~Tomorrow Is Another Day (AR Version)~
PART- 5
~Flashback~
The gang was bowled over by Ridhima's bravery. "Wow, she is one hell of a strong woman!" Said Nikki and the rest could not help but agree with her. They were glad that she took her failure in a positive way like always and was not mulling over her loss. However Armaan could see the helplessness and defeat in her eyes. He could see the sorrow of failing and could not help but wonder why was she acting so indifferent...however he kept his thoughts aside and continued to work...as decided earlier the entire gang was going for the party that night. It was around 6:30 when everybody left office except Armaan and Ridhima who being on higher posts had to complete some paper work. Soon Ridhima too left but reaching the parking lot she realised that her car's tire had been punctured. Standing beside her car she was thinking what to do.." Oh god, this had to happen now, I am already late for the party and now this..." Just as she was busy cursing the car Armaan came in his car and stopped right beside her taking her by surprise..."hey! Need a lift?" He asked with a genuine smile..."uhmm no, no it's fine I'll manage" she said hesitatingly..." Ridz! Be Practical it's 7:30 and you won't find a mechanic here at this hour and moreover we are already getting late, I'll drop you, it's no biggie" he said. "Are you sure Armaan, I mean I don't want to trouble..." She was instantly cut by Armaan "ouch! That hurt, I thought we are friends, I did not know friends these days have become so formal with each other..." She smiled at his little act of being hurt and without saying a word more she hopped on the car...They drove in silence for a few minutes. Armaan kept stealing glances at her and after a mini war between his heart and mind he decided to finally talk to her about the day's events. "Uhmm Ridz, are you okay? I mean after the entire presentation being declined..."she looked at him for a moment, nobody had ever asked her how she felt. Somehow her heart felt good, she felt comforted and for a micro second she wanted to grab that comforting touch and keep it with her forever, however getting a grip on her emotions she replied "I am fine Armaan! I already said it, somethings are just not meant to be and so even if your heart yearns for it you should let it go! We don't deserve certain things and Holding on to such things just hurts". Armaan looked at her with an astound expression yes whatever she said was true but she too is human and when something you want slips out of your hands it's bound to leave some stains of pain behind. He knew there was definitely something due to which she masked all her feelings but he also knew that asking her would not give out the answer. However hard she tried he could read the pain in he eyes and that very fact stung his heart. He wanted to soothe her, he did not know why but he just wanted to take away all her pain if not at least lessen it and so he finally spoke "Your right Ridz somethings are just not meant to be, not because we don't deserve it or something like that but because there is something better in store for us, something we can't see but the almighty has planned already"...she looked at him trying to understand the meaning behind his words...the rest of the journey was carried out in complete silence. He tried to understand her pain and she tried to run away from the relief he provided her heart with...lost in their respective thoughts they reached her house. Thanking him she got down when he called her "Ridz, I anyways stay nearby and since your car is not there so I was thinking that I'll pick you up?" She thought for a moment and though she wanted to refuse she did not have any valid reason for it and so reluctantly she agreed. He on the other side was very happy after all spending time with her was all he ever wanted. "Armaan she is not marrying you or something that you are so happy!! Wait...did you just say Marry bro she is your friend get a grip..." He thought to himself and soon reached his place. Getting ready in a white shirt and black jeans he left to attend the the party and even before that to pick her up. Reaching her place he waited for her to open the door and the moment she did he almost skipped a heart beat seeing her dressed in a LBD with minimal make up and hairs left open. She looked beautiful but there was a frown on her face and soon he found out the reason one of her earring was not getting hooked just as she was about to remove the other one and chuck wearing earrings he spoke "uhmm can I help?" She looked at him hesitantly but then agreed he stood behind her and with delicate fingers he hooked the earring in her earlobe. However his mere touch had send shivers down her spine and he well if he could only preserve his fingers in a lock he would have definitely done that...they walked towards the car in utter silence there was a slight awkwardness in the air, after a few moments of driving Armaan decided to break the unbearable silence "you know Ridz, you are one lucky girl not everybody gets to meet my baby and spend time with it also" he said with a little seriousness in his voice. "Baby?" She asked confused "yes! baby my car! She is my baby" he said winking at her. Ridhima could no longer hold herself and left out a chuckle "oh god thank you so much Armaan and Mr. Baby I hope I am not too heavy for you" she said as if talking to the seat which made both of them laugh and soon all awkwardness was out of the window. They spoke about anything and everything and as they reached and were about to enter he held her wrist and stopped her she looked at him with a question mark look when he spoke very gently "you are looking beautiful Ridz, absolutely stunning" he said genuinely. Unknown to her a small blush crept on her cheeks and mumbling a small thank you they walked in the party...that party was going on , on full swing everybody was dancing to their hearts desire after awhile Ridhima came away and sat as she was in no mood to dance, she was again lost in her thoughts when she felt a tap on her shoulder, looking up she found Armaan "hi" he said sitting beside her..."hey" she replied..."so don't like partying much do you? " he asked rather said. She was shocked as to how did he know that, she had never said anything before. "Uhmm nothing like that, it's just..." She fumbled for words when he cut her "it's okay if you don't Ridz, you don't need to pretend" he saw her sh ones expression and decided to ease her "actually a little secrete I myself don't like it much, you know a bunch of people jumping on the floor with loud music blazing in your ears" that somehow did the trick for he very next moment she spoke "exactly, and the worse part is it's so crowded how does one expect to breathe, I would rather go for a long walk on the..." She stopped midway realising what she just said he on the other hand was smiling for once, just for once she spoke her heart out. He did not like the way she stopped as if she committed a crime but he knew one thing she has to be pushed "this girl bottles way too many of her emotions" he thought. "So since we both are not dancing care to have a drink with me?" He asked casually. She nodded and soon both made their way to the bar. Ridhima had ordered for a mild cocktail but accidentally the bartender put a little more alcohol than what she had asked for . Ansh who had gone to attend a call while she had her first drink came back seeing her shouting at the bartender "one more" he found it weird but just chucked his thoughts. The moment he came close she smiled wide at him and said in a babyish tone "Armaan, where did you go? We were suppose to have a drink together, tch you work cho much" he was really surprised at her behaviour "hehe Ridz are you okay? You seem drunk" he said "hawww! Drunk ! And me?" She pointed at herself, "no ways I just had. A mild cocktail in fact it tastes so good I had 2 of them already and here comes the third one, here taste it" she gave him the glass to have a taste and just as he did he realised that her so called mild cocktail was not any cocktail but a "long island ice tea". "Shit! She is high bro! Very high! I better take home before she kills the bartender" he thought seeing her pointing a finger mad glaring at he bartender to give her one more drink and that to fast..." He took hold of her wrist and dragged her along while she tried her best to protest " Ridz enough let's go! " "Nooo!" She screamed finally getting rid of his hold. "Oh god!" He knew she was too drunk to listen to him so he finally picked her up from her knees "Leave me...I said leave me...police police" she tried to scare him but he was not dumb. He chuckled at her and finally placed her in the passenger seat! Getting in himself he heard her curse him "you! You are cho mean, I am sure Santa won't give you any present this year! You are getting all negative points in his book mishter" he giggled hearing her complain like a child. Somewhere he liked this side of her it's felt so true, so like her, no pretence, no masking of emotions. He was thinking about this when she almost gave him a heart attack by screaming at the top of her voice "STOP..." He immediately stopped wondering if she was okay and just as she was about to ask she herself answered "Ansh! Ice cream...pls pls pls lets have one...I am so hungry" she said with a pout which was enough to melt his heart and so he agreed and moreover she was right neither of them had dinner so they were hungry. Soon they both elated towards the ice cream parlour and poor Ansh Literally had to feed her the ice cream sitting on a nearby bench as she had no control over herself and had already ended yo waiting row ice creams and so not risking the third one he made her sit and himself started feeding her like a 2 year old. She kept looking him and then finally not being able to hold herself anymore she spoke "why are you so good Armaan? You know I am scared Armaan that your goodness won't let me hide my emotions" she said still in a drunken state. Armaan knew it's not right to take advantage of her state but he also knew that it's the best time to know her. It was possibly the only time that she will open up and so ignoring his mind and listening to his heart he finally spoke "why are you hiding your emotions then Ridz? What's the need to do so, it's okay to show what you feel, it's okay to be hurt, it's okay to feel weak sometimes..." She chucked at him and getting up with unsteady steps she spoke "It's not Armaan , it's not okay to be weak. This world is too cruel to the weak, if you want to survive you have to be strong" she said almost tripping over but thankfully he held her. "But Ridhima..." He tried saying something when she cut him rather loudly "it's Ridz , not Ridhima ..Ridhima is dead...I killed her years ago and don't even try to get her back" he was shocked hearing her words he did not know what to say when she finally spoke up..."I..I was born in a very rich family but, but they did not want me because I am a girl and girls are suppose to be weak. Ha it been in their hands they would have disowned me the day I was born but could not as my maternal grandfather had left a fortune under my name and till the legalities of transferring them was not complete how could they leave me and so I was a key, a key to earn and gain success and power! And you know what keys don't have feelings..." She said with slight tears and just as he tried to come near her and console her she stopped him and said "No, no don't, don't stop me let me speak today, pls just hear me out once, I can't bear it anymore! " he could not see her in that state but something told him to let her Speak as she already said her heart needed to be lightened and so he kept mum. "I was 7 years old when all the properties and wealth was transferred to my parents an And then I become a useless figure who just occupied a room in their porch house and so not wanting to waste a single more penny of concern they sent me to a boarding school. I hated it, I cried almost everybody but there was nobody to wipe my tears and that's when I realised there will never be anybody to wipe your tears so why cry, why show the world your weekends and that's it I decided that I will never show this world my weakness...I will never show this world the vulnerable and hurt Ridhima all they will see is a strong and happy, even if it's fake Ridz...and that day I...I liked Amaya..." Not being able to handle the effect of alcohol any longer she fainted in his arms with a tear stricken face. While he too had tears seeing the intensity of her pain. He finally realised what her painful eyes were hiding within them...
~Cut From Flashback, Back to present~
Armaan was brought out of his thought when he heard a small cry. He looked down at his 6 month old daughter "Arima" who had woken up form her sleep. He gently picked her up in his arms and tried to cal her down..." What happened to my baby? Shh Dada is right here Angel" he cooed. Making her lay on his arms in a cradle position he grabbed her bottle of milk from the side table and gave it to her who had it hurriedly and immediately stopped crying. He smiled at his hungry baby and watched her with a heart filled smile. She dosed off while finishing her milk and once that she was done he very gently burped her and then holding her close to his chest he kisses her tinny forehead mumbling "I love you my baby! You are the sole reason behind my existence"...
NOTE: hello readers I know I am very late with this update and you all have all the rights to be mad at me:p but guys I was rather am really busy...hopefully now some of your questions are answered after this part...pls do comment and let me know how you guys liked it:) also wishing u all a very Happy Diwali :D
-Tanishka (Tani)
Edited by Jennifer_Grover - 9 years ago
Indian Idol 16
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