Chapter 22

Asad was expressing his emotions with his brother and best friend Ayaan when his cell phone rang; he scrunched his brows when the cell phone screen flashed an unexpected caller name. He immediately received the call, "Hello! Ms. Farooqui".

Asad was still amused that the girl who didn't want to communicate a conversation with him, not even of a single word after the photograph incident was calling him with her own consent. The one, who didn't obey Dilshad at the point of taking help from him in finding her Abbu, was herself calling him was so unexpected for him.

But after a deadly silence of few minutes a trembling fear filled and sobbing voice reached his ears, "Mr. -Mr. Khan!!"

Asad's eyes popped out when he heard the state of voice in which she answered him and her name slipped from his throat in a whisper, "Zoya!".

The way he took his name was clearing that all his instincts where roaring that something was wrong and the clarification of the sobs and cries were confirming it. He immediately asked the location where she was, which she gave roughly being scared.

Few Minutes Later,

Asad was driving the car with the velocity of light; his eyes were puffy and red. Only her fear filled voice has this much effect on his state, when he was in cognizance about what happened in registrar office. His were eyes on the road but the concentration was all on the state of the voice he heard which was changing his expression after every second. He clenched his jaw, fisted hispalm on the stirring wheel and immediately turned the car.

Ayaan who was observing his state warned him, "Bhai please thoda dheere", but he didn'tconcentrate at Ayaan's question and continued driving.

"Bhai! At least tell me what happen. Is everything all right and where we are going?", Ayaan darted the questions in a single breath but he kept driving and stopped the car with a thud near the park.

"Zoya!", Asad whispered and ran towards the bench at which Zoya was hiding herself, fisting the handle of it with all her strength, as someone is going to steal her dignity from her.

Ayaan followed Asad as he thought that his brother was deeply hurt and needed him but he stopped somewhere in the park when he saw Zoya but he could hear her sobs as he was on her back from where she couldn't see him.

Asad reached near Zoya and knelt down near her; she couldn't realize his presence but shivered when he rested his hand on her shoulder. Her hold on the handle and leaving the benching she took her steps back in her right but she realized who the person was and tear drops rolled down her cheeks.

Asad lifted up from the grass and took his steps forward in her direction, he wiped her tears with his thumb pad and she immediately flung her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. This was the second time when she hugged him, when she was hurt but this time he immediately supported her from his arms and wound them around her.

Asad caressed her back and when she was sobbing on his shoulder, he caressed her head with his palm and then he parted her from himself and let her sit on the bench as he understood that some mishap has happened. He too knelt down nearby and took her face in his palms to wipe her tears.

Ayaan could witness all this from nearby, they both were audible and visible to him. The whole park was empty because of the burning sun, so only three people were there so it was easy that no drama created.

Asad wiped all her tears with his arm and concernedly tilting her head again,he spoke to be added  "Zoya look at me. It's only me"

Asad and Ayaan couldn't understand that why Zoya was crying this much and wasn't in the state to express herself, but Zoya was shattered. This was the first time when she has dealt with the situation of molestation which was making her fearful and with every touch of Asad she was trembling.

Asad cupped his face and tried to give her strength, "Zoya! What happened tell me.". He looked into her red puffy eyes which were flowing tears again and again.

He caressed her cheeks with his thumb and tranquilized, "Zoya don't be scared. Tell me what  happened", and rested his hands on her shoulders as he was in her support.

Zoya was less with words as she couldn't explain anything to anyone; she was far away from her family and was feeling alone first time, from the day when she took first step in her own country, but here now she was feeling that, No! She wasn't alone; someone is here with whom she can share her feelings and all the mishaps of the registrar office.

She grabbed her strength a bit and blinked her eyes as they were flowing the tears and tried to express herself pointing her finger on her backside, "that that registr-registrar office-cer", she stammered and stopped in between as she didn't had strength to explain.

Asad 's  eyes met with hers which was the first time, she can see  the softness and love in the pair of eyes from which he was looking at her, he caressed her cheeks again and concerned, "Kuch kia usne"

Asad asked as he was getting confirmed as something had happened, Zoya constantly gulped down the saliva and with trembling withered lips tried to narrate everything. He was boiling with anger and his jaw was clenching tightly when she was narrating everything to him.

But when she ended it boiled him. "That officer usne...", she cried at the end just express this much but this was enough for Asad and Ayaan understand about the mishap.

Zoya didn't had strength to express herself after this and she rested her pale face under his crook of neck and tears started flowing which was wetting his entire jacket, at which he caressed her hairs.

Ayaan could witness Asad's expressions, his red shot puffy eyes clenching jaw and the anger. Ayaan cupped his mouth as he knew what will Assad going to do next after knowing everything and he was right Asad did the same.

Asad held Zoya's had in her palms and took her back softly from his head and indicating her with his nodding head to not to cry and wiped her tears again. Zoya rested her head on the bench and tear rolled from the corner of her eyes.

Assad collected himself from the grass and was not in his senses that how the hell did that officer dare to molest her. He angrily took his steps backward and marched but Zoya didn't realize as she wasn't even in herself.

Asad was angrily marching from the spot tightening his fist and clenching jaw but Ayaan stopped his way. Asad pushed him aside from his arm but he didn't give and again tried to force him as he knew he was going to beat that officer like hell.

Ayaan tried to stop him a lot but he wasn't in senses so Ayaan decided to take back him to reality and whispered from his back at such a low voice that Asad can hear him not Zoya, "Zoya ko chod ke jayenge yahan?"

Ayaan's question ringed an alarm in Asad's mind and he stopped in his tracks and turned to look at him. Ayaan gaped the distance and calmed him down, "Bhai! She needs you, take her home"

"But the bloody officer how dare he?", Asad was about to roar alike his name but Ayaan indicated so she cannot realize that Ayaan and Asad related.

Asad left clenching his jaw and stumped his feet on the land.

Ayaan mumbled and tried to explain him, "I know he is a jerk, but currently he is a government officer"

"Do hell with his designation", Asad crushed his teeth.

Ayaan looked back to examine Zoya who has collected herself from the bench and with trembling legs was searching for Asad but he wasn't visible and the whole park was empty for her and now children have started entering inside to play.

"Try and understand. Currently she needs you more than anyone else", Ayaan explained him and continued with disgusting expressions, "And that officer! We know what we have to do with him and we can do it after sometime also"

Asad gulped down and thought for a while he looked at Zoya who was about to fall and he ran towards her nodding his head positively.

Zoya was looking for Asad here and there in the crowd of children but she couldn't found him, she was stepping ahead with trembling legs, for a second she thought that Asad's presence was her illusion but the next second when she was about to fall someone held from her waist and not let her fall.

Zoya looked into the person's with satisfied glare at which Asad wiped the tears (add which)started flowing from her corner of eye and help her to stand without faltering.  She held his hand in hers and stood and they headed towards the vehicle while holding each other's hand.

Whereas, Ayaan hid behind the tree to hide himself from Zoya as she has saw him in the mall and he called him with the name Aseemah, being oblivious of her real identity.

Asad was driving the car but his concentration was on the Zoya's state when she narrated the mishap. He was crushing his jaw in rage where as the mishap and the way Asad supported her was revolving like a painting in Zoya's mind.

She looked at Asad, who was still a puzzle for her sometime a careful soft man and sometime a male chauvinist with a rude and harsh behavior. She was confused about the real Asad the one who supported her or the one who harshly ordered her to not enter in his room. But this time it was different for her.

This was the first time when Asad met her eyes with his, and she could easily see that those pair of eyes have soft and love-hearted owner covered under the shell of harshness. She was so lost in her own thoughts that couldn't realize that when the Khan Villa arrived and Asad stopped the car with a thud.

With the thud of breaks Zoya realized that they were in the parking lot of Khan Villa, Asad jumped out from his seat and opened the gate of her side. She unbuckled her seat lock to jump. Asad asked for her hand so she can leave her seat and she too gave her hand in his.

Zoya jumped from the car and he locked the gate when he heard her voice, "Mr. Khan!!"

He turned and looked at her to know what she wants to express, "Mr. Khan!! Please don't inform any one about this"

Asad was about to say but she interrupted, "Look Mr. Khan! Jo hona tha ho gaya, ab ghar mein kisi ko pareshan karne se koi matlab nahi hai", and she pressed her lips.

"Oh really! Hum pareshan hote hain apki care karne se?", he was already in anger but she requested, "Please Mr. Khan! It's a request", and she blinked her tearful eyes at which he affirmed as he could understand that how difficult is for a girl to express such a thing to anyone.

She expressed her feelings to Assad in the trauma but now when she was a bit relaxed she didn't want to say anything to anyone.

He saw her marching towards the main gate and followed her mumbling in his mind, "But I wouldn't leave that jerk so easy. Who dare he hurt you", and he dug his nails into a fist.

The bell rang of the Khan Villa twice, when Dilshad was busy in cooking something delicious as per Zoya's demand so she ordered Najma who was in her room to open the door, "Najma! Dekho kaun hai"

"Jee Ammi", Najma obeyed and opened the door.

Najma unexpectedly looked at the person in front of her eyes as she was expecting that Asad might be at the office but here she saw that Asad was with Zoya. He eyed Najma to leave the path at which she obeyed.

They entered inside and Najma immediately asked, "You both came together, how come?"

And bit her nail to match the dots, "Nahi Bhaijaan has left for office and Zoya for somewhere else, even I don't know where", she sheepishly completed herself.

"Najma jyada sawal mat kia karo? Jao jake padho exams aa rahe hain", he eyed Najma at which she pouted and left.

"Kya ho gaya?", Dilshad asked confusingly and left her work.

Asad took a deep sigh while crushing his jaw and mumbled, "Umm! Kuch nahi", and mocked to call someone and left the spot so he can hide his eyes from his mother.

In the Evening,

"Mujhe wo kisi bhi condition pe arrested chahiye bas", Asad roared at the phone.

Asad closed his eyes near the lake and clenched his jaw, "Otherwise! Main use jaan se maar dunga"

Ayaan tightly closed his eyes and when Asad was about to throw his phone in angst, in the lake he stopped him and calmed him down, "Relax Bhai"

"How can I relax Ayaan? I can't tolerate with any harm happening to her", Asad announced while crushing his jaw at which Ayaan pressed his lips.

And Ayaan mumbled in his mind, "I hope jo main soch raha hoon, sahi ho"

Asad was still in the same state and was explaining something to Ayaan which he couldn't here as he was lost in his own thoughts, so he shrugged him and screamed, "Are you here or not?"

Ayaan nodded and asked, "Yup! Actually main soch raha tha what did the police commissioner replied", and he easily changed the topic.

"That jerk has lost his job and the commissioner has just ordered the inspector to arrest him", Asad announced the news at which Ayaan smiled widely as it was the good news.

But on the same time he asked with confusion, "Then why are you still worried?"

"The damage has done, uske arrest hone se ab kuch nahi hota", Asad mumbled as he was feeling her pain inside him at which Ayaan pressed his lips in a thin line.

Zoya's Room

In the night, around 10 all have departed for the respective rooms but the slumber was away from Zoya Farroqui's eyes, all she could see was the scene in the registrar office, when she heard a knock on her door. She immediately seated well and allowed the person to enter.

Asad flung his head from the door and looked at Zoya who was still broken, she gave him a fake smile and he got seated near her on the chair.

"Zoya!! I know it wasn't easy for you to tell anyone and I respect that, that's why ...", he stopped in between and seated near her on the bed and bend to wipe the tear drop from her corner of eye and nodded negatively.

He continued himself pressing his lips, "That's why I have not informed it with anyone, not even with Ammi"

At which she nodded and mumbled, "Thank you Mr. Khan!"

She gulped down the fresh saliva formed in her throat and continued in the soft tone, "For everything. The way you supported me, thank you, thank you so much"

He lifted his head and looked at her and shrugged his head, "Zo..", but before he could continue himself he paused and continued, "Ms. Farooqui! Mushkil hai par you have to forget that mishap", and took her palm in his.

"And trust me I'm always with you", and closed his eyes to assure him and not to cry.

At which she smiled a little and he informed about the current status of that officer at which she looked into his eyes, "Itni jaldi kaise?"

"Usse aapko kya lena dena", he arched his brow up and helped her to lie her down and covered her in the duvet.

He left the seat near her and while switching off the lights he wished, "Sleep well! We shouldn't share our pain with our pillow", and smiled at which she responded back and he switched the lamp off.

He left the room and with his leave she mumbled, "You are unbelievable!"

Around 12 in the night, Ayaan jumped from the window of Asad's room to meet him and to discuss something important.

"Kitni baar bolun monkey ki tarah mat aya karo, darate ho humesha", Asad scolded him.

"Mukka Ahmed Khan ko dar bhi lagta hai?", he winked.

"Shut up Ayaan!", he glared Ayaan.

But being in their conversation, the brother duo forgot that someone lives in the room which was opposite to Asad's who can wake up, and it did happen the same.

Zoya's sleep disturbed as she could hear someone in Asad's room, the whisper sound was a bit audible. She left the bed and headed towards his room and was about to knock but stopped, "Agar koi chor hua to"

She rolled her eyes and bit her lower lip to find a way and an idea beeped in his mind, "Backyard se jati hoon"

She slowly tip toed towards the backyard so she can inspect what was happening inside the room and when she peeped from the French window from her corner of her eyes she saw that one of the lamp was on and someone was talking with Asad.

The person was talking with Asad in black jacket but she couldn't see his face only his back was visible.

"Who is he?", she thought in her mind.

"Tum yaha kya kar rahe ho?", Zoya heard the whisper clearly.

She scrunched her brows in effort to see the stranger when she heard, "Aap Zoya ko sab bata kyu nahi dete?"

And saying this Ayaan turned in front of the mirror which was showing its impression, Zoya's eyes popped out and the rod slipped from her hands which she took to beat the thief which forced Khan brothers to turn and look towards the window and all the three were shocked and numb.

 So Criticisms are welcome with open arms  and feel free to point out the faults. 

Aditi