The Distance Between Us

Track Fifty Seven - Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge

Previously On...

Armaan & Riddhima arrive in Patiala and convince Rahul to not elope with Muskaan.

"Maine naa kehdi na? Bas!" Manjeet Chadda ordered. "Tereko kisi aur de saath vyaah nahi karna, mat kar... lekin uss Rahul de saath tera vyaah kabhi nahi hone wala!"

"Papaji... please!" Muskaan replied. "Mujhe pata usne hum sabka dil dukhaya hai. Usne bohot saari galtiyaan ki hain... usne... usne mujhe bhi bohot dukh pohonchaya hai but main usse pyaar karti hoon, Papaji! Aur.. aur aap bhi toh yehi chaahte the na? Ki mera vyaah usse ho jaaye?"

"Puttar, woh tabki baat thi," Tajinder Chadda answered, taking a moment to explain things to her daughter lest her husband's temper make things even more difficult. "Tab sab alag tha. Ab sab alag hai. Rahul achcha ladka hai... humaare saamne hi bada hua hai, aur mujhe yeh bhi pata hai ki jo kuch tum dono ke beech hua... Rahul ne jo kiya woh kyu kiya hum sab samajhte hain... lekin puttar, usne dil toh toda na hum sabka? Kal agar woh phir yeh sab sochke darr jaaye aur tujhe chod de... toh hum kya karenge?"

"Mummy woh aisa nahi karega!" Muskaan defended Rahul. "Thoda toh bharosa karke dekho."

"Wohi toh hum nahi kar paa rahein hain, puttar," Muskaan's dad replied.

Muskaan sighed. She couldn't refute what her parents were saying. Rahul had broken all their hearts. It would take her family some time to come to terms with it. But the way they were refusing to even give Rahul a chance to prove that things would be different bothered her more. She could understand why they didn't want to do that as well, but that didn't mean that she had to like it. Getting married without her family's approval seemed to be the only way to be with him. She didn't want to do it, but what choice did she have if they wouldn't give him a chance? She hoped that once everything was said and done, her family would forgive her. They had once before. They would do it again. Or so she convinced herself so that she could actually go ahead with the plan of marrying Rahul in secret without her family's knowledge.

The ringing of the doorbell halted their argument and Muskaan used the excuse to quickly leave her parents behind. She was extremely surprised to see Riddhima standing on the other side of the door. Overcome with emotions, she immediately pulled her best friend into a hug. "It's going to be okay, Muski," Riddhima promised, caressing Muskaan's hair.

Muskaan sighed and leant into the hug even tighter, before she looked up and saw Armaan standing a few feet away. "Hero," she whispered, awestruck and relieved. Releasing Riddhima from her hug, she ran to Armaan, throwing herself in his arms with a wrecked sob. "Heyyyyy," Armaan shushed her, rubbing her back. "It's going to be okay, Muskaan. Shhhh. Hum sab theek kar denge, okay? Tu itni tension mat le. Main hoon na... I'll talk to Uncle and Aunty... tu itna chinta mat kar. It's going to be fine. I promise."

Muskaan just burrowed closer into the safety of his arms, immediately believing every single word out of his mouth. Armaan had always been the one she'd turned to whenever she'd had any problems, no matter what, and he'd always been there for her, rescuing her and being the best friend a girl could ask for. She knew that he would do something, just wave a magic wand like he seemed to, and make everything okay again, like he always had for her. When he was here, she didn't have to worry, because she knew that he'd do what he said. He would convince her family and he'd get them to accept Rahul. She was sure of it.

Armaan pulled back from the hug and reached up to wipe her tears. "Oyye... Punjab di sherni... itni si baat ke liye itne mote - mote aansu? Yaar, abhi pichle hafte hi toh mili thi mujhse... itna zyada miss kiya kya? Chal hatt."

Muskaan laughed at his words. He always knew how to make her feel better. "Tujhe miss kiya isliye nahi ro rahi thi," she replied. "Tu aa gaya toh ab tujhe jhelna padega isliye ro rahi thi."