FAASLE: Fan fic AsYa Part 19 pg 141 Jul 29 - Page 83

ak,ab f,aubgfaybfavfnarj You just made me so happy:D Im so excited! Thank You Bheegi for finally updating!

PART 16:

Disclaimer: As Asad has come home for Eid, I have included some references to Ramadan and Eid. Please forgive me if I have made any errors as I am not a Muslim. My knowledge is based on information gathered from some of my Muslim friends. Feel free to correct me too'

Dil Ki Baat Zubaan Tak Lana Kitna Mushkil Hai

Haal e Dil Auron Ko Sunana Kitna Mushkil Hai

Ek Nayi Duniya Ki Chahat Le Aayi Hai Kitni Door

Wapas Laut Ke Ghar Ko Jana Kitna Mushkil Hai

( by Amit jain)

"Asad beta!" Ammi's voice broke his trance. He was still under a shock. Was it really Zoya? Or was he dreaming again? He shook his head, "I think I am going crazy. Of course, why would she be here? I must be hallucinating."

"OOPS! AHHH!" A woman's shriek startled him.

"I-I-am sorry. Are you okay?" He had bumped into her again. She stood outside his bedroom with an empty cardboard box in her arms.

"Aap? Aap sach much yahin hain? Aap tho US mein rehti hain na? Aur yeh box? Mere room mein kyun jaa rahin hain?"

"Allah miyan! So many questions? Pehle kis sawaal ka jawaab doon Mr. Khan?" She rolled her eyes, "you know I am not good at focusing on too many things at a time."

Exasperated, he scratched his forehead and took a deep breath, "ok. What are you doing here?"

"Filhaal apna samaan lene aayi hoon. Unless you want to share this room with me," she teased him with her dimpled smile.

"Aapka dimaag kharaab ho gaya hai kya?" He was appalled, "Apne yeh western ideas apne paas hi rakhiye. Aur please, hamare ghar ki tehzeeb aur tameez ke daayre mein rahiye ga. I hope you understand what I am saying Ms. Farooqui."

Zoya felt a bit offended. While Dilshaad and Najma had welcomed her with open arms, Asad's rude words were unasked for. She knew he would be surprised to see her but was hoping it would be a pleasant one. Perhaps he was tired from the journey or just worried about his ammi or just hungry. Better give him the benefit of the doubt. He couldn't have forgotten their time on the cruise- the dance, the rescue missions, the hand holding in the car.

"Alright Mr. Khan." She frowned, "can I please collect my belongings now?"

He let her in but did not leave. As she struggled to stuff her clothes, shoes and other knick-knacks, he felt the urge to help her out. Her clumsiness made him uneasy.

"Can I help?" He asked gently, kneeling by her side.

"Ek ladki ki personal cheezein choone mein aapki tehzeeb aur tameez mein kami na aa jaaye Mr. Khan," she gave him a caustic look.

"What rubbish!" He scowled, "you know me better than that."

"That's what I thought too Mr.Khan," She stood up and threw the box on the floor, "but aapke behavior se tho lag raha hai ki aap koi aur Mr. Khan hain. As if you don't recall anything from the cruise."

"I remember everything Ms. Farooqui!" He gnashed his teeth, "in fact, that's why I am worried. Aap jahan jaati hain museebat khadi kar deti hain. I can't risk my family just because you are a trouble magnet! There is a reason why I gave you a wrong number."

"Well Mr. Khan, then you don't really know me."

"I know enough."

"ASAD BETA! KYA HO RAHA HAI?" Ammi's voice floated up the stairs to his bedroom door startled both of them, "Oh Zoya? Tum kab aayi beta? I hope Asad introduced himself."

"Je-jee ammi," Asad looked away sheepishly, "y-yeh aapki nayi paying guest hain shayad."

"Paying guest nahin beta," Dilshaad put her arm around Zoya, "Zoya is like a family member now. Bahut pyaari bachchi hai yeh. Bilkul apne naam jaisi hai- full of life!"

Zoya had a faint smile on her face. She glanced at Asad with a smirk on her face. He just frowned and lowered his eyes.

"Ammi!" Asad gasped, "waise aap oopar kyun aayi hain? Please apne room mein rest kariye."

"Asad!" Dilshaad smacked her son's arm, "I am much better. You know jab se Zoya aayi hai, I have started feeling much better. My counts have been great too."

"Yeh- Zo-I mean Ms- I am sorry I didn't catch your name." He pretended ignorance.

"Farooqui," Zoya snapped back, "it's a difficult name. Kai logon ko yaad karne mein pareshaani hoti hai. Ho sakta hai aapko bhi ho."

He glared back at her.

"Asad, is bechari ki zara help kar do. Kitna samaan hai. Help her take it down to Najma's room."

"Bechari?" Asad mumbled under his breath, "yeah right."

Zoya smiled at him and dumped her box in his hands, "here Mr. Khan. You can take this downstairs. It's a little heavy. I am not sure if you are used to carrying such heavy stuff."

He stiffened at her comment. Both of them knew what she was referring to. He had carried her back and forth on many occasions. Relatively speaking, the box was like feather, he thought.

"This is nothing Ms. Farooqui," he snapped back, "I have carried heavier things. Some even alive and kicking. Shukr hai meri back nahin tooti abhi tak."

She was aghast at his reply. Her jaw dropped but she remained silent. Was she really that heavy, she thought?

Dilshaad raised her eyebrow, "yeh kaisi baatein kar rahe ho tum dono? Aisa lagta hai jaise pehle se ek doosre ko jaante ho."

"NOT AT ALL!"

"NAHIN! BILKUL NAHIN!"

Their simultaneous protests drowned Najma's voice as she ascended the stairway.

"Bhaijaan? Laaiye, I will help carry this stuff."

"I will take care of it," Asad walked away in a flash, grinding his teeth all the way down.

After setting the box in Najma's room, he tried to calm him his temper, "I should stay calm. Wasie bhi Ramadan ka time hai. Why should a woman bother me so much? She means nothing to me. I will be gone in a few days and she will leave once her course is over."

Once Zoya's chaos had been transferred to Najma's room, even though Asad's room was back in its serene and organized form, he could still feel her presence everywhere.

"It's not the same," Asad mumbled as he touched his desk and bed with his fingers, "it's never been the same since she came into my life."

Even though tempted to go downstairs, he stayed in his room all afternoon. He didn't want any inadvertent revelations in front of his family. Even though she had promised to keep it a secret, he still had trust issues with her. She was quite a chatterbox and was capable of spilling the beans about their encounters in the cruise.

He immersed himself in his prayers; a good way to distract himself from wayward thoughts.

EVENING: IFTAR

After their evening prayers, everyone gathered around the dining table to break their fast.

They broke their fast with dates and drank Roohafzah.

Najma and Zoya helped set the table for Iftar.

"Ammi, yeh tho bahut saari cheezein banaa di aapne? Aap tho fast bhi nahin kar rahi hain." Asad was amazed to see the spread on the table.

"Maine nahin, Zoya ne arrange kiya hai sab. All your favorite things."

"Unhein kaise pata?" Asad was mortified, "I have never mentioned that to her."

"Bhaijaan! Of course ammi ne bataya hai. Waise bhi aap Zoya ko jaante hi kahan hain?" Najma chuckled.

"Yeah. That's what I meant." He replied sheepishly. Zoya just smiled inwardly. She had promised silence but at this rate, it wouldn't take him long to spill the beans.

"Shami kebabs! Jalebi! Samosa! Pakore! Itna sab kaise khaa sakta hoon main? You know I try to eat healthy even when I am fasting."

"Don't worry. Aapke liye yeh fruit salad bhi hai." Zoya placed a bowl on the table, "sab ne bataaya tha aap Navy mein officer hain. I figured Navy guys eat healthy, haina Mr. Khan?"

"Yes, of course," he cleared his throat, "that was a good guess Ms-uh-Farooqui."

"Shukr hai aapko mera naam tho yaad hai." She teased him again.

"That's part of our training in the Navy." He replied curtly and settled down to eat. Despite his misgivings about unhealthy foods, he loaded his plate with all the savories.

Everyone else served their plates after Asad and sat down around the dining table.

Dilshaad and Najma exchanged cheeky glances. This was so typical of Asad- he did that after every Ramadan fast- load his plate as if he had been starving for days and complaint about how unhealthy everything was.

As Dilshaad admired her son's antics, Zoya had a quizzical look on her face.

Dilshaad smiled and eased her inquisitiveness, " beta, yeh Asad ki puraani aadat hai- pehle na na-phir haan haan."

Both Dilshaad and Najma chuckled. Asad was not amused.

"Really phoophi?" Zoya smiled with a glint in her eyes.

"PHOOO?" Asad coughed and gagged loudly, his eyes popped out as Zoya addressed his ammi.

"Arre bhaijan. Itni jaldi mat khaaiye. Yeh leejiye paani." Najma got up and handed him a glass of water.

"Kya hua beta?" Dilshaad was worried.

"Phoophi lagta hai Mr. Khan ko mirch lag gayi hai. Shayad samose zyaada spicy ho gaye hain."

Asad gulped down a glass of water, his face had turned a beetroot color. He gave Zoya a dirty look, "ammi, lagta hai Ms Farooqui ko cooking ka ABC bhi nahin aata hai. Tabhi itni mirch daal di hai samoso mein! Sirf kabab theek bane hain. I am sure wo tho aapne banaaye honge."

"Galat bhaijaan," Najma interjected, "samose tho bazaar ke hain. Kabab Zoya ne banaaye hain."

The three women chuckled again; a flustered Asad just wiped his hands and sat quietly.

"I am sorry phoophi. I hope Mr. Khan is not upset because of me," Zoya apologized, glancing at Asad, "he is probably not used to guests like me."

Asad looked up and then averted his gaze. He recognized that innocent pout so well; how could anyone stay upset with her for too long?

"No. That's okay Ms Farooqui. Please aap apna khaana theek se khaa leejiye. You must have fasted all day too."

"Nahin beta. Asad ki aadat hai. He takes time before he gets comfortable with people."

"I-Kno," she paused and then bit into her kabab. Asad was relieved that no one heard her faux pas.

After their meal, Zoya and Najma helped clear the table.

"Asad beta, main aur Najma zara pados mein Rafiq bhai ke yahan jaa rahe hain. Unhone bhi aaj Iftar ke liye bulaaya tha. Tum bhi chaloge?"

"Nahin ammi. I am tired."

"Zoya tum?"

"No phoophi. I will stay back and finish the dishes. Aap jaaiye. Waise bhi dadi jaan ka phone aane waala hoga."

"Theek hai. Hum abhi kuch der mein aate hain." Dilshaad and Najma departed.

IN THE CAR:

"Ammi, kya aap bhi wo hi soch rahi hain jo main soch rahi hoon?" Najma glanced at her mother with the corner of her eyes as she steered the car through the narrow street.

"Tum kya soch rahi ho?"

"Yahi ki Zoya aur bhaijaan? You know what I mean?"

"Samajhdaar hoti jaa rahi hai meri beti," Dilshaad smiled, "I will be the happiest person in the world if that happens. Phir main chain se mar sakoongi."

"AMMI!" Najma slammed the breaks, "aisi bad dua tho aapke dushman ko bhi na doon ammi. Bhaijaan ka nikaah aur phir pote poti bhi tho khilaane hain aapko."

"Achcha baba," Dilshaad chuckled, "main tho mazaak kar rahi thi. Agar aisa sach much ho gaya, tho Allah ki bahut meherbaani hogi hum par. Zoya bahut pyaari ladki hai. Asad ke liye aisi hi ladki chaahiye mujhey- chulbuli si, innocent si, aur independent bhi."

BACK AT THE HOUSE:

A part of him was glad she had stayed back but a part felt unsettled. While his heart somersaulted at the thought of spending some time with her, he restrained himself from showing any emotions on the outside. From a distance, he watched her rinse the dishes in the sink. He tried to walk away to his room but paused at the stairway. He turned around and walked back to the kitchen.

"Can I help?" He asked softly.

Zoya was startled, "Mr Khan! Aapne tho daraa hi diya mujhey!"

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. Wo bas, aap akeli-I mean- I can help."

"Really Mr. Khan?" She stepped aside and handed him a dirty pan, "all yours."

"Matlab? He was aghast, "I meant I can help. Aap tho mujhey hi saara kaam pakda rahi hain."

"I thought you wanted to help."

"Alright!" He turned the faucet on and started scrubbing the pan.

"Would you like a cup of tea Mr. Khan?"

"Agar aap itni meherbaan hona hi chaahti hain, tho I wouldn't mind a cup of coffee- black, no sugar."

"Bilkul aapke jaisi? Cheeni kum types?" Zoya chuckled.

He turned back and glanced at her, a faint smile on his lips, "at least aapke jaisi teekhi tho nahin hogi na."

"Oh really? Tho main teekhi hoon?"

"Teekhi AND A BIG FAT LIAR!"

"Aur aap? Aap tho bahut sach bolte hain, hai na?" She smiled behind his back.

"You know it's Ramadan. We don't lie. I don't know aapko US mein kya sikha te hain."

"Lies are lies Mr. Khan. Whether it's India or the US."

"Tho sach kya hai?" He washed the last dish and folded his sleeves to dry his hands.

She poured the coffee into two cups and turned around.

"Aapki black, sugarless coffee," she handed him a cup.

Without blinking his eyes, he kept his gaze on her and accepted the cup, "tho sach kya hai Ms Farooqui? Aap yahan kyun aayi hain?"

She lowered her gaze as his intense eyes pierced through her heart, "aap sach jaanna chaahte hain? You want to know the truth?"

"Absolute truth."

"Aapke liye." She replied softly, "sirf aapke liye Mr. Khan."

He was stunned but not surprised by her candid reply. Even though he knew the truth, he was not prepared to hear the truth.

"A-a-ap?" He fumbled for words and averted his gaze, "aapko aisa nahin karna chaahiye tha Ms Fqrooqui. That is very irresponsible of you."

"I couldn't help it Mr. Khan."

Asad kept his cup down and turned around to leave.

"Aur aapka sach Mr. Khan?" Zoya asked.

"Mera sach?"

"Kya aap mujhey dekh kar khush nahin hain?"

"Excuse me Ms Farooqui," he glanced at his watch, "I was planning to go to the mosque for the Tarawih. I will see you in the morning. Allah hafiz." He walked towards the door.

"Lekin aapne mere sawaal ka jawaab nahin diya Mr. Khan?" She yelled from behind but he was long gone.

"Sachche dil se jhooth hi bol dete Mr. Khan, tho kya jaata?"

'to be contd'.

That was super-amazing. Asad thought he was hallucinating till they bumped again🤣 Their whole bickering was super-cute<3 Absolutely loved it! Asad got way too many surprises!😆 Oh SO Najma and Dilshaad already sensed whats going on between them and awwwhh Dilshaad already wants ZOya to be her DIL! Superb but once the truth comes out I'm sure she'll be mad . After all, she hates lies and liars! Asad will be in trouble too!😆 ZOya actually gave him dishes to wash🤣 That's SO ZOYA! 😆 & She told him she's here for him<3 I love how you keep their characters intact. & How typical of Asad to run away-_- but I'm sure she'll make him blurt out his feelings. Loved the update hopefully next one will be up soon:D

MA... Kya update tha... 👏

This was WOW 👏

Yeh asad bhi na...he shud learn sumthin frm zoya

I like your Asad so much more! He's charming, adorable and his usual akdu self. Loved the bickering between asya. Can't wait for the next update

Aww!!! Zoya is so cute... She actually told Asad that she came for him... That's so nice... Asad in denial in this FF too... kuch nahi ho sakta Mr. Khan...😉... I loved this part Sangeeta... especially because it had Asad Zoya and their usual bickering.. missing that in the show... Thanks for writing it, at least I can read it and be happy...

Thank you so much for updating this! 😊