#2
His eyes fluttered open to see himself in a place his heart beat faster as if he had a deeper connection to it. It was the gazebo, where he usually sat admiring Mother Nature and felt like merging himself with her. The green hues would bring out a slow strum in him, while the droplets of water would beat at his heart like a drum. The soft petals of a flower would be like a bed of keys of his huge piano, to which as his fingers touched would play a soft sound, that vibrated through his whole body.
Breathing in deeply, his hands flew on the keys of the piano in a feather touch, as his ears perked up at the sound streaming in to his veins of blood, awakening him to feel something he longed for. To feel something he has been searching for all his life.
And just as this thought crossed his mind, an image of her flashed in front of him. His breath hitched, so did his fingers stop right above his next key.
His eyes looked on to see the colour of dark brown that darkened to a colour of night he was so used to. But here he did see some light that shined brighter than the sun, that was more than the silver of the moon and softer than a feather.
His hand reached out to touch that pretty face of hers that looked at him with so much affection. So much care. So much.. Love.
Asad..
Her voice felt like honey as it dripped sweetly into his ears that were craving for her to continue. To say something. Say anything.
A smile played on his lips, as he saw her lips curved up to a smile, he knew he would never be able to forget. Not in this lifetime. Not in any.
He stretched his out more, but.. Nothing happened. He reached out again, but it felt as if he just couldn't reach her. Even if she was so near, she felt so far.
Suddenly the white in his surroundings slowly started to dissolve in darkness. The light faded away, and so did the shine of her face.
He shouted.. Nothing came out of his lips. He tried again. Nothing.
He thrust himself forward and started running to where she stood, but she kept on going back, into somewhere endless.
His chest heaved up and down, while his lungs burned, as he ran faster and faster, only to get himself stuck in a sand that seemed to fall endlessly underneath to God-Knows-Where.
He looked up only to feel horror creeping in with obviousness, as he saw her body enveloped in what he could call Shadows of the Dark. Her face was still searching for his, and just as they landed on him, she smiled.
She freaking smiled!
And mouthed something incoherent.
He knew he had no voice left, and resorted to contorting his face in confusion. She smiled widely again, as she tenderly drowned in his eyes, and slowly uttered something.
He still couldn't comprehend it and he tried to reach out for her, which only resulted in him falling deeper and deeper into something he now feared.
Loneliness.
He looked up to see her, but... She was gone.
"ZOYA!!"
The shimmering like sound of the cymbal, cleared his vision, as he realised where he was. His breathing was heavy and he could feel sweat beads trickling down his scalp to the tip of his hair. His vision closed in on the single drop, as it flopped off his hair's tip and fell on his piano's key.
Her eyes slowly opened as the song reached it's last part, to which Zaki held on to her tighter and tighter. Her arms automatically tightened around his waist, as she pulled him in deeper into herself and placed a light kiss on the back of his head. She just didn't really understand why she did that, but she felt like smothering the kid with kisses all over again. But she resisted the urge and resorted to place a feathery kiss on his neck, making him squirm underneath her arms and giggle incessantly.
Zaki's smile widened to form a grin, as he saw his father play the last part to the T. His chest swelled with pride for the one man that was his Life. Of course, he was too young to understand that but he was wise enough to know that his Father loved him very much and he him.
There was a moment of silence all around the place. It felt as if the whole world had fallen silent, waiting with bated breath. And just as the pianist raised his head from his beloved instrument, the crowd burst into a deafening roar of appreciation and applaud. The sounds of claps and the hoots from houses in other continents could be heard. It felt like that.
The World was now applauding and appreciating someone, who had now poured his heart out for them to see.
Zoya smiled at the pianist and Zaki, who now was literally jumping on her lap and clapping insanely like the crowd surrounding them. Her hands followed and did the same, as another gust of wind hit her square in the face.
She blinked. What was that?, she thought, as she looked at the back of Zaki's head.
She heard Mark say, "Zak Sir? Would you like to go meet Boss?"
Zaki's face twisted in a cute fashion, and said, "Don't call my Daddy Boss. You know that he don't like it!" Huffing, he crossed his arms and leaned back on Zoya for support.
Zoya couldn't help but chuckle at the small kid who was now apparently a kid who would want things to go his way.
"What--," Zoya was about to ask something, when Zaki jumped down from her lap and grabbed Mark's hand, to pull him down to face him.
"Can I take her with me too?," Zaki asked, squeezing Mark's hands in his small ones and looking up in expectation.
Mark looked up to see the woman in front looking at them with wide eyes. A faintest of smiles crept it's way to his face, but he held it, and asked, "Would you like to accompany us, Ma'am?"
Zoya was shocked again, on hearing his soft voice. Well, it was softer than what she had heard just a few minutes ago. She opened her mouth to respond, "I-- I-- I don't know..," shaking her head unsure of what was to come.
"Please, please, please??," she looked down to see Zaki holding her hands and pulling it to his chest. Her face broke into a soft smile, as she read desperation in those young brown eyes. "On second thoughts," she said, pretending to think, "it won't be too bad to come with you, will it?" her eyebrows shooting up and down.
Zaki bounced happily and clapped his hands, before letting out a growling laughter of happiness. "Yay!! I promise that you will have fun. With me!," he spread his arms wide and then back to point himself, before resting his elbows on her knees and leaning forward.
Zoya laughed at the kid's antics. He reminds her of someone very close to her. Now who could that be?
- - - - - - -
His being shivered as the cool air hit his skin, where he stood in the open ground of the City that never Sleeps.
The closing performance had just ended, and everyone was moving back to the backstage to pack up and leave. Of course that would take hours to pack everything up and leave the place.
A heavy sigh escaped his lips, as his eyes looked around, involuntarily searching for something.
A firm hand clasped his shoulder, making him turn and acknowledge the person. It was Yanni Sir.
"Hello Sir," he smiled lightly, as Yanni nodded in acknowledgment.
Yanni could see how forced that smile was. He indeed knew that all the world's success could never bring the happiness that could make a heart soar.
"I-- I'll just be right back," nodding once, he made his way away from Yanni and the rest who were moving in and out of the stage.
"Yanni!!"
Zoya saw Yanni, surrounded by God-Knows-how-many guards, step forward and engulf the bundle of naughtiness straight in his arms.
"Hey hey!," Yanni laughed, as he picked Zaki up in his arms and pulled his cheeks. "How did you like the concert, small guy?"
"Ah-maz-zhing!!," Zaki said, in a way as if mimicking someone, earning a laugh from everyone around, including Zoya.
"And what about Daddy dearest? Am sure his was way better than mine!," Yanni crinkled his eyes in a wishful smile, as Zaki's face brightened.
"Where is Daddy?," Zaki asked as his head craned from side to side to get hold of a familiar face around him, while turning in Yanni's arms.
"He'll be back, kid!," straightening Zaki and shifting him to place him behind his neck, on his shoulders.
"I want you to meet someone, Mr. Yanni," Zaki peered down at Yanni, who lifted his head to see him.
"Really? Who is it?"
Zoya's cheeks coloured as soon as Yanni's eyes rested on her, after following Zaki's outstretched arm.
She saw him smile in acknowledgement, with something like recognition in his eyes?
Her eyebrows furrowed a bit, but they smoothed as soon as he extended his hand to her in greeting.
The 'secret service' guards were all ready to pounce on her it seemed, as they saw her lifting her hand to greet.
Gulping, she lightly gripped Yanni's hand and felt her mouth going dry and her head feeling light, as she was here, in front of her most favourite celebrity and Music Composer, Yanni. The greatest and possibly the only most Divine Man of Music.
Her heart beat picked up speed, as she was feeling the symptoms of Fangirlness seep into her veins.
"H-Hello..," she croaked and winced slightly as she had not expected it to come that way. Clearing her throat, she said again. "Hello, Sir."
A slight squeeze on her hand made her hyperventilate again, as he showered her with another soft smile of his, that literally made her drool. But she resisted that urge. She had drooled enough at home for one lifetime.. But Yanni is right in front of her!! How could she not drool??
And, and, and.. it is not everyday for people like her to get a chance to meet Yanni. I sure am lucky today, she thought as her stomach churned in a pleasant way.
"May I know your name, Ma'am?"
She blushed again, as she heard him call her Ma'am. And instantly responded, "Z-Zoya. Zoya Farooqui, Sir. P-Please don't call me 'Ma'am', Sir. I am not so--"
"Old enough to be called a 'Ma'am'?," Yanni offered with a soft chuckle, and hi-fived Zaki who sat grinning on his shoulders.
Zoya flushed again, and shook her head in negative, before continuing, "I am not someone at a higher pedestal than you, Sir."
"Who says you are lower to me?"
Zoya looked up to meet his kind eyes, that reflected the sincerity his soul held.
"Well, Ms. Farooqui," Yanni smilingly said, "I believe in giving respect to everyone, irrespective of their status. Everyone is equal in this world. After all, we are God's children. Be it Man, Woman or Animal. Right?"
Zoya watched as Yanni's face showed a wistful expression and smiled widely at such deep, wise words of his. This made her chest swell with pride as she realised that she was a fan of such a wise man, who refuses to go by the supposed rules of this Big, Bad World.
Someone from behind her, called out to Yanni in need to follow up his appointments of interviews lined up outside the door of the backstage.
Zaki willingly stayed behind, and turned to Zoya, who was grinning madly at Yanni's retreating back.
A poke on her cheek made Zoya turn to face the young browns that awaited her attention. "What happened?"
"You have dimples!"
Zoya's smile widened and so did her faint dimples deepened. "Yes I do. But they look a bit faded. Don't they?," she said, jutting out her left cheek for Zaki to inspect.
Giggling, the kid poked the dimple again, before flashing his own, that were very deep ones indeed. "I have them too!," Zaki squealed as he poked his own cheeks and showed them one by one to Zoya.
"Can I kiss them?," Zoya tilted her head to one side and asked in a girly voice.
Zaki simply nodded his head and leaned forward.
Zoya cupped the boy's face gently on one side and placed her lips on each cheek, savoring the soft, silky feel of the kid's skin on her lips. She sighed as she pressed her lips harder on his other cheek. The sound of a smooch made both Zaki and Zoya giggle.
"Now my turn!," Zaki exclaimed as he wrapped his little arms around her neck and kissed both her cheeks as hard as he could, leaving a bit of saliva on each of them.
Zoya could feel the cool air caress her cheeks where Zaki had kissed just now. She smiled and kissed the boy's nose and flicked it to one side, which made Zaki mirror her actions.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Yes?"
"Why do you si--"
Zoya saw Zaki's eyes widen, and the next moment she knew, he was off of her lap and bouncing off to a direction unknown.
"Zaki?," Zoya called out, as she tried to turn herself.
"Daddy!!"
"Hey Zee!"
Zoya suddenly felt her bag slipping from her lap and jerked out to catch it. And before she could realise what was about to happen, her foot slipped from the foot rest and her body crashed to the floor with a thud.
The throb in her spine, including the pain shooting on her front side, made her squirm uncomfortably on the floor. She could hear people rushing to her.
Zaki saw this and instantly wiggled off of his father's hold and made a dash to Zoya.
Zoya lifted herself up, masking her grimace because of the pain with a smile and politely refusing the helping hands thrust forward for her, when a small hand gripped her hand.
She was about to look up into those familiar young browns, when she felt her other arm gripped by a bigger hand. She turned and stopped.
It was as if the time had come to a stand still, as she drowned in those way too familiar midnight blues that held her stare.
His heart stopped to beat as he saw her turn to look at him. Her dark browns widened a bit as he could see recognition seep into them. Her ebony tresses lay released from the binds of that butterfly clip, which rested by her other hand that was clasping a tiny hand.
She was... beautiful.. Incredibly Beautiful. More than how she looked like when she haunted his dreams. More than what she had been imagined to be.
He willed her to disappear like she always did in his dreams. He willed the surroundings to turn to darkness, just like it did in his dreams. He willed in fear, to let this all be a dream and could feel his eyes brim.
Her lips parted, as a stray tear made way to her cheeks, making her blink slowly and open them in hope of seeing the face vanish, like it always did.
Zoya..
She breathed in sharply, as he whispered her name. She blinked, making her realise that he was there. She swallowed hard, making her realise that she was alive. She let her hand reach out slowly to touch, to feel. But she hesitated. What if he wasn't there? What if he... What if he is a... Is a Dream..? What if...
Asad..
His lips parted, as soon as his name escaped her rosy lips. A sob escaped his lips, as he saw her eyes wander down to his body, absorbing everything that knelt in front of her. He saw her hands reach out to him again, and this time she did not hesitate.
Zoya's hand trembled as she reached out to touch him. Tears brimmed in her eyes, and just as her skin met his skin, a series of sobs escaped her quivering lips in joy.
Asad closed his eyes as her soft palm cupped his face, and her thumb caressed his cheek, in a painfully slow pace. His other hand went up to hold her hand, and guided them to his trembling lips that smooched the silky skin and lingered there to hear her gasp.
Zoya's gasp didn't go unnoticed by him, as he looked up right after hearing her. Her being suddenly was pulled into a bone-crushing hug, as his strong arms enveloped her in a familiar warmth that she had missed all these years and her petite form crashed into his chest, underneath which lay a heart, whose beat were the soothing rhythms of her Life.
He was Real..
She was Real..
Their hearts cried out loud and rejoiced, as they held each other tightly to themselves, all pains ignored. There was no greater pain than heartache and he could feel it subsiding, as he felt her heart beat against his chest.
Her hand wound around his neck and squeezed it lightly, before running her fingers through those jet black strands of hair.
He buried himself in her open hair, breathing in her lemony scent that had brought him here. Yes! As soon as his memory had come back, he had spent the remaining years looking for that face that had haunted his sleep, every day, every night. Everything about her had been a dream for him, because whatever he remembered felt like a movie to him. She was like the protagonist of his personal movie, whom he could only see and hear and never touch, never smell.
His lungs were filled with her scent, as he breathed in and out deeply. His heart had started beating the minute he heard her say his name. He had come so far. So far..
His sole purpose of joining Yanni's World Tour was that he would get to search for her. His Zoya with the song that he had so lovingly composed for her. A flashback of the tune, had reminded him that he had composed it for her. The only problem was she had never heard it. He never got the chance to. He winced as he could see her about to be hit by the truck.
Zoya felt his arms grip her hard around her waist. And the next moment she felt herself shake with him. He was crying. She tried to pull away, but it only made him hold onto her tighter. Her lungs felt constricted, but she didn't mind. She would rather die in these arms than live without him.
A pair of small arms wound around their waists, and they could feel a head rest on their side.
"I love you, Daddy!"
Zoya's eyes shot open the moment Zaki's voice registered. No! The moment the word "Daddy" registered.
Asad saw her pull away from him. His grip tightened again, but she resisted and he let her pull away.
"He is your son?" She questioned, croaking out the last part painfully.
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Hope I didn't bore you!
There is more, my lovely peoples.
Do let me know how it is. And yes, be honest with your feedback. Constructive criticism is welcomed. And yes, don't forget to tell me if I have tone down those details I gave.
Ananya.
Edited by PhoenixRadar - 12 years ago
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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