Okay, enough of my bak-bak. This is the 3rd and final installment of my OS turned SS, and I wanted to post it last Saturday. As fate has it, even though I had it ready, I had to wait for a whole damn week :/
So this update's dedicated to
anniiee - I love you my BHB ! Sorry for not being able to read your recent mast (I know they're mast š) works...I'll do it ASAP. As for now, ROCK your exam tomorrow my baby !!
-ElmoFuj- - Fujji, my dumb bum, who I SERIOUSLY wanted to kill but I failed MISERABLY because I love her TOO much ā¤ļø This one's to welcome you my sistah ! š¤
supriya.ipkknd & asyaforlife - Suppi my phoopi and Diyu, my tamatar, my recent-most besties whom I simply LOVE ā¤ļø We've bonded SO well over such a short while ! You guys are AWESOME. So sorry for disappearing on you ! Missed you LOADS !! š¤
And last but not the least, CutielovesChocs - I just found out that I'm mentioned in one of her OSs and I am probably going to be the last person to read it. Sorry dear, had been off IF for a week !
Okay, that's seriously all..š¤£

Zoya was trying very hard not to put her hand on her thumping heart. Or close her eyes. Because whenever she did, she could feel him close, breathe his musky scent. She was holding on to her bag with both her hands as if her life depended on it, trying to get those images out of her head...and heart. Not once did she dare look at him. She was staring straight ahead, at nothing in particular. So, silence prevailed in the car all the way till Najma's college.
Because she was not talking, she had time to think. And that made her realise that her Jahapana had been acting WAY out of line since morning. That could mean only one thing. He had heard her. How much ? She didn't know. But enough to understand, she figured. And that made her go so red, it would put a tomato (the REAL one :P) to shame. She looked at him side-ways to make sure he wasn't looking at her when she was at her blushing best.
Instead, she noticed that they had already reached Najma's college and he was hugging Najma and wishing her luck. She gave a thumbs up to Najma, not trusting herself to form a coherent sentence. As Najma left, her Jahapana had almost turned to sit in tge car when he noticed something and stopped. He then turned around again, looking back at a girl meekly standing 10 feet away from him. She was looking down, but she stole occasional glances at Asad too.
She looked at her Jahapana to see his reaction. At first, his face was strict, but soon it transformed into a smile and he raised his arms. MA ! Ye to sarasar na insaafi hai ! Mere saamne Akdoo Sher Khan aur iske saamne Romantic Shahrukh Khan ?! She saw the girl's face break into a dazzling smile as she ran right into his arms. Zoya did not know why it felt like her heart had shattered like a glass mirror when Asad kissed that girl on the forehead.
oOo
After he bid Najma good-bye, just as he was about to turn he caught a glimpse of Nikhat. His little sister was standing less than 10 feet away, yearning to meet her elder brother, yet hesitant. If there was one thing he had learned from the Mangalpur fiasco, it was that you can't trust life.So you should fulfill all your wishes as soon as possible. He smiled at Nikhat and raised his arms for her. To hell with the world. She was his sister. Period.
He kissed her forehead and wished her luck. Her happiness was clearly visible in her eyes. And so was his. He returned to the car with moist eyes. Once he started driving, he heard Zoya say, "Bohot pyaar karte hain na aap unse ?" He could hear both wonder and hurt in her voice. This was not the time to tease, not if it hurt her.
"Haan. Bohot zyada. Haq hai mera. Aakhir behen hai vo meri !" He said and glanced sideways at her. The look of relief on her face made him stifle a chuckle. But the whole incident made him totally certain of one thing - she did reciprocate his feelings. Somehow, that accelerated his heart-rate.
Once they reached the Masjid, he turned to go toward the khandar and realised that the place was very uninhabited and uncanny. People had stopped visiting this place for years. It was deserted. God knows who all came here for what deeds ! How could he leave Zoya all alone here ?
oOo
Zoya looked outside. This was it. THE place. The place that had to give her answers. Answers to all her questions. Not taking her eyes off the place, she removed her seat-belt and got out of the car. "Thank you, Mr.Khan" she said and proceeded toward the place in anticipation and awe.
The place was spooky. Large and dark. Once she went inside, she felt like she was not alone. As she roamed around, she heard voices. Sounds of laughter and clinkering bottles. She went in direction of the noise, hoping she'd find someone who could help her. But as soon as Zoya turned into the corridor, she realised what a fool she'd been. They were goons. Drinking and gambling on cards.
She tried to leave silently, but her foot touched an empty bottle on the ground and the goons noticed her. Ya Allah ! She gave a weak smile, then turned and ran with all her might. Just as fear was about to build up, she crashed against a very familiar hard wall..or Six-Packs, as she called it. She looked up at him and smiled. To her utter shock, he smiled back..before hiding her behind him and punching a goon right in his face.
He was fighting with two of the goons, and had nearly put them down when he suddenly pounced on her, put his arms around her and swung her around. His head flew back as a gasp escaped his mouth. It was then that Zoya realised that the third goon was going to attack her from behind with a broken bottle, but he had taken that upon himself. As he turned to fight with the third goon, she saw a neat cut at his back where his white shirt which was now red, completely drenched in blood. She stood numb with horror. He had kept his promise. Not a soul could so much as touch her. But she wished he hadn't. She would've gladly taken the blow rather than seeing this sight.
After the fight, he asked her if she was alright. He wanted to know if she was alright. Ever heard of irony ? Not having the courage to say anything else, she simply nodded and looked at his wound teary-eyed. "I'm fine." He said. And for once, it was Zoya's murderous look that made Asad shut the hell up. And once again, they drove home in silence.
oOo
When they reached the khandar, one look at the place made Asad sure it was not a good idea to let Zoya go in there alone. It was a place deserted for years. A place perfect for the wrong people to hide and deal. So he had made a quick call to his office to cancel all his meetings for the day before following her inside. Yet, he had still been a tad bit too late. But he was happy that Zoya was safe. That was all that mattered.
He was pondering over the events of the day having completely forgotten about his wound when Zoya barged into the room with a first aid box and moist eyes. He felt warmth spread through his chest seeing the genuine concern in her eyes.
Without any explanation or delay, she came to him and gestured toward his shirt. He raised a brow.
"Mr. Khan, main aapko already bohot baar bina kameez ke dekh chuki hoon !"
"Par lagta hai abhi bhi man nahi bhara aapka!" He said as he opened the buttons.
Zoya's eyes widened in astonishment and embarrassment, while her mouth formed a big O.
Asad grinned cheekily, making her smile despite herself. She asked him to lie down on the bed. He complied. She dubbed the cotton with an antiseptic and softly cleaned his wound. Hardly seconds later, Asad felt her tears on his back.
In an instant, he turned, put an arm around her waist, and laid her down on the bed beneath him. Before she could realise or react to what he had done, he said,
"Kyu ro rahi ho ?"
And she went into defensive mode completely forgetting the position that they were in.
"Main ro nahi rahi ! Kuch chala gaya tha aakhon mein"
"Achha ?"
She looked down as more tears escaped her eyes. As much as he knew that those were tears were because she felt his pain, and even though it did make his heart feel a comforting warmth, they were her tears which he could not bear. At any cost. Even if they were for him. She had had her share of tears, no more. So, making her look into his eyes, he spoke up.
"Lagta tha ye hume ke ishq waqt zaaya karne ka tareeqa hai
Khushnaseeb hai hum, jo iskq se haseen humaari duniya hai
Aaj hai ye mehroom hua, ki naazuk ye dor nahi
Aaj hai ye maloom hua, mitwa, ishq pe zor nahi
Aapko chahne ki dil kar baitha hai gustakhi
Beinteha mohabbat karta hai, kuch nahi ab baaqi
Bina kiye intezaar, kar diya hai humne izhaar
Ab aap bataiye, kya aapko Qubool Hai humse aitbaar ?"
There. He had confessed. Hoping it would replace her tears with a smile. Forever.
oOo
And once again, Zoya froze.
Listening to his confession in such a beautiful way, Zoya got fresh tears in her eyes along with goosebumps all over her body.
"Aur maine socha tha ke iske baad aap rona bandh kar dengi..I think I understand, though. Par aapko rone ki zarurat nahi hai Miz Farooqi, it's okay. Practice karte rahiye, kisi din aap bhi meri tarah ACHHI shayri bolna seekh jayengi !" he said, grinning.
Zoya smiled and threw her arms around her Jahapana, hugging him tightly, trying to let him know how much she loved him. Softly, she whispered in his ear, "Qubool Hai !"

Me š³šš
124