#Reason3- He is my Zain.
"Zain" she whispered as she dialed him again.
"Where are you?"
"Pick up the phone damnit!"
"Did you reach him?" Zubair asked.
She shook her head in negative,biting her lip, worry etched on every line of her face.
Zubair swore under his breath.
"I am going to his house." She said.
"No." Zubair growled. "If he is not with you,you will not enter that house"
"I need to find him." She said simply and left her home.
She rang the bell with some terpidation.
Chand Khala opened the door,causing her to sigh with relief.
But it was short lived as his mom came from behind.
"Yes?" She spoke,contempt evident in her voice.
"Aunty-"
"Ma'am" Suraiyaa interjected.
She took in a deep breath trying to reign in her anger that was making her shoulders shake.
"Is Zain here?"
"You should know no, being close to him and all that."
"If I had, I wouldn't have come here,would I? Now. Do you know about his whereabouts?" She shot back.
"No. He is not my son anymore." She sneered and banged the door on her face before she could even catch Chand BiBi's sympathetic look.
She bit her lip again and wrung her hands together,two signs that showed she was nervous as well as afraid.
But atleast now she knew where to find him.
Her hands rubbed her arms as she shivered in the gentle breeze blowing from the sea.
She took off her sandals to feel the sand beneath.
She half laughed,half cried as she recognised his sillhoute sitting on the beach.
She increased her pace and reached him when he said-
"Two hours. It took you two hours to find me. I was wondering how long it will take you to find me."
"Knew I should have accepted the offer from CBI." She muttered as she sat beside him, trying to break the ice.
He did not reply, instead sat gazing ahead.
"Zain?"
"..."
"Zain."
"..."
"Zain,look at me."
His eyes flicked up to her face and looked back.
"Are we making a mistake?" He deadpanned.
Her heart constricted painfully.
"What makes you think so?"
He kept silent and she awaited his answer.
"Dunno. Nothing. Something. Everything." He picked a stone and flung it towards the water.
The distant splash echoed.
"Why such a thought?"
He sighed.
"I was wondering the same thing." She said.
He looked up in surprise.
"Maybe we are. Making a mistake you know."
"Are we Aliya?"
"I don't know anymore Zain."her voice quavered.
They both sat in silence for a long time.
"Is love not enough?"
"It should be." She whispered.
"Hmm." He said,unable to speak.
"Cause I love you." He interwined his hands with hers.
"I know. I love you too."
"But.." he said.
"But." She said silently.
"Maybe we should call it off ."
"I don't want too."
"Me neither."
"Zain?" She whispered again, wanting conformation.
"Why do you not want to get married to me?"
He looked at her warily, not wanting to broach the subject
"I thought you knew."
"I do. I just-" she broke off,not wanting to cry in front of him.
Strange how he had seen her in many vulnerable situations yet she did not face him when she was the most vulnerable.
"I just wanted to conform."
His hands left hers.
"Bye Zain." She kissed his cheek and started walking back
The open sea felt constricting.
The cool breeze,suffocating.
"Aliya." He screamed from behind.
She stopped in her tracks.
He grabbed her hands and spun her around,making her crash in his chest.
"What's the reason?" He mumbled.
"You know"
"No, I don't. I believe we have different reasons."
"Well, you first."
He hesitated but then wrote off all hesitations.
It was Aliya he was taking to.
"No. I asked you first."
"I want the answer first."
He huffed.
"I am afraid we will go down the drain like my parents. I rather believe what we had-have is for forever and break it off than be together and bitter."
"Zain-"
"I know it is foolish-"
"Zain-"
"And I shouldn't worry-"
"Zain-"
"About it but what-"
"ZAIN!!" She screamed,shaking his shoulders.
"What?"
"The real reason Zain."
"This is the rea-"
"No it is not Zain. Do not lie to me."
"But it-"
The glare she gave him silenced him.
"Fine." He took her by hand and sat on the same spot.
"The reason- real reason why my parents are like this is my dad Aliya. I don't know why, but he had an affair and mom found out and things got ugly." He was breathing hard now,his body rocking faster with each word.
"She confronted him and he said he wanted another baby and mom was not able to concieve and that he was stuck with me." His breath caught in his throat.
He forced himself not to cry.
"She said what is wrong with me and he was drunk I guess, he hit her. Bad."
The tears slid down anyway.
She laced her fingers through his, staring at their interwined palms thinking how much baggage was weighing him down.
"And it became a daily affair. He used to come home drunk and the calm peaceful dinner became a battleground,and I became a pawn. They used to use me to satiate their guilt and used to buy me these expensive gifts and gave me large sum of pocket money."
She knew these things but it was the first time she was hearing it from his mouth.
"My quiet birthdays became a social hub and my report cards a trophy and I grew up unloved. Until I met you people anyway." He half cried-half laughed.
"I-you-Aliy" he broke.
She hugged him sideways and she hugged him tight.
Tears were flowing down her face silently.
They sat there as time ceased to nothing.
"I am afraid,Aliya, that if we marry,I'll become like my father." He said quietly.
She shook her head but he wasn't looking at her.
"You know what my dad said when I declared that I was marrying you? He sat back in that high chair of his and laughed.
And then a had exclaimed-"Aliya? The girl next door? Galti kar rahe hon."
And my mom-you know the disgusting reason she does not want me to marry you. So today she jeered at me saying that apple does not fall far from the tree and that I am just like my dad."he ended with a whisper.
"I am afraid Aliya, that she is right."
"Zain,nai.No. Its not true." She pressed herself against him,trying to get through.
"Look at me Zain." She forced his chin towards her and cupping his face with both hands,she said with all the force she could muster-
"These are lies baby. You are not the son of Usman Abdullah. You are Zain. My Zain. The one who brings me chocolates whenever and wherever I demand and is always there to make me smile no matter what."
She scrambled and sat on her knees,touching her forehead with his.
"You are cute and sweet and handsome and sexy and my kitkit. Always there to fight with me and for me and-and proclaiming your copyrights on me by giving all the Siddharth Sharmas in this world a black eye."
He snorted. "You knew?" He said through his tears.
"Of course I did. And you are my bestie. Zubbu's bestie. You are a successful in life and the struggle you went through to create an identity for yourself-"
She stopped to breathe.
"You are Zain. My Zain."
"Humesha?"
"Humesha." She wiped his tears with her thumbs, kissing the bridge of his crooked nose.
After some time, he piped up. "Aloo."
" Don't.call.me.that."
He grinned.
"Is your nose blocked?"
She rolled her eyes.
"A long time ago."
***
Sorry for the extreme delay.
Likes and comments are wholeheartedly appreciated.
Constructive critisism is too.
I would love to know your thoughts about this.
Thanks.
-Sanika.:)
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