|Chapter 4|
[Replies to the comments for chapter 3 on page 19. :)]
Link to the next chapter (ch5.part 1):
*Flashback*
"..Niks, I'm not really sure whether this is..." Riddhima reluctantly entered a narrow passage way, which opened to a massive hall. "Don't worry Riddhima...I'm sure he is missing you too." Nikita couldn't stop smiling. Riddhima's nervousness, while it was killing her not having seen him for one complete day. On the other hand, Armaan was regretting having fought with her. Nikita had called him just an hour back and knew well how much he was missing her. Both the stubborn souls were dying to see each other, to talk to each other...but both are complete idiots (made for each other in every sense!).
"But he is practicing..I...I'm not going in." Saying this Riddhima stopped and began walking in the opposite direction.
"Riddhima!" Riddhima stopped as she heard her pissed friend yelling at her on the other end.
"Just GO!" Nikita commanded her slowly but sternly. In spite of Nikita's assurances, Riddhima was least of going inside the hall right now. She was nervous. His friends would be there, his band members would be there. What if he refuses to see her? She knew that he was angry with her at the moment. What if he never wanted to see her again? How would she do without him?
It had been a nine months now, since they had been dating and they already had their big fight! Riddhima never preferred hiding anything from Armaan..before this! She knew he would understand her. But how would Armaan react if her 'friend' had started calling her again? She wasn't sure. Armaan knew how much Riddhima was scared of Shaurya and his perilous behavior! It was back in India when he had confessed his love for her, when she denied. It was only that she din't feel the same for him, but he never stopped giving up. Every step he took just grew wilder and dangerous...such that Riddhima was nothing but just frightened of him. Though there was NO WAY he could have landed in NY. But his missed calls and texts started dropping in, and it was one them that Armaan had seen.
Definitely, Armaan was furious at Riddhima for not telling him. The fact that Riddhima din't trust him did nothing but hurt him more. Riddhima tried to explain him, when she saw him storm out of the door.
Riddhima sighed and slowly walked inside the enormous hall. He was there on the stage, rehearsing with his band. The rolling of drums, the keyboard that created a beautiful rhythm, along with Armaan's smooth and perfect guitar strokes together created a heart soothing music.
"What am I suppose to do
When the best part of me was always you and
What am I suppose to say
When I'm all choked up and you're okay
I'm falling to pieces, yeah
I'm falling to pieces"
She heard him sing, which only made her steps more nervous and reluctant.
"Okay, I'm in."
"He's Armaan, Riddhima. He loves you..so don't be scared." Nikki had made point, which she couldn't deny. The lyrics of the song he played current was just another proof to that point.
Armaan was completely focused on his guitar tunes then, such that he din't notice her walking in. It was one his band mates that saw her walking in. The drummer stopped his beats, which made the others look at him quizzically.
"Dude!" The drummer looked at Armaan, and then in Riddhima's direction. Armaan followed his gaze, until he finally saw her. Armaan's band mates, with a huge smile on their faces, gestures a 'Hey' to Riddhima to which she gladly responded. Riddhima looked at Armaan to find him watching her. She gasped nervously.
"Um, I'll just be back." Armaan handed over the guitar, and got off the stage.
"Sure." His band mates exchanged glances and shared a secret grin.
Riddhima waited patiently, as Armaan soon reached him.
"Hey!" Armaan could see that she was not that confident of coming here. But he was glad...glad to have her here. He could read in her eyes that she missed him. His remorse doubled.
"I've something to say." She saw him nod in response, and gesturing her the way.
Riddhima turned towards him as soon as she had reached the hallway.
"I...I'm sorry." Riddhima looked at him apologetically.
"I should have told you. But I wasn't sure..." Riddhima tried to word her feelings but couldn't. Armaan completed it for her.
"..of me?" Riddhima dropped her gaze.
"I'm sorry, Armaan. I din't want to hurt you. Shaurya doesn't matter to me anymore and I don't want him to break us in anyway. He is in India and he can do nothing!"
"I won't let him do anything Riddhima.." Riddhima finally lifted her gaze again. She could see it in his look that he had meant every word of his speech.
"..But I need you to trust me" Armaan took Riddhima's hand in his.
"..that we will face everything situation together. Not matter whether it concerns me or you!"
"I love you Riddhima..and I simply hate it when you hide things from me." Involuntarily, a smile formed on Riddhima's face. The amount of honesty in his tone and eyes was difficult to be found anywhere.
"I'm sorry."
"Sorry?" Riddhima had dropped her gaze, feeling guilty again. Riddhima held her chin made her look at him. She looked into his eyes and found herself giving up.
"I love you." Saying this, she hugged him tight.
"I love you too." Armaan tighten his grip around her waist.
This was their first fight ever! And she hated the time she spent without talking to him! Now that they are away, these thoughts never stopped evading her mind.
*Flashback ends*
"Ridzi? Ready?" Riddhima snapped out of her thoughts as she saw Anjali walking inside her bedroom. Her attention then shifted to the beautiful girl in the mirror and she looked just perfect.
"Hmm..." She nodded.
"Lets go then. They are waiting." The two walked out of the room and locked the door behind them.
____________
Riddhima entered the Macdonald's, and the first sight of her friends made her smile. Nothing much had changed. Muskaan was eating her regular Mac Chicken, she guessed. She could see the frustrated look on Rahuls face while Muskaan's face was decorated with the mayonese.
"Bhukaad!" Rahul whispered under his breathe and rolled his eyes. That made Muskaan stop munching her food and throw her deathly glare at him.
"Oye! Chapadganju! Har baar comment marna zaroori hai kya?" Muskaan placed the burger back and began her arguement with him.
"Oye Moti! Har baar thoosna zaroori hai kya?" Muskaan dropped her jaw in surprise as Rahul imitated Muskaan.
"Main khau ya dance karu...tujhe kya? Tere paise se toh nahi khaa rahi hu na...huh! Kamina! Khaali mujhe sunata rehta hai!" Rahul stopped rambling and continued looking at her, as she mumbled while she grabbed another bite of her burger.
"Aur mujhse baat bhi mat kariyo. Apni shakal mat dikhana mujhe nahi toh tere saare daath tod dungi!" Muskaan pointed her finger in him, while multitasking with the burger and coke near her.
"Aur main kal tere saath kahi nahi jaane waali! Bhaad main jaa!" Muskaan continued cursing him for a while. Riddhima could see Rahul had given up. All this while Rahul kept staring at her. A small smile on his lips, while he saw her mumble was telling the story well. But he was thrashed back to reality when Muskaan declined to go with him for a date.
"Nahi jayegi?" Rahul asked her in a serious tone.
"Sunayi nahi deta? Machine laga kaan main! NAHI!" She shouted. Muskaan hated it when someone eyed her food, and Riddhima knew that. This was one of the common pointers between Riddhima and Muskaan. Armaan too never failed pestering her while she was enjoying her food.
Armaan...
Riddhima sighed and tried to concentrate back on her friends. It was simply impossible to take him out of her mind. It was just funny that even some simple food reminded Riddhima of him. How much ever she tried to kick him out of her brain..she felt! Perhaps, the breakup had just torn her apart.
"Kaise nahi jayegi? Utha ke leke jaunga tujhe." The loud-argument ended just in a second. Muskaan, at first stared at him for a second, and then dropped her gaze in embarrassment. It was the first time Riddhima had seen her blushing.
"Hatt!" She pushed Rahul as he tried leaning on her and then picked up another burger and started chewing it. Rahul rolled his eyes. He hated the burger for spoiling his romance tactics! Food!
Riddhima's focus then shifted to the other new couple right near her.
"You're looking so pretty Anjali." Atul at first scanned her from tip to toe and then continued gazing her for a second.
"Aw, thanks!" Anjali blushed.
Everything just remind Riddhima of none but Armaan. It was killing her! He was killing her..by not being with her! She knew now how much she needed him. While Riddhima would be involved munching her yummy burger, Armaan would irritate her by playing with her. Riddhima would turn around to see her fries missing, and she knew the thief well. She would glare at him and they would start fighting the next second.
When Riddhima and Armaan met outside, where Armaan's and her friends her watching them, Armaan would always greet her in 'his' style. He would pretend to be taken aback with her beauty (no matter how normal she looked at that moment!). He would come near her and gently hold her hands. Bending down, he would gently place a kiss on her cheeks, something that made her blush. After that he whispered, "Beautiful", in her ears which turned her into scarlet. These some Armaan antics made her fall in love with him.
"Riddhima?" Atul snapped his fingers, which brought her out of her thoughts for the infinite time.
"Yea? Oh I'm sorry."
"Its okay. By the way, I'm Atul."
"Riddhima..." Riddhima shook hands with him.
"I know Armaan's girl." The very mention of his name gave her a shock. She stared in disbelief for a fraction of second, and then continued.
"You now him?"
"Yes, he is like my brother. We went to the same school, Riddhima." Atul blinked meaningfully.
"His friends list is pretty long..."
"Yea" She couldn't believe that he was the topic of discussion...again!!
"Um, when did he tell you...about...you know.." The hesitance in her voice was so obvious..Atul looked at Anjali. Both suppressed a smile.
"Months before he made his crazy 'Armaan' proposal to you." The proposal..she remembered suddenly. In between thousand strangers, honking, yelling, frustration...but when he told her 'I love you'...everything seemed to halt for a moment! Awestruck, people stopped yelling and began enjoying their early morning scene. Armaan was definitely and seriously crazy. He was speeding at 120kmph on a freeway and could have easily got himself killed. But he is Armaan, and that justifies it all!
"Oh." She dropped her gaze.
"You din't tell me about the proposal Ridzi." Anjali glared at her, with a secret grin on her lips.
"Oh, its the craziest proposal ever! Riddhima was just to furious...Armaan just couldn't laughing when he told me about it." All the memories she was trying to leave behind just a minute ago was just following her again! The pain etched in her heart again; she found it hard to control her tears, which din't escape Anjali's eyes.
"Uhh, Ridzi! Look Muski and Rahul are waiting for you!" Anjali instantly changed the topic.
"Ridzi!!!" All the young gathers stopped whatever they were doing and watched Muskaan as she dramatically ran and hugged Riddhima.
"Hey Muski." With 5 per cent embarrassment and 95 per cent of happiness she hugged her soul-sister, while her blood sister smiled at the two.
"Gosh, I missed you Ridzi." Muskaan was choking. It had been years since Muskaan had last seen Riddhima, They were best friends!
"I missed you too Muski. I missed you too."
"Riddhima?" Riddhima looked up to see the Rahul smiling at her.
"Hey Rahul." Riddhima gave him a friendly hug.
"Come sit down." They all went and sat down on their spots. As expected, Muskaan-Riddhima were completely glued to each other. But this time Riddhima noticed something different, something that almost made her cry....the group was divided into couples.
Riddhima was the quietest one in all the group chatter. She kept smiling and nodding at regular intervals when the couples argued within themselves.
*She's here.* Anjali secretly sent a text message to Armaan. The cell beeped the very next second. It was Armaan's message.
*She looks beautiful.* Anjali smiled on knowing that Armaan was shockingly being punctual for the very first time in his life. Moreover, he had just proved another point by being here when she needed him the most...Armaan Malik was crazily in love with her sister.
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Edited by jeflkjfkljfkj - 13 years ago
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