"Tum Mere Ho rahe...Ya Ho gaye?"

The first time I heard this song, all that popped in my mind was this book, so if you really want to get the 'feel' of this chapter, listen to this song while reading (just a suggestion) Aur lyrics par gaur karein ❤️

(I've been listening to this song for 3 weeks continuously I clearly have a problem lol)

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Tara: (Crying) Mujhe Dita chahiye! Zo-Zo bataayein! Kaha hai!

Zoya: (Crying) Woh aa jaayenge, meri jaan, woh aa jaayenge...shh...

[That night, after a lot of difficulty, Zoya managed to put Tara to sleep. It was around 1:30, and Aditya still hadn't called her.

She walked to the living room, nervously holding the phone in her hand, pacing up and the down the room, until about half an hour later, her phone rang, and after seeing Aditya's name, she immediately picked it up.]

Zoya: Hello!A-Aditya...Aap pahunch gaye? Kuch h-Hua toh nahi? Aap—-

Aditya: Haan Zoya, Main pahunch gaya hun...Tum soyi kyun nahi?

Zoya: Aapne phone nahi kiya, kaise so jaate?

Aditya: Yahaan bahut thand hai...

Zoya: Humne garam kapde rakhe thay, aur woh dawaai bhi...agar khuda na khaasta aap beemaar padh jaayein toh

Aditya: Haan pata hai, meri bhi aankhein hain

Zoya: Ab Humaare khyaal ko tans na dein

Aditya: Accha sorry baba, Tara kaisi hai?

Zoya: Aapse bahut khafa...Bahut mushkil se usse sulaaya hai Humne

Aditya: Tum par bharosa hai, isliye toh Main Yahaan sarhad par hun Zoya

Zoya: Jaante hain, aur aap bahut bahadur hai, Aditya, hume aap par naaz hai

Aditya: Thank you, Zoya...Accha ab so jaao, bahut derr Ho gayi hai

Zoya: Neend ka Aaj Kal aana mushkil hai, Aditya, na jaane kyun...

Aditya: Mujhe mehsoos karo, Sab theek Ho jaayega

Zoya: Accha, ab aap jaayein, bahut rulaaya hai aapne humein

Aditya: Good Night, Zoya

Zoya: Good Night, Aditya

["Doori yeh kam Hi na Ho...Main neendon mein bhi, chal raha...
Hota hai Kal bewafa, yeh aata nahi chhal raha..."

Zoya slowly lied down besides Tara, pulling gently pulling her close to her chest, and trying her hardest to sleep.]

*Next morning*
Tara: (Crying) Dita kahaan hai? Bolo!

Zoya: Meri jaan, woh...Woh apne mummy papa se Milne gaye hai, bahut jald aayenge

Tara: (Crying) Aap jhoot nahi Bol rahe hai na?

Zoya: (Wiping her tears) Nahi, Tara, Bilqul bhi nahi...Ab Chalo, school Chalo shaabash, humein bhi kaam par jaana hai

[Zoya hated lying, but she had to protect Tara. She couldn't tell her that her father was fighting on the border, with no guarantee that he'd return alive.

After Tara left for school, Zoya sat down to pray, and pulled the dupatta over her head.]

Zoya: (Praying) Ya Mere parvardigaar, Aditya ki hifaazat karein...Woh...Woh bahut acche insaan hain...Humaara kabhi unnka saath na choote, bass Itni si iltija hai humaari...

[After she finished praying, she got ready and headed to work, which was the new tuition centre in the next lane.

She remembered how Aditya encouraged her to step outside and work, and told her to put herself out there, and here she was, doing just that.]

*One and a half months later*

[Aditya had left home almost 6 weeks ago, but every day felt like a year.
They spoke at least once every week. Aditya would usually talk to her on Sunday's, and almost since then, Sunday became her favorite day of the week.

But this Sunday, there was no phone call, and Zoya was getting increasingly impatient.

She turned on the TV, and switched to the news channel, hoping to get some coverage, whilst changing her God's name.

The state near the border was critical, but the Indian army and Air Force were doing well. There were rumours of the enemy surrendering , but there were also rumours that the war wasn't going to end soon.

Zoya tried calling up Aditya almost hundred times, but no one picked up. Her heart sank.]

*5 weeks later*

[5 Sunday's passed, and she had no idea where Aditya was, and what he was doing. Was he alive? Was he hiding?

No one knew.

Zoya walked aimlessly around the house, until she gradually made her way to Aditya's room, and noticed that his fragrance still lingered on.

She opened his closet, and saw the black shirt he wore when she first met him, and slowly held it, before placing it close to her chest, and feeling the fragrance mask her senses. Just the mere touch of his shirt, made her feel like he was near her, and with her.

She buried her face in the shirt before she started crying.]

Zoya: (Crying) 82 dinn Ho gaye hai, aur 40 dinn, aapse baat kiye bina...Kahaan hai aap? Humein chhod kar chale gaye Kya? Nahi, apne vada kiya tha...a-apne...aapne vada...

[She wiped her tears and kept the shirt on the bed, before she picked up her phone and called the army helpline.]

Zoya: (On the phone) Dekhiye, 40 dinn Ho gaye hai...unnka naam Aditya Hooda Hai, Air Force mein badi position hai unnki! Please, humein Kuch toh Khabar dein! Please——Hello? Hello? Phone kaat diya!

[She sat on the sofa helplessly, and turned on the news channel in hopes of some news, but when she saw the headlines, her heart stopped.

"AIR FORCE CRASH NEAR BORDER; PILOT SUSPECTED DEAD, HOWEVER THE ENEMY HAS SURRENDERED, INDIA WINS THE WAR!"

Zoya blurred out the last part of the sentence, but her eyes were stuck on the first one.

Again.

Again.

She lost her husband again.

She lost the man she was beginning to like and respect, again.

What would she tell Tara? Heck, what would she tell herself?

Was she so unlucky?

She couldn't even cry, because she was so tired of doing that. All she did was pull Tara close to her chest, whilst hiding the biggest lie from her.

She really did part with a big piece of her heart, because that day she felt hollow and empty.

"Laakh vaadein, jahaan ke jhoote hain...
Log aadhe, jahaan ke jhoote hain...

Mere Ho Na, ahista, ahista...
Mere Ho Na, ahista ahista..."

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😭

Hope you guys like this chapter!! Please vote if you did!

I'm sorry if you think this is rushed, but trust me it's necessary!

Love y'all ❤️