heyy ppl..first of all thnx 2 all those who appreciated my writing..it reli meanz A LOT!!! plzz keeping leaving ur comments as itz reli encouraging! 😊 ..n another thing...i've finally thought of a name for my fanfic-"A LOT LIKE LOVE"..the namez inspired from the movie which I've seen like a hundred tyms and I totally LOVE it 😆 ..I just felt this name connects 2 my story..so..nyways..that's the title..and herez the fifth part..plzz leave ur comments(this goes out 2 all the silent readers as well)..
PART 5
Riddhima sat nervously at the table twirling her dupatta between her fingers as she glanced every few seconds at the door. She couldn't believe that Armaan had asked to see her again..ofcourse, she had hoped for it but that was only during that weak moment of hers when she had felt truly desperate and helpless..what could he want from me? she wondered. He had made it very clear during their last meeting that he was not interested in her..he had asked for time but that was as good as saying a no...she had thought he would have gone back and told Vinay uncle that he didn't want to marry her..however, he had asked to see her again..for what? Maybe he changed his mind, she thought..but for the life of her she couldn't figure out what had made him change his mind!..whatever it was, she couldn't help feeling a little happy and relieved..she was fully expecting papa to come to her room and tell her that Vinay uncle had called to reject the proposal..she could even visualise his look of disappointment..the look that plainly said 'I knew something like this would happen'...but no, nothing of the sort had happened...in fact papa had looked a little pleased when he came to inform her that Armaan wanted to meet her again.
She smiled slightly through her nervousness. It wasn't everyday that papa smiled at her..there were just handful of those moments when he seemed remotely happy with her and those moments Riddhima knew she would cherish forever.
On glancing at the door again she saw him entering. Gosh! He looked cute..he was wearing a plain red t-shirt over blue jeans and a black leather jacket..
Ridzy! she scolded herself..now is so not the time to check him out!..but I can't help it!..hez almost too cute to be true..only if he hadn't had that look about him..that look which made it obvious that he KNEW he was good-looking as hell..he probably had loadz of attitude..all the hot guyz always did..
'Hey Riddhima,' he smiled as he took the seat opposite her, 'did I make you wait for a long time?'
'Huh?' she snapped out of it, 'Uhm..no..I just came a few minutes back,'
Liar! she thought, she had come half-an-hour back and that was a long time to be sitting alone in a restaurant attracting funny looks from waiters as to why she wasn't ordering..but ofcourse, she couldn't tell him that..she never usually complained..
'Oh ok..well, shall we order?' he smiled at her.
She smiled back which was as good as a yes for him. While he was ordering she kep stealing glances at him..he was good-looking..and his smile!! those dimples!! Everytime he smiled, Riddhima smiled too. She knew it was stupid and dumb but she couldn't help it...his smile was infectious..she could barely place her order.
'Well, you must be wondering why I asked to see you,' he said abruptly which wiped the smile off Riddhimaz face...ofcourse..that was what she had been thinking the full day until he made his entry..somehow, she had forgotted all her worries when he came..but now they all came back to her and along with it came this wierd pain in her tummy that had everything to do with the nervousness she was feeling.
She nodded when he continued looking at her in a puzzled sort of way.
'Well, Riddhima..I have been thinking a lot about the matter and even more so after our meeting yesterday,' he said while she just listened quietly...finally she was going to learn the answers to the questions that had been bombarding her mind since the morning.
'I came to meet to you yesterday with a set mind of totally refusing the proposal as I didn't think I was ready for a commitment like marriage but..I don't know..after meeting you..it was like I was forced to re-think about the situation..I mean...I like you, Riddhima..in the sense, you seem like a nice person and plus our dadz have been friendz and business partners for so long..I feel that maybe I should give this a try..it works out in the interests of everyone..Our parents will obviously be on top of the moon if we agree..but more than that I feel as if spending the rest of my life with you isn't going to be a decision that I will regret,' he finished and looked deep into her eyes. The whole time Riddhima had kept quiet and just listened to him. He searched her face for any sort of expression but it was blank..she could be really happy or downright mad at him and he wouldn't know the difference..that's how well she hid her emotions..what was she thinking?
'Riddhima?' he probed softly when she didn't speak for about 10 seconds.
'Yes..I'm listening,' she said, smiling slightly.
'Well, what do you think?' he asked her gently.
'My answer is still the same as it was yesterday,' she said quietly.
'Are you sure?' he asked her and she nodded her head.
'Well..ok..that settles it then..we both agree for this marriage?' he asked while again she just nodded.
Doesn't she ever speak? Armaan thought..whatever he had spoked to her..she would simply nod or answer in those wierd-perfect-english-answers..nyways why do I care? he thought..there were more important things to do right now.
'Well, OK but before that I have to talk to you about something else,' Armaan said, gravely.
He looked at her and for the first time since he came e saw a flicker of emotion on her face..it was there for about 2 seconds but he had seen it just the same..it was anticipation..she was nervous as hell about what he had to say next. However, she didn't say anything as usual.
'Riddhima, now that we have agreed on a commitment like marriage I want to be more open with you. After all, we are going to be living together after this. It's true that our parents are very good friends but we..well, we hardly know each other..I know you must be having your own lifestyle as I have mine. Now just because we are getting married doesn't mean that I suddenly expect you to change your lifestyle for me or for that matter change yourself for me..I doesn't make sense..even if this is an arranged marriage I think we should learn to accept each other the way we are and adjust to each others lifestyles,' he said all this firmly not loosing eye contact with her even once.
She felt as if he really wanted her to understand this very carefully.
'And so..after marriage I think we need to give each other some space..we can't all of a sudden just change for each other..that doesn't make sense..you can continue living your life the way you like and let me live mine the way I want,' he said emphasasizing on the last few words, 'you will be very much a part of my life but at the same time I don't like anyone intefering in my life...live and let live..that's my policy..see, all I'm saying is that we shouldn't have too many expectations from each other..that's all..' he said simply.
She nodded again to show that she understood..ofcourse, she did..he didn't want her intefering too much in his life..which made sense..after all, they were still strangers to each other...they hardly even knew each other and soon they were going to get MARRIED..he just didn't want her to bind him in any sort of commitment so soon..which she wouldn't..she wan't the intefering types..most of the time she just kept to herself and moreover he had said that he wasn't ready for a commitment like this..he just needed space and maybe she needed space too. She was just happy that he had agreed for the marriage...MARRIAGE..it was such a big thing in any girl's life...but she didn't really care too much about it..all she cared about was her papaz happiness..he would be so happy that she was getting married to his best friend's son..that the relationship he had wished for was soon going to come true..
Thank-you, she whispered a silent prayer..atleast I didn't mess this up!
'Riddhima?' he called softly when she seemed lost in her own thoughts.
She snapepd out of her thoughts.
'Sorry,' she mumbled, 'I was just thinking about what you said,'
'And?' Armaan prompted.
'I'm fine with whatever you said,' she replied.
'Are you sure?' Armaan asked again and she nodded her head in response.
YES!! he knew she would agree..she wasn't one to ever say no, anyways. He'd said it all very carefully too..he had been practicing for it the whole morning..the right tone of firmness when he told her he didn't like anyone intefering in his life and the right amount of gentleness to make her feel comfortable and not scare her away..he had even buttered her up a bit initially by adding all those lines such as you are a nice person and I don't think I will regret my marriage with you bla bla. He had seen her blushing slightly when he just entered..maybe she just realized what a hunk shez caught, he thought smiling to himself..but the most important thing is that my plan worked!! She agreed to everything and looking at her I don't think shez one to give me any trouble later one..as it is she hardly speaks..and damn, she can really hide her feelings well but like I care..all I had to do was explain all this to her and that's done...good job Ammy!
'Well, then if that's settled I think we should dig in..I'm starving,' he said, smiling deeply as the waiter placed their order on the table.
She smiled too...she couldn't help it...everytime he smiled his dimple smile she ended up smiling too.
Anupamaa
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