Posted:
Thank you guys for enjoying the story, and I'm glad I could continue :)
Part 4:
"Zoya, how could you have not mentioned this before?"
"Mr. Khan, this wedding had started off as a sham. I didn't think it was important for you to know. Besides, it is very private"
She was unsure whether she should call him Mr. Khan or Asad, after all things like this have quite an influence on the perception of the other person.
Zoya's POV:
What if he doesn't want this wedding anymore? His body is so perfect, while mine is not even close – let alone the fitness aspect of it. Although a relationship between a husband and wife shouldn't be this shallow… but the physical aspect of love is important as well. I will try my best to understand and let him go if he can't accept these scars. He has the right to know, but he also the right to leave. Ya Allah, mujhe aapni kismat ko qubool karne ki himmat dena.
She felt utterly exposed and naked, nevertheless she was strong. Hoping for the best but expecting the worst.
"Zoya, even though the wedding was a sham… your feelings weren't right?" he had that soft tone, and Zoya understood that he was hurt. He wanted to be part of her pain, but she hadn't allowed it.
"They were real, but I never knew how you felt Mr.Khan… I couldn't impose my feelings on you. Besides, since you had claimed this to be a fake wedding, I didn't even want to acknowledge how I felt for you."
He gave her a hug, taking her off guard. He lifted her arms and kissed the burn marks. Zoya found that to be extremely sweet… but gross and then, she stepped back. Asad wasn't expecting this reaction.
"Zoya, to me these scars are part of you. How can I not like something that is yours? …Actually there are some habits which I find quite irritating, but that's what makes you. And I don't know how I've come to fall in love with them too. These scars are anything but flaws…"
Asad's POV:
How could she have thought that I would leave her for this? If this is how insecure she feels about it, I'll have to do something to undo those feelings. It hurts me so much to even think of how she got those scars. Now I understand her phobia towards fire. I'm glad those candles on the table are fake – those electric like.
"Allah Miyaan, what's wrong with you Mr. Khan? Pehle toh aap emotionally challenged the… ab toh aap ko jaise emotional diarrhoea ho gaya hai." Zoya chuckled trying to lift the mood. She didn't want her first date to be sad. She was right the relationship they shared isn't that shallow. After what Asad said, she knew he would not leave her for her scars – and that on its own was a self-esteem booster.
Asad looked at his to-be bride in awe, awe of how she was able to uplift the mood in any situation. He was happy that she now considered him to be close enough to have shared this secret with him. Except now, he didn't have any come back to what she said... Emotional diarrhoea, really?
*Asad rolled his eyes* "Aap phir se shuru ho gayi?" He feigned anger.
"Huh? Kya?" Allah Miyaan, phir se akdu na ho jaye!
"I told you we should use first names, right" Finally, he didn't need a comeback at that emotional diarrhoea comment. And he successfully avoided that argument – besides how would he win, he was too busy admiring her.
"Woh, thoda time lage ga Mr. Khan… practice karna parega!" this time she said it to annoy him. But now, she was definitely sure that she would call him Asad – their relationship had actually moved forward.
"Aur aap practice kab se shuru karengi?"
"Dinner ke baad, pakka Mr. Khan" she had the mischievous smile on her face as she turned away from him and looked at the table – where their dinner had been waiting for them!
Asad noticed a difference in her table manners… what's going on? She always blabbers with food in her mouth, she's noisy and messy… but today, it was none. She was civilized for once.
"Zoya, aap theek to hain na?"
"Haan, kyun?"
"Aap, mu mein khana dhal ke baath nahi kar rahi hain… aur to aur aap messy bhi nahi hain"
"Mr.Khan, main aisa karti hoon? Aap ko lagta mujh mein table manners nahi hain?"
"Mujhe pata hai aap mein nahi hain" He just loved teasing her now.
"Allah Miyaan, what's wrong with you Mr. Khan! Pehle toh aap date pe leke aathe ho aur phir aap aise kethe ho… aap kitne mean ho" Zoya pouted. They were nearly done with their dinner
"Sach mein Zoya" They were done with their dinner…
"Haan sach mein" she said pouting and walking away. He got up, and held her hand… she hadn't worn the detachable sleeves after that; there was no need for it. She turned to look at him, but he was busy looking at the music remote on the other hand. Once he put it on, he looked at Zoya. She was admiring him. He always admired her from afar, but never seen her admiring him. She was always busy doing something or the other. Finally, he could see that she too felt the same.
He pulled her close and they slowly half-dancing, half-walking went towards the dance floor.
It was just 8pm, much was yet to happen.
Hope you liked it :)
