Safar...A Journey of First Love

Chapter 20 - Christmas Holidays

...It was now the Christmas holidays and time for the gang to relax after a very long and tiring school term. They had decided that they were going to make the most of their holidays relaxing and spending time together promising not to ruin it by looking at books or school work.

Riddhima had found this a little difficult, she still found time to read a book and design outfits and do some coursework but this didn't stop her from spending time with her favourite person...Armaan. This wasn't very hard as Shashank and Padma had now become very fond of Armaan and liked his company as he spent most of his time at the Gupta house.

The gang had made plans to meet up at least for an hour each day, either at the mall or at someone's house; today Riddhima had invited them around to her house in the afternoon because she didn't feel like going out into the cold.

Riddhima was upstairs in her room sitting in her comfy armchair reading a book when someone opened the door. She hadn't noticed Armaan walk in, he looked at her curled up on the armchair and smiled, and he walked around her and hugged her from the back.

"Arrggh!!" she jumped up and started hitting Armaan with her book.

"Ridz...stop...it's me..." he held her hands to make her stop.

She looked at him stunned and apologetic when she realised it was him.

"Armaan...you scared me...don't ever do that again!" she scolded him then put her book down to fix her hair.

"I'm sorry...aaj ke baad khabi nahi karunga..." (I won't do it again) he hugged her.

Riddhima pushed him away gently; "Kya kar rahe ho...mama ghar par hain!" (What are you doing...mum's at home)

"That's where you're wrong..." Armaan grinned and hugged her again; "...she just left...she told me to tell you that she's going next door and then shopping with someone..."

Riddhima hugged him back, for a while they stayed that way then he moved back, Armaan sat down on the armchair pulling Riddhima down with him.

Just as they become comfortable wrapped in each other the doorbell rang; Armaan moaned dropping his head on her shoulder; "Oh man..."

She smiled at his sad expression; "Chalo...baki sab hoge..." (Come on...it's probably the others)

Riddhima got up and they both went downstairs; she opened the door to see Rahul and Abhi standing there together and she let them in.

"Hi Ridz..." Rahul smiled.

"Hey..." she replied.

"Is anyone here yet...or just us?" Abhi asked.

"Armaan's here..." she told them.

Rahul grinned as he entered the living room; "Oh...so we turned up at the wrong time..."

Riddhima hit him on the shoulder as they walked further into the living room together; Armaan was sitting down watching television, he looked up when they walked in the room.

"Hey guys..."

"Hey Armaan...looks like we ruined your quality time with Ridz..." Abhi clasped his hand with Armaan's in a manly handshake.

"Guys...please stop..." Riddhima blushed.

The boys made themselves comfortable and Armaan made Riddhima sit next to him putting his arm around her but she tried to get away.

Riddhima tried to wriggle out of his grip; "Armaan...stop ..." she whispered.

"Kyon..." (Why?) he whispered in her ear making her blush.