banner credit goes to ashlesha 🤗 CHAPTER-4 Tug of war. A game which everyone has played at a point of time in their childhood. Two groups have to pull a rope to free it from the other group's grip and the group which pulls with greater force, wins. How easy and fun, no? But what happens when life plays this tug of war with our lives, our emotions and our destinies? We just leave everything in his hands and instead of fighting our fears, our inner demons, we just tend to pick up the easier way which is running away. We think that running away from our fears and questions will solve our problems, will put an end to our turmoil but we never notice that it pulls us more in this never ending maze of dark secrets and the only way to come back to light is to face it. In every step of our lives, we come face to face with situations that serves us with many ways, one contradicting the other, pulling us in their direction with all their might to overpower our scared mind but it is always our choice to recognize which way our heart want us to follow. It is up to us if we want to take the easier way and endure more and more with each passing moment or want to face our true desires and do everything in our power to fight the darkness.
-----------------
As soon as Zoya abruptly left from there, Asad came out of his hypnotized daze. He felt as if someone had threw him off a cliff of dreams to the rude , rough ground of reality and robbed him off the ability to keep standing on his own two feet. Just few moments and a completely unexpected encounter with the girl of dreams had turned his life upside down in an incredulous, burning his soul with such intense agony and something unknown that his own familiar self seemed totally unknown to him. His age-old dreams had clashed and mixed with his reality in such a way that all his rationality left his mind, filling it numerous questions instead. His breathing was shallow and his heart was beating so fast that it was painful to stay alive. His mind was working ten times faster than usual but strangely it only provided him with nothing but more questions. His heart played his dreams and reality in front of his mind's eyes like a movie where her helpless, painful screams mixed with her emotional, confused and twinkling brown, doe-shaped eyes, her desperate calls to him met her silent questions. His emotions were running so wild in his veins that they made him want to scream in absolute helplessness. But before he could think anything more, he found his cell-phone ringing. Holding onto some inhuman self-control, he talked to his Dadi after picking up the phone as the last thing he wanted was to worry her. The moment he ended the call, he heard something crashing on the floor. And he turned around only to be greeted by a sight, seeing which his heart picked up speed again. There she was, looking as beautiful as the first time when he saw her few moments ago but looking paler, holding her head while her eyes rolled upwards. As his mind registered that she was going to faint, a scream of a name escaped his lips, as if tearing his soul apart. He ran towards her in the speed of light, only to have her collapsed in his arms. On looking at her lifeless form, panic rose within him. He didn't know why but he felt like he could never let anything happen to this girl in his arms. A strange emotion woke up in his heart which whispered to him to even give up on his own life to keep her safe and happy. A sense of protectiveness engulfed his entire being which made him feel that it was his responsibility to keep her safe. The part where they were was a secluded corner of the whole ball-room as almost everyone was on the dance-floor. Asad swiftly but gently picked her up and headed towards the exit.
-----------------------
Asad took her to the medical-room in the hotel where 24hours medical service was available. He gently lied her down on the patient's bed as the doctor started to check her. Both of them still had their masks on. Though he couldn't see her complete face but still he didn't feel like she was hidden from him in any way, in fact he felt like he could see her soul which seemed strange to even his own self. The longer he stared at that angelic yet mysterious beauty in front of him, the more the air around him became thick with unrecognizable emotions and unsaid promises, making him to almost choke. Excusing himself from there before the overwhelming emotions could overpower him once more, he went outside the room. He removed the mask from his face, keeping it on the nearby small table and brought out his phone from the pant-pocket to call Arnav and Khushi. After trying for several times to reach both of their phones, he dropped the idea thinking they mustn't had heard the ring due to the loud music. So he just massaged them, informing them about the latest happenings. As he ended sending, the doctor came out and informed him that he had completed checking her. there was nothing serious to worry about as it seemed like she only fainted due to extreme stress. Asad thanked him and followed him inside where she was resting. He tried to brush away the uneasiness and odd nervousness which crept in his heart, giving him warning vibes that he was about to encounter something which would never let his life be the same again. He stood near her bed, staring intently at her still unconscious form. The doctor assured him that she would regain consciousness soon and went outside for some emergency which suddenly arose. Asad didn't know what possessed him to conduct his next act but he slowly lifted his hand removed the mask from her face and the moment his landed on her face, his heart forgot how to beat. It felt like such a huge a huge blow on him that he stumbled two steps back. Some blurred faceless images clouded his visions and some loud yet unclear words veiled his hearing power. Clutching his head in his palms, he shook it frantically while closing his eyes to get rid of those disturbing mess of images. He was panting heavily and was about to exit the room when he stopped dead in his track as a faint, soft whisper of his name entered his ears, in a voice which was new yet felt so familiar as if it had been playing with the invisible cords of his heart since ages.
Zoya's head as was feeling heavy as she tried to open her tired eyes. All the events of the evening started to come back to her mind, making her head throb. As she finally opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was a man's back and her instinct told her that it was him. She saw him going towards the exit and even before she could understand anything the word left her mouth, leaving her shocked.
-Asad...' no sooner had that mere whisper left her lips, he spun around facing her and she sucked in a breath. She felt like before this moment her lungs were just taking oxygen to stay alive but she started breathing when their gazes met this time, with both of their uncovered faces in view. After what felt like ages, Asad broke the eye-lock and cleared his throat to somehow decrease the awkwardness.
- Are you ok? He finally asked, genuinely concerned at which she just nodded in positive. She looked around her to notice the changed surroundings. She understood that he had brought her here in this medical-room as she fainted.
-thanks for bringing me here. She thanked him not daring to meet his eyes as her heart filled with gratitude and a strange warmness at his care. Asad just nodded his head slightly, not exactly knowing what to say. Before they could say anything more, Khushi entered the room, opening the door wide with Arnav following behind her. She immediately pulled Zoya into a bone-crushing hug, almost stifling her. As she broke the hug, she bombarded Zoya with thousand apology and hundreds of questions.
- I am very very very sorry Zoya. I am the worst best friend ever. How could I just forget about you. It is my duty to take care of you here and I didn't even bother to check on you. Please forgive me Zoe. Are you alright? Khushi asked her, cupping her face with teary eyes.
- Yeah Zoya, please say, are you ok? An equally worried Arnav questioned Zoya smiled a little, thanking Almighty for sending such lovely friends in her life who cared so much for her.
- I am completely alright guys. Relax. There is nothing to worry about, just a little weakness. She tried to assure her worried friends.
- Zoya I won't listen to anything. You will stay with me in my suite from today. I won't take any risk with your health. I will myself look after your diet from now. Khushi declared firmly and Zoya just nodded with a sigh, knowing it very well that there was simply no point in arguing with her overprotective best friend.
- Thanks bro for bringing her here at the right time. If you wouldn't have done so, things could have worsened. Arnav told Asad finally driving their attention towards him who was standing there quietly, witnessing the heart-warming scene. He smiled at his friends whose faces were filled with gratitude and said-
- There is absolutely no need to thank me Arnav. I could have never let anything happen to her. As Asad said those words, Arnav and Khushi's eyes widened and Zoya's utterly surprised eyes snapped towards his face. When Asad's eyes met her brown orbs which were filled with surprise at his words, he understood what had left his mouth. He mentally kicked himself for his slip of tongue and tried to cover up the blunder-
- Woh...actually I wanted to say that as I was present there when she fainted and so it was my duty to bring her here. Asad heaved a sigh of relief as his friends smiled at him and again diverted their attention towards Zoya who had also averted her piercing gaze from his face. After a few minutes of more queries about her health, Khushi processed to take Zoya with her to her room as Asad informed them that doctor had given the green signal before going, checking that she didn't have any serious problem.
On reaching the door with Arnav and Khushi, Zoya turned around towards him. Though her mind was screaming at her to not do it but her stubborn heart played such an unheard melody that her subconscious soul got blinded in a hypnotizing daze which refrained her from leaving the room, leaving him before giving him a final look. As soon as she turned around, he gaze collided with his back orbs which were burning through her soul with so much intensity that it forced her to avert her gaze from his eyes.
- No, I can't do this. I know I have always said that I will try with all my might to get to the bottom of my dreams if they ever come in front of me but this is tougher than I have ever thought it to be. This strange intensity, his face, his eyes, I can't bear it. It was just my dreams and I am just complicating my reality by mixing it with those meaningless dreams. They have nothing to do with my reality and I can't let them to affect it. All these started after meeting him and the only way to get out of this mess is by staying away from him. I have to stay away from him. Zoya said in her mind determined while wiping the lone tear that fell from her eyes without her knowledge and finally exited the room.
As she exited the room, Asad finally released the breath which he didn't know he was holding all along. Though his heart was still thumping loudly due to the incidents of that happened since he the party and his mind was clouded with countless questions whose answers were beyond his reach but still a ghost of a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He picked up the her mask which was lying abandoned on the side-table and smiled a little at it.
- I don't know what is happening but now I can somewhat understand your words Dadi and I will keep my promise to you. I won't back out until I find out the reality of my dreams and I know this is hidden in you only. Only you can give the answers of my questions and I won't quit before I find them. Asad promised confidently to himself.
--------------
Hey guys I am back with an update. I know this is utter crap but please still leave your likes and comments behind. This one is dedicated to Mini as a wedding gift from my side🤗 and a very very happy diwali to you all 🤗
Music Corner
