Part 3
Siddhant's POV:
''It's 4.05pm, and she's still not here.'' I spoke to myself. I paced slowly up and down starbucks, waiting for Shilpa - she was late. Or did she not want to see me? I gulped. No. I needed her the most right now. I know I've hurt her alot these past years, but she was, and maybe still is the only person that understands me. I do love Riddhima but there's a difference between love and understanding. Just because you love someone doesn't mean you understand them. In some cases, it does mean that - but in other cases it doesn't. She's never been able to understand me, or love me. I don't blame her - she has never been able to get over her first love. Well, neither have I. She is my first love, and most likely the only person I have ever loved this much. I don't think I can fall in love again. How can I? I'm married to Riddhima, and I love her. Sigh. I glanced at my gold watch again. 4.10pm. Where was she? Did she decide to bail on me on the last minute?
At 4.15pm, I got up and decided to got another coffee. The first coffee, i ordered for myself and Shilpa... had turned cold. Getting up and felt a tap on my shoulder. I immdiently turned around, smiling to the familiar face infront of me. ''Shilpa.'' I whispered with a strange happiness which formed within me. I grabbed her and embraced her tightly not wanting to let go. It was then I felt 'it' for the first time. But no, I had felt this before... not with Riddhima though... but with Shilpa.. on the night before my wedding. I knew she felt it too then, but she ignored it... just like me... ''Need...to...breathe.'' I heard Shilpa struggle in my grasp. I immidiently let go and saw her smile which had been missing for quite some time. ''I missed you...'' I spoke preventing the tears from falling. I realized a few tears descended down from Shilpa's eyes. I leaned forward brushing them away with the tip of my fingers. It was then I realized how her made me touch feel. ''I thought you wouldn't come..'' I spoke again holding her right hand in mine. She was my best friend; then why did I feel so different towards her... ''Sid, no matter what happened or will happen, nothing changes our friendship.'' She spoke softly gripping my hand. Her touch felt electrolyzing. I quickly let go of her hand. It was wrong. I laughed nervously, ''I need to talk to you.'' She smiled,''I know that's why you called me here.'' I smiled back, ''Yeah, let's sit.'' I took out a chair for her as she sat down. I walked towards my chair opposite her and sat down. ''So...'' She said not knowing what to say. Was there anything she could say after everything I've done. '''So...'' I said, nervously not knowing how to start. When I saw the look on her face, I breathed in and began...''I know what I've done till date has been wrong, and IS wrong...'' She looked at me trying to read me. ''Sid, Please tell me what you want to say, I lo-'' She stopped halfway, and blinked... ''What I meant was, I'm always here for you.'' She laughed nervously. Somethimg was different... she nearly said something... but what? ''You we're saying?'' She asked. ''Oh right... yeah I was saying, I know I've made so many mistakes which are unforgiveable... but I want to make up for them...'' She smiled. ''How?'' She asked... ''I know this sounds bad to you, but I think it's for the best...'' She looked at me bewildered. ''I mean... I want to... I-I... wo mein... I...'' I stumbled. I planned telling her this, then why am I backing down. ''Sid, look at me... tell me... it's okay.'' She squeezed my hand and kept it there... That's how I got the confidence to tell her. ''I want to divorce Riddhima.'' There I said it. I closed my eyes scared of the response. When I heard nothing, I slowly opened my eyes to see her crying. ''Shilpa! Are you okay? Why are you crying? I'm so so sorry... Please Shilpa stop crying.'' I wiped her tears, while she cried into my chest. I let her be for awhile, until she pulled away wiping her tears. ''Sorry Sid, I must have scared you...'' She laughed. ''Actually these are happy tears...'' ''What?'' I asked confused. ''Sid, Sid, Sid! Tum kitna innocent ho!'' She smiled. ''Shilpa, I don't understand a thing!'' I asked scratching my head. ''Uff Sid, let me tell you...first let's sit down.'' We both took our seats and she continued. ''Sid, I am proud of you, finally you accepted your mistake, and you going to divorce Di, because I've seen, and I know your not happy with her, and she's not happy with you... and now you can both start your lives afresh!'' I looked at her, God she is so beautiful. ''But I have a condition.'' I kept her eyes locked in mine. ''In order for me to be happy, for everyone to be happy, YOU have to be happy aswell.'' I told her. ''Meaning?'' She looked at me, keeping her eyes in mine. ''Meaning, you have to divorce Armaan.'' I told her as-a-matter-of-factly. She looked away. I knew she was hurt because she loved Armaan, but she needed to realize, everyone needs to go their own way now, everyone has to move one, including her. ''Shilpa look at me.'' She slowly locked her eyes in mine. ''I know it's hard because you loved Armaan as much as I loved Riddhima, but Shilpa look.. neither of them love us do they? They do, but as friends they never looked at us like we looked at them. They didn't want to hurt us, but unintentionally they hurt us, and we hurt them. We both thought after marriage, they would fall in love with us, but instead their love became stronger. I remember that day I saw that love burning in both their eyes, their pain of seperation.. I realized it then, Riddhima could never be mine... but I didn't want to believe it. But now... it's not to late, for them to realize their love, for us to move on... for all of us to be free. I DID love Riddhima, but I loved her because of who she was... and now... I don't think I love her anymore, not because she doesn't love me, but because I've realized we can never be one. We both loved who they we're... but now it's different. You have to realize that.'' I explained to her hoping she would undertstand. ''Sid, I know what you're trying to say, and... I agree... when I spoke to Armaan's mom, I understood it then... but like you I didn't want to believe it. Let's do this Sid, let's live... let's move on. I got offerent a trasfer to London, at Sanjeevni, so I might take that up.'' She replied. ''Your not alone Shona, I'm here, always... and I'm going with you to london.'' ''What? Lekin Sid-'' She tried to protest. ''No buts, Shona we need eachother.'' She smiled at me, and I knew then... we we're moving on.
Health and Fitness
