Chapter 6
"Asad!.. Zoya... Zoya is not opening the door! She has locked herself inside her room and..and.. she is not responding to my calls at all! Please do something!", Dilshad cried out to Asad in a shaky voice.
"Ammi, relax! I'll go and see. I'm sure it must be just another stupid prank of hers",Asad replied.
"Stop it Asad! I'm sure she must not be feeling well. Why do you always judge her without a second thought?
***
"Miss Farooqui? Open the door please. Are you okay?"
No answer.
"Hey Miss Farooqui, you there?"
Still no answer.
Dilshad: "Asad, break open the door! quick!"
and Asad did so in the twinkling of an eye.
They were surprised to find a visibly ill and weak Zoya lying on the floor, crying with pain.
Asad and Dilshad got to their knees beside Zoya and tried to make her come to her senses but in vain.
"Miss Farooqui! What happened to you? Open your eyes!" a worried Asad said, shaking Zoya's shoulders.
Eyes half opened, Zoya managed to say: "My... head... it's...hurting. and..my belly..it..fee..feels..weird..umm...Mr...khan...I'm reall...really sor...sorry...for...what I...did...pl...please...forg...forgi,,,forgive me if ..possi...possible..."
Not paying attention to her few last words, Asad called the doctor without even replying her.
***
After examining Zoya, the doctor told Asad: " Mr.Khan, it looks like she hasn't eaten anything since long. She fainted due to lack of nutrients in her body. I've prescribed some vitamin pills for her. You need to get them as sooner as you can. And yes, take good care of her food. She needs to eat healthy food until she recovers from her malnutrition. If you need me, just give me a call. I'll take your leave now. Khuda Hafiz."
"Umm.. doc..", Asad stammered.
"Yes Doctor! I'll do exactly what you have instructed. It's about my Zoya after all. Give me the prescription paper please. I'll go and get the meds." Dilshad interrupted their conversation.
The Doctor handed over the paper to her and smiled: "There's no doubt about that.You truly are the most caring mother I've ever seen. Khuda Hafiz Mrs. A.Khan!", and he left afterwards.
"Ammi..", Asad was saying as he watched Dilshad disappear from his sight.
His Ammi was angry with him.. because of Zoya.! He had to find a way to cool down her anger... but..how?
After much thinking, Asad finally decided to check on Zoya, if she was feeling better.
***
Knocking, Asad asked, "May I come in?"
A feeble voice replied, "You may.."
"How are you doing, Miss Farooqui?", a hesitant and guilty Asad asked.
"I'm good", Zoya firmly replied.
"Did you take your meds?" [ Oh what a stupid question! Ammi has just left to buy them..let's hear the blabbering of Miss Farooqui now! ] Asad thought.
"How does it even matter to you, Mr Asad Ahmed Khan?"
Is she the girl who was so sick some hours ago that she couldn't even talk properly. And now look at her! Back to the chirpy and bubbly Zoya mood! Asad thought.
"It does..matter." Asad finally replied.
Zoya's heart skipped a beat when she heard those words from Asad's mouth. Was she dreaming?_ No, she wasn't. Asad did really say those words. She did matter to him after all!
"I mean.. you're a guest. You should be taken good care of. We have a tremendous responsibility as long as you stay here as a guest!, Asad continued.
Zoya's hopes turned out to be too high. She was a guest after all!
What did I expect him to say!? Why did I feel that he disappointed me when he told me that I was only a guest in his house! Why!? Why does it matter so much to me? Allah Miyan! What's wrong with me! Okay! Just calm yourself down Zoya! Extinguish the fire burning within you!, Zoya thought and decided, confused.
But then the flashbacks of her romantic fall in Asad's room made her start to blush.
Love? Am I falling in love with Mr.. ..Khan!? _ No! No! Stop it Zoya! Shh.. Stop thinking about him. Focus. Focus. Just forget him! He's only being kind! Only treating you as a guest! Nothing more! NOTHING more!"
"Hey Miss Farooqui. You here?" Asad said, waving a hand in front of her eyes which were staring blankly at the floor.
Zoya quickly gave a "Yes" answer.
"Hey, why are you cheeks so red?", Asad asked,surprised.
Touching her cheeks and looking in the mirror, Zoya realised what happened to her cheeks.
"I..I..don't know.. it..must...be...umm.. the..Blusher which ..I ..umm..use..", a shy Zoya replied.
"Since when did you start putting on so much of make up at home?
Anyway, I don't even know why I'm asking you this. It's your personal life.
I'm leaving now. Take care." Asad said while leaving.
Too ashamed to even reply him, Zoya kept staring at the ground murmuring :" Ah! Why did he make me feel so shy!? Uff! What a relief! He is gone!"
Edited by twinkle_heart - 12 years ago
Anupamaa
124