--- PART EIGHT ---
It was another Saturday evening; Asad looked ahead over the water and smiled remembering something ... "Asad...just wait for some more time I am on the way...and I have some interesting news to share..." He was waiting for Zoya from fifteen minutes... She had informed him that she would be late and want to share some news... It was her third call in last half an hour...
"Overexcited..." He shook his head smiling and leaned back on the bench...
Lately he had seen something different in her behavior... There was something in her eyes...in her theories...like she was trying to convey something... And whatever it was he liked it... He just wanted to listen to her all the time... It's like her talk, her smile and she herself was some type of drug he was getting addicted to... His heart told him that there was something...he could feel her emotions and if it was Love' then he wanted to accept it...he wanted to feel it...he wanted to embrace it and never let it go... But then that insecurity...what if all get disturbed...he was scared...scared to dream... And so he was seeking for assurance...
A gush of cool breeze and he closed his eyes... It did give a feel of rejuvenate...taking away all the stupor...and spreading ripples over the stilled water...
Stillness is not always peaceful ...' her words echoed as his eyes caught the sight in front... He wanted to believe... His gaze stilled ahead and soon those ripples were gone spreading tranquility again... He sighed pushing all the thoughts out of his mind...
Checking the time he wondered what is taking her so long... "Hmm...she sounds happy...what it could be that she was so much excited to share..." "She is such a child sometimes..." he smiled remembering the way she was talking in excitement...
"Sorry, sorry, sorry...I am late..." she breathed heavily as she sat on the bench with two cones of ice-cream in her hand...
"Relax..." He said straightening himself, "Why the rush..."
"Umm...first take it..." she shoved a cone in his hand, "Mississippi Mud..." She said looking at her own ice-cream with delight...
His forehead creased, "What?"
"Don't give me that expression..." she said as he looked at her with horrified expressions on his face... "It's Mississippi Mud..." she repeated again, "Baskin-Robbins flavor of the month...umm...take a bite and enjoy the frozen treat..."
He stared at her stunned for some moments, "You are crazy...seriously...you were excited for this..." He asked unbelievably as she enjoyed her ice-cream lost in her own world...
"What?" She asked noticing him staring at her, "Enjoy before it melts..."
The contented look on her face made him stared at her for a moment but as he noticed the drop of chocolate ice cream at the corner of her mouth he shook his head, "Tsk..." he searched something in his pocket, "Here..." forwarding her a tissue he finally moved his attention to the ice-cream in his hand, "You are such a kid Zoya...you only can get excited to such extent just for an ice-cream..." He sighed and took a bite of his ice-cream, "I was wondering what it was that you were excited to share..."
"How is it?" She asked excited
He sighed again as she ignored his talk in her excitement; "Umm...it's nice...like any other chocolate based ice-cream..." he shrugged his shoulders taking another bite
"Asad..." She whined at his normal comment and he laughed
"Okay...it's very delicious and the best flavor I have ever had in my life..."
"You are making fun of me..." She frowned at his fake sweet comment
He shook his head smiling, "No...but seriously I was thinking that you were talking about something important...it didn't come to my mind once that it would be an ice-cream..."
"You mean ice-cream is not important..." she glared at him, "And well...it's not the ice-cream but something else..."
"Ohh...and what is it?" He asked curiously
"Umm..." she thought for a while and turned to look at him, "Aapi did suggest a Rishta for me..."
"Ohh..." he didn't understand what to say...He was aware that her Aapi-Jeeju were behind her for getting married but now the knowledge that they had finally find someone was not go well with him...the thought of her getting married to someone else disturbed him... "Hmm...so finally someone succeeded in getting both the votes...?" He asked thinking her Aapi-Jeeju had finally approved someone... Has she given her consent too...?' Is this the reason of her excitement' he wondered suddenly giving his full attention to the ice-cream in his hand as if only ice-cream would understand and give him the answer of his unasked question...
She noticed the change in his expressions; Why he acted stubborn' she huffed looking at her ice-cream as he didn't react the way she desired... She was expecting some reaction from him and not his silence... She was sure there is something...that glimpse of emotions she had seen sometimes...and she wanted to feel those emotions...and she knew it, she was not wrong in analyzing the meaning of it...
But she was tired of his stubbornness now...and she really wanted to confront him but she was just trying to be patient... He had said that he did trust her and she was actually happy with the knowledge because it wasn't easy for him to trust anyone after what he had faced... But still she was seeking for more... But then his silence was something that giving her negative vibes...and she was confused...she was scared...scared of his rejection... What if she proved wrong in analyzing him?'
She sighed taking a bite of her ice-cream and turned her gaze towards him... How could he eat ice-cream in such serious mood...?' That she couldn't bear... "Is this the way of having ice-cream" She demanded and he looked at her... She couldn't bear that look...and sighed, "The answer is No..." she paused increasing his confusion, "As usual Jeeju did disapprove the proposal..." She smiled noticing the change in his expression... Why you are keeping mum if it bothered you...' Her questioning gaze focused on him for some moments before she moved her attention to her ice-cream "You know when it comes to my marriage topic Jeeju won't agree easily for anyone..."
"What if one day you would like someone and your Jeeju disapprove him?" He asked suddenly
"Umm...I don't know...I never thought about it...actually the thought never occurred as I never meet anyone who made me feel that way..." Till you come in my life...' She thought finishing a last bit of her ice cream and looked towards him, "But one thing is sure even though I like someone, he has to impress my Jeeju and that would definitely be a difficult task..." She shook her head as he forwarded her another tissue to clean her hands, "Okay...so now the real news that I want to share..." She said flashing her dimples and he looked at her wondering now what would be her real news...
"I have met the Editor today and he has approved my articles for their new monthly edition..." She revealed the real news, "All thanks to you..." She beamed and he just looked at her in admiration "You encouraged me to write and insisted to mail those articles...and I guess this is what I was waiting for...my new passion..." "Ultimately you are the reason that again I am having this fulfillment in my life..." He could see the true gratitude in her eyes...
"You come with new hope in my life...you helped to fill the void I was feeling...I was strong but you showed me that I can be stronger... " She wanted to say more...wanted to poured her heart out...but she stopped herself... Inhaling deeply she looked at him for a moment and moving forward wrapped her hands around his neck, "Thank you Asad..."
He didn't say a word or didn't react in any other way...his hands didn't move to hug her back... What he felt in that moment was something he couldn't explain...may be he was too happy for her to react...he felt so proud for her...and then her unexpected hug...it conveyed that he held some importance in her life...somewhere he was the reason of her smile...and he was stunned feeling the strange emotions stirred in him...
She moved back and looked at him narrowing her eyes, surprised not getting any reaction from him...asking him why he didn't say anything... "Asad..." she called breaking his trance...
"Ohh...sorry..." he shook his head, "Congratulations..." He said still affected with those strange feeling he was experiencing...
She huffed looking at him, "Now I share some IMPORTANT news with you and see what I get...just a simple congratulation..." She said emphasizing the word important' and turned to look ahead pouting like a child who expected a reward back
He smiled at her childishness... That was she...acted all matured for a moment and the next moment she was like a child... Whom he should trust? Zoya who was like a nave girl trying to be a good friend to him or that Zoya who was seeking something more...those almond shaped orbs sometimes asking him something else... He wondered if he was right in analyzing her...
"Hmm...so what do you want...?" He asked pushing all thoughts aside but she didn't reply "Don't tell me you want ice-cream again..." He said just to tease her but she glared back at him
"What do you think?" Her tone was different...coated with anger "I just need ice-cream all the time?" she snapped and he looked at her shocked with her sudden anger...
She looked other way avoiding his questioning gaze... squeezing her eyes shut she inhaled trying to calm herself...not understanding the reason of sudden anger... or maybe she did understand... It was him...his ignorance...
He was confused as it was the first time she had reacted like this... He knew it's not because of his teasing but then what? "Zoya..." getting worried he called her
"Umm...sorry..." She said turning towards him
"Are you okay?" He studied her and pushing all the thoughts aside she smiled sheepishly
"Hmm...I don't know why I reacted suddenly..."
"Really...?" He asked narrowing his eyes, "I don't think so...it's must be something that you get hyper suddenly..."
"Yes...you are right..." She crossed her arms, "You didn't show a little happiness on your face...just a simple emotionless congratulation..." "How you did expect me to react then?"
She said in a fake anger and he smiled at her antics... "Such a drama queen you are" Getting up he laughed as she glared at him...
She watched him as he stood at some distance looking ahead... Corner of his lips lifted in a small smile as a cold breeze ruffled his hair but that smile vanished in just a moment and she followed his gaze... Breaking the stillness ripples spread out gently across the water... She didn't know why but it was like his sudden silence touched her like a breeze spreading ripples of emotions she wasn't aware of... Getting up she walked towards him...
"Do you really need my words to know how happy I am for you?" He asked suddenly
She shook her head as his gaze stilled on her, "I know you are happy" She blinked, "But sometimes we seek the assurance of words..."
"Hmm..." He looked ahead shoving his hands in his pant pocket, "And what if words spread the ripples disturbing the peaceful stillness"
She stared at him confused... It was the look she had witnessed when very first time she had met him at this same place... "Asad..." She called out breaking his trance... "As I said stillness is not always peaceful...may be the soothing touch of breeze is needed..." She does want to make him understand that he could trust her...without any doubt... She wanted to make him believe that she won't break his trust...never ever... But then she too was seeking the assurance...his assurance...
"Hmm...maybe...but then...as you said sometimes assurance is needed...isn't it..." He said gazing in her eyes as if asking her for assurance...
She just stared back at him trying to decode the emotions in his brown orbs... Is he seeking the assurance or it was his assurance...she was seeking... She didn't understand...and she doesn't want to understand either... She maybe acted stubborn here...she knew it but she can't help it...her heart is willing for his assurance first...
He smiled and clicked his finger breaking her trance, "You should be careful"
"What?" she frowned
"When you know that there are followers who follow your theory...you should be careful coz this time it looks like you are not sure about your theory..." He tried hard not to laugh as she looked at him a gape...
"It happens...come...it's quite late..." Saying he walked ahead
"Who told you to follow my each theory...?" She demanded as she ran behind him
"When you gain that trust followers just follow blindly...you should know that" He enjoyed arguing with her...
"But sometimes some things don't fit in the frame of any theory..." She argued more
"Hmm...that means followers should be careful...they can't trust you blindly?" He said trying not to smile looking at her expressions
Walking ahead she stood in front of him blocking his way... "You should know that the same theory works differently according to the situation..." "You just can't follow as it is...it does need to edit sometimes..." Crossing her arms she raised her brows asking him to continue the argument, "And it may also possible that the theory is for follower only" She softly added the last line...
He smiled at her tenacity and raised his hands in defeat, "I can't win the argument with Zoya Farooqui and I should accept the fact..."
"Good for you..."
"Ab chale..." He asked and she moved out from his way
He leaned against his car waiting for her to start her scooty... That was another thing she loves...driving her scooty That make me feel like I am a free bird...' He smiled remembering her words and she raised her brows as she stopped her scooty near him...
He shook his head, "Bye..."
She looked at him wearing her helmet, "The faint symphony of the breeze and when it touched the stillness...it broke into gentle smile..." He gazed in her eyes trying to understand the meaning of her words, "Once you find that smile...no need to seek for any assurance..." She smiled...let him some moments to construe what she wanted to convey...and before he could ask anything she flipped the visor down, "I would like if you compensate for this theory...it's exclusive you know..." "Bye..."
He stared ahead till her scooty disappeared, "I guess I have found that smile Zoya..." He breathed leaning back "Okay...so this theory of yours is for followers only...not fair Ms. Zoya Farooqui..." He smiled opening the door and drove back to home...his heart was at ease without any worries... "You would get an exclusive frozen treat for your exclusive theory Zoya..."
--- ❤️ ---
Hope the update was okay
Waiting for your reviews 😳
❤️
-- Deepti --
Real Estate
Fan Fictions
125