Kar Chalna Shuru Tu

Chapter 4

5 months later,

Shilpa had got accommodation in the staff quarters of Sanjivani whilst Armaan had rented a small cottage for himself. He, being a senior doctor, had a lot more responsibilities on him since this hospital was newly set up and things were still being worked out.

Shilpa sat in the locker room reading through one of her recent case files. She knitted her eyebrows in concentration and frowned.

"Good evening Dr. Shilpa!" came the husky voice she could recognize anywhere.

"Good evening!" she looked up with a smile reaching her eyes.

He came and sat next to her on the bench and put his arms around her shoulder.

"Kya kar rahi ho?" he asked looking into the file.

"Ek surgery hai. Thoda complicated hai." she informed.

"Dikhao file." he said as she passed it to him. He read through it and explained it to Shilpa.

"Thanks Armaan!" she smiled.

"Arey, Ab senior doctor ki dost hone ka thoda to fayda hona chahiye na?" he asked with a wink.

"Ha-ha. Very funny." she mocked.

"Chalo, coffee ke liye chalte hain." he said putting the file into her locker.

"Tumhe kabhi koi kaam nahi hota kya? Har do ghanton mein coffee peene bula lete ho." she taunted.

"Hota hai na. But you know, I'm an extremely efficient doctor. Time se pehle kaam khatam karne ki aadat hai mujhe." he chuckled.

Shilpa rolled her eyes at him.

"Chalo ab. Mujhe tumse kuch bohot zaroori baat karni hai yaar. Please!" he tugged on her hand and took her out of the locker room.

"Hey Armaan, Shilpa! Kahan ja rahe ho tum dono?"

Armaan stopped and turned to find Atul smiling at them.

"Champ, hum coffee peene jaa rahe hain." Armaan replied.

"Main bhi chalta hoon. Mera kaam bhi khatam ho gaya." Atul said.

"I feel so jealous of you guys. Mere alawa yahan koi intern hi nahi hai and you guys are friends from your internship days." Shilpa pouted.

"Arey, hum jaise cool senior doctors hain tumhare friends. Itna kaafi nahi hai kya?" Atul asked.

"Not that Atul. It's just that it would be good to have some more interns. Maybe then I can start dating!" Shilpa said casually.

Armaan stopped in his tracks.

"What did you say?" he asked.

"What did I say?" she frowned.

"Dating?" he asked.

"Yeah. I mean, it's time I move on in life. I've realized that there is no use in being stuck in the past. It only gives you pain." she said.

"Aaj apni story suna hi do Shilpa!" Atul exclaimed.

Armaan pulled out a chair for Shilpa but felt extremely awkward due to the conversation that had just begun.

"Well, Shiv and I, we started dating back in high school. We were happy in our relationship. We were together even when I was in medical school and he was in law school. His parents died when he was in college so he started living alone and well, I have been alone all my life. I could understand what he was going through." she said.

"So why did you guys break up?" asked Atul while Armaan stiffened next to him.

"He passed away. He was on his bike and a drunk driver rammed his car into him. He was brought to the hospital I was working in and I saw him breathe his last in front of my own eyes." she gulped.

Armaan gently raised his handed and wiped away her tears. He knew she saw her love die in front of her eyes but never asked her for the whole story knowing how much pain losing love brings to you. Shilpa smiled slightly at Armaan.

"Chalo, the one thing that is common between all three of us is lost-love." Atul said smiling with sadness in his eyes.

"Isliye to main keh rahi hoon. I want to make an effort and move ahead in life. Meet new people, start dating, get into a relationship, get married. I want all those things. I have lived alone all my life. I hardly ever had friends in the orphanage I grew up in. Seriously speaking, Sid, JP, and Jiggy were my first friends ever." she said.

"I can understand. After Papa passed away, I lived alone as well. And even before I was adopted by Papa, I was very reserved and made plants my friends." said Atul.

"Champ, humare internship ke din yaad hai? Tu har 2 dino mein ek naya paudha lekar aata tha and sabke naam rakhta tha." Armaan chuckled trying to make the situation lighter.

"Kya yaar Armaan, main to ye sab ab bhi karta hoon. Mere tab khareede hue saare plants ab bhi mere garden mein hain." Atul grinned when suddenly Shilpa's phone buzzed.

Shilpa grinned looking at her phone and picked up, "Hey you!"

Armaan looked at Shilpa wondering whose call it was.

"Hold on, I'll put you on loudspeaker." she said and clicked the loudspeaker button on the phone.

"Armaan and Atul are here with me." she said.

"Hey Guys!" Sid said over the phone.

"Sid, kaisa hai yaar?" asked Atul.

"I'm good Atul. Tum batao. How is Shimla?" he asked.

"Cold" he replied with a laugh.

"Armaan, tum kuch bologe nahi?" asked Sid.

"How's life Sid?" asked Armaan.

"Work is fine. Life is boring. Tum sab se bohot jealous hoon. Yahan koi masti mazaak hota hi nahi." Sid replied.

"Sid, you should come over sometime. Take a vacation." Shilpa said.

"I will. I have some holidays banked so I will surely take a vacation." he replied.

"Let me know soon. Yahan koi intern hi nahi hai yaar, mere alawa." she pouted.

"So?" he asked.

"I want to get back into the dating game!" she replied.

"Dating game? Kaunsa pehle hazaar dates pe ja chuki hai tu? Ek boyfriend raha hai teri poori life mein. Ab to tujhe Shimla ke kisi ache pub mein jaana chahiye and ladke patane chahiye." he laughed.

"Shut up. And waise bhi, yahan ki nightlife kaafi boring hai. The only nightlife I have is if Armaan, Atul and I plan to go for dinner or the days when we plan to meet up at either Armaan's or Atul's house." she complained.

"Tinder join karle." Sid laughed heartily.

"Bhaad mein ja!" she said and cut the call.

Armaan sat there lost in thoughts while Shilpa and Atul spoke. For the first time, he realized he did not care what Riddhima was doing, how she was and anything related to her life was not his priority anymore. Basically, he had moved on. But now he realized that when Shilpa said she should start dating, he felt uneasy. Was he in love with her?