*The next day*

[When Zoya woke up, had a shower and entered the kitchen, she was surprised to find Aditya already working the kitchen.]

Zoya: (Tying her hair) Arre, aap hume utha dete...Sorry, pata nahi Aaj der kaise Ho gayi...

Aditya: It's okay, Main abhi 5 minute pehle hi aaya tha

Zoya: Kya kar rahe hai aap?

Aditya: Meat ko marinate kar raha hoon, shaam tak kebab banaane ke liye taiyaar Ho jaayega Na?

Zoya: Haan, Ho jaayega. Ek minute

[Zoya opened the cupboard and held the masala packet in her hands, while Aditya looked on.]

Zoya: Thoda aur garam masala daalne se zaayka badhta hai, yeh lo, ab kebab bilqul kamaal ke banege!

Aditya: Hmm

Zoya: Aapne chai pi Li?

Aditya: Nahi, abhi 5 minute pehle hi aaya kaha toh tha

Zoya: Arre Haan, theek hai, hum banaa lete hai

Aditya: Nahi Nahi, tum yeh marination ka kaam karo, mujhse yeh nahi hota...Itna complicated!

Zoya: Kuch mushkil nahi hai, aap sahi toh kar rahe hai!

Aditya: Yaar...Theek hai, Tum chai bana lo, lekin kebab agar kharaab bann gaye toh Main saara ilzaam tum par hi lagaaonga

[Zoya began giggling as she added the tea leaves to the vessel with milk and water, and at that moment, Aditya turned to see her giggle and a small smile formed on his face.

Suddenly, he looked ahead, after realising what he was doing. Why was he smiling like an idiot? Why was he suddenly being so talkative with her?]

Aditya: Yeh lo, Ho Gaya, ab issko fridge mein rakhna hai na?

Zoya: Ji, upar waale shelf par rakhein. Aur yeh lijiye aapki chai

Aditya: Thank you

[Back to their usual spot, Aditya and Zoya began sipping on their tea, enjoying the beauty of 10 AM mornings in Mussoorie. ]

Zoya: Nani ne aaj dopahar ke khaane ke liye wahaan bulaaya hai

Aditya: Hmm, I hope baingan ki sabzi banai hogi, mera favorite hai!

Zoya: Aapko baingan pasand hai? Hume Bilqul nahi pasand, Lekin Yash ko Itna pasand hai, Pata hai?

Aditya: Pooja ko bhi baingan Bilqul pasand nahi tha, usske smell se hi usse Kuch Ho jaata tha!

Zoya: Haan hume bhi usska swaad Itna khaas nahi lagta...Khair, hum biryani banaane jaa rahe hai

Aditya: Main help karun?

Zoya: Aap kheer banaa dijiyega, mera khyaal hai Nani ke Ghar se laut te 4/5 bajenge, aur aapke dost 6 ya 7 baje tak aayenge, sahi?

Aditya: Haan, Shaayad, aur kebab banaane mein ek ghanta lagega

[Soon, both of them began their preparations and left for Nani's house.]

*At Nani's house*

Nani: Yeh lo, aa gaye Mere dono bacche!

Aditya: (Smiling) Namaste, Nani!

Nani: Jeeta reh, Adi Beta

Zoya: Namaste, Nani

Nani: Namaste meri Zoya, Jeete raho

[Suddenly, Tara ran into Aditya's arm and he excitedly carried her, before she kissed Zoya on the cheek.]

Tara: Dita! Zo!

Nani: Tum dono toh abhi nazar hi nahi aate, Kyun?

Tara: Nani! Prince Aur princess ko time spend karna hoga!

[Aditya and Zoya looked at each other blankly and rather embarrassingly, and they had come to realise how awkward the situation had become.]

Zoya: Uh...Khaana khaayein? Hume bahut bhook lagi hai

Aditya: H-Haan, Chalo, Khaana laate hai

[Nani sat at the head chair, with Zoya and Aditya opposite each other and Tara sat next to Zoya.]

Aditya: (Excited) Baingan! Aapne toh mera mind padh liya, Nani!

Nani: (Smiling) Mujhe pata hai tujhe Baingan bahut pasand hai

[Lunch went by rather smoothly, despite the awkward start, and at around 5, Aditya and Zoya headed back home.

Zoya began preparing the kebabs while Aditya began setting the Kheer aside and they were done well in time, more specifically, just when the bell rang.

Zoya was dressed in a beautiful turquoise sharara kameez, her hair left open, and Aditya wore a simple black buttoned up shirt and khaki's.]

Aditya: Jameel! Adam! On time, I'm impressed! Namaste Bhabhi!

Jameel: Of course time par aate, anything for food!

Zoya: Namaste Jameel, Namaste Adam

Adam: Hi Bhabhi, yeh Roop, meri biwi

Roop: Namaste Zoya

Zoya: (Hugging Roop) Namaste Roop

Jameel: Namaste Bhabhi, yeh Ruksaar, meri biwi!

Ruksaar: Salaam, Zoya

Zoya: Waalequm asallam, Ruksaar, aao aap sabhi!

Adam: Aye haye, khushboo toh Bilqul kamaal ki hai!

Roop: Seriously! Kya banaaya hai tumne Zoya?

Zoya: Arre Itna khaas bhi nahi hai...Khair, Kya lenge aap Log?

Roop: Mujhe paani bass

Ruksaar: Haan, Mujhe bhi

Aditya: Ladko ki drink ki setting Main karwaaonga, Zoya, tum tension mat lo

[Understanding what he meant, she simply shook her head before returning to the hall with water in her hands.]

Jameel: Waise Adi, Humne Aaj tak tum dono ki love story nahi suni hai...

Ruksaar: Haan, Mujhe bhi jaanna hai! Bolo na Zoya!

Zoya: Hum...Hum k-Kya...

[Zoya and Aditya uncomfortably looked at each other. How were they going to get out of this? There was no way they were going to reveal the truth.]

Aditya: Uh...Yehi, Mussoorie mein mile the!

Zoya: H-Haan! Haan! A-Aur...Uh...hum...Uh...

Roop: Kitna sataaoge unn dono ko! Accha yeh bataao tum dono mile kaha the?

Aditya: Bazaar mein!

Zoya: Grocery store mein!

Roop: Kya?

Aditya: Uhh...Isska Matlab hai Grocery store ke baahar bazaar mein!

Zoya: Haan! Haan!

Jameel: Hmm...Interesting!

Adam: Lekin baat aage kaise badhi?

Aditya: Woh...Mujhe bahut koshish karni padhi...Zoya toh Mujhe ghaas bhi nahi daalti thi...

[Zoya glared at Aditya. What the hell was he saying?!]

Aditya: Uh...Lekin phir Maan gayi Aur shaadi Ho gayi!

Zoya: (Fake smiling) Haan, Haan...H-Hum khaane lekar aayein?

Roop: Haan Bhabhi Chaliye, Main aapki help kar deti hoon

Zoya: Arre nahi Roop, tum mehmaan Ho

(Sternly looking at Aditya) Aditya, Aap aayie

Aditya: (Scared) H-Haan, Chalo

[Aditya quietly followed Zoya to the kitchen, where the food was kept.]

Zoya: (Annoyed) Kya keh rahe the aap? Ghaas nahi daalte the! Matlab kuch bhi!

Aditya: Toh Aur Kya karta? kahaani ko saccha banaana tha Na!

Zoya: Unn logo ko pata nahi kya lag raha hoga...

Aditya: Arre woh Itna sochte bhi nahi hai, yeh Sab chhodo, Chalo khaana lagwaate hai

[Zoya sighed and together, both of them set the table. Soon, everyone was seated, Zoya and Aditya sitting next to each other.]

Adam: (Eating) Mmm...Bhabhi, Biryani is out of this world!

Zoya: (Smiling) Thank you!

Roop: Recipe toh deni hi padegi, kyun?

Ruksaar: Bilqul! Bilqul!

Jameel: Bhabhi, Adi ne koi help ki bhi ya nahi?

Aditya: Oh hello, tumhaare jaise kaamchor nahi hoon, bahut Help kiya maine

Zoya: Itna bhi help nahi kiya tha...

Aditya: Zoya? Seriously?

Zoya: (Smiling) Mazaak kar rahe hai, khaana hum dono ne saath mein banaaya hai

Ruksaar: Yeh hoti hai partnership! Shauhar sahaab, Zara Aditya Bhai se Kuch seekh lijiye, Bahut meherbaani hogi!

[The rest of the evening did seemingly go by smoothly, and soon, at around 11 pm, the guests left.

Zoya returned to the kitchen to finish washing the dishes when Aditya walked up to her.]

Aditya: Thank you

Zoya: Kis baat ka?

Aditya: Mere doston ko bulaana, yeh Sab karna...isski zaroorat nahi thi

Zoya: Koi baat nahi, Hume aapke dost acche lage, acche Log hai woh

Aditya: Ek saath bartan dhoyenge toh kaam jaldi Ho jaayega, Tum saabun lagao, Main dho dunga

Zoya: Ji, Theek hai

[Within 10 minutes, they were done with the dishes and Zoya wiped her face with the back of her wrist, until Aditya noticed a small soap foam on her cheek, and gently placed his hands on her cheek and wiped it off, and Zoya looked on in confusion.]

Aditya: (Awkwardly wiping his hand) Woh...Soap...Sorry

Zoya: Uh...Hum sone jaa——

Aditya: Main chai banaaon? Green tea?

Zoya: T-Theek hai...

Aditya: Abhi banaata hoon, tum balcony mein jaao, wahaan baitho Main chai lekar aata hi hoon

[Zoya sat on the balcony floor, and while she did, Aditya sneakily ran to his room and opened his cupboard, revealing a small brown packet that contained the silver jhumkas he bought, that Zoya liked. He placed it in his back pocket and went back to the kitchen.

Around 10 minutes later, he went to the balcony with two cups of tea in his hands, and sat down, before giving one cup to Zoya.]

Zoya: (Sipping tea) Chai bahut acchi bani hai

Aditya: Thank you

Zoya: Aapki kheer toh aaj Sab ko acchi lagi

Aditya: Haan, Haan, Mujhe bhi lagta hai kaafi acchi bani...Sorry, khud ki bahut taareef karta hoon

Zoya: Woh toh dikhaai deta hai...

Aditya: (Holding brown packet) Woh...Main...

Zoya: Yeh Kya hai?

Aditya: Main tumhe yeh dena chahta tha...I think tumne yeh kal pasand kiya tha

[Hesitantly, Zoya took the packet from his hands before opening it and removing the jhumka's that were inside.

Zoya looked on in surprise and then in slight embarrassment.]

Zoya: Aditya, Aapne yeh kyun liya?

Aditya: Kya Hua, Accha nahi laga? Ya maine galat waala chuna hai? Mujhe de do, Main Kal naya——

Zoya: Nahi, Nahi...Humaara Matlab hai ki yeh lene ke Kya zaroorat thi?

Aditya: Tumhe pasand laga, isliye liya tha, Bass

Zoya: Lekin humaare paas khud ke paise bhi hai, humaara Matlab hai ki...Hum agar chahte toh khud ke paise se le lete the...Dekhiye, hum kissi ka ehsaan nahi chahte, Bass wohi keh rahe hai

Aditya: Ehsaan? Iss mein ehsaan kahaan se aa gaya?

Zoya: Aise taufe...Aise taufe munaasib nahi lagte hume...

Aditya: Pata nahi tum baat ko kahaan se kahaan lekar jaa rahi Ho, agar pasand nahi laga toh waapis de do, simple baat hai!

Zoya: Humaara...Humaara Matlab woh nahi tha Aditya...Iss rishte ko ek hafta hi Hua hai Aur——-

Aditya: Zoya, tum maano ya na maano, humaare spouses zinda nahi hai...Zindagi mein aage badhna seekho

Zoya: Aditya——

Aditya: Zindagi bahut Choti hai...Aisa Na Ho ki Beete lamhon mein jeekar tum kal ko experience hi na kar paao!

Zoya: (Sternly) Hume acchi tarah pata hai ki hum Kya kar rahe hai, Aditya, Aapse nasihat nahi maangi hai Humne

Aditya: Naseehat? Kya? Ek toh tum yeh shah jahaan ke zamaane waali urdu bolti Ho jo mere sar ke upar se jaata hai!

Zoya: (Getting up) Toh jaayie, Urdu ki kitaab padh ke seekh lein!

[Zoya annoyingly took her cup and washed it before heading towards the door, and Aditya was obviously, irritated.]

Aditya: (Irritated) Oh madam, kahaan jaa rahi Ho?

Zoya: (Annoyingly going out) Jahannum mein!

Aditya: Jaha...Kya? Haan jaao, Mujhe Kya? Sahi kehte hai...Acchai ka zamaana hi na raha!

[Aditya went to bed quite angry, and Zoya was out on a walk, in an attempt to vent out her anger and emotions.

How dare Aditya ask Zoya to move on? What was he trying to do, buy those jhumkas for her? Was he trying to take Yash's place? Who did he think he was?

She walked and walked, until suddenly, she saw a white van come right next to her and the next moment, someone pushed her into the van, tightly covering her mouth. The end of her dupatta tore and fell on the ground as the van left, but on the other hand, Aditya suddenly woke up, his face sweating.

Something felt wrong. Very wrong.]

———————————-
Hmm....Suspense, Suspense, Suspense!

Also guys, please comment and lemme know your thoughts on this chapter! You can hate it/love it/ have an average opinion but please let me know! It'll help improve my writing and the plot of this book!!

On a side note, how's the new cover?

Thank you so much for reading! Hope you guys liked it

Love you ❤️