CHAPTER-7
SOME FACTS, FEW TRUTHS AND ENTERING THE FAIRYTALE OR THE DISASTER
My packing came to a halt by the sudden ring of the doorbell. Frowning, at who must be coming to my apartment at 9 p.m, I went to open the door, only to reveal Sanaya standing there with a beaming smile on her face.
" Hey Zoya! Sorry for coming uninformed and that too at late night. But as you know, you and Asad are flying off to Switzerland tomorrow morning and since you are alone here, I thought to come and lend you a helping hand with the packing. I also thought that all this crazy situation must have freaked out a little, so I can probably give you some moral support. Hope you don't mind?" Sanaya said all this in one breath, looking a little flustered and I looked on at her deeply touched at her thoughtfulness.
" No, no, not at all. In fact I am grateful that you came. It is really very sweet of you. Please come inside." I said sincerely with a smile and stepped aside for her to come inside who reciprocated my smile. The three days of my training had been over today and I must admit that Sanaya was an amazing teacher. Though I couldn't say that I had become a second Bruce Lee, I could at least try protecting myself now and dare to hope that it could actually cause some damage to my opponent. In fact, to be honest me and Sanaya had actually become good friends in these three days, in a proper way.
" So," I ventured uncertainly as we both sat on my bed folding tops and jeans. I was feeling really nervous and awkward about asking this but let that out, nonetheless.
" Why did you join NIB? I mean, you were preparing to become a doctor and if I remember well, you once told the class that you wanted to become an actress. Then how did this happen?" I finally asked softly.
"Well, I still have the plan to join Hollywood, in fact you will see me with Robert Patinson someday. You know, it's a shame that the world missed the opportunity to witness my acting skills." She declared dramatically and I couldn't help but giggle at her antics and was soon joined by her. my giggles came to a halt when I finally heard her soft, sincere voice as she sobered up.
" I took this job for dad." Her voice was like a barely audible whisper and I furrowed ever so slightly in confusion. Sanaya's father died when we were at the final year of high school. He died in an accident and it was really a shock for everyone because of its abruptness.
"He didn't die in an accident." Sanaya spoke in a soft tone, as if sensing my question. " He was killed. He wasn't some employee in a construction company, he was an undercover RAW agent. All the times we thought he was away on a business trip, he was actually on missions. We came to know about the truth only after his death. He died saving people, he gave up his life to protect innocent people. I just want to follow his footsteps, be like him. I want to make him proud." She finished with a small teary smile and I, by some inhuman effort, stopped myself from gaping in shock. I didn't know what to think. My mind felt like a mess which refused to suggest me how I should react. Sanaya's father was a RAW agent? Was there anymore secrets that I needed to face? Was any single thing left in my life which actually wasn't having some shocking back-story?
" He is proud of you. He must be." I said genuinely while squeezing her arm a little for assurance and she gave me a tiny grateful smile.
" Ok, so tell me something." I spoke brightly, trying to change the atmosphere. " You told me right, that you guys had another mission to expose the Oberois, before you had this mission planned. So, can you tell me more about that one?" I asked honest interest.
" Well, I was in that mission. It was to enter the house as a domestic-help staff and gather evidence. But luck wasn't on our side as my cover almost blew off and I had a really narrow escape. After that they doubled their security and we weren't left with any other option than to execute this plan." She said with a deep sigh and then continued, as if those words were stuck under her, seeking release. " You know, during that time only I met Haider. Though he only thought me as a house-keeping staff and for me, he was supposed to be one of my targets, we became really good friends. I could see it in his eyes Zoya that he didn't like his job. In fact he despised it. But he was just trapped, he was lost. He is guilty for his wrong doings and all he need is a familiar hand of someone close to bring him out of that hell." Sanaya was saying, as if lost in a trance. Her eyes had that distant look which clouds your vision when you recall some precious memories. Ok, hold on a second! My mind went working overtime as I looked at her dreamy eyes. Was it just my lunatic, the eternal romantic fool self being really insane or things were actually the way I was feeling they were? My gut feeling was giving me signals in only direction as I took Sanaya's soft smile in. It couldn't possibly be... or could it? Was she actually having some feelings for Haider Bhaijaan? Then what about Asad? Weren't THEY supposed to be a couple?
" I guess you have come to know him well." I said with a smile after few moments of silence and my words seemed to bring her out of her daze. Her cheeks reddened as she fumbled, averting her eyes from mine.
" Umm... nothing like that. It's just that I think you can really convince him to give statements against Aditya Oberoi and if everything goes according to the plan, I am positive that his life can get back on track." She said after composing herself a bit more and I nodded.
" I hope so too." I just said quietly and I could see my fears and hope reflecting back in her eyes.
" Yeah, so I was just wondering about... Asad's family. Since I haven't told my family about this mission, I was thinking about what he might have told his family about all this? And has he told anything at all? I mean about his job?" I asked in another attempt to change the subject for another time, after clearing my throat awkwardly. This was really getting strange. I tried desperately to hide the curiosity that was bubbling inside me and to sound as casual as I could.
" Oh! His close family which means his parents, sister and brother-in-law, know about his job but they don't about this mission in details, if you know what I mean. His relatives are told that he is doing the job of a software engineer here." Sanaya stopped and I almost growled in frustration. I was meaning ask about his girlfriend silly!' I mentally cried out. This thought had been eating me up since the revelation day. I needed to know his relationship status for the sake of my own sanity or otherwise I would continue to feel these huge pangs of guilt throughout the mission. What if he is engaged or Married?" The horrible thought immediately froze me with fear as I tried to block out too much thinking.
" And what about his girlfriend? Won't she have any problem with me pretending to be his wife?' I asked cautiously. I could already hear my frantic heartbeats in nervous anticipation, dreading the answer. But to my astonishment, Sanaya gave a snort of laughter.
" You have to be kidding me. To mind, first he has to get a girlfriend. I can't even remember him going to dates after college, let alone having a girlfriend. I guess he is already married to his work but other than that he is absolutely single." I stare at her numbly for few moments in happy shock. I didn't know how I managed to stay still when all I felt like doing was screaming in delight and jumping and dancing around while singing He is single'. I could feel my lips violently protesting against the pressure I had put on them to refrain them from stretching into the broadest grin possible. I had never felt like that before. I felt like the pressure of the whole universe had been lifted from my shoulders and I could breathe freely again.
" I hope now you can focus on your mission' completely." Sanaya's teasing words brought me back to the earth as I looked at her in shock. Her face told me the double meaning of her words and also that she had already guessed my feelings. Her eyes were twinkling in mischief as I felt my cheeks getting hot.
" No..no.. Sanaya, you are getting it wrong." I stutterer while frantically shaking my head with widened eyes and she just laughed at my flustered face. God, I seriously want the earth to swallow me whole at this moment. This is really embarrassing, A LOT.
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I blankly stared ahead of me as I stood in the boarding queue the next morning at the airport. Asad had gone to make a call outside. In the morning, he came to pick me up along with Sanaya who wanted to wish us luck. Mr. William also wanted to come but couldn't as he didn't want to draw any attention on us. In the car Asad sat beside the driver on the passenger seat and I joined Sanya in the back seat. I was seeing him after three whole days. He hadn't come in front of me after that shooting round on the first day of my training. Though Sanaya informed me that he was out of town for some emergency work, related to the mission, I couldn't help the disappointment that I felt. And after last night's revelation, I was expecting at least a glance from him but to my utter misery he didn't even looked at me once during the whole journey while I looked at him only all the time, from the corner of my eyes of course. Sanaya and I did all the talking and he just typed away in his i-pad. I actually felt really ridiculous to even expect some normalcy from him, after all he is the IDIOT, the biggest one in the history. That shooting incident still gave me goose bumps and made I eyes shut with the tickles of the butterflies in my stomach whenever I thought about it. But now I wondered in horror if that incident even happened in reality or I was just hallucinating or maybe it was a never-going-to-be-true dream. I stare at the new passport in my hand, with my new name, Mrs. Zoya Asad Ahmad Khan, printed in it. It gave a strange ring to my ears. I swept a hand over my face as I breathed in exasperation. It all seemed unreal. It didn't matter how much I tried, but I my mind failed to believe all these bizarre turn of events to be the reality and I feared when it would, I wouldn't be able to cope up with it. I came out of my thoughts as I a felt a nudge from behind me and realized that it was my turn.
" Mrs. Zoya Asad Ahmad Khan?" The woman behind the counter asked me for confirmation as I handed my new passport to her. I nodded at her, not quite daring to let the words sink in me. As she gave me back my papers, I muttered under my breath, " Switzerland, here I come."
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PRECAP: " May I?" I looked up at Asad hearing this who was holding the gorgeous ring in his hand. I looked at my sauce-covered other hand and then his expectant eyes. Why am I feeling like getting engaged... truly?'
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Hey guys. So here is the next one. This one was quite boring, I know but was needed to tie the loose ends, so Zoya could focus on the missionđ I am really very thankful for your amazing response on the previous chapter. I was really speechless seeing the speed of increasing likesđ thanks for showering me with your love and please continue to do so. The next update will be up after 35+ likesđ
PS. I will to the comments on previous chapter's comments laterđł
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