Riddhima was walking with her head bowed, searching through her bag for a travel size pack of Kleenex tissues when someone tapped behind her. She twirled around, "Armaan, I swear, if you have any more ways or irritating me today, I'll punch your pretty little face."

"That's some welcome, Red."

Her eyes widened at the voice and she glanced up. Abhi stood in front of her with a grin plastered over his face. "Abhi?!" She exclaimed his name before reaching up to hug him. "What? How? What are you doing here?!"

Parting from the hug, he answered with a laugh. "Happy birthday, Red."

She didn't get to responding as Sid came and jumped on his back. "Bro! What a surprise. I knew you loved me."

Abhi scoffed, pushing him off. "Yeah, no. Get off. I'm not here for you."

Sid crashed into Nikita, who snapped. "Watch it, Modi."

Sid showed her an index finger, as if asking to wait for a response before he placed a dramatic hand on his chest and directed at Abhi, "You wound me, brother" before turning to Nikita again. "Right back at you, Ms. Nikita."

"You're Nikita?" Abhi questioned, "Heard a lot about you." Sid grinned, thinking his cousin was going to take his side and get back at Nikita for all the torture she's put him through. He stood corrected, "You're pretty good at keeping this ass in line. Abhi."

"Bhai!" Sid exclaimed with a pout.

Nikita ignored the two, not putting her hand in Abhi for a hand shake when he introduced himself, "Yeah, not now," and walked up to Riddhima, "It's your birthday? Why didn't you tell us?"

Riddhima smiled and nodded. Rahul and Muskaan joined. Nikita informed them, "Guys, look at this girl! It's her birthday and she didn't even tell any of us!"

Armaan answered, "Actually, I knew."

Rahul and Nikita gasped. "And you didn't tell us?!" Next, he received two slaps on each of his shoulder from the two.

Armaan pulled himself away from the two. "Jeez, calm down! You know now, don't you?"

Rahul pointed out, "Wait, since it's your birthday, it means you won't be coming to Jonny's party?" Jonny was one of their classmate who was throwing a very late party celebrating the start of a new semester.

Riddhima remembered, "Oh yea, that's tonight, isn't it? I completely forgot."

"Me too." Armaan added.

"Okay, how about this? We quickly stop by Jonny's house and then we can all go celebrate Riddhima's birthday?" Muskaan proposed.

Armaan nodded, "Yup, we can do that. So tell me. I need to book a table for how many?"

"Ten. Maybe nine, if Anjali Di doesn't want to come." Riddhima replied, after mentally counting all the people.

Nikita finished counting as well, "Okay, the six of us I got. Who are the rest?"

"Khushi and Kripa, my best friends, Arnav, Khushi's fiancé and Kripa's cousin, and then Anjali di, Arnav's sister."

Rahul gave up. "Man, your friend circle is too tied up! I mean, what's with all the connections? Best friend. Sister. Cousin. Fiancé. It's like you all are related some way or other."

Armaan and Riddhima laughed. Yup, they had found it all way too creepy in the beginning too. But then, you just get used to it. Tons of freaky co-incidences. "You'll get used to it, like we did." Riddhima assured him. The bell rang and Riddhima nodded for Armaan to go on, needing to talk to Abhi for his sudden arrival here from Australia.

"Spill."

Abhi sighed, dropping the smile he had on his face from watching Riddhima interact with her new friends. He knew better than to think that she'd believe he was here for her birthday. "Sid's father, my uncle, was diagnosed with cancer a few days ago."

Riddhima was surprised, "What?" She hadn't gotten that impression from Sid at all that something that drastic was going on in his life.

"He's not too big on others knowing thing about his life," Abhi explained catching her unsaid words. "But it's bad. Last stage. His mother already passed when he was young. He doesn't have anyone else. And you know how my dad feels about his family. I felt I had to come."

Riddhima nodded. He had shared the story with her of how his uncle had gotten married to his aunt, someone who hadn't been chosen by their father, his grandfather. They had been disowned after that, and his father had stopped them from meeting ever. But after the passing of his aunt, they had visited for the sake of formality, and Abhi had kept in touch with Sid since then, feeling that he had to be there for him. He was his first cousin after all, the only other sibling he had in the family.

Riddhima placed a tender hand over his, "I'm so sorry, Abhi."

"Thanks." He answered with a forced smile. "I'm sorry I don't come bearing good news on your birthday."

She dismissed it instantly, "Don't be silly." As they started walking, she inquired after hooking her elbow through his arm, "Does this mean you're going to continue your internship here?" Given he was two years older, he had already completed his studies. Now he had to complete his internship and then residency.

"Yeah, I'm trying to get a spot here so I can stay close. We'll find out in a few days."

"I hope you will. And hey, if you need anything at all, you know to let me know without any hesitating, right?" She informed coming to a stop in front of him as they had reached the lecture hall she needed to go in.

He smiled at her raising his palm to her right cheek. "Yes, Red. I know." He then nodded towards the door, "Now go on before your guy comes here and drags you in yourself. He looks pretty pissed seeing you with me."

Riddhima didn't turn around to look for Armaan. Instead, she leaned up on her toes to reach his height and drape her arm around his shoulder. "Leave him to me." After patting his back to console him and stepping back, hand shifting to his upper arm, she suggested. "You just worry about yourself and Sid."

She believed Abhi was still her friend, and it was something Armaan was going to have to come to accept. She even knew that once she told Armaan of Sid's uncle and the reason behind Abhi being here, he was going to be understanding. He'd want to do something for Sid too even when he pretended to always be irritate by Sid due to his childish, carefree nature with life. He knew the meaning of family.

===

Armaan answered the front door, "Nikki, hi."

"I did a little stupid thing." She mumbled in embarrassment and he stepped aside.

"Come on in." He locked the door behind them while she kicked off her shoes and settled comfortably on the couch.

Riddhima acknowledged her presence while her head was stuck in her textbook, "Hey Nikita, don't you have a double shift at the hospital?"

"I'm skipping the second," she answered cuddling to the pillow.

"You're going to get in trouble with your supervisor."

"It's too late for that."

"What's that?" Riddhima questioned for it was a low mumble.

Armaan returned to the living room offering Nikita a glass of water which she gladly took. "So, what'd you do."

Nikita sat up with a sigh, "You know how I do stupid things when I'm drunk?"

"I'm aware of past records."

"And apparently kissing people when I'm drunk is a thing."

Armaan raised a brow, "Who?"

She fessed up while biting her lower lip worrying of Armaan's reaction, "Abhi."

Riddhima lifted her eyes off the letters in the textbook hearing the name. She had been letting that conversation remain as background noise, until this moment. Dropping her pen on the page, she turned her head towards them, "Repeat that?"

Armaan seconded that, "Yeah, you hate him." Riddhima walked over to sit by them so she wasn't so far away and talking across the room.

Nikita explained, "Yeah but like you know, Sid's father passed a couple weeks ago and Abhi's been putting on this tough act. Then yesterday was Valentine's day and I thought of pulling him away from work for one night so he could just... properly mourn, I guess. I dragged him to the bar and we got drunk and... no, let me rephrase. I was drunk since I'm such a light weight. He was probably just buzzed."

Riddhima questioned, "Are you worried what he'll think of it?"

Armaan offered an alternative, "Blame it on the alcohol and move on." Then he considered her expression and started to read into her dilemma. "Unless you don't want to?"

Nikita groaned in frustration, "I don't know what I want. I just know it surprised both of us. I mean it was kind of sweet of him to make sure I got home and all safe. I'm pretty sure I passed out in the bar itself." She turned to Riddhima, "You know him, Riddhima. Help?"

"Okay, he's not going to like me telling you this but heck, he's being stupid so I will. He doesn't hate you. Far from it."

Nikita questioned in confusion, "What are you talking about? He doesn't leave an opportunity to taunt me or humiliate me at the hospital. Have you not seen him take advantage of the fact that he's my superior? He doesn't think I'm fit to be a doctor."

Riddhima informed otherwise, "You've got it wrong, Nikki. Sometimes, he takes his superiority too seriously so if he's pushing you, he just means to help. And all that taunting and bickering is just to keep his affections covered. I've seen him like you since day 1... since my birthday."

"You're serious? You're not just saying that so I won't hate your friend?"

Riddhima gave her a look, "Alright, answer this seriously. Don't you too fight with him to deny your attraction to him? It just happened that yesterday when your guard was down, attraction won over."

Nikita frowned after her mind accepted this take, "I don't think I can like a guy who's immature enough to behave like a school kid. Like seriously? That cliché of 'I'm being mean to her because I like her'? That's bullshit."

Riddhima shrugged her shoulder, "Agreed, and this isn't like Abhi but like you said, he's been trying to be strong for Sid. He was probably trying to prioritize and he thought starting something with you would keep him from it."

Nikita stood up and Armaan was aware of that expression. Carefully, he asked. "What are you going to do?"

Nikita fixed her shirt and grabbed her clutch, "Show that idiot how to prioritize his feelings."

Riddhima suggested with a chuckle, "Just so easy on him?"

"I'll try," She answered in a tone that conveyed insincerity. She had no intention of letting Abhi off the hook that easily for all the grief he'd given her in the past months.

When Nikita left, Riddhima confirmed with Armaan, "She isn't going to go easy on him, is she?"

Armaan grinned in pride and draped his arm around her, "Knowing my friend, hell no." He was actually proud of Nikita. And, it had nothing to do with the fact that at one point, he disliked Abhi for his equation with Riddhima. He was over that now and knew in his heart that what he had with Riddhima could not be compared with anyone else.

He leaned in to kiss her gently pushing her flat against the couch and wasting no time in covering her body with his in close proximity. He tried to deepen the kiss but she swatted his arm and pushed him back. "Mm, no love. I've got some major studying to do."

He groaned dropping his forehead to her shoulder, "Why don't you just drop out like me?"

She chuckled leaving a kiss on top of his head and reminding, "You already hijacked me last night. Atleast let me study today or I will fail tomorrow's practical. Besides, you have to work on your songs too."

He breathed out, warm air falling over her skin as he left a quick peck on her collar bone and moved back to let her be. He knew she was right. Each had their own things to do.

Still, having one small moment made up for everything.

As she walked about to the table, he pointed out. "It's amazing how everyone is getting together." First, a few weeks ago during Khushi's wedding, it was Angad and Kripa and now, Abhimanyu and Nikita.

Riddhima answered, "Mhmm, now we just need a girl for Sid. Then no one in our friend group would be single."

Armaan laughed, "Yeah, I don't have high hopes for him getting a girlfriend anytime soon."

Riddhima lightly scolded, "Hey, don't be like that. He could surprise you, you know."

Armaan simply shook his head in certainty that the day Sid managed to get a girlfriend that he'd commit to would be a day far off in the future.

===

Riddhima couldn't sit next to Armaan in class, since the space was taken up by the time she had entered the hall. Even her mind was distracted from that as within 5 minutes of the start of the lecture, it was being pulled in all directions by Dr. Kriti and her lecture on neurosurgery.

The next 3 hours were complete hell.

As soon as it ended, she walked up the steps to reach Armaan's desk. "I hope your notes are more legible then mine or we can both forget about passing."

"That is why you record the lectures, babe."

She gaped when he pulled out the recorder from under the desk hidden in the tiny slot. "Are you serious? You can't do that!" She hissed, trying to get him to hide it. If anyone say and tattled to Dr. Kirti, only the worst can be expected.

He carelessly dumped it in his bag, "Chill, basket. I got special permission since sometimes I have to leave the lecture early if it conflicts with any of the other events." Riddhima exhaled, relieved that he wasn't doing this illegally. He had almost given her a scare. "Though, I am not allowed to share, but hey, if you happen to overhear when we're at home... I can't really do anything about that, can I?" He winked at her in the suggestion he was passing along.

"You're insane." She let it be known while they made their way out of the class. "Canteen?"

"You go ahead. I've got a thing to do."

She didn't question his secretive tone, "Alright, have fun with your plotting." She spoke over her shoulder, quick to move on to catching up with Muski and Rahul. "Hi, the third wheel is back!"

Muski shrugged, "Be my guest. Rahul and I are currently broken up."

Riddhima exclaimed, "What? Why?!"

"He's mad at me for not tell him it was your birthday. Can you believe it?" Muski pointed out how absurd that was. Riddhima turned her head sideways at Rahul for him to simply shrug his shoulders. Riddhima figured out that it could have been normal teasing at first but knowing the two of them, the argument must have escalated. She didn't try to patch them up either, figuring they would do it themselves. They both lived together after all. It wasn't a permanent 'break up'.

"The two of you are all set to give Armaan and me some competition, huh?" Riddhima commented dropping each of her arm around their shoulders.

Muski grinned with a wink, "Learned from the best."

===

Lucky for them, the lecture after lunch was canceled and none of them had their usual hospital shift either, giving them the rest of the day to do as they pleased. The sensible thing to do would have been to study, but ofcourse not one in this group was sensible. They each broke off in tiny groups towards their guilty pleasures. Nikita and Muskaan decided to go shopping. Sid was with Abhi visiting his father in the cancer ward. Rahul went home to do some quiet painting.

Armaan pulled out the tickets he had gotten and coming from back, forwarded it towards Riddhima. Her eyes gleamed at first, excited to go to the movies. She hadn't watched anything new in months. Only, it was short-lived when she turned it around and saw the title of the movie printed on the tickets.

"Honestly, Armaan, of all the movies currently playing?"

"Why not? I've heard Insidious 2 is amazing! Do you know what I had to do to get these tickets?"

Sarcastically, she offered. "Bat your eyes?"

He scoffed, "Please, it was a guy selling the ticket. I have no interest in that gender." She rolled her eyes for he actually responded to that rhetorical question. "I had to pay off a guy to spread some virus on Batra's laptop so he couldn't give today's lecture and we'd have the day off."

She gasped, jaw dropping. "Are you flipping crazy?" She could imagine Dr. Batra losing it. He already wasn't a fan of the new age electronics. He was a super old guy, and it had been a wonder he hadn't been forced to retire yet.

"Yes. For you. Now let's go." He grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards the parking lot.

"Armaan, you can't do things like this." She tried to reason with him, "Pranks are one thing, but this wasn't even a prank!"

"I didn't just do it for me, duh. The whole class is thankful to have the day off. No foul done. I ruined his laptop, not the old man himself." Armaan didn't see anything wrong with it. All he cared for was that he was getting some time with Riddhima. Others were always around as it was, making it harder for them to just be. He didn't like doing these things to get a moment with her, but if that's what it was going to come down to, he was going to gladly abide without a conscience.

It didn't go according to his plan.

Kripa hissed at Riddhima as the three of them entered the theater and took their seats, "I hate you for this."

"I second her." Armaan let it be known.

Riddhima feigned being hurt directing the response to Kripa. "Haw, you can't even watch a movie for the birthday girl?"

"You know I get scared!" Kripa defended herself.

"We both can be scared together. Now come on." Riddhima tugged her to walk in before her. She sat in between Armaan and Kripa. "There's no way I'm sitting at the end." She announced.

She felt better being in the middle.

"Great, so you push me off the cliff. Again." Kripa responded. "I have such good friends!" She was being dramatic, Riddhima knew her quite well. There was a reason Khushi and Kripa had started to get along so well in college.

They were just in time. The theater lights dimmed, till it was completely dark and the only light came from the large screen in front of them, and from the mobile screen lights. Apparently, some idiots still hadn't put their phone up. Not that Riddhima or Kripa were complaining. The more light they had, the better they'd feel.

With the very first scare scene, Riddhima hid her face with her hands. She peaked through when she thought the scene might have been done, only to shut her eyes again. The second one had already started. Kripa had had enough and as Khushi had told her, she walked out. There was no way she was going to sit in the theater till the end of the movie.

Seeing Riddhima's antics, hiding her face at gruesome scenes and biting her nails during the theatrical ones filled with anticipation, Armaan watched her amused. She didn't even realize when he had hid her face in his chest. He put his hand around her to comfort her. He was having more fun watching her, rather than the movie. Her cycle only repeated. She'd peak through her fingers, shut them back, wait and try again.

Finally taking pity on her, he whispered to her, "Okay, let's get out of here."

She was more than happy to follow him out. It was dark, so she held on to his arm as they walked down the stairs and out of the theater. The bright light outside hit both of them hard. Kripa was seated on one of the benches. She laughed looking at Riddhima. "And what was it that you were telling me?"

"You don't get to comment. You ditched."

Their harmless accusation went on and on all the way till they reached the car. Kripa stopped only when she received a text message.

"Khushi's acting weird. Can you call her or come over to office?"

It was from Arnav. "Armaan, you know the way to Khushi's work?" Armaan nodded. "Great! Let's go kidnap her then. It's almost 5 anyway."

"Uh... are you sure?" Riddhima asked.

Kripa brushed her worries away, "Psht, it's my brother's office. He can't say anything to me. He loves me too much for that."

"Speaking of which, aren't you supposed to start your job?" Riddhima asked.

"Yeah, but I start next week. This week, I get to enjoy. Now, are we going to kidnap her or naw?"

Armaan nodded, chuckling at her slang. "Sure, this shall be fun."

Despite the unwelcome surprise of Abhi in the morning, Armaan decided to not let it come in the way of his first day with Riddhima of being in a relationship.

===

authors note:

I particularly love this chapter! Shows Armaan having a bigger heart with Abhi despite how he initially felt about him. Gimme your thoughts! 

I'm thinking, at the end of book, I want to include a bonus chapter for Abhi & Nikki. Any takers?

If I can manage to get some inspiration, next chapter will be on Thursday. Vote and comment please! They really do wonders on motivating us writers <3