-Open Your Eyes, Remember Me- A ZaYa FF *Hiatus* (Note: Pg 56, 6/1) - Page 37

Hello guys. Sorry for the late lateef attitude. But I have a lot to do apart from this FF.

Here you go. HUGE CHAPTER. So don't forget to leave your comments below.

RECAP: "Aaliya? Was this a part of your foolproof plan too? If so, I don't remember you mentioning." We stood there, the darkness of the night closing in upon us.

OPEN YOUR EYES, REMEMBER ME

CHAPTER 16

AALIYA

I turned towards Aarzoo. Or more accurately turned towards the source of her voice because it was dark as coal here. I could not even see her shadow.

You need light to see anyone's shadow. My subconscious supplied, very helpfully.

I meant silhouette. You can chill sometimes, you know. I thought back.

Even a silhouette is seen against light.

"Shut up!"

"What?!" Aarzoo asked.

"Oh no sorry!" I turned red. I could almost imagine that lop sided smirk my subconscious was giving me at the moment. You don't need enemies when you have someone like this inside you. "That wasn't for you. I mean--"

"It's okay Aaliya. Abhi yeh batao that yeh power cut kaise hua?" Riddhima whispered.

"Kaise hua matlab? That was the integral part of our plan!" I said, smiling gleefully. "Wait, did I not tell you?" I asked confused.

"Bijli jaane waali baat toh aapne bilkul bhi nahin batai Aaliya ji!" Paro said, timidly. "Aapne toh bas ch--"

"Allah Miyaan what's wrong with the electricity?!" Zoya's voice came from somewhere far away.

"Accha girls! I'm going, okay? Stick to the plan. And yes, I don't know how I skipped it, but yeah, yeh saara kaam bina lights ke hi hone waala hai. Ab mein chalti hoon." I winked and hopped towards Zoya.

They could not even see you winking. It's dark, you know.

You're a dork, you know.

Sometimes I'm almost jealous how my subconscious is smarter than me. I mean, I'm the master, shouldn't I be the smarter one?

I can hear all that, you know.

"Arghh..." I clutched at my hair. "Zoya! Where are you?"

"I'm here Aaliya! Tum sab log kahan ho?" She called back.

The voice is coming from your left. Where are you heading?

Shut up.

I turned left. Sigh.

"Zoya! I'm right here!" Someone held my hand. "I'm here too!" Zoya whispered.

"Zoya yeh light ko kya ho gaya?" I asked her, trying to sound very innocent. Which you definitely aren't.

"I don't know Aaliya. I guess I'll have to check. Allah Miyaan! Agar Mr. Khan ghar pahunch gaye toh?" She said, horrified.

"Relax Zoya. You haven't called him yet, right?" I hope not.

"I tried, but it's coming engaged."

Of course it'll come engaged, he's calling you and you, him. I smirked. "Oh accha...koi baat nahin. Toh chalo chale light check karne." I said.

"Lekin baaki sab?"

"BAAKI SAB BILKUL THEEK HAIN!!!" I turned around and Ya Allah! It took me all the will power in the world to not cry out loud and run the hell out of this place. Aarzoo, Riddhima and Paro were standing at a distance, one little flashlight shining from under their chin, illuminationg the three faces in the otherwise dark world. They were waving madly and smiling over enthusiastically, their 32 teeth on full display, their eyes bulging out. They were probably trying to look very carefree and happy. I guess they did not know they were really over doing things. And if nothing else, they looked pretty creepy.

VERY creepy. My subconscious said, peeking out from a fuffly white blanket.

I smirked. Serves you right.

"Inko kya ho gaya?" Zoya asked.

I laughed nervously. "Exactly what I'm trying to figure out. Umm...they'll be okay, I guess. Let's get going!" I said, pulling Zoya along with me into the darkness.

"Umm Aaliya. Why don't you switch on your phone's flash light too?" Zoya asked, unsurely.

"Oh. Oh yeah!" I unlocked my cell phone and turned on the assistive light of my phone.

She's smarter than you.

Shut up.

***

ZAIN

"Um, Asad? I need to make a call before that."

"Iss waqt tumhe kisse baat karna hai Zain?"

"Uh...haan! Aaliya, Aaliya se baat karni hai! Pata nahin bechari darr rahi hogi andhere mein. Apna raasta bhi nahin dhoond payegi. Bas ek minute okay?"

"Carry on." He said, resignedly. I could almost imagine him massaging his forehead and pinching the bridge of his nose. Calm down, Asad Miyaan. All this is for no one else but you.

I went a little away from Asad and dialed her number.

"Jaldi bolo! She's with me. Time mat waste karo! Make it fast! Otherwise she'll hear everything aur tumhare yeh jo plan hain na woh jayega gutter mein aur--"

"Relax Mamu Ki Bhanji! I can only speak if you allow me to. Now shut up and listen! As you said Zoya is currently with you, right?"

"Right."

"And Asad is currently with me. I'll reach there first, okay. You follow after 5 minutes."

"Okay."

"And one more thing. I have just sneaked and checked, the fuse box is over the right. That means I and Asad are going towards the fuse box. You have to confuse Zoya and take her to the other side. You have to make her believe the fuse box is on the left. I don't know how, but yeah, you have to do it."

"Always give me the hard task, okay Kitkit? Stupid idiot."

I rolled my eyes. It's not my mistake that luck is in my--wait. What did she just call me? Did I imagine it?

"Aaliya tum--tumne kya kaha abhi?"

"Stupid idiot."

"Nahin, uske pehle."

"Okay."

"Tsk. Uske baad." This girl is so irritating.

"Um. Uske baad bhi kuch kaha tha kya maine? Uh..."

"ZAIN! Are you coming or should I proceed alone?" Ugh, Asad.

"Jao Kitkit, Asad bula raha hai! Baaki baate baad mein. Zoya will start doubting!" Aaliya whispered, hanging up.

Kitkit. I hadn't imagined it.

"Zain? Are you okay?" Asad asked, shining a torch on my face. "You're face looks...weird."

"I'm grand, Asad. Let's go!" I said, my heart threatening to break out and my grin, unstoppable.

***

AALIYA

It's been 15 minutes since Zain called and I have managed to delay Zoya, which is anything but easy. I do not think I can hold her any longer.
"Aaliya? Tum udhar kahan jaa rahi ho? Hame idhar chalna hai."
"Oh achha? Idhar chalna hai? Sorry! How silly of me!" I said, smiling goofily. Screw Zain. I have been making a perfect fool out of myself for the past 15 minutes just to make his plan work.

Zoya gave me a weird look and pulled me towards the door. "Ab chalo! IDHAR!"

"Ek minute Zoya!" I said, for the umpteenth time.

"Ab kya Aaliya?" Zoya sighed.

"D-dekho hum...hum wahaan jaa toh rahe hain, lekin...lekin tum wahaan bilkul chup chaap rehna. Zyada tez aawaz mein baat nahin karna. Theek?"

"Why? May I ask."

Ofcourse you may. "Z-zoya tum...I mean...yahaan...iss ghar mein Peepal ka ped hai na?"

"Haan. Toh?" Zoya asked, confused.
"Shh...idhar aao." I said, pulling her closer. "Dekho Zoya raat ko Peepal ke pedo par roohein [souls] jama hoti hain. Aur unhe apne get togethers mein kisi bhi zinda insaan ka dakhal pasand nahin hota." I said, dropping my voice.

"Aaliya tum bhi na! This is just bull--"

"Shhh! Zoya! Roohon ko challenge mat karna. Kabhi nahin." I said, my voice almost a whisper.

Zoya's eyes widened. "S-sahi keh rahi ho Aaliya. Ek baar meine bhi Mr. Khan ko yahi kaha tha...Meine net pe bhi research kiya hai iske bare mein."

"Good. Ab chalte hain. Aur yaad rakhna, no talking."

Zoya nodded and she opened the door. It made an eerie creaking noise and we stepped in. At that very moment, my flashlight turned off.

"A-aliya. Yeh tumhare phone ko kya hua?"

I checked my phone. "Shit! Low battery. Flash won't work anymore." Damn it, it could've held a bit longer. I was anyways going to switch it off later. Admit it, you're freaked out yourself. I'm not. You are. Shut up.

Zoya laughed nervously. "Koi baat nahin. Chalte hain. Mein bas 2 minute mein theek kar dungi light." She said clutching my hand and pulling me forward.

***

ZAIN

"What the hell is wrong with this?"Asad sighed. He'd been fiddling around with the wires since the past ten minutes and, of course , may I add, without any luck.

I smirked. Mr. Asad Ahmed Khan, to receive electricity, Step #1 is to get a supply from the power house, which Zain Abdullah has made sure, you don't. Two months of living in Bhopal has stretched my contact list, far and wide.

"Zain can you stop moving so much and focus the light in one place?!"

"Yeah, sure." Try all you can.

***

AALIYA

"Don't make any noise." I whispered in Zoya's ear as we reached our destination.

"Fuse box right side hai." Zoya said puling me towards the right.

Shit Shit Shit Shit. "Zoya!!!" I shrieked. Whisper shrieked, that is.

Zain had asked me to confuse her. But how?

"Kya hua Aaliya?" Zoya came back.

"Uh...um." think Aaliya, think about something. And fast. "Umm...Zoya tum..."

"Aaliya dekho we don't have time..." She trailed as she started to walk away again.

"Arey! Zoya meri baat to suno...Um...haan! When was the last time you danced with your Mr. Khan?" Okay, I have absolutely no idea what I have just uttered.

You never do.

Shut up.

"What?!"

I laughed nervously. "Long time, no? Kitne din ho gaye tum dance nahi kiya, right?"

"Ya but--"

" Toh karte hain na! Challooo Daaance karteee haiinnn!" I sang pulling at her hand. "Lalalalalala..."

"Aaliya--" This is so not the time for protests, pretty Zoya. Lemme do all I can.

I spun her, holding one hand and leaving the other. I pulled her towards me and then threw her to the other side.

"Aaliya stop!" I went on circling her round and round, exchanging sides. "Aaliya! What the--" I kept spinning her till I saw stars in the night sky.

"Ugh! Aaliya! LEAVE ME!" She said, pulling away from me.

I'll be surprised it she doesn't think I'm mad.

"Are you mad?" Oh, so she does.

"Uh, no?" Why did it sound more like a question? Because it was one? Shut up. "Arey Zoya! Time mat waste karo. Ab chalo! You were saying the fuse box is on the right side and the right side is..." I asked looking around, unable to make out anything. The trees around were making it even darker to make out anything. Good.

"This! No no! This. Uh...no actually it's this side. No that! No uh...WHY DID WE HAVE TO DANCE?! I DON'T KNOW WHERE I'M STANDING ANYMORE!"

This is why. Bull's eye. I have confused her enough. She doesn't know which is right anymore. But I do know which is left. Haha.

I took my cue. "Right toh idhar hai." I said pulling her towards the left. I'm so smart.

"Are you sure Aaliya? I think..."

"Don't think so much, Zoya. Are you coming or do you want Mr. Khan to reach home already and see the mess here?"

"No no no! I'm coming. Shubh shubh bolo Aaliya!"

***

"Aaliya? Did you find the fuse box yet?"

"Um, no. It's got to be here somewhere, but. Keep searching. Koshish karne waale ki kabhi haar nahin hoti." Zain should've proceeded with the part 2 of the plan. This is getting harder.

"That is what we've been doing for the past 7 minutes. Without any luck. I think we should check the other side."

"No Zoya I'm sure--"

"Allah Miyaan Aaliya!" Zoya shrieked grabbing my arm.

"What happened?!" I asked, shocked.

"I--I saw something there. Some light...I guess someone was shining a flash there."

Oh God, Zain. That idiot should've been more careful.

"Arey Zoya. Meine kaha tha na talk sofly. Woh ko aur nahin...wahi roohein hongi." I said.

"Roohein? Roohein flashlights lekar chati hain?"

Ya Allah! Whom am I stuck with? "Lights lekar nahin chalti, they emit light, you see."

"Oh accha. I see. Fuse box mila?"

Not again.

***

ZAIN

I guess it's time. Aaliya and Zoya have already taken their positions on the other side, I'm pretty sure. I can hear high pitched shrieks coming from that side. I have managed to convince Asad it's a cat or something but I'm pretty sure he'll start suspecting soon.

And I don't see any reason to hold this any longer.

I dialed to Bhopal Power House. "Hello? Yes, Zain Abdullah here. You can supply the electricity back into house number K-1802. Thank you." I hung up.

Asad was staring at me very weirdly. And now he looked murderous.

"Abdullah. If this is like those of you college pranks I swear--"

"Calm down, Khan. Just look ahead."

***

AALIYA

Zain has to do something now. Because I cannot hold this girl any longer and--

"IT'S ABOUT TIME, MAMU KI BHANJI. TAKE YOUR POSITIONS, PLEASE." His voice boomed from the other side.

"Zain?!" I couldn't see her face but her voice said it all. "Wasn't this one of his pranks? Allah Miyaan What's--"

"Shhh...Look ahead Zoya. Look at what awaits you." Don't be over dramatic. You're not writing a story. Shut up, there will be light any moment!!

I was almost squealing. I was so excited I did not even feel like fighting with my sub conscious, you see.

And just then, the lights came on.

***

Can anyone guess where the four of these are? Hint: They're all at the same place. 😛

PRECAP: A ZaYalicious chapter!

BUT. I do not know when the next update will be. Model examinations on my head!

Thank you Alamu (Ammu1369) for giving me the power cut idea.

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Buddy mystories_PM for updates.