AsYa SS: Phir le aaya dil (based on AsYa remarriage)|Part-4 Pg 28| - Page 15

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PROLOGUE :

After freshening up, Zoya came to the kitchen area where Dilshad was already busy with small household chores. She didn't see Zoya coming as her back was turned to her. A naughty idea popped up in Zoya's mind. She tip toed to her and covered her eyes from behind.

"Zoya, tere alawa iss ghar mein aur koi hai jo yeh kar sakta hai?" Dilshad laughed. A little disappointed with her failed trick, Zoya grumpily let her go.

"Kya phoophi, aap bhi na! Ek pal mein pakad li mujhe!" Zoya pouted. Dilshad was looking at her cute puppy face, her eyes brimming with affection.

"Arre wah! Aaj to meri beti jeans mein bilkul purani wali Zoya lag rahi hai." Dilshad wiped a little kajal from her eyes and rubbed it on Zoya's earlobe "Kissi ki nazar na lage."

"Issi baat pe ek sher arz hai...jee arz kiya hai..."

"Irshad, Irshad." Dilshad prompted.

"Phoophi ka kaala teeka lagayegi har buri nazar par break...

Phoophi ka kaala teeka lagayegi har buri nazar par break...

Issi khushi mein aaj hum banayenge choco mousse cake...

Shukriya, shukriya, shukriya." The dazzling smile was back in her face.

"Lekin beta, kal teri tabiyat kharab thi na?" Dilshad touched her forehead, checking her temperature. "Asad ne mujhe sab bataya, tune mujhe jagayi kyon nahi beta?"

"Oh ho phoophi, phir toh Mr.Khan ne aap ko yeh bhi bataye honge, ke mujhe bukhar nahi hai. I was just a little bit...a tiny weenie bit sick because I didn't listen to you. I should've eaten something." Zoya nodded thoughtfully "Lekin ab main bilkul thik hoon, aur meri cake toh aur bhi behtareen ho gaya hai...ab main bina CD aur DVD jalaye hue bhi cake bana sakti hoon." She chuckled, remembering her last attempt to bake a cake, when she unknowingly burnt Asad's CD.

Dilshad was smiling, too. "Uff I still remember. Aur Asad ka woh gussa...teri shakal dekhni layek ho gayi thi. Ya Allah, kitne jhagadte the tum dono! Ek pal mein ladayi, toh dusre pal mein pyaar..." she stopped abruptly, realizing that she might have said something she never intended to say.

Zoya's smile faded. Both of them didn't say anything for a few moments. Dilshad's face had dropped, clearly portraying the turbulence that was going on in her mind. She was inwardly cursing herself for bringing up the issue. Sensing her phoophi's unrest, Zoya changed the topic immediately. "Phoophi, yeh Mr.Khan kahin dikh nahi rahe hain? Office ke liye nikal gaye hai kya? Itni jaldi?"

"Nahi beta, Asad shayad upar wale kamrein mein hai. He's going through his regular exercise regime I guess. He's set up a few gym equipments upstairs. Jaa na Zoya, zara Asad ko breakfast ke liye bula ke la please." Dilshad glanced at the clock. "Lagta hai aaj woh late ho jayega."

"Phoophi..." Zoya was about to open her mouth, but Dilshad gave her a mildly reproachful look "Phir phoophi! Ammi nahi bol sakti?"

"Sorry, ammi." Zoya tugged her own ear apologetically. "Main soch rahi thi kyon na main Mr.Khan ko unn ka breakfast upar jaake deke ayun?"

"Haan, woh bhi thik hai." Dilshad arranged toast and fried eggs on the plate. Zoya poured coffee in his favourite dark blue mug. She picked up the plate and coffee mug and headed for upstairs.

"Itna kuch manage kar payegi, ya phir main madad karoon?" Dilshad called out from behind.

"Ammi, aap fiqar mat kijiye...after all, main apni sho...erm...Mr.Khan ke liye itna toh manage kar sakti hoon, na?" Zoya reprimanded herself for almost letting it slip out of her mouth.

***********************************************

Zoya knocked on Asad's door with her elbow, struggling to manage the hot plate and cup of coffee in her both hands. She could hear the buzzing of the treadmill inside, but no one responded.

"Mr.Khan?" she knocked again, this time a little louder. Apparently, her voice was drowned in the noise of the gymming machines, as no response came from inside.

Zoya pushed the door and stepped inside; but she immediately froze at the doorstep once her eyes caught a glimpse of her husband.

A wave of heat rushed through her veins as her eyes fell on the stunning nakedness of his bare torso, drenched in sweat, each muscle of his sculpted body moving in sync with the gymming machine. His sweatpants hung loosely from his toned, lean waist. Zoya's eyes followed a drop of sweat that rolled down his bare back, tracing the outline of his chiseled frame. Her cheeks burnt from the heat exuded by his steaming body. She inhaled sharply through her slightly parted lips. Her heart abruptly started pounding in her chest.

Asad somehow sensed her lingering gaze on him and turned immediately. "Miss Farooqui? Aap yahaan? iss tarah chup chup kya dekh rahi thi aap?" He frowned slightly, draping a towel around his shoulders. Zoya dropped her gaze, her breath still stuck in her throat.

*Mujhe chup chup ke dekh ne ki kya zaroorat hai, Mr.Khan? Apne shohar ko dekhna akhir koi gunah hai kya?* Zoya said in her mind, but couldn't bring herself to voice her thoughts. Instead she muttered coyly "Woh, phoophi said you're getting late for office. Toh main aap ka breakfast upar leke aayi."

"Isski kya zaroorat thi, Miss Farooqui?" Asad took the plate from her hand; their fingers touched for a minuscule second. "You shouldn't have bothered yourself. Aap mujhe neeche bula leti, main aa jata." He stared at her flushed face with a little apprehension.

"Mr.Khan, aap itna formal kyon ho rahe hain? Dekhiye, main jaanti hoon ke aap ke liye yeh nikah shayad aap ke zindagi ka sabse bada compromise hai; this is a sacrifice that you have made for your brother's happiness...and you don't want me to perform any wifely duty for you."The pain is Zoya's eyes was palpable, but she kept her voice steady "par iska matlab yeh nahi ke aap mere sath har waqt ek ajnabee ki tarah pesh aayenge!"

"Miss Farooqui, mera matlab woh nahi tha." Asad pressed his lips together, looking a bit unnerved by Zoya's words.

"Look, Mr.Khan, abhi abhi aapne mujhse promise kiya hai ke agar mujhe kuch chahiye, toh main aap se be jhijhak (without hesitation) woh mang sakti hoon. Toh chaliye, abhi aap mujhse ek waada kijiye..." Zoya stretched her palm in front of him.

"Promise me that as long as I am here, we will be cordial with each other. Main yeh nahi keh rahi hoon, ke hum achche dost ban ke rahenge, kyonki yeh humare liye namumkin hai. Par humare rishtein mein ek understanding hona bahut zaroori hai, ta ke jab main yahan se jaoon, toh yeh ek mahina humare zindagi mein yaadgar banke rahe." Zoya's eyes were moist, but she had a beautiful smile in her face.

"Trust me Mr.Khan, I've cried enough...enough for a lifetime. Ab main aur mayus (sad) hoke jeena nahi chahti hoon. I want to be myself and live every moment of this one month; I want to fill my heart with all these happy memories...my moments spent with phoophi, with you...so that there's no place left in my heart for sadness. Bataiye, kya aap mere liya itna kar sakte hai?" Zoya looked in his eyes, silently pleading for his consent.

Asad stood there motionless for a few moments, waves of turbulent thoughts rocking his mind. The thought of spending time with Zoya was way too alluring, but dangerous nonetheless. His feelings for her had remained unaffected throughout the years of separation; heck, it had only strengthened his yearning for her. Today, he could see the reflection of the same desire in her eyes too. The subtle, yet unmistakable attraction was evident in her flushed face, her breathy voice. It was like sitting on a ticking time bomb; one mistake from their side could destroy the delicate threads of relationships with their near and dear ones forever.

Finally, he let out a soft sigh and clasped her hand "All right, Miss Farooqui. I will try to behave normally around you. It's true that things can never be the same between us, but I promise to try my best."

"Mere liye yehi kaafi hai, Mr.Khan." Zoya squeezed his hand gratefully.

***************************************

A few days later:

"Phoophi, I am home." Zoya announced loudly as she made her way through the main door with arms full of shopping bags. She'd been on a shopping spree today and it had wonderfully lifted her mood. As she casually threw her sandals aside, she could here an unfamiliar voice in the drawing room.

She peeped inside and spotted a gentleman in a grey suit sitting next to Asad on the sofa. The two seemed to share a lighthearted moment...and wonder of wonders! Asad was laughing heartily, probably at one of his jokes.

"Allah Miyaan! Akdu ke chehre pe smile! MashAllah, yeh Mr.Khan smile karte hue kitne achche lagte hain. Par yeh janab hai kaun?" Zoya wondered.

"Miss Fa...erm...Zoya, aap wahan khade kyon hai? Please andar aiye naa." Asad gestured her to come inside.

*Wow! Zoya! Mr.Khan toh first name par utar aaye hai. Kya baat hai!* Zoya's eyes widened a little in bewilderment.

"Zoya, inse miliye. He's my childhood friend, Mr. Arjun Kirloskar. Actually, yeh mere dost kam, aur bhai zyada hai." Asad smiled affectionately.

"Aap ke bachpan ka dost!" Zoya mumbled in confusion. She had never met anyone from Asad's childhood before. In fact, Asad had never shown any interest in sharing details of his past and Zoya too, didn't ask him about it, knowing that the memories were anything but happy.

"Jee, aap hayraan mat ho jaiye, actually bachpan ke baad hum dono aaj hi mile hai. Hi, I'm Arjun, naam toh suna hi hoga...par apka chehra bata rahi hai ke apne naam shayad suni nahi...fiqr mat kijiye, iss mein galati aap ki nahi, Asad ki hai. By the way, you must be Zoya. I was dying to meet you, madam." The guy held his hand out to her. He had a bright smile on his face.

*Allah Miyaan! Mr.Khan ke yeh dost kitna bolte hai. Bilkul meri tarah chatterbox hai toh.* Zoya shook his hand lightly. There was something instantly likable about him, and she found herself smiling with him.

"I still can't believe that I've finally met Miss Zoya Farooqui...I mean...Mrs. Zoya Asad Ahmed Khan! Aap hi hai woh magician, jinhone iss akdu ko aashiq bana diya. Zoya jee, aap khud nahi jaante ke aap kitna bada kamaal kar diya. In college, we all used to worry about apna Asad...in fact, a friend in our group used to maintain a smile book' for him." Arjun laughed loudly "That fellow used to record how many times Asad smiled in a year, and trust me he never crossed the first page."

Asad rolled his eyes "That's not fair, Arjun. Remember, in third year, Akash ka smile book' four pages cross kiya tha!"

"Kyon ki, my dear Asad, that year you lost your student ID card, and the photographer told you to smile a little bit...and it took 9 clicks before you got it right." Arjun's toothy grin was enough to throw Zoya into a giggling fit.

"Achcha achcha, woh sab toh thik hai, par yeh bata itne dino baad kaise tujhe meri yaad aayi?" Asad tried to change the topic. The corner of his mouth was twisted in an awkward smile.

"Arre yaar, yaad toh hamesha aati hai, par kya karoo yeh kambakht office...paapi pet ka sawal hai, dude." Arjun shook his head, "You don't know how much I regret missing your wedding!"

"Koi baat nahi, Arjun ji. Aab jab aap aa hi gaye hai, toh muh meetha toh karni hi padhegi!" Zoya cut him in "Kahiye aap kya lenge, tea, coffee, cold drinks...waise main aap ko bata doon, my coffee is world famous in Bhopal...even Mr.Khan likes it. Hai na, Asad?" Zoya nudged Asad. He nodded thoughtfully, looking mildly surprised at Zoya's sudden display of intimacy. Zoya chuckled inwardly. She was thoroughly enjoying the 'hubby-wifey' role playing in front of a third person, knowing fully well that Asad can't even protest as long as Arjun is there.

"Jee aaj nahi, I'm actually in a hurry now. Agli baar aap ke hath ka coffee zaroor peeonga, par akela nahi, kissi ke sath..." Arjun couldn't hide a shy smile as he spoke the last words.

"What! Iss ka matlab..." Asad eyes widened with realization "Tu...tu shaadi kar raha hai? Off course, you are! Kaun hai woh ladki?"

"It's a very long story, my friend. Buss itna keh sakta hoon, ke ab main apni Poorvi, aur apni beti pari se aura lag nahi reh sakta. I am going to bring them home." Arjun smiled, still lost in the thoughts of his loved ones.

"Aap ki beti?" the words slipped out of Zoya's mouth before she could stop herself. Asad gave her a mildly reproachful look. Zoya immediately regretted her words.

"As I said, it's a long story. Kabhi waqt mile, toh main aap logon ke sath yeh kahani zaroor share karunga. As of now, all I can say is, if two people are destined to be together, they will eventually unite, even if the entire universe conspires against them." Arjun looked at them "...and who else can understand that better than you guys? You two look just perfect together."

Zoya and Asad slowly turned to face each other. Zoya could feel her pulse racing again. *So, it's not only me who feels like Mr.Khan was made just for me. Even an outsider can see it, too. How come only the man in question had turned a blind eye to the fact? Kab tak aap iss sachchai se bhag te rahenge, Mr.Khan?* she sighed.

The two could have stared into each other's eyes for eternity, if not for Asad's phone, which rang noisily, bringing them back to reality.

"Excuse me. Main abhi aaya." Asad picked up the phone and walked towards the terrace, leaving Arjun and Zoya behind.

"Zoya jee, yeh batayiye, kahin yeh Akdu aap ko pareshan toh nahi kar raha, apne akdupan se!" Arjun teased her. Zoya blushed a little before answering "Nahi, aisi koi baat nahi. Haan, woh hai thode strong and silent' type, moody bhi hai, par mera bahut khayal rakhte hai."

"I totally knew it!" Arjun had a triumphant smile on his face "He loves you more than his life, Zoya jee. Please don't tell him that I told you this, but when you were gone from his life, one day I got a call from him...and he actually cried over the phone. Aap shayad soch bhi nahi sakti yeh uss ke liye kitni badi baat hai. That fellow didn't even cry when his father abandoned them. Aisa laga, jaise usski puri duniya khatam ho gayi hai."

Zoya couldn't believe what he said! *Mr.Khan broke down in front of his friend. Mere liye? Uss ki puri duniya khatam ho gayi thi!* she just stared at Arjun, her mind still trying to gauge how much pain she'd caused Asad in those two years of separation.

"Now that you've accepted him whole heartedly as your life partner, please don't leave him again EVER." Arjun's voice was filled with earnestness. "Aggar dobara aisa kuch hua, toh woh bardasht nahi kar payega, poori tarah se toot jayega mera dost. Please Zoya jee, if you don't mind my words, vaada kijiye ke aap hamesha Asad ke sath rahengi."

"Main aap ke jazbaat samajh sakti hoon, Arjun jee . I promise, I won't leave his side ever...again." Zoya's wasn't sure why she said those words, but as soon as she spoke, she felt as if a huge burden had lifted off her chest. If only her dream of being together with Asad could last longer than a month!

*********************************************************

P.S I hope you liked the little cameo by Arjun (of Pavitra Rishta) 😊. Check out the next part for some intense AsYa moments. 😳

CHAPTER -4

Next week:

As soon as Zoya stepped outside the shopping mall, a gust of wind nearly knocked her out of her feet. Too bad that her hands were full with shopping bags! She'd just finished her shopping for Arjun's marriage and was dying to show the gorgeous lehenga she chose for herself to Asad as soon as she reached home; but there seemed to be some divine retribution from heaven in the form of stormy weather to pour cold water on her hopes.

She walked unsteadily towards the parking lot, where her pink scooter was parked. With some difficulties, she managed to accommodate all her bags on it and finally squeezed herself on the seat. Heaving a sigh of relief, she turned the key and tried to kick start the scooty. To her dismay, it didn't start.

*Shoot* she cursed herself and pressed the start' button, hoping for an electronic start, but it too failed her. She glanced nervously at her watch. The luminous hands of the watch pointed 7.30 in the evening.

*Allah Miyaan! Yeh kya ho raha hai!* Zoya kicked hard on the foot pedal; the scooter groaned once, but it died down immediately.

With a heavy heart, Zoya got down from the seat and started pushing it with hands. Her eyes frantically searched for a garage or automobile shop nearby, but she couldn't spot one. The sudden storm had forced people to take shelter under roofs, and the road looked deserted. Zoya contemplated going back to the shopping mall, but she realized she'd already walked a considerable distance to go back there again. A bus stop nearby caught her eyes and she decided to take shelter under the canopy.

Asad was deeply immersed in his work, when his phone rang. A slight crease appeared on his forehead as he saw the number *Miss Farooqui, itni raat ko!*

"Yes, Miss Farooqui?"

"Mr.Khan, aap aab tak office mein hain ya phir nikal gaye?" Zoya sounded anxious on the other side.

"Kya baat hai, Miss Farooqui, aap kuch pareshan lag rahi hai!" Asad was suddenly alarmed.

"Nahi, wo...Mr.Khan, actually main..." Zoya gulped "I was in the shopping mall...and I lost count of the time...and now my scooty is not starting. I'm kinda...er...lost."

"Aap gadi leke kyon nahi gayi, Zoya?" Asad almost shouted with anger. He felt that numbing sensation in his heart again, his sixth sense warning him of some impending danger.

"Mr.Khan, gadi toh phoophi leke gayi hain. She went to her friend's place in the morning. She'll be staying there overnight. Unki dost Savita ji ki tabiyat kuch thik nahi hai na." Zoya squeaked with nervousness.

Asad remembered that. *Yeah, ammi's not there*

"Miss Farooqui, exactly where are you? Can you spot any shop, restaurant or market nearby?" Asad got up from his chair, feeling restless and helpless at the same time.

"It's somewhere near the Blue Bell Shopping Mall', but the exact place I don't know. I'm standing at a bus stop now." Zoya's voice was shaking.

"Just be where you are, suna aapne? Main aa raha hoon...and Allah ke vaste apna phone on rakhiyega please." Asad cut the phone and darted out of his cabin.

****************************************************

Zoya waited in the bus stop, a little unnerved by the silence surrounding her. There was not a living soul in sight. Darkness and solitude can do strange things to mind, and Zoya had already started experiencing the creepy feeling of being watched by someone. Twice, she looked back to check if there's actually someone standing behind, but failed to notice anything except the rustling of the leaves.

"Madam, lift chahiye kya aap ko?" a gruff voice behind her made her jump with shock. Her heart almost leapt to her throat as she saw a man standing just behind her, just a little too close for her comfort.

*Allah Miyaan, when did he come? I never heard him approaching.* Zoya realized her throat was too dry to come up with an answer. She just shook her head, taking a few steps forward, trying to maintain a considerable distance from him.

"Arre, aap itna darr kyon rahi hai. Chaliye aap ko kahin chhod deta hoon, jahan aap chahe. Bike hai hamare paas." The fellow sounded a little amused.

A chill run down Zoya's spine as she discovered to her utmost horror that the man was not alone. He pointed towards the road, where four other stood. Two of them seated on black bikes, the other two eyed Zoya carefully.

Zoya's hand clutched tightly the handle of the shopping bag. Should she scream and run for help, or just act confident and tell them off? She decided to choose the later; it surely looked like the help's not gonna come handy.

"Shukriya, par mujhe aap ki madad ki zaroorat nahi hai. Mere shohar buss ate hi honge." Zoya's fingers inched closer to the green button of her mobile phone.

"Agar aap bura na mane, toh kya main aap ka mobile use kar sakta hoon?" the man stretched his hand abruptly. Before Zoya could say something, he snatched the mobile out of her hand.

"Yeh kya badtameezi hai? Please mujhe mera phone wapas kijiye." Zoya struggled to take her phone back.

"Badtameezi! Wo toh ab suru hogi, meri jaan." The man threw the phone away and grabbed her shoulders tightly. Zoya could smell alcohol in his breath. She tilted her head back in disgust, trying to wriggle out of his grip.

"Aap logon ko kya chahiye? Money? Please take all the money and let me go." Zoya pushed him with all her might, but the fellow didn't flinch. His hands tightened around her shoulder and clawed on the pallu of her black chiffon saree.

"Chhod de mujhe, just let me go, you bust*rd." Zoya spit on his face. Tears, blended with kohl bleed from her eyes. The man let go of her momentarily. Before she could recover from the shock, he slapped hard across her face. Zoya screamed in agony and landed with a thud on the ground. A dark, dense liquid started oozing out from the corner of her bruised lips and Zoya could feel a salty taste in her mouth.

"You b*tch! I will teach you a lesson today." The man leaned over her. Zoya could see five faces circling over her, ready to tear her off into pieces. All of them were young men, in their mid-twenties.

"Allah ke vaste, mujhe jaane do. Please, I beg you." Zoya dragged herself on the muddy ground. A soft drizzle had started pouring from the sky. The surge of panic spiking in her heart was clouding her senses now. Somewhere deep down she knew she's fighting a lost battle... five animals vs one injured girl; clearly the odds were against her, and there was too much at stake!

"Allah! Meri madad kijiye." Zoya sobbed bitterly. She continued crawling backwards, trying to get as far away from them as possible, but the circle was narrowing on her. Like a pack of wolves playing with their terrified victim, the shadows inched towards her, ready to pounce on her anytime.

Zoya felt her senses slipping away, as the iron fists of fear clutched her heart, slowly and painfully crushing her hopes of surviving the nightmare. She struggled to fight her way through the thick mist spreading fast in front of her eyes, blurrying her vision.

And then...she heard it.

*The roaring of a car engine!*

Zoya's eyes were momentarily blinded by the glaring head-lights of a vehicle, which seemed to appear out of nowhere and was approaching them with great speed. Her tormentors looked equally aghast at this sudden turn of events. Before they could fully comprehend the situation, the car screeched to a halt in front of them.

"Help me! Please. Meri madad kijiye." Zoya lurched forward blindly; but her weak knees couldn't support her and she stumbled on her saree.

The next moment, she found herself resting on a strong pair of arms. The familiar smell of aftershave was suddenly in the air, and her body reacted faster than her mind. She threw her arms around him, buried her head on his neck and sobbed with relief.

"Asad...aap..aap aa gaye!" Zoya's words were coming out in short, shallow gasps. "Ya Allah! Aap aa gaye." She rubbed her tear striken face on his chest, trying to feel his presence with all her being.

"Zoya, ab main yahan aa gaya hoon. Everything's going to be fine, trust me." Asad's hands tightened around her, pulling her closer and holding her securely to his chest. His bloodshot eyes glowered at the strangers, who stared in bewilderment, clearly having no clue about what was going on.

One of them stepped forward and stood face to face with Asad. He had pierced eyebrows and a shabby tattoo on his forearm that read 'RJ'.

"Aye...kaun hai be tu? Saale roadside Majnu ban ne ka bada shauk hai tujhe! Chup chap yahaan se kat le, warna dobara herogiri dikhane ke layak nahi rahega." He spat out viciously.

Asad gently moved Zoya away from the guy, shielding her from him. He looked him squarely in the eyes and spoke with a chilling calmness that could make even the breavest of them go weak at the knees.

"Main tum logon ko sirf ek mauka deta hoon. Abhi ke abhi yahan se chale jao. Agaar aaj mera hath kissi pe uth gaya...none of you will live to see the daylight...and that's a promise. Now run. Run for your life, guys." Asad's eyes were blazing with suppressed fury.

"You tryin' to threaten us, dude?" The guy eyed him with disbelief. "Arre hum paanch hai, tu akela kya ukh*d lega, saale? Tujhe toh main abhi sabak sikhata hoon." He abruptly hit Asad in the face. Asad staggered back with the unexpected blow, but regained his balance immediately. He wiped the blood trickling down his chin and stared at him. He looked blankly inscrutable; but his curled up fists and firmly set jaw line were indicative enough of what was about to come.

"Mr.Khan, please chaliye yahaan se. Please." Zoya tugged at his sleeve. She had seen this look on him before, and was fully aware of what could possibly happen to these guys who were deliberately, but unknowingly messing with the Lion. The thought was enough to send a shiver down her spine.

"Arre wah, bada gehra pyaar hai dono ke beech! Too bad dude, iss do take ki ladki ke liye tu apna khoon baha raha hai! Meri baat maan aur nikal le yahan se. Waise bhi, she's not your f*cking wife. Teri biwi thodi lagti hai yeh!" The guy's face twisted with a lewd smirk.

Asad grabbed him by the collar and spoke with a menacing whisper "Lagti nahi hai. Hai. She IS my wife. Aur koi mere biwi ke sath iss tarah ki behuda harkat kare, toh main usse jaan se maar deta hoon. I just f*cking kill that bust*rd."

Before the guy could open his mouth, Asad whacked him hard across the face. The guy's head hit the windshield of the car with a dull thump; and the next moment he was lying unconscious on the ground.

Seeing their friend bit the dust so unceremoniously, the other four attacked Asad. The fight didn't last long, though. Soon the rest of the gang lay scattered on the ground, whimpering in pain and muttering curses under their breath.

"Meri zoya ko hath lagayega! Himmat kaise hui usse chune ki!" Asad hurled one vicious punch after another. In his blind fit of rage, he didn't even notice that the guy was no longer responding. His face was splattered with blood and bruised beyond recognition.

"Mr.Khan! Kya kar rahein hain, Mr.Khan! Chhod dijiye, mar jayega who." Zoya grabbed Asad's shoulder and tried to pull him away.

Asad roughly shrugged her hand away. His face was flushed. He was breathing heavily, trying to get a grip over himself. He gave the guy one last vengeful look and turned to his car.

"Miss Farooqui, gadi mein baithiye." It was more of an order than a request.

Zoya silently obeyed him. As soon as she got inside the car, Asad closed the door with a loud thud and drove away.

******************************************************

The car picked up speed as they hit the highway. The bright headlight of the car pierced through the darkness ahead, revealing an empty road curled up like a lazy serpent. The only sound that could be heard was the low roaring of the car engine and the pattering of raindrops on the roof of the car. The weather had worsened since evening. The soft drizzle had turned into thick curtains of rains streaming down incessantly from heaven.

Sitting in the deadly silence and listening to her own heartbeat, Zoya suddenly felt very lonely. Since a very young age, she'd been harbouring an empty space in her heart. A void she hoped would be filled once she found the love of her life...and her search finally ended in India, when fate landed her in the arms of Asad; but the man sitting beside her right now was hardly the man she onced loved. The stone hard face, the unkempt hair and scruffy stubble had rendered a mask like quality to his feature; a perfect facade to hide all the emotional turmoils that was perhaps stirring his heart at the moment.

"Mr.Khan..." she called him softly. He didn't look. His fingeres tightened around the steering wheel. The car zoomed ahead at an alarmingly high speed.

"Mr.Khan, please ek baar meri taraf dekhiye." Zoya felt a lump in her throat. Angsty tears pricked her eyes; but all her pleas seemed to fall on deaf ears, as Asad had apparently forgotten her presence in the car.

His jaw line was taut, his eyes fixated on the road ahead. The car swerved dangerously as he took an abrupt right turn.

"Mr.Khan, yeh kaise gadi chala rahein hain aap? Main jaanti hoon aap mujhse naraz hai, but I am really, really sorry. I..." Zoya couldn't finish her sentence as the car jolted to a halt. Asad had suddenly pulled over and he was leaning his forehead against the steering wheel.

"Keh diya jo kehna tha aap ko?" He slowly looked up at her. The frenzied look in his eyes frightened her. "Miss Farooqui, I just can't believe this. Itna sab kuch ho jaane ke baad... all you can come up with is a lame sorry'." He looked incredulous. "Aagar aap ko kuch ho jata, phir bhi aap yeh hi kehti ke I am sorry'? Do you have any idea what could have happened today? Kissi ke feelings ka zara sa bhi parwa hai aap ko, Miss Farooqui?" He yelled.

"Mr.Khan, main maanti hoon ke mujhse galati hui hai, par..."

"Shut up Zoya. Just shut up." Zoya shuddered at his thunderous roar. "Aap ki ek galati ki wajah se aap ki khud ki zindagi, aur meri zindagi barbaad ho sakta tha. La-parwahi ki ek haad hoti hai, and you have crossed all limits today. Aap ko meri zindagi mein dobara wapas lana meri zindagi ki sabse badi galati thi, samjhi aap? Aakhir kyon wapas aayi aap meri zindagi mein, Zoya? Kyon?" Asad buried his face in his hands.

Bheegi Bheegi Si Hai Raaten
Bheegi Bheegi Yaaden
Bheegi Bheegi Baaten
Bheegi Bheegi Aankhon Mein Kaisi Nami Hai...

Sapnon Ka Saya Palkon Pe Aya
Pal Mein Hasaya Pal Mein Rulaya
Phir Bhi Yeh Kaisi Kami Hai...

Na Jaane Koi Kaisi Hai Yeh Zindagaani Zindgaani
Hamari Adhuri Kahani

The rest of the journey was spent in silence. About half an hour later, they reached the Khan Villa. Asad got out of the car and headed inside, followed by a silent and solemn looking Zoya.

************************************************************

Asad sank on his bed, running his fingers through his hair wearily. His last words to Zoya still rang in his ears.

*How on earth could you bring yourself to utter those horrible things to her? You promised her you won't hurt her anymore! You promised to be her support...and look how you kept your words! You just devastated her with your insensitive, rude, vile words!* Asad tugged at his hair in frustration.

"Mr.Khan." Zoya's voice at the door step startled him. He slowly looked up and stared blankly at her.

"Mr.Khan, main aap ke liye kuch medicines layi hoon. Aap plase apne zakhm par yeh laga lijiye. Main aapki madad karti hoon." She put a bottle of anti-septic liquid and cotton balls on the table.

"Chaliye, apna zakhm mujhe dekhne dijiye, please." Zoya kneeled down in front of him and took his hands in hers.

"Miss Farooqui, aap please yahan se jaiyen. I can take care of myself." Asad stood up quickly, shaking her hands off him.

"Mr.Khan, aap ka gussa karna bilkul jayaz hai, par yeh narazgi dikhane ka waqt nahi hai. It's far more important to tend to your wounds. So please, mujhe apna hath dijiye. I can see those bruises on them." The hurt in her eyes were quite palpable.

"Miss Farooqui." Asad grabbed her shoulders and pinned her against the wall. "Aap ko samajh mein nahi aa raha ke main kya keh raha hoon? Aap please issi waqt yahan se chale jaiye. Mujhe kuch der ke liye akela chhod dijiye, please." His voice was breathy.

"Main iss halat mein aap ko akela chhod ke nahi ja sakti." Zoya said defiantly. *I want to see how far you can play hide and seek with your own feelings, Mr.Khan* she said inwardly.

"Aap aise nehi maanengi." Asad clutched her wrist and forcefully dragged her towards the door. Zoya struggled to wriggle out of his grip, but he was too strong for her.

"Mr.Khan, you're hurting me." She whimpred in pain. Asad's grip loosened slightly; and Zoya yanked her hand away from him. In a brisk movement, she reached the cupboard and drew out Asad's gun.

"Miss Farooqui, yeh aap kya kar rahi hai? Drop the gun, now!" Asad was thoroughly alarmed now.

Zoya shoved the barrel in Asad's hand and pressed the muzzle on her forehead. "Aagar itna hi nafrat karte hain mujhse, toh maar kyon nahi dete. Aaj, abhi, issi waqt aap ko iss museebat se chutkara mil jayegi." She was trembling like a leaf.

"Miss Farooqui, stop..."

"Why should I stop? WHY?" Zoya sobbed bitterly. "Nahi jee sakti main aap ke bina. Jab bhi aap ke aankhon mein apne liye nafrat dekhti hoon, har pal hazaroon maut marti hoon. Isse achcha toh yeh hota, ke aaj unn logon ki hathon mein main mar jaati..."

"Zoya!" Asad covered her mouth with his hand. His eyes were brimming with tears.

"Pull the trigger, Mr.Khan. Aap ke bina zindagi mere liye ek saza ban chuki hai." Zoya pleaded.

"No. No." Asad struggled to snatch it away from her.

"Pull the trigger. Kill me."

"Zoya. No."

"Just kill me! KILL ME!"

Asad seized the gun and threw it aside. He threw his full weight on her to pin her against the wall. The next moment, his lips came down crushing on her lips. As his thirsty lips brushed against her tender, supple, cherry lips, it sent a sear through his blood. The impact almost knocked him off his senses.

Zoya stubbornly resisted the kiss for the first few moments, pressing her lips together, not allowing Asad to enter her, but gradually Asad's passion rubbed off on her. She moaned softly as he fervourishly explored her mouth. The salty taste of blood, blended with her own tears filled her mouth. She tenderly sucked the corner of his lower lip, which was bruised and bleeding again. Her hands caressed his neck, while his hand gently rubbed her back.

Zoya slid her fingers in his shirt, clawing his shoulders, instigating him to explore her further. He understood, and gratified her with soft, feathery kisses on her neck. Zoya tilted her head back, drinking in the moment, and her heart's desire bloomed into those three magical words "I love you...I love you so much, Asad." she breathed through her slightly parted lips.

Slowly, very slowly Asad pulled himself away from the embrace. He glanced at Zoya's radiant, beautiful face through his dark, long lashes. A soft, almost imperceptible sigh escaped him. He rested his forehead against hers and deeply inhaled the floral smell of her wet hair. He wanted to capture the moment forever in his heart, as he knew in his heart that very soon he had to let go of it.

"Miss Farooqui." His voice broke as he choked back his tears.

"Hmm." Zoya didn't open her eyes. Her chin was tilted slightly upwards, a little red drop on her pouty lips bore the mark of Asad's uninhibited, passionate love.

"Aap abhi, issi waqt iss kamrein se bahar chale jaiye." Each word escaping Asad's mouth seared his heart, but he steeled himself and continued "aur agli bar, mere izazat ke bina iss kamrein mein aap kadam nahi rakhengi.

Zoya's eyes flung open in sheer shock. "Mr.Khan, yeh aap..." her voice trailed off as she stared disbelievingly at him.

"Sahi suna aapne, Miss Farooqui. Now please leave." Asad turned his back towards her, fearing that she'd eventually see through his lie.

"Par Mr.Khan, aap ka zakhm kaafi gehra hai. Aap ko dawaai diye bina main yahan se nahi jaa sakti." Zoya's voice was shaking. Clearly, she was struggling to cope up with his mercurial behavior.

"JUST LEAVE! Khuda ke waaste mujhe akela chhod dijiye! Just GET OUT of my room...and my life." Asad banged his fist so hard against the windowpane it shattered into pieces. Zoya cupped her mouth and darted out of the room, sobbing and shaking violently.

Asad stood alone in the room. A million reflection of his own self stared back at him from the broken pieces of glass. Little droplets of blood oozed out of the fresh wound on his hand, creating random patterns on the floor. He dragged himself towards the door, bolted it from inside and dropped to his knees.

"Zoya, mujhe maaf kar dijiye. Kuch pal ke liye main yeh bhul gaya tha ke humein mohabbat karne ki izazaat nahi hai. Meri sabse badi kamzori aaj bhi sirf aap hai, aur meri sabse badi taqat bhi. Aaj bhi mera dil sirf aap hi ke liye dhadakta hai. Par kismet ne hamarein sath ek aisa mazaak kiya hai, ke chahte hue bhi main aap ko nahi bata sakta, ke main aap se beintehaa mohabbat karta hoon." Asad leaned against the door and wept silently.

"Mr.Khan, please ek baar darwaja kholiye. Please let me in...just once." Zoya begged outside, her voice hoarse with crying.

"Nehi Zoya. Ab bahut der ho chuki hai. Chali jao Zoya...isse pehle iss dil se koi aur galati ho jaye, chali jao tum." Asad whispered.

Meri kismat ke
Har ek panne pe
Mere jite ji
Baad marne ke
Mere har ek kal
Har ek lamhe mein
Tu likh de mera use

Har kahani mein
Saare kison mein
Dil ki duniya ke
Sacche rishton mein
Zindagani ke
Saare hison me
Tu likh de mera use

Aye khuda aye khuda
Jab bana uska hi bana
Aye khuda aye khuda
Jab bana uska hi bana

Uska hun uss mein hun usse hun ussi ka
Rehne de...
Main toh pyasa hun hai dariya woh zariya woh jine ka mere
Mujhe ghar de gali de shehar de usi ke naam ke
Kadam yeh chalen ya ruken ab usi ke waaste
Dil mujhe de agar
Dard de uska par
Uski ho woh hasi
Gunje jo mera ghar...

Aye khuda aye khuda
Jab bana uska hi bana

(to be continued)

Teddy ❤️

Awesome prologue!

Feel so sad for AsYa!
loved the cameo entry!
Waiting for the chapter to come! 😳