I'll Love You Longer Than Forever

Chapter Ninety Six

"This is so unfair!" Riddhima cribbed petulantly, falling on her bed.

"I agree," Armaan said, laying down beside her.

After a tussle for space, the two were comfortably snuggled together.

"Lekin... Yeh kya baat hui? Humaari shaadi ki baat ho rahi hai aur hum hi participate nahi kar sakte? Arreeee! Aise thodi hota hai!" Riddhima ranted. "Matlab... Woh log sab decide kar lenge toh hum kya karenge? Bas baithke dekhte rahenge? Meri shaadi hai! Mujhe har cheez mein involved rehna hai!"

Armaan laughed at his fiancee. Fiancee. Riddhima was now his fiancee. Not his girlfriend. His fiancee. Wow. He'd never even anticipated the impact this change would have. He'd always thought that the only difference in their relationship post the wedding would be that they'd be living together. But, that wasn't it. They weren't even married yet, but being engaged had changed their relationship in so many subtle yet meaningful ways, for them, and for the world.

It had only been a day since the official ceremony, and while most of the morning at the hospital had been spent receiving congratulations from their colleagues at work, Armaan had noticed the change in their temperament towards him and Riddhima as a couple. The fact that they were together wasn't hidden from anyone in the hospital, and that had been the subject matter a lot of gossip for the staff, the rumour mill always buzzing with something or the other, the typical case with any workplace. But, they'd always ignored it, knowing that they had far too many well wishers as compared to the few who indulged in this pettiness. But now, even they'd looked at the couple differently. There had been an acceptance visible in them, even if it was hesitant.

There had also been the fact that people seemed to have stopped taking their names individually. It was always Armaan and Riddhima now. It made Armaan so much more happier than he cared to admit.

But of course, the hospital environment, and their friends' teasing aside, there had been a shift in their relationship as well. Armaan could feel it in everything. It was just so much more now. Everything was more. He didn't think he could explain in words just what he was feeling, but he knew it was more, and it was deeper.

"Armaan!!" Riddhima whined, snuggling closer to him, bringing him out of his musings.

"Haan, Basket," he replied indulgently, softly running his hands up and down her back in an effort to soothe her.

"Hum wahaan neeche sabke saath kyu nahi baith sakte?" She asked him. The Guptas, Malliks, Rais, and the gang had all assembled at the Gupta Mansion to finalize the dates for the wedding before Billy & Ananya left for Delhi. A meeting that Armaan & Riddhima had promptly been kicked out of, stating that they'd be summoned later.

"Chodo na," he told her. "Unn logon ko karne do yeh saare boring kaam."

"Armaan! Humaari shaadi tumhe boring lagti hai?" Riddhima asked, swatting his back.

"Ow!" Armaan cried. "Tum bohot zor se maarti ho, yaar. Thoda kam force use kiya karo. Warna logon ko lagega kaisi zaalim biwi mili hai mujhe."

"Armaan!" Riddhima scolded, but her heart was not in it, having melted at the use of the word 'biwi' just as Armaan had been expecting. He gave her a knowing smirk that caused her to blush and hide her face in his chest.

"Waise, Basket," he whispered in her ear.

"Hmmmm?" She mumbled.

"Tumne socha agar humaari arranged marriage hui hoti toh?" He asked casually.

"Toh?" Riddhima wondered.

"Toh... Shayad hum aaj pehli baar mil rahe hote," Armaan replied.

"Haan," she agreed. "Aur?"