Just Care

CHARACTERS: BOYFRIEND (ARJUN), GIRLFRIEND (RIYA)
SCENE: OUTSIDE CAFE – GURGAON, DELHI NCR – EVENING
EMOTION: ANGER – OVER PROTECTIVE – CARE – CONCERN – FRUSTRATION – LOVE

RIYA IS ABOUT TO LEAVE THE CAFE. IT’S LATE EVENING. ARJUN LOOKS WORRIED AND
STOPS HER. SHE SEEMS ANNOYED.

ARJUN
(SERIOUS, SLIGHTLY ANGRY)

KITNI BAAR BOLA HAI, ITNA LATE MAT NIKLA KARO!
YE NCR HAI, KOI CHHOTA SHEHER NAHI HAI.
YAHAAN SAB SAFE NAHI HOTA.

RIYA
(THODA IRRITATED)

ARJUN PLEASE, MAIN BACHCHI NAHI HOON.
MUJHE PATA HAI MAIN KYA KAR RAHI HOON.

ARJUN
(FRUSTRATED, BUT CARING)

YHI TO PROBLEM HAI!!!
TUMHE LAGTA HAI TUM SAB SAMBHAL LOO GI.
PAR HAR KOI ACCHA NAHI HOTA.
CAB, METRO, OFFICE, EVEN FRIENDS – KIS PAR KITNA TRUST KARNA HAI,
SAMJHNA PADTA HAI.

RIYA
(SOFTLY, BUT DEFENSIVE)

MAIN CAREFUL REHTI HOON NA…
ITNA OVERREACT MAT KARO.

ARJUN
(CALM BUT INTENSE)

OVERREACT NAHI KAR RAHA HOON…
CARE KAR RAHA HOON. TUM MERE LIYE IMPORTANT HO.
AAJ KAL LOG KITNE FAKE HAIN, PATA BHI NAHI CHALTA
KAUN FRIEND HAI AUR KAUN KEVAL TIMEPASS.
SOCIAL MEDIA PE SMILE KARNE WALE LOG
REAL LIFE MEIN KYA SOCHTE HAIN, KISI KO NAHI PATA.

(TAKES A BREATH)

LATE NIGHT PARTIES, RANDOM CABS, UNKNOWN LOGS…
THODA SOCHA KARO. LOCATION SHARE KAR DIYA KARO.
CALL PICK KAR LIYA KARO. CHHOTI CHHOTI BAATEIN HAIN,
PAR MERE LIYE YE BAHUT MATTER KARTI HAIN.

RIYA
(LOOKS AT HIM, EMOTIONAL, VOICE SOFTER)

I KNOW… TUM MERI FIKAR KARTE HO.
BAS KABHI KABHI LAGTA HAI TUM ZYADA HI TENSION LE LETE HO.

ARJUN
(SOFT, HOLDING HER HAND)

HAAN,
KYONKI TUM IMPORTANT HO. AUR MAIN NAHI CHAHTA
KI TUMHARE SATH KABHI KUCH GALAT HO.
SIRF THODA SA DHYAAN RAKH LO, THEEK HAI?

RIYA LOOKS AT HIM, THODI SI SMILE KE SAATH. SHE NODS.

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