Abhi
(breaking the silence with a casual tone)
"So... you excited for Goa? Sun, sand, and... all the fun without me."
Ishana
(leaning back in her seat, arms crossed, staring out the window)
"Yeah, sure. I'm thrilled to be away from all the wedding chaos for a while."
(pauses, glancing at him with a half-smile)
"You know, it's not like I'm leaving to get away from you... just need some space."
Abhi
(glancing at her, then back at the road, trying to keep the conversation light)
"I get it. Honestly, I could use a break too. The whole wedding thing has been... a lot."
Ishana
(snorts lightly)
"Understatement of the year, Abhi."
Abhi
(smirking, trying to joke)
"Well, you're not wrong. At least the bachelor party in Simla is gonna be peaceful. No wedding planners, no endless discussions about the color scheme."
(pauses, then teasing)
"No strippers either."
Ishana
(laughing, shaking her head)
"Sure, Abhi. No strippers. You just make sure you don't go too wild up there. I wouldn't want you to get lost in the mountains... and not be able to find your way back."
Abhi
(chuckling)
"Don't worry. If I get lost in the mountains, you'll be the first one I call. Maybe you can come rescue me."
(teasing) "You know... when you're not busy sipping cocktails with random guys in Goa."
Ishana
(gives a playful eye-roll but can't suppress a smile)
"Please, I'm not the one who's going to be surrounded by a bunch of guys, am I?"
Abhi
(mockingly innocent)
"I don't know, Ishana. Seems like you've got plans for the 'wild side' with your girls' trip."
The conversation lingers in the air between them, the playful teasing hiding the deeper tension. Both of them were still figuring things out—whether the space would help or just push them further apart.
Ishana
(after a long silence, her voice softer)
"Do you think... we're making the right decision? About everything? The wedding... all of this?"
Abhi
(glances over at her quickly, caught off guard, then quickly looks ahead again, his voice a bit strained)
"I don't know, Ishana. I really don't. But maybe some time apart will help us think. We've been so caught up in everyone else's expectations that we haven't really talked about what we want."
Ishana
"Exactly. Everyone's so focused on our wedding, but we haven't really figured out if we want this."
Abhi pulls into the airport parking lot, the noise of planes taking off in the background. He turns the car off, and for a moment, neither of them moves.
Abhi
(his tone a little softer, a bit uncertain)
"I'm gonna miss you, you know."
Ishana
(looking at him, a faint smile pulling at her lips)
"You barely said two words to me before this trip, Abhi. Now you're all emotional?"
There's a long pause as both of them sit in the car, the weight of their words hanging in the air. The unspoken tension between them is thick, but at least there's some kind of mutual understanding.
Abhi
(finally, trying to lighten the mood again)
"Alright, alright. I'll call you... if I don't get lost in the mountains. And you'll pick up, right?"
Ishana
(smirking, her arms unfolding)
"Sure, I'll pick up. Unless I'm too busy with some random guy, of course."
Abhi
(grinning now, a little more relaxed)
"Good. I'll hold you to that."
Ishana
"Yeah, yeah. Don't worry, I'll be fine."
They both gather their bags, and as they step out of the car, the slight tension is still there, but there's a strange, unspoken connection too. The airport feels like the final point where they're about to go their separate ways. Both were still unsure about their future, but the space might just be what they needed to sort things out.
((As they stepped out of the car, Mark approached them with Khushi by his side.)
Mark: "So, guys, ready to be apart from each other?"
Ishana: "Yeh."
Mark: "Abhi?"
Abhi: "Yeh."
Mark: "Alright then, let's get going."
(I lean over and plant a kiss on Khushi's head, saying goodbye.)
Ishana: "Bro, there are people around..."
Mark: "So? She's my wife."
Ishana: "Okay, okay. Let's go."
Mark: "Alright, bye wifey. I'll call you once I reach."
Khushi: "Hmm, I'll be waiting."
(Abhi whispers to Ishana.)
Abhi: "Look, this is how you say goodbye, and that's how you call each other. Look at yourself."
Ishana: "Is that so? Well, too bad—sister-in-law is already taken. No chance for you."
Abhi:
"I was talking about you. I mean, I could do the same thing, like how my bro said goodbye to his wife. We can do that too. And when you get there, just drop me a message at least. I know you won't call, but I can at least expect that much, right?"
Ishana:
"Damn! You're expecting things from me, Abhi?! I'm really sorry to disappoint you, but I can't keep up with your expectations."
Abhi: "As expected from you."
Ishana: "Bye then. See you in two days."
(walking away, but turning back for a moment)
"Take care, Abhi. Don't get into too much trouble in Simla."
Abhi
(with a slight chuckle, watching her go)
"You too. Enjoy Goa. Don't let the sun and the sea distract you too much."
(As Ishana disappears into the terminal, Abhi watches her for a moment, a mix of emotions playing across his face. He's unsure of what to expect when they both return, but he knows that time apart is inevitable. Whether that time will bring clarity or confusion... only time will tell.
We all made our ways to our flight three of us .)
( Inside the airport terminal, boarding completed. Ishana walks down the aisle, scanning for her seat. Her friends wave at her from a few rows ahead.)
Pooja:
"Finally! There you are!"
Tia:
"Took you long enough. We thought you'd miss the flight!"
(Ishana chuckles, setting her bag in the overhead compartment and taking the window seat beside them.)
Ishana: "Blame my overly sentimental brother and his overly observant brother-in-law."
Alice: "Ooooh. What happened? Someone got too emotional?"
Ishana (rolling her eyes): "No, but someone thinks he's charming with his dramatic goodbyes."
Rashmi "Wait… Abhi? What did he do this time?"
(Ishana hesitates for a second, looking out the window. A faint smile touches her lips.)
Ishana: "Nothing... just him being Abhi. Talking about how we should say goodbye like my bhai and bhabhi. Told me to at least drop a message when I land—like I never do."
Sonali: "Aww... someone's getting attached!" Ishana: "Stop it."
Maya (teasing): "You stop it. We're just saying—it's not every day you remember conversations this clearly."
(All of them laugh. The flight attendants begin announcements. Ishana leans back, trying to ignore the small voice in her head repeating Abhi's words.)
(Inside the flight. Ishana settles into her seat, and her friends are already chatting away. She slides into the aisle seat beside Sonali, with Tia sitting next to her, and the others scattered around. The cabin is buzzing with excitement as the plane is about to take off.)