Both Nandu and Pari stare in helpless astonishment as Raj calmly takes Beauty on a dinner dateš. Raj and Beauty go first, and JandA follow in their car.
Jassi is perturbed as Armaan is driving her to the restaurant. He looks at her flushed face and asks, "Kya hua Jassi? Aaj toh tumhe khush hona chahiyeā¦.hamara show itna successful jo hua hai!"
Jassi: Armaan, mujhe yeh sab bahut ajeeb lag raha haiā¦.aakhir Raj Beauty ko kyun dinner ke liye le ja raha hai?
Armaan (laughing): Ab isme itna sochne ki kya baat hai? Raj akele dinner nahin karna chahta hoga, issliye hume aur Beauty ko bula liya!
Jassi: Nahin Armaanā¦.Raj ko toh tum jaante hi hoā¦.kahin woh Beauty se flirt toh nahin kar raha?
Armu: Aww c'mon, Jassiā¦.main jaanta hun ki tumhe Beauty ki chinta hai, kyunki woh tumhari behen haiā¦.par Raj bhi toh jaanta hai ki Beauty tumhari behen hai, aur agar woh usse dukh pahunchayega, toh tumhe dukh hogaā¦ā¦(he abruptly halts the car and takes Jassi's face in his handsš³)ā¦.aur agar tumhe dukh hua, toh main khush kaise reh sakta hun?
Jassi (melting a little but still persistent): Tum theek keh rahe ho Armaanā¦par phir bhi, tum zara Raj ko observe karte rehnaā¦.aur agar woh Beauty se flirt karne ki koshish kare toh tum usse samjhana, okay?
Armu grins and gives her a hearty kiss on the foreheadš³. "All right, Mrs. Jasmeet Suri! Aapka hukum yeh ghulam kaise taal sakta hai?"
They arrive at the restaurant, Arcadia. They all sit down together at a table. After ordering the food, they are waiting for it to arrive, when the band starts playing a romantic song. Armaan immediately says, "Wow! Jassi, chalo dance karein!"
Raj : Good idea! Tum aur Jassi dance karo, aur main Beuty ke saath dance karta hunā¦theek hai?
Beauty (nervously): Nahin nahin, mujhe aise dance karna nahin aataā¦.main yahin theek hunā¦
Raj: Toh theek hai, main aur Beauty yahin baithte hain, tum dono jao.
Armaan holds out his hand to Jassi. She blushes and gives her hand in his; he kisses it, and then leads her to the dance floor.
For a while, Raj and Beauty are silent, watching them dance. MandAā¦ā¦errrrrrrr JandAš are swaying slowly to the rhythm, lost in each others eyes and arms. Both are blushing like teenagers out on their first date. Gradually Armu brings his forehead closer to touch Jassi's. Then, almost imperceptibly, his hand sneaks up from her shoulder to touch her earring lightly. She tightens her grip on his hair, and they exchange a meaningful glance. They are oblivious to everything else, including the camera!š
Raj watches them with a hint of a wistful smile. Presently he turns to Beauty and asks a surprising question, "Beauty, tum aaj yahan mere saathā¦.Nandu ko jalaane aayi ho na?"
Beauty is completely taken aback and stares blankly at him. Raj continues, more gently, "Beauty, Nandu iss waqt ek phase, ek daur se guzar raha haiā¦.woh Gulmohur ka Finance Head hai, usse achcha lagta hai ki usske aas-paas khoobsurat ladkiyan hoā¦..main aur Armaan bhi kuch saal pehle aise hi theā¦" he breaks into a smile and Beauty relaxes.
Beauty: Par aap aur jeeju toh ab aise nahin ho na?
Raj: Bhai mera toh pata nahinā¦.mujh jaisa flirt kabhi sudhar nahin sakta..(chuckles)ā¦lekin Armaan ko dekho, kitna badal gaya haiā¦(softly) usse apni Jhansi ki Rani mil gayi hai naā¦.woh uske aas-paas hi thi, phir bhi usse pehchaanne mein usse itna waqt lag gayaā¦.Nandu ko bhi thoda waqt do, Beautyā¦..woh tumhari kadr karna bahut jald seekhega!
Beauty: Toh kya aapā¦mujhe yahanā¦
Raj: ā¦..Nandu ko jalaane ke liye laya hun! I'm sure usse ek jhatka zaroor laga hoga! (grins)
Beauty (with lowered eyes): Main aapko sirf Thank You hi keh sakti hunā¦.(raising her head)ā¦lekinā¦.Pari?
Raj: Don't worryā¦..Pari ko handle karna main achchi tarah jaanta hunā¦(winks)ā¦bas ab tum dekhti jao, Raj Malhotra ka formula kis tarah kaam aata hai!
They grin at each other across the table.
Tomorrow: Nandu confronts Raj.š
Indian Idol 16
Fan Fictions
