Safar...A Journey of First Love

Chapter 25 - Armaan

...The next morning Riddhima got up half an hour before her alarm; not that she had slept well throughout the entire night. She went into the bathroom for a shower and came out twenty minutes later, still not feeling any better. She got dressed and sat at her dressing table putting on her usual jewelry; she looked into the mirror to see a sad, pale face staring back at her; she had had less than two hours sleep and was feeling awful. She opened up her makeup kit and took out her foundation brush and tried to hide the dark circles from around her eyes. She applied a little khol to her eyes making her look a tad brighter than when she had sat down. She got up not even trying to meet her own eyes in the mirror afraid that those horrific images would flash into her mind again.

Moving away from the table she checked her bag to see if she had her books for the day's lessons, she then made her bed, while fixing the duvet something fell onto the floor, she looked around to find her phone laying there face down. She picked it up and looked at the screen unlocking it; forty missed calls. Her eyes welled up; she cancelled the calls and turned off her phone, throwing it in her bag she left the room without looking back once.

Riddhima made her way downstairs; the house was still very quiet as she walked into the kitchen. She scanned the place checking the time on the microwave which read 6:58. She put the kettle on and waited for the water to heat up, the second it had clicked off Padma walked into the kitchen still looking very sleepy but was surprised to see Riddhima already there making tea.

"Riddhima...you're up very early...it's only seven o'clock...aur yeh kya hain?" (and what's this?) Padma asked pointing to the kettle and mug; "...You never drink this kind of tea...let me make you some Indian tea..."

Riddhima shook her head; "Nahi (no) mama...I have to go quickly...I'll have this for today..." she said sitting down at the table.

"Why are you leaving so early...why don't you wait for Armaan..." she said.

Hearing his name she felt a pang in her chest, she tried to cover up quickly because she knew her mum would ask a million questions if she thought something was wrong.

"Mama I need to see the teacher before registration...if I wait for him I won't be able to talk to her...that's why I will take the bus..." she said taking a sip from her mug.

Padma nodded; "Theek hain (Okay)...but did you let Armaan know that you'll be going by bus?"

Yet again she felt the hatred building up for him; "I'll call him..." she replied getting up, if she sat here any longer she will hear his name another twenty to forty times; "....I'm getting late...I should go now..." she said placing her mug in the dishwasher and grabbing her bag.

At the same time Shashank walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table; "Where's my princess off to so early in the morning?"

Riddhima gave him a hug; "Papa I have to go to school...I've got to see a teacher before class...I was just leaving..."

"Wait a bit and I'll take you..." Shashank told her.

"It's okay papa...then you will have to rush...I'll go..." she gave Padma a hug; "...bye..."

She left the house and walked through the estate quickly to the main road pulling her jacket around her as there was a small breeze which made her shiver; right now she was cursing the weather; it was suppose to be spring but instead it was cloudy and dull just like her feelings. She finally reached the bus stop and again was angry at the bus for being late.

After standing there for five minutes which seemed like fifty minutes the bus arrived and she hopped on frowning at the driver; she sat at the far end of the bus and stared out of the window, her mind filled with anxious thoughts of what will happen today, no way was she ready to face Armaan, she thought of every way possible to avoid seeing him more further meeting him. Twenty minutes later she got off of the bus and walked into school knowing exactly where she wanted to go...