*Updated* FF: Pyaar, Ishq aur Mohabbat (Page 54) - Page 8

Chapter 2: Ranbir's Plan

(Bajpaayee House, Mumbai)

Anant was lying down on his bed, staring at the ceiling. It had been two days since he'd spoken to Navya and the separation was killing him.

Everybody in his house had also begun to notice the change in Anant. The person who'd always be happy and laughing, was now subdued and morose, and this worried his mother, Nimisha and Mohan a lot, who were trying to find out the reason behind his depression, but to no avail.

This change in Anant's attitude made Baba think that his decision was well thought out. All this depression and mood swings were because of the modern society's effect on Anant, and this was not good for the family! The boy who was supposed to carry on his legacy, was now acting like somebody had died! He immediately called up his kulguru, asking him to find suitable alliances for Anant as soon as possible.

(Rits' house, Mumbai)

"Ranbir, kitna wait karenge? 2 din se call kiye jaa rahe hain lekin kuch farak hi nahi pad raha hai! Ab toh humein uske ghar jaana hi padega! Navya har roz uske baare mein pooch rahi hai, aur humare paas use dene ke liye jawaab bhi nahi hai!" said Ritika in exasperation.

"Haan, lekin please subah ke time mein jaate hain. Uski family se mujhe bahut dar lagta hai! At least agar subah ke time mein jaayenge, toh uske baba aur papa toh nahi honge! Bas us Bua Dadi ko jhelna padega!" replied Appy

Ranbir puts his head down on the bed, where he was sitting with the others. He realised that there was no other way to contact Anant and cheer him up, so he thought it would be best to go to his house.

"Lekin mujhe ek baar Mohan bhaiiya se baat karne do. Kya pata, kuch aur pata chalein?"

"Haan, theek hai. Abhi unko phone lagaao, taaki kal hum us se mil paaye."

*PHONE CALL*

"Namaste Mohan Bhaiiya, Ranbir bol raha hoon. Aap kaise hain?"

"Theek hoon Ranbir. Accha hua tumne phone kiya, mujhe tumse kuch baat karni thi."

"Haan, kahiye naa?" replied Ranbir in a rather worried tone.

"Kya tum jaante ho Anant ko kya hua hai? Pichle do teen din se woh bahut depressed sa hai. Shaayad kisi ke saath koi ladaai, ya padhai mein koi pareshaani? Tumhein kuch pata hai?"

Ranbir paused for a minute in shock, not knowing what to reply. Finally, he went for the safe excuse every teenager gives for unexplained mood swings.

"Haan, maine bhi usse call karne ki koshish ki, lekin phone nahi utha raha hai. Isiliye maine aapko phone kiya. Woh kya hai naa bhaiiya, Anant ne kaha tha ki uske exams kuch theek nahi the. Shaayad iske kaaran woh thoda upset hai. Agar aapki permission ho, toh kya main Anant ko aaj apne yahaan rehne ke liye bulaaoon? Shayad is se uska dhyaan is sab se hatega?" asked Ranbir hopefully, thrilled at his luck.

"Hmmm, main Baba se poochta hoon. Agar woh anumati de, toh tum aaj sham ka khana humare saath karna, aur phir tum aur Anant apne ghar jaao. Kya yeh theek rahega?" replied Mohan after thinking for sometime.

Ranbir, excited with his luck hurriedly replied "Haan bhaiiya, yeh theek hai! Agar baba ne permission di, toh aap mujhe phone kar dena!"

"Accha theek hai. Rakhta hoon."

*PHONE CALL ENDS*

"Kya hua Ranbir? Bhaiiya ne kya kaha?" asked Appy excitedly.

"Woh toh main baad mein bataaoonga. Abhi ke liye...tum dono aaj raat kya kar rahe ho?" asked Ranbir, with a twinkle in his eye, the cogs in his mind working as to how to cheer up his best friend.

Appy and Rits looked at each other in confusion. Their parents were not as strict as Navya's, so they knew they'd be allowed to go out. But looking at Ranbir's expression, they were a bit apprehensive.

"Ranbir? Erm, vaise toh hum free hain, lekin hum jaa kahaan rahe hain?" asked Rits in fear

"Jaaneman, yeh toh ek surprise hai! Bas apne sabse acche kapde pehn lo, aur main tumhe pick karne raat ke 9 30 baje aa jaaoonga! Bas ab Mohan bhaiiya se baat ho jaaye!" replied Ranbir in glee as he hugged Rits and left from there in a hurry. Rits and Appy looked at each other, wondering as to what could be Ranbir's plan to cheer up Anant.

(Bajpayee House, Mumbai)

Mohan couldn't help but wonder, that maybe there was something more to Anant's depression. He'd never been a very excellent student, but he would manage to get marks above average, but never would he be so upset about his studies. Yet, he went on into Baba's room to ask permission, in the hope that it may cheer Anant up.

*KNOCKS*

"Andar aaiye"

"Pranam Baba. Mujhe aapse ek baat poochni thi." asked Mohan rather hesitatingly.

"Boliye Mohan, kya baat hai?"

"Baba, aapne toh dekha hi hoga ki Anant kuch dukhi saa hai. Abhi mere uske dost ke saath baat hui. Uska maanna hai ki Anant apne padhaai ko lekar thoda chintit hai. Uska dost use aaj raat apne yahaan rehne ke liye bula raha hai. Agar aapki anumati ho, toh kya main us dost ko sham ke khaane par bulaaoon? Aur uske baad Anant uske saath jaayega?" asked Mohan, hoping fervently that his grandfather would agree.

Baba thought over this proposal. He didn't see anything that could go wrong here, as he knew Anant was a cultured young man. Staying over and talking to a friend would probably do him good. But no way was that friend to come to his house for dinner.

"Theek hai. Lekin use bol dena ki Anant svayam uske ghar jaayega. Use yahaan aane ki koi aavashykata nahi hai."

"Jee Baba."

*PHONE CALL*

"Ranbir, Mohan bol raha hoon."

"Jee bhaiiya, kahiye?" replied Ranbir, his voice full of hope.

"Anant tumhare ghar 8 baje tak aa jaayega. Kya yeh theek hai?"

"Haan, bhaiiya, badiya! Thank you so much! Baba ko bhi mere taraf se thank you bol dena!" replied Ranbir in glee.

*PHONE CALL ENDS*

Mohan was happy knowing that now Anant would probably get a little time to relax. He went up to Anant's room, to find the door ajar and Anant staring out of his window.

"Anant?" asked Mohan rather concernedly

"Bhai, aap? Aaiye naa? Khana lag gaya hai kya? Abhi aata hoon." replied Anant in a monotone.

"Nahi, tum abhi tayaar ho jaao. Tumhe Ranbir ke ghar jaana hai, aaj raat tum vahi rahoge."

"Nahi bhai, man nahi hai."

"Ranbir tumse kuch zaroori baat karna chahta hai, lekin tum usse baat hi nahi kar rahe ho? Usne mujhe phone kiya! Ab toh tumhein jaana hi hoga!" replied Mohan indignantly, and left the room.

Anant cursed his luck, and slouched across his room to the wardrobe to get something to change into, after which he picked up his car keys, phone and went out. He had reached the front door when he realised he had no night clothes, so he trudged back up the stairs, threw a few clothes haphazardly into a backpack and stumbled out of his room.

(Ranbir's house)

*RINGS BELL*

Ranbir couldn't believe his luck! Till now everything was going so smoothly, he just hoped everything would go fine. He opened the door to see a half dead looking Anant standing outside, staring at nothing in particular. Ranbir realised it would be easy to steer Anant wherever he wanted to take him. He smiled, took Anant's backpack, told his servant to take it, and pushed Anant out of the house.

"Ranbir, hum kaha jaa rahein hain?" asked Anant

"Rits aur Appy se milne! Woh kabse tumse milna chahte the! Aaj dinner saath mein karenge, theek hai?"

"Haan theek" replied Anant rather boredly, as he couldn't care less what was happening. Life was nothing to him without his Navya.

Ranbir chattered non stop about irrelevant topics, on the way to Rits' house, where she and Appy were waiting for them. Everyone tried talking to Anant, but he didn't seem to reply much except nod and grunt, so they left it.

"Ranbir, hum jaa kaha rahein hai?" asked Appy rather excitedly

"Surprise hai Appy! Thoda wait nahi kar sakti?" replied back Ranbir rather exasperatedly, as both the girls were pestering him to reveal the location of where he was taking them. He finally turned the car and parked it outside a building none of them had ever seen. They all stepped out of the car and were shocked to see what was in front of them.

"Ranbir! Tu humein Tribeca Nightclub leke aaya? Paagal hai kya?" asked Anant in shock.

Ranbir was elated at the response. If seeing the building made Anant speak out a full sentence, he could imagine what would happen inside! Rits and Appy too were rather excited looking at the club, as they'd never been clubbing before. Ranbir just smiled and said, "Chal yaar Anant, yeh mauke baar baar nahi aate!"

And to Anant's immense astonishment, Ranbir dragged him inside the club!

Spoilers for Chapter 3: Anant gets drunk!

Name of Chapter 3: A Very Drunk Anant!