***
"WHAT IN THE WORLD IS YOUR PROBLEM, MISS FAROOQI?? Why are you always poking your nose in things that don't concern you? Do have ANY idea how important it was for me to testify against my Abbu? He did wrong and he deserved to be punished! But YOU had to think of this stupid plan to keep me away!" Asad's vice-like grip on Zoya's upper arms tightened and she flinched in pain as tears streamed down her cheeks.
She had never seen him this angry before. Anger rolled off his body in waves and his eyes seemed to be spitting fire at her.
"Did my Ammi ask you to do this?" He spat furiously. On getting no reply from her, his anger heightened if that was even possible. "I ASKED YOU A DAMN QUESTION! ANSWER ME!" He bellowed, shaking her so hard that her teeth rattled. She finally shook her head in negative.
"Please let go, Mr. Khan. You're hurting me." She whispered and breathed a sigh of relief when she felt his grip slacken but the anger in his eyes refused to go away.
"Miss Farooqi," His voice was so low and hoarse that it sounded almost menacing, "YOU'RE THE WORST THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED TO ME! I CURSE THE DAY I FIRST MET YOU! YOU HAVE BEEN NOTHING TO ME BUT TROUBLE!!" He released her suddenly, causing her to stumble as he whipped around, grabbed his car keys and stomped out of the room, banging the door behind him. She knew he had gone out on one of his reckless driving sessions to calm down his anger, not caring that it was 1 o'clock in the morning. She tried to ignore the worry clawing at the insides of her stomach.
***
Zoya felt her legs gave way and she fell upon her knees heavily, too shocked and grieved to register the pain that shot through her knees on contact with the marble floor.
Finally after a few minutes of shocked silence, tears started cascading down her cheeks and once started, they refused to stop. She clutched the newspaper close to her bosom as she started crying her heart out.
***
Asad knew he had to apologize to her. He had crossed all limits this time. He hoped fervently that she would accept his apology though he wasn't sure himself if he deserved it.
He entered his house late next morning and went start to her room. The sight that greeted him made his stomach churn. Zoya looked so worn out and so lifeless! Her eyes were red and puffy as if she had been crying for hours on end. She moved around the room with silent tears still streaming down her face, collecting her things and throwing them in her open suitcase. His heart clenched painfully at the sight.
"Miss Farooqi?" He called out tentatively but she ignored him completely.
"Umm... I'm really sorry for all the things I said last night. I swear I didn't mean any of it." His voice was dripping with regret. Again, she appeared as if she didn't even hear him. Though it hurt him, he knew her anger was totally justified.
Completing her packing, she zipped up her suitcase and began examining her passport.
"Please, Zoya! Listen to me. Please don't go! I said I'm sorry and I'll even make it up to you. Anything you want! Anything! But please don't leave. Not like this." He gulped to swallow the painful lump in his throat but in vain.
Ignoring him as if he didn't even exist, Zoya quietly grabbed her suitcase and made her way out of the room with more tears spilling down her cheeks. How can she act as if he wasn't even there?
"Zoya! Please Zoya!" He ran after her as she made her way to the front door and stepped out. He saw her take one last look at his house while exiting the gate. Her eyes were so full of anguish that it took his breath away. And then he heard her mumbling something while looking at a newspaper cutting, "I didn't even realize I had fallen for you. And now it's too late. Wish you had given me one chance to tell you how much you meant to me!" Breaking into a fresh round of sobs, she blindly began crossing the road to the awaiting taxi on the other side.
"ZOYAAA! NOOO!!" He screamed as he saw a trailer coming her way but even then, he knew it was too late. He stood rooted at the spot and scrunched up his eyes painfully hard to avoid looking at the heart-wrenching scene as his legs gave way and he landed on the ground heavily, clutching his head. There was no way on Earth she could've survived that crash. He just lost her forever in front of his eyes!
He felt himself crying but no tears escaped his eyes. By now, a crowd had gathered at the site of the accident, some screaming for an ambulance while others just shook their heads looking sorry and dazed. He wanted to go there and check for himself but his legs refused to support him. He couldn't stand. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't make sense of what had just happened. He was far too shocked.
"Asad?" He heard a familiar sweet voice reach his ears and he raised his grief-stricken face to find Zoya walking towards him, an angelic smile on her face and a heavenly glow surrounding her that made her look almost ethereal. There wasn't even a single scratch on her body but a mysterious smile played on her lips.
Asad scrambled to his feet, not caring that this didn't make any sense and rushed towards her, gathering her in his arms and hugging her tightly, not noticing the newspaper cutting that lay at his feet with his picture and a huge headline reading,
"FAMOUS INDUSTRIALIST, ASAD AHMED KHAN PASSES AWAY IN A ROAD ACCIDENT LAST NIGHT."
***
THE END
Inspired by the song, Someday by Nickleback 😃
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