An unusual meeting... a chance dating...
Will it blossom into something beautiful?
Te quiero Te Amo
Pairing: Samrat (Mohit Sehgal) and Riddhima (Jennifer Winget)
Synopsis: Samrat and Riddhima are worlds away. Samrat is the star basketball player of Excel College. Charming, attractive and hot, he is a lady's man. Whereas Riddhima is simple, sweet and caring. She desires to become a doctor in Sanjivani Hospital. But has a past which continues to haunt her.
So what will happen when these two worlds will collide? Read to find out.
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"Now what is Love, I pray thee, tell?
It is that fountain and that well
where pleasure and repentance dwell
it is, perhaps, the saucing bell
that tolls all into heaven or hell
And this is Love, as I hear tell."
-Sir Walter Raleigh
___________________________________________________________________________
Riddhima and her friends were on their way to their hostel. It was quite late.
"We need to hurry up, this road is quite deserted," Riddhima tensed.
One of her friends quipped, "Chill yaar, nothing is gonna happen; we will reach Hostel well in time."
"I just hope so..."
"By the way, the movie was really cool, wasn't it?" another friend asked.
"Yeah, it was awesome. The hero was so handsome," Meera, Riddhima's best friend and room-mate replied.
Riddhima smacked her. "I still think we should have watched a comedy movie, rather than some slick romantic movie."
All the girls except Riddhima groaned.
"What!! Do you actually believe what they say?" she paused, and imitated the hero of the movie, "Someone, somewhere is made for you." They all laughed.
Just then, a rowdy group of boys made their appearance in a Xylo.
They were yelling and singing to the tunes of some very loud Rock artist.
As they surpassed the girls, two-three of them wolf-whistled while the others snickered.
And then... their eyes met.
Samrat who was behind the wheel glinted in her direction while she looked irritatingly at him.
In that fleeting moment, they had no idea that they were destined to meet again.
[][][]
"Finally, exams are over!" bounced Meera.
Riddhima smiled. It was so easy to get Meera excited.
Suddenly, Meera stopped and clutched Riddhima, "Let's go out and have some fun."
Riddhima hesitated.
"Oh c'mon, Riddhima. Exams are freaking over. We deserve some fun. Let's hit the Disco."
Saying that, she started doing some disco moves. Riddhima cracked up. This was what she loved about Meera. Her liveliness and enthusiasm, something which she lacked.
Finally, after Meera literally begged her, she conceded.
"Okay, fine. I will come. But no drinking or forcing me to dance. Agreed?"
"Oh, yes baby."
[][][]
As soon as they reached the Disco, Meera was swallowed by the crowd.
This was the second time Riddhima had tagged along with Meera to the Disco. The first time was... horrible. The loud noise, the too close couples, the attires were all too loud for her taste. Frankly, she hated the idea of Discos or Pubs. But as usual, she had agreed because it made Meera happy. And she was in a way her only family.
Inadvertently, the word 'family' brought back memories of her parents and brother. Sad memories.
"No, no, not today..." she spoke to herself.
Then to distract herself, she went and sat on a seat in front of the drinks parlor.
"A coke, please," she ordered and started scanning the crowd for her wild friend.
Suddenly, her eyes fell on a crowd of girls. She wondered what the commotion was about.
Minutes later, she got her answer.
It was a guy, about her age. The guy seemed good looking and rich. No wonder the girls wanted to eat him up.
After staring at them for another 5-10 minutes, she gave up and again started the pursuit of her lost friend.
As she was engaged in her own world, she did not notice that the same guy had come up beside her.
"A mojito please," Samrat ordered his favorite, while noticing the stranger beside him.
His eyes raked her from top to bottom. "Hmm... salwar kameez... interesting..." he thought to himself.
At the same time, startled by a foreign voice, Riddhima quickly spun on her stool.
But in doing so, she lost her balance and the next moment she was falling...
[][][]
Strong, capable arms clutched her hand in the midway.
At first, Riddhima did not understand what was happening since she expected to hit the floor at any instant.
Then it dawned on her that she was suspended in air.
As she slowly opened her eyes, she found two black orbs staring back at her.
At that moment, time stopped and everything ceased to exist.
They stayed like that for another beat, before Riddhima quickly got to her feet.
Samrat smiled flirtatiously at her and remarked, "So, another girl falls for my charm."
But to his surprise, instead of shy, beaming smile he got a "mind your own business" look.
"Hmm... not affected by my charm... more interesting..." he mused.
Riddhima glared at him once more and then, darted away as far as possible.
Samrat gave a confused frown but soon he was making his way to the dance floor.
All the time while dancing, his eyes never left hers. Wherever she went his eyes followed. At one point, he saw a girl approach her.
And just like that, she was gone.
[][][]
Samrat could not sleep that night. Her face kept recurring in his dream. It was curious. He was never affected by any girl to this extent. But again, she was unlike any other girl he had ever met.
She was a mystery, an enigma. And he found himself attracted by the fierce determination and strength that she exuded.
Yes, she was unforgettable.
[][][]
It was 15 days after the curious incident in the Disco happened. Riddhima was reading her Bio-chemistry book. But in the back of her mind, she thought about the stranger and the queer way in which he affected her. She hated to admit but he indeed was handsome and bewitching.
Just then, Meera made her entry in an elegant gown.
"How do I look?" she asked Riddhima, looking into the mirror.
"Radiant," Riddhima commented, without even bothering to look up. It was a common protocol. Before, going out, Meera always made it a point to ask her.
"You know I am going out on a date with the most handsome boy of Excel College, thanks to Benji." Meera glowed.
Riddhima's eyes shot up to her. "Really, and who is that, I may ask?"
"Samrat Shergill, the heartthrob of Excel College. All the girls want to date him."
"Why what's so special about him? Is he Superman?" she mocked.
Meera was about to answer, when her cell phone pinged.
"Hey Dad... what?? No, no classes but... I know... I will reach there ASAP. Bye!"
Riddhima looked at her friend with worrisome eyes. "What-what happened?" she asked anxiously.
"Oh, it's nothing to worry about. Actually dad wanted me to reach home ASAP. Don't know why? But it's nothing to worry. He says it's nothing major." She exclaimed, after a while, "Shit! What about my date?"
Riddhima raised her eyebrows. "Meera," she chided. "This is more important than the date."
"I know, but I don't want Samrat to think that I ditched him... hey I have an idea." And she quickly shared it with Riddhima.
"No way..." Riddhima shrieked, taken aback.
"Please Ritzy, for me? Please..." Meera gave her the best puppy dog expression.
"Last time, promise! I will never force you to do anything that you don't want to do, ever again. Just this last time." Meera again pleaded her friend.
Riddhima sighed. One day she was definitely gonna get into trouble because of her antics.
[][][]
As soon as she entered the extravagant restaurant, she knew she had made a mistake.
Maybe it was a blind date and the guy did not know how Meera looked but it was a date nonetheless. And this was supposedly her first.
"What if he catches me? Even worse, what if he is one of those pompous jerks, how will I... Riddhima, focus. Just a date. Relax... okay, what did Meera say? Yes, red shirt with a red rose." She talked with herself.
Samrat was as usual on time. He scanned the crowd for someone wearing blue with a white lily in her hand.
Both of them looked at each other at the same time.
Samrat's jaw dropped, as Riddhima yelped, "You!!!"
It was moments before they regained their composure.
"Hi!" Samrat tried meekly. Even in a simple salwar kameez, she looked exquisite. So pure and serene.
Riddhima took a gulp of air and gave him a tight lipped smile. "Hi, I am Meera." "Cruel destiny," she thought.
Samrat relaxed. At least she was not gonna hit him.
He helped her in the chair and after ordering, they sat there awkwardly, avoiding each other's gazes.
"So, Meera, what do you do?" Samrat tried to start a conversation.
"Well, I am doing BSc Honors in Biology."
"I see..."
Again, the awkward silence.
Samrat tried to engage Riddhima in some form of conversation but either she simply nodded or gave one word answers.
Samrat started abruptly, "You know when I was small; I wanted to be a superman?"
"Superman?" Riddhima could not suppress her smile.
"Yeah I would wear the costume all day and run here and there. But eventually I gave up the idea." When Riddhima raised her eyebrows in question, he replied mischievously, "I didn't like that he wore his underpants on the outside."
Riddhima burst out laughing. Seeing her smile, Samrat's heart skipped a beat.
"So what about now?" she said in between the laughs.
"I think I am pretty much satisfied with my one and only love, basketball."
Thereupon, both shared their likes and dislikes, their interests, their passions. Riddhima gradually felt more and more comfortable talking to him. Maybe he wasn't as arrogant as she supposed him to be so.
Samrat too enjoyed their conversation. She did not talk fashion or other girly stuff and unlike other girls, she was not pretentious. She gave him honest answers and listened to even the small details with rapt attention.
Time flew fast. When Samrat next looked at his watch, it was already 2 hours.
As his gaze wandered back to Riddhima, who was sipping her cranberry juice, he could not fathom the pull he felt towards her.
Caught unawares by his arresting gaze, Riddhima flushed.
"So, Meera, why do you wanna become a doctor?"
He saw her going still. Momentarily she closed her eyes, but when she opened them, he found raging storms enveloping those brown orbs.
She took another sip of her juice before replying, "Because my parents wanted me to. I-I lost my family in a car accident. My brother was only 8 then."
She added, "My parents could have been saved only if the doctors were not so callous and inhumane and would have treated them in time. But they refused to do so, citing it was a police case... Till this day, I have nightmares." She wiped a treacherous tear that escaped the corner of her eyes. She did not want to share the last detail but the way Samrat's eyes softened and his whole body gesture changed, she could not resist herself.
Samrat's hands hovered over hers and finally settled for a feathery touch. "I am so sorry," he murmured.
"I was 12 at the time. After the accident, I started living with my grandfather and he raised me."
"Your parents must be proud of you. Meera shall I give a word of advice? Don't dwell on the sad memories, think about the beautiful times you had spent with them. They deserve better."
Saying thus, he extended a hand as an invitation to dance.
"I know you think that I am hollow, that I have had 100s of girlfriends whom I ditch. That I am a rich spoilt brat. But maybe if you gave me a chance, I can show you that I am not so shallow?"
Hesitatingly, she took his hand at last.
They danced to the soft tunes of the music. Swaying, twisting and moving gracefully around each other. They moved with simpatico, eyes locked with each other. For that moment, Riddhima forgot all her worries and tensions and basked in their glory.
[][][]
Samrat dropped her to her hostel and before departing kissed her lightly on her right hand.
As soon as she entered, Meera grasped her. "So, how was your date? Did he suspect anything?"
Riddhima simply smiled and hugging her friend last time, went to bed.
And for the first time in her life, Riddhima slept peacefully.
[][][]
Time flew by. After their date, Riddhima and Samrat, bumped into each other several times and eventually, became best friends.
With Samrat, no moment was a dull moment. He could find humor even in the little things. For Riddhima, Samrat was bold yet playful, caring yet childish. Gradually, he became a family to her.
Even Samrat changed after meeting her. He was no longer what he used to be.
It was almost 4 years of their friendship when Riddhima realized that she was madly in love with him but fearing that it might jeopardize their friendship, she never told him how she felt.
She had no idea that Samrat felt the same way about her.
[][][]
It was her graduation day. Riddhima was looking out for Samrat because he had promised he would be there.
Finally, she saw Samrat weaving his way through the crowd.
He waved at her and both of them hugged each other before Riddhima started scolding him, "Samrat Shergill, you are 15 minutes late. What took you so long?"
Samrat showed her the bouquet of red roses and white lilies. She shook her head at him. "Why this? As much as I remember you only gift me bouquets on my birthday. And today's certainly not my birthday."
"I know that Manny (he lovingly called her that!), I brought these because I want to say something to you."
Riddhima looked wary. "I want to say something to you too."
Samrat's expression changed. He thought that maybe she was in love with someone else. Though he hoped not.
"Samrat, I have always wanted to tell you but couldn't get the right opportunity. My name's not Meera but Riddhima." And she narrated him the whole "blind date" mess up.
Samrat stood there impassively. And the next moment, he started laughing.
Riddhima stood there shell shocked. She expected him to be hurt, angry even. But this? This was something she didn't see coming.
After Samrat stopped, he leaned in and kissed her lips tantalizingly.
He pulled back a little to gauge her reaction. Now, Riddhima looked 100 times more shocked.
"It doesn't matter to me, if you are Riddhima or Meera or whosoever. What matters is that Te quiero Te amo."
When Riddhima gave him a confused expression, he whispered in her ear, "I love you."
Riddhima beamed at him and this time, snagged him for a kiss.
"I hope that's a 'Yes'?" he waffled during the kiss.
Breaking the kiss, Riddhima replied teasingly, "It's a yes, alright."
Riddhima did not know what will happen in the future. She had lost her loved ones before. She would not survive if she lost this wonderful man too.
But what she did know was that, she was ready to risk her heart.
THE END
A/N: First of all, sorry for the length of this story. I wanted it short too but somehow the idea of incomplete story nagged me. And hence, the length.
As you all might have already guessed, but still those who did not understand, the words "Te quiero, Te amo," simply mean 'I love you' in Spanish. The blame goes to Enrique Iglesias for that. : p
And lastly, please please please like and review this story. I wrote it with my heart and try to give it my best.
Edited by AlwaysLife19 - 12 years ago
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