*A few days later*

[Today was the day Aditya, Zoya and Tara would head back to Mussoorie.

When the sun set its rays throughout the room, Aditya was the first to wake up, and felt something heavy on his chest. He slowly opened his eyes to find Zoya fast asleep, and her right hand on his chest.

This was the first time either of them crossed the 'pillow boundary' they had set for each other.

Aditya smiled to himself, maybe even slightly blushed as he saw Zoya fast asleep, resting her hand on his chest. Somehow, he felt comforted. Almost like Zoya put her hand on his chest for 'comfort'.

He had only now begun to notice the way she slept. The way her open curls partially covered her eyes, how even in the morning, a fragrance incessantly looked around her, the way she rested her hand below her face to sleep better.

He cleared his throat and Zoya's sleep slowly broke, and she opened her eyes.

Upon seeing her hand on Aditya's chest, she immediately looked up to see that he was awake, and moved her hand back before jolting up, wide and awake.]

Aditya: (Laughing) Itna Kya darr rahi Ho? Itna daraavna hoon Kya?

Zoya: (Embarrassed) Woh...Sorry...Pata nahi, humaara haath——Kaise...Sorry!

Aditya: It's okay!

Zoya: Accha Aaj ki flight Kab hai?

Aditya: Shaam ke 5 bajje

Zoya: Accha...Theek hai...

[Soon enough, it was time for them to leave, and needless to say, the separation was painful.]

Anjana: Baar baar Yahaan aana hai, theek hai?

Aditya: Yes Mom...

Anjana: Zoya, apna khyaal rakhna...Tumse milkar lagne laga hai ki 2 saal baad, Mere Adi ki khushi dheere dheere laut aayi hai

Aditya: (Embarrassed) Mom, aap bhi...

Arjun: Take care, Aur Tara...Aapke chachu bahut jald aayenge!

[They reached their home in Mussoorie at around 11 PM, and Zoya immediately put Tara to sleep, before returning to hall and seeing Aditya sat on the couch, crying.]

Zoya: Arre? Aditya...Kya Hua?

Aditya: (Crying) Abhi bhi yakeen nahi Ho raha hai ki mujhe apna parivaar waapis mila hai...Main apne parents se milkar aaya hoon...

Zoya: (Wiping his tears) Uffo, aap bhi na...Bilqul serial ki actress jaise rote hai! Humne kaha tha na, khuda se maangi hui dua ko koi inkaar nahi kar sakta?

Aditya: (Wiping his tears) Hmm...

[Zoya got up, until Aditya spoke again.]

Aditya: Zoya...

Zoya: (Turning around) Chai?

Aditya: (Surprised) Tumhe kaise pata?!

Zoya: Hmm...Dheere dheere Aapko padhna bhi jaan gaye hai

Aditya: (Smiling) Main banata hun—-

Zoya: Nahi hum banaate hai

Aditya: Nahi, Main banata hun...Aaj thodi shayari sunne ka mann bhi kar raha hai, toh woh tumhaari duty

[Zoya smiled widely, before blushing and looking down and returning to her room, to get her poetry diary.]

*In the balcony*

Zoya: (Reading)...Iss intezaar ko muddat mein tabdeel na kar dena...

Aditya: Wah! Abhi ek Main arz karta hoon!

Zoya: (Surprised) Aapko bhi shayari ka shaukh hai? Kabhi bataaya nahi!

Aditya: Pehle kabhi nahi tha, lekin ab shaayad hone laga hai...

Zoya: Hmm...Humaari sangat ka asar!

Aditya: (To himself) Ya phir sirf tumhaara asar...

Zoya: Kya? Kuch kaha aapne?

Aditya: Maine? Nahi, Nahi! Accha arz kiya hai...

Zoya: Irshaad!

Aditya: Kaafi mehenge biqe bazaar mein aloo,
Badi der se soch raha tha, ki khaane mein Kya khaaon!

[Zoya cringed in horror, while Aditya burst into laughter, and Zoya took her book and playfully starting him on his shoulder.]

Zoya: Chee! Isse shayari kehte hai aap? Aur hum soch rahe the ki Kuch Accha khaasa sunaayenge aap!

Aditya: Arre! Arre! Kya kar rahi Ho? Ow!

Zoya: Itne bhi naazuk nahi hai aap!

Aditya:Accha? Bahut jaan gayi Mujhe Aaj kal!

Zoya: Ji Haan!

[They suddenly went silent and began smiling at each other, but Aditya was deep down, blushing so much.]

Zoya: Yeh Kya? Aapke gaal itne laal-laal? Sharam aa rahi hai?

Aditya: M-Mujhe? Nahi toh...

Zoya: Hum jaante hai ki yeh chai Aur shayari toh Bass ek bahaana hai...Humse baat karne ka...

Aditya: Tum bhi yaar...Accha yeh Sab chhodo, Mujhe yeh bataao ki tum apne gharwaalo se Kab milogi?

[Zoya's face suddenly went blank and she placed her book on the floor, before almost inevitably, tears rolled down her face.]

Aditya: Arre? Zoya, Zoya...Tum ro kyun rahi Ho?

Zoya: (Crying) Hum nahi jaante ki hum apne Maa-baap se Kab milenge! Itne saal Ho gaye hai, Aditya...Hum...Hume ammi ki bahut yaad aati hai...Abbu ki bahut yaad aati hai...

[Aditya went to her side and carefully placed her head on his shoulder, while he wiped her tears with his other hand.]

Aditya: Shh...Shh...Aisa nahi rona hai, Zoya...Unse baat karo...Tumhi ne toh kaha tha na, ki zindagi bahut choti hai?

Zoya: (Crying) Aditya, unnhe agar pata Chal gaya ki Humne phir se shaadi ki hai, woh bhi unnke jaane bina, woh bahut gussa Ho jaayenge...Abbu toh bahut khafa honge...

Aditya: Zoya, parents sirf apne aulaad ki khushi chahte hai...Tum aajkal Itni Khush Ho gayi Ho, aur Jab unhe woh nazar aayega, tab woh khud tumhe maaf karenge

Zoya: Allah taala se Humne yahi dua maangi hai, Aditya, ki hum Ammi-Abbu se jald mil sakein...

Aditya: (Wiping her tears)Jaanta hoon, aur tumhaara aur Allah taala ke beech ka connection bhi toh Itna gehra hai! Tumhaari har baat sunnte hai woh, nahi?

Zoya: (Slightly Smiling) Haan, woh toh sahi hai...

Aditya: Toh phir rona bandh, Chalo, Main tumhe apni shayari sunaata——-

Zoya: Nahi! Nahi! Nahi! Bahut sunn liya humne...

Aditya: Yeh lo, waapis aa gayi meri Zoya!

[Zoya looked at him confusingly, while Aditya suddenly realised what he had just said.]

Zoya: A-Aapki Zoya?

Aditya: Woh...Chai thandi Ho rahi hai! Main sone jaa raha hoon!

[Aditya was about to get up, until Zoya placed her hand on his arm, and looked at him caringly.]

Zoya: Aaj dil ko pehli baar sukoon mehsoos Hua hai, Aditya, Thank you.

Aditya: Thank you toh Mujhe kehna chahiye, lekin usski wajah kissi aur dinn bataaonga

Zoya: (Smiling) Good Night

Aditya: Good Night, Zoya

[Although Aditya was in his room, trying to fall asleep, his fingers pulled out a phone and he dialed a number he found in Zoya's bag a couple days ago, in hopes that the number would pick up.

Would it? Who was he going to speak to?]

—————————
So sorry for the late update!! Schedule is so whack 😩😩 I barely get time to sleep LOL

Hope you guys liked this! Please vote if you did!

Love y'all