I'll Love You Longer Than Forever

Chapter Sixty Five

Armaan spent most of his time talking to Rakesh. They were talking about how their lives had changed since college. Armaan was really happy when he found out that Rakesh had started his own wedding planning business and that it was doing well. Rakesh had been a scholarship kid at college and he'd worked his ass off to provide for his family. Armaan had always admired that about him. How driven and focused he'd been. Really, it was only because of Rakesh that Armaan able to pass college. He'd make sure that Armaan studied for his tests and turned his assignments in.

“Waise, tere business ka naam kya hai? Next time kabhi mujhe kisiki shaadi organize karni hogi toh main tujhe hi bulaunga,” Armaan insisted.

Rakesh laughed. “Thanks, yaar. It's called Il Matrimonio. We have a website and everything,” he explained.

“Nice,” Armaan answered. “Aur, bas professional life mein hi itna achcha hai ya fir personal life bhi aage badhi hai?” He asked cheekily.

Rakesh blushed. “Oyye hoyye,” Armaan teased. “Gaal toh dekho janaab ke. Tamaatar jaise laal ho gaye hain.”

“Hmmmm… Baat kya hai?” Rahul asked. He'd been silently listening to their discussion along with Rohit and Abhi. Rakesh had been a good friend to him too. Sure, they'd never interacted much, but his and Rakesh’s friendship had been different. They didn't talk everyday or know everything about the other, but they knew things that mattered most. And there was an assurance that should one of them be in trouble, the other would always be there, no questions asked.

“Rahul, yaar, tu bhi?” Rakesh whined.

“Main bhi kya? Saale, inte saalon baad tu haath aaya, aise hi tjodi chodunga?” Rahul joked.

“Fine, fine. I'm married,” he announced.

“Wow! Toh, kahaan hai woh? Aayi kyu nahi?” Armaan asked, eager to meet Rakesh’s wife.

“Uh, actually, Kunal, my son, he's ill. Toh Aesha uske saath ghar pe hai,” he explained, blushing really bad.

“Tera beta bhi hai?” Rahul asked, surprised.

Rakesh nodded. “3 saal ka hai.”

“Waah, waah, mere sher,” Armaan praised, putting an arm around his shoulder. “Hum sabko dekho,” he said, gesturing to himself and Rahul, “abhi tak shaadi bhi nahi hui. Lekin in sir ke toh bachche bhi ho gaye!”

“Armaan!” Rakesh admonished, embarrassed.

“What? Achchi baat hai yaar. Tu isme itna sharma kyu raha hai?” Armaan asked.

“Tu meri chod, yeh Rahul bhi chupa rustam hai,” Rakesh said, trying to divert the topic.

“Main?” Rahul asked, surprised. “Aisa kya kiya maine?”

“Woh, tere saath aayi haina,” Rakesh started, pausing, trying to remember the name of Rahul’s date.

“Riddhima,” Armaan promptly supplied.

“Haan, wohi. Riddhima. Keh rahi thi ki tu kisi ladki se bohot pyaar karta hai. Kaun hai woh?” Rakesh asked.

“Wait, Riddhima ne kya kaha?” Rahul questioned, shocked. He couldn't believe Riddhima had just said that to a bunch of strangers.

“Arre, woh Sonia haina. Woh bohot bol rahi thi - how she wanted to date you and stuff. Toh Riddhima ne kaha ki tu already kisi se pyaar karta hai,” Rakesh explained. “Aisa sach mein hai ya fir usne sirf Sonia ko kaha?” He asked.

Rahul sighed. “Hai koi,” he replied, glancing at Muskaan. “Lekin abhi mujhse naraaz hai. I hope ki main usse jaldi manaa lu.”

Rakesh smiled and hugged him. “I'm sure sab theek ho jaayega.” Rahul nodded his thanks.