I Love You!! - AR OS

It is a beautiful day today. The sun is shining its brightest, the birds chirping along in monotony. The sky is clear of any clouds and it looks like all the elements of earth are pampering the day today.

I don't know why I am feeling so special this morning. It's no special day for me; it's just another working day yet the smile is not ready to leave my face. The blush on my face seems to be the darkest of all times and it feels like a very new feeling to me. There is a feeling that keeps me happy all day, a thought which makes my heart dance, a face which makes me adore him embarrassingly till somebody snaps me out of it regularly these days, a voice that skips my beats…

"Why is this happening to you Riddhima?" thought her sub – conscious. "Why do you want to rush to work as soon as possible and return back home till as late as possible? Why do you want your duties with him? And why do you want to see him smile? Why do you want him to be the best of all? And why can't you take it when someone yells at him? Why can you not see him upset and why do his words hurt you so much? Waise toh you keep on speaking and arguing with everyone in good fun everyday but when it comes to arguing with him when he irritates you, why don't you say a word? Why do you like it Riddhima? Why?" shouted her sub – conscious mind…

"That's because I think I love him" she shouted back with equal fervor.

This self proclamation came as a big surprise to Riddhima. She had never expected to fall in love with him. How could she? He did not even match half of her list, the list which she calls the 'What my guy should have' list. "Did he not Riddhima?" replied her inner voice.

"Err…umm…aa...Okay fine. He did. He fit into most of it. But he irritates me so much ya. He just does not keep quiet. And he is always into planning and plotting some silly stupid plan to harass me." Said Riddhima aloud.

"So why don't you answer him back?"

And she was quick to shoot back, "No, I can't. I just fail to have words when I see that victory smile on his face after he has successfully irritated me. It is so cute. Those sloppy dimples that enhance his smile and that tinge of happiness that beams from his eyes are so contouring that I fall into the encircles of his face."

"So tell him that Riddhima" told her inner voice. "Tell him that you love him. Tell him that you can't seem to stay away from him anymore."

"You think he loves me? You think I am his type of a girl? Should I tell him?" Riddhima asked fearing each question and hoping that the answer for each be a yes.

"What do you feel Riddhima?" "Does he make you feel he does?"

"I don't know ya. How can I judge that? Oh but ya…I see him staring at me so often. He does not tell me anything but I think I felt him gasp out of breath many a times when I was very close to him", wondered Riddhima thinking if it is enough reason to assume that he loves her too.

"I think he does Riddhima. As per the 'Signs to understand it is Love' book; these are the two signs that are the most basic ones right?" her inner voice suggested.

"Ohh please cut that book out ya…it's so silly to follow that book" answered Riddhima.

"Ya, I know it's stupid to judge him like that but then it did say so. So it must be true. I think he loves you. And you should go tell him that."

"Should I? You're sure na?" questioned Riddhima garnering confidence.

"Riddhimaaaa…Riddhimaaaaaa…" called out Padma, "jaldi se neeche aa jao…breakfast ready hai."

And she was broken out from her reverie.

"uhh..huh…haan mumma aayi…" she answered back. She then wondered for a few seconds as to what just happened. "Was I really talking alone? To myself?" she thought. " ohh gosh…William Shakespeare has therefore rightly said that 'Brain is the most outstanding organ which works for 24 hours, 365 days right from birth till you fall in love.'" And she again blushed at the thought that she was in love.

Riddhima parked her car in a rush as she was running extremely late today and that is all thanks to him. " Agar aaj mujhe Dr. Keerti se daant padi na toh main Armaan ko Kabhi maaf nahi karungi. Ussi ki wajah se aaj late ho gayi itna. Kya zaroorat thi itna sochne ki uske bare mein?"

"Argghhh…you're going mad Riddhima!! Control your thoughts…" she yelled at her stupid thoughts while entering the locker room. And there she stood stunned. It seemed like her feet would not move another inch. She stood there speechless admiring him and his torso. How did he manage to look so hot? He looked like some Greek God in his white with blue strips shirt and blue denims. His hair wet falling over his forehead and that amazing smile with which he is thanked everybody for their wishes. He looked the same everyday but yet today was something different, something good, and something even better looking than everyday that just wouldn't let her eyes off him. He was looking so handsome and irresistibly tempting that she just wanted to hug and kiss him tight. She wanted to possess him and never let him go.

"Ahem…ahem…uhhh..hieeee…" came Armaan's voice from right in front of her.

"Ummm….Hi" she replied.

"mujhe aise kya dekh rahi ho? Irada kya hai huh?" he questioned her jokingly.

Dumbfounded by his question she replied, "uhh…nothing. It's nothing. Tum batao..kaise ho?"

"I am all good. Mujhe wish nahi karogi basket?" he asked when she seemed to make no move to wish him.

"huh!?...ohh yaaa…Wish you a very Happy Birthday Armaan!"

"Thanks" and he smiled his bestest and took her in a rib crashing hug.

She stopped breathing for a moment. She didn't know what was going on. What is for real? Or was she still dreaming like today morning?

He got out of the hug and left saying that they will meet at lunch.

A lone tear escaped her eye as soon as he left the room. It was suddenly something so new. It's not like she has never hugged him before but this was different. She couldn't describe or conclude as to what was so different today but something definitely was. She could smell him today and his smell had intoxicated her. Their hug was so perfect that it perfectly fit each other, as if no one else would be able hug any better than this. His smile when he told her to meet him at lunch was so genuine and attracting. She could just go on and on about the way he looked today.

If somebody heard her describe him today might think she is crazy or is exaggerating but she didn't care. She would never be able to explain to anybody what he looked to her through her eyes. With thoughts and a mixed feeling of love, happiness, excitement, relief, she went to her locker, took her belongings and set for work.

Time seemed to be moving very slow for her today. She felt like she was working since so long but it's not even lunch yet. Maybe it's the longing to see him again that's working against her. It is precisely 12 minutes to lunch yet she declared. "Shit! Ridhhima, you are going mad. You are behaving like some love struck teenager who can't seem to think beyond her latest crush or boyfriend. It is maddening to count minutes girl" and she rebuked herself for this.

It was finally lunch time now and everybody had gathered in the canteen to cut Armaan's birthday cake. Everybody was very happy because it was their favourite Dr. Armaan's birthday. What was in him that charmed everyone towards him? He was the coolest doctor, an amazing friend, a trustworthy confider and the 'love guru' for everybody in the hospital.

"Sab aa gaye?" Questioned Atul and Muskaan replied back with a yes. "Chal hero abhi cake kaat, bahut bhook lagi hai", exclaimed Muskaan to get a sharp reply from Rahul, "bhookhad kahi ki"

"Oi!! Tu chup reh na, tera thodi na kha rahi hu…"

"haan haan, maine tujhe dena bhi nahi"

"haan toh maine kaha maanga…tera khana kaun khaye…chee!!"

"Muskaan, zyaada boliyo mat"

"kya karega nahi toh huh…bol…"

"Stop it ya guys…Armaan tum jaldi cake cut karo…mujhe duty pe jaana hai" came Anjali's demand.

Riddhima had been surprisingly very quiet all through the discussion because she was busy admiring her new found love. She didn't seem to care about anything as long as she got to see him. Today was the most special day for her and yes, she had decided that she will tell him of her feelings today.

Armaan then cut his birthday cake and the celebration that followed was no less than a galore. Everybody sang him the birthday song, floored him with gifts they could all manage. Some gave him a flower, some a birthday card, while some just wished him and his friends gave him his favourite perfume and a personalized guitar. He fed everyone the cake but Riddhima was the last one he fed.

This came in as a big shock to her. Was she the last one on his list? Didn't she matter at all to him that he did that to her? She was hurt by his actions. Maybe they were not intentional for him or maybe they were but still she was deeply hurt. She knew she was over reacting because it is just a piece of cake but yet that piece meant a lot to her. She thought she deserved to be the first one to have the piece from his hands and she should be the first one to feed him too. She felt a sense of possessiveness for him which was broken right now. She was upset, miserably upset. And therefore she just left the canteen without another word.

Armaan saw her move out of the canteen and he thought he even saw tears. He wanted to run behind her and ask her for the reason she left but he was too surrounded by people who wouldn't let go of him.

The day passed in a jiffy after that. With either of them being busy with patients or surgeries. He so wanted to talk to her but decided to do it later in peace and when they are alone. Finally the day came to an end and everyone was leaving for home. Lastly, only the two of them were there in the locker room collecting their belongings.

"so, ab yahan se kahan jaa rahi ho?" he asked her.

"ghar, aur kahan" she replied "aur tum?"

"main bhi ghar hi jaa raha hu"

"so kaisa gaya tumhara din?" she asked trying to make conversation even though her brain stopped her to.

"accha tha. Lekin tum canteen se chali kyu gayi thi?" he finally asked that was troubling him since lunch.

She lied, "general ward mein kaam aa gaya tha issiliye."

"ohh…hmm…I understand"

"anyways…chalo then…by..byeee" she said this with all the gathered strength.

"okay…" a long silence peeped in…. "yaa..byeee"

And after a few seconds they shook hands biding each other a bye. If it was possible for some electric current to pass through when you shake hands with full intensity then this was what happened. Maybe Mr. Cupid's arrow reached its destination. And both felt that they didn't want to leave each others hands. They wanted to be in each other's arms at the moment and never part. Armaan didn't express his feelings much because he was not sure if Riddhima could or would ever love with him but today he saw a completely new Riddhima. Her behaviour, actions, words, made him ponder if she loved him too. He had begun to believe that she did until the canteen fiasco. Her leaving the canteen, made him think again that maybe he was not to important for her to stay there and celebrate in his happiness.

But right now, that electric current…if that is what you call it…is true…and if she is feeling exactly the same as he is then he cares a damn about what she did in the afternoon. All he cares about is only her and being with her. She is the most beautiful thing God could have ever created according to him. He wanted to tell her this and many more. He wanted her to know all what he has hidden in him for her since so many months. He would irritate her to see that frown on her face and then later that small smile that creeps up her face when she thinks of the prank or its silliness. He wants to tell her of how mesmerizing she looks in that surgeon's coat and how he adores her dedication to work. He loves her caring, sweet and lovely nature with which she deals and talks to everybody. She is the perfect daughter, sister, doctor and a friend. And as embarrassed he may be to accept it but he has always dreamed of her as a perfect girlfriend too, his girlfriend. Therefore, he has finally decided that he is going to tell her everything right now. Tell her how much he loves her. If she accepts him then he will be the luckiest man alive or if she doesn't then he will wait…till the day she loves him back.

"Riddh…" began Armaan…

"I love you Armaan!!" and she cut him in between and confessed her feelings. She thought maybe he would never say it and so she didn't want to lose out on the chance of telling him that she loves him. She gave him a benefit of doubt and closed her eyes and said it all.

He was too shocked to say anything. He was the perfect example of being speechless. He didn't know what to say. If he knew what he had to say then the words had ditched him. Tears found its way to his eyes and he just kept staring at the blurred Riddhima through his tears. They looked into each other's eyes for composure. Riddhima couldn't believe she had finally said it. She always thought that she didn't have the guts to confess to a guy that she loves him. But today she broke her own record. She was relieved that she vented her feelings out but the curiosity to know his reply was killing her, more than that irritating her because here she was waiting for an answer and there this guy is not saying a word but just crying. Couldn't he say something she wondered?

She was just about to ask him again…when he came forward slowly and claimed her lips with his. He kissed her as passionately as it could get to tell her how much he loves her and how much was he waiting for this day. She gently started responding with fresh tears of happiness flowing from both their eyes. She couldn't believe that he had said a yes and he couldn't believe that she had just confessed. This was the happiest moment of their lives. They were together now forever. His saying a yes to her officially hardly mattered as his actions said it all.