AsYa OS: The Last Touch

It was her. His Zoya. She was walking lifelessly, aimlessly from one end of the Dargah to the other. Could this be the same girl that came twirling into his life like a tornado just six months ago? Her eyes had bags under them, and had lost their spark. She'd lost that spice of life. Her ability to smile seemed to have faded away. She took robotic steps, one after the other, her gaze fixed on the ground.

He was so lost in her, that he almost missed her disappearing around the corner. He ran. He ran because his life depended on it. He couldn't lose her again. He knew she'd never accept him. He didn't deserve her. But how could he live with himself knowing that he'd broken her? How could he just let her walk away, without at least trying to bring back the Zoya that he once knew?

He followed her as fast as his feet would take them. He caught up to her, and they both found themselves in a garden. The center was lined with small fountains, spewing water endlessly. His vision focused on the water, and slowly it turned to her. She stood still, her hands folded, as she faced the holy place and prayed. Her head covered with her dupatta. Despite her tired and broken demeanor she looked beautiful to him.

She slowly turned around, looking down, and removed the dupatta. As her gaze shifted upwards, she froze. Will she talk to me? Will she at least listen to me? Who is this lifeless girl. I want my chirpy Zoya back, Allah. Please, bring her back.

He slowly made his way closer to her, and watched as she looked down, her eyes darting from side to side, her lips twitching, as if she was afraid.

"Zoya..."

Her eyes shot up, as she looked him in the eye, for the first time in over a month. She noticed his eyes we're bloodshot. He had bags under them, just as she did. And they we're still moist, as another tear made it's way down his chiseled cheek.

She allowed him to come closer, frozen by the questions racing in her head. How did he find me? Is here to say it's not true? Did I misunderstand? No, his eyes wouldn't be that way if he was innocent. Ya Allah, I don't know what to think. My heart ached to see him, but it aches seeing him in front of me now. Why Mr. Khan? Why did you do this to me? If you didn't want to marry me, why didn't you say so? Why... why...

Her eyes moistened as she relived every gut wrenching second of that fateful night. The images of Tanveer and Asad in each other's arms flashed endlessly in front of her, with every step he took toward her.

Asad noticed she was becoming uneasier. He drew himself closer to her. He had to at least apologize. He didn't get a chance to do so. He knew he didn't deserve her forgiveness. He knew he didn't deserve to even talk to her. But his heart took over and his rational thinking went out the window.

"Zoya, please. Mein sirf, tumse maafi mangna chata hoon. Mein jaanta hoon. Mujhse gunna hua hai. Mein jaanta hoon, mein tumhare layak nahin hoon. Mein yeh bhi jaanta hoon, ki mujhe tumse baat karne ka ya tumhari mujhse baat karne ki humeed hi nahin raknhi chaiye. Par kya karoon. Jabse tum aaiho, mein sirf aur sirf apne iss kambhakat dil ki suntha hoon." He let it all out. All his guilt. All his regret. His misery. His truth.

Zoya's eyes we're once again filled with tears. Hearing his words brought her more pain than she had endured being away from him in the last month. She closed her eyes, causing a few more tears to stream down her cheeks. She opened them again, and looked down, unable to look him the eye. Zoya couldn't take it. She made a run for it.

But something tugged at her arm. His electrifying touch sent a current through her body once again. She felt his fingers wrapped around her wrist, softly yet firmly.

They stood this way for several minutes. Each one going over the last month of agony in their heads, and hearts. How had they survived? One full of pain, the other full of guilt and regret. Both of them heartbroken. Is this what Allah had planned for them?

Why did she meet him? If he could soothe her wounds, and help her uncover her past, then why did he have to give her the greatest pain she'd ever known? She wriggled her wrist out of his grip and walked away, slowly, knowing he wouldn't follow. And why would he? What more could he say?

Asad felt her slip from his fingers. Her soft skin grazed them as she broke out of his grip. He stood still, grasping the reality, that she was once again running away from him, from the pain he'd given her, just as he always feared he would. He turned around slowly, and watched her retreating figure. He observed, with an in describable pain in his heart, as she wiped her tears with the backs of her hands.

His own eyes welled up for the umpteenth time. He'd cried so much in the last month, that he wasn't sure he'd ever stop. He looked on at her, and then at his hand, which held hers for the last time, it seemed. His hand fell limp to his side, and he fell to the ground, on his knees, sobbing even more.

All Zoya could hear as she walked away was the blood curling scream that called out her name:

"ZOYA!!!!!"