ASYA SS- Dotted Line- Chapter 12 Updated- Page 143 - Page 44

Chapter 4

"Sing to me the song of the stars
Of Your galaxy dancing and laughing
and laughing again
When it feels like my dreams are so far
Sing to me of the plans that You have for me over again

And I lay my head back down
And I lift my hands and pray
To be only yours
I pray to be only yours
I know now you're my only hope"- Switch foot

Life teaches you every now and then and at that one minute Asad Ahmed Khan had learned to trust. Yes he had trust issues since he stubbornly thought his father betrayed him and from that time he never trusted anyone than himself. May be that's why he became rude and tough without knowing. Ms. Farooqui had taken care of him as if he was something to her, a precious one. His heart fluttered and for the first time after his mother's death he felt peace, that peace which made him calm and he melted for some time to give her to lead him where she wanted. He lazily laid his eyes on her who was sitting beside few inches away from him looking the outside passing world, the faint yellow-orange light of the setting sun kissed her cheek and gentle breeze fluttering her stubborn fringes to which she was trying to control by tucking them again and again behind her ear. She smiled in herself accusing the soothing breeze in her breath. Asad did not know why his eyes were moistened suddenly, a wire of his heart had broken and he felt lost. Lost from his own-self; detached from his own feelings.

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Zoya was enjoying the ride from the site they went to check, to home well basically to Asad's home. She insisted to accompany him to the house only just to make sure that he was all okay. Asad seemed detached from the time of the incident happened. She had observed Asad was too silent after yesterday's incident had happened not that he was a talkative person but still he was gloomy for some reason. Then when the incident happened he seemed reluctant to tender his burn. Why he was so resentful to himself? Why he did not take care of him at all. She had seen him to eat that too very rear times. One thing he liked that was his coffee and then nothing. He just doing all these things for what who knows? He was alone and never tried to open himself up. Suddenly she felt she actually knew nothing about him, nor she ever tried to speculate. She needed this job and took it without thinking much about it. Why she was appointed in this famous farm without any interview? It stuck now upon her. She had to find out about it. She looked at him stealthily; he was again lost in himself as if he was thinking something deep. She took a full glance of his feature, he was quite handsome. His long nose to his drooped eyes everything defined elegance. The aura of his personality was something which attracted her the most. He was barely four or five years elder than her but he made himself successful at this early age. It was her earlier dream that she wanted to prove herself, she wanted to be self-made and successful. That's why she was trying hard. It was not easy to maintain a life with both study and the job but she was doing it. The sun has set and the sneaky shadows made their ways towards his face as she continued to look at him. He was somehow taking all the controls of her mind today.

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The car entered into the city and waited for the signal to be cleared. Suddenly a knock on the Zoya's side glass broke the long silence in the air. Asad looked at the little girl smiling cheekily at Miss Farooqui, his eyes followed to Zoya's face as he saw her face broke into a beautiful smile as she lowered the glass immediately.

"Hey Hasna, why are you still here? Don't you have to go to class today?"

"No, Appi. The class is off for today. Please take some flowers Appi, I could not sell much today" Hasna pouted dearly. She was standing with some purple lavender. "By the way you bought a car Appi? It is huge and beautiful" The girl swayed with joy.

"No Hasna. It is not mine. It is my Boss's. But one day I will buy one and I will take you to a ride then" She then remembered that Asad was also there. She looked at his side and saw the amusement on his face. She felt embarrassed and at once introduce Hasna with Mr. Khan. She bought some flowers from Hasna and when she was going to pay for it Asad stopped her. He went out to the car and bought the whole bunch of flower from her earning a sweet kiss and brimming eyes from Hasna. He gifted some more cash saying to have ice-creams or to eat what she wanted. The signal turned out and then Asad had to take his seat beside Zoya and left a happy Hasna there.

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Zoya was so puzzled with all the commotion happened in front of her. Akdu was acting really weird today. She could not believe Asad had done that. This man was a mystery to her. Her boggled mind could not go for long as the driver had stopped vehicle at the porch of Khan Villa. Asad left from the vehicle and instructed driver to reach Zoya to her place safely. Then he closed the door with a bang absentminded and yelped the next moment as he had done damage to the same burnt hand. Zoya was instantly by his side but he ushered her to the vehicle to leave as he was okay. Zoya did not listen to him. She told the driver to go back as she took all the files and keys from Asad's hand and went to the front door. Asad followed her silently. Today was somehow a wrong day for both of them.

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Zoya kept all the belongings on the right places while Asad had gone for change and headed towards the guest washroom just to get freshened. When she was out she heard some faint noises coming from the kitchen. She made her way towards kitchen and saw Asad was standing and finely chopping the onions with his right hand. Though she could tell Asad was having hard time to hold the onion with the help of his injured hand but she did not offer any help. Her eyes swayed from his concentrated eyes to the chopping board where he was slicing those equal measuring pieces swiftly.

"What are you doing?" She shirked a little later realizing the situation. Asad's face has twisted with pain but he did not make any sound.

"Making dinner" Asad said as he continued to chop the vegetables with skilled hands.

Zoya looked him with a mouth "O" as she tried to absorb the gravity of the situation. Why on the earth the Asad Ahmed Khan' is making food?

The smell of brewing coffee made her to stop thinking as she hurried towards him, "You can cook also? Where is Maya Khala by the way? Is not this her job?"

"Yeah, but she had to go to her son's house at Indore for fifteen days yesterday" Asad blurted sheepishly.

"And that's why you are doing this with your injured hand" Zoya completed. "Move"

Asad was so astonished by her action that he could not tell something at instant. Indeed something is really wrong today. She again said to move and started to cut the vegetables ithout even saying anything. Asad cleared his throat as he tried to stop her.

"Miss Farooqui. You don't need to do this thing. I can cook and do all the works by myself. Trust me I can. I don't want you to do this. Please it seems awkward that you are making dinner for me in my home."

"Why?"

"Because you are my secretary not my maid"

"So?"

"I don't want you to these things for me"

"Mr. Khan had you ever heard about humanity? Your hand is hurt and you think I will let you do such things when I am here all okay? Well I am never taught with this lesson in my life. You don't be panicked. I am doing this only because you are not well and your hand is damaged only because of me"

"And also you helped Hasna. What you have done with her it was really heartwarming. You don't know her like me but because of humanity you helped her. You could give her the money without buying those flowers but you did not do that. You bought her flowers and made her feel worthwhile without spoiling her. I am trying to do the same" Zoya continued to her endless talk. Asad stood there silently. After some more futile attempts he went to his room.

Zoya made the coffee and went to serve him first. When she opened the door she saw he was strumming the guitar. One more shock for her in that same day. Akdu can also play guitar! Allah Miyaan! What's wrong with you? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?

Zoya again prepared for a lecture to him about not straining on his hand but go against it. He was not going to listen to her. She just knew so kept the mug on the table and left silently. Something was really wrong with him today.

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Zoya opted to go for a menu of Vegetable Biriyani. She collected all the needful and spices and started to prepare for it. With that she was serving some pickle sauce. She had learned the recipe from her neighbor. It really complemented with the biriyani. She feared with the menu that Asad might be enraged for this dish. As she looked outside the kitchen window, she saw the thunder pass through the sky and wet wind started to blow.Somewhere there is raining. She thought and closed the window. She was engrossed in her work, at the same time she was listening the music played on guitar by Asad.

Zoya kept the burner in low flame only to finish the cooking when she heard him playing a music, which instantly tugged her heart. Why he is playing all sad tunes? The weather is so romantic and so wonderful. He can choose a romantic music. Is he a melancholic? But he is really playing well. She thought and at that moment she froze.

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Asad strummed the instrument long time and after some time he was back to his own alone world. He literally forgot that Zoya was in his house as he reminisced the moment with his mother. Her mother's favorite song it was. He started to hum the song,

Aaj jaane ki zid na karo ,aaj jaane ki zid na karo
Youn hi pehlu mein baithe raho,youn hi pehlu mein baithe raho
Aaj jaane ki zid na karo,aaj jaane ki zid na karo
Haaye mar jaayenge hum to loot jaayenge
Aisi baatein kiya na karo, Aisi baatein kiya na karo
Aaj jaane ki zid na karo, aaj jaane ki zid na karo

It was something that came to her with a force that she could not fathom her emotions. His voice, he was singing. His full voice with utmost pain and angst yet a soothing touch. Her feet went to their account to his bedroom door as she kept listening to the song.

Something was there in his voice which made Zoya numb. She was mesmerized would be an understatement. She kept looking at him as he played the music effortlessly. Asad was sitting on the green couch sideways, which was beside his giant arched window. He was looking outside the window as he was not near anywhere in this world. Her eyes followed outside through the window, the wind was blowing relentlessly as the trees swayed. Rain did not start yet. She transferred her gaze towards his feature again.

Tum hi socho zara kyun na roke tumhe
Jaan jaati hai jab uth ke jaate ho tum
Jaan jaati hai jab uth ke jaate ho tum
Tumko apni kasam jaan-e-jaan
Baat itni meri maan lo
Aaj jaane ki zid na karo,aj jaane ki zid na karo
Haaye mar jaayenge hum to loot jaayenge
Aisi baatein kiya na karo, aisi baatein kiya na karo

Her eyes became moistened and a lone tear escaped from her eye as she felt her inner self clenching with some impalpable feelings. She could not breath, she could not speak. She just stood there like a statue. What happened to him? Why so much pain, angst in him?

Waqt ki qaid mein zindagi hai magar
Waqt ki qaid mein zindagi hai magar
Chand ghariyaan yehi hain jo aazaad hain
Chand ghariyaan yehi hain jo aazaad hain
Inko kho kar meri jaan-e-jaan
Umr bhar na taraste raho
Aaj jaane ki zid na karo, aaj jaane ki zid na karo
Haaye mar jaayenge hum to loot jaayenge
Aisi baatein kiya na karo

Zoya took another step towards his direction. Asad had shut his eyes as the music plays again on the guitar. His cheeks were dampened. She had witnessed his vulnerability just in two days, within two days she saw him cry. Why? Why he is so sad?

Kitna masoom rangeen hain yeh sama
Husn aur ishq ki aaj meraaj hai
Kal ki kisko khabar jaan-e-jaan
Rok lo aaj ki raat ko
Aaj jaane ki zid na karo, aaj jaane ki zid na karo
Youn hi pehlu mein baithe raho, youn hi pehlu mein baithe raho
Aaj jaane ki zid na karo, aaj jaane ki zid na karo
Haaye mar jaayenge hum to loot jaayenge
Aisi baatein kiya na karo, aisi baatein kiya na karo
Aaj jaane ki zid na karo, aaj jaane ki zid na karo

Zoya hastily left her place as she did not want to embarrass him in anyway. It was not the time to question him nor did she have the right to ask him. She took a long time after the song had ended. Then knocked his room door, Asad was placing his guitar on the stand as he told her to enter. She looked at him keenly; there were no emotions over his face. His expression was total blank.

"Dinner is ready Mr. Khan and I need to go to home. Look like a storm is coming" She stated looking at the outside slightly worried.

Asad nodded at her but then said "you also have dinner then I can drive you to your home"

"There is no need to strain your hand, I will manage"

"I am going and that's final. No discussion. Come for dinner" He took the final decision.Who could say he was crying a while ago?

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"Awww...this rain" Zoya cooed playing her fingers with the rain. Another song had started on the radio...

Azeeb dastaan hain yeh...Kaha shuru kaha khatam...!

"Please close the window. The seat will be wet." Asad said while concentrating on the highly risked road.

"How people live in this country? Eww this road" He muttered under his breath. Zoya did not listen to him.

"Mr. Khan you know I love to wet in the rain" She said dreamily.

"Incredibly foolish. Please stop acting like a teenager. You are older enough than this" He said sternly.

I am not an oldie like you" She whispered but Asad had already heard it.

"What did you say? I am a buddha" He stopped the car by the side of the road.

"I...I just only said you look older than your age. You..." She could not finish her thought as Asad had already unlocked her side door of the car automatically.

"Mr. Khan there is no exact age to enjoy your life. You can enjoy if you want to. Any time, trust me" Zoya made him understand.

"Out" He said.

"Mr. Khan"

"Why, you wanted to enjoy the rain right? Then go. Why you are wetting the seat of my car."

"Mr. Khan I mean to say..." Zoya again tried.

"Go and enjoy your life with your own way" Asad started the engine.

Zoya stepped outside by raising the side bag of hers. Asad zoomed of his car and went ahead without saying anything.

Zoya stood there dumbfounded trying to gauge the situation. She could not even complete to ponder upon that Asad backed off his car and handed an umbrella to her hand. He had again zoomed off without saying anything. Zoya just shrugged off her shoulder.

"Strange man! Akdu Ahmed Khan." She stomped her foot. The water on the road splashed making her dress dirty.

"Uggh! Stupid man and here I was giving a lecture on humanity" Zoya opened the umbrella and walked away.

The pitter- patter music of rain played with silent symphony.

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In my place it was raining. I was enjoying the rain with my cup of tea and the song "Aaj jaane ki zidd na karo" was playing in the loop. It was my Ammi's favorite song and then it became my favorite too when and how I don't know. I miss her like crazy these days. So the song replaced in this chapter in a way of memories.

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Lots of Love ❤️

Swapno

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