AsYa SS The Secret Between Me & You Chap 3B & 4 Update Page 8 - Page 3

This is an awesome and amazing story
You are an outstanding writer
Loving this soo much
Zoya was hilarious with her professional tone
Asad is such a cutie.. I feel sad for him
Excited to know their truth

Hey.. When will you update the next part..??

Adorable story...
cute
thanks for the pm

Hey preeti

Just came across this story and liked it. You said you will update on the 14th of Jan but it's way past that date, when will you update ? Waiting..

I read it all now and it is absolutely wonderful

#3 THINKING OUT LOUD

Next night: Terrace

Asad starts with when he first saw her, he describes it in details, just like he is living it again. *He doesn't tell them every bit written out here in that much detail, it's for the readers.*

...then she falls down again! And she actually says "Don't touch me!" I hate it. Afterwards in our first year, we don't get to see each other much (although my roomies have become very good friends with her and they talk about her sometimes), and I am not a Facebook guy, so yeah we meet again after seven months, in our second year. We are both in mechanical, and in our batch we have three girls, so it is not very hard to notice her! And god, I still have a huge crush on her! Although we are in the same group, you know for experiments and all, she wouldn't talk to me. I try to talk to her about it of course, she says: "Asad Ahmed Khan you know about our families, don't you? So please, don't talk to me." I say: "I know that, but we are in the same group for God's sake. I have no special interest in talking to you either, but let's talk whenever required, okay?" She thinks for some time, she is cute, incredibly cute, and she says okay. So that's how it goes after that. We talk whenever required (that's very rare and it hurts man!), and it is still very weird because everyone remembers the proposal from first year and they never lose any opportunity to tease us about it. Every time it's mentioned, she blushes red, and I keep falling even more. I like to ignore the fact that she is the daughter of Anwar Farooqui. You know, there are instances when I catch her looking at me like I look at her, and sometimes I get the feeling that she likes me too...but I am never sure. So I feel damn insecure all the time. She is so damn beautiful, and there are only three girls in our class out of 150 people so you can imagine how crazy people are for her. She has three friends who are like super protective of her like her brothers, and unfortunately (or fortunately I wonder?) they are my roommates and best friends. I can't talk to them about her although they are my best friends and I trust them more than family. There is no one else I can talk to about her because I don't trust anyone else in our college! It gets so frustrating man! Whenever anyone else in our class talks to her, you can see how smitten they are...and it boils my blood. I am a very jealous person. Somehow, second year is over...and we get to our third year. Around the end of our fifth semester, one day she goes on a date with a senior who is a total jackass by the way. I get so angry, the next day I call her out for a copy (an excuse of course!) and I tell her that she can't go out like that with someone.

"Really? And who are you to tell me?"

"I am telling you as a friend!"

"Friend? What a joke! We have been enemies even before we were born Asad!"

"I don't care about that Zoya...all I know is that I love you and I can't see you with someone else without killing him."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"What did you say at last?"

"I said I would kill the next guy you go out with. Obviously I don't-"

"No, before that...you said..."

I try to remember, and then I do! Shit man, I told her that I loved her! Shit! Asad what am I going to do with you!

"I don't remember."

"You...love me?"

Shit, she heard you! Holy shit! You are officially done for now Asad!!

"I...I...I didn't mean that..."Why does she look sad? "I mean...I didn't tell you that...I was talking to myself...I...I...Allah Miyaan can't you pretend that you didn't hear it?"

She stares at my face, her mouth open like O, and suddenly she starts laughing. It's my turn to stare. Then I ask "What?"

"You don't even have the guts to say that you love me, and yet you say that you love me!"

"What?"

"You heard me."

"Oh please, don't expect me to be like one of your admirers, going around you saying how much they like you."

"At least they have the guts to admit it."

"Are you seriously comparing me to them? Those assholes?"

"I don't know, why are you angry by the way? Are you jealous?"

"Why would I be jealous of those little pricks?"

She laughs again. I say, "And I did admit it, the very first day I saw you. Remember?"

She goes silent, and softly she says: "Of course I remember! You...you have an amazing voice Asad."

"Thanks, but don't change the topic now, okay?"

"I am not changing the topic Asad. What I am saying is that you have a beautiful voice. I don't mean to freak you out, but one day Rohit gave me a few songs you sang. And I listen to them every day when I go to sleep, your voice is very soothing...in fact, it helps me paint better too. I...I like you a lot...I think...I have liked you from the moment I heard you sing to me that day...but we can't date, okay? If my family gets to know about it, I am dead. So are you. So please get over it." SHE LIKES ME! Zoya Farooqui likes me!

I hug her, throwing her off guard. After a moment, she says:

"Asad...let go. I can't breathe." I let go of her immediately. "You made my day Zoya." I grin at her, and she smiles. She hugs me, her head resting perfectly on my chest, then I think I hear a sob.

"Zoya what's wrong?"

"Asad...we can't date. My family would kill you if they find out about it!"

Shit I forgot about that!

"Zoya...when the time comes, we'll see."

"Are you nuts? You will see when? When there is a gun pointed right at you?"

"Zoya stop freaking out! We are not kids anymore, okay? Nothing like that would happen!"

"Who are you kidding Asad? You know very well about what can happen."

"Okay...alright, but all this would happen only when they get to know about it right? How will they come to know? We are in Kharagpur, they are in Bhopal, and we are definitely not telling them...so how do you expect them to-"

"I don't know, but I can't take the risk alright! I can't risk your life!"

"Why are you so worried about me when I am not?"

"Because I f**king love you, dammit! Why are you so childish?"

"Zoya you are being immature here. You don't get my point here..."

"I don't want to get your point, okay? Just, just go. I am not going out with you. That's it. Topic closed."

"Zoya-"

"Please Asad, I don't want to fight you okay? Leave me alone!"

"Fine! Do whatever you want!"

Angry with her, I leave. Afterwards, I try to talk to her, I try to change her decision many times, but she just won't budge. God she is driving me crazy! At least, she has agreed to not go out with anyone else either. Somehow, sixth semester ends and we have to do our internships. We have got our internship in the same place in Uttarakhand- Zoya, Priya, Sana, Rohit, Rahul, Rohan (my roomies) and I. Actually, Rohit's dad has his sources, so we have managed to get this internship in this prestigious institute. The internship is for a month, and somehow fifteen days pass. I am not talking to Zoya, we had a fight on the first day on something very silly in front of everyone. Whatever!

Today is Sunday, and we are going trekking! First we need to make a camp where we plan to stay tonight, and then we will go trekking. This place is beautiful, I can stay here forever, with Zoya by my side. She is in love with this place by the way. Am I jealous? Not really. Just look at her! She is so excited, so much happy being here. Sometimes she acts like such a mature girl, and sometimes she is so innocent, so vulnerable. It's like two different people, and I love both sides of her! I don't want to continue fighting with her. Not here, in this beautiful place. Everyone else is busy taking pictures, she is just sitting there taking in the beauty. "Zoya..."

"Mmm?"

"Can we forget about the fight? I am sorry about it."

"I am sorry too Asad."

"So...friends?"

I extend my hand. She laughs. Then she gives me her hand. "Friends! You are such a kid sometimes!" I smile at her. She doesn't let go of my hand, and suddenly she gives me a quick hug and breaks away. Her hair...it smells divine! My hand comes up automatically, to run my fingers through her hair, but before I can do that, I hear Rohit approaching. My hand comes down.

Rohit: What are you two doing?

Zoya: Just...talking.

I am still holding her hand. If Rohit sees it, he doesn't say anything.

Rohit: Come on, we need to set the camp.

I nod. When he goes away, I give her a quick smile, and we go after him. After the camp is set, we are all ready to go trekking, and we start. Zoya is really bad at it, to my disappointment, so I go slow, waiting for her to catch up. Slowly she starts to get better, and we move a bit faster. And then, Zoya loses balance and falls. I...I can't breathe. I call out her name! "ZOYA!" Thousands of unpleasant thoughts flash in my mind, and I am clutching to my rope tightly like it's my lifeline while I go down fast calling her name. Then I see her, she looks hurt, but she says: "I am alright, just a bit..." Then she faints. I check her pulse, and it is running fine. Finally I breathe a sigh of relief. I tell the others to go up, and I will take care of her. They agree without protesting, thank God! I take Zoya down with me, carefully. Down in the camp, I splash water on her. And she wakes up. When she opens her eyes and looks at me, I feel like a huge mountain has been lifted off me. I pull her head closer. "You had me scared Zoya!" She tries to sit up, and then she looks at me with that smile: "Didn't I have you at that smile Asad?" Allah Miyaan, what am I going to do with this girl! Without thinking, I place a kiss on her temple. I push the hair away from her face. And then I notice a cut on her forehead, to the side. "Now hold still, you managed to cut yourself ma'am!" She smiles, and lets me clean the cut with Dettol. She doesn't even flinch. I ask, "Doesn't it hurt?" She shakes her head. I say, "I never let Ammi clean my wounds, it stings like hell." She pokes my arm. "You are a kid!" I check if she is hurt anywhere else, and thankfully she is not! When I am done applying the Band-Aid, she rests her head on my chest and stays mum. I don't feel like speaking either. The moment is so...perfect. I put my arms around her, and I inhale the sweet smell of her hair. It now has a little smell of soil and nature, and that's awesome. "Asad?"

"Hmm?"

"Let's date."

"What?"

"Let's date."

"No I heard you, but do you mean it? You are not joking, right? Did you hit your head? I mean, you did but how-"

"Shut up Asad!"

"Zoya suddenly-"

"Asad when I was falling today, I saw you drifting away from me...I regretted not being together with you. Whatever happens in the future, we will worry about it together later. Till then, let's make memories together Asad. Let's make lots of memories together. Memories that'd last us a lifetime."

I am so damn proud of her! My girl is so...perfect! I know Ammi would love her!

I can't help grinning at her. "Aren't you so adorable kiddo?!"

"Kiddo?"

"Yeah, you like that...kiddo?"

"Seriously Asad?! I should be calling you that!"

"It's perfect for you, let's keep it your secret name okay? Only between me and you!"

"Shut up! I don't approve this name!"

"Who cares kiddo?"

"Whatever!"

She gets up, and I get up with her. We go out to sit near the lake, her head resting on my shoulder as we talk about many things. Later that evening, when everyone returns we tell them about us, and we all decide to keep it a secret. We have so much fun in the rest of the days, those last 14-15 days are the best days of my life! There is no one to stop us from being together, no one to be scared of! Then afterwards, we all go home for a month. She stays busy with her family functions, and I don't get much time either, so anyways we don't get to meet. We don't even talk on phone, just chats sometimes late at night. Then the vacations end, and all of us get busy with placements. The semester ends in no time and Zoya and I are placed in different companies! That's totally heart breaking! Only six months left, and after that we will in different places, and I don't know, the future looks bleak. I wish we could go back to Uttarakhand! Six months is too less...and we try to make the most out of it! We try not to bring it up, but ultimately one day we have to talk about the future. And after thinking it through, we decide to get married. Yes, we do decide that! We decide to get a court marriage, and then tell our family later. We go to the court, the seven of us, we go to the court...she is wearing the red lehenga I choose for her, and I am wearing the sherwani she got for me! She looks so beautiful, I can't explain it in words! I just can't...I want to lose myself in her...we are about to go in, just then we get calls from our family. About our Dads of course. Without the marriage, we rush back. Rohit books our tickets, I don't remember...those moments are so hazy...they take us home, but when I reach home after a day, my Dad is gone, dead, killed by her Dad. You can't imagine my condition...I can't remember...somehow the funeral and all happens, the post motern reports and everything go public, we are always surrounded by the media asking questions over questions the moment we step out of our house, people are blaming my Dad for killing her Dad, her family is blaming mine, Ammi is devastated, Humi is always crying, and I...I am numb. I just...I just miss my Dad. Is this my punishment for loving my Dad's enemy's daughter without his knowledge? Is this my fault Allah Miyaan? If it is so, then take my life. Kill me. But please give my Dad back, please...I can't do this. I want to die. I want to escape. And in the midst of all that, I get my appointment letter, and like a coward I escape. I go join my company in Mumbai. I talk to my Ammi and Humi sometimes, but not much...because I feel guilty of having abandoned them. It's been three months. Ammi wants me to come home, but I can't go. I can't face them. Humi has taken over Dad's job, and she is managing it quite well, but she is over-stressed. I offer to help her, but she declines it. She says I wasn't there when she needed me the most, so she doesn't need me now. I miss them a lot too. After eight months when I go home, Ammi and Humi have grown so thin and frail. I cry, I cry a lot and I say sorry for abandoning them like that. They forgive me, saying they understand. I stay home for a week, then Ammi convinces me to go for convocation. f**k, I don't want to go back to that college! But Ammi...I can't deny her. We go to college together, I don't meet anyone, just Rohit. Thankfully I don't come across Zoya. It's time to leave and I go to the old canteen to meet Canteen Dada and there I spot her. I am close enough to hear her, and what she says breaks my heart. All I register is that she hates me, she hates my family, she wants my family to suffer, and she wants us to pay for it! What the f**k! Hasn't my family paid enough? My Ammi, my happy-go-lucky Ammi is always silent and crying, my sweet sister is so stressed out and grave now, we don't talk comfortably...that's not enough for her? She wants us to suffer? I f**king hate this girl! She is not the girl I loved...She is a complete bitch, and I am glad I didn't marry her. I say that to her, and I walk out. My heart feels like it has been broken all over again! But it's filled with hate too...nobody gets to hurt my family! I quit my job, I stay home and I help Humi develop the company again, we try cheer our Ammi everyday...everything is slowly getting back to a little normal...our company is leading in its field now, Humi has become very cheerful like before, even Ammi laughs a lot, and I...I feel empty. I feel hollow. But for the sake of my family, I go on. They don't know what I go through, and they don't need to know. I want them happy and safe like this, always. It's been two years since Dad died. I miss him a lot today, we all do. Humi is getting married to a distant cousin of ours, Ayan Ahmed Khan. They are very much in love, I was wary about him at first, but he has turned out to be a very nice guy. And Ammi totally adores him, which is very good. The press is here too for the marriage...after all it's the A-Z Construction's MD getting married. But I hate the press. I remember their insensitiveness from back when Dad died. The nikah goes smoothly, and Ayan and Humi are now married. It's been six months since they got married. They live in another house now. Ammi and I stay in our old house. I think it's time for me to quit our company and find a job again, because I don't enjoy it here. It's not my line of work, and anyways Humi and Ayan have been handling the company very well. One day, I come back home...and I get the shock of my life. My Ammi...hanging from the living room fan. I can't...I can't understand. I get her down, I call the doctor, I call everyone, but My Ammi...my Ammi doesn't wake up. My Ammi's gone. Humi's crying blaming herself, if she had told Ammi that she was pregnant...Ammi won't have left her. But I have seen the newspaper lying open on the table. I have seen the headline "Allah is being cruel letting that family be happy: Zeenat Farooqui" I know who the culprit is. It is me. I should have come home sooner, I should have stayed with her, I should not have fallen for Zoya, I am the reason I have lost Dad and Ammi...I can't take it. I want to die. I want to kill myself, I bang my head against the wall, then I can't see...When I open my eyes, Humi is sitting with me crying hysterically. "Humi..."
"How dare you Bhai? I have already lost Ammi and Dad! Don't you dare leave me now Bhai...then I will kill myself too!"

"Humi..."

"Promise me Bhai...promise me you won't try anything like this again. Promise me!"

"I...I promise!"

She hits me and cries again. Such a crazy girl, my sister!

In two weeks, I quit our company. I get a job in Hero Honda. The night I am packing for leaving, I find a letter in my closet.

It's written: Asad in my Ammi's handwriting.

I open it slowly.

Asad,

I apologise for doing this! I know I am being a coward, but Asad...I can't take it anymore. I love you and Humi very much...but I can't really exist without your Dad. You know how that feels, don't you Asad? I know how difficult it is to live for you without your Dad, without Zoya, without me. But beta, don't give up. Promise me Asad, you will not take the path I took, you will not make the choice I did. This is my last wish Asad.

And beta, I came to know about Zoya from Rohit in your convocation. I am sorry for being selfish and not telling you to sort it out with her. I was too blinded by my love for your Dad, please forgive your Ammi for that. But Asad, if you really love her, and if she loves you...which I know is true...then please when you see her the next time, then don't be full of hate and judgement. I am not asking you to love her like before, but try not to let your past affect your present and future Asad. And let me tell you, it is not your fault that your Dad died. It is not at all your fault. It is the fault of that man, Anwar Farooqui. He was threatening your Dad with my life over some land and crime, so your Dad had to kill him. There was no other way, he said. And your Dad said sorry for abandoning you people. We love you Asad. We love you and Humi a lot. This issue is dangerous Asad, so please keep it a secret between me and you. And Zoya, from what I know about her...she is a lovely girl and she is nothing like her father. So don't hate her for this, okay?

I wish I could see you once before I go...but it's alright. You are and will always be in my heart my son! Your Dad and I will always watch over you two. Take care of yourself, and take care of your baby sister.

With lots of love,

Ammi.

P.S. Don't be sad and upset about anything! Go live your life Asad! Consider it your Dad's last wish Asad. My lion son, I can't tell how much I love you! I am sorry again. I am sorry.

*He doesn't tell them about the contents of the letter.*

So my Ammi left me a letter saying she loved me, and she asked me get on with Zoya if possible. That's her last wish...that I live happily. So I am doing that...I am fulfilling my Ammi's last wish. That's it guys! Thanks for hearing me out, and please keep it a secret, between me and you guys, okay? I...I will go grab some things I need...See you guys later! Bye!

Asad goes out, and walks straight, trying not to think about the past.

But try not to let your past affect your present and future Asad.

Then he slumps down on the road, crying hysterically! "Why did you leave me Ammi? Why did you leave me? I can't live without you...I can't live without Dad...Was I not enough reason for you to make you stay? Why didn't you stay Ammi? I am lost without you...I miss you so much Ammi! Take me to you! I want to sleep on your lap again! I want you to hug me and say "It's going to be okay." Ammi...Ammi..."

"Bro...get up, come on!"

It's Jason and Chris. They sit down beside him on the road, and they let him cry. They let him vent his feelings out. The feelings he has kept hidden for so long. After two-three hours, he sleeps of exhaustion. Then Jason and Chris carry him home, and tuck him in bed tightly. "He is still a kid!"

Intriguing. Want to see what Zoya does once she gets to know the whole story