Thread2-Ten Ways To Get Him Back-Preview-P90 - Page 39

Hey

Hello ladies and gents. I will be updating this weekend, maybe hopefully before. The part is almost completed. Just need to do some editing.
See you soon.

Love, Alisha K.

Originally posted by: LaPlumeDOr

Hello ladies and gents. I will be updating this weekend, maybe hopefully before. The part is almost completed. Just need to do some editing.
See you soon.

Love, Alisha K.

Please update before we all go insane. 😛

Hola Segnoritas!

How are you guys all doing? So here is the next update and I do hope you guys all enjoy it. Writing a date sequence wasn't easy for me because I had no clue what I wanted them to do, or how they should react with one other. I didn't want them to be how couples usually are on first dates, shy and reserved, and I didn't want them to be completely at ease with each other yet. I wanted this date to sort of be the bridge.

Although this chapter might be an important one in their relationship, the story doesn't really move forward completely. There is still lose end about the money (even if Armaan claimed to not want to know), Felicia, his mother, etc. Those are to come in upcoming ones.

Love, Alisha K.

P.S: Will be putting it in about 30 minutes. Just proofreading it.
P.P.S: Well, here it is, enjoy!!

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~Chapter Thirteen: To New Beginnings~

"Muskaan, help me or else you can wave goodbye to that new brush set you want." Armaan snapped at his sister. His crisis at the moment was far more important than animated birds and pigs.

"You wouldn't." Her eyes widened at his implication.

"No, I really would."

"Fine." She sighed and walked to his closet. She parted his shirts, and then went through them one by one, until she pulled a plain white one. "This one. Add in your purple sweater and your pink blazer. Also, Armaan, speedo shorts might do the trick."

"I am about to go on the most important date in my life, and your advice is to dress like a clown who's about to hit the gym." He asked.

She sighed dramatically, just for show, and begun shuffling through the clothes once more, walking across his closet in attempt to match something up. "F.Y.I., I am only helping you because I happen to like Riddhima. A lot. Much more than any of those Malibu Barbie dolls with fake boobs you dated. How about these?"

Armaan eyed the pieces of clothing she held and smiled. A crisp white shirt paired with a green V-neck sweater and dark jeans. "This is the reason why you're my favorite sister. You never let me down."

"I am your only sister. By the way, don't you have a P.A for this kind of stuff. It's hard to believe a grown man can't dress himself. I feel like I'm your older sister helping you getting ready for your first date."

"You are my sister, and this is technically my second first date, so close enough. And my P.A. is currently on a plane, running an errand for me."

The last bit of information caught her curiosity. "What kind of errand?"

"Tut. Tut. Tut. Didn't you know, curiosity killed the cat?"

"Yeah, probably because the cat didn't know he was talking to a serial killer." She was not going to let him off the hook easily. This little errand of his might have to do with the date, and being the romantic that she was, she absolutely needed to know. Her brother seemed to have ignored her last comment, because he just headed towards the washroom door. "C'mon Armaan, why won't you tell me what you have organized?"

"Because as much as I love you, you tend to blabber things out." He replied through the closed doors.

"That's not fair. I kept plenty of your secrets. I even helped with your newspaper thing not too long ago." She defended herself. "Plus, I might see her a few moments before you come dashing through her door. Hardly enough time to share your deep dark secrets."

"Why are you so persistent? I'm pretty sure you'll hound Riddhima tomorrow for all the details. Now let me shower. I have a very important date today."

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"Okay, how about this one?" Riddhima asked as she emerged from her room, wearing her best pair of jeans paired with a white chiffon blouse.

"You look nice, but what's wrong with the dress you had before." Rahul answered. His best friend had been trying outfits after outfits, and honestly, he thought she looked good in all of them. However, his opinion did not seem to be the winning one.

"I can't wear a dress. What if he has something planned outside?" She turned and looked herself in the mirror. "Do you think this blouse is a bit see trough? Maybe I should wear the pink one a tried on at first."

That's it. He could not bear another change of outfit. He was pretty sure he was now well acquainted with every piece of clothing she had. Okay, maybe not every piece, but that was not something he wanted to think about. Besides, there was a rather important match of football that was playing on the screen behind her. "Riddhima, dear, the clothes you are wearing are fine." He put her hands on her shoulder. "I am pretty sure all prince charming cares about is you being ready in less than an hour."

"AN HOUR!" Riddhima shrieked. "Why didn't you tell me I had such little time. I still have to do my hair and makeup!"

Personally, fifteen minutes is all he needed to get ready, but he was pretty sure she didn't want to hear that piece of information at the moment. "Riddhima. Relax. I know you are nervous, but trust me when I say that you can go on this date wearing pajamas and Armaan would still be thrilled."

"You're right. I am just a bit nervous. I just never thought this would happen again."

"Well why don't you tell me about your first date while you finish getting ready? That should keep your mind off things."

Riddhima's smile broadened. Her first date. A memory she held quite dear. "It was nothing quite fancy." She started to explain, breading her hair at the same time. "Just your typical high school date, but for me, it was one of the most magical night of my life."

"Aren't all first date magical? I'd be surprised if you said it wasn't" He grinned, clearly teasing her.

"Oh hush, you asked for it, so now sit back and listen. He took me to dinner, then the movies and then we went for a walk at our beach."

"I didn't know you owned a beach. It would have saved me a hell of a lot of entrance fee" He added playfully.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Hilarious. Anyhow, that beach was special to us. We had so many moments there."

"Okay, so dinner, movie, walk, and I assume good night kiss. All very cliche."

"It was perfect." She said dreamily. "But, you've got one point wrong. There was no good night kiss."

"Interesting. Never met a teenage boy who didn't try to seal the deal. Let me guess, your father was there, and the boy chickened out."

Riddhima laughed. "He was terrified my father was going to strike him for kissing daddy's little girl. He was entirely wrong though because both of my parents absolutely adored him."

"Your father would be proud of you now. He would be so happy to see that smile back. I hope you know that."

"I know"

And she really did. Wherever he was, she believed that seeing her happy would lessen the burden he had carried throughout his life.

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Muskaan stared out the window as Armaan drove through the traffic. For someone who was going on the most important date of his life, he didn't seem at all nervous. Except for the whole outfit thing, he seemed pretty confident and composed. His love life seemed to have found the right path; it was hers that was stuck in some deep dark alley with no escape. Every time she saw Rahul, she didn't just have butterflies in her stomach; she had swamp of huge dragonflies. The analogy wasn't as romantic, but it was the truth. Why did she have to fall in love with such an unsuitable man?

"Why the long face?" Her brother broke her line of thoughts.

"Can I ask you something, but you have to promise not to laugh at me. This is really serious." She looked down and played with the edge of her shirt.

"Sure, shoot." He never thought there would be a day in his life where his sister would be nervous.

"I am in love with Rahul, but I know that he is gay, so how do I get over that? I seem him all the time because we are neighbors, and plus he is such good friend with Riddhima-"

"Wait, you're talking about Riddhima's Rahul?" He interrupted.

"Yeah. Do you know any other Rahul?" She answered like it was the most obvious of things. "So as I was saying, I see him all the time, at least twice a day. We're either heading out at the same time-"

"Are you sure he is gay?" He cut her off again, trying so hard to control the little twitch at the end of his lips; he was fairly certain Rahul was not gay. Actually, not fairly certain. He was pretty damn sure. So sure in fact, he would have bet his first Oscar.

Provided he had one.

Or won one.

His little sister was probably being her usual dramatic self and jumping to conclusion. "I mean how do you know?"

"Well I was getting there if you hadn't interrupted. Quite rude of you actually. There were actually quite a few clues..." She went on explaining her ridiculous theory while Armaan tried his hardest not to laugh. The guy had punched him not once, but twice. Might as well give him a hard time too.

"Armaan, are you even listening to me?" Muskaan snapped at him.

"Yean, yeah. Something about Rahul being gay, and taking you shopping." His mind was trying to think of a little payback. Nothing too drastic. Something that would play with mind a little. Something that would-

An idea just popped in his head. A very brilliant idea.

"You should bring him to a gay bar and be his wingman. Nothing helps a person move on faster than to see the object of their affection with someone else." That should wound his manly pride, but he would recover.

Eventually.

Besides, then Muskaan would know the truth about him, and... Well, then he would have to step in as the overbearing protective big brother and give the guy a hard time. This was going to be fun.

"Are you sure? What if I don't get over him? Now that I think about, you are the worst person to ask this question. You never got over Riddhima, not that it's a bad thing, but it was over seven years."

"Hey! Not fair. I dated plenty of, how did you put it, Malibu Barbie dolls with fake boobs." He quoted, a grin plastered on his face. They both knew the truth. He had never loved any of them. His heart was always meant for one person, and one person only. "Trust me on this for once. Do as I say."

Muskaan simply nodded and silently observed her brother. His face was calm and serene, the tense lines that marred his face had disappeared. Vanished entirely. His eyes, once nothing but shallow orbs, showed hope. And tremendous amount of joy. He hadn't laughed or smiled whole heartily for so many years his face now glowed from it.

He looked happy.

Brightly, blindingly and beautifully happy.

"Do I have a horn on my head or something?"

"No." Muskaan answered softly. "But you do have this huge smile. I'm just really happy to see you happy. I'm thrilled you found her again. " Her brother remained silent, simply nodding to acknowledge her remark. "Answer me honestly, it's been seven years Armaan and you've always loved her so why not look for her? Were you never tempted to search her name on Facebook or something?"

"What's with the psych questions just before my big date?"

"Humor me." Muskaan always wished for her brother's happiness, wished that he would finally one day let his guards down and love again. She hadn't really asked specifically for Riddhima in her prayers, but God had decided to add in the extra bonus. Probably because of a good deed from a past life.

"I never had the means to start looking for her, and when I had the money and the resource to do, I convinced myself that I had moved on."

"Armaan, it's me. You don't have to pretend with me."

"It is the truth." Muskaan gave him a skeptical look. "Okay, well at least part of the truth." He sighed and paused for a while, contemplating his words. Baring his soul wasn't something that came easy to him so with a lot of strength, he finally opened a little part of him to his sister. "I guess I was afraid to find her happy while I still suffered. I thought that she had no right to be happy when I wasn't because her. I was angry and bitter, and I didn't want my hate to be in vain. I wanted to find her miserable because she made the mistake of letting me go. Does that make me a terrible person?"

"No, it makes you human, like the rest of us mere non-famous mortals. I guess your wish came true too because she was miserable too."

"Please don't remind me of it." He said bitterly. He had hated Riddhima those first few months, but because he had loved her too, seeing her miserable didn't ease the ache his heart. It simply made it worse. Much worse.

"Now don't go start feeling guilty about not looking for her because of my sudden death interrogation. I think the fact that you were both unprepared to find each other, it helped your cause. If you went looking for her, your guards would be up as the Great Wall of China, and then where would you be?"

"If you hadn't notice, my guards were quite as solid as the Great Wall of China."

"Yeah, but your wall had a plenty of cracks in it. It was probably the post-wars Great Wall of China instead of the pre-wars one." Muskaan countered.

Armaan shook his head lightly. "When did my little sister become so wise?" He teased. His sister had been with him though thin and thick. He didn't think he could have made it so far without her "I love you Muskaan, you know that right."

"Aww, I love you too big brother. I would totally hug you right now but I value being alive." They were about to arrive at her building, but Muskaan suddenly realized something essential. "Armaan, why don't you have any flowers?"

"Crap." He turned the car around quite forcefully. "You better hold on." He threw at her before speeding through the streets of New York City in search of a florist. They found one not too far from the apartment, and Armaan bought a bouquet of hibiscus. They were her favorite then, and he hoped her taste in floral arrangements hadn't changed.

"Muskaan, you can walk from here right?" It was at most a 15 minute walk. His sister should have no trouble walking the distance. It wasn't really cold either.

"Why would I walk from here? You were supposed to drop me home."

"Yes, that was before I was running late. What if Riddhima looks out the window or through her peephole? There is no way I want to pick up my date with my sister trailing behind of me."

"I feel such gratitude for reminding you about the flowers." She muttered sarcastically. "Fine, I shall walk."

"Thanks sis. Love you." He stepped into his car and drove away.

"Yeah, not feeling the love right now." She yelled at the retreating car.

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Riddhima stared at the clock for the fifth time in the last past couple of minutes. It was now fifteen minutes past seven o'clock. Her date was officially late. Rahul had left half an hour earlier. He didn't want to intrude when Armaan picked her up. She looked out the window and through the peephole. There were no sign of him.

She plopped herself on her couch, glaring at the watch. It wasn't like Armaan to be late. From the various articles she read - and may have kept in a shoe box in her room - Armaan wasn't the type of star who arrived late for rehearsals. During high school, he was late at time, but then again, what teenage boy isn't. She grabbed a pen and the notebook that was lying on the coffee table and started to scribble.

Ding Dong.

She shot up instantaneously, dropping the notepad on the floor. She raced to the door, but before opening the door, she straightened her clothes and made sure her hair was still intact. She took a few deep breaths to calm her racing heart - also to not seem like she just ran a marathon to get to him - and opened the door.

The man of her dreams stood at her door, his left hand shoved inside his pocket while the other one was holding a bright bouquet of her favorite flowers.

"Hey." Armaan said softly as his eyes roamed over his date, his gaze slightly lingering at her chest - courtesy to her slightly transparent blouse - before coming back to her face. Her hair was braided in some sort of crown while some loose tendrils framed her face. She was a sight to behold. He apologized for being late and presented the flowers. "These are for you."

"They're lovely." She beamed. "Let me put these in a vase and grab my coat. You can come inside and wait." He didn't need to be asked twice.

While Riddhima walked to the kitchen to retrieve a vase, Armaan inspected the interior of her house. The last time he had been here, he had begged Riddhima to leave him alone. He had shoved a check in her hands and pleaded her to let him go. Another thing he should add to the list of apologies he owed.

"Shall we?" Riddhima asked, breaking him out of his thoughts. He helped her put her coat and placed his hand on her back to guide her to the elevator.

Armaan didn't offer to break the silence and decided that he'd much rather keep his quiet gaze on her. Her cheeks reddened from his intense stare and she cast her eyes downwards; it took all of his willpower not to kiss her there and then. If this wasn't their second first date, he would not have hesitated one bit. Instead, he moved his hand form her back and clasped it with hers.

"Where are we going?" She asked, keeping her eyes locked to their entwined hands. He hadn't paid her a compliment, like most men do to start a conversation, and she liked that he wasn't following standard dating conventions.

"You'll see?" He led her to his car and opened the door for her. He was determined to be the perfect gentlemen for her. Once she was all buckled up, he shut the door and walked to his side.

"I hope you don't ask me about my movie again?" He remarked, his tone laced with humor.

"And here I thought it would be a perfect conversation starter." Riddhima let out a small laugh. She looked out the window and thought she saw a familiar curly haired girl. "I think I just saw your sister."

Armaan's phone chimed at the same time. "Yup, that's probably her." Cursing him for ditching her, but she didn't need to know that. "So Dr. Riddhima Gupta, we have a bit of a drive and I would hate it to be filled with silence. Last time I proposed a game, why don't you this time?"

She thought for a few seconds. "A guessing game."

"A guessing game?" He repeated.

"Yeah, we each say a quote from a movie - yours excluded - and the other one has to guess from where it is and who said it?"

"Why not my movies?"

"Because we both know the dialogues to those by heart."

"We do?" He raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. Ladies first."

"Uh, okay how about this: I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse.' "

"Going easy on me babe, huh. Marlon Brando in The Godfather. Okay, how about Danger. Ha. I walk on the wild side. I laugh in the face in the face of danger. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha.' "

"Nice evil laugh. I can't believe you chose The Lion King. I was expecting something a bit more macho like The Matrix, not Simba."

"Uh oh. We might have a minor problem. I cannot date you if you don't like The Lion King." He teased. He knew it was one of her favorite cartoons growing up.

"Well then, you are in luck because I happen to love it." They seemed to be in the outskirts of the city, but she still had no idea where they were headed. " If I'm not back in five minutes, just wait longer.' "

"I need a clue because I have no idea. Are clues allowed?"

"Because I am nice, I'll tell you that he played an excellent liar."

"Jim Carrey." Armaan answered automatically. There wasn't a soul on earth that hadn't watched Liar Liar, and he was no exception.

"Yes, but which movie?"

"The Grinch or Ace Ventura?"

"You can't give two options. That wouldn't be fair."

"Okay, I'll go with Ace Ventura."

"Yay! We have a winner!" Riddhima chimed. "Your turn."

Armaan pulled over. "My turn is going to have to wait because we have arrived. "I'll get the door for you."

Riddhima looked around and saw nothing but buildings that looked like abandoned warehouse, all locked and with very few lighting. "Armaan, where are we?" Her voice wavered with uncertainty.

"Just hold my hand, it's not very well lit when it's empty?" He grabbed her hand and took her through a door with numbers inscribed on it. It was pitch black inside and she had absolutely no idea how he was able to navigate her through. He opened another set of doors and led her further into the room - or at least, she assumed it was a room. The hard floor suddenly squishy, wobbly...

Wait, was that... sand?

"Don't move. I'll be right back?" She heard him say before the warmth of his hand left hers. It was good thing she trusted him or else, she probably would have freaked out. A few moments later, when there was no sign of her date, she called out his name but no answer. Suddenly, a bright light shined through the room, blinding her momentarily. She shielded her eyes with her arms until she was able to focus again, and what she saw took her breath away.

"I had my personal assistant go up there and set up a camera to be able to watch it live." Armaan came back by her side and smile.

Riddhima was awed. Armaan had really put a lot of thoughts to this date and she felt so special. He had recreated their beach inside a film studio, and to make it more authentic, he projected their beach on the white wall. A red blanket was outstretched on the sand and big straw basket lay atop it.

He wanted to watch the sunset on their beach.

How romantic.

"I can't believe you did all this." The awe in her voice was evident. She turned towards her man and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. She shot a glace from under her lashes and said. "It's beautiful Armaan. Thank You."

"I needed this date to be perfect. Besides what's the point of being a movie star if you can't bribe a few crew members into giving you the keys."

Her eyes widened. "You're not going to get into trouble for this are you?"

"If I would, there is no way Anjali would have helped me accomplish all this? She would have my head on a platter if I created bad publicity for myself by creating havoc on studio property." He joked.

He took her coat and took his off as well and placed them aside. His shoes went next and he motioned Riddhima to do the same. He brought her to the blanket and they both took a seat side by side on it. "I am starving, so since there isn't really a proper kitchen in here, I took the liberty to order us dinner." He opened the basket and brought out plates of pizza and two cans of soda.

"Dinner looks lovely. I am absolutely famished" said Riddhima.

Armaan opened both cans of soda, gave one to her and proceeded to raise his for a toast. "To our second first date."

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"Rahul, we are going out!" Muskaan burst into his apartment. She was angry, frustrated and clearly annoyed at the word right now. With absolutely no desire to die a lonely spinster pining for the love of a man, she decided to heed her brother's advice. If she needed to set Rahul up so she can move on then gods help her, she would do it.

"Uh, okay." Rahul gave her a quizzical look before turning his attention back to the television screen. The game was quite lousy but until his visitor revealed a bit more concerning the reasons behind her frenzy, he wasn't going to move from the couch.

"Up, up, up." She pushed on his shoulders, trying to pry him off the couch. "Armaan and Riddhima are on a date, and I do not want to spend my nights cooped up at home. Go wear something nice because we, my friend, are going out clubbing."

"Clubbing?" Rahul repeated. "Sure, sounds found." Ever since they got back from their trip, Muskaan has been acting a bit distant with him. The fiery girl was still there, but lost its spark around him. He liked her a lot, and he already concluded that she had a little crush on him too. Something happened in Hawaii, and if he needed to go dancing in a crowded sweaty place with drunken people, so be it.

"Good, now hurry up."

While Rahul got ready, Muskaan looked through a couple of gay bars, and tried to find the best one. At the end, she decided for a famous club called Marquee that was hosting an event for gay men primarily. The bouncer knew her so no long lines for them tonight. If she was going to do this, she might as well do it right. Thanks to her, Rahul was going to find himself in the arms of the most dashing, devilish and delightful man by the end of the night while she curled up in bed with her own two man - Ben and Jerry - to soothe her own heart.

The man in question popped back out dressed in a pair of faded jeans and fitted black T-Shirt, showing off his muscular arms and toned chest. Looking like that, she was probably going to spend her night running off the flock of men that wanted a piece of that.

No Muskaan, not for you, she scolded herself. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Took you long enough, now let's go. I already called a cab."

The both headed downstairs and the taxi arrived at the same time. The ride in the cab was fairly uneventful; Muskaan was chanting her I can do this' mantra in her head, Rahul was trying to figure out what was wrong with her and the cab driver was babbling something about his six children.

Finally, the cab slowed down and pulled over to the side. The long line of people made Rahul want to do a U-turn and head back home. But what really made want to go screaming in the opposite direction was the name of the club. Marquee.

On a normal day, he would not have minded being at this particular nightclub, but today, he had no desire to go in there. They were hosting a gay night and he had no desire to go through countless awkward conversations where he explained that he were not swinging on the same team. He could only think of two reasons why she chose this particular setting.

One, she had no clue about the event.

Two, she wanted a gay best friend and was using him as bait to lure them in.

With a mind like hers, he didn't know which options to go with. "We can't go in there today! They are - "

"Nope, you don't get to back out now. Plus, I really need a drink if I am going to do this."

"Do what? Muskaan, you don't understand. It's going to be really awkward if we go in there because they - "

"Just get in." She cut him off a second time as she pulled his hand and guided him pass the bouncer. She simply had to offer the big imposing guard a smile, and the man just let them in. No question asked. Thank god for the perks of being a superstar's younger sister.

Without pausing, they made their way to the bar where she ordered three shots. She gulped the first one in, slammed her glass on the counter and proceeded to do the same for the second and third. She closed her eyes and gave it a few minutes, wanting the alcohol to take effect. She really needed it to relax.

Rahul eyed her the entire time. She just shoved down three shots down her throat, and if she continued the same way, she was going to wake up with a major hangover tomorrow.

"Let's do this." He heard her say while she scanned the room stopping her investigation a few times.

"Muskaan, you have me a bit worried. Did something happen today?"

"Pfft, I'm fine. So tell me Rahul, do you see the man in the green shirt at my two o'clock?" He nodded, confusion clearly etched on his face. "Do you think he's hot?"

Apparently it was option one. She was hunting for a man and had brought him along as a wingman. Was this her way of making him jealous? It might have worked if these men actually wanted to hook up with her, but now the whole scenario was just laughable. "Muskaan, these men are not for you, so let's just go home."

"Well of course not!" She said turning her attention elsewhere. "How about the guy over there?" She motioned with her chin. "He's pretty hot. Nice hair and ripped body. You have to admit, that dragon tattoo on his arm is pretty stellar too. If you're into bad boys, he's totally the one you should go for. Or maybe you're into more quiet and intellectual type. Harry Potter over has been eying you the whole time, and he is pretty cute in a geeky sort of way. Or maybe - "

"Muskaan, I told you. None of these guys are for you. They - wait WHAT? What do you mean if I'm into bad boys?" Was that why she was acting weird? All this time, he was trying to woo her by being nice, and she went ahead and jumped to an entirely different conclusion.

"Well, you know. You're a neat freak who writes. Maybe you're into the whole opposite attract thing." She shrugged her shoulder, clearly misunderstanding his meaning.

"Muskaan, sweetheart" Rahul started to say, his voice clipped, calm and collected. "Why, pray tell, are you trying to set me up with another men?"

She couldn't really tell him the truth could she? She would sound like a complete deranged lunatic if she went ahead and said I'm in love with you, but you're gay so I decided to help me move on by setting you up.

"WHAT!?" She loved him? He wasn't there yet, but a few dates with her, and he might be.

Apparently she was drunker that she thought because the filter between her mind and brain was clearly not working. She pressed her face in her hands in attempt to hide her mortification. "I know I'm pathetic. I tried to move on, but you're always there and I really don't want to move. I saw you hitting on the guy in Hawaii, and you're so attentive and clean and you like shopping."

"When did I hit on a guy?" He surely would have remembered if such an event took place in his life. Asking a guy out when you're straight isn't something you tend to forget easily.

"At the beach. The gay guy who I thought was hitting on me." She clarified.

And it all came back. Beach boy was hitting on her, and he had led her to believe that he was gay. She must have seen him talking to him afterwards. His attempt to scare the man had created this whole mess.

"Muskaan, I'm straight."

She blinked. "No, you're not. You hit on the guy... shopping... sang one direction for me..."

"Jesus Christ" He ran his fingers through his hair before leaning against the counter. It was his turn to need a drink, or two... or maybe three. "Hit me with your strongest liquor."

The bartender placed a shot in front of him. "Liquor Cocaine. Hope it does the trick."

Rahul swallowed the drink in one take before focusing his attention on the crazy girl beside him. She was still staring at him with wide confused eyes. She opened her mouth to say something but closed it shut when he raised his hand. He grabbed her arm and navigated them through the crown, and pushed her through a side door that led to an alley.

"Muskaan. Despite what you think you saw or your clear misconception that men don't shop, I am quite straight."

"Are you sure?"

"I am pretty certain, yes."

"Because you don't have to pretend. I know coming out of the closet is hard, but you live in New York City. No one would judge you here. If you're afraid, Riddhima and I are going to help you through this. Wait, does Riddhima even know. Did you ever tell her? Or was I the only - "

Rahul couldn't take her incessant chatter anymore. He did the only thing any red blooded male would do. He pushed her against the brick wall and crashed his lips on hers. She squealed in surprise and he used the time to his advantage - he placed his hand on her calf and lifted it against his while his other hand rested on the wall for balance. He groaned when he felt her hands snake around his neck and deepened the kiss. His mouth left hers and she whimpered slightly before feeling a hot trail of kisses down her neck. He then placed his forehead on hers, giving them both the chance to recover.

"Wow" She breathed, her chest still heaving from the effect of the kiss. Her skin was tingling all the way to her toes.

"Yeah, wow." He brought both his hands to her face and cupped it gently. "I really did not want our first kiss to be in an alley beside a bar, with trashcans as spectator, but you really left me no choice. It was the only way I could think of to make you believe me." He whispered, his body still pressed against hers.

"You thought about kissing me?"

"That's the part you decided to retain from all the information I gave you?" She bit her lip and nodded. "In that case, I thought about much more than kissing you."

"That's quite a relief to hear. I really didn't want the old lady with the cat who terrorized children."

"You probably already terrorize children." He pushed aside the frizzy meshes that frame her face. He gave her sweet short kiss. "Muskaan, I like you very much, and I think... I really think I might even fall in love with you."

~ <> ~ <> ~ <> ~ <> ~ <> ~ <> ~ <> ~ <> ~ <> ~ <> ~

"Did you know that penguins are quite the romantic creature?" Riddhima asked. After a nice and comfortable dinner, they were both presently at the central park zoo observing the majestic birds. Armaan had to sport a baseball cap to avoid being recognized. "When they search for their mate, male penguins will look through piles of rocks to find the smoothest and shiniest pebble, and when they do, they present it to their mate."

"Well, we sort of do that too. Maybe that's why we find it romantic. Imagine if a tiger gave his mate a rock. She'd probably throw it on his head."

She chuckled. "How would tigers ever carry the pebble? They can't walk on three legs, and I truly doubt they would put it in their mouth. Big as they are, they're probably going to end up swallowing it and then chocking on it."

"Exactly why tigers wouldn't find rock giving romantic. On the other hand, if the tiger brought a dead and bloodied deer, Mrs. Tigress would probably let him score. I truly doubt you'd find me romantic if I had a bloodied raw steak dangling from my mouth."

Riddhima scrunched her nose. "Thanks for that terrible mental image. Perhaps you're right, but penguins are also sort of monogamous. That's a rare quality for animals."

"Sort of?"

"Penguins will stay with the same partner years after years. Only once the partner is gone do they start looking for another one. Now that I think of it... that's rather like us too... Maybe we really do romanticize penguins due to our similarities."

"Actually, that's not really like us." He said gently as he reached down to lace his fingers with hers. "When we find the one, I don't think we ever move on. Deep down, the feelings are always there. We supress them but they always resurfaces. We never really forget it." He felt her hand give him a little squeeze, understanding the words - words he wasn't ready to express verbally yet - and they both turned their gaze to the black and white creature, watching them silently.

"Is that Armaan Malik." They heard someone whisper close to them. Armaan looked sideways discretely and found two teenage girls about a meter away. They definitely didn't know the definition of subtlety.

"No, that can't be him. He only dates models and actresses. Besides, isn't he with Felicia? I don't think I've ever seen this girl anywhere." The second girl answered. They took a step closer, pretending to be fascinated by the penguins.

Armaan pressed his years to Riddhima and murmured "Our cover is about to be blown so be ready for some screa - "

"OH MY GOD!" The first girl shrieked. "It's really you! OH MY GOD!" Her enthusiastic display caught the attention of many onlookers who were trying to figure out what the commotion was about.

"I'm afraid we can't run for it anymore." Armaan whispered to Riddhima before turning his attention to the two teenagers with a dazzling smile on display. "Ladies, how lovely to meet you." Riddhima tried to step away so he can have a few moments with his fans, but when she tried to pull her hand free, he simply held onto it even tighter.

"OMG, I can't believe you're really here. Can I touch you?" Armaan offered her his free hand and the girl shook it quite enthusiastically. He repeated his action for his second fan, and she jumped up and down in glee before shaking it.

"Can we take a picture with you?" One said.

"And autographs" added the other.

"Not a problem, sweethearts, but I need you to do me a favor first."

"Anything" Both girls answered together overly eager to help their favorite celebrity.

Armaan handed them his phone. "I want a picture with my girl here." He pulled Riddhima to his side and wrapped his arm around her shoulder."

"Sure." The teen answered as she took a few steps back.

"What are you doing?" Riddhima hissed, clearly uncomfortable from all the attention she was getting. A few other people had joined them in hopes of meeting the famous Armaan Malik.

"Getting a souvenir. Now smile." And she did, because she wanted something to remember this perfect evening by as well.

The teenager snapped a photo and handed the phone back, quite proud of her small achievement. Armaan looked at the picture with a goofy smile, set it as his screensaver and returned to his fans to complete his end of the bargain.

It was nice to see Armaan interact with his fans; he wasn't arrogant or cocky or rude. He knew exactly how much he meant to his fans and how much they meant to him. A big part of his stardom was because of the faith and love his fans had showered him with. His smile never faltered while he took pictures after pictures, signed autographs after autographs. He even talked to them and asked them about themselves.

Riddhima felt a surge of pride from the sight unfolding before her eyes. Her Armaan just created the highlight of these girl's lives; someday, they will tell their children how they met Armaan in Central Park and smile at the memory. He turned his head towards Riddhima and winked at her, making the group of girls around him giggle in appreciation of his display of affection while she simply wanted to hide in mortification. Having this much attention drawn to her was rare and she wasn't ready to join him in the spotlight yet.

"Ladies, don't forget. We are looking for extra for my new movie. The sign-up will be done next Monday. You'll find the link on my website." He waived them goodbye and strolled towards his date, lacing their fingers once more. "We should go before the rest of the Park figures out I'm here." He adjusted his cap and lifted his jacket collar, trying to shield his identity.

Instead of heading towards their car, he pulled her towards the opposite direction. "Armaan, our car is that - "

"I said we needed to get out of the park, but I never implied that the date was over." They finally stopped near a majestic white horse attached to a semi opened red carriage. "I thought you might to take a tour."

"Oh Armaan!" She exclaimed "I've never ridden on one of these before."

"Then let us have our first together." He helped her into the coach and draped his arm around her shoulder without hesitation.

The horse slowly galloped on its course, giving them a magnificent view of the city's trademark. The lights were twinkling and their reflection on the surface of the fresh crisp snow illuminated the ground. In the distance, music and laughter would be heart. It was beautiful. Riddhima wished she could stay in this perfect blissful moment forever.

"It feels so peaceful." He echoed her thoughts.

"I know." She placed her head on the crook of his neck, and they both enjoyed the rest of the ride in silence, appreciating the view and savoring the moment.

~ <> ~ <> ~ <> ~ <> ~ <> ~ <> ~ <> ~ <> ~ <> ~ <> ~

Armaan stopped his car in front if Riddhima's apartment building. After a magical stroll at central city, the night was about to come to an end. "I'll walk you to your door."

The ride up the elevator was another silent one, and they walked towards her door with slow steps, neither of them wanting the night to end just yet.

"I really had a nice time tonight Armaan." Riddhima said a bit shyly as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Everyone knew what to expect at the end of the first date - or second first date in their case - and even though she had kissed the man plenty of times, her heart raced in anticipation of another one.

"Me too." He answered; both his hands were buried in his front pockets, and he made no further move. For someone who had fame and women surrounding him, he was quite unsure on how to proceed.

"Well, then I should go." Maybe, just like their first date, he was going to act like a complete gentleman and forget the last part, or maybe he thought that they were being spied on by her neighbors, which wouldn't surprise her at all. She started to turn to open her door but Armaan stopped her.

Now, or never.

"Hey, hold on a second" He gently grabbed her arm and pulled her petite frame back in front of him. "This date isn't over yet" He added playfully as he started twirling a strand of her hair around his finger.

"Well, we had diner, followed by a walk in Central Park, where we got stampeded by your fans. Then you took me for a magical stroll." She took a step closer to him. "And now, you are dropping me home like a true gentleman" She slowly snaked her arms around his neck. She knew what was coming and she wanted it too. "I think that pretty much concludes the standard protocol for first dates."

"Well, I think you're forgetting something." Armaan brought his hands to her hips and hauled her closer. "What ever happened to the kiss at the door?" He whispered in her ear, his voice smooth as velvet.

"Oh, you mean like the one you didn't give me on our actual first date?" She scoffed.

"I recall your father watching us through the curtains. There was no way I was going to ravage his daughter in front of him. He probably would've come out with a haunting gun." He moved his hand to her lower back and started to draw circles with his thumb. "Since there's no parental supervision now..." He trailed, bringing his face closers to hers. He slowly brushed his lips against hers.

"Rahul and Muskaan might get curious and look through the peephole." She murmured a bit breathless, her eyes locked with his; she could see the fire burning within them. Her heart was doing somersaults and her knees felt weak.

His lips curled into a mischievous smile. "Why don't we give them a free show then?" He said before fully claiming her lips and backing her up against her door. This kiss was quite different from the previous ones. It was soft and warm, yet equally perfect. He brought one hand at the back of her neck, trapping her closer.

Armaan smiled against her mouth before pulling away. "I have wanted to do that all night."

"I wouldn't have stopped you." Riddhima looked down; a slight blush started move from her neck and made its way to her face. "I wanted you too."

He groaned at her response. "Riddhima, if you keep saying things like that, I'm going to have a hard time letting you go inside alone."

She flushed brighter at his words. Armaan cupped her cheeks, tilting her head upwards, forcing her to meet his eyes. "I'll see you soon." He dropped a lingering kiss on her forehead and headed for the stairs.

Riddhima opened her door and, before she even made it through the threshold, her phone chimed; it was a message from Armaan.

You looked beautiful by the way.

Scratch what she said earlier; she did like that Armaan followed social conventions and paid her a compliment.

That was soo good! Indeed magical. Loved it :D
And finally RM together too. <3

I really hope you continue soon xx

Awesome update!!

Awesome part🥳Please update next part soon! Thanks for PM

So happy you updated! That was an awesome update, you have written this part beautifully. It was great to read, enjoying this ff very much. Very much looking forward to the next update now :)

Awww...this chapter was just great from Armaan and Riddhima's date to their kiss and Rahul and Muskaan getting together.