AsYa SS : Dance Pe Chance(discontinued note - pg18) - Page 8

Zoya had never been so happy. She went to her home & changed into a white suit to visit dargah. It was her ritual to visit dargah whenever she was happy or sad. Reason being the teachings by her abbu. Her abbu's word were still afresh in her mind '

'Abbu why do we visit dargah everyday?' asked a 8 year old zoya, making the old man smile at her innocent answers.

'Beta, this world is gifted to us by allah. He, with atmost care has created this beautiful world & so we need to thank him for this. For he had not created this world, how would've I met you my angel?' he explained her tickling a bit, earning a giggle from her.

'It means if something bad happens in life, he is responsible for the same?' she asked again.

Her abbu smiled.

'Beta, those things happen which are least expected too. Be it good or bad, they happen for a reason. We cannot blame allah for it. Because he just tests us in various situations of life. And we visit dargah to thank god for giving us power to fight everything'

Satisfied with the answer zoya walked with her abbu inside the dargah, not knowing that her abbu's word had greater meaning than her childish mind understood.

'Ammi, today I will get late in coming back. You & najma don't wait for me, have your lunch. I will have something outside'

zoya shouted as she came out not before hearing her ammi's shout 'But beta have healthy food'

Zoya was smiling as she made her way towards dargah. She closed her eyes feeling the sense of calmness over powering her senses. It had always been like that. Whenever she visited this place, she never came back disappointed. This place had been her healer & her last memory of her abbu too.

She let go off those thoughts. No, she won't think about her past. She has to concentrate on her present so that she can make a better future. She smiled & then entered the dargah, covering her head with her white dupatta not knowing someone was looking at her affectionately, standing a distance from her.

Asad had entered his house with a happy smile on his face, his ammi would've been so proud of him. Only if she would've been with him' He opened a drawer of his room's desk & took out a photo from it. It was his & his ammi's pic. He stroked it gently, with utmost love.

'You would've been so proud of me ammi. I so wished to be in you lap right now, to share my happiness with you. Where are you ammi? Why you left me' he whispered the last words in broken voice.

'Bhaijaan, mubarakaan' ayaan said entering the room with his arms wide open. Asad immediately composed himself. He didn't wanted ayaan to worry cause of him.

They hugged each other.

'So what is the next plan? I want a treat from you & I am not hearing a no for it' ayaan stated, while asad smiled nodding his head.

'Accha, waise I have heard that a girl gave you a tough competition. Who was it?' ayaan asked him, making him remember the feisty & not to forget clumsy girl whom he had challenged. A smiled broke out on his face, he had never encountered such a piece.

'Hello bhai where are you? Anyways, lets go out for lunch. I don't think it's a good idea to leave uncle alone for the dinner' ayaan said breaking his chain of thoughts.

'Yes, let's go'

And the brother duo made their way out of the house.

Asad was driving through the roads when he caught sight of dargah. He stopped his car & told ayaan to wait for a while. His ammi had been a firm believer of this & so he decided to visit it.

He entered inside the dargah while tying a while cloth on his head. He went inside & saw only few people were present there. finding a suitable place, he sat & closed his eyes letting the calmness descend his mind.

Zoya was in dargah, having her eyes closed praying. But all of a sudden those eyes came in her mind. She opened her eyes immediately. She couldn't believe she had dreamt of his eyes, the person who had called her clumsy & had also challenged her. Something which she never backed off. She shook her head. Allah miya, what's wrong with me. She shook her head & got up.

She came out of dargah to see some crowd & shouts outside the dargah. Her curious mind made her move towards the same. But as she saw what it was all about, she stiffened. A RIOT! Something which she had always feared. Her hands became cold & she stood rooted to the place. People were running for their lives, shouting & asking for help. They didn't even left small children. Unknowingly, she had started shivering.

She saw someone looking at her & shouting 'She is a muslim. We won't leave her' and then coming towards her with something in their hand. The last she remembered was someone pulling her out of that place taking far away from that crowd before everything blacked out & she fainted!

'Zoya! Zoya' she heard her name being called again & again. Someone sprinkled water on her face, that's when she opened her eyes slowly. She looked onto the curious faces who were staring at her as if something bad happened.

'What happened? How I am here?' she asked the person before her.

'Zoya, you fainted outside the dargah. There was a riot there.' he told her & saw a flash of fear across her face.

'Don't worry, everything's alright. Take this medicine, you will feel better'

'Thanks asad.' She replied smiling genuinely.

Asad couldn't help but smile. He couldn't believe she was the same girl whom he had met in the morning & now she was here.