PART 3:
RIDDHIMA & MUSKAAN, 11&1/2, RAHUL, 13&1/2, ARMAAN, 15&1/2:
Riddhima, Muskaan and Rahul are now in middle school, whereas Armaan is now a high schooler. He has become more serious about his studies now, as he wants to get into a good engineering school after graduation. His dreams are set at becoming an automobile engineer and design the fastest and coolest cars in the world. Armaan spends more time with his high school buddies; he has even started noticing girls, mostly his age or a year or two younger. Riddhima and Muskaan are still 'kids' according to him. Armaan still has fun with Riddhima and Muskaan, but has abandoned climbing trees and stealing fruits from neighbour's trees. Armaan was recently chosen on the high school soccer team, which has made him popular in school. Everyone is aware of his social status; so basically he is the arrogant, good looking, athletic and smart son of a rich man!
Muskaan and Rahul have both turned out to be an asset to the school choir and have been busy with their singing. Riddhima is Riddhima, her usual bubbly self, still in awe of Armaan, craves for his attention, and wants to please him at any cost. Armaan continues to snub her or taunt her whenever he can, but she does not care. She has not forgotten his statement about 'tumhari amaanat.' Riddhima has actually started believing that she is truly 'his amaanat.' Even Armaan treats her like he 'owns' her. He gets restless when he has not seen Riddhima for a few days. Whenever the stress of school work and his activities gets to him, he just barges into Riddhima's house and either takes her out for 'kulfi' or hangs out at her house and helps her with her homework. Of course, there are no romantic undercurrents with this mutual feeling-at least yet!
One day, Riddhima walked into Armaan's house as was a habit of hers. She was carrying a tiffin with Armaan's favorite gobhi ka paranthas and kheer. It was not unusual for Padma to send food for Armaan, but today it was special. Riddhima had prepared the paranthas specially for Armaan. As she hummed and stepped upstairs, Naina stopped her, "RIDDHIMA! Kahan jaa rahi hai?"
Riddhima turned around and smiled, 'pairi paini auntyjee….main Armaan ke liye paranthe laayi thi."
A stern Naina walked towards the step, "ab Armaan badha ho gaya hai…..aise hi uske kamre mein mat jaaya kar…..wo padhai kar raha hai…..uske exams aane waale hain….laa mujhey de de…main baad mein de doongi," she extended her hand.
A disappointed Riddhima had no choice; she knew Naina aunty was very strict and for some reason was always rude towards Riddhima. Naina hated Riddhima and Armaan's friendship; she had warned her son many times to stay away from these 'chote log,' but Armaan just ignored his mom.
Riddhima was about to hand over the tiffin, when they both heard Armaan's voice from upstairs, "oopar aa ja Riddhima….ek cheez dikhani hai." Armaan's voice had started cracking as he had suddenly shot up in height over the last 6 months. He even had a tiny moustache growing over his upper lip. It was strange that even when Armaan was immersed in his studies or work, he could always hear Riddhima's voice, even if she were outside his house. He had not seen her for days, and was pleased to hear her voice from downstairs.
Naina scoffed and walked away. A sheepish Riddhima sprinted upstairs as fast as she could.
"Aa…andar aa ja….kya laayi hai mere liye?" he took the tiffin from her and inhaled the fragrance, "mmm….kya khushboo hai!"
"Maine banaaye hain!" Riddhima said excitedly
"Tuney?" Armaan mocked at her, "phir tho khoob masala daala hoga…main kaise khaaoonga?"
"Nahin….tumhare liye khaas banaaye hain….bilkul pheeke , jaise tumhein pasand hain," she smiled.
Armaan closed the tiffin and then grabbed her hand, "idhar aa….tujhey kuch dikhaana hai."
Riddhima followed him to his desk. There was a catalog of sports cars sitting on his desk. He sat on his chair and started showing her the various models of imported sports cars, "yeh dekh…..yeh car ….train se bhi fast bhaagti hai….aur yeh dekh…" he was very excited, but Riddhima could care less; she really wanted him to taste her cooking, but he had somehow lost enthusiasm once he found out that it was not Padma kaaki's cooking.
As Armaan kept flipping page after page, Riddhima lost her patience. She grabbed the tiffin and opened it in front of him. When he still did not get distracted, she took a piece of the parantha with her tender fingers and stuffed it into his mouth.
"ARRE! YEH KYA KAR RAHI HAI?" he said with a mouthful, but then his eyes popped as the delicious paranthas melted in his mouth. He opened his mouth wide as Riddhima kept feeding him the rest of the paranthas. She sat on his desk and observed him keenly; he looked different today. She could see fine bristles on his cheeks and chin; his voice was not the same, he was much taller than she recalled him from even a few days ago…..he had changed….he was all grown up somehow. Riddhima lowered her eyes and wondered how he had changed so much?
"Kya hua? Aur khila na!" Armaan opened his mouth, his eyes still glued to the catalog, "jaanti hai…papa keh rahe the wo mere liye nayi car laayenge…..maine driver se car chalaani bhi seekh li hai."
"Car?" Riddhima's eyes popped out this time, "tum car chalaaoge? Main bhi car mein jaa sakti hoon?" she asked excitedly.
Armaan scoffed, "tu? Pagal hai…..meri car mein sirf mere dost baithenge…..tu nahin jaa sakti usmein."
Riddhima was heartbroken, "kyun main tumhari dost nahin hoon?"
Armaan grinned at her, "Tu? Tu waisi dost nahin hai….tu tho bachhi hai abhi."
"Lekin tumhee ne tho kaha tha ki main tumhari amaanat hoon…phir kyun nahin baith sakti?" Riddhima asked innocently.
Armaan was amazed at her innocence, "pagli….na jaane kya kya yaad rakhti hai….accha tere bag mein kya hai?" he looked at her bag sitting on the floor.
"Homework," she said hesitantly.
"Accha tho yahin kar le homework…koi help chaahiye kya?" he shut his catalog and leaned back on his chair.
"Shayad chaahiye ho," she said.
"Theek hai…main apne test ki tayyari karta hoon…tu wahan bistar par baith kar homework kar le," he got up to collect his books from his bag.
Riddhima opened his drawer to get a pencil and was shocked to see a pack of cigarettes inside, "Armaan! Tum cigarette peete ho?"
Armaan was startled, "TU KYA KAR RAHI HAI MERI DRAWER MEIN?" he yelled
"Kuch nahin…pencil dhoondh rahi thi," she fearfully.
"Chhod de packet ko!" Armaan snatched the pack of cigarettes from her.
Riddhima covered her mouth and said, 'main auntyji aur uncle ji ko bataa doongi….pata hai cigarette peene se cancer ho jaata hai?"
"Tujhey kisne kaha?" he asked irately
"TV mein dekha tha….main abhi auntyji ko bataati hoon," she was about to walk out the door, when Armaan grabbed her hand, "please mama ko mat bataana….wo bahut naaraaz hongi," he pleaded.
Riddhima turned around and folded her arms; it was so rare for Armaan to ever plead to her-she was enjoying the moment thoroughly, "theek hai nahin bataaoongi….ek shart par."
Armaan folded his hands, "haan meri maa! Bataa kya shart hai?"
She had a broad smile on her face, "main bhi cigarette peeke dekhoongi….jaise filmon mein hero heroine peete hain na."
Armaan was stunned, "pagal hai kya?" Even though Armaan did not mind experimenting with stuff like smoking etc with his buddies, he would never want Riddhima to try something so sinful. Even he perhaps did not know why he was so protective about her. As long as he was torturing or teasing her, it was all kosher, but he could never stand anyone else bothering her or Riddhima herself doing something wrong, especially something like smoking!
He looked at the packet and threw it out the window, "aaj ke baad koi cigarette nahin peeyega…samjhi?" he said angrily and settled with his books.
A disappointed Riddhima just shrugged her shoulders and settled on his bed with her books. As she was engrossed with her math problems, she stretched out on the bed and lay on her tummy to finish her work. She kept writing, counting on her fingers, humming and tapping her pencil on her lips.
Armaan was getting a little disturbed by her humming and tapping sounds. He looked up from his books and glared at her. He must have glanced at her for a few seconds as he turned his head away. Those few seconds seemed to last forever- those few seconds would probably change the way he saw her forever. Riddhima was lying on her tummy; her dupatta had fallen on the ground and Armaan's eyes inadvertently rested on her chest area for a few seconds. He quickly turned away as he was embarrassed at his reaction to her. She was changing…..she was no longer a little girl whom he could drag around by her braids……she was changing into a young woman…..
Armaan felt ashamed of himself; his heart was pounding in his chest, that fleeting glance had stirred up and aroused something inside him and he was really ANGRY AT HIMSELF!!!
Armaan got up in a fury and picked her dupatta. He threw it on her face, "RIDDHIMA! TU JAA AB YAHAN SE…..BAHUT SHOR KAR RAHI HAI TU…..MUJHEY TEST KE LIYE PADHNA HAI…..CHALI JAA YAHAN SE…..MUJHEY PARESHAAN MAT KAR!" He was almost trembling in rage.
Riddhima was frightened; she picked her books and placed her dupatta on her neck, "sorry Armaan…main shor nahin machaaungi….please thoda sa hi homework reh gaya hai…..please," she begged and pleaded, but Armaan just looked away, holding the door open for her to leave.
A tearful Riddhima ran home as fast as she could, "kyun naaraaz ho gaya? Main tho mazaak kar rahi thi ki auntyji ko bataa doongi ki wo cigarette peeta hai…..main kisi ko nahin bataa ti," she sobbed all the way home. Armaan saw her walk back home from his window; he pulled the curtains angrily and sat down to study.
Both Armaan and Riddhima had a restless night. Armaan was upset with himself for noticing the change in Riddhima. It was the first time he had ever become conscious of his own sexuality; he like other boys of his age talked and boasted about the 'hot kudis' in high school, but he had never felt that way before like he did in those few seconds, "bechari Riddhima ko tho kuch pataa bhi nahin hoga," he sighed and tried to close his eyes. He felt bad for her; he had made her cry again- he would make it up to her; she did not deserve his wrath today. For some inexplicable reason, he hated to see tears on her face; he loved it whenever she smiled- she did have a captivating smile, something everyone commented on, but Armaan had always cherished since they were little kids.
Riddhima cried all night as she hated to make Armaan unhappy- she had tried her best to please him that day, but as usual he got upset with her at some pretext or another!
NEXT DAY:
Riddhima came back from school with Muskaan and buried herself in her homework. Padma was concerned, "kya hua beti? Teri tabiyat tho theek hai? Muskaan kya hua beta?"
"Kaaki….shayad Armaan ke saath jhagda hua hai," Muskaan said
Padma sighed and pulled Riddhima on her lap, "beti….ladai jhagde tho hote rehte hain…..ab Armaan badhaa ho gaya hai….tu abhi choti hai…usey shayad badhe bachhon ki company zyaada pasand aati hogi….tu Muskaan aur Rahul ke saath khel liya kar…chal aaja kuch khaa le puttar," she said affectionately.
Just as Padma was consoling Riddhima, they heard a familiar voice, 'Kaaki! Kaaki! Riddhima kahan hai?" it was Armaan.
Riddhima looked up from her mother's lap and turned her face away angrily.
Armaan grinned and dangled his new car keys in front of her, "meri nayi nayi gaddi mein kaun kaun chalega?"
"Main chaloongi!" Muskaan got up excitedly.
"Theek hai jisey chalna hai wo mere saath chal sakta hai…..gaadi ki saari seats bhar gayi hain….jaldi chalo jisey chalna hai!" he purposely yelled in Riddhima's ear.
Rahul joined them, "main aage waali seat par baithoonga."
"Nahin main baithoongi!" Muskaan insisted.
Armaan flashed a devilish smile at Riddhima, "nahin aage waali seat par sirf Riddhima baithegi!"
Those words were magic to Riddhima's ears. She wiped her face with her mother's pallu and sat up, "main aa rahi hoon Armaan!"
Armaan smiled at her, "tho jaldi chal……time waste mat kar rone dhone mein!"
Armaan ran out to his new Maruti car as Rahul, Muskaan and Riddhima followed excitedly.
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