AsYa SS : Forbidden * Last Chap * Page 78 09/04 - Page 33

Knock Knock,

"Zoya bitiya? Oh Zoya bitiya! Are you there?" Nani knocked Zoya's door.

Zoya slowly walked towards the door, her abdomen pain was not helping her. The more she felt the pain, more redder she became, thinking what might have happened last night. The happier she got, the more nervous she became, thinking about how Asad will treat her.

She had managed to escape several attempts since morning. But she knew in this way, she is welcoming his anger more.

However, hearing dadi's voice, she went towards the door, clutching her tummy and opened it.

"arrey you are still not ready beta?" Dadi tucked her locks behind her ear.

"woh dadi actually" Zoya stammered, not able to find any word.

"Come here first" dadi held her hand and took her out of her room.

"dadi where are we going?" Zoya managed to ask her in between her cramps.

Dadi dragged her near the mandir and asked Zoya to enter.

To her surprise she saw Asad, who was already there inside the mandir with folded hands, in front of the idol.

His eyes were closed and his lips were a bit parted. He was dressed in white kutra pjama.

"All ready to get married Mr. Asad Khan" she became sad and batted her tears.

Composing herself, she went inside the mandir and stood besides dadi, to avoid any touch or direct contact with Asad.

So, dadi was standing in the middle.

Zoya folded her arms and prayed for everybody's happiness.

After he was done with his prayer, he looked towards Zoya, who was standing behind dadi, closing her eyes.

Her lips were still swollen. He tried to check her partition, to find his mark, which he gave last night, but he couldn't as her locks covered her forehead to some extent.

Her face was looking absolutely angelic.

And just when his eyes fell on her eyes, she looked at him.

His expression immediately mellowed down towards her. He was about to take a step towards her, when she shifted uneasily and clutched dadi's hand.

Dadi picked up the bowl containing dahi (curd) and blocked Asad's tracks purposely.

Dadi being dadi, exactly knew what happened last night. She even saw Zoya slightly limping from Asad's room to her room in the morning. She knew they have crossed all the limits last night. And Asad being the vulnerable one, is trying to talk to her and understand his hidden feelings. But Zoya was a very strong girl. She was not strong initially, but Asad's anger, hatred and his rejection made her strong. She still loves Asad madly, insanely but she does not show that anymore to him as she knows it is not worth. After she was back from abroad, she kept herself away from Asad.

"lau beta, have some curd" dadi extended the spoon towards Asad's mouth.

Asad reluctantly took the portion. Dadi dipped the spoon once again and extended it towards Zoya just like the way, she used to do before. But this time, Zoya stopped her hand and went out of the mandir. After few seconds, she came back with another spoon and gave it to dadi.

Dadi and Asad were shocked by this move of Zoya'

~FLASHBACK~

"Arrey anrav beta, you have a little bit of this curd.. today you are joining office for the first time and by having curd, it will bring you luck and prosperity".

"Dadi I don't believe in all these.. please..".

"Arrey Ashu zid kyun kar rahe ho?" (why are you acting difficult) she chirped while sliding her arms around dadi's neck from behind and rested her chin on dadi's shoulder.

"Chalo ab muh kholo" dadi held his chin and forcefully opened his mouth.

Seeing the opportunity, Zoya grabbed the spoon and fed him and then started giggling.

"What the?" he twitched his face in disgust.

Zoya scooped some more dahi and had it.

"umm mitha hai" she teased Asad as if after he had it, the sour dahi became mitha.

"Dhath pagli" dadi hit her head fondly "tu kabhi sudhre gi nahi. Kitni baar mana kiya hai tujhe, kisika jhoota nahi khaate hai". (oh god, this girl will never be change. I have asked you not to have food from someone's portion)

Asad was about to turn and leave when Zoya said loudly "kisiki aise waise ka jhootha thodi na hai, yeh to Ashu ka jhoota hai, and I love having Ashu's jhoota dadi kyun ki jhoota khaane se pyaar badta hai" (this is not of any random person's portion dadi, this is Ashu's and you know na I love having his portion, you know why? Because if you have someone's portion from the same dish, your love for that person increases).

~FLASHBACK ENDS~

"kya huya dadi? Aap mujhe nahi khilaoge?" (Won't you feed me?) she said in a serious tone, frowning a little bit.

Dadi looked at Asad and Asad gulped down his feelings.

He looked at the spoon kept in the bowl and then at the spoon, which Zoya was holding. He did not know why his heart sank seeing the sight before him. Zoya had denied to have his jhootha indirectly, his dahi.

"par Zoya tu to'"

"dadi aapne hi mana kiya tha na? kisi ka jhootna nahi khatey".

"Par Asad!"

"dadi, hum aap dono se bohot pyaar karte hai aur karte rahenge" Asad shot a look to her when she confessed her love for him in front of devi maiya". Ya ya it was not a confession, but she at least said that in the mandir, he thought.

"par yeh haq sirf mera pati ka hi hona chahiye na dadi? I mean meye sirf apne pati ka hi jhootha khaa sakti hoon na?" (but this is my husband's right only, right? I mean, I can only have my husband's food, right?)

His sadness was immediately masked by anger. "How could she say something like this? She is grown having my food. She always used to have her food in my plate after I completed my food and now, she will do these things with Rishab?" he thought. His anger slowly rising up with the fact that now Zoya will be doing everything with Rishab what she used to do to Asad. Not that he gave two hoots to those things, he always found it silly and stupid. But today, when she denied, he felt a sharp pain of rejection. A pain that he never wanted to feel. The pain he avoided by keeping Zoya away from him. But that last night turned his life upside down. He was feeling extremely possessive. He was totally messed up. He was stuck in his own way. And his ego was worsening the situation.

Dadi fed Zoya some dahi and kept the bowl.

**

Khan mansion was beaming with the sound of dhol. Asad was taken to the area, where he was supposed to go through the haldi rituals.

Zoya was standing at the corner, fighting her inner feelings on seeing her Ashu getting married to someone else.

On the other hand, Asad was feeling suffocated with all these rituals and chit pit of ladies.

Dadi applied haldi on his legs, hands and face followed by other ladies and elders.

Then Asad's office people started applying him haldi. One of the staff held Zoya's hand and pulled her, where Asad was sitting.

"arrey Zoya, tum nahi lagaogi Asad ko haldi?" she asked.

Asad and Zoya exchanged an uneasy look towards each other.

Zoya was about to dip her hand in the haldi container, when dadi came and stopped her hand.

Zoya looked at dadi with questioning eyes.

"Nahi Zoya, you cannot touch this haldi." Dadi said pulled Zoya's hands.

"tumhe sabse pehle Rishab ke naam ka hi haldi chadiyi jayegi jaise yeh haldi Aaliyah ko. Being an unmarried girl, you can not touch this haldi".

(you will be applied the haldi, which will come from Rishab's house just like the way, this haldi will go to Aaliyah's house. Being an unmarried girl, you can not touch this haldi)

Zoya looked down and stepped back. She felt horrible and that did not go unnoticed by Asad.

"koi baat nahi Zoya, tu baad mein laga dena ussey jab teri haldi puri ho jayegi" one of the staffs told her.

Zoya gave a weak smile and stepped back.

"Arrey Zoya bitiya, Asad tere liye itna kuch kar raha hi, teri puri saadi ka kharcha utha raha hai, tu kuch de rahi hai ki nahi ussey?" one of his relative asked.

(Zoya! What are you gifting Asad on his marriage? He has done so much for you. he is bearing all the expenses of your marriage. I am sure you are going to give something really good to him)

Zoya felt a little bad the way she said. Without saying anything, she slowly walked towards her room.

She closed the door and slid on the floor crying madly.

**

Asad was looking for Zoya, hopelessly while all the ladies were busy applying haldi. He stared at the closed door, expecting her to open it and come and join him, but she never opened.

After arranging the haldi thal and preparing to send it to Aaliah's place, dadi went to her room to bring something and and that's when Asad saw Zoya rushing towards dadi's room, still in her night suit.

**

Knock Knock

"Kaun hai?" (who is this?)

"Dadi, meye Zoya!"

"arrey Zoya tu puch kyun rahi hai beta? Aaja andar".

"nahi dadi woh".

Dadi caressed her cheeks and said, "Zoya meye tujhe Asad se bhi zada pyaar karta hoon aur tu yeh janti hai". (you know that I love you more than Asad)

"haan dadi phir bhi, kuch der meye mein parai honewali hoon" (ya dadi I know that but after sometime I am going to be someone else's), she said almost chocking. Tears of sadness beaming out of her doe eyes.

"to kya huya? Tu mere liye hamesha woh nanhi si Zoya rahegi" she kissed her forehead and said "rahegi na?"

Zoya hugged her tightly and started crying.

"Kya huya beta?"

**

Asad was becoming impatient now. He wanted to talk to Zoya. he was mad at her, no doubt but still he wanted to talk. "but what?" he thought "why are you so impatient Asad?" he asked himself. "tum baat kya karna chahte ho ussey?" he thought again?

"I don't know" he thought. "I only know that I want to talk to her. I want her to be in front of me right now".

He got up and started walking towards dadi's room. Just when he was about to open the door he heard.

"dadi I need some money", Zoya said and hearing this, Asad's grip on the knob became harder.

"how dare she asks for money from dadi? Why didn't she ask me? Every time, she used to take money from my wallet without even telling me and now she is asking it from dadi?" his anger reached to the point of no return.

"It will not affect me and I will make sure that it does not affect me, MR. ASAD. KHAN"

"par yeh haq sirf mera pati ka hi hona chahiye na dadi? I mean meye sirf apne pati ka hi jhootha khaa sakti hoon na?"

He looked at Zoya angrily, his own eyes now clouding with tears of anger.

"why are you asking sweet heart, just take the keys and get whatever you want from the cupboard" dadi said handing over the keys to Zoya.

"dadi", both the ladies heard his angry voice and turned to see him standing at the door step.

"arrey Asad beta what are you doing here? You need to go and wash yourself or you want to look all peela peela (yellow) in the evening?"

"aapko neeche sab bula raha hai" he said looking straight towards Zoya, making her go weak on her knees spatting venom through his eyes. (someone was looking for you)

"thik hai, par tum dono ab jaake ready ho jao aur Zoya tum phataphat apna yeh uniform change karke peeli wali saare pehenlo. Samrat just called few minutes back. They have left with your haldi". (ok, but you guys change fast, and specially Zoya, wear that yellow saree)

Dadi left the room while Asad gave her the way.

Zoya was about to leave when Asad held her hand and pushed her inside the room.

He turned and slammed the door shut, punching his fist on the door in anger.

"Let me go".

Asad closed his eyes to gulp down his anger'

"It will not affect me and I will make sure that it does not affect me, MR. ASAD. KHAN"

"par yeh haq sirf mera pati ka hi hona chahiye na dadi? I mean meye sirf apne pati ka hi jhootha khaa sakti hoon na?"

"dadi I need some money"

The last line did not help him much to control.

"paisa chahiye tumhe?" he said in a dangerous tone still not facing her.

But his voice was enough for Zoya to pee in front of him.

Asad turned himself in one swift motion and grabbed her arms digging his finger on her soft skin.

"aah!" she cried in pain. "Leave me Asad..Khan".

"before you used to take it from my wallet'.".

Before he could complete it, Zoya barked on his face

"STEAL IT' I stole money from your wallet Asad. . Khan" that's what you used to tell me before right?

"LIKE A THIEF I USED TO STEAL IT FROM YOU WALLET. And that's why you never failed to address me as a gold digger".

Asad was shocked at her outburst. He did say all those things but at that time, he was angry and he had no control over his words when he is angry.

The little did she know that, it was Asad, who used to keep extra 200 bucks everyday in his wallet, knowing that Zoya used to take, to have chats and golgappa's everyday. His heart sank everyday seeing those extra 200 busks intact in his wallet after she returned from abroad. He did not know how many times he counted those notes, just to get pleasantly surprised seeing some notes missing. But Zoya did not give that surprise once she returned to india.

Asad without further quarrel, dug out his wallet and gave it to Zoya. "take whatever you want".

Zoya gritted her teeth and made him hold his wallet, "I.dont.want.money.from.you.mr.Khan and I don't want to give you another chance to call me a gold digger".

Asad laughed, "you can ask money from dadi and not me? What an irony, Zoya kumara Farooqi. And from where does dadi get those money? It is me, who provide her. So it is indirectly my money, sweetheart".

Zoya's face fell immediately. He was right. It is his money.

She wiped her tears and was about to go when he stopped her again. Where are you going now?

"ATM. I am going to ATM"

"and you think that money belongs to you, Zoya? stop this nonsense and take the money" he gave his wallet to her.

The wallet dropped in the ground just between her foot. Her eyes blurring with her freshly formed tears.

"I cant take it Asad" she said in a chocked voice.

Asad held her tightly by her shoulder and asked in a soft voice, "why?" while tucking her loose strands behind her ears.

She looked at him with a puppy face, "because I can't gift my best friend something, by buying with his own money. But I forget I have nothing'.nothing, which I can claim as mine'.not even some money'I don't have sufficient fund in the ATM and I realize even those money are not mine". She covered her face with her palm and started crying bitterly.

"I cannot gift a single piece of paper to my best frined, who has done so much for me. I cannot gift anything to my ASHU".

There she said it "ASHU" his name never sounded so melodic and Zoya did not know how much this name meant to him.

Asad held her hand and made her pick some notes from his wallet.

"they are not mine" she cried out loud.

"I have nothing'" she chocked.

"you have" he said looking in her eyes.

Zoya shot a questioning glace.

He placed his forehead on her and whispered "your drawings" he breath out.

Two drops of tears made their own way towards her neck, sliding down her cheeks.

"they.belong.to.you.only" he said once again.

"give me those" he hushed

"you want'.you..want my drawings?"

Asad closed his eyes and nodded in approval.

Suddenly, everything became dark in front of her eyes. She tried to remove that darkness but she couldn't.

She fainted in his arms.

**

"Zoya!" Asad panicked seeing her lifeless, in his arms.

"what the hell is this Zoya" he shouted at her, patting her cheeks.

He took her hand and rubbed it with his. He could feel her hand, her body, her face becoming colder.

He hugged her tightly brushing his cheeks with her cheeks and pressed her body against his body. He rubbed her back vigorously, to make her come back to her senses, but that did not help much.

She was sinking.

She was not responding at all.

He broke the hug and made her sit on his lap. He was about to pat her cheeks once again, when he saw her face filled with his haldi. He checked her palm which was adored by yellow colour and her dress was full of yellow patches.

**

NEXT

Chapter Ten