|AsYa FF| Selfish & Selfless :) Chapter 6, Page 21 Updated! :)

AsYa FF: Selfish and Selfless

Prologue

The two children chased each other on the beach, their steps leaving little dents on the wet sand and their merry giggles ringing in the air over the sounds of waves as they lapped the beach repeatedly.

"Zoe, give me my diary back!"

"No. No. No." The little girl replied cheekily. "I'll check it first."

"There's nothing to check, silly. I haven't written anything in it yet." 13-year-old Asad replied as he stopped and paused to breathe, his little face scrunched up as he drew long deep breaths.

Zoya who was about to open it, stopped midway as she looked up at him and exclaimed. "But you've had this for ages."

"So what?" Asad demanded in a slightly annoyed tone.

"What will you write in this diary Asad?"

"I dunno. Something special I guess. Haven't decided about it yet but I know one thing; I don't want it to get wet, neither do I want you to drown. Get away from the waves Zoe."

"What if I don't?" Came the impertinent reply from the young girl who looked small for her age but had wits to outsmart him any time. It wasn't as if Asad was big for his age. They both were skinny little kids - loud, cheerful and more intelligent than their age demanded.

"Fine then don't. But don't expect me to come after you if a wave sweeps you away."

Zoya giggled. "Just imagine Asad, what if a wave does take me away. Will it take me to the place where the sea meets the sky?" She asked with a dreamy smile but Asad knew she knew better than to believe that.

"In your dreams!" He retorted sarcastically. Zoya laughed as she continued walking ahead, the water coming up to her knees.

"Let's check it out then."

"Zoe, come back." Asad warned as he ran after her when a powerful wave hit her, sweeping her off her feet. Asad's heart jumped in his mouth as he saw her lose her balance and fall, disappearing under the strong current instantly as it rippled towards him in the form of a strong wave. He froze in a state of mind-numbing shock, his mouth open in a silent scream; fear gripping him with such a strong intensity that it robbed him of the ability to move or even to scream.

Before he could do anything, the wave retreated and Zoya's soaking shivering, wet form emerged a few yards away as the wave rushed away from the beach thankfully not strong or big enough to pull her along with it. Seeing her again, made Asad jump into action. He splashed up to her, grabbing her by her arms and dragging her back to the beach.

"Are you insane, Zoe?" He yelled, looking enraged.

Zoya pulled her legs to her chest, wrapping her arms around it and staring at her feet, trying to pull herself together. She looked shaken as if it was finally sinking in that whatever had just happened had been quite dangerous.

"What in the world were you thinking? I told you not to go that far! Why don't you ever listen to me?" Asad continued his rant angrily, towering over her small form.

Zoya looked at him disconcertedly as if trying to comprehend what he was saying. It seemed as if her mind was not willing to cooperate with her just yet. After a moment of blank expression, something seemed to dawn on her and she looked down at her empty hands, her eyes widening instantly. "The diary, Asad." She whispered fearfully.

"Where is it?" He shot at her as he paced in front of her, agitated, not meeting her eyes.

"The wave swept it away."

"No!" He yelled as he ran back towards the sea and looked wildly on the sand around him.

"You said you hadn't written anything in it. I'll buy you a new one." Zoya called out to him as she saw him frantically looking for it, not even bothering to give her an answer. Her face fell a little as she realized he was more worried about the diary than her. She kept sitting on the sand, watching him with sad eyes as he searched the beach, not sparing her even a glance. After a while, he trudged towards where she was sitting, a stoic expression etched on his face. He didn't stop as he reached her; rather he simply walked past her, ordering her in a rough voice over his shoulder, "Get up! We should go home now."

Zoya stared at his back blankly, rendered speechless by his cold attitude.

"Come on Zoe. I'm not going to wait forever." He repeated in a comparatively softer tone and Zoya pushed herself to her feet and quietly took after him. He walked a few steps ahead of her all the way home. Zoya guessed that she wasn't going to be forgiven easily.

"I'm sorry Asad." Zoya told him apologetically as they reached her home and Asad waited for her to go inside. "I know you liked that diary a lot."

"Well, it's gone now." He responded darkly, shoving his hands in his pocket and looking at his feet.

"Wait for a minute. I'll be right back." She told him suddenly before dashing inside her house. Asad didn't have to wait for long before she was back, holding something in her hands.

"Here you go." She offered him a beautiful leather bound diary.

Asad kept staring at the diary but made no effort to take it. He knew it belonged to her late mother and it was one of her most prized possessions. In fact, he was shocked and touched that she was offering it to him in the first place.

"Take it Asad." Zoya repeated graciously.

"You know I can't Zoe." He told her softly, his anger melting on seeing this warm and generous gesture by her.

"Why not?"

"Because it belongs to your mother."

"I know... But you know me. I never write diaries. You, on the other hand, have always wanted to. So you'll find a better use for this diary than me."

"No Zoe, I can't take this." Asad repeated vehemently.

"You have to Asad. Please. It'll make me feel better." She pleaded. "I lost something you liked so it's only right that I give you something precious to me... to make up for it you know."

"But Zoe, this is-"

"Just a thing Asad. A material object." She completed his sentence simply with a shrug. "And I would never place anything before my best friend... Besides my mother lives in my heart. I don't need a diary to remember her." She smiled softly and thrust the diary in his hands. "You keep this."

Asad kept standing there, staring at the diary in his hand dubiously.

"You just have to do one thing." She opened the diary to the first page where in neat handwriting it was written, This diary is the property of Zoya Farooqi. "You'll have to erase this and change it to Asad Ahmed Khan."

Instead of looking at the diary, Asad was looking at her.

"What?" Zoya demanded. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Thank you Zoe. This... This means a lot." He let out slowly.

Zoya smiled widely and the next moment, she had flung her arms around his neck in a bear hug. Asad's ears were red by the time she pulled away and he shuffled awkwardly from one foot to another. "Okay... I should get going now. Thanks again."

Zoya grinned sheepishly as she stepped back from him, her cheeks coloring slightly as well. She realized they were both moving back slightly widening the gap between them. No, no, this can't be happening', Zoya groaned to herself. Asad and I can't be awkward with each other.' She thought but at the same time, she knew that they were now both growing up and something was changing between them.

"Okay bye Zoe."

"Bye Asad."

She stood at her gate watching him as he disappeared round the corner.

That night as she lay in her bed, she pondered over what had happened. Though Asad's reaction at the beach had broken her heart a little, when he had chosen to show more consideration for a diary than her, still she had already forgiven him and done all that she could to make amends with him. Because that was the way she was, selfless and selflessly loving.

The inevitable truth was that she knew she couldn't bear to lose Asad. He was her best friend and she didn't know what she would do without him.

For a minute, she closed her eyes and tried to imagine a life without Asad. Darkness... Nothing else. There would be no life without him, she was sure.

She tried to imagine what she would feel if she lost Asad. Utter suffocating loneliness.

She snapped her eyes open and took a deep breath. Why was she thinking about depressing things? Why would Asad ever leave her? He would always have her back, she knew it...

She believed it...

She wanted to believe it.

***

Chapter 1

"Is this clear to everybody?" The math professor asked, turning away from the white board to face the class just as he finished solving the problem with a flourish.

"Yes sir!" The class replied in a chorus.

"Are you sure? If there is any confusion, let me know now. I'll explain again. But I don't want anyone handing me an unsolved problem when I give you the next one. Anyone who does that will be turned out!" The professor peered over his glasses at the students to find them all shaking their heads in negative with various degrees of vehemence. Muttering an okay, he turned back to the board and wrote a new problem. "I want you all to start solving this. I'm coming in 5 minutes to check."

The still air finally stirred with some activity as the bored, motionless students sighed and reached for their pens before doubling over their notebooks to start scribbling.

"Hey, what's up? Why are you so quiet today?" Zoya whispered to Asad, as she bent over her work.

"Maybe because there's a class going on." He answered shrewdly.

"A class hasn't ever stopped you from talking before." She murmured as she worked. "You even looked lost in the class today. Everything alright at home?"

"Has anything been ever right at the place I'm privileged to call my home?" His tone was sarcastic.

"What happened now?"

"Leave it."

Zoya looked at him carefully. "Did you even listen to a word sir taught today?"

"I listened... but didn't hear anything."

Zoya glared at him crossly. "So that means you don't know how to solve the problem sir just gave?"

Asad shrugged lightly as he bent over his notebook, doodling randomly.

"Allah Miyaan! What's wrong with you Asad! He's going to turn you out of the class if you don't show him your work!"

"Let him."

"Give me your notebook. I'll do it for you." Zoya told him exasperatedly.

"Do your own first. I'll copy it."

"There's not enough time. Just give me your notebook."

"No, if you don't do your work, you're going to be turned out."

"Well, I can afford it with my academic record."

"Fine." He sighed exasperatedly as he pushed his notebook towards her and she began working instantly.

"Can you do me a favor and try to look busy while I do your work for you?" She snapped in slight irritation as she saw Asad dropping his head on his crossed arms on the table lazily.

A small, amused laugh left Asad's mouth. "Okay madam." He flourished his pen and pulling Zoya's notebook towards himself, started pretending to write something on it with an exaggeratedly confused expression on his face, scratching his head occasionally.

"What's with the dumb look?" Zoya inquired throwing him an amused glance.

"It's a confused look for your information and an appropriate look for anyone doing math, I believe."

"No one does math with such a look on their face."

"Oh yeah? Look at Miss. Tube-light at the back."

Zoya looked at Tanveer who was nicknamed Miss. Tube-light for grasping things slowly just as the tube-light was known for taking time to light up. Asad was right. The utmost look of pure confusion on Tanveer's face made her giggle.

"Told you." Asad leaned to whisper in her ear arrogantly.

"You're such an idiot!" She told him.

"So are you then, for befriending me."

Zoya bit back her smile. "I was a child back then. You can't blame for not using my brains at that time."

"You're saying that as if you've started using your brains now." He mocked her playfully.

"I have and this solved math problem is the proof for that... Now give me my notebook. I've to do my work. Sir has started checking." She pushed Asad's copy back at him and tugged her copy from his hand, which was open to the last page. Zoya's eyes widened in annoyance as she saw that he had scribbled "Asad Ahmed Khan is the best" in various fonts all over the page.

"What in the world is wrong with you? What if someone saw this?" She groaned, face palming herself literally.

He shrugged lightly. "They'll know I'm the best then." His mouth twitched at the corners as he tried to hold his smile in.

"No. They'll think I'm an idiot."

"That is a truth too, you know. No harm in them finding out."

"Urghh!" Zoya let out as she opened her notebook to the page where she was supposed to do her work and started continuing from where she had left off. She wasn't even halfway through the problem when Asad snatched her notebook without warning and pushed his own opened one under her nose smoothly. She had just opened her mouth to protest when she realized the math sir was moving towards their table, his eyes fixed on them expectantly. She groaned as she realized that Asad had exchanged their notebooks at the last moment.

"Asad, where is your work?" Their math sir asked on reaching Asad.

"I haven't done it." He muttered in a low, ashamed voice, standing up instantly.

"What? Show me your notebook." He demanded.

Asad showed the half-solved question and the teacher's eyes flashed. "Go and stand out of class until this period is over."

Asad looked down at Zoya as he shuffled out of their desk to find her throwing daggers at him with her eyes. A slight smile tugged at his lips as he moved out of the class, mentally patting himself for the trick he had pulled up. He wasn't going to let Zoya pay for his carelessness.

Standing with his back pressed against the wall and crossing his arms over his chest, he mentally prepared himself for the boredom lying ahead of standing alone and staring at the walls of the corridor. He had just begun observing the patterns on the ceiling when the class door reopened and a sheepish Zoya stepped out.

"What are you doing here?" He exclaimed.

"Dancing." She told him sarcastically. "Obviously I got turned out."

"But why?"

"Because I told sir I didn't do my work either."

Asad looked at her with surprise. "Why would you do that?"

"To make sure your oh-so-heroic trick falls flat... and also to make sure you aren't the only one staring at walls." She added with a half-smile.

"You idiot!" Asad shook his head with a laugh. "Didn't sir check your copy... I mean my copy? The question was solved right there!"

"No he assumed we had been talking and hence both of us didn't do our work."

"Well he was kinda right about the talking part. But Zoe, you don't have to show your solidarity with me every time."

"Do I not?" She grinned before she frowned. "Anyway, leave this. You were supposed to tell me what happened at home that made you not pay attention in class."

Asad's smile disappeared instantly as his face darkened. "The usual." He took a deep breath before continuing dejectedly, "My Chacho reminded me at breakfast yet again today that I was a pathetic, useless and ungrateful brat, living under their roof since childhood... and that I'm not thankful enough for his kindness every second of the day... I'm telling you Zoe, as soon as I'm 18, I'll move out."

"Why do you talk like this? It worries me you know that. And where will you go? You have no one." She told him softly, looking worried.

"What can I do? My life is like that. And I'll live somewhere. Anywhere will be better than where I'm living..."

"But where, Asad?"

"Some friend you are; instead of offering me your home, you're asking me where." He smiled slightly as he teased her.

"Had it been possible I would've done that but Daadi will get a heart-attack if I even suggested such a thing to her... She might adore you but she has her old beliefs. Inviting a male friend to stay for the night is definitely a big No." Zoya explained.

Asad laughed. "I know yaar, I was only kidding."

Zoya's eyes sparkled with a sudden light, "Hey, for now how about doing something that is in our hands? There are still 10 minutes left before this class ends... How about we sneak to the canteen and back?" She suggested mischievously.

"What?"

"Allah Miyaan! What's wrong with you! We need some ice cream right now. It's so hot!"

"But what if sir comes out to check?" He queried.

"He won't. He never does. Now come!" Secretly on tiptoes, they moved away from the class and ran towards the canteen once the coast was clear.

"I just remembered, I don't have any money." Asad told her sheepishly as they skidded to a stop together in front of the small shop.

"I have enough for a cornetto. We'll share it." Zoya told him, fishing out her money out of her pocket and ordering a cornetto, their favorite ice cream. Asad ripped open the packing and they both started devouring it together with conscious relish. Soon, they had reached the end of the cone and the last chocolaty bite was left that was both their favorites.

Zoya looked at Asad and smiled. "You have it."

"Are you sure?" He looked surprised. Usually they always had a fight about the last bite.

"Yes, go ahead."

"Sure?"

"Yes!"

"Okay..." Taking her advice with a shrug, Asad ate the end of the cone in one huge bite, a wide smile stretching across his face as the pure creamy chocolate along with the biscuit merged in his mouth.

"Heavenly." He sighed blissfully and looked at Zoya to find her looking at him with a huge smile.

"I had the end of the cone. Why are you smiling?" He let out confused.

"Because I feel like it." She smiled even widely, leaving Asad more confused than before.

"Okay. You're weird. Now, let's get back to class and hope sir hasn't noticed our little escape." Asad told her as he tugged at her hand and they both started for the way back with Zoya's smile remaining intact. Asad hadn't understood but what could give a 14 year-old girl more happiness than giving up something she liked for the boy she loved and seeing him enjoy it?

For a 14-year-old Zoya, giving the favorite part of her cornetto to Asad was LOVE. After all, what was love but giving happiness to the person you love? Even if it was small happiness such as the end of a cornetto...

Even as a child Zoya knew this that love doesn't demand huge, extravagant things rather it grows in small moments of happiness shared together... And she hoped that these shared moments of happiness would one day give rise to this most beautiful and pure emotion between them.

***

"Zoya beta, don't step outside. It's really cold today."

"Daadi, I'm just going out in the garden. I'll be fine." Zoya told her grandmother as she stepped out of the house and into the small lawn at the front. It was a winter's evening in December and the air was literally freezing. But she enjoyed the cold and for that reason, she was in the garden. She smiled to herself as she let out a puff of air and saw a mist leaving her mouth instead. It was so fascinating. It was almost as if she was smoking...

Right then, she saw the top of a head bobbling along the street outside over the low boundary wall, the disorderly straight jet-black hair making her spot him instantly. "Asad!"

The head stopped for a moment and then started moving closer to the boundary wall. The next moment, Asad was there on top of the boundary wall, looking at her with a cheeky smile.

"Hello! How did you spot me?"

"How can I not spot you?" She answered his question with a rhetorical question.

"Am I that dashing?"

"Nope, your hair just gave you away." She contradicted him with a laugh.

"You didn't come to school today. Everything alright?"

"Oh you noticed that I didn't come. Thank you very much Asad Ahmed Khan." Zoya told him, her tone sarcastic.

"Don't mention it." He told her airily.

That was the difference between them. Had Asad skipped a day off, Zoya would've gone straight to his house after school to find out the reason. And Asad... he easily waited till the next day to find out.

"Why didn't you come to school today by the way?" He inquired again.

She was about to answer him huffily but instead her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What are you hiding in your other hand?"

"Nothing."

"Well there is something."

"It's just a cornetto."

"What are you hiding it for? Share it with me!"

Asad's face fell slightly. "I can't."

"Why? I've shared countless cornetto's with you." Zoya let out crossly.

"Because... it's not mine. While I was leaving the house, Rehaan Bhai... You know our next-door neighbor? He asked me to get it for him so this one's actually his."

"Oh I thought it was yours. If it was his, why were you hiding it from me, silly?"

"Because I knew if you saw it, you'll feel like having it; being the foodie that you are."

Zoya laughed. He was right. She did feel like having it already.

"Zoya come inside beta. It's so cold outside. Why do you want your cold to get worse?" She heard her Daadi complaining as she came out of the front door. "And who are you talking to, anyway?"

"It's Asad Daadi." Zoya replied, instantly followed by Asad's loud salaam. "Assalaam-o-Alaikum Daadi."

"Walaikum Assalaam. Come inside beta... Zoya, why have you left the poor boy in the cold? Invite him inside."

"Exactly Zoe, Daadi is right. You should've invited me inside. Daadi, look at her. She has no manners whatsoever." Asad told her condescendingly to annoy her and it worked.

"As if you're displaying manners right now, sitting on someone else's boundary wall." She retorted and her Daadi laughed at their childish bickering.

"That's because you didn't open the gate for me." Asad gave his justification.

"If you had asked to be let in properly like a human, I would've done so. But no, you had to climb the wall."

"Okay okay." Daadi intervened with a laugh. "How about we continue this fight inside? It's chilling out here."

"No Daadi. I'm sorry but I can't come in." Asad told her apologetically. "Have to get back home. Some other time Insha'Allah?"

It was funny how both Daadi's and Zoya's face dropped simultaneously before they both recovered. "Okay beta. As you wish but come soon, alright?"

"I will. And I will have your special hot chocolate." He smiled cheekily, his eyes twinkling.

"Anytime beta. Anytime."

"Allah Hafiz then." He told him preparing to jump.

"Allah Hafiz." They both replied in a chorus.

"See you tomorrow Zoe." He let out before jumping and vanishing from sight. Daadi told Zoya to come inside as well as she walked inside the house to escape the cold. Instead of following her immediately, Zoya stood on her toes against the wall to peer at Asad's disappearing figure. It looked so eerily fascinating as the swirling mist seemed to dance around his footsteps.

She was just about to get off the wall when she saw him unwrapping something. Curiosity getting the better of her, she strained her eyes to make shape of what was in his hand before it hit her - the cornetto. She saw him unwrapping it slowly and taking a bite and just like that, her heart sank.

She had shared countless cornetto's with him and he wasn't willing to share his with her? It wasn't about the cornetto; it was about breaking her trust. He made her feel as if she was stupid enough to give her hundred percent to their friendship and not get the same amount in return.

It was a small thing still it crushed her. Or maybe when you are small, these small things are the things that actually matter...

She did not know why he did it but somehow he always ended up breaking her trust... Shattering the expectations, she associated with him... But like always, she buried this deep in her heart and continued sharing her things selflessly with him, hoping that one day, he will love her with the same selflessness as she did.

***

The sunlight filtered through the narrow gaps between the leaves of the old mango tree and landed in haphazard pattern on the faces of the two kids standing underneath it, squinting their eyes against the blinding rays.

"I see a mango!" Zoya let out triumphantly after a while, clasping her hands together.

"I think we're too old to be climbing trees, Zoe." Asad told her condescendingly in his usual drawling voice.

"You might be but I'm not." Came the cheeky reply from the 15-year-old girl.

"We're the same age!" Asad replied incredulously.

"What is age but a number?" Zoya replied philosophically. "I'm young at heart and that is what matters. I don't understand why you love acting like an 80 year old grandfather."

"And I don't understand why you love acting like a toddler who has simply learned to walk but hasn't grown any brains yet." He replied smoothly without a moment's hesitation.

"Asad!"

"Zoe!" He mimicked her admonishing tone.

"You're intolerable!"

"Only because I try to make you see sense? What is this world coming to?" He shook his head in mock-sadness, his straight hair falling over his twinkling eyes.

Zoya narrowed her eyes at him. "Tell me seriously, are you coming or not?"

"Well of course I'm not! I don't want people thinking I'm crazy or something."

"The moment you open your mouth, they'll find out anyway." Zoya retorted.

"You don't even have to open your mouth; your antics speak for themselves." His mouth twitched slightly at the corners as he said this with a solemn expression.

"At least I'm living my life!"

"Like a monkey, I might add."

Zoya slapped him on his arm in irritation. "I hate you! Get lost."

The last strand of restraint broke and Asad burst out laughing. Trying to ignore his infectious laugh, a now fuming Zoya turned towards the tree and began to inspect it, mentally tracing out a possible route to get to the spotted fruit. It was going to require quite a climb. As she jumped experimentally to see whether she could get hold of the lowest branch, she saw Asad backing away inconspicuously out of the corner of her eyes.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" She demanded.

"As far away from you as possible while you display your monkey skills. I don't want people to know I'm friends with a chimpanzee, you see. Besides you just told me to get lost." He replied with a straight face but his merry eyes gave him away.

"As if you listen to me this easily." Zoya rolled her eyes, stomped over to him, whacked him on his arm and dragged him back to the tree. "You will stand down here while I climb up."

"Why exactly? Look, if you think I'll catch you or something when you fall... you're deluding yourself to the utmost degree." A handsome crooked smile crept on his face.

"Trust me I harbor no such hopes because I know you're a wimp anyway."

"Says the girl who hits like a one year old baby."

"Will you stop fighting with me and give me a leg up here. I can't reach the first branch."

"That's the first sign that you shouldn't do this." He remarked with a smirk.

Zoya groaned. "Did I tell you you're a wimp?"

"If being sensible makes me a wimp then so be it."

"Just. Help. Me. Up. Asad." Zoya let out exasperatedly.

"Okay, before I do that, repeat this after me. I'm responsible for all my actions and the reactions caused by those actions and whatever happens, I won't blame Asad Ahmed Khan because he tried to give me some much needed advice but I, being the idiot that I am, didn't listen to that handsome, intelligent young man... Wow, that actually rhymed. I'm a poet in making, I tell you." The cheeky grin that flashed on his face made him look even more handsome.

"Well, Asad Ahmed Khan you sure would be responsible for your death if you don't stop speaking right now." Zoya glared at him threateningly. "Now help me up."

Asad exhaled slowly before his expression turned serious. "Jokes apart Zoe, I don't think you should do this." He looked up at the tall, dense tree and shook his head slightly as he repeated. "I seriously don't want you doing this."

"Why?" Zoya whined.

"Because it isn't safe. You haven't climbed a tree in ages and now suddenly you've selected such a tall one... That's just stupidity."

"Are you done with your lecture?"

"You aren't going to listen to me, are you?" It was his turn to look exasperated.

"Nope."

"Why do I even bother with you?" Asad muttered almost to himself, looking frustrated.

"Come on Asad YOLO. You Only Live Once!" Zoya tried to reason with him excitedly.

"You know this is the phrase people generally use before doing something extremely stupid." He cocked an eyebrow at her.

Zoya huffed in annoyance. "Just help me up!"

Knowing that her mind was set, giving up, Asad crisscrossed his fingers together and offered it to Zoya who placed her foot in the cradle of his palms and hoisted herself onto the first branch.

"Stay below me."

"I won't catch you if you fall!"

"Say the truth that you can't." Zoya taunted him but she knew the truth was otherwise. No one else would be able to catch her if she fell without warning except Asad - not because of his super fast reflexes but because of anticipation. He would know if she was about to fall. Their strong friendship since childhood had bounded them this irrevocably with each other.

Zoya reached for another branch and pulled herself higher. She looked up towards the mango and then towards Asad standing below her, watching her with concentration etched on his face. It was surprising how tune they were to each other. Being the climber, Zoya was supposed to be concentrating but without realizing - or rather without needing - Asad was watching her each step with the same concentration, claiming her focus, her concentration as his own without consciously realizing it.

As Zoya reached for the next branch with her one arm wrapped around the trunk, the branch supporting her weight creaked forebodingly and she froze in the air, her breath catching in her throat.

"Zoe?" Asad's worried voice reached her instantly. And then, "I'm coming." It almost seemed like a miracle how he had found out that she was in trouble without her even saying a word.

Zoya looked down at the branch she was standing on and realized that it was thinner than she had thought. Her gaze wandered towards the ground and the grass seemed to rise up to meet her with a dizzying acceleration. Was she falling without knowing or was she about to faint? She couldn't faint... Not right now.

"Don't look down, Zoe. Don't look down. Look up." Asad seemed to have read her face.

Zoya closed her eyes, which were fast filling with tears and hugged the trunk with both hands, willing it to absorb her weight so that minimum weight was on the branch supporting her. After a while of terrified stillness, she called out to him.

"Asad?" She whispered. Afraid, that if she spoke loudly, the branch will somehow break.

"I'm right here." His voice came the left side of the tree and just like that, relief flooded her body. He was there. He was right beside her. He would make sure that nothing went wrong. She opened her eyes to find him on a nearby branch, looking at her with quiet assurance in his eyes.

"Asad." She repeated in a whisper, her voice breaking and tears tracing a path down her cheeks on seeing him. She should've listened to him when he told her not to climb this tree.

"Zoe, let go of that trunk and reach towards me."

"I-I can't Asad." She gasped.

"Of course you can, Zoe. I know you can."

She shook her head in denial and risked a glance towards the ground, closing her eyes tightly as soon as she did. Tears streamed down her cheeks. "But it's so far down."

"You don't have to worry about that." His voice was calm, so assured. Was he actually that calm or was he only pretending so that she didn't panic?

"But what if I fall, Asad? I'll fall and I'll die!"

He shook his head. "How can you even think I'd let you do that to me?" The certainty with which he spoke was unnerving.

"Reach for me, okay?" He repeated softly with a pleading look in his deep brown eyes.

With her eyes fixed on his intense ones, she let go of the tree trunk and reached for him. He pulled her on his branch smoothly, almost effortlessly without losing balance, wrapping a secure arm around her waist to support her. And then without saying a word, he led her down the tree. The jumped off from the lowest branch and Zoya sat next to the tree trunk, hugging herself quietly for a while.

"Asad... I-I..."

"Don't say a word! NOT A SINGLE DAMN WORD! IF SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED TO YOU TODAY, WHAT WOULD I HAVE TOLD YOUR DAADI? Ever thought about that? She trusts you with me!" He growled with such anger that she shrank against the tree instinctively. Then without saying even a word further, he turned on his heels and left. She was left staring open-mouthed at his retreating figure.

Tears ran down her face as she hugged her shivering figure to herself. Why did he do that? Why did he leave her alone after a moment like this when she needed him the most? Just moments ago, when she had heard him say, "I'm right here," it had almost been like her first inkling... That he would always be there for her when she needed him and then this happened...

She wiped her tears with an angry hand and distractedly picking up a sharp edged stone, she began carving mindlessly on the trunk of the huge tree, channeling her anger and sadness through the stone on the tree instead.

Why was he like that? He was more worried as to what how he would have faced her Daadi if something happened to her? How could he even think like that? She knew she was being reckless but why did he make it seem like she had put her life in jeopardy on purpose. Didn't he know her? Didn't he know that she was scared stiff right now?

It was in moments like these when she felt that he didn't love her. At least not as much as she loved him...

She stared at the trunk of the tree where in her absentmindedness; she had scraped her and Asad's name together. She stared at it for a long time as the tears welled up in her eyes again. In desperation, she tried to carve a heart around it but her hands started trembling too much and she gave up.

How could she complete the heart on the tree when their love was incomplete?

***

For Chapter 2, Scroll Down! 😉

Zoya sighed softly as she pushed herself to her feet from the base of the mango tree where she had been sitting for the last couple of hours after her near-fall incident. Asad had not coming back looking for her and she hadn't expected him to either. She knew him well enough by now to know that he would never take the initiative himself. She would have to make the first move - find him and make him start talking to her. She wondered absentmindedly why she did that.

The answer was glaringly obvious.

She couldn't bear not talking to him. Asad on the other hand, didn't mind staying angry at her apparently - considering he never came to resolve the fights himself.

If there was one thing, she was proud of not making an ego issue; it was her friendship with Asad. She had taught herself long ago that as long as it wasn't about her self-respect or anything major she believed in, she would be the first one to dissolve their fights. She had seen too many people drifting apart, just because they refused to take the first step and waited for the other to do so, only to find that the other had been waiting for an initiative from their side all this time.

Relationships can be the most fragile things on Earth on if one forgets to put their ego aside. People usually ended up confusing their ego with self-respect and butchering a perfectly healthy relationship. She was never going to do that, she thought to herself as she brushed her clothes and had a good look at her and Asad's name carved on the trunk of the tree just an hour ago by her, heaving a sigh of relief on finding it not very prominent.

Instead of then heading towards home, she went to look for Asad, knowing exactly where he would be.

***

The setting sun reflected in the still water of the lake before a skipping stone disturbed its tranquility; ripples appearing on the surface where it touched for the briefest of moments before bouncing forwards it skipped a few more times; finally plummeting into the body of the lake with a small plopping sound.

"Wish I could throw like that." Asad heard a voice saying wistfully. A voice he could identify even in his sleep and he turned around to find Zoya standing behind him, watching him with quiet admiration in her eyes. He didn't reply as he busied himself with looking for another stone, not acknowledging her presence in any way letting her know that she was not forgiven.

Zoya sighed softy. "Are you still angry at me?"

Asad didn't reply as he picked up a stone and threw it sailing at a certain angle. It bounced only twice before sinking. An expression of silent disapproval colored his features as he started hunting for the next one.

"Asad!" Zoya strode up to him impatiently and grabbing his arm, made him face her. "I'm right here. At least answer me."

"Yes, I am angry at you. Happy now?" He asked sarcastically, his expression deadpan serious.

"Okay fine. I'm sorry!" She told him, a slight hint of exasperation coloring her tone.

"No, you're not." He contradicted her sharply, his forehead creasing as a frown darkened his features. "You're only saying that because you want me to start talking to you and not because you're actually sorry."

"Huh?" Zoya let out stupidly as she tried to figure out what he had just said in a rushed voice ringing with the intensity of his emotions. His speech has the tendency to take on that quality whenever he was angry or frustrated.

Asad's lips pressed in a thin line as he pointed to a rock nearby. "Sit and think what I just said. And once you figure that out, then come and talk to me."

"You're not my teacher. Don't try and act like one. Plus you're the one who needs to sit and calm down." Zoya told him annoyingly.

Asad's eyes narrowed slightly before he started massaging his forehead to calm himself down. "Okay Zoya, tell me why are you apologizing to me?" He asked in a comparatively calmer voice though the silent storm in his eyes hadn't subsided.

"Because you're angry at me?" Her uncertain answer was more of a question than an assertion.

"Ah yes, I see. I'm a psychotic idiot who gets angry at you without any reason. You poor thing." His tone dripped with sarcasm and he shook his head in mock sympathy.

"Don't push it Asad." Zoya's eyes tightened in anger.

"Why shouldn't I? You think I have no reason to be angry at you and I know..." He stopped as he clenched his jaw to control his building anger and continued, "I know you're only apologizing to humor me. But guess what? I don't want it."

"Want what?" She snapped, getting ticked off at his riddles.

"Your apology."

"Then what do you want?" She bit out.

"I want some sensibility from you! I want you to think twice before doing anything reckless! That's what I want! Is that too much to ask for?" He exploded, his breath coming in short gasps as he spoke swiftly. "I left you there to think over what you had done, but did you think of your own immaturity? No, I bet you didn't... You probably spent that time thinking about how wrong it was of me to leave you there, didn't you Zoe? You sat there and thought that I'm just overreacting as usual and that you're going to throw me a simple apology to make things go back to normal, am I not right?"

Zoya found it hard to maintain eye contact with him as she was hit by a sudden urge to cry. Why did he know her that well? Sometimes she wished he didn't. How easily he had traced her train of thoughts... He was right of course, she hadn't even thought back to her little stunt and now that he had pointed it out, it made her feel guilty like hell.

She felt herself getting annoyed at him. Why couldn't he simply take it some reckless teenager fun and drop it?

"I'm right, aren't I? That's why you're still quiet." Asad told her, his tone calmer.

Zoya lowered herself on a rock nearby, her least favorite emotion of guilt raging inside her, making her feel stubborn and defensive about her little feat earlier. "Asad, it was supposed to be fun. I didn't know that would happen."

"I told you not to do it."

"Stop saying I told you so." She glared at him briefly as she bent down to pick up a stone and began examining it closely to avoid eye contact with him. "Everyone climbs trees. It was sheer bad luck that I stepped on that branch otherwise it would've been alright."

"Yes yes otherwise it would've been alright. Go and climb that tree again. Maybe this time you'll get to the mango." He told her sarcastically.

"Stop being rude to me!"

"Well then you quit talking stupid." He retorted with just as much fervor. "Here I'm trying to make you see sense that what you did was reckless and you're still not accepting your mistake."

"Why are you putting this all on me? You were there with me as well. You know it was just an attempt to have some fun." She flung the stone in her hand towards the lake and it drowned instantly. "And admit it, you were taking it all lightly too before that incident happened." She looked at him with defying eyes, stubbornly not accepting her recklessness.

"I told you off quite clearly Zoe. Don't put this on me. I'm not going to support your nonsense. Not now, not ever." His voice rang with a seriousness and maturity well ahead of his years and Zoya felt sudden tears sting her eyes. They used to be so alike, so similar in everything but now sometimes she felt that their differences were growing. Asad was growing more somber, more serious towards life. He had stopped taking things lightly and had developed some very rigid notions about certain things. He no longer supported her every act blindly and it hurt her. She know she would've supported him at every point of his life. She watched him sadly, as he turned away with a frown marring the beauty of his handsome face and selected a stone, before throwing it in an arch towards the lake.

"Asad?" She tried again.

"Not right now Zoe. Just leave me alone. Go home." He told her over his shoulder in a dismissive tone, not looking at her directly. The fact that he was asking her to leave made tears well up in her eyes. There was a certain gravity to his anger too that didn't go unnoticed by her and if there was one thing Zoya couldn't stand; it was him being seriously angry at her. She could handle the entire world's anger but not Asad's. For some reason, it made her feel weak. She was so used to having him on her side that when he wasn't, she felt as if her strength was missing. He was her strength. He had always been her strength. That was what best friends were for. They were always supposed to fight their fights together side by side, not against each other.

The hurt his inconsiderate words had inflicted on her transformed into tears within seconds. She tried to fight them desperately but before she could stop it, a small sob left her mouth. In the periphery of her vision, she could see Asad's head whipping in her direction but she chose to avoid it as she pretended to search for a stone and on finding one, threw it in the lake to hide her tears. Before it even splashed in the water, she had picked another one to throw, hoping that Asad will not notice her crying. But what was she hoping for? Of course, he would know.

Just as she flung her second stone in the water and reached to pick the next one, his hand circled around her wrist gently and she found him crouching in front of her rock, unmasked concern and regret shining in his eyes. "You're crying, Zoe?"

"No." She told him stubbornly as she tried to free her wrist.

"You're going to try lying to me?" His lips curved up in a slight smile. "Don't even think about it. You know you can't do that."

"Fine I'm crying!"

"Why Zoe?" He looked a bit disconcerted at her behavior.

"I'm crying because... because these stupid stones refuse to bounce. I hate them." She let out with tears streaming down her cheek, refusing to admit that she was crying only because he was mad at her.

A small chuckle left Asad's mouth at her adorable attempt to lie and seeing her flowing tears, he couldn't help but humor her. "If that is the case then how about I teach you how to throw skipping stones, huh?" He offered with a charming smile.

A watery, grateful smile played on Zoya's lips on finding him humoring her and she nodded a yes, appreciating his playing along with her to save her some awkwardness.

"Okay first wipe your tears. They make you look ugly." He teased her as he swiped them away with his fingers.

"Hey! Rude!" Zoya exclaimed with a frown as she smacked his hands away making him chuckle heartily.

"I'm not saying you're ugly, I'm saying the tears make you look ugly." He clarified.

"So you're indirectly saying I'm beautiful?" She grinned suddenly taking him by surprise.

"Back to normal, are you?" He remarked with an amused smile. "And not being ugly doesn't necessarily mean you're beautiful. It means you're... tolerable." He shrugged casually and tried to hide his smile.

"Urghh you what know? You're not even that. You're intolerable!" Zoya told him standing up and glaring at him.

"You're saying that about my behavior, not my looks." He flashed her one of his handsome crooked smile that she loved.

"I'm saying that about both."

"But I will only choose to believe the behavior one."

"Yeah because having an intolerable behavior is such an endearing quality, right?" She retorted sarcastically and he laughed loudly.

"It's not, I guess. I don't need to impress anyone so why put up a fake exterior? I am the way I am." He shrugged offhandedly before looking at her; he seemed to remember that they had digressed off topic. "Okay now that you're up, start looking for stones. Not any stone, mind you. The flattened ones. Like this one." He told her, picking up one and showing it to her. "They skip better."

Zoya nodded in understanding as she had a good look at the stone in his hand. "Now the trick lies in how you hold and throw it." He explained looking into her eyes with a serious expression. "You have to hold it like... this." He showed how he was holding the stone with his index finger circling the circumference of the stone, his thumb supporting one side with the folded fingers on the other. "You see it is supposed to roll off your finger. You try holding it like this now."

Zoya took the stone from him and tried to hold it the same way with a little help from Asad who adjusted her fingers around the stone. "Now let me show you how to throw it." He told her as he came to stand right behind her and took hold of her right wrist from behind, his arm running along the length of her arm while his other hand held her other arm casually. Zoya was increasingly conscious of his intimacy at that moment because Asad was always careful to keep a distance from her. She tried to ignore his breathing on the nape of her neck and tried to focus on what he was saying.

"You have to move your arm in an arch, alright? Like this." He moved her wrist backwards and then sliced it through the air in a curve. "Get it?"

"Not really." She lied.

"It'll take some practice but you'll learn." He told her as made her practice a few more times before letting go and stepping back. Zoya hoped fervently that her cheeks weren't glowing red. They certainly felt hot.

"Okay now try throwing like I taught you." Asad instructed and Zoya thanked God that he hadn't figured it out. She threw the stone in an imitation of what he had taught her but the stone, instead of skipping landed with a splash instead.

"Go on, try a few more times." He encouraged her and Zoya did but without any success.

"You're... terrible." Asad let out in an amused voice after a while, folding his arms and looking at her with laughter in his eyes.

"Today's my first day, okay?" Zoya retorted crossly even though she knew he was only pulling her leg. "I'll get better with time."

"Yes it'll only take what... A century or two of practice? No problem. I can wait that long." He completed her sentence nodding solemnly.

"Of course you will. You'll have to." She told him and he laughed before tugging at her ponytail impishly, he asked. "Want to head home now? I've to tell Daadi about your little adventure this afternoon as well."

"You will do no such thing!" Zoya exclaimed in alarm.

"Why not?"

"She'll kill me!"

"So what? You almost killed yourself this afternoon. Why not let her do the honor?" His lips twitched as he fought back a smile.

"That honor is reserved only for me as it's my life. And you will not try to jeopardize it by telling Daadi."

"It is my moral obligation to tell her. You don't listen to me. Maybe you'll listen to her."

"I listen to you, Asad and you know that." She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Do you now?" He cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Okay I listen to you frequently." She revised her statement. Asad's eyebrow raised higher.

"Fine! I listen to you sometimes!" She corrected herself, rolling her eyes heavenward.

"Once in a blue moon is more like it. But my question is, why not always?"

"Because there's a thing called adolescence! It's not my fault you didn't pass through it. I have to be rebellious sometimes for the sake of it." She joked.

"That's a new logic you've come up with. And what do you mean I didn't pass through it?"

"You know what I mean. You grew from a toddler to a child to an old man." She giggled slightly.

"You're calling me an old man?"

"Any doubt about that?"

"Think about it again, Zoe."

"There's no room for thinking. It's practically an established fact."

"You know one thing?" Asad asked abruptly.

"What?"

"Old men don't run fast but I do."

"So?"

"So I'm running off to tell your Daadi!" He shouted mischievously over his shoulder as he turned without warning and sprinted away and yelling his name indignantly, Zoya took after him.

***

"Careful Zoe!" Zoya heard Asad exclaim as she stepped on a rock and felt it tipping sideways taking her along with it. Her foot twisted and she felt the sensation of falling through the air when a swift pair of steady hands grabbed her arms, breaking her fall and easing her on the ground with a soft thump instead.

"You alright?" Asad asked looking at her with concern as he crouched in front of her.

Zoya experimentally moved her left foot in a circle, making a face when it throbbed with a dull ache.

"It hurts?" Asad inquired with a worried frown.

"Nope!" She shook her head, lying coolly. She didn't want to ruin their trip with such a small fall.

Asad continued looking at her suspiciously, his eyes x-raying her face for any hint of a lie. She glared stubbornly back at him in return and he sighed, giving up as he got to his feet and pulled her up with him.

Slight frustration became visible on his face as he looked at her again. "How many times have I told you to walk carefully Zoe?"

"Four hundred and twenty-one times." She answered him promptly, her eyes twinkling and he glared at her in annoyance.

"Did I say it wrong? It should be round about that, no?" She asked feigning innocence and shrugging slightly as she trudged ahead. Asad continued glaring at her incredulously as he automatically fell into a step beside her. "What? You can't expect me to keep a track of it, can you? Not when you tell me that every other day." She rolled her eyes, trying to appear nonchalant.

"That's the point, Zoe. I've told you that countless times! But have you ever listened to me? No." Asad grumbled.

"Look who's talking. The person who listens to no one but himself." Zoya retorted in good humor.

Asad shook his head at her slightly as he took a deep breath, not disagreeing with her statement and letting it drop. Instead, he asked with a pointed look at her feet. "Does it hurt?"

"It'll be alright in a while." She answered him off-handedly. "I've got worse injuries."

"I don't doubt that at all. After seeing how careless you can be, it's a miracle you're still alive."

"And you'll need a miracle to stay alive if you keep making fun of me." She glared at him in annoyance.

"You'll kill me? How? By falling on top of me?" He chortled and Zoya felt her face going red slightly as she imagined herself lying on top of him.

"You know what would've been great? If your walking speed matched your talking speed. Hurry up!" She told him instead.

"I'm walking slowly here because your foot got hurt."

"My hurt foot isn't slowing me down, how come it's slowing you down? Want to race to the top?"

"Nope."

"Oldie!"

"Whatever!"

***

15 minutes later, the two 16-years-olds were sitting at a small Dhaba situated at the top of the hill and sipping hot tea. While they were hiking, the exercise had kept them warm but now the cold of January bore down on them mercilessly as they sat in the open, bearing the slaps of the cold wind with victorious smiles on their faces.

The young boy from the Dhaba brought a piping-hot plate of breakfast for them and they both dug in, eating from the same plate. Zoya placed a bite of Halwa Pori in her mouth and sighed blissfully. "Ummm delicious."

Asad nodded slowly in agreement as he helped himself to a bite as well.

Zoya beamed at him and then looked at the peaceful hill around her. "Coming here for breakfast was an amazing idea, no? I'm already in love with this place."

"The food is excellent too." He agreed.

"We should come here often."

"We should."

"And we will Insha'Allah!" Zoya added firmly as she helped herself to some more food.

Since it was the last Sunday of their winter vacations from college, Asad and Zoya had wanted to do something fun. Asad had heard about this Dhaba from his friends. Situated at the top of the hill, it was about an hour's hike away from where they had started on the trail. Leaving their houses shortly after Fajr, they had walked to the trail and then started their trekking and after an hour's worth of struggle, they were finally enjoying the delicious food on the top of this beautiful green hill, which was nested within a circle of towering mountains.

"Zoe, how about we take a lift back home instead of hiking all the way down?" Asad suggested casually as he finished off the food. Zoya had already eaten to her heart's content and was looking around with unmasked interest on her face.

"Bad idea. The hike here was wonderful. I'm going back on foot." She told him before holding up a finger and pointing towards the plate. Interpreting her with ease, Asad directed the next bite towards her mouth instead of his and Zoya flashed her teeth at him in thanks.

Asad shook his head amused, "Why do you stop eating when you're still hungry?"

"I'm not exactly hungry. I just wanted to have another bite." She told him.

"Okay but Zoe, I don't feel like walking all the way down especially after such a heavy breakfast." Asad persisted as he offered her the last bite too but with a shake of her head, Zoya declined so Asad popped it in his own mouth before pushing the plate away.

"We can wait for a while and then start the trekking." Zoya suggested. "And don't lie to me; your stomach isn't remotely full. That's the reason I shared a plate with you."

"How about we have another plate and then take a lift down?" He suggested cheekily.

"Stop being lazy."

"I can't help it!"

"We're going on foot." She spoke with as much authority as she could muster.

"I'm going to hitch myself a hide and you hike down yourself. That way we'll both be happy."

"Asad don't do this na!"

"I'm not stopping you." He told her in amusement.

"But you aren't accompanying me either."

"Not accompanying is not the same as stopping." He corrected lazily.

"It almost is because you know I won't go without you." She glared at him.

"It's not my fault you can't live without me."

"I can very well live without you and you know it."

"Good! Then trek down yourself."

"Asad! Will you stop being selfish for once and listen to me?"

She was surprised by the transformation of his face. All at once, his eyes hardened and he looked at her harshly. "You want to hike down, then let's do it. But don't call me selfish again. I won't tolerate it." He told her before getting up, he made for the trail quietly and she followed suit surprised at his reaction.

During their way back, his mood gradually became normal again but Zoya couldn't forget his reaction on associating the word selfish with him. Why did he react the way that he did? She didn't know but she was going to try and find out.

***

For Chapter 3, Scroll Down! 😃

The ring of the doorbell resonated shrilly within the house before Zoya's Daadi answered it, her face breaking into a genuine smile on seeing him standing there in his uniform with his loosened tie and bag slung carelessly over one shoulder.

"Assalaam-o-Alaikum Daadi." He greeted her instantly with his warm, eye-crinkling smile.

"Walaikum Assalaam beta. Come. Come inside." Patting his back gently, she ushered him inside the house with the hurriedness that accompanies the elderly when they are happy. "I knew you would come."

"I came in the morning but no one opened the door so I had to leave. Is everything alright?" He inquired slowly with concern coloring his tone. He had stopped at Zoya's house on his way to school so that they could walk together like every other day but no one had opened the door so he had to go by himself.

Daadi sighed softly. "Beta, ever since Zoya returned from that hiking trip yesterday, her foot was paining her. She woke up this morning to find out that the pain had gotten worse so I had to take her to the doctor's." She shook her head slightly in worry. "Did she have a bad fall yesterday?"

"She said it didn't hurt that much." Asad responded truthfully, a look of uneasiness crossing his face.

"I don't know when this girl will learn to take care of herself." She sighed before looking up at him; she smiled. "She's in her room. You go and sit with her. She'll be delighted to see you... Was just complaining to me how bored she has gotten sitting in bed all day." She laughed lightly. "I'll get you both something to eat."

"No Daadi, I'm afraid I don't have time to sit for long. I only came to see how Zoe was doing."

"Beta now that you're here, sit for some time." Daadi persisted.

"Actually Daadi, I came here straight from school. I have to go back home. Otherwise my Razia Chachi won't be so... ah pleased with me." A slight hint of discomfort crossed his politely smiling face as he talked about the people he was forced to call his family.

"Oh." Daadi's face fell a little. "Okay beta, if that is the case then I won't stop you."

"Sorry Daadi, maybe next time?"

"Why not. You go and sit with Zoya and if there's anything you want, let me know." She patted his cheek lovingly and Asad smiled at her in gratitude. She returned to the kitchen and Asad made his way to Zoya's room. He knocked on the door softly and Zoya's voice came floating outside. "Come on in."

He pushed the door open and stepped inside, witnessing the look of unrestricted happiness on Zoya's face on seeing him.

"Asad! What a surprise!" She let out genially, sitting up straighter instantly.

"How are you?" He asked with an accompanying jerk of his head as he moved inside the room, leaving the door wide open behind him.

"How do I look?" She asked him cheerfully.

"As annoying as ever." He retorted without hesitation, stuffing his hands deep inside his pockets as he came to stand by her bed.

"You rude, unsympathetic person; show some consideration for the unwell." Zoya chided mockingly.

"The unwell should answer questions directly then." He smiled slightly. "How's your foot?"

"A sight to behold."

"I'm sure it is." He agreed derisively.

Zoya stuck out her tongue at him at his mocking tone and then moved the blanket aside for him to have a look. Her foot was swollen to almost twice the size. Asad shook his head slightly and had just opened his mouth to speak when Zoya cut him off warningly. "No making fun of my foot!"

"Why would I make fun of it? It looks perfectly normal." His speech was accompanied with a casual shrug of his shoulders.

"It looks perfectly normal to you?" Zoya repeated incredulously in a shrill voice, ringing with disbelief.

"Yes. Aren't all balloons supposed to look like this?" He remarked innocently and Zoya threw a cushion at him in annoyance, which he caught easily with an accompanying laugh.

"What? Did I say something wrong?" He asked with the same artificial innocence.

"I asked you not to make fun of my foot!"

"I'm sorry Zoe but I think this 'thing' has lost the right to be called a foot." He sniggered.

"Urghh! Is this why you came? To make fun of me?" She grumbled.

"I don't have that much free time at my disposal, alright?"

"Yeah yeah we all know how terribly busy you are."

"Did I detect a hint of sarcasm in your tone?"

"Probably. I wasn't exactly trying to be subtle, you know." She rolled her eyes.

Asad looked at her carefully in reply with unmasked amusement on his face.

"What?" She demanded.

"Hearing you speak, who can tell you're sick?"

"I'm not sick, my foot is hurt."

"In other words you're unwell."

"Yeah. So?"

"So act like one and stop fighting with me." He told her in an admonishing tone, his lips lifting up in a smile.

"Can't do that. You know I can't. Plus it's my foot that's hurt so I can't kick you I guess... but I can fight verbally." She grinned.

"Well we all know you do need to keep talking to stay alive."

Zoya glared at him with narrowed eyes, which didn't have quite the expected result, as Asad remained unfazed as he rocked on his heels slightly.

Sighing lightly Zoya gave up and instead moved her feet aside slightly, making space for him on the bed. "What are you towering over me for? Sit down."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because then you'll be tempted to kick me and your foot can't take that."

"Well that's true. But how about you sit down and try not to get on my nerves?" Zoya suggested sarcastically.

"If you had asked me to get the moon for you I would've done that but THIS... is impossible."

"Of course what was I even thinking? Just sit down!"

"Can't. Have to go home."

Zoya's face, which was glowing with liveliness just moment ago, fell instantly. "You're joking."

"No I'm not."

"Oh come on Asad! Stay for some time at least! You just got here."

"And I came here straight from school. You know it doesn't take my Razia Chachi much time to start fabricating all sorts of negative stories behind my absences. Last time I got home a little late, she asked me whether I had been busy smoking behind her back... So I should be going now if I don't want to be accused of drug charges." He had meant to say it jokingly but as usual, a hint of bitterness crept into his voice.

"Her own son stays outside till so late!" Zoya projected heatedly.

"Her own son... This differentiates between him and me, you see."

"But... but this is so unfair!"

"Since when has the world been fair to me?" He stated quietly with a sad smile. He shook his head to get back to his usual self before asking, "So what were you saying before this depressing topic of my life came up?"

"Don't call your life depressing. It's... depressing to hear." Zoya frowned.

"Well it's the truth." He shrugged helplessly.

"Before this topic came up, we were happily talking right? Your life wasn't depressing then, was it?" Zoya tried to make him see sense.

"I never said my life felt depressing with you around." He corrected her in a quiet voice and Zoya's face broke into a blissful smile as his words sunk in making a warm fuzzy feeling envelope her heart. It was seldom, very seldom, when Asad said something like this. Acknowledged her like this. He wasn't good with words or expressing his emotions for that matter so he avoided it as much as he could.

"Okay so you're going to turn down a cup of hot chocolate with the girl who makes you less depressed? Has it occurred to you that it might leave HER depressed?" Zoya asked dramatically to cover up that silence that had prevailed for a moment, knowing Asad easily got uncomfortable after such impulsive confessions.

Asad, who was staring at his feet after the acknowledgment felt his face break into a smile. "You're an idiot," he told her, knowing without looking up that she was grinning widely.

"Of course I am. What else would explain my friendship with you?" Zoya replied impertinently.

"Good luck." Asad whacked her on her head playfully as he said it. "Sheer good luck made you find a friend like me."

"Yeah maybe." She agreed thoughtfully. "I haven't heard of many people who have a clown for a friend."

"People don't have a walking-talking disaster for a friend either, like I do."

"I'm not a walking-talking disaster, alright?" Zoya glared at him in mock annoyance, which was returned by a beaming, eye-crinkling smile from the other end, which somehow made her remember what she had left off. "Please Asad! Just a cup of Daadi's special hot chocolate in the garden." She begged him with wide imploring eyes.

"Please na. I've gotten so bored sitting in bed all day that I could murder someone!" She let out with gritted teeth to express her aggravation.

"How about making that someone yourself?" Came the innocent suggestion.

"Asad Ahmed Khan! You keep your mouth shut if you don't want that person to be you!"

"You know Zoe if I go away or something, your stupid death threats are honestly going to be only thing I'm going to miss."

"Why would you go away?" Zoya asked instantly with a frown.

Asad threw his hands in the air exasperatedly. "And the girl completely misses the point of the statement! Okay, I'll stop for a cup but we'll have it here. In this room."

"What? No! There's no point in having it here. The whole point is to leave this room!"

"I think you're missing the point that your balloon-like foot is screaming. You. Can't. Walk!"

"I can!"

"That's what you think."

"What do you mean by that?" Zoya asked annoyed before softening her tone, she added. "Asad, it only looks bad, it doesn't hurt that much."

"Well tough luck because I don't think I believe you anymore."

"What? But why?" She whined.

"Zoya Farooqi, had you told me truthfully yesterday while hiking that your foot was hurting, this could've been avoided."

"It wasn't hurting that much then."

"Well genius, if it was hurting, it meant that something was wrong and you shouldn't strain it any more, least of all with a hike. Anyway you should know this; the pain always gets worse the next morning."

"Done with the lecture? Can we go outside now?"

"No."

"Please Asad. Please. Don't make me beg for such a small thing." She added miserably.

"Zoe, it's like I like making you beg or something but the doctor advised you complete bed rest."

"How do you know that?" She narrowed her eyes at him. "Daadi told you?"

"No, I guessed it. Trust me, it wasn't that hard."

"Asad!" She whined again.

"Okay lemme go and ask Daadi and if she says yes, then we can go."

"But-" Zoya had just opened her mouth to speak when Asad got up and left the room. A while later he was back.

"Daadi said no." He informed her with a helpless look on his face.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"What was Daadi doing when you went to her, by the way?" She asked inquisitively.

"She was umm... In her room watching TV."

"With her eyes closed? That wasn't very smart of her." She remarked offhandedly.

"What do you mean?"

"It means that you're lying, Mr. Asad Ahmed Khan! Daadi goes to lie down for her evening nap sharp at 3 and its 3:10 now."

Asad tried to hide his sheepish smile as he sat down at the end of her bed again. "Hmm smart. Anyway there's no one to make hot chocolate now, so no point going to the garden."

"Are you sure about that?" Zoya asked slowly with a mischievous smile.

***

15 minutes later, Asad was busy in the kitchen pouring out two cups of foaming hot chocolate, that he had just finished making with the help of Zoya's instructions, who sat perched on the counter nearby.

"Done. That wasn't that difficult." Asad announced with a look of self-satisfaction on his face.

"Let's go now." Zoya made to hop down when Asad's loud stop made her freeze.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Jumping from Mount Everest, what else?" She rolled her eyes. "You don't have to freak out. I have enough sense not to land on my bad foot."

"I don't trust your reflex senses, to be honest. You might up landing on the exact foot you were trying to avoid." He told her as he went up to her and holding her by the waist, lowered her down steadily on to the floor before backing away nonchalantly.

"I could've done that myself." She grumbled with her pinks glowing slightly pink.

"Not with that much grace though." He pulled her leg again. "Okay so let me walk you to the garden and then I'll bring the cups."

"I can walk myself." She told him irritatingly.

"Oh!" His face fell. "It's just that I really felt like walking with someone's support today. Can't you indulge me please? Just for now?" He said it with such innocent, imploring eyes that Zoya burst out laughing.

"You're a jerk! Come here." She told him and wounding an arm around his neck, allowed him to lend his support and lead her to the garden.

***

"So what did you do today? Got bored without me?" Zoya inquired cheekily as the duo sat in the garden, slowly sipping hot chocolate, relishing the feeling of the sun's warm rays on their backs.

"You wish. I sat with Zak today. I wasn't expecting it but he's a great guy." He told her casually.

"Zak? Zak who?"

"Zakariyya. You know that new guy in our class?"

"Oh yeah that hot one." Zoya nodded in understanding and Asad's eyebrow rose incredulously.

"Excuse me?"

"That's what all the girls in the class are referring to him as." Zoya shrugged lightly. "So he calls himself Zak?"

"Yeah since Zakariyya's a mouth full I guess."

"So I skipped one day, one day Asad Ahmed Khan and you made new friends." Zoya scolded him in good humor.

"Well I saw it as an opportunity and grabbed it."

"Are you this tired of me?" She shook her head in sadness playing along. "That's sad but you know what? I'll be skipping tomorrow as well and maybe you'll realize how lucky you are to have me." She narrowed her eyes at him towards the end.

Asad settled more comfortably in his chair, stretching his legs before him. "I doubt it."

"A good friend is a man's greatest treasure." Zoya told him.

"And you just made that up. Wit beyond measure is a man's greatest treasure. It's a quote from Harry Potter."

"I know that but it can't be applied on you and neither on the situation, so this one's better."

"I see. So you're the good friend who's my greatest treasure?" Asad questioned amusingly.

"Uh huh!"

"I wish this treasure was cashable then. I would've made some money." He remarked, fighting a smile.

"Asad Ahmed Khan-" Zoya had just started indignantly when Daadi's voice reached them faintly. She was calling them, looking for them inside the house.

"Wait here. I'll tell her we're outside." Asad heaved himself to his feet and went inside. He was inside for quite a while, before he came back out.

"What took you so long?"

"Got talking with Daadi. Okay Zoe, we should get back now. We've been here for more than half an hour."

"Really? It didn't feel like it."

He shrugged lightly. "But it has been."

"Can we sit a little while more, Asad?"

"If you want to keep sitting, then by all means, do. But I'm going home now." His words were firm.

"Fine!" Zoya grumbled as she pushed herself to her feet, forgetting in her irritation that her foot was hurt and placing weight on it absentmindedly; a small gasp leaving her mouth as pain shot through it making tears spring in her eyes.

"Zoe?" Asad asked worriedly.

"I'm fine." She assured him, smiling slightly through the tears that had brimmed in her eyes.

"Let me help you." He offered and she didn't protest as she let herself be led in. By the time, he had helped her to her bed; his expression was stoic.

"Why are you so serious all of a sudden?" Zoya inquired. She could feel him going into one of his silent moods.

"I'm not... I should be getting home now, it's quite late."

"You think you'll get scolded?" Zoya inquired worriedly.

"I'm used to it, don't worry." He smiled briefly. "Okay bye."

"Bye. Sorry I can't accompany you to the door."

"No problem. I know the way out." He smiled at her again as he made to walk out of the room but it was strained. She could see that it wasn't reaching his eyes.

"Asad?"

"Yes." He turned to look at her from the doorway.

"Come again tomorrow?"

He smiled slightly before nodding. "Sure."

He disappeared out of the doorway and Zoya was left looking at it longingly before she shook her head. "Daadi, Asad just left. Can you please close the door since I can't?"

"Yes yes beta. Doing it." Daadi answered as she shuffled to the main door. Zoya lay back in bed listening to her footsteps absentmindedly. In a while, Daadi came back in her room and asked with a frown, "Didn't Asad say he was going home?"

"Yes."

"I saw him going in the opposite direction."

"Really? That's weird. Maybe he had some work or something?"

"Yes maybe." Daadi agreed and then brushing it off as something trivial, she got busy with her work. As Zoya lay in bed, she frowned wondering where he had gone to, after saying he was going home.

He didn't come the next day.

***

For Chapter 4, Scroll Down 😃

Chapter 4

"Hey. Umm... can I talk to you for a second?" The polite voice came over Zoya's shoulder and she turned to find Zakariyya standing behind her. With his deep brown eyes, sharp nose and a well-defined jaw-line, he certainly was a handsome young man. No wonder girls had been swooning over him, Zoya thought absentmindedly as she took in his charming smile that emanated confidence and a carefree mannerism. She also however, noted a slight bruising on the right side of his face and wondered vaguely if he was one of those buys who, trying to look tough, engage in a fight every other day.

Tucking all her mindless observations in the back of her head, she smiled genially back at him. "Yeah sure."

"Umm... you're Zoe right?" He asked hesitantly.

"Zoya actually." She corrected him a bit firmly, knowing exactly where he had picked that up. There was only one person in the world who called her that and she was going to murder him today... once she found out where he was, she added remorsefully in her mind.

"Oh I'm so sorry. That was... a bit impertinent of me." He smiled apologetically as he whacked himself on the back of his head lightly in good humor. "Actually I picked that up from-"

"Asad, I know." Zoya completed his sentence with a friendly smile. "He's the only one who calls me that."

"And evidently the only one who gets away with it too." Zakariyya pointed out making her laugh.

"Well he gave it to me." She told him.

"I guess one wouldn't have nicknames if one didn't have some really close friends." He smiled. "So I can call you Zoya, right?"

"Yes please do. And you're... Zakariyya?"

"I prefer my friends calling me Zak."

"You're already counting me as a friend?" Zoya asked with amused smile.

"You must be surprised. Such a big honor, no?" He remarked cheekily and she laughed lightly. She liked him already for his open manner. "No actually I got on with Asad quite nicely and since you're his best friend, I thought I should be on nice terms with you as well."

"Oh I see. So is this why you're here?"

"Yes and no... I mean I wanted to make an acquaintance with you but I also wanted to know about Asad's whereabouts. I mean how's he doing now?"

"What do you mean how's he doing?" Zoya asked him with a frown wrinkling her forehead.

"Oh. You don't know. Umm... I thought you did." Zak suddenly looked a little uneasy.

"Know what? Speak clearly Zak!" Zoya told him in an impatient voice.

"It's not anything serious. It's just that he got in a bit of a... scuffle the night before yesterday."

"A scuffle?" Zoya repeated dubiously, her pitch rising.

"Umm yes. You don't need to worry though. He's okay."

"But how? With whom?"

"Hey college time's over. How about we go and visit him at his place?" Zak suggested, clearly not comfortable with disclosing the reason for Asad's fight himself and Zoya nodded urgently before picking her bag and swinging it over her shoulder.

***

"Assalaam-o-Alaikum Aunty. Is Asad home? We came over to meet him." Zoya told Asad's Razia Chachi as she answered the door on the third bell.

"Yes he is home today for a change." She answered in her usual annoying sarcastic manner. "Not because he has mended his ways but because he has started treading on more dangerous paths. Indulging in fights now, would you believe it?" She asked probingly and it took all of Zoya's strength to stop a scowl from appearing on her face.

Zak, however, wasn't so successful and was staring at Asad's Razia Chachi with incredulity on his face. "You're making it sound like he did it for fun." He retorted with amusement in his tone and Zoya toed his shoe in warning. It was never wise to fight with Asad's Razia Chachi because one could be sure it would all be taken out on Asad later on.

The middle-aged woman glared at Zak in distaste. "Who knows what he did it for? That boy has never made any sense. And who are you by the way? I've never seen you before."

"I'm his friend, Zakariyya."

She continued eyeing his judgmentally before her gaze Zoemed in on the slight bruising on his well-defined jaw. "What's that on your jaw? Fighting along with him, have you? No wonder you're trying to justify his acts."

Zak opened his mouth to speak but remembering Zoya's warning from before closed it again. Asad's Razia Chachi remained standing in the doorway for a little while more eyeing them critically before moving aside, she let them enter the house. "Go to his room and make sure you don't make any noise. My son's sleeping and he doesn't like to be disturbed. And don't stay for long, get going as soon as possible."

"Yeah sure." Zoya nodded as they both passed her and entered the house.

"Wow some warm welcome we got." Zak observed sarcastically in a whisper.

"Sshh, come on." Zoya chided him as she led him to Asad's room hurriedly lest his Razia Chachi changed her mind and came after them. They reached his small room on the upper floor consisting of a bed, a closet and an old study table. Zoya went straight to Asad's bed while Zak hung around in the doorway looking around, visibly surprised at the shabby state of Asad's room as compared to the rest of the well-furnished house. It was his first visit to Asad's house and unlike Zoya; he wasn't familiar with Asad's extended family so it took him by surprise. But he chose not to make any comment.

"What do we do now? He's sleeping. Come back later?" Zoya murmured to Zak as he came to stand by her side.

"I haven't time for that. Sorry." Zak contradicted apologetically.

"So then what?"

"Lemme think..." Zak said thoughtfully and then without warning, he leaned right against Asad's ear and exclaimed cheerfully in a feminine voice. "Morning sunshine!"

"What the-" With a start, Asad sat up. Looking around he saw his friends standing beside his bed, both laughing their heads off. Asad punched Zak playfully in the stomach to make his stop laughing. "You moron." He muttered in a voice, thick with sleep and a hint of laughter as he leaned back against the pillows and ran a hand through his unkempt hair, brushing it backwards. Zoya immediately caught sight of his bruised left cheekbone and the injured edge of his lip and her smile dimmed.

"How are you Asad? How did it all happen?" She asked as she sat down on the edge of his bed before remembering something, she turned to Zak. "That was funny but for the record Zak, not a nice thing to do with someone who's unwell."

"It was nevertheless an effective technique to wake him up in less than 5 seconds. I bet you anything he woke up with a start trying to remember who his crazy girlfriend was." He laughed.

"Crazy? Why crazy?" Zoya inquired.

"Well if she's willing to be his girlfriend, obviously there has to be something seriously wrong with her." Zak clarified.

"Get lost." Asad told him in good humor. It was obvious he was happy to see them there. It made him feel nice to know that there were people who cared from him, unlike his Chacha and Razia Chachi who had created a ruckus at his arrival that had started with a lecture and ended with a lecture without any consideration for his injury and pain.

"I'm getting lost in a while anyway man. I just thought I'd accompany Zoya to your house to check on your health and then I'm buzzing off. How are you?"

"Grand. Can't you see?"

"Well, your beauty's a little messed up, to be honest. Good that you skipped college today. The girls wouldn't have been happy with your latest fashion statement." He pointed to the bruises on his face and Zoya shook her head in incredulity.

"Would you let Asad speak and tell me what happened?" She demanded and watched Asad's expression turning a bit sober as he shrugged lightly before explaining.

"It was nothing Zoe. I just got in a fight with these two guys... who were like twice my size and then Zak got there luckily on time and we escaped."

"Asad! Tell me properly na!"

"That was proper." Asad replied.

"No it was not." Zak intruded with a frown. "That was the most improper version of it possible."

"Shut up Zak! First, you told her about the fight and worried her. She needn't have found out about it." Asad grumbled as he glared at Zak.

"What do you mean? You were going to try to hide this from me?" Zoya interrupted shrilly.

"Because I didn't want you worrying for no reason." Asad replied exasperatedly.

"No reason? I know you're more injured than what's visible on your face because you wouldn't have missed college today then. You hate staying at home. So stop telling me I'm worrying for no reason and tell me what happened."

"Impressive Miss. Sherlock Holmes. You're right, his foot his hurt too." Zak told her cheerfully while Asad glared at him. "Okay sorry guys I gotta go now. My parents are arriving from Dubai today and I gotta go pick them up. They'll want to see me at the airport."

"Yes please leave." Asad nodded before he pointed at his jaw. "Hey they won't ask about that bruise, would they?"

"They probably wouldn't even notice." Zak shrugged. "What was I about to say? Oh yes... Zoya, make sure you hear the detailed version from him and you can confirm it with me tomorrow. If there are any differences, we can be sure he's lying."

"How can we know it's not you who's dramatizing things?" Asad asked, looking annoyed.

"Because I don't do that."

"As if I do it." Asad rolled his eyes. "Shouldn't you leave for the airport now? Your parents must be waiting." He pointed out.

"Oh yes I have to. Thanks for reminding me."

"My pleasure. I should've done that earlier." Asad answered airily.

"Can you just get me a glass of water first? Walked all the way to your house, mind you. I'm thirsty."

"Oh you poor soul. You must be absolutely parched." Asad told him sarcastically before turning to Zoya, his voice turned normal. "Zoya, you know where the kitchen is. Please get him a glass of water, will you? I can't let him roam freely in the house."

Zak smacked him on the arm while Zoya pushed herself to her feet, smiling. "Sure."

"And make sure you add some glue in it. It'll clamp his mouth shut and give us both some much-needed peace." He added and Zoya laughed as she got up and headed to the kitchen. As soon as Zoya was out of earshot, Asad turned to Zak with an exasperated expression. "What are you doing?"

"Doing what?"

"You told her about the fight and brought her here." Asad gritted out annoyingly.

"So? Oh I wasn't supposed to tell her all this? Come on dude, she's your best friend. She deserves to know the truth." Zak frowned.

"You don't know her. She'll get worried. She always worries about me and I don't want her doing that."

"You would've worried her more by keeping her in the dark. And anyway, how were you planning to explain your absence from college today?"

"I-I would've made something up."

"Sure you would have." He replied and Asad glowered at him, making him continue in a softer tone. "Listen man, I know we only became friends a few days ago and maybe I shouldn't be intervening in your friendship like this. But the thing is... I already like you both a lot and I feel... as if there's something very special about your friendship that one doesn't come across every day." He paused for a deep breath and then continued while staring at his hands. "But you're right. It definitely rests on you what you want to tell Zoya and what you want to hide from her and I shouldn't meddle in these things... not that I was trying to." He added hastily. "And umm... I guess I understand your need to protect her... But you gotta be careful man, this habit of yours of keeping things to yourself is going to create some serious misunderstanding between you two if you don't give that up." He looked up at Asad with a sober expression, his eyes shining with sincerity. Asad had witnessed that loyalty on the night of the fight as well. He was a Pathan and fierce loyalty was in his blood.

"I'm back. What were you two talking about? Really hitting off, are you?" Zoya asked entering the room with a glass of water and handing it to Zak who took it with a smiling thanks.

"Don't worry Zoya. I'm not gonna take your place as Asad's friend." Zak joked.

"Oh I'm not worried about that because no one can take that place anyway." Zoya replied with a confident smile. "Is that what you were talking about?"

Zak drained the glass and then stood up. "Nope, just talking about the fight. You listen to it from him. I'm sure you'll be proud of this idiot..." He smiled warmly. "Okay I'm going. See you both at college tomorrow. Bye."

"Bye Zak." Asad and Zoya replied together as they watched him disappear through the doorway.

"Hmm it's difficult to believe that you two became friends only a couple of days ago."

"Well there are some things you can't do without becoming friends and fighting two older boys together is one of them, I guess... You only met him today as well." Asad pointed out.

"Yeah he's easy to get along with, plus I'm good at making friends. You're not. That's why your easy camaraderie with him took me by surprise."

"He's a decent guy." Asad shrugged and Zoya knew that coming from Asad, it meant a lot. There must have been something about Zak that had won him Asad's respect because Zoya knew that Asad wasn't one to trust and make friends easily. Plus the fact that he hadn't said anything about Zoya coming with Zak to his house. Though he tried not to show it, Zoya knew Asad was quite possessive about her and many a times, he had inconspicuously showed his dislike towards certain boys in the class that he knew not to be good as a signal for Zoya not to interact with them much. So the fact that he was okay with Zak and Zoya together told a lot about his trust in Zak.

"Okay now will you tell me the whole story?" Zoya demanded.

"Fine." He sighed. "So the night before yesterday after I got free from your place, I-"

"Didn't go home?" Zoya offered.

"Excuse me?"

"You didn't go home directly after my place, Dadi saw you going in the other direction."

"Did she?" Asad looked surprised before he collected himself again. "I mean yes, I didn't. Went to the lake instead, wanted some time by myself." He said evasively. "So by the time I was getting back, it was dark obviously and... umm you know that dead-end street near the bakery?"

"Yeah." Zoya let out slowly looking confused.

"There I saw these two guys harassing this girl so I intervened-"

"Did you know the girl?" Zoya interrupted not because she was jealous or anything but because it seemed probable, judging by the fact that people usually help those who they know.

"No." Asad looked confused that she had even asked this question. "So anyway, from what I judged... that girl's father owed them money and they were harassing her as a sort of blackmail you know. So I asked them to stop it but they were all quite older than me, in their late 20s perhaps, so obviously they didn't see me as a challenge. Asked me to scamper off if I valued my face; I held my ground. I couldn't have left that girl alone there, could I?" He exhaled and then continued, "So then, they started picking on me. And umm... I tried to fight the best I could but they were older than me, stronger. Fortunately, Zak was passing by and without even knowing the reason behind the fight; he jumped in to help. He got a couple of blows too. But it distracted them from the girl so yeah..." He trailed off. "That was it really."

"That was it?" Before Zoya could speak, she heard Asad's Razia Chachi's voice coming from the doorway. "You were fighting for a girl you didn't even know?" She asked him shrilly. "How stupid is that? Why would you get yourself beaten up for a random girl?"

"I couldn't have stood there and let it happen, could I?" Asad answered her stiffly.

"I'm not saying you should've stood there. You could've passed by without trying to be a hero." She snapped at him. "If it had got you landed in a hospital, who would've paid the bills?"

Zoya saw Asad's jawbone jump into sharp prominence as he clenched his teeth to control his anger and not snap back at her. She saw his hands balling into fists and she lightly placed her hand on top of his to help him calm down.

"Saving an unknown girl, God knows who she was. For all we know she could've been asking for it."

"She was not. No girl asks for it." Asad contradicted her hotly.

"If she wasn't, then why didn't anyone else help her?"

"Because people only help those who they know. They conveniently turn a blind eye towards things that don't concern them."

"And that is how they survive in this world!"

"Well, I don't want to survive like that, okay?" Asad snapped back, losing his calm.

"You keep poking your nose in things like these then. Trust me, you won't live long." She said acidly.

"At least I would be able to live with myself for as long as I do live." Asad replied coldly and Zoya felt her eyes welling up as her heart swelled with pride. Was it possible to love this boy more?

"Well don't expect your Chacha and me to care if you end up dead one day because of your stupidity. I came to check whether this girl has left or not. You," She pointed at Zoya, "you get going now. You've been here long enough." She stated dismissively before turning she walked out of the room.

Zoya looked at Asad who was silently seething with anger. He felt her intent eyes on him and turned to look at her in annoyance. "What? You think I did wrong too?"

"I think you never did a more right thing in your life." She told him with pride evident in her voice and Asad looked down at his hands bashfully, a small smile forming on his face briefly, before it hardened again.

"How can she say all this?" He began hotly, jerking his neck towards the door, "She has a daughter too! Didn't it cross her mind that that girl could've been her daughter? How can she expect someone to stand up for her daughter if the need arises when she's discouraging a person who's doing so?" He fumed in anger. "I don't understand how her mind works! I mean what is she thinking?"

"She's not thinking, Asad. That's the problem. Had she been thinking, she wouldn't have said all this." Zoya told him softly.

"How can she not think, Zoe? She has a daughter too!"

"The sad fact is that they don't think, they believe that these kind of things can only happen with other people's daughters, not their own." Zoya sighed dejectedly. "Anyway forget about her and tell me what happened with the girl? Was she okay?"

"Fine... but shaken up. The fear was so visible in her eyes, Zoe." His voice lowered almost thoughtfully and he gulped before continuing. "We couldn't let her go by herself after that incident; she looked too... dazed and scared. Zak had his car but we sensed that she wouldn't be comfortable going alone with... males, unknown males on top of that, you know especially after what had just happened. So Zak volunteered to run home and get his governess to come with us. His house's close to that place." He added. "So yeah that's what we did. Zak's governess is an old lady, very motherly sort and the girl was much more comfortable with her... So basically this is the whole story and you should get going now if you don't want to get an earful from my Razia Chachi."

"Yeah you're right. I should leave now." Zoya said as she got up and picked up her bag.

"Sorry for not coming to your house yesterday Zoe." He added suddenly.

"Am I missing something here? Since when did you start apologizing?"

"Since now. No, it's because I promised I would come and I didn't... I don't like breaking promises. And that's why I believe a person shouldn't make them because who knows what might happen tomorrow."

"You don't have to go all philosophical on me. I'm not such a cold hearted person that I wouldn't forgive you if-"

"What a minute. Who asked for your forgiveness?" Asad interrupted her with a twinkle in his eyes.

"You did. A minute ago and then conveniently forgot about it. Okay, I should get going now. You gonna come to college tomorrow?"

"I think I will. Staying in this house is worst than dying, I tell you."

"How would you know? You've never died!" She pointed out impertinently.

"Whatever that must feel like, it cannot be worse than staying under this roof."

"I believe you." She laughed. "But at least you have a roof."

"Yeah right. Thanks for reminding me that." He sighed and Zoya knew that he meant that. She knew that although he wasn't happy with staying under a roof where he was constantly reminded of being an ungrateful, troublesome brat every day but deep inside, he was still grateful because despite all that, they were keeping him in his house. And Zoya knew that if the need aroused, he would be the one to put his dislike away and jump to their help without thinking. That was just the way he was.

"And Asad, I handed in an application on your behalf saying you were ill."

"You know how to do my signature?" He asked, looking surprise.

"Of course I do and see it came in handy today." She grinned at him.

"That's a crime! Anyway thanks."

"You're welcome."

"And you'll have to help me catch up with studies."

"I help you catch up with studies even when you're in the class." Zoya rolled her eyes.

Asad laughed. "That's what friends do. Okay bye Zoe!"

"Bye Asad." She smiled at him before moving out of the room. At the threshold, she seemed to remember something and turned to look at him again. "I know they're saying that what you did was wrong but I know you. You can never do anything wrong and I'm very proud of you for doing what you did, Asad. You stood up for the right thing and it takes bravery to do that."

"Thanks Zoe." His face softened into the warmest of smiles as if this was exactly what he needed to hear.

***

"Hey Zak!" A week later, Zoya bumped into Zak just as college ended.

"Hello Zoya! How's it going?"

"Good. Have you seen Asad?"

"Asad? Well yes. He ate my lunch today so I killed him." He told her conversationally. On seeing Zoya's incredulous looks, he asked innocently. "Why? Did I do anything wrong?"

"Yes, you left me. Now you're dead." She told him and he burst out laughing.

"Should've thought of that before. How can Asad be without Zoya and how can Zoya be without Asad. The world would collapse."

"Won't be surprised if it did. What would be the point of its existence then?" Zoya joined in good-humouredly before pointing to the stairs. "Mind if we sit?"

"Not at all." He joined her on the steps. "Hey can I ask you something, Zoya?" He asked with sudden interest.

"You just did." She pointed out.

"Right." He grinned sheepishly. "How long have you known Asad?"

"Since forever. At least it feels that way." She shrugged lightly. "Ever since I started noticing the world, he's been around. But somehow... I still remember the first time we met and it feels as if it is my first memory ever, you know... It was my first day at kindergarten and this older boy made me get off the swing so... I started crying." Zak sniggered and she hit him on the arm. "Hey, I wasn't such a crybaby, it was just that it was my first day and I was a bit scared already. So then, Asad came up to me and asked me what was wrong. He has always been like this, very conscious of other people's pain and suffering..." She trailed off thoughtfully before continuing with the same liveliness. "So anyway, I told him what had happened and he went to the older boy and gave him his chocolate as a bribe to get the swing and without even having a go himself, he gave it to me." She smiled warmly. "And you know when you're small, you do stupid things... I remember after getting off the swing, I went straight up to him and offered him the position of becoming my best friend. I mean who does that?" Zoya laughed at the memory.

"You apparently. Did he take it then?" He asked laughing lightly.

"Yes. He told me he'd be my best friend forever. And I remember asking him, will you be my best friend even when I'm old and I have white hair and he said yes because he would have white hair then too so we would be the same."

Zak was chortling now. "Man I never thought I'd say this but this is cute! Damn adorable!"

"Wait for it, there's more. And then I asked him what if when we were old, I wanted to go on a swing and some older boy didn't let me. What would he do then? Because then he would be an old man and old man don't have handy chocolates in their pockets for bribing, you know." Zoya clarified, aware of Zak's figure shaking with mirth beside her. "And Asad said well then, I'll knock him off the swing with my walking stick so you could have a go."

"Oh my God! That's blatant flirting at such a small age!" Zak let out with a roar of laughter.

Zoya joined him laughing. "But you know I wasn't impressed. I called him a meanie and ran away. He came after me and promised that he'd keep chocolates with him even when he's old so that I was never denied the pleasure of having a go at any swing I wanted."

"Let him come. I never knew he was such a Romeo." Zak let out, laughing. "So ever since then you've been friends?"

"Yep!"

"Only friends or more than that?" Zak asked teasingly.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean love-shove. What else?" He suggested wickedly. "Do you love him?"

"Oh shut up, Zak!"

"Come on, Zoya. All these years and you never felt like you were falling in love?"

"Of course I did."

"You did?" He repeated in surprise, not expecting her to give in so easily.

"Yeah, I fell in love with our friendship." She confessed with a mischievous smile. "Oh look, Asad's coming!"

"Hey, where were you man?" Zak asked as he stood up to give Asad a very boyish hug, which Zoya liked to refer to as a 'shoulder bump' as she explained it to Asad, because a real hug doesn't last that little, she'd say.

"Miss Sonia needed help carrying the practical copies to her car." He explained.

"Asad, do you have chocolates in your pocket by any chance?" Zak asked conversationally and Zoya bit back her smile.

"No. Why?" Asad asked amusingly.

"Because I really felt like having a go on a swing." He replied innocently. For a second, Asad's face showed confused before it cleared and he turned to look at Zoya with wide eyes.

"Zoe you told him that? Oh my God that story is so embarrassing." He placed his hand over both his eyes looking adorably awkward.

"As a friend, it is my duty to embarrass you as much as I can." Zoya replied resolutely and Zak laughed.

"Zak, you said you were going to tell me something about that girl?" Asad tried to change the topic and it worked.

"Which girl?" Zak looked surprised.

"That girl who we saved... What was her name again? Yes Ayesha." Asad remembered.

"Oh yes I had to tell you. I came across her at the market; she was with her father. And Asad, you have no idea man, how grateful he was. He asked me about you, said he wanted to meet you personally as well. And man, his gratitude was so much, it embarrassed me." Zak's voice was awed.

The smile that lit Asad's face was warm, crinkling his eyes and bringing warmth to them as well. "I'm just glad we were there at that time."

"I don't want to ruin the mood here, but I was thinking won't those guys continue harassing that girl till her father gave the loan back?" Zoya asked timidly and saw Asad's smile changing into a frown.

"Oh I took care of that." Zak spoke up.

"How?"

"I offered her father money to return to those guys but he wasn't taking it so I suggested that he burrow the money from me and return the debt he owed to those guys. I told him he can return my money whenever he has enough." Zak explained a little awkwardly, trying to act nonchalant. It didn't go with his cool dude image, this kindness.

Zoya noticed this and decided to tease him. "Aww Zak that is so sweet!" She squealed and saw him turning red making Asad laugh.

"I'm heading home now. Want me to drop you two off?" Zak asked, looking adorably flustered.

"No we'll walk." Asad replied.

"You sure? It looks like it's gonna start raining any minute."

"All the more fun!" Zoya responded excitedly.

"Can't deny her some harmless fun, can I?" Asad's eyes twinkled as he looked towards the sky. It wasn't so cold so having a shower wouldn't do them any harm.

"You liar. You like walking home in the rain too." Zoya retorted immediately. Zak laughed at them before bidding a goodbye he went off just as the drizzle started.

Zoya smiled blissfully looking towards the skies, the raindrops covering her face like dew.

"I don't think these raindrops will magically teleport you to your home, you'll have to use your legs to get there." Asad commented, looking at her amusingly.

"Oh shut up Asad! Don't you find the rain magical?" She asked him cheerfully.

"No, actually there's a scientific reason why it happens. And anything that can be explained by science can't be considered magical. Thought you already knew that." He answered to annoy her and it worked as she threw him an irritated look. He laughed as he grabbed her arm and tugged at it to make her start walking.

"Not so quick, Asad. We'll walk slowly. Enjoy the rainy season." She dictated.

"Okay fine. We'll walk slowly in the rain while the entire world rushes towards shelters, so that we come across as mentally retarded. After all, isn't it what we want?"

"Exactly. We don't want to be like the rest. We're different."

"Well you are. You know when you were born, even the doctor said, she's a special child." Asad teased her and yelling his name indignantly, Zoya took after him just as the rain picked up speed.

***

You've read a lot for one day, now time for some writing. Scroll Down and write a comment 🤣

Love,

Fari ❤️

Res

It might take me a day or so to Unress this space haha have to read it and that will take me time ;)

Unressed!

Prologue:

It was amazing!!

Well written!👏

Asad chasing Zoya for his diary haha so cuteee

Zoya got hit by the waves

Asad save her

Zoya lost the diary in the ocean

Zoya gave Asad her diary

Do PM me pleaseee?

Chapter 1:

amazing!!!👏

Asad copying from Zoyas book!😆

But he told her to do it for him lol😆

Asad took Zoya noteboook and wrote "Asad Ahmed Khan is the best" in different fonts🤣

Asad and Zoya both sent out of the classroom for "not" doing the work

They snuck out to the canteen and got a cornetto! haha

Zoya told Asad he can eat it all

She is so selfless!!

Asad called her a monkey😆

Asad cares for Zoya, he didnt want her to climb the tree

YOLO you got that right!

That last part made me cry!😭

Chapter 2:

Aww she waited for him to come to her but he didnt

Asad and Zoya trowing rocks into the water

Asad yelled at Zoya and made her cry😭

Aww poor her!

Love their frendshippp!

Chapter 3:

Asad came to Zoyas house to check on her!!

Aw how cutee!

Love their banter!

They always fight!

So a new Kid Zak

Hope he doesn't come in between Asad and Zoya

Asad left Zoyas house but went the opposite way hmm?

Chapter 4:

Zoya and Zak went to Asad house!

Zoya found out he got in to fight!

Hate Razia with a passion!

Poor Asad I hope he gets out that prison soon!

Asad told her the story of the fight!

Zoya proud of Asad

Loved all parts!! Do PM me pleaseee! 😊

Originally posted by: -hotsauce-

Res

It might take me a day or so to Unress this space haha have to read it and that will take me time ;)