Hi!!! This is on time, right? 😃 Thanks to all my readers and special thanks to those who commented a second time to remind me to update! ❤️ Trust me, every time I come across those, I think of the next couple of scenes to write 😆 I wanted to use this song but couldn't fit it in with the story, so just the title. Let me know if you liked it and be kind since I didn't even get a chance to reread it.. Sorry! 😳
Since this was a longest chapter I ever wrote.. I didn't want to make it 12.2. Enjoy reading!!
Chapter 13
Kaisa Yeh Ishq Hai, Ajab sa Confusion Hai
"Zoya, come in my room for a moment." Ammi called out to me as she walked to her room and I followed obediently.
She was sitting on her bed folding clothes as she gestured me with her eyes to sit in front of her.
"Zoya, I know you are not the little girl anymore who would list all the things that happened in her class to me in order without leaving one thing out. But at least tell me if there are any problems..."
"Ammi, what are you talking about? There are no problems." I explained while I helped her fold.
"Don't lie, I know there's something. Since coming from Goa, you're different," she paused, "I'm your mother, I can tell these things."
I was about to deny but she didn't even give me the chance, "Look, you even burned yourself today because you're being absentminded when you are helping me in the kitchen."
Oh that. Since I'm not used to being in the kitchen, even moving around there sometimes causes accidents. And obviously, I feel like at one time I'm blissfully happy in love and in the next minute, suffering from a hopeless love... But the wiser option is not to bring up any of that in this conversation.
"Zoya!" I snapped to attention as Ammi looked at me with her I-caught-you look. Shaking my head, I started my explanation. Even though I felt horrible for lying but I didn't want to disappoint her. And the very first excuse was, of course, Arhan.
"Ammi, I told you about my boss being sick. In his absence, the whole week has been crazy."
"It... doesn't seem like that..." She answered unconvincingly, scrutinizing me. I felt like shrinking.
"I thought it was something to do with what Humeira was saying, kyun?" She raised an eyebrow half teasing me and half serious.
I was flabbergasted; I had no idea she heard Humeira's bak bak. What should I say now? "Oh, Humeira, she was just-" When I met my mom's eyes, I couldn't lie. I took a deep breath.
"... might be true.. I don't know.." I finished muttering as I avoided her eyes. I sneaked a glance at her as I saw her smiling as she went back to folding.
"If Humeira is right, hypothetically, you should invite him over."
"Ammi! That's not it...," I added hurriedly. I tried to backpedal. "I-I it's not.. I just. Nothing is final..?" I finished with much difficulty.
"Are you asking me or telling me?" She lifted my chin to make me look at her.
"It's because nothing happened yet," she frowned at the last word and I immediately amended, "I mean, nothing for you to worry about. So, you don't have to worry about it."
"I always trust you to know right from wrong. And moreover, even though you've lived in US for quite some time, I want you to be true to your roots in this matter as well. And don't get me wrong and assume something, I am only telling you that you can't just marry whoever. Bring him over, we'll see him, test him and then he gets to take our daughter, hypothetically."
I nodded in a mixture of shyness and embarrassment. I can't believe I did this to myself by spilling everything like this... stupid me. I couldn't even look up at her.
And while I was on a roll, I wanted to finish with the confession that it's one-sided; however, when I looked up to see her smiling on her own, I couldn't.
"That's great, your Abbu has been thinking about your marriage, with Tanveer getting married because you're next in line. And then Humeira!" She said excitedly.
"And I hope he is just like our new son-in-law. Your Abbu is also very fond of him." She took all the folded clothes to the closet not realizing her one line shattered all the illusions of my happiness, a thunderstorm on my parade.
"Last time he was here, he listened to all of his stories he used to tell you. You know, Rehan, he is always too busy to listen. But Asad seemed to enjoy himself or at least was really good at pretending that he was." She laughed at the memory.
I was glad I didn't have to listen to her any longer as my dad asked for dinner and the conversation ended as that. I sighed and was planning my next conversation with her... Key points to remember: one-sided, she doesn't know him, we.. work together. A white lie doesn't harm anyone, I told myself.
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I hadn't stepped inside my room when Ayaan's voice startled me,"Bhai jaan! I had something to say to you. Where were you?"
"Just out. What is it you want to say so late?" I shrugged off my jacket and he sighed in response.
"I'm in love, Bhai!" That got my full attention. Recently I feel the word keeps randomly popping in my head.
"How do you know?" I asked him.
"What do you mean how? You just know.." He replied frowning at me.
"No, I mean, you could be infatuated too." I replied since I recently learned that term from Tannu.
"No. Infatuation is borderline stalking. You do something that's unwarranted. Or it's Lust. And obsessive love."
"Ohh.." I nodded slowly even though his explanation was hardly helpful.
He smiled like a fool. "And love... When your heart realizes it's love, you'll know it. Love is when you are irrational and impulsive with anything that involves her. You want to linger around her a little longer and find silly excuses to just see her. You want to talk to her and want to know everything about her. It's difficult to explain... She will just make you happy by being there and just her thoughts will you smile."
That... I... Zoya? What? Why did I thought of her...
"Bhai! Here I'm talking about me and you're lost in your own little world!" He whined at met interrupting my thoughts when I was finally sorting everything out.
"Anyways, you must be tired. I ambushed you because I need something really urgently from you." I nodded as he got his phone out.
"I needed Zoya's number." I frowned at the strange request.
"Why?"
"Come one, Bhai. I know you guys knew each other from before. That time in the party you were with her, I saw you two. You have her number, right?"
I did. We exchanged number after the Arhan incident. But, why would Ayaan..
"What strange thing are you thinking about?" This was Ayaan's turn to frown at me. Instead of answering, I took out my phone from my pocket.
"Why do you need it?" I asked before looking up the number.
"Why are you interfering with my love?" Ayaan had swiftly grabbed it from my hand as I stood frozen, slightly taken aback.
"What's that suppose to mean?" My voice sounded harsher than I intended it to be, but he was hardly listening.
"Bhai, the girl I love," he was browsing my phone for the number and the dramatic pause was killing me. I hoped to God that the next word from his mouth is not Zoya.
"Found it!" He got the number on his phone and I was ready to choke him at this point.
"So? What about the girl you love?"
"She is beautiful, and-" He started in a dreamy voice, but I had no time for that.
"I got all that, what's her name?" I asked him impatiently.
"Humeira."
What? Humeira?
"Bhai?" I couldn't help but laugh. Ayaan was staring at me like I just grew two horns. I shook my head: I couldn't really explain it to him.
"It's her birthday and I think it will be perfect if I can ask Zoya to bring her to the party. It will be a total surprise!" He exclaimed to me as he listed all his preparations.
I was only half listening because I was thanking Allah that he didn't take Zoya's name. When Ayaan left, I looked at my phone that had her number on the screen.
I wanted to call her. My thumb hovered over the number as I recalled Ayaan's spiel on love. He seemed really happy and content with life. Why am I the only one incompetent at this?
I suddenly looked down to see that I was calling Zoya. In a panic, I ended the call. Now, it became a missed call. What should I do? I've only ever heard of this happening to friends: texting the wrong person, calling the wrong person.
I decided I should call back and tell her I called because I... because I what?
I'm usually not the type to think too much. I was about to bravely dial her number when the screen flashed an incoming call from Zoya.
Taking a deep breath, I answered, "Hello?"
"Hi." An awkward pause descended; I knew I should say something since I was the one who called...
"Did you need something?" She asked hesitantly.
"No, not really.." I enunciated every word dragging out the time, hoping to come up with something.
That's when I heard a voice becoming progressively louder as the person was coming closer to her, "Zoya, I finally found it! I know you would just leave it as it is. But you should use the cream, so it won't scar."
Did she get hurt?
"Ji, Ammi."
"Hello?"
"Ah yeah, sorry. Ammi wanted something."
"Did you get hurt?" I asked concerned for her.
"Just a little burned. I was experimenting in the kitchen." She assured me overlooking the injury, I'm sure.
"You like to cook?" Suddenly curious about her cooking, I asked her as I got comfortable on the bed.
"For myself." That was a weird answer.
"Usually, people say the opposite."
"If it's for me, I can make it peacefully because even if it's horrible, I'll be the one to eat it," she explained thoughtfully before jokingly adding, "No one else will have to suffer."
"If it's for others, I worry that I'll make a mistake; but because I worry, I end up making a mistake. Like you said last time, I worry too much about the other party." I said proudly.
"It wasn't a compliment when I said it... but you don't cook for your family and friends?" I could feel her frown at the first part as I smiled and added the second part.
"Once in a blue moon. And don't make it sound so bad.. If you think form the other side, I'm sure no one actually wants to taste my style of kabhi salty kabhi tikhi food and suffer at their own volition," she said defending herself.
"I would like to taste it. Would you cook for me?"
There was a long pause that almost made me think the line went dead.
"Zoya?"
"S-Sorry I got distracted for a second. But sure, I don't mind, but it's not my fault if you end up with an upset stomach." She laughed.
"I don't mind."
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We were talking about the randomest things. At one time, we were talking about my kitchen endeavors and then the next minute, he was telling me how he once got in trouble because a girl (happened to be someone else's girlfriend) asked him out.
"By the way, Zoya, I think you were right." I turned on my bed as I listened.
"About what?" I frowned, the first time he admitted he was wrong!
"About love." I did a double take. Did he just say love?
"But?" I prodded because it seemed he had more to say.
"But how do you know it's love?" Why in the hell would he ask me that? I slowly sat up from my lying position.
"Umm.. it's hard to explain." It's more difficult because you are the person I love.
"Please, tell me." He said so earnestly, I had to make an attempt to explain.
"The last person on your mind when you go to sleep and the first person on your mind when you wake up."
"So two people?" I snorted. This guy. I was shaking my head even though he couldn't see me. He was joking but he seemed so sincere a second ago.
"Stop joking, I was being honest here."
"Fine, I was being sincere too. And?"
"You could talk for hours or sit in silent; every moment will feel precious." I got too carried away and sort of described my current feelings.
"Because you just to listen to her voice..."
"Just like now.."
...
Did he just say what I think he said. He probably didn't mean it like that. But my heart fluttered and I blushed. Stupid.. Stupid.. I shook my head.
"Zoya?" He asked uncertainly.
"Yeah?"
"I-"
"Bhai! What kind of number is this? This is engaged for like an hour now!!" Ayaan burst into my room as I quickly sat up on the bed like I got caught stealing candies.
"Hold on a second." I put her on hold so she wouldn't hear. I directed my words at Ayaan, "why would you calling a girl so late? It's almost 12!"
"So, when you talk to your girlfriend come fianc, it's fine. But when I'm trying to arrange my girlfriend's birthday party, it's wrong?" He teased me.
"Come on, Bhai! Tell me, did she give you a wrong number on purpose?" He had his mischievous smile plastered on his face.
"Call her tomorrow, she'll answer." I brushed him off. Such a hypocrite I am, sometimes, but Zoya isn't just a girl...
"Oh? Fine then, it applies to you as well!" He snatched away my phone for the second time that day and put it on his ear.
"Tanveer, it's Ayaan, Bhai can't talk because it's too late to call a girl at this hour." He imitated me and laughed as I tried to get it from him.
"Allah Hafez" He handed the phone back to me as I glared. He hadn't seen that I was talking to Zoya.. but she heard everything.
He ran away to his room as I contemplated my next step. Why did I feel horrible that she heard this? Why do I always feel horrible the moment Tannu appears when I'm with her and she creates a barrier between us? Why did I hate the idea of Ayaan in love with her? (I still couldn't help but instinctively anger at the thought.)
Why did a mundane conversation with her make me feel like I achieved something incredible? Just knowing little details about her makes me happy... I clutched my phone.
Why is it that when I first came across these feelings, the first thing I thought was it wasn't love. I remembered Ayaan's words, "When your heart realizes it's love, you'll know it."
I knew it a long time ago..
But I tried to deny it since my mind refused to believe it. So I used every excuse others provided - infatuation or irritation - to avoid her.
But I couldn't.
Because like she said, everyone has a person made just for them.
And I found that person. The person made just for me.
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The next chapter will have a confession.. May be... 😉
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