Zoya got down the bus she had taken an hour back and looked around at the very deserted area stretched out in front of her. She unfolded the papers Asad had scribbled on and took aid of her iPad to guide her to the right place. It was a hot sunny day which didn't help her already unpleasant mood.
She looked around for some mode of transport for a lift, but finding none she continued to walk, feeling a little anxious seeing the surrounding so isolated.
Mr Khan had been right; she should have let him come with her. She wondered how he would react knowing she had left without him, or rather informing him even when he had asked her to visit his office.
****************
Asad glanced at the clock again, it was already 2:30 and Zoya hadn't yet made it to his office. He had the rest of his day free and had hoped they would make best of it.
After waiting for a while more, he made a call to her which much to his dismay was unavailable. He kept trying but she wasn't reachable.
Finally after a few tries he contacted his Ammi," Ammi Zoya kahan hai, I've been trying to reach her from a while now."
"Zoya toh subah se hi ghar par nahi hai Asad. She told me she was going out for some work and will be back a little tonight, kyun kya hua?" Dilshad enquired in concern.
Asad groaned, pressing his temples," Nahi kuch nahi Ammi nothing important. I'll see you later bye."
Asad's temper rose as he grasped that Zoya had left for Raisen fort all alone. She hadn't even called him to inform him of her plans and hadn't even come to the office even though he had specifically asked her to. He was completely puzzled at her sudden distant behaviour. She had been strangely quiet and aloof ever since their return and he wondered what could have lead to it.
Whatever it was that she had decided, he had to be practical enough and be with her immediately. The area she had ventured to all alone was isolated and dangerous and he couldn't leave her alone in his anger.
Just as he was about to wrap up and leave the cabin, his office landline decided to ring. He wanted to ignore it and rush out, but something held him back and he ran to fetch it.
"Dilshad Constructions, Asad Ahmed Khan.." He said crisply.
He sat down on his chair with a thud after keeping the receiver back, holding his head in his hands he breathed in painfully. His mind swirled with chaos, the unsettling pain returning to him. His thoughts moved back and forth, did he really need to care about the call? But he should, his brain protested, it would be a lie if he would let his ego stop him on the pretext that he didn't care, because he most certainly did. Deciding he had to do what was needed he got up to attend what he had been called for, but stood rooted in bewilderment, remembering Zoya.
Zoya was alone in an unsafe, isolated area searching for a clue to reach her father, without knowing even a minute detail in regards to him and anything that could reach him.
He shut his eyes in anguish, his head dizzy with so much going on around him. What was he to do, the call was urgent, but so was Zoya's safety. He reached his phone again and redialled her, sighing in frustration when it repeatedly came unavailable.
He would have to get out of the office he thought and he would go wherever his heart leads him to. Getting into the care he pushed the accelerator with a force and zoomed towards the Raisen fort.
*****************
Zoya speeded a little almost on her heels to make a run. She kept glancing back from the corner of her eyes to see a few rowdy fellows following her. She clutched her bag tightly with her left hand while she hunted her pepper spray with the other. She breathed a sigh of relief when she felt it between her palms that grasped it as if her life depended on it. When they begun to comment snidely increasing their pace towards her, she scampered on her feet and ran. But the guys were faster than her and overtaking her stopped her in the way.
Zoya stared at them angrily; disgusted by the way they were eyeing her. She knew how to protect herself and she would show them the same.
"Move, hato yaha se.." Zoya said gritting her teeth in anger.
"Nahi hatoge toh kya kar logi, marogi?" they laughed on her expense, challenging her.
"Nahi marungi nahi, par kuch aisa karungi ki kabhi aankh utha kar dekh nahi sakoge, aur ladkiyon ko toh bilkul nahi," Zoya retorted smiling sarcastically.
The rowdy lot laughed at her and moved a few steps nearer, unaffected by her warning. Zoya grasped the spray tighter and targeted it towards them spraying it before they could reach and touch her.
All of them fell back feeling the pepper prick their eyes and burn them. The rubbed their eyes vigorously and yelled in pain making Zoya snort haughtily. But they weren't an easy lot, they sprung on their feet even with their eyes half closed and chased her again as she tried to escape. One of the boys held her hand and pulled her roughly towards himself. She gritted her teeth and pushed him away, poking her elbow in his ribs. She freed herself from his hold and ran ahead but stopped in her tracks when she saw a car pacing towards her.
"Asad!" she exclaimed when she realised the car was familiar and squinted her eyes to see Asad through the shining glass of his car.
Asad walked towards her and held her hand pulling her towards him, but his eyes didn't meet hers as he glared unwaveringly at the bunch behind. He looked at Zoya's dishevelled state and then back at them and fisted his hands in rage. He moved a few steps ahead towards them, but felt Zoya tug at his hand to pull him back.
"Mr Khan chodiye, they aren't worth it, chaliye yaha se chalte hai." Zoya pleaded.
Asad freed his arm from her hold and walked up to the man who had yanked Zoya roughly when he had driven in. He glowered fiercely at him and punched him with a force that threw him off balance and on the ground. The blow triggered his mates who darted towards Asad. Zoya gasped as she saw Asad battering them black and blue even as they couldn't even manage a scratch on him.
But she had uttered that too soon. Because her eyes widened as she saw the man who had been lying dazed on the ground get on his feet and attack Asad with his knife that scraped through his right shoulder. His white shirt was painted red in a few seconds and he stumbled back wincing painfully.
Zoya who had been standing rooted numbly felt a sudden rush and she sprinted towards Asad and sprayed at the boys again, pushing them back for good this time, leaving them blinded. She hauled at Asad's hand and rushed him to the car.
"I'll drive Mr Khan you sit down," she said opening the passenger seat's door for him.
"Are you out of your mind Miss Farooqui, you don't have a license." Asad reminded her.
"I didn't have it even when I crashed into your car the first time we met Mr Khan, but I got my way remember?" Zoya retorted unable to understand how he could argue even in such a situation.
"But that's not how.."
"Oh for God's sake this is no time to be your perfectionist self Jahapanah, get in the car before those boys can see again and rush to attack us anymore than they already have." Zoya snapped at him gesturing at his bleeding hand.
She removed her handkerchief from the purse and tied it around his shoulder tightly to stop the blood from flowing further, making him hiss in pain. Zoya winced seeing him like that and held him, almost hugging him by his side and pressed at his arm to relieve him a little. He rested his head leaning it behind, with his eyes scrunched. Zoya ran her hands through the ends of his hair and nape of his neck soothing him. Asad sighed in contentment almost wanting to stay like that, with nothing to worry, escaping from the horrors of his past and the reality of his present that he had to face now. But he couldn't and he knew that too well.
Asad pulled her hand away and gestured at the boys who were beginning to get up again making Zoya rush to the driver's seat. She reversed the car roughly and sped away.
They drove in an uncomfortable silence. Zoya kept staring at him repeatedly waiting for him to blow his fuse and shout at her for disobeying him. But his vent never came confusing her more than ever.
"Mr Khan? Are you okay?" Zoya finally questioned finding his silence extremely unusual.
"Amazing," Asad replied instantly taking her by surprise. She had expected a silent treatment.
"Where are you driving me to?" Asad asked
"Home, the wound needs to be tended Mr Khan." Zoya explained calmly this time.
"Turn towards City hospital." Asad directed her.
" Hospital? Is the wound too bad Mr Khan? Do you need stitches?" Zoya panicked.
"This is not about me Miss Farooqui, just do as I say...please." He added almost beseeching.
Zoya was thrown back at the way he had appealed to her. His voice had almost been cracking when he had pleaded. What was wrong? Why were they going to the hospital?
Asad shut his eyes in exhaustion, holding his right shoulder as it throbbed with pain. But there was a bigger pain somewhere in his heart and he knew that pain surpassed any physical hurt he had endured ever.
He had been seething in anger when he had driven to fetch Zoya, in a mind to scream his lungs out. But when he had approached her and seen her amidst trouble, all the anger had evaporated instantly. A sense of logic that rarely got to him when he was angry had gotten better of him today. He knew if he let his anger talk, he would ruin everything, more than it already was, not only for himself, but for Zoya too.
As they approached the hospital Asad sprinted out of the door and ran towards the reception even before Zoya could park. She knew something was extremely wrong, Asad's silence scared her, and she knew it was one before a storm, a storm that was going to destroy everything on its way.
Even before Zoya could follow Asad inside he rushed out and asked her to take seat again.
"We need to go home immediately, drive as fast as you can." Asad said his voice tight.
She looked at him, his eyes blood shot. And she was scared, terrified.
"Mr Khan what's wrong?"
"Do as I say Miss Farooqui, there's no time for small talk, PLEASE." Asad yelled.
Zoya's eyes widened as she saw the throbbing vein in his head and his angry eyes. She could almost see how defenceless they were even though they were peering at her in rage.
She sped away as fast as she could towards home.
**************
Asad broke in through the door which was half open and ran towards his Ammi's room, Zoya following him closely behind.
"Ammi!" He almost whispered as he barged into her room. Dilshad who had been on the phone till then looked behind at him, her eyes red, unshed tears warning to flow down. Zoya could see she was breaking but didn't know why. But she saw anger, fury that she had never seen in her eyes ever before.
And at the blink of an eye, she saw Dilshad stride towards Asad, raise her hands and slap him across his face.
NEXT PART
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
Anupamaa
Current Affairs
46