The Symphony of Raindrops AR-New Version ch4-1/27

Chapter 1: Of the rain and the thunder

He stared at the poured rain outside the  dark window, a small smile formed as he recollected all their memories that were connected with the rain, all those precious moments that brought them closer. All their promises to each other, all the dreams they've woven together, all the stupid fights, all their close moments, everything was playing out as if he'd just lived through all that yesterday itself. But then what went wrong? What happened to all those days that they've forgotten about the world and lived madly in love with each other? Why had everything changed so much that the eyes that looked at him with inumerable oceans of love seemed like a drifting away shore? Why was destiny so cruel that it gave him his life and snatched it away before he could even start living it, showed him a beautiful dream only to could it with dark shadows? A tear rolled down his eye as he recollected her words that torn his world apart, "Armaan. I think we've tried too hard to hold onto something that wasn't meant to be. I know you don't believe me but think about it. Had these things not happened under all those unexpected circumstances, maybe we wouldn't be what we were to each other. This has been pushed too far than it can stand Armaan, our relationship." A few more tears rolled down as he pondered over those words again. How could she even think that his love for her was forced and came along with time? He recollected how she initially started to slowly driftly away from him and the Malaysia trip. How she avoided having meals with him, worked extra hours to the extent they couldn't even cross each other's paths in a day and only spoke to him if it was something important or work related. In all these days he thought she finally was sick of holding on, he thought maybe his love for her wasn't enough. He thought the reason she behaved this way because of him, but little did he know it would turn out to be something as perplexed as the reason she told him as she finally broke down and spilled her heart out. He could not move or say anything that day. He recalled the day he spent trying to convince her and make her understand where his heart truly was, almost pleading her to take him back. Why couldn't she understand what he wanted, why couldn't she understand what she meant to him? Why couldn't she understand what happened in the past did not matter to him? Why God, why was this happening to him?

 He leaned on the wall beside the window and slid down the wall absent mindedly as his whole body went numb in pain.  And as he slid down, his hand accidently tipped the side table near the window and the photo frame on crashed into pieces on the ground. He picked up the broken photo frame to see a picture of Riddhima and him in it. He stared at the photo, removing the broken pieces of glass from it, they looked so happy and in love with each other. His heart stung with pain as he rain a finger over Riddhima's face. Today had to be the worst day of his life, he closed him eyes hoping that at least the unconscious state could relieve him from some of his pain. And outside, the thunder that usually roared in response to their love, roared aggressively symbolic of the storm that hit their lives.

Riddhima drove out of town until she reached a point where she couldn't see clear of the gushing tears that were falling on her face, parked to a side of the road and broke down. She cried all her heart out and it ached as she tried to relieve some of the pain she had built up from days. Everything was gone. Life, dreams, future, everything has evaporated. And there was no one but herself to blame for all that she had done. She had brought this on herself, but she had no other option. How could you let the one you love live a compromised miserable life? You couldn't. The first instinct of love was to protect and keep your loved ones happy, even if it meant hurting yourself in the process. And she was doing the same thing. Armaan's happiness meant more than her life for her and she would do everything possible to make sure he was happy, even if it meant staying away from him. And that thought pierced her heart with a thousand knifes. She saw the fifteen missed calls from Armaan and deleted them. After she was done pouring her heart out she finally started the car and drove to hotel and checked herself into room, not in a condition to go home or to face anyone she knew.  She went upto the room in a depressed trance and went to sleep, too exhausted and physically and emotionally drained of the day's events.

Chapter 2: Concerned people.

Riddhima woke up the next day to the constant buzzing of her phone,  she hit the end button without even looking at the caller. As the incessant buzzing continued for another five minutes, she gave up and looked at the caller, it was Nikki, she pressed end again and was about to switch it off as she saw fourty five missed calls on her phone. Her numb heart wanted to ignore everything and just drift into a black zone, but her half-active mind gave alerted her to see who it was. There were twenty missed calls from Armaan, ten from Nikki three from Abhi and seven from Rahul, and five from Sanjeevani. She panicked as she saw the missed calls from Nikki, was there any emergency and with that thought she called up Nikki.

"Hello Nikki..", she tried to speak, but her throat started to burn. "RIDDHIMA! WHERE ARE YOU? We were trying to find you from last night? We were so close to call up the police do you realize that?" Riddhima winced as she heard that, she had unnecessarily worries someone because of her own problems. "I'm sorry Nikki, I was at a friend's place…", she started to make an excuse for her sudden absence last night. "What sorry Riddhima, have you any idea how freaked out me, abhi, rahul and everyone else has been. How could you just disappear like that. Do you have ANY idea what state Armaan has been", and she couldn't take it at that name. "I'm sorry Nikki", she said again, her voice shaking as she held back the tears that emerged at his name. Nikki softened as she heard her voice, "Riddhima, please tell me where you are I'll come pick you up. I know things have been really bad with you and Armaan, but going away isn't going to do anything. Please Riddhima, for me", she pleaded hoping to persvuade her. Riddhima felt guilty at hearing that, "I wasn't running away Nikki. I just needed some time to clear my head. I wasn't in the position to talk to anyone yesterday. Now I don't know how to face anyone", and she broke down at that. "Riddhima, listen to me. Everything will be okay? Do you understand me? Abhi is going for a business trip in an hour for two weeks, so you can stay over with me. No one will question you or ask you for any explanations? Okay? Just come back Riddhima", she pleaded. Riddhima sniffed back her tears, "Please Nikki….I need to be alone." "No Riddhima you don't. Please just come back. Where are you? I'm in the car, I'll pick you up. You can't stay alone in this broken condition", Nikki tried again hoping she could convince her. Riddhima just sighed and told her the hotel which she was at.  Nikki sighed in relief as she finally gave her the hotel address. She hung up on her and called Armaan. "Nikki, Did you find her", he asked anxiously on the first ring he got from Nikki. "Armaan., relax she's fine but sad. She's going to stay with me till everything gets sorted. She seems kind of disturbed, so I think maybe we need to give her some space…"she suggested. This angered Armaan even more, first she blabs some nonsense about breaking up so he could be happy, then she goes missing the whole night almost killing him in the entire night and now she's going to be alone? No way! "Nikki, listen could you do me one last favor, pick her up and…" and he explained his plan to her. Nikki agreed hesitantly and went to pick Riddhima up. Her heart ached as she saw the swollen eyes and the fallen face. Riddhima was a beautiful person that brightened up people's days with her beautiful smile, but now that smile had gone so far away, she wondered if it would come back again.  She prayed it would and drove to her house.

"Riddhima, the guest room upstairs are not cleaned, so you can stay in the one downstairs. I'll go get you some food", she said while opening the door to the room "Nikki, It's fine I'm okay", she said. But Nikki was adamant, "I'm getting you something, no arguments", saying that she shut the bedroom door. She grabbed the house keys, went outside the house and locked the door, hoping things would somehow work.  She saw Abhi waiting in the car for her and got in.  "Nikki, don't worry everything will be okay between them", he said while holding her hand before driving out their house. Riddhima meanwhile, came out of the washroom after washing her face. She turned to the closet to grab the towel when she bumped into someone, she turned around and her eyes widened as she took in the person who was standing in front of her. "Tum", she said weakly. "Haan, main", he said before grabbing her arm and pulling her closer to himself, as she bumped into him.

Chapter 3: A Letter to you

As she bumped into him, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer into him. Armaan looked into her worn out eyes and his heart melted at that sight, but he reminded himself this was her self -inflicted pain and he was going to put her stupidity to an end. Riddhima stared back at Armaan, reading all his questions, pain , frustration, concern and love in his eyes. She could still see the same love and concern she first saw as they fell in love with each other. As she was lost in his eyes, Armaan was fuming with anger. How could she just walk out on him and disappear for an entire night?  "Riddhima! What the hell is wrong with you? I know things aren't right between us, but that DOES not mean you disappear damn it! Do you have any idea how worried and petrified I was searching from street to street all night?" He said angrily arching her closer in the process. Riddhima was stumped by his outburst, "I'm fine Armaan. I just needed some time alone. You didn't have to worry for me", she said looking away from those blue eyes. This irked him more, "What do you mean I don't have to worry for you? It's not something I consciously do and I can't control it! I love you Riddhima! How many times does it need to be said for it to sink into your thick skull!!", he said pulling her closer in the moment of anger, leaving only a few centimeters apart from each other.  Riddhima just stared at him, wishing she could accept this moment without any guilt or burden, believe his words without feeling guilty about straying from her responsibilities, but she couldn't. Atleast that is what she thought.  As silent tears dropped from her eyes, Armaan's heart ached. He didn't mean to hurt her, but he knew those tears were caused from something much more than his angry words. "Riddhima", he said softly while rubbing a finger on her lips, she closed her eyes as she felt him taking in the feeling. He took her face in his hands and called out again. She opened her eyes. He looked into her eyes to find immeasurable pain, helplessness and love, so much love that he could probably drown in it. "Riddhima, Basket listen to me. A person can adapt to live in any type of conditions, hot, cold, ice, etc but given the fact that he can still live through it. But if you take oxygen away from that person, he won't live. That's what you're doing to me Riddhima, you're taking away my oxygen by going away from me and I can't live without that. I can't live without you Riddhima." He said trying to explain. "You can't live without me because that's how dependent we became on each other ever since we got married. Don't sacrifice your desires, and love for me Armaan, just give it a chance", she said as tears leaked through her eyes. He couldn't believe her. How could she think he loves her because he needs her? "I don't love you because I need you Riddhima. I can live without you, live a lifeless existence, eat, work, function and live throughout my life without you. But I need you because I love you. And it hurts even more that your questioning my love after so many months", he said, tears brimming in his eyes as he stepped back away from her. This was it, he couldn't think of any other way to convince her. "Fine,go away. Do whatever you want to do", he said stubbornly moving back. "But before you do anything, read this", he said handing her a letter. She looked at the white envelope in his hands, as he walked out of the room and out of the house. Riddhima stared at the envelope that was addressed to her. She sat down on the bed, wiping her tears wondering what possibly it could be. The letter read:

Dear Riddhima,

Thank you for letting me meet my lost love once again. It takes a lot of courage to let the one you love go away from you and I saw that fear in your eyes when I first met you and talked to you about Armaan. You gave us both a lot of time to catch up and reminisce our old times, but it only took an hour for us.  Whenever I look into his eyes, all I can see is the immense love he has for you. You are in his every thought and in every conversation. That's when I realized how much he's in love with you and how big of part you've become in his life. I'm leaving with the kind of satisfaction that he's found his twin soul in you and that I could move on in life too. I truly wish you both a happy life together. I hope I fall for Armaan again in my next life, not as Priya, but as Riddhima.

Yours,

Priya.

Riddhima teared up as she read the letter. She was numb to the core. Half her mind was still processing what the letter had said and half her mind was assessing all those times Armaan had pleaded and tried to convince her how much she means to him. Throughout this, the only thing she could think of is what had she done?