Chapter 7
When you are onto something with determination no force in the universe can stop you from walking along that path. It's a universal truth. Many have walked down the path towards self-destruction, many walked down the path towards self-realization and many walked down the path towards selflessness.
Asad had walked down towards the path of self-destruction on the week following his wedding. He drank, hurt himself and picked up fights. He was badly bruised both emotionally and physically. Then came the self-realization. As he walked down that path, he realized his grave mistakes and the extent of Zoya's love towards him. That realization helped him to walk towards the path of selflessness. Without bothering to put the broken pieces back together in his life he held Zoya's hand trying to fix her broken life. He was no fool to expect her love and hell he was not over his betrayed love. All he wanted at that moment was to mend her broken and defeated love with utmost care.
So there started the story of two broken souls, Asad and Zoya.
"Zoya...Zoya... Come out... Its dinner time..."
Yelled Asad on top of his voice as he searched for Zoya here and there. It's been a week Zoya had shifted with Asad. Asad had sold his old flat and brought a new small but comfy house on the suburbs and moved in with Zoya. He thanked Humeira profusely for making her decision in his favour.
Even though it was just one week, handling Zoya proved to be a difficult task for him. Having lost his parents in a tender age and having no siblings, Asad was not familiar with handling a kid like Zoya. But he accepted his wholeheartedly. For Zoya he was her Asu', a nickname that she had given him generously. Initially Zoya had resisted the idea of going away from Humi. It took hell lot of persuasion and pep talk to make her agree.
"Zoya... Come out now..."
His voice echoed throughout the house. Zoya who was hiding in a cupboard giggled to herself as she heard her 'Asu'. After some seconds silence prevailed in that house. She began to wonder where he had gone. Then suddenly the cupboard door was opened revealing Asad to her. She looked at him sheepishly.
Holding her hand he helped her to get down from the cupboard and led her to the dining hall. In the dining table a bowl full of yummy noodles was kept. Zoya's mouth watered just looking at that. she left his hand and jumped up the table folding her legs. Asad chuckled at her cute expression.
"Zoya, get down. Good girls sit in the chair."
"I am a bad girl then. I will sit here only..."
Asad couldn't help but to wonder from where she had learnt those sudden replies. Since he knew arguing with her was futile he sighed and sat in the chair and started having his food.
As the moon shone bright in the sky Asad checked every room in home one last time. Making sure that everything was fine and in order he walked towards his room only to find a pouting Zoya in his bed. Alarmed he sat next to her and asked her what was wrong.
"Asu... I want to sleep in tent."
He was shocked beyond words. He never expected her to put forward such a demand.
"Te...tent? Now? But... how about tomorrow early morning huh? We both will go camping?"
Asked Asad excitedly. But one look at her and he knew he is lost. He saw the tears well up in her eyes. And that really pinched his heart. He cupped her face and wiped those tears with his thumb.
"Shh... don't cry... my Zoya want to sleep in tent na? Give your Asu ten minutes. Your tent will be ready. Now be a good girl and stop crying, will you do that for me?"
She nodded her head in acceptance. Smiling, Asad stood up and walked out of the room.
After 10 minutes as promised he came back and took her to her room. She was happy seeing the arrangements inside the room. Asad had tied one ends of a bed sheet to the cot and the other ends to the dress shelf thus by making a roof for the tent. One side of the tent was covered with another bed sheet which he secured in place using laundry clips, and thus formed a makeshift tent. There was a bed spread out in that tent and he had already kept her favourite bunny rabbit there.
Zoya squealed in happiness and jumped on him to hug. Asad who was not anticipating this move, stumbled a little but gained balance soon holding her securely. Pulling away from him she ran to her tent and plopped herself upon the bed. Smiling at her antics he turned towards the door but was stopped by her voice.
"Asu..."
He looked at her, his eyebrow raised in question.
"Don't go yet Asu... you have to tell me a story. Please..."
Looking at her puppy face he couldn't say no. he felt himself nearing to her in a trance. He settled in the bed next to her. As soon as he settled she snuggled to him unsettling butterflies in his stomach. He tried to move away a little but soon found her moving closer. Defeated, he let her be and placed her head on his arm thus cushioning her head.
"Asu, story please"
"No stories today Zoya. You have to get up early in the morning tomorrow. We need to go to see our friends tomorrow, remember? Humi will be waiting for you. "
"Humi can wait. But story can't. Please tell me. Please. Pretty please with cherry on the top!"
He patted her head slowly while racking his brain for a story to tell to the girl cum kid in his arms. He smiled in triumph as he remembered the perfect one.
"Once upon a time there was a big palace. A king and Queen lived there happily. "
"Asu, didn't they have a princess?"
"Yes they had, just like you. Now let me tell the story.
The whole kingdom was living happily. In the palace there was a huge room in which they had stored rice for the entire nation. Days passed. One day a large flock of birds came to that country. They started flying outside the room where the rice bags were kept.
Then one bird came in and took rice and went out. Next bird came and took rice and went out. Next bird came, took the rice and went out. Next bird came, took the rice and went out"
"Asu, I got it. Tell me what's next?"
"That's what I am telling. This is in the story. You can imagine right how many bags of rice will be there... so all the rice in those rice bags need to be taken care of. So where was I? Yeah, then next bird came, took a rice and went out. Then next bird came, took rice and went out. Then next bird came took a rice and went out."
"Asu!"
"Then next bird came, took rice and went out. Then next bird came, took rice and went out..."
The saga of the bird and rice continued for some more time. When Asad noticed that no sound was coming from Zoya, he looked down and found her asleep. He chuckled to himself and adjusted the duvet around her pulling her close. He knew that he won in tricking her this time, but he was sure, next time this trick won't work on her.
After sometime when he was sure that she was in deep slumber he slowly detangled her from himself and made her lie on the bed. Giving a sweet kiss to her forehead he walked out of the room only to be back with a blue colored book. He again settled next to him as he knew that she will panic if she didn't see him when she gets up.
Keeping her head in his arms once again, he pulled the duet closer making her comfortable. Then with the other free hand he picked up the book which was his favorite now a days. He knew that it was not good to read someone else's thought and words without permission, but he couldn't help it, especially when that someone is Zoya. Humi had given him that book telling him for safe-keeping it till she recovers. He had remembered seeing it many times with Zoya during college days. He had always wondered what was in there. And now when he got hold of it he wanted to quench his curiosity. It was only yesterday he got the courage to open it. Reading her scramble in first page itself he got an idea that it was her life which was written inside. He didn't had the courage to read further.
But today, having her in his arms gave him the courage. He slowly opened the book and took the bookmarked page.
To My Beloved
I hate myself, you know why?
Because I can't hate you...
I love you to the core,
Yet you give me this punishment...
I just can't be myself,
When your face loses its colour...
There are a lot of things which makes you happy,
But for me, it's you and you only...
I wanted to be in your arms,
Yet, I am an arm length away from you...
I want to hug you tightly
And shed all the tears left in me...
Alas! I have no such privilege,
I can't come even closer to you...
Is it my mistake I fall in love with you?
Is it my mistake you are imprinted in my heart?
Guess, yes, maybe it's my mistake,
But I don't regret for this mistake...
Friends tells me that don't do this,
Don't love you this much...
What they don't understand is
Even if I wish, I can't stop loving you...
I tried, harder and harder to forget you,
But all went in vein...
I always tell myself to keep my emotions at bay,
I just can't do it when you ignore me and talk to others...
I know I am being foolish,
Tell me why, this sounds soo right for me???
I want to express my love,
God doesn't want to give me that chance even...
What if I lose you?
What if I lose my best friend???
I don't want that to happen,
I just want to be with you...
I know, this is not possible ever,
I am behind a dream which will never come true...
Even if the world crumbled down,
You are never gonna tell that you loves me...
What a stupid I am!
I don't know whether you love me even...
I don't think you love me,
You are close to me out of your obligation...
An obligation as a best friend,
Which you don't want to break...
I wish I could change this,
I could let you free...
But how am I gonna pacify my heart,
The heart which ends up breaking always...???
Your hazel eyes arouses feelings in me,
Feelings about which I was never aware of...
I wanted to cup your baby like face in my hand
And want to look at it forever...
But, I know, I am not that much blessed
To have a love which I dreamt of...
It's ok for me not to have you,
But my poor heart...
I don't know, how to make it understand
That you never loved me...
There were no such feelings in you for me
Which was at least a small part of my dream...
I wanted to admit this,
But I just can't do it...
I always wait for you
To come and tell me,
"I love you my girl...
You are mine & mine only..."
Can't stop wishing
Even though I know it won't come true...
The dampness in his cheek made him realize that he was crying. He wiped the tears hastily only to let another fresh set to roll down. He could feel her love and yearning in those lines. How could he not feel that before, thought Asad dejectedly. Not having the courage to read further he kept the book aside and pulled her more closer to himself. He kissed her hair over and over trying to control the tears. His one mistake had cost him a lot more than that he had ever thought...
NOTE:
As some of you may know, I will be busy for the next 2 weeks because of my brother's weddings. I will be going to my home tomorrow. now you can't expect me to update the story while everyone in home is celebrating, can you?😳 so please wait for the next 2 weeks for the update. to be precise, till June 2nd.😊 i hope you understand.
Index
Chapter 7 Above
Bigg Boss 19
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