PART 22 (a)
She walked in the empty corridor of the office, singing to herself.
"Wanna be my chammak challo...o...o..."
"My, my. You just can't resist me can you? Ab toh you're even singing the songs!"
She stopped short as she heard him speak and raised an eyebrow. "The songs?"
"Arre the songs yaar! You know, the songs people sing when they're in LOVEEE..." he said, laughing.
"I think you have a warped sense of humor, Armaan. That sounded like a love song to you? Tch. Bad taste!"
"Acha toh what type of song was it? Enlighten me, Miss Gupta. After all, you're the music police."
"Pssht. It's a song NOT about love, but basically, about sex! The guy wants to sleep with her!"
"Haww...matlab you wanna sleep with me?"
"Say whaaat?" she asked, horrified at his conclusion. Yeh aadmi poori tarah se pagal hai. Pata nahi kyun iska dimaag in sab cheezon mein sabse aage rehta hai! Idiot!
"Arre, usme itna shock kyun ho rahi ho, jaaneman?"
"Ewww Armaan! Don't go all cheesy on me! Geez. No wonder you don't have a girlfriend! Aisi baatein karoge toh ladki kya koi LADKA bhi tumse nahi patega!"
"Haan haan. Baat toh aise kar rahi ho, jaise you have a boyfriend! Tumhe bhi kisi ko pataana nahi aata!"
"Please. I can totally pataofy a guy!"
"Uh...earth calling, Riddhima! Apne sapno ki duniya mein se bahar aao!"
"Whatever. Mujhe ladko ko pataana aata hai!"
"Nahin aata! Don't get all hot and bothered Riddhima! Kuch aisi cheezein hoti hai jo bas, tum kar hi nahi sakti! We should leave them aside!"
"Main KAR sakti hoon! Ab toh tum ruko. I'll show you." She pointed to a serious geeky looking guy working on his computer. "Watch and learn, baby."
Armaan gave a short laugh. "Tum ussko definitely nahi pataa sakti. That's Vince. He's the most hardworking and serious guy in the office. Koi uska concentration nahi bigaad sakta. Pick another guy."
The challenge in Armaan's voice made her all the more determined to do it. She went in her cabin and put her bag down. Coming outside, she stood in front of Armaan.
Armaan looked at her. She wore a formal shirt and skirt with her hair tied back. He stared back into her eyes. The challenge was on.
Riddhima opened her hair and tousled it a little, making her look sexy. Armaan's eyes widenen when she opened the top two buttons on her shirt. She gave him a smoldering look and he went kaput. Just then he heard her say, "Tumhi mujhse pat jaate ho! And then you challenge me. Really, Armaan."
Armaan blinked out of the trance and turned red with embarrassment. She shouldn't be allowed to look this sexy. "Iske against koi law hona chahiye..." he muttered under his breath.
He saw her opening the door of the office and pulled her towards him. She crashed into his chest. Riddhima looked at Armaan. He was dazzlingly close and she couldn't help but lose her sanity. He smelt of after shave. And something else. But before she could do or say anything she heard his voice.
"Obviously, I'm not the only one..." he said. Laughing he made his way back to his office while she was left standing there, red-faced.
"Catch me!" she instructed him. It was evening and they were practicing flips, lifts and dives. It'd been three weeks since they were rehearsing and things were going well. Armaan wasn't exceptional, but he was definitely good. Riddhima was glad he was strong. That gave them an added advantage while doing lifts of a complicated nature.
She pirouetted towards him and he lifted her effortlessly, holding her up until she told him to lower her.
"Yay! We did it!" she said, hugging him in enthusiasm. He hugged her back. Finally, they were getting somewhere.
"Now that we're done with the flips and stuff we'll start the actual dance, okay?"
He nodded, smiling. "Are you going to play the video side by side?"
"Yep! It's much easier when you have a visual reference!"
He sat and watched the entire video, wondering if he'd be able to do justice to the dance. A while later they were standing, while she explained to him the positions and movements.
It was almost time to go home but they were busy finishing last moment stuff. Riddhima was trying to teach Armaan how to spin, without falling to one side or losing your balance, but this was Armaan's waterloo. While he had managed to do every step so far, this one failed him.
She watched him try once more and end up losing his balance. Walking up to him, she tapped him on the shoulder.
"Kya hai?" he frowned. He hated it when he wasn't able to do something.
"Main sikhaati hoon." She said smiling. And she started teaching him.
Armaan tried to ignore the sensations coursing through his body at her touch. She was oblivious to them as she moved her hands over his body, indicating how he should move so that he doesn't go off balance. Trying not to think about how her touch sent shockwaves through his body, he focused on how to spin.
Riddhima finished teaching him and he took a deep breath to remove all that frustration that he felt after trying [and failing] to spin effortlessly. Feeling calmer, he did what Riddhima had told him to and spinned.
Riddhima cried out in exultation as he did a perfect spin. She ran up to him and hugged him. He laughed at her enthusiasm, it was infectious. Grinning he hugged her back, bringing her just a little bit closer. He loved how she was so chirpy all the time.
"Phew! Now we can finally go home! Aakhir tumne kar hi diya!" she said, breaking apart.
"Of course I did it! Armaan Malik jo kehta hai woh kar ke dikhaata hai." He said, pulling his non-existent collar up.
"What in the world is wrong with you? Chi Armaan, tum kitne cheesy ho!"
"But you want me just the same don't you?" he said, winking.
"Uff! Really Armaan, I'm scared. Tumhe kuch ho toh nahi gaya?! Why are you behaving so insanely?!"
In mock seriousness he said, "Kuch kuch hota hai Riddhima, tum nahi samjhogi."
And they both laughed out loud as he spouted the age-old line from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.
It was 8.30 pm when she reached home. Opening the door she looked around. She'd thought Rahul and Muskaan would be at the dining table, readying it for dinner.
"Rahuuulll! Muskaaan! I'm homeee! Main shower lekar aati hoon, you guys come down! I'm hungry, jaldi karo!"
She went up to her room for a quick shower. Coming down, she was greeted with silence. She wondered where they were.
"I'm SO sure they're making out! Tch. Yeh dono bhi na! Apni hi dhun main hote hain!"
Riddhima went to the living room but didn't find anyone there. Puzzled, she searched everywhere, calling out for them. Annoyed she went to the T.V room only to see Rahul staring at the T.V.
"Rahul! Uff! Gadhe tu yahaan hai? Itna chilla rahi thi, suna nahi?! Chal na! I'm hungry! Aur Muski kahaan hai?"
She noticed he didn't hear her. She sat down beside him and tapped him on the shoulder. He jumped, startled. "Ridzy tu? Tu kan aayi?"
"Main toh kabki aa chuki hoon! I was looking for you guys!" She saw the worry and tension in Rahul's eyes. "Rahul?"
"Hmm?"
"Kya baat hai?"
"Arre kuch bhi toh nahi! Tu chalna khaane!"
"Dekh Rahul, mujhse mat chupa! Muski ke saath jhagda kiya kya? Usme sad mat ho! You know her!"
"Nahin aisa kuch nahi! Chod na Riddhima!"
She frowned. He never called her Riddhima. And she wouldn't leave it so easily. "Mujhe nahi bataaoge? Tum toh mere best friend ho na!"
He smiled at that. Sitting down he told her everything. It'd been a week since Muskaan missed her period and they thought she was pregnant. Rahul recounted everything to her. He'd been so excited. She'd been so excited. They'd woven dreams with this baby and now that they were on the brink of happiness, they wanted it all. But just as they were about to visit a gynecologist, she got her period. And he'd never been so disappointed. What followed that was an argument. And in the heat of the moment, he told her she didn't understand how important this baby was to him. Told her, that she didn't get him, because she wasn't an orphan.
Riddhima hugged Rahul as his words played in her mind. Rahul had never expressed his desire for a family. She had always thought he was happy even though he was an orphan. In fact it was she who had always wanted a family. And look where that got me. A voice whispered in her mind. Focusing on the task at hand she sqeezed Rahul reassuringly.
"Rahul."
"Rahul idhar dekh!"
He looked at her with bloodshot eyes. He didn't know how to make it better.
"Dekh, tujhe pata hai na ki jo tune kaha woh galat hai? Rahul, Muski hum dono ko bachpan se jaanti hai. If there's anyone who understands you, it's her! Forget what you said. Emotional moment tha, gusse mein keh diya. Lekin ab jaake usse baat toh kar! She's just hurt Rahul! Aur pregnant na hone ka gam toh usko bhi hai. Did you think about that? She was trying to make it better for you. But she's hurt too, isn't she? Sapne toh usne bhi dekhe the! Chal woh san chod, jaa aur usse baat kar."
"She won't forgive me."
"Of course she will! Aisi stupid baatein na mere saamne mat kiya kar! Chal mere saath! Where is she?"
"Room mein hai. Chal!"
They went up to Rahul and Muski's room and saw her sitting in the balcony. Riddhima urged Rahul to go to her.
Rahul moved towards her and came to stand beside her. "Muskaan..."
Muskaan got up and quickly wiped her tears. Looking at Rahul she said, "Dekh Rahul, I'm sorry. I probably don't understand what you-"
"I'm sorry." He said, simply and kissed her. Riddhima smiled at them and slipped away leaving them alone while she got the table ready for dinner.
Financial markets and global economy
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Aami Daakini
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