AsYA OS: Bunty's List for Chintu!

Asad stood transfixed at the door of his mother's room. Sheer horror of what was going on inside froze him. He was snapped out of his revere and ran inside.

"Ms. Farooqui, will you please give me back the pictures?"

Zoya stood up on his bed and ran to the other side saying, "who knew you were such a shameless baby, Mr. Khan?" Asad ran to the other side of the bed and tried to snatch the photo album from her hands but she was too quick for him. She quickly changed sides and continued, "Today all you do is give lectures about manners and a sense of humility, but back then...who knew that Asad Ahmed Khan like to walk around in the nude!"

Zoya ran to the other side of the bed, "Mr. Khan, I will put these pictures up online and tag all of your friends so they can know what a shameless boy you used to be."

Asad ran behind her to the side of the bed just when she changed sides yet again, "why would you do this! Woman, you are out to ruin my life."

Dilshad laughed at her son and future daughter in law, " Zoya is just trying to have some fun, becharri (poor girl)"

Asad sighed in frustration, "FOR THE LAST TIME MOM, she is not a becharri. Zoya = no bechari. I am the bechara."

Zoya, "You inspired a sher Mr. Khan!"

Dilshad and Najma, "Go on!"

Zoya:

Bolte hai Mr. Khan ki rakho tehzeeb aur tamiz.

Bolte hai Mr. Khan ki rakho tehzeeb aur tamiz

Par bachpan mein bhag te thi from his pants and kamiz!

Shukriya Shukriya!

Najma and Dilshad rolled around in laughter as Asad stomped his foot!

"Ms. Farooqui, I swear if I ever get your pictures, you will be in a big problem!"

"That's fine with me Mr. Khan because my pictures are in New York!"

"No they aren't bhaijan!" Najma chided her best friend, "they are in a photo album in her cupboard!"

Asad ran to the other side of the bed and gave his sister a quick hi-five before running towards Zoya's room. Zoya stood on the bed frozen with a horrible look on her face as she began to climb down. " Phuphi, stop him!" She yelled turning towards her favorite aunt.

Dilshad giggled and said, "Why don't you stop him yourself?" Zoya quickly put down Asad's album and ran towards her room. Najma went to follow, when Dilshad stopped her, "let them fight their own battles."

As Zoya approached her room, she realized her door was locked. She banged on the door and tried pushing against it, loudly yelling, "MR. KHAN, YOU OPEN THE DOOR THIS INSTANT. OTHERWISE, I'LL...I'LL..." The door opened as Zoya was pushing against the door and she fell. Normally she would have expected Mr. Khan on the other side to catch her but she fell on the floor, right on her bum. She stared up at him mouth agape to wonder how he could do such a thing. Ready to unleash her wrath upon the man who let her fall, she took a deep breath in but couldn't bring herself to yell at the man that stood in front of her.

Asad let out a roar of laughter. He had never heard himself laugh this hard in his life. He clutched the photo book to his chest and wiped his tears away to look down to a shocked Zoya. He offered her hand to help her get up but just as she was about to take his help, he swiped his hand over his hair, deepening the look of shock on Zoya's face. "it's about time I let you fall Mr. Farooqui, I have saved you one too many times." Asad laughed again.

Zoya got up and tried to snatch the book from his hand but Asad was too quick for her. He ran to the living room where he tried to open the book and look at the pictures. Zoya came behind him and tried to snatch the book away. But each time he would just keep switching the book from hand to hand or holding it over he head. "Mr. Khan, give me the book back right now!"

"No."

"Mr. Khan, give it back to me or else!"

"Or Else, WHAT?" Asad challenged.

"Or...I will'" Zoya looked around and smiled as she climbed on the sofa with her flip flops.

"Mr. Farooqui get down from there right now!"

"Not until you give me back the book!"

"Get down!"

"give me back the book."

"No!" Asad said calmly and went around the table and began flipping through the book roaring with laughter from one picture to the other.

"Mr. Khan, I'm on the couch! It's going to get dirty with my flip flops! Mr. Khan it is extremely rude to look at other people's pictures, it's an invasion of privacy!"

Asad held up a finger! " YOU ARE TELLING ME?! ME, WHAT INVASION OF PRIVACY MEANS?! Ms. Farooqui, I don't think you know what the term means. From the day you have arrived you have done nothing but barge into my room, look at me in my bath, rummaged through my room, ha! Privacy! And let me tell you, it's rude to pass comments on other's baby pictures too."

He continued to flip through the book as Zoya jumped off the couch and ran to him. As she tried to snatch the book from his hand, he switched it again, this time holding it above her head. She groaned and tried to jump for it. Asad lost grip on the book and it fell to the floor. Both bent down to pick it up at the same time bumping heads. "OWW" they both cried simultaneously. Each hurriedly tried to grab the book. Zoya was victorious as she snatched the book, leaving Asad holding a piece of paper. Her eyes widened, "Shit!" she mentally cried. "Give that back to me, Mr. Khan"

He went around the table and laughed at her. "What is this? A letter to your lover? M.S Dhooni?!" He roared in laughter.

He sat on the couch trying to read it but Zoya was adamant. After a few failed attempts of her trying to get the letter back from him, she decided to fake being legitimately angry. "I'm GOING MR. KHAN!"

"Go."

"Really, I'm going!"

"great! I'll get to read this letter in peace then!"

He unfolded it and read out loud: To Do List for My Future Husband "What! Are you sure that you didn't write this letter a couple of weeks ago?"

"You know what Mr. Khan, girls mature faster than boys and I was planning out my future from an early age. It is an admirable quality!"

"Sure whatever. Number one: Breakfast in bed. Number two: Home made pizza date and watch Tom and Jerry. Number three: Swinging at the park, Slides, and Pani Puri." As asad read out loud he couldn't control his laughter and began roaring all the while collapsing on the floor.

" i.was.a.KID Mr. Khan!" Zoya cried.

"I'm sure you were fat as hell when you were a child. All you demands have to do with food! Num...haha...Number 4." Asad gluped as he read number 4, "Bring me the moon and decorate it with my favorite flowers. Number 5. Why is number 5 blank?" He looked up at her and raised an eyebrow.

"Forget it Mr. Khan, this was a list made by a stupid girl. A stupid girl who had unrealistic dreams from her husband."

"what do you mean, I can'"

"Please Mr. Khan. You can't do any of these things."

"why?"

"Because. If I had written in the note that my husband should 1) yell at me for things I didn't do 2) Bench press 90 kgs or 3) beat up 5 people at the same time, then may be you can do them. But mr. Khan you aren't this character I painted. You know? You are a wolverine type of person. You can't do romance'" Zoya concluded and snatched the paper from his hand. "anyway, I stopped believing in romance a while ago Mr. Khan. People aren't like this. People don't get romanced. Especially not me'"

"Just because romance doesn't happen in one's life doesn't mean it isn't there."

"What do you mean?"

"Romance isn't over the top expressions. It's when someone looks at you like you are the only one in the room."

Asad stepped closer to Zoya.

"It's when someone is so in sync with you that when you move they move."

He continued to lessen the gap between them.

When someone's entire life depends on another's breath."

He grew closer...

"When it becomes unbearable to have your heart beat without them near you..."

He was so close to her that he could count her eye lashes'

"when you begin and end with someone else."

Zoya looked up at him (Mitwa moment)

"When some one else becomes your sole reason for existing. They become your definition."

Zoya looked down and looked up at his eyes. "And that stupid girl, needs to come back. Because that's the Zoya that I want to make Mrs. Khan." Zoya looked down ruefully. Even though Tanveer had gone, she had not forgiven Mr. Khans past wrong doings. She grabbed the paper and went into her room. Asad smiled to himself and went to his mothers room. As Dilshad was preparing for bed she smiled when her son entered and gave him a kiss on his forehead.

"Happy Days are back." Asad smiled at his mother's words. Asad gathered his mother and sister. Two hours later the deep conversation ended.

"Mom, can I get a cup of coffee?"

She nodded and thought of an idea. As asad went to his room and opened the laptop to see a picture of a smiling zoya, he heard a knock. "come in!" he said.

To his surprise Zoya walked in with a cup of coffee. "Here," She said rather coldly setting the cup on the table, "Phophi told me to give this to you. Sorry put sugar in it by accident." And without another word she left. Asad smiled because he knew the reason for Zoya's anger. He went to the bathroom to pour the coffee out as he detested sugar in his coffee. But, something stopped him.

He raised the cup to his lips and tremblingly took a sip. He smiled. "I can get used to sugar'" He thought to himself.

The next morning's sun rays hit Zoya's serene face. She crumpled her brows and slowly opened her eyes. She sat up and stretched her arms above her head yawning slowly. As she became aware of her surroundings, she froze. Hundreds of pink rose petals were everywhere. She brought both her hands to her mouth and widened her eyes.

The door opened and a sight greeted her. Mr. Khan in an apron.

"Aliyah Miya. Why do the good die young?"

Asad brought a hand to the bridge of his nose. "What are you talking about Ms. Farooqi?"

"I'm in Jaanat (heaven) aren't I? Which means I died. When did I die Mr. Khan?"

"So, having me is equivalent to being in jaanat?" Asad smirked at a blushing zoya. He walked into the room and set a tray on her lap. He heard her gasp. On the tray was a sunflower. And breakfast. She looked up at him.

He had made HER, breakfast? In bed. Where crumbs could fall everywhere. And had littered her room with rose petals. Was she dreaming? She pinched herself to make sure. She looked down at her coffee. COFFEE WITH MILK AND SUGAR?! She looked past the coffee down to the two perfectly cooked, sunny side eggs with a piece of sausage. The three were arranged in a smile. She looked up at asad.

She put the back of her hand on his forehead. "What are you doing Ms. Farooqui?"

"Checking your temperature."

"Why?"

"because this is so unlike you." She went on to explain how each of the things he had done was so uncharacteristic of him and ended slightly flustered as Asad was stifling his laughter. "So, what do you have to say for yourself?" She asked him.

He took the chance to shut her up by stuffing a piece of her breakfast down her throat. He sat there feeding her affectionately (Mitwa moments) without a word. When her breakfast was done he simply picked up the tray and exited her room with a huge grin on his face.

Zoya was dazed. She looked around the room and smiled to herself. But she felt that smile disappear after a while. It didn't change how Mr. Khan had treated her before Tanveer. She got up and went to the bathroom to get dressed. She showered and changed into a black kurti and jeans. She came out and saw Asad standing before her. Instantly he grabbed her arm and put something around it.

She looked down to see that he had handcuffed the two together. Just like Magalpur. She looked up at him about to yell when he pressed a finger softly to her lips. He began to move and she felt a tug on her hand. As she winced out loud, Asad grabbed her hand. And held it. This way he would avoid tugging her.

He lead her down to living room. He smirked to himself as he heard her gasp rather loudly. The entire living room was decorated with teddy bears and posters of tom and jerry. There were tweety posters. Mickey and Minnie mouse teddies. A cardboard cut out of Tom chasing Jerry.

"Mr. Khan, why are you doing this?"

"Because, the little boy in me would like to spend a day with the little girl who wrote the letter."

"what are you talking about. I don't understand anything'"

"Ms. Farooqi, let's play a game."

"Kyon?"

"Because I love you." He shrugged.

Zoya opened her mouth to protest further but stopped when she heard what came out of asad's mouth. How easily had he said it. That he loved her. He had said it before to her in Ajmer. But this time, it was effortless. Not pained. Filled with emotion.

"In this game. It is just me and you. My name is Chintu nice to meet you'"

"BUNTY! My name is bunty!" Zoya claimed happily beginning to soften up to asad.

"Ms. Farooqi, can't you pick a girl's name?"

"Who is Ms. Farooqui, my name is Bunty. Bunty! And anyways Chintu, all my life I've been a girl, if we are playing pretend, then I want to be a boy! I have a sher for this moment:

Thi mein ek girl puri zindagi

Thi mein ek girl puri zindagi

Bunty ho ke mujhe milengi asli khushi!

Shukriya Shukriya"

Asad rolled his eyes. He lead Zoya to the couch where he put up his feet on the table. She gaped at him. "Chintu is mannerless" Asad claimed. Zoya laughed, a laugh that made Asad's stomach do belly flops. She put her feet up on the table and sat next to her Chintu holding his hand. He passed to her a chilled can of diet coke and they did a mini cheers. He flipped on the TV and they began watching Tom and Jerry Reruns on Cartoon network. After an hour the program switched to the Powerpuff girls.

Zoya felt the need to stand on the couch and sing along to the theme song, "Sugar! Spice! And everything Nice! These were the ingredients'" Asad rolled around in laughter as Zoya used a fake deep voice to mimic the announcer. "Tan tan tan na na nannn" She sang.

"Which boy watches the power puff girls?!" Asad laughed. He had still maintained a grip on her hand and pulled her down to the couch. She put her head on his shoulder. The intimacy of the moment escaped the pair. Right now, they were just friends. Friends who were watching the Rowdy Ruff boys beat put Blossom, Bubbles and Butter cup. A half an hour later the show switched to Dezter's Laboratory! Here Chintu got up and beat boxing to the theme song.

Zoya was surprised to say the least. She had not expected her tight Mr. Khan to be going around the room (with her in tow) Beat boxing as DeeDee invaded Dexter's lab. The two friends laughed and giggled like 5 year olds until the show was over. When Asad flipped off the TV it was already 12pm! Zoya looked up at him and lifted her head from his shoulder, as he once again got lost in his eyes. (Mitwa Moment)

He carefully shifted and got up from the couch and looked down to Zoya. "Come on Bunty, it's lunch time!" He led her into the kitchen where she saw a bunch of ingredients sprawled around. "PIZZA!"

She laughed whole heartedly but slowly began to stop. "Mr. Khan, I know what you are doing but I don't need this. This is just one of those once in a blue moon days. Tomorrow you will go back to beign you and I will be'"

"Who is Mr. Khan? My name in Chintu!" Asad spoke animatedly. "And Chintu and Bunty are friends now right?"

"Right" Zoya said giving in yet again.

"Friends date right?"

"No. My sister told me to not date boys until I'm 16!"

"But Bunty! I'm 17. And you turn 16 in a year. How much will you change in a year?" Asad winked at zoya. She was confused at first but began to realize that they were still playing a game. And now they were no longer 5, but 15 and 17. She smiled and lead asad to the sink, still holding his hand and washed them.

The two first were making the dough. Asad got a bowl as Zoya got the water. (Okay my cooking skills suck. So bear with me here') He poured the flour messly into the bowl with one hand spilling most of the bag on zoya! She glared at him and put the water in the bowl and dusted the flour off of her. They began to knead the dough using their untied hands. However, this brought them even closer together. As now both hands were holding onto the each other. After many stolen glances and finger tips brushes, the dough was kneaded. They spread it on the countertop and began to beat it into a circle. They pounded and raged a war hooting and whooping while doing so. After that came the sauce. As zoya spread it around Asad took the chance to put some sneakily on her nose. She replied but putting a mushroom dipped in sauce on his cheek.

After many small foods fights the pizza was in the over to cook and the pair sat on the counter swinging their legs.

"Chintu, lets play a game while we wait."

"Sure what do you want to play?"

"Never have I ever!"

"HAHA! I played that when I was in college...I mean! I just...Okay, why don't you start?" They both held up 5 fingers (as their hands were still clasped to one another under the hand cuff.)

"Never have I ever Smoked!" Asad put down a finger!

"Never have I ever been to the beach" Zoya put down a finger.

"Never have I ever been to Disney Land"

"Me either...let's see. Never have I ever kissed someone."

Zoya stared at him (Mitwa moment)

DING

At the sound of the oven, both scrambled to their feet, hopping off the countertop together. Zoya used mitts to pull out the pan and went to set it down on the table. Asad used the chance to lift her as she carried the pan. She gave out a small squeal before getting lost in his eyes again. He carried her to the back yard, where under the small gazebo he had set up a tablecloth table with a vase. He sat her down and took his place next to her.

"Chintu, you forgot the plate!" Asad laughed and grabbed a slice of pizza and bit it squarely using his hand. Zoya's jaw dropped as he let out a giant groan. He had never seen Mr. Khan behave like this. He was such a kid watching Tom and Jerry and now'Now he was such a boy. Like the friends she had back in school. She continued to stare at him in amazement.

"Bunty, why aren't you eating?!" Asad stopped as he ravished the first slice and reached for a second. Then he noticed that Zoya looked down to her handcuffed hand. It was her right hand. Just like magalpur. He laughed and brought the second slice up to her mouth fro which she took a bite. He noted the way her lips touched the pizza before her teeth bit off a bite. He gulped and brought the same slice to his lips. The intimacy of the moment was lost on both of them as they began to joke around, still, just as friends.

"Okay what's your favorite movie Chintu?"

"Kuch Kuch Hota Hai."

Zoya almost choked on her pizza.

"Mine too!"

"Ha! That's why we are friends, Chintu aur Bunty!"

"Best Jodi!" Zoya claimed.

They clinked their glasses of coke again and rolled around in laughter. After lunch, Asad got up and pulled zoya up to her feet. "Thanks, Mr. Khan! This was the best day ever! Who knew that I would find a friend in you? After Tanveer, all I wanted to do was have someone to be my self around with. Thank you so much Mr. Khan'"

"Who is this Mr. Khan of yours? Boy friend? OMG Buntyyy'. Bunty and Mr. Khan. How cute!" Asad mocked Zoya.

"So this isn't over yet'?" Initially Zoya had resisted with all her might and was against the fulfillment of her list. But slowly but surely, she began to cave in. Excitement took over her and she was now willing to go along with the flow.

Asad led Zoya out into the drive way of the house where there was an auto rikshaw waiting for them. Zoya squealed in delight! "Chintu! I've never been in one!" He laughed and pulled her into the vehicle as the driver began to drive them away.

Zoya laughed and giggled as the wind began to blow her hair in different dirctions. Asad helped her pin down her hair but doing so, they shifted closer. He held her hair with one hand and her right hand with his other as she used a claw to secure her hair.

"Ladka bada aanjana haii'" Cooned the voice from the radio. It was a kuch kuch hota hai song. Both smiled at each other flashing a dimple as they began belting out the lyrics to their favorite song. The driver of the rikshaw winced as the couple behind them sang horribly off key but smiled all the while noting their love for each other.

It was 3:30 pm when the rikshaw finally halted, "Jeans pehen ke. Jo tune mara thumka tho latoo padosan ki bhabhi ho gayi!" They both finished the song and climbed out of the rikshaw. This time Zoya's smile vanished completely. Her heart literally skipped a beat.

She saw in front of her an entire park in front of her. There was huge sing above the gates, "Zoya and Asad's Day of Fun" The entire amusement park. Just for her. Mr. Khan had shut down the entire park just for her. Just because her stupid 5 year old self had demanded it so. He eyes, spelled out what her mouth couldn't. Unable to hold it back, a tear slipped down her face.

Asad stepped in front of her. He wiped the tear away from her cheek, letting his thumb form circles on her smooth skin. He smiled at her. "I told you bunty. I want to meet that little girl. Because I need to thank her. Thank her for giving me a way to express everything I normally couldn't." Zoya smiled at him. He reached his hand to the back of her head and pulled out her claw, letting her hair fall freely over her shoulders.

He lead her into the park, still holding onto her hand under the hand cuff and proceeded to take her on the first ride. The tea cups. The pair held onto the handle bars as the cups spun them around multiple times. Zoya screamed with joy while Asad closed his eyes, afraid that he would get dizzy. "Chintu! Chintu, open your eyes!"

"No Bunty! I'll get sick"

"Chintu open your eyes and look at me!" As asad obliged, he was lost in her eyes immediately (Mitwa moment) Once he had found a single object to focus on his dizziness went away. He smiled at her once the ride ended. Zoya jumped out of their teacup and went onto the swings. Her and Asad sat next to each other as the swing ride lifted them up and spun them around with speed. Both screamed and yelled happily. When the ride came to an end, zoya pouted. Asad understood and singled to the mechanic to go again. Zoya's smile once again formed when she felt the machine lift them up. Asad began to whoop with joy. But zoya was too busy gazing away at the changed man in front of her.

Less than two days ago, tears stained his face. He couldn't even begin to describe his emotions to her. The only time he had expressed his emotions to her was in Ajmer. When he was afraid of loosing her. But once Tanveer's reality had been exposed and they had thrown her out, she had sensed a change in Mr. Khan. He was no longer isolated, but rather preferred their banters, her constant presence. As if he was afraid to leave her alone. "At one point in time your eyes would tell me everything, now I hear you say your feelings to me but I can't believe you." Her own words flashed in side of her mind as the memory of Ajmer flooded her. Those eyes had begun to speak to her again. As the ride continued Asad kept hooting and Zoya kept laughing and looking at her Chintu. But it was different this time. Unguarded, desheilded, free. Asad Ahmed Khan was truly free. Free to be himself. A child, a boy, a man he had suppressed too long ago due to the horrors of his past. As the ride came to an end. Asad looked at Zoya with a smile on his face. She got up and went towards the roller coaster.

After Chintu faced his fear of heights with the roller coaster, he won bunty a teddy bear from the ring toss. Bunty then dragged her chintu to the hall of mirrors where she began beating chintu for laughing at her as one of the mirrors made her look fat. Both came out of the fun house eating their cotton candy. It was already 7pm. They had hit almost every ride in the park when zoya exclaimed, "BEST DAY EVER!"

Chintu laughed and lead her to the ferris wheel. She climbed into the ride as the mechanic put the bar over them and handed Asad a cooler. Zoya was about to question him when she felt a jerk in her navel as the ride began. The two talked animatedly about their adventures of the day. As the ride progressed they both got lost in their conversation. Suddenly the ride stopped. They were on their way to their descent but still in the highest position.

"Chintu, why did the ride stop?"

"Look'" Asad pointed out the view. Zoya gasped. The sky was a pink and orange hue. They could see over the city of Bhopal. A shining orange globe was half hidden under the buildings but still visible over the horizon. The sunset. "Chin..." Zoya began.

"Wait!"

Asad pulled out the cooler and opened it. Inside were two plates filled with pani puris! She handed one to zoya and took the other one for him self. He let the cooler fall to the ground where the mechanic caught it and saluted it. Asad winked at him and watched as the mechanic disappeared.

"So this was all planned huh?"

"Well you don't go on a date with Chintu and not expect to be swept off your feet!"

"No, you go on a date with Chintu and expect to dump him the next day!"

"What do you mean?"

"That you suck at romance!"

"Oh yeah!?"

"Yeah!"

"And what about all this?"

"Well, if I recall a little girl told you to do all of this. Seems like the little girl has more of a romantic side than you."

"Well, true...I don't have a romantic bone inside my body do I? It's because I haven't done anything romantic ever'"

"True. But some idiot once told me...Romance is everywhere. It's the way someone looks at you, makes you feel that counts, not the big gestures."

"Oh so now you are telling me this?! After I did the big gesture? Could have told me that before" Asad grumbled.

"The big gestures though...help. They help when you screw up big."

"Did they help with us."

"Maybe" Before Asad could ask anymore questions she stuffed a puri in his mouth.

They both were enjoying eating puris until the sky went husky. It was almost time for the sun to set. Zoya intertwined her finders with Asad's under the hand cuff and put her head on his shoulder. Both let their legs swing from mid air as they looked out into the sunset. The dimming glow of the sun was reflected on their faces creating a glow about the couple that was suspended in the air. This time, unlike the intimate moments before in the day, they realized the intimacy of the moment. It hung in the air. The closeness they shared. This time it was different than all their other mitwa moments. This time, a new understanding had been reached. An understanding of friends.

As the sun finally set, it symbolized the end of their troubled days. In an unspoken bond formed between them. From this moment on they knew that nothing would come in between their relationship. Whatever hard ships they had yet to face, they would face it together. But they would never tarnish their relationship ever again. And more importantly, they would never let anyone come in between them again. The sun Finally set on their bad times.

The glow of the full moon highlighted their faces now, as zoya lifted her head from asad's shoulder. They were lost in each other's eyes yet again.

"I have to go home Chintu, my curfew is 8pm." So the game continued.

"Bunty... 21 year old's don't have curfews." Zoya laughed. They had made another leap in their ages.

"But seriously, shouldn't we get down now?"

"Sure but there is one thing I need to show you..."

"Hmm..what?"

Asad took out his iphone and opened the camera link. He positioned the phone so they could see their reflection in the camera. He tilted the phone so he wouldn't be in the image but only zoya.

"Hey! No, let's take a picture together!"

"No, Bunty look."

It didn't even take a second for Zoya's tears to start flowing. In the camera she saw her own crying face and the full moon behind her. Asad took the photo.

She looked up at him.

"Number 4. Bring me the moon. Ab mein kya karoon? Mera Chand ka tookda khud chalte chalte mere ghar mein ayi thi. Aur meri zindigi mein roshini bhar di. Toh mein kaise tumhe chand doon? Jab tum hi ho meri chand, meri zindagi." (Mitwa moment)

[English translation: "Number 4. Bring me the moon. Now what can I do? My moon came by herself waltzing into my house. And she filled my life with light. So how can I bring you the moon? When you are my moon, my life."]

She closed her eyes. She fingers shook. She bawled onto his chest holding onto one of his arms and letting the other clutch his white shirt. She put his other arm around her. When she finally calmed down she broke away. She lingered close to him as he wiped his tears. Ever so gently she let her lips brush against his cheek.

"Oh yeah...big gestures definitely help." And it was this that brought them back to their normal selves. She burst out laughing as he joined her. The mechanic took a cue from asad and lowered them down. There they were met by an overjoyed dilshad and najma.

"DID YOU FORGET US BUNTY?!" Zoya realized that all day they hadn't once considered the missing mom and daughter. She blushed.

"Zoya, you know now you can let go of my brother's hand."

"I can't...he..." Zoya looked down to see there was no handcuff binding them anymore. She looked up at asad who winked at her. He had removed them while on the ferris wheel! The little sneak. She glared at him but refused to let go of his arm. They all hugged each other and najma interlinked her arm with Zoya's left as Dilsad went to other side of asad.

"Let's go now. We are going on a fancy dinner Zoya! It's our treat for helping bhaijan!" As the four of them walked together to the car, Dilshad held Asad back. Najma and Zoya continued to climb into the car brought by Najma and Dilshad.

"Do you have the..." Dilshad began.

"Right here mom." Asad fished out the ring he had found in the dirt when he rescued Zoya from the wall Tanveer buried her in. She smiled at her son.

"My family..."

"Is now complete." Asad finished. She smiled and lead his mother into the car as he took the driver's seat. He looked at Zoya from the rear view mirror and felt content. The dinner wouldn't be their last excitement'they had their whole lives in front of them, filled with adventure. And after all, number 5 was still blank 😉

THE END!

*******

I'm ready for chapaals to be thrown at me (size 9.5 please.) No tomatoes please! But I'll cake cake. Throw Cake at me!

Like I said this was my first time writing on the forum so please excuse me as I'm sure I won't compare against the amazing writers in the forum.

Thank you S120 for encouraging me. And This one is for Drea! Who, I hope'will find that romantic bone in her body.

Also note the symbolism: since asad claimed zoya as his chand, he had decorated her with flowers already during her breakfast. 😉

Hope you liked it. Please hit like and comment. Or I won't be encouraged or write ever again. (which may be a good or bad thing - depends on wether or not you liked what you read)

~ Zarna