"Interview toh accha jaayega na Aditya?"

Zoya nervously asks Aditya, as he drives her to her prospective workplace.

Aditya: Of course accha jaayega, Zoya, tum bas confidently jawaab dena, aur agar nahi bhi mila, tab bhi koi baat nahi, Kahi aur dhund lenge

Zoya: Haye Allah, ab aap hi sambhaal lein!

The car halts in front of the office, and Zoya exits the car. She is about to walk to the building when Aditya calls out to her.

Aditya: Suno!

Zoya: Kya hai?

Aditya: Interview ke baad mujhe phone kar lena, turant, theek?

Zoya: Haan, haan theek hain, accha ab hum jaa rahe hai!

Aditya: All the best!

*At Aditya's office*

Aditya is busy talking to a colleague, as he sips on a cup of tea and sits on the desk

Aditya: Nahi, Mujhe toh lagta hai Rathore ko promotion milni chahiye

Work Colleague: Nahi, woh toh naya aaya hua hai na...Arre pata hai-

Just then, Aditya's phone starts ringing.

Aditya: (to himself) Zoya...

Aditya: Accha ek minute...biwi ka phone hai...

Aditya picks up the phone.

*On the phone*

Aditya: Bolo, kaisa gaya interview? Bolo, bolo!

Zoya: Mil gayi.

Aditya begins smiling.

Aditya: Kya?!

Zoya: Mil gayi! Mil gayi!

Aditya: Tum kaha ho?

Zoya: Abhi office se bahar nikle hai, bas auto ka wait-

Aditya: Tum wahin pe rukna, mai aa raha hoon abhi

Zoya: Arre kyun taqleef kar rahe hai aap, hum jaayenge akele

Aditya: Tum hilna mat, please, main aa raha hoon.

Aditya cuts the phone and begins to pack his things.

Chief: Ohho, Aditya saab, kahaan chal diye?

Aditya: Sir, aaj half day de dena please...bohot zaroori hai

Chief: Haan haan, muskurahat se toh lag hi raha hai! Jaao, Zoya ji ko namaste kijiye

Aditya scurries off in excitement and enters his car before driving off.

*Outside the building*

Aditya's car halts and he excitedly runs out and towards the building. Zoya smiles and runs to him and they stop in front of each other.

Aditya: Mil gayi?

Zoya: Kitni baar kaha hain...mil gayi naukri! Monday se kaam par jaana hai aur-

Aditya immediately hugs Zoya tight, and Zoya is a little taken aback, especially considering the fact that this is a public place.

Aditya looks at Zoya's confused face.

Aditya: Kya hua, tum khush nahi ho?

Zoya: Nahi...khush toh hain...par...aap itne khush kyun hai? Naukri hi toh hai na?

Aditya: Tum yeh naukri chaah rahi thi na...isliye...woh,...

Aditya looks embarrassed.

Zoya: Accha naukri mil gayi hai, ab aapko treat deni padegi

Aditya: Woh kaisi?

Zoya: Ice cream khaane chalein? Aapke office ke nazdeek toh kuch hoga?

Aditya: Maine aaj half day liya hain.

Zoya: Half day? Kyun?

Aditya: Woh...chhodo na...

Zoya: Gazab karte hai aap, kasam se.

Aditya: Pata hai...Ab chalein Madam?

As Zoya ravenously dug into her bowl of ice-cream, Aditya smiled at her. Her antics, her playfulness, the way she was so focused on her food. He also looked back at how different she was when he met her months ago.

Afraid, Shy, Distressed. How she'd barely smile. And now, she was glowing, more than ever.

Zoya: Accha, Monday se hum bhi kaam pe lag jaayenge, toh Tara ko kon pick up karega? Main soch rahi thi ki main boss se early leave ka puch loongi

Aditya: Nahi nahi, nayi naukri hai. Main aa jaaonga jaldi, tara ko pick up karne, fir tumhe bhi pick up kar lunga

Zoya: Aapke liye zyada kaam ho jaayega, Aditya.

Aditya: Nahi hoga. Tum ice cream khaao ab.

Zoya: Accha theek-

Just then, Aditya's phone begins to ring. He picks it up. It's his friends!

*On the phone*
Aditya: Haan Jameel, Bolo

Jameel: Jameel ke bacche! Kahaan bhaag gaya office se?

Aditya; woh...yaar, Zoya ke saath hun abhi

Jameel: Din-dahade romance chal raha hai, kyun? Aur Humein bataya bhi nahin?

Aditya; kuch bhi! Zoya ki naukri lag gayi, isliye socha ki...

Jameel: kya baat hai! Aur party bhi nahi di? Yeh accha hai

Aditya: arre woh bhi de denge!

Jameel: Aaj! Shaam ko main aur Adam aayenge! Tumse toh bohot baatein karni hai maine!

Aditya: Arre Lekin-

Jameel: Chalo shaam ko milte hai!

The call disconnects before Aditya can say a word and he simply sighs.

Zoya: Kya Hua?

Aditya: Woh...Jameel aur Adam ghar aa rahe hai...chai pe

Zoya: Toh isme udaas hone wali kya baat hai?

Aditya: Nahi...Humne taiyaari nahi ki hai aur...

Zoya: offo...aap bhi na. Chaliye, raaste mein bazaar se kuch saman le lenge

*Later that evening, at home*

Adam, Jameel and Aditya are sat in the living room, while Zoya sits opposite them.

Zoya: Jameel, Roop ko saath nahi le aaye?

Jameel: Woh aa rahi hai Bhabhi, raaste mein hain

Zoya: Accha, theek hai. Main chai bana lun phir?

Aditya: (Getting up) Haan chalo, banaate hain

Aditya follows Zoya to the kitchen but she stops him.

Zoya: Aap jaayie, apne doston ke saath baithiye. Aaj chai hum banayenge

Aditya; Nahi Zoya, woh-

Zoya: Aap humare saath itna formal kyun ho rahe hai? Hum keh rahe hain na, hum banaayenge. Aap Jaayie

Aditya: Pakka?

Zoya simply smiles.

Aditya makes his way to living room, but finds his friends stood in the balcony.

*In the balcony*

Aditya: Kya baatein karni thi tum logo ko?

Adam: Tu badal gaya hai.

Aditya: Main? What rubbish.

Jameel: We mean it in a good way. Tumhara gussa, tumhari akad, tumhari bekaron wali zidd, the ego, it's almost gone.

Aditya: Nahi yaar, kuch bhi mat bolo

Adam: Tujhe nahi lagta ki tu badal gaya hai? Ki tu aur muskurane laga hai?

Aditya: Woh...haan, shaayad.

Jameel: Aur jiss tarah tu bhabhi ko dekhta hai, maine kabhi tujhe aise haal mein nahi dekha hai, Adi.

Adi simply smiled to himself, and Jameel and Adam looked at each other in confusion.

Aditya: Tum logo toh jaante ho, meri aur Zoya ki shaadi kinn halaton mein hui thi. It was basically a compromise of sorts...but...itne mahino mein, bohot kuch badal gaya hai.

Jameel: Kya matlab?

Aditya: Matlab jis Zoya ko dekhkar main chhidta tha, Ussi ki shakal dekhe bina main dinn shuru kar sakta...it's like...I don't know...

Jameel simply smiled.

Aditya: You know, when I look at her, I just wish ki main bas dekhta hi reh jaaon. Bas uske paas hi rahun. Aur aaj jab woh interview ke liye jaa rahi thi, mujhe itna darr lag raha tha...jaise main interview de raha hun

Jameel: Yeh toh acchi baat hui na?

Aditya: (Smiling) Shaayad. Par aajkal dil ke kisi koney mein mujhe apni dhadkan sunai deti hai. And I haven't felt this way in a long long long time. Pooja ke baad toh laga tha ki sab khatam ho gaya hai.

I think I'm falling in love with her.

Adam: Yeh sunnkar humein itni khushi ho rahi hai...kya hi batayein tujhe. Isliye toh yahaan aaye thay hum dono.

Aditya: Haan yaar, shaayad yehi pyaar hai, pata nahi. Par woh jab saath hoti hai, toh bohot sukoon mehsoos karta hun. Like I want to be a better human being for her.

Jameel: Usse bata kyun nahi deta?

Aditya; I don't want to ruin what we have...humari dosti, humara relationship. Woh darr ke mujhse duur chali gayi toh?

Jameel: Nahi jaayegi.

Adam: Try toh kar le, aaj. I think everyone deserves to know that they are loved, no?

Aditya: Haan, but-

Zoya: Aap log Yahaan hai? Chahiye, chai pijiye.

Jameel: Of course!

They stepped into the living room, where Zoya and Roop were stood.

Jameel: Arre Roop? Tum aa gayi?

Roop: Ji, aur Aapko hazaar baar phone bhi kiya tha!

Jameel: Battery dead ho Gayi thi yaar...sorry

Roop simply smiles, before sitting down next to Zoya and sipping on her cup of tea.

Aditya: Chai toh mere se acchi bani hai!

Zoya glared at him mischievously before they all started to laugh. Perhaps it was her laugh that made him realise that he was truly in love with her. And he would tell her that.

Tonight.