On July 20th, Jaimi reaches the address she was given by 8 in the morning. She rings the doorbell and patiently waits for someone to open the door. She hears a groggy voice from the other side. She sees someone fumbling with the doorknob trying to open it.

The door opens after a few moments. Jaimi looks up to see Darshan. Her eyes travel from head to toe. His hair is messy indicating he just woke up. He is shirtless and in a pair of shorts with slides. He is rubbing his eyes trying to brush away the sleep clouding them.

He opens his eyes full and looks at her with a smile playing on his face. He tries to embrace her in a hug, but she moves back and puts her hands up defensively.

Jaimi: Not allowed to touch me!

Darshan: Sorry! Mein thoda excited ho gaya tha. See, meri convincing skills ki wajah se tumhe offer accept karna hi pada.

Jaimi: I don't know if someone told you this or not, but you are very much full of yourself. Meine Bhai ki wajah se accept kiya hain so you might want to thank him.

Darshan frowns. Jaimi sees another male pop up beside Darshan. She remembers him from the office yesterday. He gives her a goofy smile.

Jyugal: Jaimi?

Jaimi is totally confused by how he knows her but decides to shrug it off.

Jyugal: I'm Jyugal!

Jaimi: Hello! I think you know me already.

Jyugal: Yaha khade rakhne ka irada hain?

Darshan shakes his head and moves aside allowing her to come in. She takes off her heels seeing shoes near the door. She moves towards the living area along with Darshan and Jyugal.

Darshan: Tum yaha ya phir studio mein kaam kar sakhti ho.

Jaimi: Mein studio mein kaam karungi! I don't want to disturb you guys. Where is it?

Darshan: The door to the left.

Jaimi nods and makes her way to the studio with her stuff. She opens her laptop and starts working.

Jyugal: Tera plan kya hain?

Darshan: Pata nahi dekhenge!

Darshan moves to his bedroom and freshens up. He has breakfast and then, goes to the studio to see Jaimi typing away rapidly.

Jaimi: Aapki upcoming events ki travel details aur tickets meine bhej di hain, so be sure to check it out!

Darshan: Band?

Jaimi: Meine usko email kar diya hain aur text kar ke sab se confirm bhi kar diya hain.

Darshan: Tumhara?

Jaimi: I don't think it's necessary for me to travel along with you. Meine ek detailed plan aapke email mein bhej diya hain, so aapko sirf woh follow karna hain.

Darshan: Tum meri secretary ho iska matalab mein jaha jaaunga tumhe wahi aana padega.

Jaimi is tapping her foot as she looks around the room. Darshan can see from her facial expressions that she is very nervous about something, but he has yet to find out what. She sighs before putting back her infamous poker face.

Jaimi: Mein bookings add kardungi.

Darshan: Tumhara nature hi cold hain ya yeh special treatment sirf mere liye hain?

Jaimi: Mr. Raval, I'm a woman of few words.

Darshan: Few words aur cold-hearted ya phir heartless mein fark hota hain!

Jaimi: I'm so sorry that you feel I'm heartless because I'm not! I just prefer to use my heart less.

They have a mutual staring competition for a minute before Jaimi breaks it away.

Darshan: Ab toh mujhe pura yakeen hain ki yeh ladki kuch chupa rahi hain. Koi itni gol gol baat kaise karta hain. Iske iss behavior ke peeche bhi koi na koi kaaran hoga. Yeh kise pata hoga? Ayesha. Woh mujhe kyu bataegi. Baaton mein uljha ke puchta hoon.

He lets few minutes pass and pretends to be working on the computer.

Darshan: Tum Ahmedabad se ho?

She hums in response.

Darshan: Mein bhi wahi se hoon! Tum Ahmedabad mein kaha se ho?

There is a silence for a few minutes. He looks at her from the corner of his eyes to see her thinking. It looks like she is weighing her choices.

Jaimi: Sabarmati Riverfront ke pass!

Darshan: Waha toh koi houses nahi hain!

Jaimi: Waha pe nae buildings bani hain wahi.

Darshan: Oh. Tumhari family mein kaun hain?

Jaimi: Tum kya karne ki koshish kar rahe ho?

Darshan: What do you mean? Ek simple general knowledge ka savaal tha.

Jaimi: Mr. Raval, mujhe pagal samjha hain? I can see that you are trying to get a word out of my mouth about my personal life. And let me remind you that it is workplace harassment!

Her pitch increased with each sentence to make emphasize.

Darshan: Tumhe toh sab kuch hi harassment lagta hain!

He gets up and leaves the studio slamming the door behind him.

Jaimi: Kya karti hain yaar, Jaimi? Iss mein uska kya fault hain ki woh teri life ke baare mein puch raha hain. Yeh basic questions koi kisi ko jaanane ke liye puchta hain. The less he knows, the better off he is! Meine uska mood off kardiya. Mujhe yaha se jaana chahiye. Yaha rahungi toh uska mood off karti rahungi with my cold behavior. Maafi maangane ke baad yaha se jaana hi behtar rahega.

She packs up her things and makes her way to the living room. She sees Jyugal surfing through the channels on tv.

Jaimi: Mr. Raval?

Jyugal: Woh uske bedroom hain! Don't mind him woh kabhi kabhi kuch zyada hi kar deta hain.

Jaimi offers him a smile and knocks on the first door to the right. She walks in after a minute hearing no response from the other side. She leaves the door partially open as she walks towards him who is standing by the window. He opens his mouth to say something, but she cuts him off.

Jaimi: Tum bolo usse pehle mein maafi maangana chahti hoon. Look, I'm sorry for what happened there! Mein aisi hi hoon. Mujhe koi meri life ke baare mein sawaal kare woh nahi pasand hain and tum correct the, I'm a cold-hearted person. Meine already tumhara mood kharab kar diya hain so mein apne ghar se kaam karungi taaki tumhara mood aur down na ho.

Darshan frowns trying to comprehend all she said.

Jaimi: Tumhari stylist kuch derr mein aake tumhe bag packing mein help karegi. Agar mera kuch kaam ho toh mujhe email ya text kar dena. I will see you on Friday at the airport. Have a good day!

Jaimi leaves the house not waiting for his response. She makes her way to her house.

Darshan walks out of his room to see Jyugal looking confused. Siddharth walks through the main door with Hardik.

Jyugal: Jaimi, chali kyu gae?

Darshan: Meine uske family ke baare mein pucha aur usne mujhpe gussa kiya. Phir, khud mujhse aake maafi maangi aur chali gae. Yeh ladki ajeeb hain.

Jyugal: Jaise tu nahi hai?

Darshan: Haan mein nahi hoon!

Siddharth: Duniya mein sab ajeeb hi hain!

Jyugal: Darshan, tu uss ladki ke sach se itna obsessed ho raha hain ki tu uski privacy invade kar raha hain. Look, clearly usko apni family ke baare mein baat karna pasand nahi hain aur tu usko force nahi kar sakhta.

Darshan: Koi apni family ki baat sun ke itna gussa hota hain?

Jyugal: Sab ki life humari tarah normal nahi hoti hain.

Hardik: Jyugal, sahi keh raha hain!

Siddharth: Agar woh kisi cheez se bhaag rahi hain ya uske baare mein baat nahi karna chahti toh woh personal choice hain jis ke baare mein tu kuch nahi kar sakhta!

Jyugal: Look at the bright side, usko apne behavior ka afsos tha aur usne tujhse maafi bhi maangi.

Hardik: Tu khamkha uske piche pada hain. Woh ek bahot acchi ladki hain!

Siddharth: Darshan kabhi kabhi kuch life experiences insaan ko aisa bana dete hain jiske baare mein hum mein se koi kuch nahi kar sakhta.

Darshan: Thik hai par tumhe Goa mein yaad hain? Jab Khushi kisi ke baare mein baat kar rahi thi jisko woh jaanti jo Jaimi se bahot similar hain tab Jaimi gusse mein aakar table se uth kar chali gae thi.

Siddharth: Uske kaha tha she'll get some air. Us mein kya problem ho sakhta hain?

Darshan: Nahi hain par hum beach pe dinner kar rahe the toh beach pe hawa chaaro taraf hoti hain. Aur phir usne Khushi se bhi kaha tha ki I'm sure you know!

Siddharth: Unn dono ke beech mein kuch connection ho sakhta hain?

Darshan: Pakka hain! Jaimi woh ladki ho sakhti hain jiske baare mein Khushi baat kar rahi thi?

Siddharth: Maybe or maybe no! I mean Jaimi itni rich hoti toh yaha internship kyu karti? Aur, Khushi Jaimi ko pehchaan nahi leti?

Darshan: Woh bhi hain par iska pata ek hi cheez se pata chal sakhta hain!

The three say in unison, "Kya?"

Darshan: Woh toh time aane pe bataunga.

They are distracted by Darshan's stylist.

Jaimi is sitting in her apartment looking around. She  grabs her phone and types a phone number. She debates on if she should press the call button. After a minute, she erases her number.

She jerks as she hears the doorbell ring. She takes cautious steps towards the door and looks through the peephole. She sees Ayesha standing on the other side of the door with Mehjabeen. She opens the door and welcomes them in. She closes the door behind them making sure no one saw them.

Mehjabeen: Humne tumhe disturb toh nahi kiya?

Jaimi: Nahi-nahi!

They look around and take in their surroundings.

Mehjabeen: Bahot kam samajh mein tumhe bahot accha ghar mil gaya.

Jaimi: Haan.

Mehjabeen: Tumhari koi photos nahi lagae?

Jaimi: Time hi nahi Mila!

Ayesha: Packing ki?

Jaimi: Nahi Ab karne wali thi.

Ayesha: I'll help you!

Mehjabeen: Mein bhi karti hoon. Hum toh aise hi tumse milne aa gae.

Jaimi smiles and leads them towards the bedroom. They start packing her bag.

Mehjabeen: Darshan ne pareshaan toh nahi kiya na?

Jaimi: Nahi. Mein aaj ghar pe jaldi aa gae thi aur ghar se hi kaam kar rahi thi.

Mehjabeen: Woh pichle kuch saalon se bahot difficult ho gaya hain warna pehle aise nahi tha. He will take some time before trusting you. Woh Karishma ki wajah se!

Ayesha: Karishma?

Mehjabeen: Uski ex! Uspe cheat kar rahi thi with someone who he knows.

Ayesha: Oh!

They talk for a little while then, Mehjabeen leaves. Ayesha and Jaimi continue packing.

Ayesha: Tu thik hain?

Jaimi: Haan. Kyu?

Ayesha: Nahi thodi upset lag rahi hain!

Jaimi: Haan aaj meine Darshan pe gussa kar diya jab uski galti nahi thi. Woh kuch normal se sawaal puch raha tha about me aur mein gussa ho gae. I'm tired of upsetting and hurting people around me because of my cold behavior!

Ayesha: Jai, teri galti nahi hain. Tune jo face kiya hain uske baad koi bhi aisa ho jaaega! Yeh tera behavior tune jo apne aas paas jo wall bana rakhi hain jo koi cross nahi kar sakhta uski wajah se.

Jaimi: The wall is the only thing that kept me alive all these years.

Ayesha: Don't talk about death!

Jaimi: Apni reality ko accept kar rahi hoon!

Ayesha: Don't be too hard on yourself! Inn sab mein teri koi galti nahi hain.

**********