*The next morning*

[It was her first Monday and Zoya quickly woke up at 6 AM to get Tara ready.
Quickly washing her face, she quickly began making tea for herself until she realised that Aditya would probably also want tea as well.

She walked towards his room, where the door where was slightly open and peeked through the gap, not knowing her eyes were on the reflection of the mirror Aditya stood in front of.

Immediately, Aditya turned around and Zoya hid behind the wall, Scared.

A few seconds later, he opened the door and walked towards her, and Zoya obviously looked guilty as ever.]

Zoya: Woh...

Aditya: Kuch chahiye tha?

Zoya: Hum...Hum apne liye chai bana rahe the, aap piyenge?

Aditya: Haan theek hai

Zoya: Aapko naashta chahiye——

Aditya: Nahi, Main khud bana lunga. Tum meri naukrani nahi Ho

Zoya: Aisi baat nahi hai, hum bana——

Aditya: Nahi.

Tumhe Tara ko school drop karna hai? Main tum dono ko drop karunga

Zoya: Ji, theek Hai

Aditya: Aur Haan, agli baar Kuch baat karni hai toh kamre ke andar aa sakti Ho. Chor ki tarah aise dekhne ki zaroorat nahi hai

Zoya: (Embarrassed) Woh...Ji, theek hai

[Zoya went back to the kitchen and sat down, sipping her tea, her mind slightly annoyed by what Aditya said.]

Zoya: (Annoyed) Chor? Hum kis angle se Chor dikhte hai? Acchai ka toh zamaana hi na raha!

[She shrugged her thoughts and quickly gulped down her tea before rushing to Nani's place and getting Tara ready. About 20 minutes she waited downstairs and watched Aditya exit the house.

Dressed in the traditional air force uniform and his standard aviators, He brought the car out and Zoya and Tara got in.

Zoya placed Tara on the front seat while she chose to sit behind until Tara held her hand.]

Tara: Zo-Zo, aapko yahaan baithna chahiye, Main aapki godh mein bauthungi!

Zoya: Arre nahi Tara, aap aage baithiye

Tara: Nani kehti hai ki front seat pe surf wife baithti hai, aur aap toh Dita ki wife ho na? Chalo, Chalo!

Aditya: Jo bhi karna hai jaldi karo, sabko deri ho rahi hai

[Zoya  hesitantly sat in the front seat, Tara seated on her lap. Within 20 minutes the car stopped in front of the school and Tara went in.]

Zoya: Humein market ki taraf chook dein, hum wahaan se ghar chale jaayenge

Aditya: Nahi, main tumhe drop kar lunga. Yeh lo, ghar ki chaabiyaan

Zoya: Aap humein yeh hyun de rahe hai? Humne kal kaha tha na ki hum Nani ke saath rahenge

Aditya: Haan pata hai, lekin phir bhi, rakh lo, duplicate hai.

Zoya: Humne paise chori kar diye toh?

Aditya: Tumhe agar paise chahiye hote toh uss waqt bhi mujhse maang leti, nahi?

Zoya: (Shyly smiling) Sahi.

[The car stopped in front of the market, and it was time for Zoya to leave.]

Aditya: Tara ka khyaal rakhna

Zoya: Ji, fikar mat kijiye...

[The day went by quite quickly and it was around 10:30PM. Everyone was fast asleep and Zoya, who was in her room, kept looking at her phone, thinking of what to do.]

Zoya: Woh pahunch gaye Honge? Unhe call kar dein?

Nahi, hum kyun call karenge? Sirf naam ki shaadi ki hai tum dono ne, Zoya, itna jazbaati mat banno

Lekin phir bhi, ab ek dusre ka khyaal rakhna hai...Call kar Hi lete hai

[Zoya called up Aditya and when she heard the phone ring, her heart began beating at an uncontrollably fast rate.]

*On the phone*

Aditya: Hello?

Zoya: H-Hello...Hum, Zoya baat kar rahe hain...

Aditya: Jaanta hoon, tumhaara save kiya hai maine

Zoya: Haan, Jaante hain...

Aditya: Kya Hua?

Zoya: Woh...Aap Shimla pahunch gaye?

Aditya: Haan pahunch gaya, Kuch ghante pehle pahunch gaya tha

Zoya: Sahi, Sahi...

Aditya: Yeh puchne ke liye phone kiya tha?

Zoya: H-Haan...

Aditya: Tumhe meri fikar karne ki zaroorat nahi hai, isse pehle bhi bahut baar shimla gaya hoon

Zoya: Lekin ab jab ek rishte mein bandhe hai, jo sirf naam ke liye rishta hai, usska farz bhi pura karna padhta hai, nahi?

Aditya: Hm, Shaayad. Tum kyun nahi so rahi?

Zoya: Socha iss call ke baad so jaayenge, Good Night

Aditya: Theek hai, Good Night

[Both of them disconnected the call, still in disbelief of how annoyingly awkward the conversation was.

Were all their conversations going to so monotonous, mundane and boring?

Zoya was naturally a quiet person, but Aditya? He was such an extrovert! Why was he so weirdly silent?

That night, as Aditya tried to sleep, his mind kept replaying a sentence over and over again.

"Ab jab ek rishte mein bandhe hai, jo sirf naam ke liye rishta hai, usska farz bhi pura karna padhta hai, nahi?"]

*2 days later*

[Zoya went back to Aditya's house (or her house rather) and was sitting outside on the balcony, reading a book, when she heard the door open.

She rushed towards the door and saw Aditya come in.]

Zoya: Aap aa gaye? Itna saara saamaan, kyun?

Aditya: (Tired) Haan, bazaar se Kuch cheezein lein thi, isliye

Zoya: (Taking bags from him) Kitni baar kaha hai aapse, hum bhi saath chalenge, baat hi nahi sunte.

[She gave him a glass of water, but when her hand touched his, she was surprised at how warm his hand was.

Immediately, her hands reached his forehead and neck, and she realised that he was running a fever.]

Zoya: Ya Allah, Aapko toh Bukhaar hai!

Aditya: shaayad isliye Itna kamzor mehsoos kar raha hoon...

Zoya: Chaliye, aaraam kijiye, Chaliye!

[Zoya followed Aditya to his room and after he changed his clothes, he lied down on the bed.]

Zoya: Humne dopahar ko daal-chawal banaya tha, woh kha lijiye. Usske baad aapko dawaai denge, sahi?

Aditya: Nahi, Main khud Kar lunga, tum jaao

Zoya: Aapse puch nahi rahe the, aapko Bata rahe the...Khaana lekar aate hain

[Zoya hurriedly went to the kitchen and Aditya was surprised by Zoya's behaviour.

Why was she exerting so much control over him?

She returned with a plate in hand and watched Aditya eat.]

Aditya: Mujhe ghoor ke kyun dekh rahi Ho?

Zoya: Hum kahaan ghoor rahe hai? Kuch bhi!

Aditya: Toh Yahaan kyun baithi Ho?

Zoya: Aap bimaar hai, isliye! Chaliye, jaldi khaayein

[Zoya then poured the medicine on a spoon and fed him, her hands placed on his forehead.]

Aditya: Aur Kuch madam?

Zoya: Aap shaant nahi Ho sakte? Humesha Bak-Bak karne ki zaroorat hai kya?

Aditya: Bak-Bak, waah Zoya ji! Bahut tameez hai aap mein!

Zoya: Tameez? Kamaskam Humne Aapko Chor toh nahi bulaaya! Hmm!

Aditya: Chor waali harkat hi tha!

Zoya: Aap so jaayein, Warna aapke saath behas karne ke chakkar mein hum bhi bimaar padh jaayenge

[Soon enough, Zoya left and Aditya slowly fell asleep, but as he did, he slightly smiled at Zoya's 'nok-jhok'

What was happening?]

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