CHAPTER 6
"Oh, my god...Oh, my god!!" No sooner did the doorbell ring that he could see HIS Anjali filled in excitement. She was jumping, sweating and dancing; overall it was a cute sight to see. He smiled.
"Its Riddhima! Oh, my god...Atul...I'm scared.." Atul frowned quizzically at first and then chuckled at her silly nervousness.
"Why the hell are you scared, Anjali...?" Anjali stopped jumping and simply frowned at him. How did he manage to be so insensitive? It was a happy, jolly moment for her which he had just ruined....
"Look, Anjie..." All of her momentary anger vanished instantly as she heard him calling her 'Anjie'...she loved it when he used his cute tone to calm her down....
Atul cupped Anjie's face and looked straight into her eyes...
"Armaan is a great guy. I've known him almost my life now. You'll love him." She nodded, as she heard him speak.
"So this is gonna be great...isn't it?" Atul looked at Anjali. Anjali wasted no time in thinking and simply nodded in a yes.
"Good..." Atul smiled and planted a kiss on her forehead. Anjali & Riddhima were two sisters who could manage to get really silly and crazy at times...but thats the reason they are loved to not extent...
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"Armaan.." Riddhima rang the bell another time. She was nervous. For the very first time was she bringing a guy home. Yes, her di had spoken to Armaan a lot of times earlier...but overall this was a different experience..a experience that was going to change her life...it was weird; it was wonderful; it was nice, it was not nice...it was going to be fine....or Riddhima would screw it up; or so she thought.
"Breathe Riddhima...Breathe!" She heard him joke and laugh it off. She rolled her eyes at a thought...this was so typical Armaan...
"Shut up Armaan!" She sternly told him.
"Ah, I missed this."
"Missed what?" She looked at him quizzically, on seeing him laugh again. What was it that he found so amusive while it was killing her? What was the secret joke that she was missing?
"Shut up Armaan....Behave yourself Armaan...yeh mat karo Armaan...woh mat karo Armaan.. Christ!" Armaan imitated Riddhima's tone and gesture, and laughed again.
"You're just ahh! Impossible!"
"And you're jungli billi...jungli billi" The use of word 'Jungli Billi' to describe Riddhima always flared up her nostrils.. He knew it well how she hated it and could see it that she was ready to fight back...
"Stop it Armaan-", "Meaw!! Jungli Billi...Jungli Billi!"
Anjali opened the door to find another hilarious scene in front of her. All her anticipation of Riddhima's nervousness was just proved wrong. Riddhima and Armaan took no notice of her and Atul, as they stood facing each other fighting away to glory, ignoring the world!
"Armaaaaaaaan!!!!" Anjali at once was shocked to hear her sister shout. Man, this guy could really piss her off... Anjali saw Armaan get silent, but knew that it was temporary...
"Yes teacher?" Another description hated by Riddhima. A description that was known to Anjali as Riddhima had reported her many such incidents...She suppressed a laugh, but Atul couldn't help it but crack up....
Riddhima was about to fight back at Armaan's continuous banter but stopped at the accompanying laugh, coming from another direction. Her mouth was still wide open as she looked towards the open door...right where her sister and brother-in-law were standing.
"Hi Ridzi!" Anjali did the honors of pushing her lower jaw upward. Riddhima instantly stabilized her messy thoughts and dropped her gaze in embarrassment...
Armaan was sure that Riddhima was going to kill him once they were alone...
"Hey Armaan.."
"Hey Anjali.." Both exchanged secret grins...
"Armaan? Remember me?" Atul appeared from behind and caught Armaan's attention...
"Um, nope. Not really...." Armaan shook his head in refusal. Immediately he saw Atul chuckle and pulled him into a hug....
"Man, I missed you. Kaisa hai champ?"
"Fine...what about you?"
"Better now.." Atul frowned at Armaan and so did Anjali. A huge smile appeared on both the faces as they as Armaan gesture towards Riddhima, who had no more courage of looking at them....The meaning instantly became clear and so did his love for Riddhima...
Anjali, who had witnessed the whole fighting, couldn't imagine Riddhima fighting someone till this extent. It took her by surprise when she saw Riddhima bickering with Armaan..She could tell that Riddhima was getting pissed...But now did she know the reason behind it...Riddhima couldn't help it but be herself when she was it Armaan....She smiled at the rare scene. The sparkle in Riddhima's currently ashamed eyes just went brighter with every moment. No matter how much she fought him...she certainly loved him a lot!
Anjali gestured Armaan politely to come in, at which he nodded. But he wasn't moving...She frowned. She looked at him interrogatively when she saw him whisper in Riddhima's ears...
"Boo!!" Her reaction was as if woken up from a nightmare...expressions of a frighten one....while his expressions were those of laughter....
Anjali saw him laugh, as she smacked him hard giving him the classic 'Riddhima look'...
"Jerk!" She heard Riddhima say as she frowned. But only could she see the smile curving up on her lips. She was happy...happy to have him....happy to be with him....
Soon Riddhima marched inside the house while the three followed her with a huge smirk in each of the faces....
..."Coffee with fries and more...coming right up!" The showers hitting against the glass of the window, the cool weather...coffee mocha made by Riddhima and good food-these certainly brought back loads of memories both for Armaan & Atul.
Atul's part of memories was not a pleasant one. Instead, he'd put it as a nightmare when he had to taste Anjali's food! The part of Riddhima cooking for the night acted as a big relief for Atul since he no more had to suffer on account of disastrous food!
"Atul, I've prepared some Paranthas for you." He still remembers the first time he had visited her home. Although it was not a formal visit to talk to her dad, but Nani had invited him for dinner.
"Oh, wow!" Atul rubbed his hands greedily, hence unable to see his doom coming.
"Can't wait...I'm hungry!" Thats when he first saw it- the half burnt (not even close to the category of food!) Aloo ka parantha to go along with some delicious looking food, which he was certain, was prepared by Nani. He looked up at her to see her nodding her head, as if saying, "don't worry beta...it will all get over. You're gonna be fine." What'd she know that he was going die! He din't know what to say or do. Either ways he was screwed! Had he confronted Anjali...the marriage would be called off (for sure!)...and if he ate it...still the marriage would be called off (the groom won't survive to see it...)...
"Comon start!" Every bit of her excitement was adding on to his nervousness..he gulped, looking at Nani helplessly who seemed to understand his pain. Atul broke the paranthas into neat bits and swallowed them in his slowest movements, while her curious gaze was still on him. The moment of truth- death by physical torture or mental?...
"...W...Wow! Anjie! Its beautiful.." Atul forced a smile on his face, as she jumped up happily on her spot...
"It is? Oh, thank you Atul ! I din't think it would turn out like this..."
"Oh, you have no idea!" Atul wiped a lone tear escaping his eyes.
"...See I'm crying! Tear of happiness...your food is just out of my imagination!" Anjali was jumping...Nani smiled. She was surprised by how much this guy could take in for her grand daughters happiness. It was killing him inside....he was going to end up with a bad stomach pretty soon...yet he din't seem to care! She couldn't think of a man more caring than Atul.... Anjali was very lucky! Nani wished that even Riddhima gets a man loving and caring! She suppressed a laugh when she saw Anjali offering him more...and he had no choice but to take it...knowing that Anjali could get suspicious about it.
"Champ!! Hello !? Where are you? Dreamland?" Armaan snapped his fingers, bringing him out of his thoughts...
"Nightmare.." Armaan quizzically looked at Atul for an explanation but was hindered by arrival of the Gupta sister.
"Jeej...here is your coffee....fries...and sandwiches..." Riddhima placed the plates before him and all of them looked absolutely mouth watering.
"Hey, did you even take me into consideration...? I'm hungry too!" Armaan just couldn't see his plate...something he found very disturbing at the moment! In response, Riddhima stopped smiling and frowned at him. She momentarily stared angrily and then continued, "so jeej...like them?"
"Like them...are you kidding me? Love them!" Armaan sighed, as he saw Atul busy stuffing his mouth with the food. Atul took no notice of Armaan's plight since he was busy romancing the food..
"French fries...." He held a single piece of potato chips dipped in ketchup...
"You're mine...and I'm never letting you go!" He immediately tossed the fries in his mouth, Armaan rolled his eyes on finding Riddhima giggling..
"So what? You won't talk to me now?" Riddhima's strange behaviour didn't bewilder Armaan.. he had seen that coming...
"Excuse me...are you talking to me?"
"Riddhima?" Armaan raised his eyebrows....
"..Armaan?"
"Riddhima...comon yaar...I'm hungry..." Armaan saw Riddhima lean on him, giving him her Riddhima look. He could see the horns...a fragment of his imagination...developing on her head right now...
"GET-IT-YOURSELF!" Wreath of smoke escaped her ears and nostrils...She was very upset and Armaan had to make up for it. Not to mention that he was starving!
"Don't worry Armaan...I've done the job.." Riddhima and her hungry boyfriend looked up to find Anjali laughing at the scene...
"Coffee...Fries....Sandwiches....with your favorite mayonese! There you go!" Anjali placed the dish in front of Armaan...The smug look on Armaan's face irritated Riddhima furthermore...
"Haha!" Armaan mocked at her, with an undying smirk on his face..
"THANK YOU ANJALI!" Saying this, Armaan picked up the sandwiches and stuffed them inside his mouth victoriously...
"Huh....Stupid Idiot Moron!" Riddhima folded her arms and mumbled to herself...Anjali and Atul looked at each other and shared a secret laugh...this was the craziest love story they had ever seen....
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*Flashback*
After falling in love, whats the next worst thing that can happen to you? Rumors of you and her in the entire college..and that causing a completely turmoil in your love life...
Unlike Riddhima, I've always been part of some or the other 'hot' rumors in the college...People love linking me to girls, I figured...but that had never affected me....until it started bothering her...Riddhima...
Having being linked to about hundred of girls now, I know that different girls respond differently to such worthless stuffs! Some would cling to you even more...trying to gain your attention...working hard to make the rumors come true! But it is Riddhima Gupta we're talking about here. She wouldn't cling to you, she wouldn't try to gain your attention, she wouldn't try...she wouldn't talk, or even look at you! You try to get her talking to you...she runs in the opposite direction, every freaking time! Irritating, isn't it? I know!
Post that night, which had pretty much screwed up my mind and changed my life, everything possible began turning chaotic. My image in her view is of her is of a flirt, a total Casanova, show off, arrogant lad, who can never get serious, strike one! My ex can't keep her hands off me...showing up from nowhere..especially when Riddhima is around, strike two big time! I'm trying to get her talking to me, when circumstances make her think that I'm double dating, strike three!...further making the circumstances beautiful...I find out that my biggest rival is in love her her, whoa!
"...Riddhima!! Riddhima!!? Riddhima!!" He stepped into the darkness, calling out for her. His light blue eyes scanned around the corridor, as he tried to recollect about her whereabouts. She needed him right now, that is all he could think of right now. His mind carefully replayed the events of the day and open his eyes with a jerk..."LIBRARY!" He wasted no time and ran in the direction of the library.
After a pretty miserable day..where Armaan Malik failed (again) to get Riddhima talking to him..he clicked open the door of his apartment...
"-Your girlfriend won't be pleased to see you talking to me.." Said she in hurt tone, when he approached her at the canteen. The fact that they were the center of attraction wasn't unknown to him...like all that really mattered...
"..I don't really care about her. Do you know why?"
"Why?" She tried to make focus on her burger, without looking at him.
"Coz she isn't my girlfriend, Riddhima." Riddhima stopped chewing and looked at him. Immediately she dropped her gaze and continued, "What happened?"
"I fell in love." He confessed, trying to look into her eyes. Had they been alone, he could have easily captured her in his arms...looking into her eyes and then saying the three words...but the canteen area right now was brimming with people-students, teachers...busy staring, trying to gain knowledge about Armaan and his new interest.
She gulped. Somewhere inside, she knew it was her. But how could she be sure of a guy so unstable in love? One day he would break her heart and walk away....and what would she do then? Coz there is no cure for a shattered heart...
"....Me too.." She felt him staring at her..hopefully...expecting a confession...but she was determined to take it else where...
"We had a date last night..." The hopeful gaze turned into a evidently hurtful eyes.
"Oh..."
"So, whats his name?"
"...You'll know soon, hopefully!" Riddhima was trying to sound excited and happy...but she wasn't....and he could sense it...there was more of pain than love in her tone right now...
"Dude!" Armaan tried to speak further but was interrupted by his team mate.
"...I'm really sorry..but we gotta go." His friend din't want to interrupt them at this point, but couldn't help it. Armaan faked a smile in response and nodded.
"Waiting for ya." Saying so his team-mate left, as Armaan turned his attention towards her.
"Riddhima...I've to go right now.."
"Its alright." She smiled at him, he din't smile...He walked away without turning around...She kept looking at him, till he was out of sight...but he din't look back...she had hurt him...
"-I...I'm sorry..Armaan...I...I.." she choked, while trying to speak...a lone drop of tear rolled down her cheeks....
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"Guys, I'm in no mood to go out right now...please!" Armaan tried to back out from the plan another time, but in vain. After the practice, the team had decided to hangout a local bar...but the captain was in no mood to be a part of it.
"Dude, who are you and what did you do Armaan?" One of his friends spoke up.
"Exactly! It used to be you who always dragged us to the bar....you who loved partying all night...and now you wanna go home?" He sighed, as he heard another team mate mocking at him...
"Its about that girl isn't it? Man you're totally into his girl..who had seen THIS coming!"
"..Look guys...I-I don't want to talk about this right now.." He tried explaining right now...but it was pissing him off. He could lose control of himself any moment now and he was aware of that...his ringing phone came to everyones notice. It was Riddhima...at first he let the phone ring...the phone kept ringing until it was disconnected...but it rang once again...indicative of Riddhima being in trouble...this time Armaan picked it up...
"Hey, Riddhima.." Armaan could feel the gazes on him, as he spoke to her. Why not? They were some sort of 'hot topic' right now, which din't interest him at all...
"Armaan, Armaan!!!" A panic-stricken Riddhima spoke on the phone, causing Armaan stress..
"Whoa...Riddhima...hold on..what's wrong?"
"Armaan...I'm trapped in the college...some one has locked me from outside...its very dark in here Armaan..please help me!" Riddhima cried on the phone...which made him jump from his bike...
"Riddhima...I'm on my way...tell me where you are...I'm right near the college right now..." But this time she din't respond...the call was disconnected...he tried calling her back again but her cell was switched off...her battery had given up...
"Damn! Guys..I gotta go...Riddhima is in trouble..." This time his friends din't argue...they smiled as they saw him running inside...knowing that he wouldn't stop for the world now!
*Flashback ends*
"....Then what happened?" Memories brought a smile on his lips....he looked up at Anjali to find her leaning on her chair looking at him curiously..He suppressed a laugh....
Silence...
Armaan could see that she was dying to hear the next....
Since Riddhima was NOT ready to speak to him after their minute bickering....Anjali-Armaan seated themselves in the balcony...talking to each other about everything...while Atul-Riddhima sat in the living room watching cartoon movies...something that was dear to both....
"hahahaha...oh, my god jeej...did you see that!" He heard her laughing carefree again....
"..Armaan!" Anjali's glare caught his attention, but that couldn't melt him...hence she poked him once again.....
"I'll seriously throw you from here if you don't continue the story...." Typical Gupta sisters...Armaan thought...Anjali was not the only one who was threatened Armaan, Riddhima had done it too!
"Okay, okay...I'm saying....no need for a kill..." At this he saw Anjali looking at him curiously, waiting for him to say....
"But lets have some coffee before that..." Armaan made his legendary baby pout....trying to melt her heart...and as expected, it worked!
"Ugh, fine!" Not happy about it, Anjali made her way out of the balcony to make some coffee for both....Armaan smiled...After he was completely alone, he looked into the space and muttered to himself..."Man, that was hell of a night!" he smiled again remembering the incidents of the night....
Edited by jeflkjfkljfkj - 13 years ago
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