I'll Love You Longer Than Forever

Chapter Three

Armaan was at the basketball court, searching for someone.

"Yaar ye champ kahaan reh gaya? Baat toh aise kar raha tha jaise yahaan koi marr raha ho. Abhi khudka koi thikaana hi nahi hai", he said, getting agitated with every passing second.

While waiting for Atul, he took a second to look around the place.

Thousands of memories flooded him. This place was very special to him. It was here that he had met Riddhima for the first time. Riddhima, his love, his life, his everything. He wanted to see her beautiful face again, feel her arms around him when she hugged him, feel her pressed against his body as he held her close, and see her beautiful smile, her expressive eyes. He wanted his Basket.

He was thinking about Riddhima, when he felt the air pick up a speed and he started having a tingling feeling in his stomach, tell tale signs that his Riddhima was near. He could feel her around him, in the air. He turned towards the entrance of the court and was surprised.

It really was Riddhima in front of him! He couldn't believe his eyes. He was seeing her after 10 long months. All this time he wanted to see her face, look into her eyes to see the love in them, feel her arms around him and take her in his arms! She had only gotten more beautiful with time. He couldn't remember a time where she looked more beautiful than now! He just stood there, admiring her beauty.

Riddhima was shocked to see Armaan in front of her. Her Armaan whom she had been waiting for, for so long. She knew that one day he would come back for her. It was the reason why she hadn't married Sid even after so much pressure from her family. And, he was finally here. She took a moment to bask in triumph of her love.

Both of them were just staring at each other, not able to believe that the other was finally in front of them. Unbidden, tears started falling from their eyes on seeing the love of their life after such a long separation.

Riddhima moved forward slowly, savoring the moment. When she reached Armaan, she tentatively raised her hand and brushed Armaan's cheek. Armaan eagerly leaned into her touch.

The feel of her skin on his after so long sent Armaan's heart beating in overdrive. Still, he was hesitating as he didn't know if Riddhima had forgiven him or not. He wanted to take her in his arms & never let go but somehow he controlled himself. Riddhima on the other hand had no such qualms and throw herself against him, wanting to feel his arms around her.

As soon as she was in his arms she was home. She felt happy, content and at peace. All her worries vanished and she felt that void in her chest fill after 10 months. But she still needed to make sure she wasn't dreaming and he was really here. So, she started kissing any and every part of him she could reach. His arm, his chest, his shoulder, his collarbone, his chin.

Seeing as Riddhima was uninhibited, Armaan returned her kisses along her cheek, neck, collar bone and any inch of her face he could find. The two lovers spent sometime like this, reassuring the other of their presence.

"I love you, Armaan", Riddhima said.

Armaan's face lit up on hearing this and a huge smile adorned his face.

"I love you too, Basket", he replied. The smile that graced her face on hearing him say that could have put the actors in toothpaste ads to shame! Those words were music to her ears. She had been dieing to hear them from him since the day she had woken up after the shootout.

"Ab mujhe kabhi chod kar nahi jaaoge na?" she asked.

"Kabhi nahi", he answered.

"Nahi Armaan promise karo, mujhe ab kabhi nahi chodkar jaaoge. Agar tumhe lage ki mere liye tumhaara jaana hi sahi hai tab bhi nahi. Jaise tumne abhi kiya, ab fir kabhi nahi karoge ", she explained.