New SS: Experiment of Love - upd part 2 pg 2

"You were all for it a minute ago! You're the same religion. You know that's a must fit in the profile and Anu and I can't fake that! You're the only one that would work."

That was Shay at her door. She was standing outside her door, persuading her with Anu egging her on. And people thought her mousy'hmph. They didn't know Shay like Zoya and Anu did. Especially when she decides on something..like the stupid experiment she was suggesting.

"Allah Miya, what's wrong with her?" Zoya muttered.

Shay knew her Aapi. Her Aapi would skin them all alive and then lecture them to death. Both Shay and Anu had known her Aapi and Jeeju since they were all kids. They all knew each other's families having grown up together in the same neighborhood, then gone to same college and now completing their Graduate degree in sociology and psychology together. All three of them had come to India for their thesis completion. And Anu had chosen for their vacation Bhopal, the city of lakes. Now Zoya knew why. Irritating friends. Bet they had decided on me behind my backs!

In the beginning, it had sounded like a fun idea. Shay was discussing some experiment on human behaviors and love. Of course both Zoya and Anu, being die-hard romantics, had chided her for being so clinical and detached. Shay had argued that all emotions can be manufactured. One thing led to another and Shay had thrown out the challenge that they had accepted. They had decided to do an experiment on love. The experiment was simple: Anu and Zoya get to pick one unattached single man of reputation (so it would be easier to get information on him), make educational guesses to what he would like in that perfect "mate"(Shay's word) and one of them would act like that perfect mate (Zoya assumed it to be Shay). The challenge was to get him to propose by the end of the two weeks of their vacation. She herself had picked this hot-shot business man that never smiled in any of the business magazine photos. It was also really difficult to find much information on him as he was very private. They had wanted to make it as difficult as possible for Shay.

It was all fun and games until Zoya realized they had picked her to play the part of that perfect mate.

Did she make a mistake in choosing Asad Ahmad Khan?

It's not right! Zoya had told Shay multiple times. As it became more 'real', it wasn't all fun and games anymore. And Zoya even tried telling Shay that it was wrong to play with someone's life for an experiment. But Shay had just dismissed it as an excuse to get out of playing the mate. Shay used the trump card of their upcoming separation to finally reel Zoya in to the experiment. The three friends were, although no one spoke of it openly, going their separate ways once returning to the States. Shay was moving to UK to get her PhD. Anu was moving to California for her new job. And Zoya, well her Aapi and Jeeju were thinking about getting her married. Shay had asked Zoya to join in this one last crazy thing they can do together before drifting apart. All three of them had finally acknowledged the upcoming separation and had cried and then laughed remembering all the other crazy ideas they'd cooked up since their childhood. Looking at the happy faces of her friends and knowing they'll never be the same again, finally, Zoya had agreed halfheartedly.

Zoya was cursing herself as she walked out of the shopping mall in Delhi. She had just spent hours buying traditional clothes. In two days they were going to Bhopal and begin the experiment. For the umpteenth time she wondered - why did she agree to this?!

Shay had not left her alone these past few days. At every turn, there was some tip from her about Asad Ahmed Khan's perfect mate.

When she came out dressed in jeans - "He seems like a traditional guy Zoya, you need to wear traditionals."

Or when she was singing loudly while showering - "He seems like a serious guy Zoya, you need to be quiet."

Or when she was eating chips and laughing at the same time- "He seems to like controlled environment, you shouldn't be messy."

And so on and so on. Zoya had almost thrown her cheesecake at her when she asked Zoya to stop her shayaris. Almost. She liked her blueberry cheesecake. But really- restriction on her wonderful shayaris. The horror! Her creativity was being squelched! Zoya scowled. Really the guy sounded like a dictator. Or from the 17^th century. Hmph. Really, why did she agree for such..? Before she could finish her thought, someone bumped into her.

Looking at her scattered bags on the floor, she screeched - "Allah Miyan, what's wrong with you? Can't you watch where you're going?"

"Aap humse takrai. Agar aapme thik se chalne ki tameez nahi hai to bahar kyon nikalti hai?"

At the strong authoritive voice, she looked up. And stood stock still. She was looking at the face she'd gotten to know well from all the magazines that Shay kept throwing her way.

She groaned inwardly as she looked at the angry face of Asad Ahmed Khan!

'Shay's going to kill me!'