- About Ayaan. I just had to use a name, any name and I like Ayaan. Coz he is from the show and Zoya and Ayaan have a sort of history.
- AsYa is the endgame. Please don't worry yourselves over ZoYaan.
- Both the Abbu's are a direct lift from a 70s and 80s hindi movies. Feel free to imagine, Kader Khan, Pranji, Amrish Puri in the roles.
- AsYa current equation will be revealed in bits and pieces as more flashbacks are shown.
- Aur kuch yaad nahi aa raha.
Chapter 3:
-August 2nd, 2013-
Khan Villa-
He was sure that his father will come to the point of this visit sooner than later. It did not take Rashid long to find his son alone early next morning. He swiftly brought up reason why he had summoned his estranged son home on such short notice.
"Asad, mujhe lagta hai ki tumhe shaadi kar leni chahiye. Aise bhi tum Mumbai mein akele rehte ho, biwi saath hogi to mein befikr rahunga. [Asad, I feel you should get married. As it is you live alone in Mumbai, if you have a wife with you, I will not worry for you as much.]" Rashid came straight to the point.
"What? Are you now going to decide when I get married? Aur yeh kaisa mazak hai? Itne salon se mein akele hi rehta aaya hoon, aaj achanak aap ko meri tanhayee ki fikr kahan se hone lagi janaab Rashid Ahmed Khan? [And is this some kind of a joke? All these years, I have been alone and suddenly today you are worried about my loneliness Mr. Rashid Ahmed Khan.]" Asad was seething with anger as he tried to digest the implications of his father's words.
"Haan mein faysla karoonga. Mujhe lagta hai ki tumhara nikaah ab hona jana chahiye. [Yes I will. I think it is time you got married.] Your work is going well, you are settled I don't see any need for a delay. And I am going to ignore the rest of your rant just because I want to have a civilized conversation with you." his father had conveniently ignored his anger and his extremely impolite words. Another attempt at manipulating the situation in his favor.
"Ha! Sure why not? Now next you will be telling me who you want me to marry, too."
"Yes about that. Mujhey lagta hai ki Zoya Siddique is khandaan ke liye sabse behtarin bahu hogi. [I think Zoya Siddique will make the perfect bahu of the Ahmed Khan household.]" Rashid spoke, staring at his interlaced fingers, ignoring Asad again.
That was it. Asad stormed out of his father's study, not turning back when Rashid called out to him. In a few minutes he found himself at the same spot where he had met Zoya the first time. Incredible, he wants me to marry the girl whose father never missed a chance to insult him and the very same man he had bad mouthed at every given opportunity. Asad laughed out loud at this thought.
---Flashback #2---
-End of May, 1998 -
"Hey. It's you again." He heard her voice and quickly wiped out his tears. He had not been here since their first meeting in an attempt to avoid her and he could not believe his luck and she was here the only time he did come.
"You did not tell me your name. Don't worry, she won't come today. The cook was frying samosa's when we were headed here." She gave him a conspiring look when she noticed that he had flinched as she sat beside him and also turned around to check for something or someone.
Does she not understand that I am ignoring her? Can she not shut up for a bit? Asad sighed as she continued to interrogate him. It was only her most recent question that he had registered.
"Are you crying? Did your Abbu find out about our last meeting? Did he hit you?" she talked again, concern laced in her voice when she heard him sniffle.
"Nahi toh, Abbu mujhpe haath kyon uthayenge? Who kabhi nahi maarte, Ammi maarne hi nahi degi. Tumne aisa kyon kaha? [No, why would he? He never hits me, ammi will not let him. Why?" He responded, unsure why.
"That's good. When my Abbu is angry with me, he punishes me and sometimes he hits me too. Par meri Ammi nahi hain na, isiliye koi bachane wala bhi nahi. Agar Ammi hoti to kya woh Abbu se bacha leti mujhe? [But I don't have Ammi, maybe that is why there is no one to protect me. Do you think my Ammi would have saved me from Abbu?]" She asked him innocently.
He shrugged his shoulders in response. How was he to know? But he was surprised to know that her father would hit her. Ammi always told him to never raise his hands on anyone, especially on women and kids.
"So why are you crying?" she asked again.
"Abbu is sending me away to a boarding school. I have refused so many times, but he does not listen to me. He keeps saying it's better for me." Asad spoke solemnly.
"Why is your Ammi not helping you?" she asked innocently.
"Woh to sugah se roye jaa rahin hain, lekin woh bhi jaanti hain ki kuch mamulat mein Abbu kisi ki ek nahi sunte. Abbu keh rahein hein ki mujhe wahan achi talim milegi. Lekin mein yahin rehna chahta hoon, Ammi ke paas. [She has been crying since morning too, but then she knows that there are some things that Abbu will not change his mind on. He keeps saying that I will get better education there. But I would rather be here, with Ammi.]" Asad stared out into the horizon as he spoke.
"So you are going away? And here I thought that I had finally found a friend." She said mournfully.
"Mein tumhara dost kyon banunga? [Why would I be your friend?]" Asad was aghast at the thought of being her friend.
"Because you are alone just like me. I have seen you playing alone in your lawn. I also know you don't like being alone." She said as a matter of fact.
"How?"
"My room has a balcony that looks out to your yard. I can even see your room from there. That's how I had seen you the day you arrived. I was excited to see someone my age, lekin Abbu ne mujhe aap se milne se sakta mana kar diya tha. [but then Abbu forbade me from ever talking to you.]" She was forlorn again.
"Then why are you here and why do you want to be friends with me? Are you not afraid of your Abbu? Tum mujhe tanhaa kyon nahi chodti? [Why don't you just leave me alone?]" he was baffled.
"As long as he does not know, nothing will happen." she gave him a conspiratorial smile.
"And if he finds out?" he was curious.
"I will make up a story. I am good at it you know." Figures Asad was impressed with the spunk in this girl. He could not help smiling at her words.
"So are we friends?" Asad hesitated at the question. Last week, when Abbu had been to meet Mr.Siddique, to introduce himself to his neighbor, he had been refused entrance. He had raged and raved about the snobbish Mr. Siddique. He had gone to the extent of forbidding his family from ever meeting or talking to his family. But then, he was to go away to school in another week. What was the harm in being friends with her? He was feeling sorry for her anyways.
He smiled as he took her extended hand in his and shook it as a sign of friendship.
"Same pinch." She pinched him hard on his arm.
"Ouch! What was that for?"
"Dimples silly!!! Look our cheeks dimple when we smile." She placed one finger on her cheek pointing to her dimple and the other hand's finger on his check.
---End of Flashback#2---
XXX
Kumkum Bhagya
Tu Dhadkan Main Dil
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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