The Distance Between Us

Track Forty Seven - Don't Wait

Armaan was Reve. Armaan was Reve. Armaan was Reve. No matter how many times Riddhima repeated it in her head, it still felt surreal. What were the chances that the love of your life was the world's biggest singing sensation? What was the possibility that you loved that singer, embarrassingly, a lot?

It shouldn't have been such a shock, though. Riddhima had always felt a strange connection to Reve and his music. How many times had she felt that he was singing to her? How many times had his songs reminded her of Armaan and their relationship? More times than she could count. Now, at least she knew why she'd felt that way.

But... how was she supposed to react to it? Other than being completely shocked, she hadn't known what to say, to do. So, she'd sat there, gobsmacked as Armaan's words had sent everyone into a frenzy. She watched as all her friends squealed disbelievingly and asked him a million questions that he patiently answered. She didn't say a word while all of them gave Armaan big hugs and praised him. She just looked on as they all celebrated without her, a stranger amongst family.

It wasn't that she was ecstatic or excited... because of course she was. But she didn't know how to voice out her appreciation or her excitement. In another life, she would've jumped up and been the first one to give Armaan the biggest hug, to cling to his side while her other friends clawed to be a part of it all. She would have asked Armaan so many questions he'd have gone mad. If they'd been together... she'd have been the proudest at this revelation.

But, she suddenly realized... if they'd been together, she'd have already known about it from the second he decided to do it, and she'd have been at his side through everything. She'd have been there through the struggle, through the misgivings, the bad days. Through everything. And then, the pride that would shine in her eyes would be worthy of being there.

And then, unbidden, a thought crossed her mind. If they'd been together... would Reve even exist? She didn't think so. The thought made her sad, and guilty. Because she'd rather have Armaan in her life than him being Reve. She was being so very selfish, but it was what it was. She would give a million Reves for her Armaan. Which was wrong because Armaan was incomplete without Reve. She had never seen Armaan as content as she'd seen him in the past couple weeks. Of course, part of it had to be because of Reve.

She was a huge fan of his work. So, of course, she knew how much Reve loved making music, how it was his passion, how it had been his dream since he was a child. Who he was might have been a mystery, but he'd never shied away from admitting how much he loved what he did. He had a whole blog dedicated to telling people how much he loved music. And she'd read every post he'd made about a hundred times. At least.

Shaking her head, she tried to get rid of the million thoughts racing through her head all at once. They were making her head ache. She rubbed her head furiously, trying to calm herself down, to stop thinking of all the what ifs, but it wasn't helping. Nothing was helping.

"Riddhima..." she looked up at someone calling her name and saw Sid standing in front of her. Definitely not what she needed right now. She hadn't spoken to Sid since that day when she'd confronted him about hiding Nikki's letters, and she didn't want to either. She had never imagined that he'd stoop so low, ever. But the joke was on her, wasn't it? He'd done far worse things and she'd forgiven him for everything. Hiding someone's mail was nothing when he could slither into bed with an unsuspecting girl while she slept and click pictures with her. None at all. It was her fault for thinking that maybe Sid had changed. But the truth was, he hadn't. And that hurt. This man... who she thought of as a friend, who she'd given a place in her life after all the things he'd put her through, had betrayed her, and her friend so badly, and he didn't even seem to regret it.

"Can we talk?" He asked timidly.

"Sid, please leave me alone. I already told you that I don't want to talk to you ever again," she replied.