"2 Cappuccino's please"

Vihaan says calling the waiter.

The waiter nods and passes him the menu card .

"Umm, Tum aur kuch logi?"

Vihaan looks at a nervous Riddhima and asks her.

"No, thank you. "

She replies sweetly.

The waiter goes from there.

"So, have you thought of anything? "

He asks seriously. She raises her brows.

"thought...about...About what?"

She asks picking up the glass of cappucino from the tray the waiter was holding in front of them.

"About.... what are you going to do next?. "

Their show "Till death do us apart" was in it's last phase. Prateek and the production team was planning to wrap the shoot by next week.

"I don't know. Papa wants me to do theatre with him. So, i would be going back to culcutta "

She replies with a sad smile.

"And you? What are you going to do after the show? I am sure you will...."

She stops hearing his genuine voice.
"I'm going to miss you. "

He says ever so softly. Their was mixture of passion, longing, desire, pain and love in his voice. They were so used to each other that mere feeling of not being able to see her for days pinched his heart.

"Me too.... "

She replies with sadness in her voice.

The waiter comes with a bill in his hand. Riddhima is about to open her wallet, when Vihaan holds her hand to stop her...

"How much?"

He asks the waiter.

"550 sir. "

Vihaan takes out wallet from the pocket of his jeans and pays him.

"Why didn't you let me pay?"

She asked confused.

"Because girls don't pay for date".

Vihaan replies absentmindedly. Riddhima's eyes widen in shock. This wasn't what she was expecting.

"Whattt...what did you say? We are not dating, right..."

She asked just to confirm if this was really a date....

"Yeah i know, but that night when Prateek asked me i said i would like to take u on date so.... "

He scratches the back of his neck smiling at her like an idiot.
She looks at him. They share an eyelock.

"Thank you. "

She replies with a smile after a minute of silence.
.
.
.

In Riddhima's Flat,

Riddhima is sitting in front of the mirror and removing her make up. She recieves a call...

"Haa Papa"
She speaks wiping her lipstick with a tissue paper.

"Hello Beta.. "
Comes an enthusiastic reply of her father.

"Ghar pahoch gyi aap? "
He asks her in a sweet smile.

" Haan jii. Abhi abhi aayi. "
She replies wiping the corner of her lip.

"Accha ye batao ki aapki shootings kaisi chal rahi hai? Aapko koi..Set pe problem to nahi hai beta? "
He asks sitting on his rocking chair.

"Nahi Papa. Koi problem nahi hai. Bas wo aaj ka pura din hectic tha na. Aur phir kal wapas se 7 ki shift...isliye"

She replies throwing the tissue in the dustbin near her leg.

"Aapki mummy aur mai ...aapke liye thoda worried thhe beta. "

Riddhima knits her brows hearing this. Worried. For what?

"Worried... Par kyu Papa. Yaha pe to sab kitna accha chal raha hai. To phir"

She asks holding the mobile between her shoulder and head to pick up another tissue.

"Beta, Mumbai is a big city. And aap wahape akele ho. "

He sounds a bit worried.

"Papa, Many girls like me live alone in this city. And you should be happy that atleast i have work. Kitne log yahape aise hai jinke paas kaam nhi hota"

She explains.

"Beta, We are middle class family. Mumbai jaise bade shaharo ka culture hume nahi samaj aata"

He says rubbing his forehead.

"Papa.. Whatever you want to say, you can say it directly to me.."

She speaks sensing her father's uneasiness.

"Beta, aaj kal newspaper me..aapke aur apke co-star Vihaan ke baare me.. Pata nahi kaisi kaisi utpataang baate chhap rahi hai. Our family friends, relatives are questioning me.....What should i answer them and how? "

He sounds tensed.

"Beta dekho, you are in Mumbai for work. So please focus on your work. And haa, is Vihaan se thoda dur hi raha karo....Baaki, God bless you. "

He was about to cut the call when he hears her voice.

"Papa... Humare beech me aisa kuch bhi nahi chal raha hai. These are just rumours. You trust me naa..."

She asks .

"Yes, i do. I meant to... "

She cuts him off....

"Papa dekhiye, Jaha tak Vihaan ki baat hai naa, Woh already bahot famous hai Aur mai uske aage kahi bhi stand nahi karti hu. Ye sab kuch possible hi nahi hai papa, u dont worry."

She says sadly.

"Ok beta bye... "

"Take care...Bye "

She looks at herself in the mirror and smiles. Even the thought of getting linked with Vihaan was making her heart flutter for some reasons.

.
.
.

On Set,

"How about the Delhi Event? It was such a hit.. "

Vihaan comes on the set with a curly haired lady..

"Yeah it was. "
The lady replies. Vihaan sees Riddhima passing by, he signals her to stop and gestures her to come near him. Riddhima walks towards him and looks at the curly haired lady who was standing next to him.

"Hey Miss Dutta, Meet her. She is Akansha and Akansha, she is Riddhima. My heroine"

He introduces them. Akansha smiles at her. Riddhima smiles back.

"Akansha bahot saare events karti hai Mumbai me. Well, Akansha is doing an event. It's a promotional event in which she wants us to perform as a couple."

Vihaan explains and looks in Riddhima's eyes as if asking permission from her.

"Please agree to it Riddhi.. Tum dono ki chemistry stage pe aag laga degi "

Not receiving any reply from Riddhima, Aakansha requests her.

"O...Ok..."

She replies reluctantly. Live dance performance was something she has never done before. It was going to be challenging for her. But deep down she knew she doesn't have to worry as long as Vihaan is with her. Vihaan samhalenga....

"Gud. I'll forward you agreement today itself. Read and Sign it so that we can start rehearsals soon."

Akansha says with giving them a paper. Vihaan gives Riddhima an assuring smile.

"Nice meeting you. Bye... "
She speaks sidehugging Riddhima.

"Bye Darling.... "
He says forwarding his hand for a handshake .

"Umm...Here we go..."
After Akansha left, Vihaan speaks turning towards Riddhima.

"Vihaan, Mai kar lungi naa.... "

She asks hesistantly. Though she gave her nod just a minute ago, but still she has doubts and wants to rethink about it.

"Ofcourse, Tum kar logi. Why do you underestimate yourself so much... "

Vihaan encourages her. He never understood why such a beautiful and talented actress lacks self confidence... Sometimes he'd feel like she is too innocent to be an actor..

"Nahi matlab... usme...thode itnimate moves honge naa"

She speaks nervously. They have done intimate scenes for more than five times now, still she starts sweating at the mention of intimate scenes. How she is going to survive in industry, God knows....

"Kyu tension le rahi ho. Mai hu na...Mai karta aa raha hu itne time se. And vaise bhi ab itne intimate scenes sath me kiye hai to dance bhi kar hi lenge. "

He says keeping hand on her shoulder. She frowns her brows and tries to make him understand.

"Nahi... Problem hai family ki taraf se".

She speaks in a low voice.

"Ohh Ok... Do you want to do it? "

He asks looking in her eyes... He was asking with so much softness in his deep brown eyes, How could she even say No to him.... Riddhima nods her head.

"So do it. don't worry about dance and all..We'll talk to the choreographer. Tum choreographer ko bol dena kya problem hai. "

He says with a smile.

"Tum baat kar lena na... "

She requests... Why would the choreographer listen to her? Vihaan is in industry since long. He must be knowing so many choreographers here. It would be better if he talks on her behalf.... She thinks.

"Mai kya baat karunga... "

He says looking away. Deep down, he wasn't happy with the idea of cutting intimacy from the dance. He wanted audience love their chemistry. But here Riddhima was hell bent on serving them kindergarten partner dance.....

"Please na...Mai kaise bolungi...."

She requests looking at him hopefully.

"Ok.. koshish karke dekhenge. Let's go now. Scene is ready...."

He replies before leaving the place.

.
.
.

At press Conference,

" Puchiye.... "

Vihaan signals with his hands to the group of reporters standing in front of them.

"Ankahee" is going offair soon. Can you tell us more about this?"

One of the reporter asks.

" Yes, we are going to wrap up shoot in this week itself. But we have large episode bank, so u guys have to bear us for another month".

He replies with his signature smile.

"Suna hai aap bahot jaldi dusre naye show me saath aa rahe hai.."

Another reporter speaks forwarding his mike.

"Bahot jyada sun lete hai aap. Aur bahot acchi baate sun lete hai. I'll let you know jab aayega tab. "

He answers sarcastically. The reporters smile on his witty reply..

"Waise, everyone knows about your onscreen chemistry. And you guys are my favourite couple. So Riddhima, would you like to tell us about your offscreen chemistry.. "

A girl reporter asks coming forward. All the cameras focus on them.

"Off screen chemistry..... "

Riddhima speaks hesitantly. She didn't know what to reply....what to share, how much to share... She looks at him helplessly. Vihaan realizes it, and cuts her off...

"Mai aapko batata hu. Our offscreen chemistry is very simple. This beautiful lady sitting beside me is nothing but a storehouse of nervousness. I know why you are focussing this. But to be honest, I never asked her out , to jo onscreen chemistry hai vo offscreen me badalna to dur ki baat hai. so, definitely we are not seeing each other. These are just rumours"

Vihaan answers them smartly.

"But one thing is true. Ye jo humari Miss Dutta hai unhe na to kisi rumour se fark padta hai, na kisi reality se... "

Vihaan speaks looking at her. She looks at him too and they share an eyelock oblivious to the flashing cameras that were clicking photos of their two lost soul....

[One accidental eyelock ,And her eyes gave him all the answers he ever needed.]

____________________________