Zoya had heard Asad laughing and then something breaking, she never saw him smiling openly, laughing was a long shot, so maybe it was something else. But now everything was quiet, she was anxious and worried what Mr. Khan was up to. She went to his room, broken mirror was all around the room, and Mr. Khan was lying on his bed with his hand over his eyes, and other hand soaked with blood. He lay there quiet and still as if lifeless, she couldn't even make out whether he was alive or not, because he was barely breathing. She reached towards him with first aid kit and sat on the bed beside him and held his hand on her lap and started to dress up the wound.
Are you ok, Mr.Khan?" zoya asked after several minutes. "No" he replied still lying with his hand over his eyes. "kya hua Mr.Khan? zoya was more inquisitive, actually more worried because mighty jhapanah was never this calm and he never answered so easily. "I am scared of the darkness in which I live, I am scared of hurting the people I love", he admitted the biggest fear of his life to Zoya. He was vulnerable tonight and only God knew if Asad could ever open up like this to anybody else again. But Zoya's caring touch and worried voice made him admit and come clean with her.
"I was 9 years old when my abu was caught cheating on my mother, my ammi was hurt terribly but she didn't say a word to me, but I always saw pain and unshed tears in her eyes. She forgave her husband for my sake; she gave him a second chance. But he ruthlessly crushed her heart and walked out on us, only for money. Unhone meri ammi ko dhokha dia!! He left us helpless. We barely had anything eat, ammi was so aggrieved that she couldn't look after us, and I looked after my baby sister. Suddenly I was the man of the house at the tender age of 11. When every kid of our neighborhood was playing and was living life carefree, I was worried about food and my family. After many months ammi recovered from depression and started a job to provide for us, but until then it was too late for me to be that young kid anymore. I helped my ammi in all ways possible. I had to be strong, seal my heart to all emotions which made me weak, I couldn't let my family suffer because of me. I was happy because my family was happy." Asad couldn't stop himself from telling zoya how his life had been.
"You are scared that you would hurt and cheat like your abbu," zoya questioned directly. He found himself admitting it, "yes". "Well then Mr.Khan you are same as your abbu, a cheat and a scoundrel", zoya said mercilessly. He looked at her in disbelief and sat up staring her. I heard you, now listen what I got to say, zoya held up her hand, "He cheated on your mother, but you are cheating with YOURSELF and your family. You have your mother and a lovely sister, they love you like hell, but still instead of relishing their love, you sealed your heart in anguish and hatred for your good for nothing father. Does he really even deserve your hate? Instead of loving your life and living it to fullest you are cribbing about long lost past. Life is fair to nobody, but still your family moved on, phoopi the biggest victim, she is also living happily for the sake of her children. You all are better off without that cheat than with him". He could not believe that zoya was accusing him of being the same man his father was; but he had no words for his defense, he was not angry anymore, maybe it was really his fault that he never came out of his shell, his fault that Zoya hated him, he could never be his mother's son if he didn't change.
"Appreciate life Mr.Khan, even if it gave you the biggest heartache because after the great fall you eventually formed stronger than ever." "People love you as you are, you should open up and love back" she added after a pause.
"I am not my father's son anymore. Mey sirf apni ammi ka beta hoo, aur meri ammi ne sikhyaya hai k andhera jitna gehra hota hai, subha utni hi qareeb hoti hai. But''''., he stopped mid sentence and walked to the window and stood looking out into the darkness. "laikin kya Mr.Khan?" asked zoya when he didn't continue for minutes. "I have always lived in shadows, but one day somebody came with such dazzling light that it blinded the guards of my heart. With each passing day, the shield melted inch by inch and it finally admitted defeat and gave way to love. She made a special place for herself in my life that I had never dreamed of giving to anyone. She is the light of my life. I love someone Zoya."
Asad was IN LOVE !!!!, "in love with someone else" her mind kicked her heart. It felt like someone had punched her right through the heart. It hurt so much. Tears rolled down, life had now even snatched her Asad from her. She hated him but she loved him too, how could he love someone else. Her love was one sided, maybe Mr.Khan had finally found the girl who was the epitome of tameez and tehzeeb, as he once described to phoophi. She was such a jhalli that she, Zoya Farooqi loved this tyrant, she never had a place for him, he just came and conquered her heart as if was his right. She was glad that he had his back to her and couldn't see her tears and shocked expressions and erratic breathing. She had made a fool of herself but now she couldn't bear her heart to be insulted in front of him, she thought and wiped her tears. Love, rejection, heart break, Asad all were playing hide n seek in her mind.
Asad continued after a pause in his husky low voice, "I hated her, but I was so wrong. She was different from others but she had that spark, which nobody can resist. She is mad, beauty with brains too. She captured my heart fully as if it was her right". "Oh really, chudail hai woh mr.khan, jo aise phansa lia uss ne app ko" zoya screamed mentally.
"But she doesn't love me zoya", said Asad, "she hates me for who I am, a tyrant a despicable man. I made her cry, I hurt her beyond repair. She wants to leave me forever". "what?? Allah Miyah was this girl crazy, how could she hate Asad, yeah he was bit traditional but only that can't be the only reason", a mental rally of tennis was going in zoya's head, "woh inhe pyaar nai karti aur ye jahpanah direct romeo ban gaye hain". "Allah miyah kash ye itni intensity se mujh se muhabbat kar sakte, how unlucky I am, I have lost everything in life, now Asad was also lost". She was sad and miserable, she wanted to run away and never come back to see Asad with anyone else.
She hadn't spoken a word Asad realized and turned to see her gloomy and distressed face. He came towards the bed and kneeled on the floor in front of her. Zoya couldn't understand what Asad was upto, he looked serious and zoya couldn't look him in the eye or else she would lose the remaining shreds of her pride and dignity. "Would you care to know her name" asad asked her. Zoya couldn't speak; fresh tears stung her eyes and she just shook her head in disapproval. Asad took her hands in his, and took a deep breath and said "her name is Zoya Farooqi, I LOVE YOU ZOYA." She shook her head in disbelief, "Noo' this can't be right" she met his gaze and he saw her eyes brimming with tears which fell as she said, "you'.. You' can't be serious about me Mr.Khan". "zoya look at me", he held her chin up, "do you think I am kidding, look at me I LOVE YOU as you are", Asad said softly but clearly. She freed her hands from his grasp, without breaking eye contact.
"She still hates '''..was running in Asad mind, when zoya slapped him square on his cheek, and it hurt like hell. His hand reached up to his face when zoya pushed him back and he landed on his back on the rugged floor, and she came on top of him landing her fists on his chest, punching him. "I hate you Asad, I really hate you!!!! It hurt a million million time more when you said you loved somebody else, you are worse than I ever imagined. She buried her face in his chest and cried, and didn't let Asad stop her. She had him pinned down. She fell asleep crying on him, she woke up an hour later cuddled up in the crook of his arm and head on his chest.
She had fell asleep crying, but she was with him contented Asad. He had his most prized possession in his arms tonight; he could never get luckier than this. He just lay there on the floor with her on his arm and smelled her fragrant hair and caressed her back to make her feel comfortable. He could feel her head moving and her eyes on his face, but then she again lay her head on his heart and said "Asad" his heart beat started to race she could feel it, his name from her lips could have this affect, it was unbelievable for her, "you are really mean, you gave me a heart attack when you said you loved someone. Because "I LOVE YOU Asad and you are MINE ". He made no movement only his heart was beating and his eyes closed in thanking God that he sent Zoya for him, and she loved him. She was the best thing that could ever happen to him.
They lay their constructing the images of their future, anger and past all washed away and slept in each other's arms and dreamed "For in dreams, we enter a world that's entirely our own. Let them swim in the deepest ocean or glide over the highest cloud".
The END
so this SS ends over here. please do leave a feedback as it really means much to me.
thank you for reading
Arjun
Cricket
