Chapter 16
CHAPTER 15
Zoya placed a few change of clothes in the suitcase and zipped it up. They were leaving for the farmhouse the next morning and it was decided that everyone would meet at Hooda mansion and leave together.
As she placed her toiletries in the suitcase, Zoya turned at the sound of the bedroom door opening. Seeing Anjana walk in, Zoya stood up from her seated position on the bed.
"Anjana maa...aap?" Zoya asked.
"Arre...sit beta...there is no need to be so formal." Anjana said lovingly.
Zoya sat back down and Anjana took a seat opposite Zoya on the bed. Anjana looked around room to see it empty but the two of them. "Adi kaha hain?" Anjana asked.
"I'm not sure..." Zoya responded, "When we came back from college he said he had to work on something, and I haven't seen him since." Zoya responded, feeling a little embarrassed at her lack of knowledge. She should know where Aditya is right? He has been taking such good care of her...and she didn't even bother checking to see where he was? For the first time Zoya felt guilty about not knowing Aditya's whereabouts.
Sensing Zoya's uneasiness, Anjana changed the subject. "Are you all packed?" she asked, seeing the suitcase.
"Yes Anjana maa...just a few more things left." Zoya replied.
"It's good that you kids are going away for a bit...it will be nice to get away from the city." Anjana said. "I actually came here to give you something..." Anjana continued, knowing that she had Zoya's full attention.
Anjana lifted the velvet box and opened it, revealing a pair of beautifully hand crafted diamond bangles. Zoya gasped at its beauty. The bedroom light glinted off the diamonds, making the bangles sparkle.
"Yeh kis liye Anjana maa?" Zoya asked, confused as to why she was receiving this.
Anjana simply took Zoya's hand and slipped the bangles onto her wrist. "Kyon...I can't buy my daughter presents?" Anjana replied.
"No...it's not like that...thank you...they are beautiful" Zoya said, graciously accepting the gift.
"Honestly...I didn't have anything to give you when you came into this house. Toh yeh sirf ek choti si gift...meri taraf se..." Anjana said.
Zoya looked at Anjana...this was a wedding gift...her wedding to Aditya. The bangles suddenly felt extremely heavy on Zoya's wrist.
Anjana sensed Zoya's hesitation, and continued gently, "There is still no pressure on you Zoya...neither is there any pressure on Aditya." Anjana placed a loving hand on Zoya's face, "Kush nasseebi hai meri...ke mujhe bahu nahin...beti mili hai...and because you are my daughter, I want nothing more than your happiness. If you decide that this marriage is something you don't want...I would still want you to keep these bangles." Anjana assured Zoya, that this gift came from a place of love and not conditions.
A small tear slipped from the corner of Zoya's eyes at Anjana's touching words. Anjana wiped it away. She smiled when Zoya leaned in and gave Anjana a tight hug.
When Anjana left the room, Zoya stepped out on the balcony attached to the bedroom. It was a clear night and the sky was filled with stars.
Zoya looked out like she did many times in the past from her own bedroom...looking for answers. What did she want? Where does she go from here? Zoya closed her eyes, hoping to clear her mind. Yash's face appeared and Zoya opened her eyes, her anguish returning. She felt lost...so utterly lost.
A shooting star dashed across the sky. The woman Zoya used to be would have wished on it...wishing for her love. Tonight...Zoya stared at it blankly. As the star shot across the sky, Zoya turned around and walked back inside.
Later when the Hooda household settled in for the night, Zoya lay awake. There was still no sign of Aditya. He wasn't there at the dinner table either, and when Harshvardhan uncle inquired, Arjun said that Aditya had to step away for something and will not be joining them.
When Zoya heard the bedroom door open, Zoya sat up and saw Aditya's silhouette in the darkness. "Aditya?...Where have you been? Anjana maa and Harsh uncle kept asking about you." Zoya said.
Aditya didn't respond. He simply walked up to Zoya and took her hand, pulling her up from the bed. "Yeh kya kar rahe ho?" Zoya asked, surprised at Aditya's forwardness.
Aditya simply pulled Zoya's hand and led her out the bedroom. "Aditya?" Zoya asked again, really confused at his behavior.
"Shhh...just follow me..." Aditya finally responded. His voice held such calm...that Zoya didn't argue. Almost like a child, Zoya just followed.
Aditya maneuvered them until they reached one of the many rooms in the large mansion. If Zoya remembered correctly, this particular room was Aditya's study. One of his many hobbies was to read and his library contained many classic novels.
When they entered, Zoya remembered always liking this room...even when she wasn't too fond of the person that the room reflected. The walls had deep cherry wood shelves, filled with books collected over the years. There were love seats scattered across the room, comfortable couches for people to lean back and enjoy a good book, all royal in color. A wooden study table also stood with scattered paperwork, a world globe made of glass and gold accents, and pens.
One side of the room held a stone fireplace, which crackled with fire at the moment, lighting the room with its soft glow. The other side of the room was a floor to ceiling glass wall, looking out into the night sky and the garden. All in all, it was a beautiful room and probably one of Zoya's favorites in the Hooda mansion.
Zoya saw it then...there was something new in this room. Something she was sure was never there before...it was an all white grand piano. It stood next to the glass wall, the fire dancing off its color.
"You like it?" Aditya asked, his voice low...his question gentle.
Stunned, Zoya turned to stare at Aditya. Her mouth opened to say something...when no words came out...she closed it.
Aditya smiled and pulled her to the piano. "Common...test it out...play something..." Aditya urged.
Zoya lifted her hand...hesitating...and then trialed a finger over the white top. Feeling overwhelmed, Zoya turned to Aditya and looked straight into his eyes, "Why are you doing this?" Zoya asked. She searched his face for answers. "Why are you doing any of this?" she asked again bluntly, referring to everything Aditya has done for her. Who was this person? The Aditya Hooda she grew up with was her nemesis. They always fought...so why was he helping someone who always voiced her dislike of him?
"Meri ek dost hai...tum shayad jaanti ho usse..." Aditya said giving Zoya a playful smile, "Gussa humesha naak par rehti hai...aur har waqt mujhe gaaliya deti rehti hai...ghalib kahiki. Lekin woh muskurana bhool gayi. Mein meri dost ko yeh dikana chaata hoon ke muskurana...kush rehna...kitna asaan hai." Aditya said, hoping to get Zoya to smile.
When Zoya simply stared, Aditya saw that being playful wasn't the route to go. So Aditya gazed at Zoya and his eyes turned intense. The shift in them was almost mesmerizing. He took a step towards her, now completely serious, "Vaada kiya tha...ke mein sab sambaal lunga" Aditya murmured. This was the third time he said those words to her...and each time the words caressed Zoya as if they were being said for the first time.
When Zoya said nothing, Aditya continued, "Tum aab meri zimidaari ho Zoya...tumhari har kushi ka kayal...aab mein rakunga." Aditya took her hand and pulled her closer, the gesture not meant to be intimate, but was none the less. He maneuvered her and sat her down in front of the piano. "Play something..." Aditya urged again. He then stood by her and waited.
Captivated by Aditya...his voice...his words...his gesture...Zoya felt her fingers lift and automatically started playing a tune she was all too familiar with.
~Heere moti main na chaahoo
Main toh chaaho sangam tera~
Zoya closed her eyes and felt the tune leave her fingers. The piano followed beautifully. She expected the pain to shoot across her heart...this song was of everlasting love...and her love was no longer with her. She thought playing this song would be painful...but all she felt was peace.
~Main
toh teri saiyyan
Tu hai mera saiyyan...~
Her fingers glided over the piano keys...the chords to the song second nature to her. She never thought she would feel like this again...this calmness. Zoya opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was Aditya...looking down at her...a small smile adorning his handsome face.
~saiyyan...~
Zoya finished the chords until only the sound of fire crackling remained in the room. For the first time since the wedding, Zoya's heart didn't feel like it was bleeding. She was still heartbroken...yes...but for the first she time she didn't feel the unbearable anguish in her chest. It felt like she can breathe again. And it was all because of Aditya.
"Thank you..." Zoya murmured softly, emotions swimming in her green colored eyes.
Aditya smiled back, knowing exactly what this gift meant to Zoya. "You're welcome..." Aditya replied, just as softly.
Breaking eye contact, Zoya played a few more random chords. "It's beautiful...perfect tuning..." Zoya said, her musically trained ear appreciating the clean sound.
"It better be perfect...I threatened the store owner to have their best piano delivered here by tonight...or else I'd close them down." Aditya replied, a devilish grin appearing on his face.
Zoya rolled her eyes at Aditya like she did many times before in the past and played the chords of another song.
Aditya felt relief spread through him. There was still hope. He saw a glimpse of the old Zoya tonight. The Zoya who was feisty...the Zoya who always rolled her eyes at his antics. And if he looked a little closer...he saw a ghost of a smile adorning Zoya's face as she continued to play.
*Somewhere far away in a village*
A shooting star shot across the sky and Sakshi made a wish on it. "Kya maanga Sakshi?" A lady in Rajasthani attire asked.
Sakshi simply smiled and responded, "Woh toh nahin batha sakti...lekin itna batha sakti hoon...ke aaj raat ek nahin shuruwat hai... Sakshi said cryptically.
"Kay matlab?" the lady asked, confused.
Your reaction
Nice
Awesome
Loved
LOL
OMG
Cry
Comments (0)