Title: The Girl Next Door 1/?
Pairing: Asad Ahmed Khan/Zoya Farooqui
Genre: AU
Rating: Teen
Warnings: None
Summary: Asad's new neighbour may drive him crazy, but when an important business deal is about to fall through, Zoya Farooqui is the only person he can turn to for help.
A/N: Oh, hey, I'm posting a fanfic after a really long time. This is kind of scary. This fic will be almost entirely in English, because of my complete lack of Hindi. All feedback is adored. More notes at end.
Bang
Asad sat in his corner office desk of his luxuriously furnished Toronto apartment and turned on his laptop to begin his work.
Bang
It was an important proposal. His architectural firm, Dilshad Construction, was putting in a bid for a new multipurpose building in Toronto's St. Thomas Market*. If he won, it would put his firm's name, his name, on the map.
Bang
It would also be a killing strike against Siddiqui Construction in their ongoing war.
Bang
That was it. His new neighbour had moved in two weeks ago, and Asad had yet to meet him. He heard him, though. Three times a week, sounding like he let an elephant loose in his apartment. He closed his laptop and stormed to the apartment next to his, and banged loudly on the door. He waited a few moments and knocked again, louder this time so he would be heard over the music blaring through the door. Still no answer, he raised his fist to knock a third time when suddenly he had to stop his hand in midair, or risk hitting his new neighbour in the face.
His new neighbour was not at all what he was expecting. For one thing, his new neighbour was a woman. Asad did not know why this possibility didn't occur to him, except that his last two neighbours had been male, and all his landlord had told him was the new neighbour was single, like himself. He wondered if his landlord had kept this information from him on purpose.
But it wasn't just that his new neighbour was a woman. She was a beautiful woman. Her long black hair was tied in a messy ponytail, and she was dressed in sweats, but neither did a thing to diminish her beauty. Her creamy olive skin glowed, her large almond eyes shone with warmth, and maybe a bit of mischief, and her lips... Her full, luscious, amazing lips made him think things he had no business thinking about a woman he just met.
Then she smiled at him, revealing her dimples, and he swore he could feel something prick his chest. "Hi," she said, clearly waiting for him to say something.
"I'm Asad Ahmed Khan," he said, as though his name alone would answer what he was doing standing outside her door. Idiot.
"Okay," she replied, unsure. "I'm Zoya Farooqui."
"Woh, actually Ms. Farooqui," Asad said, feeling incredibly self-conscious, "I live in the apartment next door, 5b?"
"And you want to borrow a cup of sugar!" Ms Farooqui interrupted him. "I've always wanted to loan my neighbour a cup of sugar! Except I don't have any sugar right now. I have other stuff, mostly leftover pizza. Would you like me to loan you a slice of pizza instead?"
"No, I don't... How would you loan me a slice of pizza?"
"How would I loan you a cup of sugar? I wouldn't want that back either."
Asad could feel a migraine coming on. "Anyway, I don't want sugar, or pizza, I'm here about the noise."
"What noise?" Ms. Farooqui seemed genuinely confused.
"The loud banging coming from your apartment three times a week, including five minutes ago, when I knocked on your door."
Ms. Farooqui thought for a moment. "Oh, you must mean from my Zumba. Is it really that loud?"
"What the hell is Zumba?" Asad asked.
"Oh, it's wonderful," she replied. "It's a dance exercise program set mostly to latin music." Before Asad knew what was happening, Ms Farooqui was given him a demonstration, right in her doorway.
"I don't need to see it!" He yelled, bringing Ms. Farooqui to an abrupt halt in the middle of her dance move. "I just need the noise to stop. I have important work to do and I can't concentrate with all your ruckus."
"Ruckus? Believe me, Mr. Khan, I'm sorry about that. I had no idea I was making so much noise. I've just moved here, and haven't found a gym yet, so I thought I'd do my classes at home for the moment. But if it's bothering you, I'll stop."
"You ever hear of jogging?"
"It's a nice size apartment, Mr. Khan, and it's true I don't have a lot of furniture yet. But it's still too small for jogging," she smiled at him, once again revealing her dimple, and the mischievous glint in her eye.
Asad shook his head before walking away. "Goodnight, Ms. Farooqui."
"Goodnight, Mr. Khan," she replied. "Oh, Mr. Khan," she called as he was entering his apartment. "Do you think maybe I could borrow a cup of sugar?" Asad closed his door without replying.
It was, Asad decided, a good thing he found his new neighbour very annoying, and quite possibly crazy. Otherwise - warm eyes, and full lips flashed in his mind - otherwise he might be in real trouble.
TBC
*There was a design competition to design a multipurpose building for Toronto's St. Lawrence Market, which is really handy for my story. Names have been changed to protect the innocent.
Index:
Chapter One: Above
Chapter Two: Page Three
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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