Riddhima was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling while she waited for his return. She had come home after he had left from her place to talk to him on her dad's insistence. Yeah.. Her dad had apparently witnessed their argument. She didn't know why he had been eavesdropping on them. But you couldn't call that eavesdropping either. Not like Armaan and she had made any attempts at keeping their volumes down. Anyway, he had most certainly heard a good part of their conversation coz he had not only consoled her but also asked her to come see Armaan. She had been more than just shocked when he had explained to her that though Armaan was asking her to leave him alone, he needed her and she should go talk it out with him. She couldn't believe her papa was actually claiming to understand Armaan more than her. But she kept her shock aside and listened to him at once and drove down to his place to follow her dad's advice. She wondered how Armaan would react when he comes to know about this new development. But that was the least of her concerns at the moment. She just needed to see Armaan. And he wasn't ready to come back home. When she had come there a couple of hours back she had panicked to see him missing. She tried calling him again and again, but he had refused to answer her calls. She had given up on him and given into her tears making up her mind to give him the space that he needed. But still she was worried about his whereabouts and the state he was in. She'd readily give him all the space in the world if he just called her once and assured her that he was okay. So she had sent him a thousand texts pleading him to reply. Finally, his resilience had broken and he had made a call back to her telling her that he had gone off for a drive to cool his head off. When she told him she was at his place he had asked her to go back home. But stubborn that she was, she had waited anyway. It had been two and a half hours now, the digital watch on his side table read 2:45. Her eyes were starting to droop now. She had had a rough day. Plus all the crying had added to the exhaustion. But she forced herself to stay up. How could she sleep knowing that he was losing sleep because of her stupidity. But her body was failing her. And lost in his thoughts she slowly fell into a deep slumber, her subconscious thinking of a way now to find a way out of the mess she had landed herself in.
The shrill sound of the alarm on her phone in the background disturbed her sleep, but was not able to wake her out of it. She frowned in her sleep moving as the sound irritated her. She turned the other side, trying to get away from the disturbance, but found a resisting hold around her waist. Her frown turned into a scowl as she reluctantly opened her eyes, ready to tackle whatever it was that had held her in a shackle. But when she moved the grip just tightened around her, making her wonder for a moment if it was some bizarre nightmare. But her eyes flew open wide awake when she felt slow steady breaths on her nape. She forced a turn against the resisting hold to see that one face that she lived for, an extremely irritated expression on it. Clearly he was as disturbed by the alarm that was still screeching in the background, but probably more irritated by her movement as it took away from him his favorite hideout. She smiled at his expression, as it reminded her of a picture that she had seen in Nikki's book last night when he was angry with Nikki for something. But the thought of that book brought back to her the other memories of last night and she felt that piercing pain again. She caressed his cheeks softly raising a hand to his face as he kept shifting, trying to find that comfort again as he pulled her closer to himself. But when he couldn't, it irritated him to no end. So much that he turned over her, now trying to hold her under him, while extending a hand towards the side table to look for the source of that extremely irritating noise. But before he could find it the alarm had snoozed on its own readying itself to start blaring again after ten minutes to irritate those who had made it what it was in the first place.
Satisfied that the noise was finally gone, Armaan brought his hand up to her shoulder and tried to move her hair so he could make place for himself. Riddhima wondered how he managed all that in his sleep. Was he really asleep! But evidently he was, coz soon enough he had found his comfort zone and stopped moving, his warm breaths and soft lips now caressing her neck as he slept peacefully while raising a storm in her head. She caressed his back and ran her fingers through his hair, comforting him back to sleep, while her head was busy trying to figure out the possibilities that Armaan would be lying in her arms and sleeping like a baby all after what happened between them last night. She wondered when he had returned and whether he had forgiven her. Given that he was cuddling her there was a good chance he was okay now. But maybe he had done that in his sleep and not out of his own will. But then why would he get into the same bed with her. He could have slept anywhere else. But then, this was his bed. Why would he go and sleep somewhere else. Just as these questions created a havoc in her mind, other worries started to creep in to her head. What was she going to do when he wakes up! What was she going to say to him? How was she going to apologize! Maybe she should give her side of the story too. But why should she! Anything she said wasn't justifiable enough in front of what he had said last night. A tear escaped her eye at the thought of that and she held him tighter as those words of his when he had asked her to let him go still resonated in her head. She was never going to let him go.
And just at that thought het stupid alarm started screeching again. Apparently the ten minute snooze-time was up. Armaan groaned in frustration as he heard it go off, "Urrggh.. Someone shut that thing off!!", he whined, trying to bury his face deeper into her neck as if doing that was going to shut the noise out.
Riddhima giggled as she extended her hand out to the side table in search for her phone, but the way Armaan was sprawled over her she couldn't reach it, "Armaan.. Move na.. How am I supposed to shut it off if you're not going to let me..", she requested him trying to get up and move him off her. And that just pissed him off even more, "Tch.. Don't move Riddhima!! I can shut it off myself.. You don't dare to move..", he ordered, glaring at her through the scowl that had formed on his face at being woken out of his sleep. But he didn't let her go as he got back to sleep in exactly the same position, caging her in his hold, while putting off the damned alarm on her phone with one hand, reaching it just on time before it went into auto-snooze again. Satisfied with his achievement Armaan sighed and made himself comfortable as he tried to fall asleep again. But just before he could nod off another ring disturbed him out of it. And this time it was the doorbell. "Tch.. What yaar.. No one lets me sleep! Kabhi stupid alarm, kabhi Basket.. Kabhi doorbell! I hate my life!!", he cursed as he held her tighter and shut his eyes tight, trying to ignore the fact that someone was at the door.
Riddhima couldn't help herself as she burst into a fit of giggles at his reaction.
"What are you laughing at?", he raised his head a little to look at her as he asked her with a frown.
"Nothing.. I'll go get the door.. Tum araam se so jao..", she offered, trying to control her giggles.
But that offer did not go down well with the sleepy head, "Nahi!.. I am not letting you go anywhere.. Besides it must be the newspaper guy.. Abhi ke abhi darwaaza kholne ki zaroorat nahi hai.. But most importantly, I need some sleep.. ", he told her stubbornly as he got back to his sleep, finding his comfort in her arms as he hid his face in her hair.
Riddhima smiled at his cuteness, but couldn't ignore the fact that it was time to get up. They had to get ready and make it to the hospital on time. Moreover, she had to go home first, "Armaan stop acting like a kid now..", she whined as she tried to push him away. At first he completely ignored her attempts. But when she used her ultimate strategy but pulling him up by his hair, he couldn't help but frown, "Tch.. But I cant sleep without you na Riddhima!!..", he said with a scowl, as he pulled her hands away from his hair and held them between him and her.
"Shut up Armaan.. Roz akele nahi sote tum?..", she asked him, bugged with his chipkugiri now. He was the limit. But that hint of annoyance from her side was enough to incite the devil within him. It was revenge time again. His eyes reflected that wicked glint and his teeth flashed through that devilish grin as he pretended to talk in a drunk girly voice, "Nahi.. I hug my pillow and imagine its you.. And dream about you all night.. But then when I get up in the morning you aren't there.. Tum kyun nahi aati Riddhima!!", he imitated her, recounting that hilariously awesome night when she had gotten drunk at Abhi's party.
Riddhima, who was taken aback initially at the way he was talking, scowled as she realized what he was talking about, "Armaan! I don't believe you.. You're still teasing me for that.. ", she asked him in a rhetoric, her face contorted in a painful expression as she remembered that excruciatingly embarrassing night.
Armaan grinned at her reaction. It was exactly what he had hoped for, "Kya karun Basket.. What a night that was.. I cant forget it.. And I am not going to let you forget it..", he continued to tease her, winking at her as he murmured the last bit in a sexy whisper, giving her earlobe a naughty nip. But Riddhima was just mad at him for bringing that up again. When was he going to get over it!! "So mean you are Armaan.. Mujhe tumse baat nahi karni..", she declared, resuming her attempts at pushing him away from her.
But he held her hands in place, and replied back coolly, "Good! Mujhe bhi nahi karni.. I just want to sleep..", and he lowered himself again on her, holding her struggling hands tight in his, preventing her from any kind of protest. When she tried to kick him with her legs as they were free from his hold, he put one leg around both of hers and held them in a tight grip too. Finally realizing that she was completely incapacitated by him she had no option but to whine, "Armaan!! Hato.. Please.. Mujhe ghar jaana hai..", she pleaded, complainingly while he continued to pretend to sleep. But even through his pretence he couldn't stop himself from replying, "Basket.. Ghar pe toh hai.. Aur kitna ghar pe jayegi..", he asked her, mumbling sleepily.
"Armaan.. Stop it!", she said through gritted teeth, his stupidity getting to her now.
"Stop what!!", he asked her hiding his wicked grin in her hair only to make her shout his name in annoyance, "Armaan!!"
"Basket!!", he immitated her tone only to hear her groan in defeat, "Arrgh!!!!!"
As he heard that growl from her he pulled out to look at the expression on her face, "Yeah!! That feels good!", he proudly exclaimed, grinning like a jerk.
"Armaan!.. You're such a jerk!! Such a freak!!", she cursed as she tried to free herself again. But he was only proud, her curses working like compliments for him, "I know right.. I'm the best..", he claimed, letting go of her hands as he wrapped his around her waist. She just slapped him hard on his back the first opportunity she got as she seethed, "Armaan tumhe kya milta hai mujhe pareshaan karne mein.. ", she asked angrily, unable to understand what sadistic pleasure he derived from getting on her nerves.
And his answer was ready even before she completed her rhetorical question, "Satisfaction Riddhima.. In Hindi its called 'santushti'.. Yeah.. I just learnt it yesterday.. One of my patients told me..", he informed her like it was some fun fact, then continued with the justification to his answer, "Nothing is more satisfying than seeing you scowl like that.. Okay.. Maybe sex will be a lil more satisfying.. But I cant comment on that yet.. ", he said as an afterthought, only to deepen that scowl on her face, "Armaan!!! You're disgusting!!", she almost shouted, scandalized by his comments as she went red in embarrassment. Armaan couldn't help but snigger at her reaction, "Yes!! That line is the cherry on the cake.. Now I am absolutely and completely santusht.. But we should try sex one of these days.. You may not find it so excruciatingly painful.. I'm all for sharing the satisfaction.. ", and he winked at her as he cracked his disgusting joke. Riddhima was so repulsed that she stopped struggling and just put her fingers in her ears and shutting her eyes started with, "Lalalalalalalala .. I am not listening to what you're saying.. Lalalalalalalaa.."
Armaan enjoyed the lalala's for sometime, waiting patiently for her to stop so he could continue with the proud display of his crappy sense of humor. But she seemed to have a lot of patience as far as singing lalalalalala was concerned and that too in the most besura voice there was, "Oye.. Shut up.. You're worse than the alarm.. Like seriously.. ", he shut her up when he couldn't take it anymore, with one hand palming her mouth and the other trying to get her fingers out of her ears. She glared at him as he did that, then hit his hand hard till he took it off her mouth, "Let me go..", she said through gritted teeth, pushing him by her hands on his chest.
"No.. Pehle kiss do..", came his prompt demand.
"Tum khud le lo..", she carelessly answered back, still trying to push him away.
But instead of accepting that open invitation from her, all he could think of was, "Wow! That rhymes.. "
"Armaan.. ", she finally groaned his name, giving up on all the pushing and struggling as she just looked at him in defeat.
"And when you say my name like that.. Its even more satisfying..", he sighed as he lowered himself on her again, and hugged her tight, resuming his sleeping activity. But this was the last straw for Riddhima, "Shut up!! Enough now!", she seriously said, shoving him a little hard as she struggled out of his hold. Armaan realized he had exhausted all her patience and tolerance levels and it was time to let go. So very reluctantly he whispered, "Okay.. Enough now.. ", and placed a kiss under her earlobe, nuzzling her neck as he did.
"Seriously Armaan..", she reprimanded him, finally managing to push him off.
"Fine!..Dhakka mat do yaar..", he moved to the side and buried his face in a pillow to get some sleep as she got up, trying to make sure her hair was okay, and disentangling her dupatta from around his arms and legs. She always wondered how her duppatta always managed to get entangled around him. She stretched her lazy muscles as she got out of bed and checked her reflection in the mirror. She noticed her tired eyes that were a little swollen from the crying all night. At that thought, she just looked at herself in the mirror as she started thinking, then at Armaan who was continuously changing sides as he tried to sleep. It suddenly struck her that in his nautanki she had completely forgotten about last night. She needed to apologize. But she didn't want to spoil his mood. She didn't know if he wanted to talk about last night. She wondered if all this naatak was his way of telling her that he doesn't want to remember or reflect on what happened last night. Pretend it didn't happen like he did with his past. She didn't know if that was right or wrong. But now, all she wanted was to do what he wants. She wasn't going to push him into doing anything against his will. If he wanted to talk about it, she'd gladly oblige. Having made that decision, she cautiously walked up to the bed, and sat next to him. She ran a loving hand through his hair then bent down and placed a kiss on his forehead. Armaan who had most certainly been pretending to sleep opened his eyes as he felt her lips on his skin.
"Ab kya hua.. Don't you want to go now..", he asked her with a fake pout, pretending to be irritated with her since she didn't let him sleep. Riddhima just smiled at that expression and shook her head in a no, "I love you..", she said, almost in a whisper, looking straight into his eyes. Armaan looked at her, he could read all the questions in her eyes, but more than that, there was love, the love that was willing to let go of any and every question as long as he was happy. He understood the extent of that love in her eyes. Those three words were not even needed. He raised a hand up to her cheek and caressed it lovingly as he smiled a contended smile. But as much as he tried to stop himself, he couldn't help but ask, "So does that mean I'll get a kiss?..", that naughty glint was back in his eyes and she couldn't help but laugh at the cuteness of it all. So without letting him start another teasing session, she placed her lips on his, giving him a soft sweet kiss. And the way he kissed her back, with such immeasurable love, it moved her to tears. She clutched on to him tight, wishing he'd never let go as she tried to recover from the hurt that had marred her last night. Armaan felt her tears and pulled out of the kiss, sitting up as he made her look at him, "Basket! Why are you crying.. ", he asked her inspite of knowing the answer to that question. Riddhima just quickly wiped her tears, sniffing as she tried to control them, and gave him a teary smile, "Kucch.. Nahi.. I just.. I love you..", she said between her sniffs.
"Anyway.. I must leave.. Tum bhi tayar ho jao.. I'll see you at the hospital..", she told him, trying to calm herself as she got up to leave. She took her keys and her phone from the side table and walked towards the door. But just when she was about to leave, Armaan called out, "Basket!"
She turned around to see him still sitting on the bed where she had left him moments ago. She didn't say anything, just looked at him questioningly, wondering why he had stopped her.
And in answer to her unasked question he asked, "Are we going to talk about what happened last night or just pretend it didn't happen?.. ", and he gave in to his smile at the end of the question, bringing a small smile on her face. She realized he was using the same terms she had used last night to make light of the situation. She knew it was anything but a light matter. But just his attempt at joking about it told her that he wasn't shutting himself from her. And that gave her so much relief, almost wiping away the pain that had settled in her after last night. The one thing she was glad about this move from him was that at least he was giving her a chance to apologize to him. And for that she was grateful.
Armaan had taken his car for a long and rough drive last night in a mad rage after what had happened, not knowing where to go as he tried to run away from himself. Riddhima's accusations and assumptions had him so angry he couldn't even say it. He felt so furious at being told what he should do and not do. Did she really think he didn't know all the shit that she was talking about! But what hurt him most was the fact that she was the one who had made this ridiculous confrontation. He could have taken anyone else say what she had said. But it hurt to know that she didn't understand him. But more than all that, what was paining him most was the floodgates of memories that she had opened out wide as they drowned him slowly, torturing him, preventing him from breathing the air that he lived by. All his pretence for so many years had been exposed by her crazy belief that she could make that pain vanish. He hated her for doing this to him. He hated the fact that the one who he believed to be his all-cure and eternal relief was the one who was responsible for this pain. Where was he supposed to go now! Who would he turn to?!! He was so blinded by the pain and the fury that he wished he could just end everything once and for all. But as always he couldn't manage to curse his Basket for long. After sometime when his anger had cooled down, other thoughts started to make room for themselves in his mind. Like, why would Riddhima do what she did! He knew she had hurt him, but would he ever believe that she would do something like that on purpose! And even if she hurt him in the process, was her intention so wrong! When he found answers to those questions he realized how unfair he had been to her. He was still mad at her no doubt, for trying to make him remember all that he had worked so hard to forget. But he realized that the pain was not just his to bear now. He had burdened her with it the moment he had decided to share it with her. And hence she wasn't completely wrong in trying to make it go away. But she didn't know the magnitude or perhaps had underestimated it. How was someone who had got all the security, support and love in the world to understand the meaning of being left alone! It wasn't really her fault. But there was one thing that she needed to understand badly. She needed to understand that he doesn't need to get away from that pain or from his past. Coz he already had. He had dealt with the pain the best he could. He was still dealing with it the best he could. And digging it up again wasn't going to make it go away. It would just double it. He needed to convince her of that fact. He needed to make her understand. Not so much for him, but for her. He had to make her realize that she was being stupid by trying to look for ways in which she could take away his pain. Coz she already had taken away all the pain. When he was convinced with himself, with her, and the situation they were in, he had come back home to her. To that safe haven which was his ultimate escape. He had decided to talk to her right away eager to put the chaos in her mind to rest, to clear that haze in her head just like he had cleared his own. But when he got back, he saw her curled up on his bed, deep in slumber, distress visible on her face even in her sleep. But the moment his hand caressed her cheek, the frown lines on her forehead ironed out, a small smile played on her lips. He smiled as he watched her sleep, wishing to see this sight for the rest of his life. Such a fool he was to put her through what he had. But he had to admit this time it wasn't just his doing. She had been an equal accomplice. He didn't want to wake her up and disturb that calm that she had probably found after long. So he just snuggled up to her, holding her tight from behind and made himself comfortable in her embrace, a tear escaped his eye as he prayed to that unknown power that he wondered if existed, to keep her with him always and never let her go. As he held her tight to himself trying to get over that hurt and that fear of loss that he had faced tonight, he slowly fell asleep. And even after the emotionally disturbing events of last night, he had slept the most peaceful sleep in her warmth. Until of course that stupid alarm clock had woken them up! And ever since his sleep had been broken, he had wondered how he was going to bring up the topic and confront her with it. But he didn't know how. So he tried to sleep it away. But then when he started with his most favorite activity in the world he had gotten too engrossed in all the teasing to worry about it. But when he kissed her, her tears had made him realize how important it was to talk to her about it. Not knowing how else to start the topic, he had tried to joke about it as usual, trying to maintain that light atmosphere that his fooling around had created. But she did not answer him at all. In fact she was still standing at the door looking at him with that mysterious smile on her face while he waited for her to say something.
"Basket.. Are you going to say something or not?", he finally asked her when she seemed to not answer him at all.
"What should I say Armaan?", she asked him, still trying to figure out how she should start with her apology without mentioning his past too much. It was bound to come up.
But Armaan was bored out of this wait now. So he just asked her straight away, "So Do you want to talk about last night?"
"You tell me Armaan.. Jo tum chaho..", she replied, not knowing what he really wanted. She was okay with it either way. She didn't want him to do this just for her.
But Armaan made a face at that reply as he got up from the bed and went towards her, "Jo tum chaho?!!.. Gosh Riddhima.. Humari shaadi nahi huyi hai ab tak.. You have time till you have to act like the pativatra patni..", he teased her, taking her hand and leading her to the couch.
"Pativatra nahi Armaan.. Its pativrata.. ", she corrected him as he sat on the couch and pulled her down on his lap.
"Yeah whatever.. You should know better.. After all you're the pativatra patni..", this time purposely saying it wrong to get her irritated.
"Armaan please can we get serious.. Shut up now..", she scolded him, not wanting another mindless argument.
"Arre.. Fine I'll shut up.. Does that mean you're doing the talking?..", he asked her, leaning back on the couch, indirectly asking her to start the discussion coz he didn't know what to say. If she'd wait for him to start it then he'd probably just go on with his tomfoolery till she gets mad at him and walks out. But he also knew that this talk was important to have.
Riddhima just watched him, trying to decipher his emotions as he looked at her expectantly. Finally she concluded that she would have to start the conversation. But how was she supposed to do that. She didn't know what to say. She just needed to apologize. So that's exactly what she said, "I don't have much to say but a sorry Armaan.. I'm sorry.. But I.. I really didn't know that I was hurting you so much by doing whatever I was doing.. I swear.. Really..", and the tears prickled her eyes as she even attempted to talk about it. Armaan couldn't bear that guilt and suddenly found the words that he needed to express what he felt, "I know Basket.. You don't have to be sorry..", he consoled her pulling her closer to him. She rested her forehead on his shoulder as she replied, "Of course I do Armaan.. Coz whatever I did caused you so much pain and hurt.. I didn't want that Armaan. I was just trying to make you feel better.. But everything went wrong.. Armaan.. I didn't know Nikki would tell you about my visit to her place. I was going to tell you about it anyway, once I figured everything out.. But everything went wrong yesterday Armaan.. I didn't want it to happen like that.. I swear.. I'm not lying.."
"I know Riddhima.. You don't have to justify yourself..", he couldn't see her pleading her case to him like that. But she did need to give her justifications, "I do Armaan.. Please listen to me.. I didn't realize what this would do to you.. If I had known I would have never done such a thing. But its just that ever since Juhi came I just couldn't bear to see that emptiness back in your eyes. When you yelled at me that night, I just wanted to come over and hug you Armaan.. But I realized you needed time on your own.. But after she left and especially after I came to know about your house in Delhi I just made up my mind to rid you of that pain once and for all.. It hurt real bad Armaan to not know what to do.. I felt so helpless.. But when I found a way, everything went wrong.. Now I know, it was bound to go wrong either way.. Coz whatever I would do I'd end up hurting you like I did last night..", she told him everything that she had gone through in the last two three days. She just laid out to him every thought even that had crossed her mind. Armaan smiled as she did that, wishing that she had spoken up earlier, "Basket.. You know what.. Agar tumne mujhse yeh baat pehle keh di hoti, last night would have never happened.. Riddhima I don't believe I am saying this, but tumne hi kaha tha na, that we must tell each other everything we feel.. If my past was bothering you so much Riddhima you should have just told me about it.. I knew you were disturbed because of Juhi's mention of my house in Delhi.. But you didn't ask.. You just tried to ignore it.. And I didn't want to remind myself about it either Riddhima.. And I'm sorry I didn't tell you about it. But the only reason I did that was coz I knew you would want to go visit it.. Aur main wahan nahi jana chahta Riddhima.. I cant.. It's a part of my life that I don't want to relive..", he tried to explain to her as he made his point. Riddhima nodded in acceptance but she just told him what she and her brilliant brain had thought, "I just thought if you face it, if you relive it, you'll get over it Armaan.. I thought you had kept all the pain in you.. I thought that everyone was wrong in thinking that you've dealt with your pain so well.. Coz I thought they don't know you at all.. They haven't seen your pain.. And you've hidden it so well from them.. So I figured that you're running from your past.. And the only way to free you from the hurt was to stop you from pretending that you were fine.. "
Armaan looked into her eyes as they tried to tell him what she had felt and tried to do. But it was time to free her of the guilt as he genuinely accepted what he had tried to hide for so long. He couldn't hide it from her. She was after all the same as him. How long could he lie to himself, "You were right Riddhima.. I was running away from my past.. Pretending to be happy.. You were right in analyzing everything..", he told her softly, not breaking eye contact, reminding himself that this was very important , as he continued his confession, "Nobody understands the depth of my pain like you do Riddhima.. Coz they don't know what I've gone through. You're the only person who knows my pain.. You're the only one in this entire world who knows me for what I really am.. And I had not planned on sharing this pain with you, trust me.. But keeping it from you was like cheating on myself.. Its like lying to myself.. So I told you everything about my life Riddhima.. Things that I had not even thought about to myself in all these years.. And I know it hurts you as much to see me in that pain.. Its coz you go through it too Basket.. But you were the one person I couldn't keep up my pretence. Coz you are me Riddhima.. And I am sorry that I gave you this burden. But I couldn't keep it from you, like I cant keep It from myself. But do you realize you're the only one with whom I don't have to pretend.. Not because you know what that part of me that the world doesn't know. But because its you! I am genuinely happy when I see you.. I'm happy everyday that you're there with me.. There's this unexplainable feeling of being high that just magnifies with the amount of time I spend with you.. When I'm with you I don't run away from my past Basket.. Coz I don't even remember it.. I don't have to pretend that it doesn't hurt, coz it actually doesn't.. I don't have to pretend to be happy, coz I don't know why just the thought of you makes me happy.. Its so weird.. I cant even explain it.. Basket.. You don't have to go looking around for answers and solutions.. You want to take away my pain!.. Just be with me Riddhima.. You're all I need.. I understand that what you are trying to do is help me.. But I don't want to go back and relive that past and ruin this life with you Basket.. I don't want you to go through the pain.. Coz I know it hurts you when it hurts me.. And I don't want that to happen.. As far as I am concerned I can face anything if you're around.. I don't want to visit my past again coz its got nothing but immeasurable pain.. I don't want to relive all that again.. I'm better off without it.. I just want to look forward to our future Basket.. Just one year with you Riddhima and I hardly ever thought of my painful past except when circumstances reminded me of it.. I know an entire lifetime with you will erase every single pain that I've faced.. I don't want to bring back all that and take a step backwards.. I don't want that pain to drown you along with me Riddhima. And trust me, its so much, that its quite likely it may happen.. Can we just forget all that happened in my past and concentrate on our life.. Coz trust me Basket, since the time you've come in my life, you're what I'm living for.. I know I sound extremely filmy, but I mean every word of it.. And I don't think I need to convince you about it.. "
She had tears in her eyes by the time he had finished his explanation, his every word resounding, reverberating in her mind, freeing her of whatever guilt and hurt there was. His words were like magic, healing the wounds that she thought would never go away. As she felt his hand on her cheek, trying to wipe off the tears, she held it tight pressing it close to her cheek. She wanted to tell him all that she was feeling and so much more, but fell short of words as his still played back in her head, "I.. I just.. I love you.." , she said simply. And that was enough for him to take her in a loving kiss, closing in the little distance between them. It was weirdly ironical that how in that lip-lock they had found a feeling of liberation. Like she felt his pain, he felt hers too. And just like that they could feel each others' happiness too.. And right now, at this moment, they felt like the happiest two people on earth.
When they came out of the kiss for air, she held his face in her hands caressing his cheek with her thumb as she looked in his eyes, "I don't have anything else to say.. But I promise you Armaan, that I'll always be there.. No matter what..", she said, still panting as she tried to recover her breaths from the kiss.
Armaan gave her his best dimpled smiles at that, joining his forehead with her as he said, "That's all I need.." and she could see it in his eyes. But then as and after thought he added, "And I also need lots of kisses.. And lots of make out sessions.. And if you don't mind.. The most satisfying activity of them all..", he winked at her pulling her closer by the waist as he leaned in for a kiss. But she frowned at that comment of his and at what he meant, "Armaan!!! Tum nahi sudhroge.. Disgusting..", she spat, smacking his head, hoping it gets some brain in it.
But Armaan had found a reason to start with his favorite activity, "I was talking about the teasing Basket.. Tum aise disgusting cheezein sochti ho toh main kya karun.. ", mocked her as she started with her, "Armaan.. Tum.. tum.. Tum.."
He held the finger of hers that she was angrily pointing at him and pulled her closer while she tried to get away, "Exactly.. This angry finger pointing and Tum.. Tum.. Tum.. Is also very satisfying.. Man ko shanti mill gayi.. No what was that.. Santushti.." and he laughed at his own joke while Riddhima screeched out an "Armaan!!!" And they continued to bicker. No actually it was just Armaan's teasing and his quest to achieve 'santushti' while Riddhima wondered when this torture would end. But given the fact that she had just moments ago promised to be with him forever. Forever was a really really long time if most of it was going to be spent in this 'satisfying' activity of his.. Maybe she needed to reconsider that decision!
Pati Patni Aur Panga
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