For the first time in months Dipika's tears flowed down her eyes as she turned and ran away from the hall….
Aryan became worried seeing her go… He started to follow her when a hand stopped him….
Puzzled Aryan looked up and saw Vishal looking at him sternly….
Aryan: (Relived to see him) Vishal! Thank God! Tum yahan…. (Looking at the door) Dipika… She looked upset!
Vishal: She is!
Aryan: To yahan kya kar rahe ho? I mean use…
Vishal: Let her be!
Aryan: (Confused) Let her be?!!? (Sternly) Vishal! Vo upset hai… Ro bhi rahi thi aur tum keh rahe ho…..
Vishal: (Interrupting) Tumhe pata nahi, ki uske aankhon me aansoon laane waala khud tum ho?
As Aryan looked at him without answering Vishal continued….
Vishal: We need to talk!!!
Saying Vishal led the way out of the hall opposite to the hall entrance to a balcony….. Aryan looked at door confused and then followed him!
In the balcony he saw Vishal looking up at the sky thoughtfully…
Aryan: Vishal! Kya baat karni hai?
Turning around he looked at him without answering….
Aryan: (Frustrated because of the silence) Vishal! Time ho raha hai… Batao ki kya baat hai, warna chalte hain….
Vishal: Chale jaate to achcha hota… Ya tum ya vo…
Aryan: (Stunned) Vishal!!!!?!?
Vishal: (Coming forward angrily) Apne aap ko samajhte kya ho? Bade hero ho? Hero bhi apne heroine ko rulata nahi hai…. Lekin tum… Roz use rulate ho… Roz uski neend kharaab karte ho… Are main sirf uska dost hoon, uska dard mujhe dekhke bardaash nahi hota…. Lekin tum?
Aryan: Vishal! Kya baat kar rahe ho? Main kuch….
Vishal: To tumhe pata nahi? Pata nahi ki main Dipika aur tumhare liye uske pyaar ke baare me baat kar raha hoon?.
Aryan looked at him taken aback a little… He then averted his eyes and looking elsewhere gave his ears to his thoughts….
Vishal: Aankhein mod ke such to badal nahi jaati hai Aru….. Kyun uske saath aisa kar rahe ho? If you don't love her why show her so much concern and affection?
Aryan looked at him confused but remained silent as Vishal continued….
Vishal: Such me mujhe bilkul nahi samajh aa raha ki tumhari problem kya hai? Pehle to zindagi se rut gaye the, phir kisi aur ko chahane lage the… Ab vo paas nahi hai, lekin uski yaad hai…. Phir Dipika ko bhi itni affection kyun dikha rahe ho, ki kisi aur ke liye tumhari aankhon me pyaar ko vo apni samajh rahi hai!
At this Aryan turned around sharply and looked at Vishal confused….
Aryan: Kisi aur ke liye?!? Kya matlab hai tumhara?
Vishal: (After a slight hesitation) Haan, tum ab bhi Sha….
Aryan: (Interrupting him hastily) Ek minute Vishal… Is beech vo kahan se aayi?
Vishal: Haan… Valentine's day par tumhi ne to Dipika ko kaha tha, ki you still love her!
Aryan looked at him stunned getting the point….
Aryan: Maine kaha?? Dipika samajhti hai ki main ab bhi Shaina se pyaar karta hoon?!?!
As Vishal looked on confused at Aryan's tone, Aryan continued….
Aryan: Lekin maine aisa kuch nahi kaha!
Vishal: (Surprised) Ek minute Aryan! Us din tum jab Dipika ko ghar chodne gaye the, tab tum hi ne to kaha ki tum….😜
Aryan: (Interrupting hastily and sternly) Of course not! Maine to Dipika se kaha…
Aryan stopped saying further realizing he had said as Vishal couldn't contain his smile….
Vishal: (Softly) Maanta hoon humara khatta meetha relationship hai Aryan… Frenemy ka naam diya hai humne uska… Lekin usme bhi friend pehle aati hai… To itna to haq hai mujhe ki tumhare dard ko baantoon…. Please mujhse to khulke baat karo yaar! Kuch to hai jo tumhe apne aap se rok raha hai!
Aryan hesitated a little and then said…
Aryan: Haan… Main use pyaar karta hoon… I love Dipika!
Vishal smiled and looking up the heaven thanked the God and looking down saw Aryan deep in thought… Thinking of something….
Vishal: Phir us din, kyun!?!?
Aryan: Vishal us din main Shaina ko hi nahi, balki apni zindagi ke har vo pal yaad kar raha tha jo main chahoon to bhi bula naa sakoon…. Pallavi and Niharika ko bhi yaad kiya…. Neha ko, Ajay ko, Boxer ko… (A slight pause) Dipika ko bhi!
Vishal: (Getting a picture) Aryan…. If you are not comfortable, we won't talk… But Shaina?
Aryan: (Understanding) Vishal… Shaina meri kal thi… Maanta hoon ki main use pasand karta tha, ussse bhi zyada shayad… Lekin humare beech jo kuch bhi tha, uske beej bhi theek se boye nahi… Usne ek faisla liya aur chali gayi… Aur uske faisle ki main kadar karta hoon… Uske baad kuch dinon tak phone pe humari baatein bhi hui, lekin baad me vo bhi apne kaam me busy ho gayi aur main bhi… Duriyaan pyaar ko badata hai, lekin jab pata hi nahi ki vo such me pyaar tha ki start of a new relation…. And when there is distance in such a situation…. There is no relation… Shaina in my memory is only a good colleague and a past friend!
Vishal: Aryan agar tum isme itne clear ho…. To aur kya hai jo tumhe rok raha hai?
Aryan: Vishal…. Jin jin ko main pyaar karta hoon vo ya mujhe chod ke chale jaate, ya khatare me padte hain…. Pehle Niharika, Pallavi, Shaina…. Mere wajah se Neha, Boxer, Ajay danger me pade hain… I… How unlucky could any one get?
Vishal: (Finally understanding) Oh you stupid! Sirf is baat ke liye tumne apni zindagi ko adhura chodne ka faisla kar diya? Stupid you are Aru…. I knew that, but seeing you establish that today… (Aryan looked at him with no expression on his face) Pagal! Are koun keheta hai you are unlucky? You are lucky… We are lucky to have such an good person like you… Haan ye baat hai ki Pallavi aur Niharika ke saath jo kuch bhi hua, uski wajah se tum life se hi root gaye… Lekin kab tak Aryan?
Aryan: Nahi Vishal! Agar mujhse phir se koi galti ho gayi to? Meri hasty decisions ne Neha ko bhi nahi choda tha!
Going up to Aryan Vishal caught his arms and with an assuring grip said….
Vishal: Dekho Aryan! Tum kisi ka bura nahi chahate… Tumhare parivaar ke saath us haadse ke baat tumne kitne achieve kiye... Lekin us khushi ko baantne waala koi bhi nahi tha... Yaar... I know very well that in life man can make a mistake only once..... He would never repeat his mistakes… Yahi baat thi naa, jiski wajah se tum Dipika ko bhi ek baar jaan pe khelke bachaye the!
Aryan: Nahi Vishal! I don't know… Mujhe lagta hai Dipika ko ye pasand nahi!
Vishal: Aryan! Listen… Vo tumhe aur sirf tumhe chahathi hai… Yaar samjha kar naa…. Vo to tumse apni dil ki baat isliye nahi keh rahi kyunki vo tumhe dukh nahi dena chahathi, ki you know she didn't want to upset you if you couldn't accept her love… Never feared your rejection though!
Aryan looked at Vishal seeing a new angle to Dipika's hesitation….
Vishal: You know what the problem was between you two? You didn't want her hurt, so hid your love… And she didn't want you to feel guilty if you couldn't agree to her love! And so she hid it from you…
Aryan: Vishal! Main guilty kyun?
Vishal: (Thinking) Aryan! Try and understand… Dipika practically sab kuch dekhti hai…. Pyaar to usne kar diya tumse, lekin man me dar hai ki tumhe kuch ho gaya to? You are never controlled! You know that! Because of one guilt where you couldn't save your family…. (Aryan's expression changed a little but Vishal continued further) Please Aryan, control karo… Dekha vo baat karte hi tension ho jaate ho… Ab uske upar agar tum Dipika ko apnaate nahi, to kaheen na kaheen tumhe zaroor lagta ki tumne uske man me pyaar ke beej boye hain, and that would hurt you even more… And that she couldn't see!
Vishal: Aryan! Koi kisi ko nahi khota… Ek baar shayad… Baar baar nahi… Bhagwan itne bhi khudgarz nahi hain! Tumne kabhi socha hai ki tumhari is be rookhe pan se Dipika ko kitne hurt kiya hai tumne… Use kuch ho naa jaaye, iske khayal me tumhi ne use zyada hurt kiya hai!
Aryan: Main… I….
Aryan couldn't say anything as he realized how much Dipika cared for his feelings too… Caring physically for anyone was an easier task, but taking care that they don't get hurt by your deeds or actions is not easy…. But she had taken care not to upset him in any way! And he had only upset her always behaving strangely with her and not seeing her deep genuine love for him! More than his!
Vishal: Aryan! Tumhe mujhse kuch bolne ki zaroorat nahi hai… Jo kuch bolna hai, Dipika se kehena…. Bahut chuppa chuppi ho gaya Aryan! Please… Aur nahi! Ise dekhne ke liye na Dipika me strength hai aur na hum logon ke paas ideas…. Tum dono ke milane ke liye!
Aryan looked at him surprised as Vishal smiled at his mini joke!
Vishal: Baat hai bhai… (Smiling) Ki zabaan se kuch nahi nikala lekin aankhon ne tum dono ko dhoka de diya, aur bata hi diya! I love eyes!
As Aryan chuckled Vishal went over to him and hugged him…. Aryan was stunned for a moment as this was the first time in their lives that Vishal had done such a gesture genuinely!
Vishal: (Parting) Aryan! Agar tum dono dil kholke ek baar, sirf ek baar baat karte, to sab kuch theek ho jayega… Aur tum dono ke milne se mujhse zyada khushi kisi aur ko nahi hogi….
Vishal smiling patted his arms and left the balcony, with a thoughtful Aryan behind!
Just after Vishal left the balcony Neha came and seeing Aryan standing there called out…
Neha: Aryan! Tum yahan ho? Hum logon ne tumhe kahan kahan nahi dhoondha…. Yahan kya kar rahe ho? Der ho rahi hai… Ghar chalein?
Seeing that Aryan didn't move and wondering whether he even listened to her, Neha shook him a little and asked….
Neha: Aryan! Meri baat sun rahe ho naa? Kya hua? Kahan khoye hue ho?
Finally after a little while Aryan looked down at Neha….
Aryan: (Smiling) Chalo Neha ghar chalte hain!
Saying Aryan smiled at her widely and went off the balcony… Neha looked at him go and back at the sky at which he was staring….
She had seen a different Aryan now she knew… Not like the one in the party…. He smiled… Broadly… The one she had seen three years ago… His face showed a genuine happiness!
Neha: (To herself) Asmaan se khazaana mila hai kya?
From the balcony door Aryan called out….
Aryan: Hey Neha! Wahan kya kar rahi ho?Ghar nahi jaana... Kal office hai… Agar tired ho, to bhi leave nahi milega!
Saying Aryan winked at her and waved his hands to come!
Stunned by seeing this new Aryan in front of her, Neha walked back to the party hall like a zombie!