Meant to Be(ar ff), ch-10, pg-7 - Page 3

awww girl that was really a nyc moment yu portrayed!! i liked ridhima's innocence... and i know she still luvs armaan!! cant wait for the story to unfold!! :) :) kudos!!!!

Nice part.
Update asap.
Plz pm me.
T.c.

Nice ff...n a great start fr u...!!!
Pm me plz

loved it...do pm me the next time u write...
u write beautifully...
waiting for the next update...

hey everyone!!!!! thanks guy for all your generous comments. i'm thrilled that you guys are liking the story!!!!!

That was so sweet . Plz update the nxt part soon.

Nice part.
Luvd it.
Thanx 4 d pm

Chapter-8

The next three weeks in sanjeevani passed by in a blur. Their workload, as promised by Dr. Keerti was increased only gradually, what she didn't tell them was how gradual it would be. Every day at work was more exhausting than the previous one. But the gang didn't complain much.

That day when the gang was gathering in the locker room they were pleasantly surprised to see Atul and Anjali waiting for them. They were there to invite them all to lunch with them as they wanted them to meet someone. But they refused to divulge more and left them all wondering.

They had just been allotted their duties and Nikki had told Riddhima to proceed towards the general ward where the two of them had their duty and she would join her in a bit as she had to make an important call. Nikki was talking on the phone and walking while checking out her new nailpaint when suddenly she crashed into someone. Both their heads collided with a bang and her iphone smashed to the floor………

"W*F!!!!!! Dekh ke nahi chal sakte kya????" she scowled.

"excuse me? Dekh kar main nahi chal raha tha ya tum??" dared the stranger.

"obviously tum and look at my phone!!!!" she retorted.

"hello miss! Tum hospital mein chal rahi ho na ki kisi park mein. Understand?" he mocked.

"tumse matlab! And waise bhi tum hote kaun ho mujhse is tarah baat karne wale?ek toh itna costly phone gira diya upar se….. You know who I am?oh no, how would you know? I am a senior doctor here okay. Get that? And you must be some patient's relative I assume?so mister is that the way to talk to senior doctors huh? Agar maine tumhari complaint kar di na toh dekhna……" Nikki gloated. She knew she was bluffing but she couldn't control herself when that guy was throwing her those glares.

While on the other hand the stranger looked pretty amused with this piece of information and smirked at her while giving her the 'oh really???' kinda looks

"why are you laughing? Have I cracked a joke or something?" she hissed but his expression didn't change much. Finally deciding against wasting any more time in this useless argument she 'ugghhhed' the stranger and turned to pick up her phone and grumbling, made her way to the general ward.

……….

On reaching the caf for lunch they saw Atul and Anjali sitting at their regular table but they were joined by someone else too but the person was sitting with their back facing them. The gang, after placing their orders made their way to Atul and Anjali's table too……

"oh ! hi guys! You'll finally here! We were waiting for you!" said Anjali vibrantly.

"yeah! Remember we told you we wanted you to meet someone! So here you go. This is abhimanyu modi. Our colleague and a very good friend and your senior. He was not around earlier coz he was in Pune for some research work." Said Atul, almost in a single breathe.

"relax Atul! Lemme introduce myself on my own!"

"hey guys! I'm abhimanyu, abhi for friends n you guys can call me that too, I'm basically with the neurology department and very soon I may be working with couple of you too….." he said with a bright smile. Anjali took upto herself to introduce the interns……

"okay so guys now you know abhi, and abhi this is Armaan, Rahul , Muskaan , Riddhima and Nikki ."

Abhi was shaking hands with everyone and stopped to do a double take when he saw Nikki. While Nikki who was busy sending some texts using Armaan's phone(coz her own wasn't working!!) looked up when her name was mentioned and looked thunderstruck. Her mouth fell open!!!!

All through the lunch she was trying to avoid him as much as he could but got a feeling that he was looking continuously in her direction. She could not be certain coz she didn't lift up her eyes very much, cursing him and herself under her breathe. Meanwhile the others were having fun……..

"so guys!!! Tell me how are you liking sanjeevani?" enquired abhi and got quite a positive response.

" and how was your fresher's party?" he quizzed again

"actually abhi we have'nt had any fresher's yet!" complained Muskaan.

"why guys? Why are you spoiling our image as seniors!" he questioned Anjali and Atul very melodramatically.

"actually! We were waiting for you only abhi we thought that it would be more fun with you around!" Anjali answered apologetically.

"no that's cool anjie! You know what I have a fantastic idea! Why not have a party tonight! My place? As it is we have just met! You guys have bonded well with anjie and Atul, I don't want to lag behind! It'll be fun n we'll get to know each other better…..what say????"

"I think it's a great idea!" said Rahul , enthusiastically.

"I agree… it'll be a nice break too…." Added Muskaan .

"I'm game for it!" Armaan quipped.

Nikki and Riddhima looked at each other……ohhh!!!! This was so not the way they had expected this to turn out …….niki because she was still hot in the cheeks on realizing that she had made a complete loser of herself in front f her senior in the very first meeting! A very hot senior indeed! And Riddhima because 'partying' was so not her cup of tea……atleast for quite a while now……….

"why? What happened to you two?" demanded Muskaan .

"ummm………actually….." Riddhima was in a tight spot.

"ridzi will come…….sure…why not?" said Anjali more as a statement and not a question.

"and nikki's coming too!" it was Armaan who said this and everyone on the table except for the two girls seemed pretty thrilled about the prospect of a 'fun' evening.

"okay then see you guys at 8. My place."

"yup! Now I think we should make a move. Btw nice meeting you abhi!" said Rahul cordially

"nice meeting you guys too!" with that he moved to the opposite end of the table where Nikki was sitting and bent down very slightly and whispered, "especially, you! Miss 'senior doctor'" in her ears and gave her a mischievous smile. Nikki felt the colour rush to her cheeks and the heat rise in her ears.

……….

"di aapne kyun kaha sabse ki main aaungi? You know I don't like parties!!!" Riddhima whined.

"yeah ridzi I know you don't like parties now, but I also know that you 'used to' like them. Didn't you? So why not now? Come on now……get ready or else we'll get late!"

"but I don't want to get ready….i don't wanna go!" she whined again.

"come on ridzi itna bhi bhaav mat kha…..chal na…..you'll like it, I know you'll enjoy. Plus it'd be plain rude not going now ……..you have accepted the invitation and now you should go."

"oh it was not me who accepted the invitation…..it was you…."

"ufff…..yeh ladki bhi naa!!!" suddenly Anjali's phone rang. She put the call on loudspealer as she was busy applying makeup. It was Atul. "where are you guys anjie?" he inquired. "bas Atul I'm almost ready par ridzi ko tum hi samjhao!" she sounded exasperated.

Riddhima was now in half minds ……that was when she heard the familiar voice. It was coming from anjie's phone. It was faint( hey champ, come again his floor number?). his voice made her long to see him and then she was decided.

"okay di! Now don't involve jeej in this. I'll come." And with a sigh she went into the washroom to change.

……..

When Anjali and Riddhima entered, the party was on in full swing. Abhi had made quite wonderful arrangements on a very short notice. Soon everyone gathered in the lounge with their drinks. Anjali and Atul were sitting together and talking in whispers. Rahul was having an animated chat with Muskaan on his left and abhi on his right. Riddhima seemed to be lost in her train of thoughts and hardly noticed when Armaan came and sat beside her with Nikki in tow.

Soon the music became softer and Anjali and Atul left for the dance floor. "ahh! Lovebirds" abhi sighed and excused himself to look after the snacks and other stuff.

In the meanwhile rahul asked Muskaan for dance and to his amazement she accepted almost immediately. While Riddhima who had just returned to planet earth noticed that Armaan and Nikki were having some sort of an argument…..

"look he's coming here and he's going to ask you for dance…..you dare not say no…..got that Nikki ?"

"but Armaan he could be asking Riddhima also?" she said hoarsely.

"do I look that dumb! I know when something's cooking okay! He had eyes only for you at lunch! Btw you still haven't told me the whole story!" he accused.

"whatever! I'm so not going to dance with him."

"you bet?" he was grinning his smug grin.

"you really think he would ask me and not Riddhima ?"she grinned sheepishly.

And true enough, abhi and Nikki hit the floor soon after. That left only Armaan and Riddhima in the lounge.

Awkward silence. Riddhima was petrified at the prospect of a dance with Armaan. This was the reason she had wanted to avoid coming here in the first place. But then it was his voice that made her want to see him. But then again having him in such proximity could be disastrous!!!!

It all came all of a sudden. A flash and she was back in time.as if a film was playing in her mind: She was with him- happiness! Pure bliss!, then he was not there- heartbreak! And pangs of guilt and loneliness. Then the most horrible of those painful memories – her mom was just lying there lifeless, she was shattered! The tears brimming in her eyes were threatening to spill over.

Armaan knew this was a panic attack. He didn't know if it would be the wisest move to just hug her. Then he decided against the hug and moved closer to her and simply took her hand into his and gave it a light squeeze.

Riddhima felt the familiar touch on her hand and turned to her side to find him smiling at her reassuringly. For a moment she thought her heart just stop beating. Was this for real? She attempted a feeble smile but failed miserably. She felt like hugging him right then but something stopped her. What if she was imagining things and he was actually trying to say something else.

Armaan noticed her confusion and he simply hated to see her pale face, devoid of any innocence……the fear and pain in those green eyes just killed him.

"you know what will help?" he posed

"oh god please make him say anything but dance!" she muttered under her breathe.

He chuckled. " I wasn't going to ask you for a dance! What I actually meant was a 'walk'. But only if you're okay with it."

She hesitated a bit. "I think I could do with some fresh air!" she said trying to control her voice from cracking.

………

They were walking towards a park near the building in silence when Armaan decided this was the right time to make her understand a few things.

"basket! are you okay now?" he asked tentatively.

"umm…..i don't know Armaan ." she answered honestly.

"do you mind if I ask what exactly is troubling you?"

"yes I do mind!"

"oh come on ya!"

"I dunno …..you might think I'm crack or something!"

"you're wrong!"

"about what?"

"that I 'might think' that you're mad! I 'know' you're mad!"

"armaaan!!!"

"okay calm down! Listen it may help you know! Talking always helps! You always used to say that!"

"MOM always used to say that!"

"so I was right! You WERE thinking about her!"

"how did you know?"

Silence….

"you probably don't know…..mom is ……"

"no more ……yeah I know that….."

"how?"

"does that really matter?"

"actually no it doesn't!" she sighed. "honestly,I was thinking about you both…you and mum……the old times……"

"why?" he asked very seriously.

"what do you mean 'why'?"

"I mean why do you have to get all sobbing when you think about the old times….was your life so miserable?" he tested

Riddhima was taken aback. She expected sympathy here!

"answer my question Riddhima ."

"how dare you call my life miserable! I mean those were the most precious moments of my life!"

"what a genius way of celebrating memories by making them a sob story! Trust basketwith this stuff!" he taunted. And it hurt her real bad!

"listen Armaan if you really think I'm a drama queen or something why don't you just let me be? If you can't help then don't create more trouble okay! Just back off!"

"I'm sorry to disappoint but I ain't backing off so just deal with it!"

She hmmphed him and started pacing forward. But he easily fell in step with her.

"okay I'm sorry I got side tracked! Now listen what I actually meant was that those were very special moments of your life were'nt they?"

No answer….

"basket just say yes or no?"

"yes! "

"then why insult them by crying over them. Nd please stop running! I'm talking serious stuff here! Gimme a break yar!"

And in that moment she just stood rooted to her spot………………..

"yeah……yeah……finally you got it!!!! oh!!! Thank god!!!! Basket, you really are slow…….it took you this long time to understand…….."

"will you shut up for a while Armaan ?" she said urgently……..he was right!!!! He was actually right!!! What a fool she had been??? Crying day in and day out when she should have been thankful to god for making whatever time they had had together, special.

"Armaan ……" she asked, half in joy and half in embarrassment …

"what now?"

"can I get a hug?"

"what? Ofcourse…..come here you idiot!"

And he took her in a very protective embrace …..as if shielding her from every pain…every sorrow!!!

They stood like that for what felt like ages………….

"basket!"

"hmmm?"

"promise me you won't cry over what has happened in the past now……I know its not easy to just forget her and move on….. and I'm not telling you to do that also…..all I'm saying is remember her with a smile…..that would make it easier……it woud even become your strength…….she would have liked it that way you know it???"

"yes I do now!!!! But how did you know Armaan ??? answer me honestly!"

"I've learnt it from experience………." He said with his eyes slightly moist

nyc part. So finally they r havng heart to heart conversation. Waitng to read more.

Awsm part yar.
Realy nice and cute part.
Thanx 4 d pm.
Update nxt part asap.
T.c.