PART 6:
One morning, Riddhima walked out of her house with crutches. Armaan and Rahul were patiently waiting for the girls in their car. Riddhima and Muskaan hailed a rickshaw and started off for school. Armaan was enraged, "yeh ladkiyan kahan jaa rahi hain? Humara dimaag kharaab hai jo unki wait kar rahe hain? Chal Rahul, hum bhi school chalte hain!" He started his car, zoomed past the rickshaw and then stopped in front of it.
"Arre bhai…raaste se gaddi hatao puttar!" the rickshaw driver got off.
Armaan stepped out of his car, ignored the rickshaw walla and walked to the girls, "aaj ke baad meri car ke paas bhi nazar aayi tho mujhse bura koi nahin hoga!" he gave a dirty look to Riddhima and walked back to his car. Armaan did not know why he was upset? How could he tell her that every morning he looked forward to his ride with Riddhima, how he craved to lift her in his arms everyday; she had no right to snatch that pleasure from him! He was upset at himself, for wanting to be near her- aakhir wo meri lagti kya hai? Usey jahan jaana, jaise jaana hai….jaane do….kam se kam aaj class ke liye main late tho nahin honga…..roz roz uski class mein jaate jaate main har class ke liye late ho jaata hoon!
Riddhima and Muskaan were petrified. "Ismein meri kya galti hai Muskaan? Mummyji-Daddyji nahin chaahte school mein sab hamara mazaak udhaaye…..ab main kya karoon?" Riddhima said tearfully.
"Koi baat nahin Riddhima….Armaan aur Rahul samajh jaayenge….school se wapas aakar baat kar lenge," Muskaan reassured Riddhima.
The girls were unaware of the fact that Naina had blasted Padma and Shashank the previous evening for taking 'undue advantage' of her bhola-bhala sons!
"Aur wo tumhari beti Riddhima….kya samajh rakha hai usney Armaan puttar ko? Wo uska naukar hai kya jo roz roz godh mein usey school le jaaye? School mein sab baatein kar rahe hain!" Naina had yelled at them.
Shashank and Padma were too self-respecting to tolerate that kind of insult. Instead they had gotten upset at Riddhima for letting Armaan carry her around in school like a kid, "beti…ab tu aur Armaan bachhe nahin ho…..log baatein karte hain….kal se tu rickshaw mein jaayegi…..aur yeh le…inka sahara le lena!" Shashank handed over the crutches to her and explained.
When they reached school, Muskaan walked with Riddhima to the building.
"Muskaan…tu apni class mein jaa….mujhey Riddhima se baat karni hai!" an angry looking Armaan stood in front of them at the school gate. Muskaan remembered Rahul's advise and left them alone, 'theek hai Armaan."
Riddhima looked up and was almost in tears, "ab kya hua?"
"Yahi tho main poonch raha hoon? Maine tujhey manaa kiya tha ki tu meri gaadi mein nahin aa sakti?…..Phir rickshaw kyun kiya?" he sounded annoyed
"Log baatein karte hain," she lowered her eyes and said softly
"Kya baatein karte hain?" he yelled
"yahi…yahi..ki," she hesitated, 'yahi ki hamara koi chakkar hai," she said guiltily.
Armaan clenched his fists and teeth, "tho unke kehne se kya hamara kuch chakkar ho jaayega kya?"
Riddhima shook her head; tears were flowing from her eyes now- Armaan's temper and tone was too much for her to handle.
Armaan made a disgusting face, "ab ro kyun rahi hai?"
Riddhima started sobbing, "tumhein mere aansoo pasand nahin hai na?"
"HAAN….NAHIN HAIN!" he yelled back
She looked up tearfully, "tho phir rulaate kyun ho?" Her words pierced his heart; she was right, he hated seeing tears in her eyes but he was the one who usually made her cry. He softened up a little and looked away, "yadi koi tujhey hum dono ko lekar pareshaan kare, tho usey mere paas bhej dena…..main uski aisi ki taisi kar doonga…..tu pareshaan mat ho…..kisi ke kehne se hamare beech chakkar thode hi hoga…..logon ko bolne de jo bol rahe hain…..aur haan…..shaam ko ghar mere saath hi jaana…..rickshaw kiya tho tujhey aur rulaaoonga main! Samjhi?" he stared at her beautiful, innocent face and then took her backpack and one crutch in one hand and gave her his other hand, "chal tujhey class tak chhod deta hoon."
She wiped her tears and smiled, "thanks Armaan," and walked with him with her other arm supported by the other crutch.
As Armaan dropped her, he smiled and said, "yeh thanks kisi aur se bolna…..mujhey aadat nahin hai tujhsey aisi cheezein sun ne ki…samjhi?"
She smiled back through her tears and waved, "bye!"
RIDDHIMA & MUSKAAN, 16 years, RAHUL, 18 years, ARMAAN, 20 years:
Riddhima and Muskaan are now in 11th grade. Rahul is in the 12th, ready to graduate. Rahul wants to pursue his further education at a music school in Chandigarh after graduation. Armaan is in his second year at the Thapar Enginnering College in Patiala. Armaan has a room at the hostel, but usually ends up coming home at least once or twice a week. Of course, his main incentive is to see and meet Riddhima at one pretext or another. Over the past two years, their bond with each other has grown stronger and deeper. They both yearn and crave to see each other, but would never admit to the fact.
Riddhima always looks forward to his visits back home. She prepares his favorite dishes whenever he is home. Naina fumes each time she sees Armaan walk over to the Gupta's house instead of meeting her first.
"Kaaki…aaj kya banaaya hai?" Armaan's nose usually leads him to Riddhima's house before he enters his own home. Padma has understood that Armaan has started using food as an excuse; his main incentive is someone else. Riddhima is no longer a little girl in her pigtails; she takes more interest in dressing up, even uses light make up, especially when Armaan is around. They both still fight and argue like little kids, but over the last few years, probably since her ankle accident, Armaan has become a little softer and less harsh with his words. He still remembers her heart wrenching statement, "tho phir rulate kyon ho?"
Armaan and Riddhima have still not said or expressed anything in words, but only a fool would be blind to their blossoming attraction and love for each other. Armaan grabs and pulls her braided long hair affectionately whenever they meet, "chidiya…..abhi bhi lambi nahin hoti…kabse teri chotiya kheench raha hoon!"
"Wo tumhari Suhani hai na lambi….uske paas kyun nahin jaate?" Riddhima teases him back
"Suhani? Arre wo? Haan hai tho bahut Muskaan kudi wo…..aaj kal Mahendra College mein padhti hai……mama chaahti hai ki main us se shaadi kar loon….kya khayal hai?" Armaan spoke while chewing chanas from the kitchen table.
Riddhima froze for a second, "haan kar lo na," she said softly, without looking at him.
Armaan laughed, "abhi shaadi ki tho soch bhi nahin sakta…..bachelors karke mujhey pehle America jaana hai….phir aane ke baad sochunga."
Riddhima's color drained, "America? Kitne din ke liye jaaoge wahan?"
"Kum se kum do saal! Aakhir koi bachhon ka khel thode hi hai! Tu soch ti hai Patiala mein reh kar main apna sapna poora kar sakoonga? Pagli hai tu bhi…..abhi bhi dimaag chidiya jaisa hi hai!" he picked his car keys, "ab chalta hoon…..college wapas jaana hai…..shaam ko important lecture hai."
Riddhima looked at him as he left; she could not imagine her life without seeing Armaan for such a long time, "tumhein 3-4 din nahin dekhti tho mera dil kitna bechain ho jaata hai….poore 2 saal kaise nikaaloongi main? Armaan…tum chaahe kahin bhi jao apna sapna poora karne ke liye…..mera sapna tho yahin Patiala mein hi poora hoga…," she swallowed her tears and continued to work in the kitchen. How could she tell him that her dream was to just spend the rest of her life with him, cook for him, please him……may be even get married to him and have his kids. She was a simple girl, with simple dreams, and simple needs. She wanted to be like her mother- dedicated to her man; she had no desire to have a career, job or any far reaching ambition.
As she was lost in her thoughts, she heard Armaan's voice again.
"Main apna wallet yahin bhool gaya tha," he said and glanced at her glistening eyes.
"Ab maine aisa kya kaha? Ro rahi hai phir?" he felt bad
"Kuch nahin….bas yuhin!" she sniffed and smiled
"Accha yeh bataa….tera kya sapna hai? Maine aaj tak pooncha nahin tujhse?" he grinned.
"Main sapne nahin dekhti……" she said softly
Armaan chuckled, "aur kya kar sakti hai tu chidiya…..sapne nahin sirf paranthe banaa sakti hai…..haina?" he mocked at her.
Riddhima was used to his taunts, but she was really offended by this statement, "tho mat aaya karo yahan paranthe khaane! Nahin banaati tumhare liye!" Armaan could sense the pain in her voice.
Armaan came closer and looked into her misty eyes, "aisa mat keh Riddhima…..tu kya sach much yahi sochti hai ki main yahan sirf khaane ki wajah se aata hoon?"
Riddhima looked away, "aur kis liye aate ho?"
Armaan clenched his fists and turned around, "THEEK HAI….AB MAIN KABHIE NAHIN AAOONGA!" and walked away in rage. He was upset at her for not understanding him; he was upset with himself for not being able to express his true feelings for her- kya wo yeh samajh nahin paati ki main sirf uski wajah se uske yahan jaata hoon…..ab kabhie nahin jaaoonga uske ghar!
Riddhima cried silently after he left, but resolved that she would definitely go to college after graduation and not 'waste' her time just cooking and waiting for him. She would prove it to him that she could have a career too and be an independent woman.
"Armaan sochta hai mujhey kuch bhi keh de….main bura nahin maanoongi…..kyun aisa karta hai mere saath?…..Aakhir main uski lagti kya hoon? Main koi uski amaanat thode hi hoon jo mujhey jaise bhi ho istemaal kar le, jo chaahe keh de," Riddhima sobbed and wiped her face with her dupatta.
"Tho kya sach much main uski amaanat nahin hoon?" she said to herself as she walked back to her room.
Sorry for being late
Bigg Boss 19
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