male part for VH to DC converter?" asked armaan as he saw a guy approach him at the shop where he was with riddhima to get a piece of wire that enabled her to connect an old screen to a set top box and convert it into a cheap tv for use during evenings, the only time she has to watch tv where amraan hijacks her tv with the xbox or some documentary. Either way making riddhima complain with the unfairness of the situation everytime. Finally being sick and tired of her grumbling on the nights he visited and she as at home, he decided to help her out. He would have just bought a new tv, but she wouldn't approve. And because she couldn't afford one herself he had found this compromise.. she came along, because she needed to buy some lollies as bribes for the kids she nannies. So she had tagged along..but if he sees her now she's gotten so bored of all the technical jargon that she's just left to stand infront of the tv displays.. next to the kids watching Madagascar and he knew she would be singing that song throughout the rest of the day, like an idiot. How did he know? Well lets just say she was singing a song from happy feet on the way here.

"looks like we've bored her" said the salesman gesturing towards riddhima when he saw armaan looking towards her whilst he had gone to get the wire armaan had asked for. 'Yea, but don't worry she's amongst her own people now.' And with that the boys shared a laugh, riddhima turned around at that and wondered what could be so funny about a stupid, ugly wire.

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"I really need to make a decision by the end of the week you know about my fellowship.. I've floated around long enough, but I still don't know if I want surgery or plain peads. What do you think?" asked armaan. The had just walked out of a sushi bar, their dinner for this Saturday night, it had been six months since she had moved here, but in the last month she had hardly been with him. They saw each other around the house but that was it. Busy lives called for this change in routine, so today when they both were off from work, they decided to grab dinner outside rather than wasting time making it. And riddhima's choice it was, since it was her birthday two days ago.. and they hadn't even been able to see each other till the following day midnight, when they made plans to come out tonight. And as riddhima was busy folding her scarf around her neck and putting on her gloves, he just blew a breath and saw the smoke appear form his hot breath mixing with the negative temperatures outside. As she was done, she sneaked one hand in his jacket pocket, linking it through his arm first whilst her other hand was holding her take away doggie bag. Whilst she was adjusting herself to keep warm, he brought up the only thing that had been on his mind for days. He had already talked to pepsi and shubhankar but they just said 'follow you gut' only problem being he didn't know what his gut was saying.

Riddhima was quite for a while, he wondered if the two drinks she had over dinner got too much for her to handle, she doesn't usually drink.. even whilst he's having his glass of wine over dinner she'd wouldn't be interested much. He was just about to nudge her, when he felt her hand move around in his pocket and then pulling out, he looked towards her when she said "okay so I'm gonna flip a coin now heads means surgery and tails peads.. so call for it okay?"

'what basket? You're a nut case, you want me to make such a big decision by just flipping a coin?'

"just do it okay, armaan… trust me please."

And he didn't have anything to say to that so he went along with her crazy theory watching her flip the coin. But she grabbed the coin before it landed and looked up and smiled at him. At that he was wondering what was going on, and he just gestured those sentiments through raised eyebrows. She just said in the most calm tone he had ever hear her talk in 'what did you want it to be?'

"what?"

'Whilst the coin was flipping in that moment, what did you want it to be?' and at that amraan fell quiet , his decision was made.. just like that. He saw riddhima open her palm and have a look at the coin result herself and smile and pop her hand back in his pocket and they continue walking, but as they sat down in the car, he asked 'what was it then?'

"doesn't matter, you know now.. that's all that matters" she replied and then smiled and he joined her.. that was one decision made easy. He just leaned over kissed her cheek whilst she was doing her seatbelt and then started the car.. he was going to be a paediatrician.

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Riddhima was waiting outside the mall, she had come down after class to get some shopping done, whilst here amraan had asked her for coffee through text, so she had just invited him here. She was waiting for him outside the entrance when she was pulled against a man, and then dipped with the man still holding her close through her waist. And then he started to lower himself on her, she noticed his handsome features and a top hat he had on. What was happening was incredibly strange but the immediacy of the situation caught her off guard, and therefore instead of screaming and pushing the man away for invading her personal space she just stared at him.. her mind blank until he came right up to her lips and then move past them and kiss her cheek very close to her lips and wink at her and then straighten her up. He then tipped his hat at her, and he put his hat on her and was just about to skip away to his group of street performers that she now realised he was a part of… when she saw armaan grab his shirt and pull him back his eyes spewing murder. At that the mystery man's smile faded away and gave way to confusion, armaan had just opened his mouth to question the man, when he felt riddhima grab his arm and smile at the guy.. she then detangled his hand from around the man's shirt and wave a goodbye to him, whilst he skipped away.

"what was that about?" asked armaan as he saw her smile at the man skipping away whom he had earlier thought was bothering her.. and that bothered him.

'Nothing he was cute.!' She just answered simple smiling and walked ahead towards the caf.

Knowing fully well that her cryptic answers are going to cause his head to blow off.. she could already see the steam forming.. boys were soo easy.. and armaan was a particular case of high neurotic, easily angered and pissed.. but it was fun to see him trying to control his anger, because of her presence.

She turned around to catch a glimpse of his angered face, but saw him lighting a smoke instead… and she shook her head.. maybe she went to far.. maybe she'll go tell him what that was all about before he smokes a pack. She knew he smokes, but she also knew he never smoked in front of her.. he knew she didn't approve or like it.. plus her allergies.. but apparently now he's too pissed at her to care.. little did she know that he was smoking to control himself from yelling at her. His feelings for her were strong, he'd known that for a while now.. but it wasn't even like he could tell her.. he was friendzoned and that's how she'll ever see him.

He'd like to say, that these feelings all came back to him after supressing them whilst in summerhill.. but he'd be lying because feelings that came back are feelings that never went away. But he'll wait for her.. maybe someday she'll feel the same way about him, he realises he's probably setting himself up for the worst heartbreak ever.. and that realisation came faster than ever when he saw her with that man, or whenever he sees her with any other man.. but he can do nothing but wait for her.. because he doesn't want anyone else.. so no excuses no reasons for him to not make serious efforts to keep her in his life.. because she brings out the best in him.. and he figured they were meant to be.. afterall if you fight like a married couple, talk like best friends and flirt, well atleast he did, like first loves that's all it could mean right? He hoped it did, and that she realised and gave him a chance too before it got too late. Because as much as he was enjoying his life with her right now, he was living in constant fear of losing his chances with her forever.. and for once he'd like to be sure of his future.

What he didn't know was that he was looking for a secure future with someone who was trying desperately at every point in her life to try and not think about the future.. because it only gave her pain.


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these are bits and pieces from their lives.. before things get meatier..
i enjoyed writing these.. they're cute in their own way. 😊

Awww that was an adorable update
Loved everything
Two scenes were the best one where he is warming her feet and second the one where she helped him decide what to pick i lived her trick
They r soo comfortable woth eacother i liked the last scene as well but now im really curious now about riddhimas pain :P
Im sorry for not commenting on previous part
Plzz cont soon :)

That was a brilliant update

Originally posted by: -AK-

Awww that was an adorable update
Loved everything
Two scenes were the best one where he is warming her feet and second the one where she helped him decide what to pick i lived her trick
They r soo comfortable woth eacother i liked the last scene as well but now im really curious now about riddhimas pain :P
Im sorry for not commenting on previous part
Plzz cont soon :)

yea the coin toss was my favourite too.. the others didn't come out as i had them in my head unfortunately... and that's an annoying feeling.. :(

Originally posted by: blessed4

That was a brilliant update

Wonder if Ridhima too feels

The same about Armaan. Please

Continue soon

Originally posted by: cheeky_maddy

don't wonder too much.. you'll know soon!😉

How soon is soo??? :P

Originally posted by: -AK-

How soon is soo??? :P

Chapter 18 – tell the tale

"thankyou thankyou thankyou.. for picking me up.. I could have been stuck in that lab for days at end… who knows when this snow would have stopped.. and since when does snow mean no public transport?… seriously how stupid is that.. wouldn't it make more sense to have public transport running, therefore minimising traffic, look see jam ahead.. no public transport means more private vehicles on the road causing the jam.. London is a small overpopulated city as it is.."

Riddhima blabbered getting settled into armaan car.. pulling her gloves back and trying to bring them close to the heat vents whilst struggling with her seatbelt at the same time which was causing resistance in her moving upfront. Finally getting sick of it she tugged at the seatbelt enough so that it gave more room for movement and finally plastered her hands right infront of the vent in front of the passenger's seat in armaan's car.. all the while rambling away to glory about all her thoughts about making a world a better place and all. Frankly armaan couldn't care less, he was asked to pick her up.. and he was happy about that fact and that fact alone. She was starting to ask things of him, before he would always need to offer, and then profusely try and convince her to take his help.. she preferred to be independent.. she said she's had help all her life.. and only recently had she gotten the opportunity to do things on her own.. but he figured ever since contact from home had become less she missed their pampering.. afterall she grew up with the feeling unlike himself. That must be the reason why she relied on him a whole lot more aswell.. Infact he was looking after her bank account and billing for her too, because before when she'd be making budgets she's end up being stressed and with a headache by the end of it. Her problem was that she can't be left in the dark, and she can not be disorganised about her finances or be behind in paying her bills aswell. But the whole thing was way too boring for her.. So when he'd convince her that since she was doing his washing and cooking for him.. he could surely help her out aswell.. infact he was joking… because handling someone else's bank details was big.. and he hadn't expected her to jump at the opportunity.. but things had changed in their equation since that night.. he had noticed.. she was more free around him now.. she asked for more, she demanded more.. almost like she wasn't holding back anymore.

When he remembered what happened that night he could see why too she had let him in.. and his response to her secret happily shocked her, he could see.. but the fact that she lives in constant fear of her future and hiding herself.. her whole self from the world.. she must have been exhausted.. probably why she was more talkative now than before too.. she needn't watch what she said anymore.. lest she let something slip.. he knew now..

He remembered that night exactly a week ago, infact he doesn't think he'll ever be able to forget it. Everything changed between them, somehow he gained faith that he still had a chance.. and now he wanted it more than ever.

That night he was at her apartment. Trying to assemble all of his things and pack as he was to leave for medical camp the next morning. Whilst he was scrambling for his things riddhima was busy web chatting with muskaan on the other side. He could hear constant giggles and loud talks.. it was true when in the company of your high school buddies you start acting like your high school self, and she at that point in time was a teenage girl even though she was otherwise mature. Although any other day he would have stopped to tease her about her behaviour, right now he was struggling to find all the things he was sure were in this apartment as he had already checked his house and he couldn't find them there. But then again he was questioning himself of whether they really were at his place tucked away under his mess. He hoped not, the thought of rummaging through that waste land would take forever and it was already so late.. and he had to catch a really early flight.

So as he was walking around trying to locate particular items on his list unsuccessfully, until he developed a plan B i.e. for everytime he and got stuck he asked riddhima for help, whether she'd seen 'this' somewhere or put 'that' somewhere. And everytime he'd get the magic answer from her he'd rush to the aforementioned place and would find the said item.. and in all the excitement he'd end up kissing her head that was sticking up from the sofa as she was facing away from him… and everytime she'd just wave her arm around.. gesturing a whatever to his heartfelt thanks! Touchy he knew, but he knew better than to expect anything more from her.. so after he was done.. he moved to the kitchen to get himself some ice cream.. he was suddenly feeling hungry again.. and he knew better than to mention that fact to her.. or she'd just call him a pig again.. But whilst he was in there, that's when he had heard muskaan ask her something that stopped his hand mid-way reaching for the tub of ice cream in the middle of the freezer.

He heard her say.. "so I see you two have finally admitted to your feelings for each other?"

'huh' came riddhima's confused reply and he finally grabbed the ice cream tub.. now needing it more than ever.

But muskaan persisted "aren't you two a couple? As if you wouldn't tell me biatch"

'Oh please M.. don't use your brain that much.. it's not what you're thinking.. he's touchy feely like that with everyone.. it doesn't mean anything' she said trying to defend his acts of affections from before.

"oh common he maybe but you aren't.. as if! I can't believe you've friendzoned another worthy candidate.. the most worthy one if I may add.. he's quite good looking you know.."

'yea I know.. the words 'your friend is hot' have seem to become the story of my life.' Armaan sniggered hearing that.

"forget that.. but you agree you've friend-zoned him on purpose haven't you? All because of your stupid fear.."

'oh god can we talk about this later.. he's right here.. or better yet never at all.?' Whilst riddhima had thought that the conversation would be dropped she instead heard muski scream.. and to her horror not at her.. she didn't know what she was upto.. but she knew this was bad!

"armaan… ARMAAN..!!" screamed muskaan knowing he was somewhere around.

"what?" he said popping his head out of the fridge.. looking towards riddhima assuming it was her screaming at him.. probably because she realised he was eating icecream..

'not me..' she said to his surprise.. confusing him.. who else would be yelling at him.. if it wasn't her. But then he saw her point towards the screen… and saw muskaan wave at him.. whilst riddhima gave her a deadly glare.

"oh hey muskaan.. sup? You're looking very beautiful today you know that right?"

'easy on the flirting tiger.. she's technically your bhabi.'

"jealous darling?" he retaliated.

At that she just rolled her eyes and said 'okay you two talk or whatever.. I'm off. Pretty tired.' She thought she was sly.. but apparently transparent to her best friend.

"where do you think you are going missy..? You can't go anywhere without telling him the truth." And those words got her breath stuck somewhere. And she froze not tuning around.. not believing her ears.. not believing that her best friend was just selling her out like that.. just like that.

"he deserves to know the truth you know. For a year he's been the closest to you.. and yet he has no idea of what you put yourself through every second of every day.. you ran away here.. because you didn't want to be reminded of it. . and you wanted to move on.. well sweety.. we gave you that time.. but instead of becoming the old loving happy chirpy you.. you've enclosed yourself in a shell.. and I've frankly had enough.. even before I found out from Rahul I knew something was up.. and I was just giving you time.. knowing that when you're ready to talk you'll tell me.. but the fact that you've not confronted me still.. I know that you're still struggling.. and I hate to see you like this… and I thought I'd give you time.. but now I've had enough.. you're running away from life.. and I can't, I won't let you do that any longer. It's not healthy.. its not right and I won't allow it.

"if i wasn't pregnant and able to fly.. i'd get my ass down there and give you a tight slap for being soo foolish.. now don't just stand there and say something.. atleast tell that confused boy who is shocked to his core as to why i'm yelling at you for.."

"M.. please.." and thats when armaan sees her tear stricken eyes and riddhima's lowered head as she's working hard, trying to control her emotions.. so much pain he never thought he'd see form on her beautiful face..in a matter of seconds her chirpy but annoyed look changed into a deep sorrow look that came across her face..

"hey hey hey... shhh" grabbing her face in between his palm he pulled it up to look at him.. but she didn't raise her eyes.. and continued to sob..

"Muski what's going on..?? why is she crying like that??"