I'll Love You Longer Than Forever

Chapter Eight

The next morning, both Armaan and Riddhima were anxious. They were both lost in thought when they reached Sanjeevani and went to the locker room.

The interns were already there and greeted them as usual. But, neither Armaan nor Riddhima replied. They were surprised to see their seniors so lost. So, they greeted them a little louder, which seemed to bring them out of their thoughts.

"Sorry, guys. Woh main kuch soch raha tha", Armaan clarified.

"Kya soch rahe the aap, Dr. Armaan?" Su asked.

"Kuch nahi, bas kisiko kuch samjhana hai", he replied cryptically.

"Kya?"

"Yahi ki Dr. Armaan kabhi galat nahi hote."

"Woh toh pata chal jaayega, Dr. Armaan, I'm sure that I know my sister better than you know her", Riddhima butted in.

"Yes, but she is also one of my friends. I'm sure ki uske bare mein itna toh main jaanta hi hu, Dr. Gupta."

Just then, Sister Lovely entered the Locker Room.

"Oh ji... Dr. Riddhima Ji! Aap yahaan kya kar rahi ho ji? Woh Dr. Anajli kabse aapko aur Dr. Atul dhoond rahi hai. Bohot pareshaan lag rahi thi."

"Kya!" Riddhima exclaimed, "Di yahaan hai?"

"Haan ji, bas abhi 15 minute pehle aayi hai. Main toh shock hi ho gayi ji unko dekhkar. Par woh bohot pareshaan hai, shayad airport se seedhe yahin aayi hai. Aur unka chehra bhi kitna utra hua hai. Aisa lag raha hai jaise saara rastaa rote hue hi aayi ho."

Saying so, she left.

The interns also left as they had to report for their duties.

Riddhima looked at Armaan to see him smiling at her, smugly. Seeing that she was looking at him, he raised his collar and said in his most know - it - all voice, "Maine kaha tha na, Dr. Armaan ko sab pata hai."

"Haan, haan theek hai. Zyada udo mat. Waise bhi pehli baar hi mujhse jeete ho."

"Woh sab theek hai. Par ab tum ready rehna. Main bet jeet gaya. It means ki tumhe woh sab karna padega joh main bolu."

"Sab nahin, baat toh sirf ek kaam ki hui thi. Tum zyada smart banne ki koshish mat karo. Samjhe?"

"Haan, haan ek hi kaam karwaunga. Aur mujhe smart banne ki zaroorat hi nahi hai. Main toh paida hi smart hua tha."

"Ugghhh...tumna, tumse toh baat karna hi bekaar hai. Jarrannum mein jao", saying so she walked away. It took her a moment to realize what she said. She had said the same words to him so countless times during their internship days. She waited for a few seconds and as expected, Armaan called after her -

"Kitni baar kaha hai, Basket, address toh batati jao!"

Riddhima turned around and smiled.

She felt a sense of dj vu envelope her on hearing him say those words again, as she cherished the fact that his memory had returned.

She remembered the day she had found out about it. The situation had been entirely too similar. They had been fighting over something trivial, something so entirely unimportant that she couldn't even remember exactly what it was. In the heat of the moment, she had said those same words to him - "Jarannum mein jao."

(Flashback)

"Jarannum mein jao!" she yelled at him, exasperated. Then she turned to walk away from him. It was only moments later that she realized what she had actually said to him. Unbidden, memories rushed through her - when she had said those same words to him so many times in between a fight when she got too irritated or mad at him. And he always replied her with the same answer.