|| Lost And Found ||AR|Part13(Complete)-Page91|((16May2014) - Page 32

Part 7(b) : Actions Speak Louder Than Words?

Armaan sighed as he waited for Rahul to arrive. It had been a week since he was here, and finally he'd decided to speak up. Being around Riddhima was difficult; it hurt him in a way, and made him happy in the other. Why couldn't he see that Riddhima, who'd yelled at him, hurt him? Why was he seeing the one he fell in love with? Definitely, he couldn't let himself get carried away now. No, Not Again. This was strictly business. His feelings had taken a leave right from the time he was broken. And inside the ruthless, arrogant Armaan Mallik, he'd hidden those feelings' And he wouldn't break himself again.

"Armaan you called me?", Rahul entered the room.

"Yup.", he answered, rolling his chair to face him," I had..to talk to you."

When Rahul nodded, Armaan sighed and started," Rahul I had joined your company because I knew it was one of the best ones in Mumbai and MAC needed to extend its horizons. I was really glad to work with a friend..But Rahul, I can't work, if you know..some people are unprofessional."

Rahul's hand fisted in anger.He knew he was talking about Riddhima. He had never hated Armaan before, but he did today. What did Armaan think? Only he had feelings, only he was hurt? Did he even know what was the truth? At every step she was being insulted, and he couldn't take it.

"Whom are you talking about?", Rahul's voice was crisp.

"You know..Miss Gupta..", he began a little uncertainly.

"Riddhima. Her name is Riddhima. And does professionalism mean that you have to have to use surnames, or be rude to your clients ? What does it mean Armaan?"

Armaan sat in silence, tongue-tied. Ofcourse he knew what Rahul was talking about. But he had hurt himself, and that fact wouldn't change. He didn't want to give Riddhima another chance. Why give someone a chance to break his heart all over again? They couldn't understand, no body could understand, how much it hurt to have lost everything in your life, especially if the love of your life is the only one you have. His heart still had her in it, but he wanted memories only. Not again, he wouldn't be able to go through a heartbreak again. He might as well die.

"Rahul.."

"No,Armaan. Do you know who you're talking about? Its Riddhima Gupta. You Don't know her professionalism, she is one of the best interior designers in the country. Are you doubting her potential,Armaan?I know you are a client and I sound rude, but I do not take any offence against my workers, and especially Riddhima. Armaan I understand after whatever happened between you two, its really difficult to get comfortable working with her, but this is WORK, damn it. Stop getting your personal feelings in this."

Before Armaan could answer, there was a knock on the door. It was Riddhima. Armaan looked away when Rahul shot him a cross look and called Riddhima in.

"Hi Rahul..", she smiled," Hi'Ar-Sorry,Sir."

"Call him Armaan, Riddhima. No one's so formal here in office.", Rahul replied.

Riddhima looked perplexed from Rahul to Armaan who didn't look back, but let out a small sigh and a nod. "Yes, Call me Armaan,Riddhima."

Riddhima was overjoyed at the progress. That was the one time Armaan hadn't talked to her with bitterness. She smiled at Rahul thankfully, who returned a knowing wink.

"So, Riddhima.", Armaan said, turning to her, " Have you worked on the designs? "

"Yes, Armaan. And Rahul since you're here, I think you should view them too.", she laid her designs on the table," See'Here the lobby should be airy, trendy, you know, but not to stylish. So the furniture and stuff can be in light blue or a very light shade of brown, suiting to the wall colours..", she explained the schemes and designing she had thought for every room and corner of the hotel and Armaan felt guilty. He shouldn't have accused her like that.

"So'", Armaan cleared his throat," This is for the hotel in Dehradun? We have to go to Dehradun today?"

"Yes. Its nice if we leave early, though. The snowy roads will be a problem at night."

"Okay. Rahul you are coming too,Right?", Armaan looked at him expectantly.

Rahul shot Armaan the crossiest look in the century. Armaan looked startled at his look and they immediately decided that Armaan and Riddhima would go to Dehradun. Passing a smile to Riddhima, Rahul left the room,then Riddhima, leaving Armaan deep in thought.

Everything WAS changing, when he didn't want it to change. He didn't want Riddhima near him. He didn't want to get hurt again. And yet, it made him somehow happy when she smiled? The thought that she cares, it makes him relieved somehow. Why had he come back? For her? He Didn't know. There was one thing he never understood in his life ' and that was his heart.

***

Anyone could say I was the happiest human being on earth.I couldn't thank Rahul enough. Itsthe best day of my life. Seriously. I'm sitting beside Armaan, the most gorgeous person on earth and watching the hills pass by. I have been doing this for the past 3 hours. Don't know how long it will take us to reach the hotel which is to be renovated and decorated by me.

The feel is so different today. I feel like I felt long back ' happy. I feel excited like I have fallen in love with Armaan all over again, after his comeback. It felt like I was flying when he said my name after so many years, and even smiled at me. His smile did the wonders to my heart. I know, I know that deep down this arrogant and cold Armaan, there is my Dimple Guy, My DG. The one I fell for. And I'll make sure, thatI get that part of him out.

Does he even know what I am thinking? What I feel? Does he care? Does he love me? I don't know, but I want to know all the answers. He means the world to me, and even if he thinks I am going to give up, he's so wrong. I am not. I know that the tuff between us, the misunderstanding, everything was my mistake. Maybe I should have told him myself afterward. I could never blame Muski.The warmth in the car makes me smile as I watch out from the windows and remember his words. He always wanted to know what I liked in looking out from the window, and my answer would be, I was searching for a part of me.

It was true. How odd it seemed, that I found my emotions locked up like the harsh wind, playing with my hair, how I cried when I took my face out from the car window and it would rain, how I smiled when I remembered him, the light breeze flitting across my face. The most difficult thing in the world, I think..Is to stop loving him. I look at him and gaze in wonder, could he really not see through me?

"We're here.", he whispered after a great while.

I smiled at him just to see him moving his head away. We both got down and went to our rooms, and he even whispered "Good night" as he left. I could not wait for the morning.

-----

To my pleasant surprise, the morning in Dehradun was cold alright, but it was definitely beautiful. I realized I never had looked around my room. It's walls were coloured in light mauve, my favourite colour , and it calmed me down. Getting ready, I went down.

Needless to say, I would never forget this morning. The Way he came and smiled at me, and we worked together, our hands brushing in intervals, and his eyes filtering to my side sometimes.

"No, Not here!", I said sternly to the worker. A duffer. He wasn't putting the curtains properly for the lobby windows. The curtains were flowy and light blue, and it matched perfectly with the sight of the room. Couldn't the idiotic workers just listen to me? I meab Dude, I am the Interior Designer here. And they are acting smart.

"Madam par yaahan pe kaise lagayenge!", the worker complained.

"Aap ek baar niche untriye. Main thik karti hu." , I told him sternly and got up the wobbly chair.

Putting the curtain in the right place, and satisfied with myself, I started turning to the worker to give him a triumphant smirk. But the chair landed up wobbling and my hands flew to the sides to hold on to something. My hands caught the curtain and then thin air, and I closed my eyes as I started to fall. A shout escaped my throat and instead of landing up and banging my head against the hard floor, I found myself carried away.

Opening my scared eyes, I looked into the deep blue pair of eyes that calmed my heart instantly and drove all my fears away. It was like I could gaze into them forever. I almost wanted to say,'Don't let go,Armaan.' I wanted to grip his arms and cry like a baby, his arms supporting me as I held him. But nothing happened. Only what happened was, the curtain felt gracefully over us. And we were separated from the world. Atleast, I was.

***

He gazed in wonder in her eyes. How had he not seen them before? They were enchanting, just like hers. This time, his heart commanded him to be lost. And he was. It was like he couldn't get enough. Could he? Deep down even he couldn't deny that he loved her. His heart flew like it had so many years ago, holding her in his arms was like something he couldn't describe..It was near to what was called, getting his life back.

Their trip had surely changed a lot. He was surrendering... 'No, Armaan!' his sense set in. It almost screeched in loud tones to leave her. 'You can't surrender; you can't let yourself go away. You can't afford to break your own heart all over again!', his mind reprimanded. In one swift moment, heswept his eyes away to a another place and put her down. There was a flush of colour in her cheeks, the colour that he loved.

"Take care of yourself.", he said in a tone that masked his emotions yet again and left the room.

He saw Riddhima watching him with a sad expression but ignored it. Putting his leather jacket round his shoulders ,he walked off outside the door to the chilly cold snow.The cold wind hit his face like shackles, but he didn't care. He just walked. His heart and mind were at war.

It was hurting him. He was hurting himself. It was a really strange fact, how among his deep hatred for her words, her actions were making him fall in love again. He couldn't. He couldn't let himself go and hurt himself all over again.

He stopped in his tracks. A question loomed over his head..Were her actions speaking louder than words?

***

I held my face in my palms and cried. I sobbed like there was so tomorrow, letting everything out. Suddenly my happiness, hope..they were all draining out. Was his saving me, his eyes boring into mine, mean nothing? Did he not want to say anything to me? He still hated me so much?My tears spilled more. Please, Armaan..One chance is all I want.

"Madam?" , it was Ramesh, the caretaker.

"Yes?", I managed out, choking. Thank God I wasn't looking at him.

"Madam Armaan sahib kahin nahi mill rahe.Humne saare kamro aur jahago mein dekha, who kahin nai mille. Abhi teen ghante ho gaye who laute nahi. Aur bahar snowfall bhi ho rahi hai..Agar wahan atak gaye toh hum kuch nahi.."

My heartbeats raced. I looked around frantically, as my hands and legs shivered, and I turned swiftly out through the door before looking back. I had to save him. No God, you can't take away Armaan so easily. Please,no. I will die. Praying in my breath, I ran out through the door, ignoring the pleas of Ramesh who was telling me not to go.

The snow was blowing harshly, and it was difficult to walk . I coughed numerous times, the cold wind hitting me. I was shivering,and my body was getting weaker by the minute. I wanted to stop and bury myself, but the amazing warmth in my heart kept me going. Do it for Armaan, it said.

My feet got stuck in the snow as I shouted with my might. I called out his name, numerous times. Armaan. Armaan. It sounded like a living prayer. Feeling myself giving up, I choked out his name a last time before darkness overpowered me.

***

"Riddhima!RIDDHIMA!" he shouted to her voice echoeing through the hills. Not even in his wildest dreams had he imagined that she would actually come to look for him. His feet were getting heavier after such a long walk. His heartbeats increased. Hearing her voice, it had almost brought him life, but it panicked him. What if something had happened?

He saw a almost white body on the snow. Without any doubt it was Riddhima, he ran. Struggling with the wind, he carried her, she was as light as feather, but as cold as ice. She couldn't leave him. No,he couldn't afford to lose her. And to see her dying in front of his eyes? NEVER.

"Riddhima NO! YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME! Open your eyes dammit!", he screeched as he carried her.

His hope alive in his heart, and his heartbeats racing, he reached the hotel and ordered warm water and milk, a thermometer, few blankets and medicine. He layed her down on the bed, his face layered with worry. It couldn't be. She couldn't be hurt. A few tears spilled off his cheek and fell into her palm which he was holding.

"You..Can't. I'll die without you..I..Love you..So much, dammit. Open your eyes'.P-pleasee.."

As if on cue, her eyes fluttered after 3 hours of wait.

***

My eyes opened to a bright light. Armaan was standing near me, and watching me with great concern. What had happened?My head hurt.Sitting up , I noticed it was my room, and a warm fire was ablaze. Did he save me?

"Armaan..", I called ina soft voice.

"Here, your medicine. Feel better?" , he asked in a whisper, his voice shaking.

He wasn't facing me now, so I couldn't see him. I wanted to hug him, as relief ran through me, he was safe. But why wasn't he talking? And why did his voice sound so shaky? Was he crying?

Without giving me any scope to be able to answer my questions, he walked ahead, whispering a "Good night'Take care." I stood up. My whole body wobbled, but I wanted some answers. If Armaan never cared, why did he save me?

"Thank You.", I said.

"For what?"

"For saving my life."

"Its okay."

"Armaan why do you care ? You said I'd better be dead, right?"

"Riddhima stop it. Its humanity."

"And nothing else? Armaan I know you care, then why do you keep avoiding me? Its one chance I'm asking for Armaan, just one chance. Can't you even give me that..even for the sake of 'humanity' ?"

"Riddhima I do not live in the past. I choose to forget.", his voice was hard and fierce. Rude and cold.

"I just want a chance to let you believe in me. Can't you believe the truth Armaan? Can't you see the truth?"

Armaan's mocking laughter filled the room," What is true in you that I will believe?"

"Maybe..", my voice wobbled and shook, as my tears gave way," Maybe everything about me is false'But Mr. Mallik, there is one thing that is even truer than my mere existence'And will remain true forever..How I fell in love with you.."

I saw Armaan freeze in his tracks. His body tensed up and he refused to look back at me. I took a deep breath and said what I was dying to say, " I Love You Armaan Mallik."

***

So here was the Dhamaka Part :) Hope it was Worth the Wait ! Although I ain't satisfied with my writing, but still. COMMENTSS Please! We are expecting loads of comments from this part :)

And HAPPY BIRTHDAY TRISHA <3 This is For you babe <3 LOVE YOOUU <3

Love,

Maitree And Trisha <3