Chapter 3

Armaan: Mai chah kar bhi usse nahi bhula pa raha hu, I...I still...I still miss her a lot...!

He said his last words in whisper so that it could be only audible to himself but Rahul heard him & gave him a smile.

Rahul: I knew it... tu sirf kehta hai ki tu usse nafrat karta hai but sach yeh hai ki you never hated her. You look always happy or rather you are happy but deep inside you there is sadness whose reason is ...something is really missing in your life & that's her. That is the person, your best friend Riddhima whom you are missing in all these years, in happiness or when you are sad or anything which relate you to her. It's been 8 years but you still miss her.

Armaan: Rahul please, let's stop this topic here...umm and by the way when you are coming Mumbai...Why don't you come with me tomorrow..?

Rahul: Nahi yaar...I have to settle some things, as whole family is shifting so there are several works to do. You carry on I will see you soon in Mumbai..!!

Armaan: Okay..!! I guess it's late now. I should sleep now. Tomorrow I have to reach Airport on time warna Mom-Dad will kill me..!!

They both laugh at this.

Rahul: Yeah..!! Armaan by the way what about Tammy...!! You have told her or not that you are leaving London forever.

Armaan glared at him and then said.

Armaan: Yeah I have told her. She was bit upset but I said that we will be in touch and will meet soon.

Rahul: you know na ki...!!

Armaan cut him in between of his sentence and said

Armaan: yeah I know she told me in the party that she likes me...!!

Rahul: What..!! Why didn't you tell me before?

Armaan: just it slipped from my mind...!! I too like her yaar..! She is my good friend but even I don't want to hurt her but I don't know the words just slipped out from my mouth. I couldn't control and I said that I don't love her and have never thought about her like this.

Rahul: then what did she say..?

Armaan: she said she will try to move on..!!

Rahul: okay..! relax dude..!! chal m going in my room...you take care...see u ..! gunnyt..!

Armaan: bye...gunnyt..!!

Rahul left the room. Whereas Armaan again lay on the bed while thinking rather fighting with his thoughts.

"Mai kal 8 years baad Mumbai wapus ja raha hu. I don't know whether we'll meet or not but there is a lot of questions still you have to answer. Tum meri best friend thi Riddhima aur pta nhi tumse nafrat krke bhi tumhari jagah kisi ko nahi de paya..!! itna kuch ho jane ke baad bhi tumhe nahi bhul pa raha hu..! maine tumse nafrat krne ki bohot koshish kari din mei 1000 times khud se kehta tha ki tum ne mujhe dhoka diya hamari dosti todhi par na chah kar bhi tum hee yaad aati thi. humne ek dusre ko promise kiya tha ki kuch bhi ho we'll never ever break this friendship, but you did, you did broke your promise, and I will never forgive you for this. But mai yeh promise kabhi nahi todhuga riddhima aur mai ek baar tumse milna chahta hu...janna chahta hu ki ku tumne mujhse ek baar bhi baat karna ku jaruri nahi samjha..!! Bina kuch soche samjhe bas hamari dosti todh di..! But you have to answer me once. I am coming back Ridhhima..!! "

Soon he drifted off to sleep & left for Mumbai next day.

SAME DAY AT COLLEGE, MUMBAI

Anjali & Riddhima reached college & parked the car. As they came out they saw their friends coming towards them.

Atul & Muskaan : Hey Anjali & hey riddhima.

Anjali & Riddhima: heyy..!!

Riddhima: Tum log yaha kya kar rahe ho...class ka time ho raha hai...ab tak andar kyu nahi gaye..?

Muskaan: Arre yaar mai toh chali jaati par is Romeo ke bachhe ne mujhe yaha pakad ke dhup mei khada rakha...!!

Anjali: kyu, kya hua Atul..??

Atul: wo kya haina Anjali, aj hamare final year ka 1^st day hai ...toh mai tumhare saath andar jana chahta tha...jisse hum dono hamesha saath rahe... !!

Atul said all this looking down & then when he didn't get any reply from others he looked towards them only to be glared by them. Suddenly the duo Muskaan & Riddhima burst out laughing like maniacs at their cute friend who is now almost blushing...whereas Anjali give them a dangerous glare to shut them up & said

Anjali: Awww Atul...you are too cutee...!! <3

Muskaan: Arre ohh Romeo-Juliet ab toh aandar chalo yaar...warna kahi class ke liye late ho gaye toh wo hitler waise hee hamari jaan le lega...!! Aur waise iss Atul ke chakkar mei mai bohot der se bahar hu ...dekho mai kaali na ho jau kahi..!! chalo ab..!!

They all move towards their class room while smiling & listening to muskaan's non-stop blabbering. Reaching to the door of the class Atul asked

Atul: Ridzy aaj ye Sidd kaha reh gaya hai...!! Hamesha toh humse pehle aa jata h tumhe welcome karne ke liye...!

Muskaan: Arre haan mai bhi puchna bhul gayi tera hero kaha reh gaya aaj...!!

Atul & Muskaan started their blabbering & teasing Riddhima while Anjali said

Anjali: Stop it guys, ku meri behan ko pareshan kar rahe ho...waise Ridzy..

Riddhima: ha di...!

Anjali: Sidd ne tumhe toh jarur bataya hoga ki wo aj ku nahi aaya.

She winked at her. Anjali too started teasing her while she was glaring at them giving them not-so-funny-looks. Finally she spoke...

Riddhima: mujhe nahi pata wo ku nahi aaya aur aap logo se kitni baar kahu ki kuch nahi hai hamare beech, hum bas ache dost hai aur kuch nahi samjhe..!!

While three of them staring at each other & then at riddhima. Finally muskaan broke the silence & said

Muskaan: ridzy par ye toh tub hi janti hai ki wo tujhe bachpan se pasand karta hai. Dost toh hum bhi hai par tu special hai kuch uske liye...!!

Riddhima: Guyzz stop it..!! mai class mei jar hi hu.

And with a huff she went in to the class.

Atul: ye ridzy kab samjhegi...!!

Anjali: haan sidd hamara childhood friend hai. Wo toh ridzy ko bachpan se pasand karta hai par ridzy ne kabhi notice hee nhi kiya...!! No wonder inka kya hoga...!!

Muskaan: achha chodo aur andar chalte hai..!!

They all went into the class & settled themselves. Anjali sat with Atul in front row whereas Muskaan & Riddhima sat in the next. Soon their back to back classes came to an end & they moved towards canteen.

They reached canteen & saw their love birds sitting away from everyone romancing with each other. They headed their feet towards them. They were facing their back towards them so the couple didn't realize the presence of their friends. As our Muskaan, the great prankster, chalks out a plan to bring those, love birds out of their dream world. She tells Atul & soon on a count of three they both shouted their names in their ears as loud as they can.

With this sudden loud voice equal to disaster, they both came out of their world & shouted at them.

Girl: you Idiot Atul, itna zor se chillane ki kya jarurat thi mai deaf nahi hu...mujhe sunayi deta hai...!!

She said all this while massaging her ear. When the guy interrupted...

Guy: aur kya jarurat thi yaha aane ki...jab dekho hamare romance mei haddi banne aa jaate ho..,!!

Listening to this their mouths flung open. While giving him deadly looks Anjali said

Anjali: Listen Mr. Abhimanyu Modi, hume bhi tumhare romance mei haddi banne ka koi shok nhi hai...! Aur hum kis angle se aapko haddi dikhte h ...!

Abhi: Haddi nahi bolu toh kya bolu tum logo ko...jab dekho mere romance ke dushman bane rehte ho...!!

Muskaan: dekh nikki, chup karale apne is Bandar ko warna mai aj isko...

Riddhima: guyzz...guyzzz... calm down..!! waise bhi yeh pehli baar toh hua nahi hai toh please ladaai chodo kuch khate hai...am feeling hungry...!!!

Atul: arre haan mujhe bhi bhuk lagi hai chal muskaan, abhi kuch leke aate hai sbke liye...!!

Atul, muskaan & abhi headed towards the counter to get something while anjali, riddhima & nikki took their seats & started chatting. Suddenly a male voice startled everyone & they turned to look towards the direction from where voice came..!

Voice: hey everyone...!! Wassup.!!

He move towards the table and sat near riddhima saying

Voice: hey riddhima..!!

He smiled towards her..!!

While she returned his smile & said

Riddhima: hey sid. Kaise ho..!!

Anjali: haan...kitne time se milne bhi nahi aaye humse...apne dosto ko bhul gaye kya..??

Anjali said this all while winking towards riddhima. She glared back to her to stop this teasing session while abhi atul & muskaan came their and exchanged pleasantries.

Sid: mai thik hu...!! Sorry wo mujhe kuch important kaam tha isliye time nahi nikaal paya..!! By the way mai tum sabko kuch btana chahta tha..!!

All look towards sid and seeing his serious look they all rack their brains.

But before he could even utter a word, Nikki signaled Abhi to tell them. Abhi nodded in a yes and said

Abhi: Sid tu kuch kahe isse pehle mai kuch btana chahte hu..

While Sid again interrupted and said

Sid: Nahi bhai pehle mujhe btane dijiye, mera yeh baat btana bohot jaruri hai..!

Abhi pleaded him with his eyes so sid agreed and abhi continued

Abhi: so guyz, mujhe ek announcement karni hai...!! As you all know we both are a happy couple & so in love with each other, I have proposed Nikki for marriage & even our parents have no objection & soon we decided to get engaged then after college we'll do marriage too..!!

Abhi said all this in one go. Getting no reply he looked towards all of them only to be glared by them. Soon Ridzy recovered first & she gave a tight hug to nikki congratulating her. Atul & Sid ran towards Abhi & congratulate him while giving him a rib-crashing hug.

Abhi: oyee...kya kar rahe ho yaar...!! Aj hee maar daaloge toh Nikki shaadi kisse karegi..!! aur tum naachoge kiski baraat mei..!

Atul & Sid left him & said

Atul: Sorry yaar...hum thode over-excited ho gaye the...!! Par kitna maza aayega na ..hum sab saath mei khub sare maze karenge..!! Aur ek din aise hee hamari bhi sagaai hogi anjali..!!

Anjali blushed at Atul's comment and everyone hooted but soon anjali control herself & said

Anjali: Shut up Atul..!! abi hamari nahi inki sagaai ho rahi hai by the way kab h sagaai..??

Nikki: date abi fixed nahi huyi hai par is month ki end tk he hogi..!!

Sid : achha guyz ab please ek baar meri baat bhi sunlo..!!

Riddhima: ha sid, tum kuch keh rahe the na..?

Sid: ha woo tum sabko kuch btana tha...wo actually mujhe 6 months ke liye Bangalore jaana hai..! waha ke medical college se mujhe call aaya hai..! Students exchange program mei mujhe waha jana hai..! mai nahi jana chahta tha but mom dad said ki itni achhi opportunity miss na karu..! So I have to go anyhow. Aj mai isliye hee nahi aaya college.

All of them were staring at him & then Atul said

Atul: par 6 months ye toh bohot jyada hai..!!

Sid: I know & shyad abhi nikki tumhari engagement ke liye bhi na aa pau..!! Sorry..!!

Muskaan: Kab ja raha h tu..?

Sid: wo kal raat ki flight hai...!!

Ridzy: aur sid tum hume ab bta rahe ho..!!

Sid: ha wo kuch paper work mei busy tha isliye time nahi mil paya..!!

He saw suddenly after happy news this news made all of them sad as Sid was so important to all of them. He always makes everyone smile. So Sid again said

Sid: Don't worry guys it's all about 6 months & yeah today evening there is a party at my house before I leave I want to tell something to all of you & especially to u Riddhima. See you all at evening. Bye everyone. Bye Riddhima take care.

Sid left after bidding goodbye and all of them turn towards riddhima to see her in a confused state & all of them gave amused smiles to her. She left making an excuse of she's getting late for class.

On the other side Armaan land to Mumbai. He soon reached his home which was a big bungalow as his parents were rich. He moved inside and thought to himself

Armaan: everything is changed so much in these years. It feels like this house is no more a part of me..!

He moved inside the house only to be greeted by his maid who was an old lady with wrinkled face.

HEYY READERS...So here goes my fanfic's next part..!!

I know may be the part was not upto your expectations but i have tried and even it was necessary for upbringing of the story...!1 hope u all will not mind..!! please forgive me this time..!! but next part will be above ur expectations and the most awaited part..i.e. AR meet...!!

So stay tuned ...be happy...take care..!!

will be back soon with next part...!!

Thanku & love u all readers...!!

take care..!!

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