Update 1

It was a sunny morning. Just like any other day Riddhima was silently standing beside an open window and was enjoying the view. She smiled looking at the view. She had absolutely no idea of time, she didn’t know that for how long she was standing beside this open window and was starring the view in front of her eyes. This starring thing had become a part of her life now, she felt contend and satisfied as this was the only time where she could be with herself and tried to figure out why was her life like this? Why could not it be better? Since childhood she was yearning for love from her father but it seemed like she was too unfortunate to even have that.

According to her, happiness was her biggest enemy. She did not smiled nor laughed. No one saw the sadness behind her smile no one saw how hard she was trying to laugh. Alas, it was correctly said everyone had their own life and were too busy with it to even notice the fake smile or fake laugh of someone. Even if they did, they hardly bother about it, thinking it was not their business and should not interfere in it.

Riddhima sighed, every day she would look outside her window and tried to find answers, tried to think positively but the circumstances forced her to always think negative regarding a situation due to which she was always called as a negative thinker. She looked at the birds who were flying and wished that she could be one of them because then she would have fled from this place to a better place where she could live peacefully without being scared of what would happen next.

Riddhima (in a whisper tone): Miss you mamma wish you were alive and I would have just stayed in your arms to feel safe and protected.

Riddhima was busy starring the sky and talking with her mom that she didn’t realize her door opened and a girl with curly hair entered the room. She scanned the room and sighed seeing riddhima standing beside the window. She slowly and silently walked towards riddhima. She made sure no noise was made and when she successfully reached riddhima she quickly kept her hand on riddhima’s eyes that broke her trance.

Feeling a pair of hands on her eyes riddhima gasped and then her expressions turn into a scared one. She quickly kept her hands on the hand that was covering her eyes and after a few seconds, she was relieved. She smiled as she has guessed who this person was. It was muskaan her cousin cum best friend, she was the only one with whom riddhima could share her worries, her problems and her fears. She genuinely smiled whenever muskaan tried to cheer her up when she was upset or sad.

Riddhima: muskaan I know it’s you.

Muskaan: hadh hai yaar tu hamesha kaise pehchan leti hai hain.

Riddhima: well that’s magic.

Muskaan: magic my foot anyway madam aap kaha khoye huye the.

Riddhima: huh mien kahiin bhi nahiin bas aise hi bahar dekh rahi thi.

Muskaan: riddhima yaar seriously stop making your life dull it’s not the age to be dull and all, you should enjoy life.

Riddhima: when you know this is not possible then stop lecturing me on this yaar.

Muskaan: acha baba tu jeeti mien haari happy chal aaj hamari holidays finally over ho gayi hai third year ke liye college jake re registration karani hai warna ek din ki attendance cut.

Riddhima: I know yaar how can they cut attendance like this?

Muskaan: I know yaar yeh attendance toh ek dhamki ban gayi hai assignment nahiin doge toh attendance cut arey hello ek toh waise hi according to rules we can’t take holidays more than twenty-five percent kyunki seventy-five percent attendance is compulsory or agar vo log aise hi cheeson pe attendance cut karte rahe na toh genuine holidays bhi nahiin le paynge hum.

Riddhima (nodded her head): I know.

Muskaan: tu toh bol mat teri toh full attendance honi chahiye holidays ka H bhi nahiin leti tu unless teri tabet kuch zyada hi kharab ho.

Riddhima: toh tujhe kisne kaha classes bunk karne ke liye.

Muskaan: oye abhi bunk nahiin karungi toh kab karungi college se pass out hone ke baad?

Riddhima (smiled at her): acha baba kar tu bunk ab college chaley nahiin toh late ho jaynge

Muskaan nodded her head in agreement. Both the sisters after few seconds left for college. After re-registering themselves, both the sisters went to the canteen where they met their friend’s priya, siya, nandini and shreya. They were eating the sandwich when priya spoke.

Priya: riddhima aaj tera phone kyun nahiin baj raha har thodi der main.

After siya heard priya even she joined the conversation.

Siya: hain kahiin kharab toh nahiin ho gaya agar aisa hai toh tu toh mari.

Hearing them riddhima immediately checked her phone and sighed when she found that her phone was fine but then she pondered on what priya said and thought why today he did not called her?

Muskaan: Guys stop it.

Muskaan said as she was happy that at least today her sister was enjoying but they were ruining her enjoyment by reminding her of her phone calls.

Siya: arey hum toh bas aise hi.

Muskaan: You know na it’s not a topic of fun so don’t do it again and ridz lets go home we are already late.

Both muskaan and riddhima stood up and left for their house. Both the sisters came back home and were shocked to see the house being decorated. They were confused seeing this because according to them it was no one’s birthday or anniversary today. Mostly parties happened in hotels rather than home. If it was at home they are informed much in advance so that they had time to clean their rooms because if you have guest at home they definitely roam inside the house either to look for a washroom or the house or would want a silent place to talk and hence could use their room.

Riddhima: muskaan did chachi inform you that today there is some party at home?

Muskaan: no did mom inform you?

Riddhima: If she would have told me then I wouldn’t have asked you this question.

Muskaan: chal phir mom se poochte hain.

Both of them then started searching ‘kirti’ muskaan’s mom and riddhima’s chachi. After searching almost, the entire house both the girls found kirti in the party hall which was specially designed by some famous designer of Delhi. This hall was used only when either some very important client was visiting home or someone special was coming like close friends or family, basically it was used for house party. Muskaan and riddhima walked towards kirti. Riddhima stopped at a distance while muskaan stood right behind kirti. She looked sideways and frowned when she couldn’t see riddhima. She turned around and raised her eyebrows and gave riddhima ‘why- are- you- standing- there’ look. Riddhima just shook her head and muskaan sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

Muskaan (in questioning tone asked kirti): Mom is someone special coming?

Kirti turned around and smiled at muskaan but then her eyes fell on riddhima who was standing behind muskaan and her smile turned into a frown. When riddhima saw kirti was looking at her she lowered her eyes and looked down towards the floor as if searching something very precious.

Kirti (looked at Muskaan smilingly): hain koi special aa raha hai bas uske liye hi yeh tayariyaan chal rahi hain.

Muskaan: who mom?

Kirti: You will get to know that in evening but just don’t go out of the house today ok? (muskaan nodded her head in agreement)

Muskaan: chal ridzy hum room main chalte hain (muskaan held riddhima’s hand and dragged her till her room)

Riddhima: muski ab toh chod mujhe dekh tera room bhi aa gaya hai.

Muskaan: I won’t leave what will you do?

Riddhima: Can I do anything?

Muskaan: yahi teri problem hai tu kuch nahiin karti kher chod chal mere room main TV dekhte hain kyunki kal se toh normal classes shuru ho jayengi phir assignment milega viva hoga presentation or phir finally exams toh kal se toh band bajni hai toh aaj enjoy karte hain na (Muskaan pulled riddhima inside her room. Muskaan and riddhima started watching their all-time favourite movie dill wale dhulanya le jaynge)

Muskaan: kash mujhe raj jaisa pyaar karne wala mile

Riddhima: hhmm

Muskaan: tu kya hhmm kar rahi hai kahiin tujhe bhi toh nahiin chahiye raj jaisa

Riddhima: muski you very well know the reality even if I dream or hope it will not happen so I better not dream or hope for such things.

Muskaan: tu issi ko raj jaisa bana de.

Riddhima: when you know it’s next to impossible then why are you asking me such things? Don’t you know changing HIM is like banging you head on a wall?

Muskaan: abhi toh boht bol rahi hai uske samne phir bheegi billi (cat) kyun ban jati hai.

Riddhima: muski change the topic.

Muskaan sighed she won’t change nor she would try changing HIM. It was evening time and guest started coming. Riddhima was getting ready when muskaan came and dragged her along with her outside the house from back gate.

Riddhima: Muskaan don’t you remember what chachi said? We are not supposed to leave the house today. What if she requires our help Let’s go back.

Muskaan: arey yaar bas mujhe allu chaat khani hai phir chalte hain na vapas.

Muskaan said and riddhima shook her head. Muskaan ordered two plates of allu chaat from a roadside dhaba. After waiting for two minutes they got their order and they started eating. Riddhima constantly checked her phone for two reasons firstly to check that whether there was any call from HIM because HE didn’t call her in the entire day something which rarely happened and secondly to check the time as they were getting late for the party.

Finally they finished eating allu chaat. They paid the bill and then they both walked back towards their house. Both of them entered the house from back gate and immediately came in the party so that no one could say they weren’t present a while back.

Riddhima was noticing people and she didn’t know why but since morning she was feeling something was going to happen today but what? Firstly, HE didn’t call her since morning and this was something which rarely happened. Ever since HE had left the country, HE used to call her after every hour or after every two hours to know what she was doing. But if he was extremely busy, he would make sure he called her at least once in a day to know about her day’s event. Secondly when she was getting ready for the party she strongly felt something was not right she was missing out on something very important.

Her trance broke when she heard shashank’s voice: I am extremely happy to announce that ARMAAN MALLIK is back and this is a welcome party for him.

Riddhima was in shock after she saw HIM. Armaan mallik was back? Riddhima wondered what would happen next?

Coming up: – AR meet