AR: Love Is... #2[NewThreadLink: Page 1 & 150] - Page 22

PART 17

Riddhima took the letter from him and opened the envelope. She went through the whole letter, her eyes widening with every word in there. "I ...LEAF?...Award? But, how..I mean what, why?" she sputtered, utterly shocked after reading it. It was like a dream, she couldn't believe it!

Armaan grinned as he looked at her sputtering like that. This was precisely why he'd wanted to do this. He clearly remembered every bit of that joy he felt last year. He smiled as the day came alive in front of him.

*Flashback*

Armaan sat in the cabin, trying to work out a plan for his next project. He was bubbling with enthusiasm. He'd only done 3 projects yet and he was in love with his job. Working with Malik Architectural and Interior designing Pvt. Ltd. was a dream come true. He'd always wanted to be an architect and today he was living his dream. Though it was his dad who owned the firm, he worked here as any other employee and received the same salary. Dad's orders.

He was just trying to perfect a few calculaations when Billy came in. "Armaan! My Boy!" he said, crushing Armaan into a bear hug.

"Dad!" exclaimed Armaan grinning as he reciprocated the hug. "What's the matter? Aaj bade khush ho!"

"Arre beta, tum yeh letter toh padho, you'll know why I'm happy." Billy Malik smiled affectionately at his son, as he saw him open the letter and read it, his mouth dropping open wider with each line.

"Dad? Main...award? How?" he asked, his face splitting into a grin.

"I entered your project in the 'Young Architect' category. I thought the project was expetionally done. Turns out they thought so too and hence they accepted your entry and now you're nominated!"

Armaan touched his dad's feet and hugged him once more. He was beyond happy. Winning the LEAF award was nothing short of prestigious. He couldn't wait to tell mom!

"Dad, mom ko pata hai?"

"Haan! Of course pata hai! Sabse pehle usko call kiya tha maine. She's ecstatic! Tabhi toh, aaj hum lunch wahaan kar rahe hai...she's made paneer!"

"Paneer? Awesome! Umm dad Nikki aur Abhi bhi visit karne aaye hai, so they're in New York too, unhe bhi bulaale?"

"Arre? Woh dono yahaan hai, and I didn't know? Of course you should invite them! Unhe bhi bulaalo, kitne vakt baad sab milke lunch karenge! Main Smita ko inform kar deta hoon ki un dono ke liye bhi lunch banaaye. Tum tab tak office mein sab ko inform kar do, and we'll do a little celebration party tomorrow, hmm?"

"Yeah dad! Ek ghante mein nikle?"

"Sure!"

Though his parents had divorced, they had remained friends. They never felt the need to completely alienate themselves from each other. They just didn't love each other anymore. Their friendship had always been intact.

*Present*

Armaan blinked as the past dissolved into nothingness in front of him. His father had passed away in a hit and run a few months after he'd won the award. Armaan missed him even today. The memories he had with him were priceless, something he'd always treasure.

"Kya soch rahe ho?"

He looked at her as he heard her ask him. Turning around he said, "Kuch nahi, tum khush ho?"

"Dude! Is that like, even a question? This is frickin amazing! Who entered my project?"

"I did."

Riddhima looked at him, her happiness inflating her heart. "Why? No, I mean, thanks, but why would you do that?"

"Because you have talent!"

She looked at him gratefully and smiled. "Waise, isse last year kisne jeeta tha?"

"Kyun jaanna chahti ho?"

"I dunno...I like knowing whom I beat!" she said, winking.

Armaan chuckled as he heard her answer. "I won it last year."

"YOU?"

"Kyun? Main nahi jeet sakta?" he asked her, raising his eyebrows.

Riddhima bit her tongue as she realized how that sounded. "No no, mera woh matlab nahi tha! I just thought you were more into managing the firm and stuff...I mean I know that you CAN design, I just didn't know you did!"

"I haven't done any designing in the last one year!"

"Why not? I mean, tumhi ne kaha tha ki you did your house, and your house is amazing so obviously you're good...then why don't you take up anything?"

"Woh umm after dad passed away, I've been handling the firm...learning the nuances of management...haven't found the time to take up a project! Once I get the hang of the whole business, I might take up projects. I do miss designing."

Riddhima looked at him in admiration. He was amazing! Not only had he dealt with personal loss, but he'd also managed to take over the firm effortlessly.

"I'm sorry." She said, softly and then hugged him. Armaan whispered "It's okay!" and reciprocated the hug, drawing comfort from her. It felt weird. He'd never talked about it to anyone. The firm had taken up most of his time.

She broke away, offering him a smile. Taking his hand, she squeezed it once. She knew how any form of personal loss could be devastating. She knew it all too well.

Armaan smiled at her and squeezed her hand back. With a smile, he left her in her cabin to give her some privacy.

Riddhima sat down in her chair and twirled around. She couldn't believe she was nominated for the award! True, that she'd talked to Armaan like she'd already won it, but she knew that there were hardly any newcomers every year...she really hoped that the award came home to her.

It was lunchtime when she decided to take a break. She wanted to celebrate with someone so badly! "Yaar...aaj itna awesome day hai and no one, NO ONE is free! Nick and Ash are still honeymooning...Tracy and Joe left early...ab celebration ke liye Brittany ke alawa koi nahi baaki!" At the thought of celebrating with Brittany, she let out a laugh. The idea was so absurd!

Suddenly her phone buzzed.

Hey Riddhi! Yaar maine Muskaan ko kaha tha tujhe sorry bole...ab please maan ja na! I haven't talked to you since 3 months! Pleeeaaasseee meri maa...phone call return kar de!

Love ya! Arjun misses you too :)

-Ish

Tu na mujhse baat mat kar! THREE months tune mujhe wait karvaaya...you moron! I'm not talking to you. :| I'm talking to Arjun though, so tell him I miss him. ONLY him.

-Riddhi

Aww come on Riddhi! Gussa chodd na! You know I was busy!

Manaane ke liye kya karna padega?

-Ish

Itna busy ki MUJHSE baat nahin ki? :( Main maanne hi nahin waali so forget about it :P

-Riddhi

Sorry na! Please? You're my ex-girlfriend man...itna attitude mat dikha! I'm coming to your office right now. Half day le le...we'll catch up, hmm? :)

-Ish

FINE. But I'm still not talking to you.

-Riddhi

Denial is the first stage of acceptance. I bet you're smiling at the phone <3

-Ish

Shut up and get your ass in your car :P

-Riddhi

Riddhima smiled as she read the text. She couldn't WAIT to meet Ish! She hadn't seen him since ages! Grinning, she organized her desk and grabbed her stuff as she left for Armaan's cabin.

She knocked on his door and entered the cabin as she heard him telling her to come in.

Armaan looked up from work to see Riddhima at the door. He smiled at her and tokd her to have a seat.

"No, that's okay! I umm came to ask you if I could have a half day today?"

"Of course! It's a big day today, you must celebrate!"

Riddhima bit her lip. He was so amazing! Everyone should have bosses like him!

"Armaan, woh actually I'm not going to celebrate, just to catch up with a friend! Filhaal toh celebration ke liye koi nahi hai...tum busy ho, Nick and Ash aren't back yet and Tracy and Joe left early today! My friend invited me for lunch...main jaaun? I mean if you need me here, I'll cancel!"

Armaan smiled a little. It was obvious she wanted to go! And she was right anyway, there was no one here to celebrate, he'd have celebrated with her, but he was buried neck deep in work today! Smiling, he told her she could go.

Riddhima grinned at him. Walking up to him, she hugged him briefly. Pecking him on the cheek, she said, "Thanks! For everything."

Armaan looked at her. Had she really pecked him on the cheek? That'd have to be the second time in 2 days! A grin split his face as he said, "Don't mention it!"

Waving him goodbye, Riddhima rushed down where Ish was waiting for her.

She grinned as she saw him. He was one of her closest friends. At 6 feet, Ishaan Kapoor was what people would call a "hunk". With that smile and charisma to go with it, he was a favorite among girls.

She walked up to him, giving him a hug and a peck on his cheek. "Hey! Damn...Ish you look so much better than the last time I saw you! Last time you had this stubble and you totally looked like a hoodie!"

"Thanks! And shut up! Arjun was in the hospital dude!"

"Yeah I know! How's he doing? Is he at home?"

"Yeah, he's at home and he's fine! Speaking of looking good, look at you! Tell me Riddhi...what's your secret? Itna khaati ho toh moti kyun nahi hoti?"

She winked and said, "Metabolism baby!"

He shook his head and taking her hand led her to the car.

She switched the radio on to her favorite station. Ish had a convertible, and she'd always loved his car.

Ishaan looked at her sitting peacefully. Being with her had always been effortless. They'd always managed to catch up and it was like there had been no time apart. Looking at her, he asked, "So, kahaan jaana hai?"

"Umm lets got to this caf I know in Manhattan. It's totally amazing! I'll put it in the GPS. Seriously, Ish, you've gotta see this!"

"Sure!"

They sat in the caf in one of the corner booths, which had a huge window. He looked around, impressed. "Riddhi, where'd you find this man? This place is beautiful!"

"I didn't find it, Armaan showed it to me!" She smiled as she remembered their day around NYC. It was the same caf in which they had lunched.

Ishaan snapped his fingers in front of her eyes and brought her back to earth.

"Ish! Kya kar rahe ho?"

"First off, public mein Ish mat bulao yaar...it sounds like my name's Ishita or something like that! Secondly, tum kho gayi thi...and who's Armaan?"

"Shut up! Umm Armaan's my boss and friend!"

Ishaan took one look at her and gathered that there was more. Smiling he said, "Poori story bataa...jaldi kise hai?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"This Armaan guy. Tell me all about him! I'm also thinking you're crushing on him?"

Riddhima fought to stop that tinge of embarrassment that threatened to color her cheeks. "I don't know what you mean."

"Aw come on! You know exactly what I mean!!! Out with it Riddhi...you owe me one remember?"

"I don't owe you!!! Since when?"

"Our first 'date'...I confessed...now it's your turn!"

"Acha? Aur confession ke baad setting kisne ki thi? Maine. So technically you owe me one!"

"Whatever! Just tell me!"

And so Riddhima told him everything from the beginning. She told him how she felt that there was this "thing" between them and it kept cropping up...she told him how he'd been an amazing friend...and all about their awesome football match...but when she came to Ashley's bachlorette party, she stopped, as the entire night came back to her.

Ishaan looked at her, bewildered. "What's wrong? Ruk kyon gayi? Oi! Don't stop now na! Itni perfect lovestory hai...it's like a movie man...except, it's pathetically SLOW."

Riddhima's mouth dropped open and she smacked his arm. "It's not a lovestory idiot! And shut up!"

"It SO is! Are you like blind? Anyway, tum aage kaho."

Riddhima tried to skip the bachlorette party, but he caught her and asked her about it. She looked at him in annoyance. How did he manage to catch her like that?

"Ikissedhim." She mumbled, as quietly as possible.

"You what? NO WAY! Did Riddhima Gupta the girl with the no-dating rule actually KISS someone?" he exclaimed.

"I think you were too quiet Ish. A few people at the back didn't hear you." She said, sarcastically.

He ignored her comment and said, "And then?"

"And then what?"

"Arre, after the kiss what?"

"Usske baad kya. Next day, we decided that our friendship was too precious to be ruined by a stupid kiss!"

Now it as Ishaan's turn to gape in horror. "Are you mental? Like stark raving mad? THIS is the point from where you move things forward Riddhima...not ten steps backwards!"

Riddhima looked at Ish. "I'm not crazy! What we decided, was a perfectly sensible decision!" she said, a little defensively.

"Not to mention BORING!" he said.

"Then boring is what I am."

Ishaan looked at her. He knew she didn't believe in love and thought that love didn't exist for her. Clasping her hand, he said, "Riddhima, you can't hold back all your life! I don't know why you don't believe in love, but you've gotta set yourself free! Free to feel whatever you want to! You're basically locking yourself up! Forcing yourself to feel what's "right", what's "sensible". This is your life Riddhima...try to risk it sometimes! Fall in love...get your heart broken...but without the walls that you've built!"

Riddhima looked away in discomfort. The conversation was getting too personal. He looked at her and sensed it and immediately changed the topic. The conversation moved on to random things like the latest movie they'd seen. They didn't mention Armaan again.

That day, as she sat in the cab, waiting to go home she received a text from Armaan.

Reach office by 8 tomorrow! There's a super important meeting :) See ya!

-A

Sure thing! Is it about a project? Like, am I supposed to get something extra?

-R

Naah. Just be there :)

Congratulations on your nomination once again! May you have many more :D

-A

Thank you! Umm do you have any idea when Ash and Nick are back?

-R

They got back today morning! They're joining tomorrow! Nick just texted me.

-A

Cool :) See ya! Goodnight x

-R

As he put his phone down, he wondered, that what was it about her that attracted him. He thought about it and ended up zoning out. Shaking his head, he took his briefcase and left the office, smiling. He'd just let it take where it wants to take him.

She sat in her room, her conversation with Ish replaying in her mind. Was she really wrong? She gave out a humorless laugh. She wasn't wrong. Because love gave nothing but heartbreak. Convinced that it was just some stupid attraction, she slept, dreaming of his blue eyes and his dimpled smile. 

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