Merry Christmas to everyone!🤗🥳
Here's an OS on this ocassion. And for this you have to go back to the time of our ziddi Asad & bholi Zoya's Jasn-e-Bahar. You might recall, Asad had gifted Zoya a pink saree with the apology letter saying
Aapko ek baar saari pahne hue dekha that, aap bahut khoobsurat lag rahi thin!
...since he had misunderstood & shouted at her because of the Chicken blood in place of cat's.😡😆
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It is a pleasant evening. The beautifully decorated Khan Mansion is burstling with people chatting and laughing away. There is happiness & excitement all around. Of course, it is another of the ceremonies of Asad & Zoya's nikah.
Asad comes out of his room dressed in a golden sherwani. He makes way into the crowd of his friends & relatives and groans loud when Haaallo' Khala appraoches him with a teasing smile on her face. Of course, he is still embaraased about that chand' waala thing she shared with everyone (even Zoya!) on their Jasn-e-Saugat. He heaves a sigh of relief when someone distracts Khala from approaching him. Asad quickly makes way to a place from where nobody could easily see him, though he could see everything clearly. His eyes scan the whole place and finally rest on the closed door opposite his, disappointed & apprehensive.
Ammi, kitna beautiful lag raha hai na ghar?
Asad hears his little sister talking to his Ammi, and he smiles.
MsFarooqui will like it. She loves decorations!' He thinks.
Haan lekin Najma, tumhe toh Zoya ke paas hona chahiye na beta? Tumhare Bhaijaan ki di hui saari pahan rahi hai, right? Us bechari ko pahan na nahin aata hoga na!
"Ammi woh bechari nahin hai!" Asad mumbles running a hand through his hair.
Ammi unhone kaha ki woh pahle bi saari pahan chuki hain. So she can manage.
Asad smiles recalling the last two times she saw her in saree. Then he recalls how she did that happy dance. He chuckles.
She is such a kid! MsFarooqui!
Actually Ammi aab tak unhe aa jaana chahiye tha! It's been one hour. Aur Bhaijaan bi nahin dikh rahe.
Najma looks around and Asad stiffens.
Pata hai Najma, main kitna khush hoon aaj un dono ke liye! Woh dono itna inkaar karein, mujhe pata hai dono ek doosre se kitna pyaar karte hain!
Asad almost stops breathing. Before Dilshad can continue he steps out and pretends as if he came from kitchen.
Are Asad! Yahaan ho tum!
Jee Ammi. Woh actually...
Asad!
Jee?
Tang aa chuki hoon main is woh actually se! Aab bas bi karo.
Bhaijaan aap thoda dekhiye na Zoya tayarr hui ki nahin?
Main?
Jee! Bhaijaan please ask her to come soon. Sare guests aa gaye.
Aa..Okay!
As Dilshad & Najma go in opposite way, Asad straightens his collar & makes way towards Zoya's room with a nervous smile. He is really glad that only HE will be the first one to see her in saree again, that too alone. But he is very nervous (and...frightened?). He clears his throat & knocks on her door:
MsFarooqui!
No answer.
Miss Farooqui! Ammi bula rahi hain!
Again no answer. Asad is frustrated now.
See MsFarooqui I don't have time for this childishness. Either you open the door or I am coming in NOW.
After waiting for a few seconds, Asad gets only silence in return. This time he is worried and barges in. He looks around the room calling her name but she is nowhere to be found. He moves to the bathroom door & knocks on it, only to be greeted by the sound of running water inside.
Zoya!
As he is about to push the door, the door bursts open and in no time they collide against each other. Asad's hands automatically snake around her bare waist and her fingers clutch onto his shoulder for support. Asad opens his eyes to be greeted by the most beautiful sight ever. Her face is barely inches away from his. She has her eyes closed of fear. With light makeup & hair left untied as usual, she looks ethereal. She is like a breath of fresh air to him. His open admiration session is disurbed when she slowly opens her eyes. But the smile is still intact on his face & as if in a daze, she smiles back. Time stops for both of them as they let themselves drown in each other's eyes.
A loud horn outside on the street brings them out of the reverie & they spring away from each othet, clearly uncomfortable.
Umm...MrKhan...
Woh actually...Ammi asked you to come!
Okay! I am coming in a while!
Make it fast! You are already late by one hour twenty two minutes!
Allah miyaan, what's wrong with you? It's not even seven yet, okay? (Asad rolls his eyes) And by the way, where is your tameez & tehzeeb? Hun? How could you enter my room without knocking? You owe me an explanation for that!
Look who's talking! MissFarooqui, you owe me an explanation for not answering when I knocked! Where were you? Asad replies back in same tone.
Me...aaa...see MrKhan...(She twists her saree in her hand as she fumbles for some excuse) I don't owe you any explanation, okay? Whether I was here or there or in bathroom or tailor's shop...it doesn't matter, okay?
She moves her eyes away from his. Asad eyes her suspiciously!
Tailor's shop?
Zoya clicks her tongue as she realises that she blurted out the truth.
Hun? Zoya looks at him innocetly.
Why did you go to Tailor's shop Miss Farooqui? Asad asks, serious.
Why would I go to tailor's shop MrKhan? Stop dreaming. Let's go. We are late by one hour twenty five minutes, remember?
Asad holds her by arms.
Zoya! Don't change the topic. You know I hate lies, especially from you.
Zoya looks at him. He maintains the eye-contact and softens his composure seeing her looking scared.
MrKhan it's no...nothing.
He tightens his grip.
Don't you trust me? His voice is hoarse & barely above a whisper.
MrKhan...I...I...of course I trust you! She is defensive.
If you trust me, then why are hiding the truth from me? Why do you always hide things from me? Why do you always lie to me Zoya?He doesn't realise when he is shouting at her.
Because YOU don't trust ME, Mr Asad Ahmed Khan! I have always trusted you over my life, but you can NEVER trust me. YOU always JUDGE me...INSULT me before everyone! YOU always believe everyone over me. I always have to present PROOFS to prove myself. I have to make you see the truth always. I always have to come back to you...just to be hurt by you again! Just to be judged again...to be insulted again!
Zoya breaks down cluthching his sherwani tightly, her nails digging into his chest. Asad is baffled and has tears in his eyes seeing tears in her eyes, seeing her in pain...only because of him! He feels ashamed of himself and raises his arms to console her.
Zoya...
Do you have any idea how much it hurts MrKhan? How much it hurts when you don't trust me? How much it hurts when you shout at me...how much...it...hur...hurts when you bring my parents into it...when you look at me with hate...when you shatter my dreams...
She looks into his eyes directly as her eys get blood-shot & her face twists in pain. She is slipping down in his arms and he holds her tight, heart-broken at her outburst! He wraps his arms around on her as she cllapses on the ground.
Zo...
...when I...lo...love...you...knowing that you des...despise me?
Asad presses his lips to her hair as if to take away all her pain and he sobs with her.
Zoya!...Please don't cry...I can't see you like this...Please! I am so..I am sorry for everything Zoya! I am sorry for all the pain I have caused you...I am sorry! And never ever think that I despise you Zoya! I don't. You are the sunshine in my life. You are the pillar of my life...You are my life Zoya!
He tightens his hold around her and plants a long kiss on her shlouder.
Don't lie to me MrKhan! You don't need to do that. I am not leaving till Phoopi gets well.
She says in a pained voice. Asad lifts her chin up and makes her look at him.
I love you...and I want to spend every moment of my life with you Zoya! Does it sound like a lie to you?
Zoya looks surprised as he gazes at her. There is happiness in some corner of her eyes but that gets clouded with confusion & pain.
She replies in a resigned pained voice.
I don't know MrKhan! One moment it seems like that's true, but next moment you only deny it. I don't know anything MrKhan! I don't know you...and your feelings! Please son't do this to me MrKhan...it hurts...to get all your dreams crashed...it hurts bad MrKha...an!
Asad wipes away her tears, shaking his head and says in a resolved voice:
I love you...main tumse muhabatt karta hoon Zoya! Please trust me! I love you more than anything...
Zoya snaps at him:
Then why do you always deny that MrKhan? Why do you always make it clear that you don't? Why do you...
Asad snaps back:
Because I am the son of Rashid Ahmed Khan & I...
Zoya eyes him scrutinsing:
Don't want to hurt me like he did? (Asad looks away. Zoya cups his face & makes him look back at her) MrKhan...why are you forgetting that you are Phoopi's son too? Doesn't her blood flow in your veins too? Is her upbringing that weak MrKhan?(Asad has no answer. Both are teary-eyed.) MrKhan, you know the only way you hurt me is...by pushing me away from you MrKhan! The only thing that hurts me is being separated from you! I can bear ANYTHING, if I have YOU by my side. I love you MrKhan!
She buries her face in his chest.
I love you too Zoya!
Then please never push me away from you...please!
I am sorry. I won't.
He plants a light kiss on her forehead and buries his face in her hair. She snuggles closer to him smiling. They break apart when they hear foot steps outside & Najma comes calling:
Zoya!!!
Asad shoots a reassuring smile at Zoya & makes way to the door.
Najma,Zoya will be coming in five minutes. Go. He says in an authorative tone.
Nama sees his serious posture & leaves. Asad closes the door and looks back smiling at her. She is smiling too.Asad shakes his head chuckling.
What? Zoya asks suspiciously.
You are such a child Miss Farooqui. Look, what mess you have made of yourself! He tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.
You are no less MrKhan! Zoya snaps back fixing his collar.
Asad raises his eyebrows and she turns her back to him & fixes her make-up.
Miss Farooqui...
Jee?
Woh...actually...aapki...woh...act...
MrKhan please! Stop this woh actually' business now. Seriously I am tired of it. She raises her palm.
Asad ponders for a moment and then steps forward and turns her back to him and ties her dori. Zoya shivers as his fingers touch her back and he smirks at her in the mirror, clearly enjoying her discomfort!
MrKhan! Why are you still here?
Because you haven't told me about that visit to tailor yet!
Zoya rolls her eyes. Can that wait till the function ends?
Okay, but you are not getting out of it. Asad warns her after a while.
Jo hukm mere akka. She bows dramatically before him.
It's Asad's turn to roll eyes now.
Can we go now drama queen?
Zoya sticks her tongue out at him. He shakes his head and extends his hand. She looks down and smiles as she puts her hand over his. Their fingers inter-wine and they look at each other.
You look beautiful!
Bapi Lahiri look suits you too!
She winks at him at he just smiles. Some things will never change. They have got to adjust to it. Love is in the air and contentment & peace is all around. The happy couple with dreams of a beautiful future makes way into the hall hand-in-hand. Their love spreads warmth & happiness in the ceremony & makes it more meaningful & valuable. Asad smiles and nods at his tearful Ammi. But his smile turns into a grimace as Pummy Aunty approaches him.
Allah Miyaan, what's wrong with you?
He mumbles under his breath looking upward for divine help which he knows won't come.
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Okay that's it! I know it's lame but I felt like writing something up & this came out! So here it is.
Do leave some likes & comments.
Merry Christmas again!
Hug & Kisses
Preeti🤗
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