*At the restaurant*

Zoya is silently taking a sip of water, and Aditya gently gazes at her.

Zoya: Waise mujhe yeh baat bilqul acchi nahi lagi, Aditya. Dopahar ke 2 bajje, aap sharaab pi rahe hai?

Aditya: Roz thodi hi peeta hun, Zoya, aaj mann kar raha tha bas.

Zoya: Phir Bhi...

Aditya: Ek hi drink piyunga, theek hai?

Zoya simply nods, and Aditya smiles. In a while, the food arrives at their table. Zoya grabs the chilly sauce and pours it over her food, and Aditya looks on in horror. Doesn't Zoya hate spicy food?

Aditya: Tumhe teekha pasand bhi nahi hai Zoya, itni mirchi kyun daal rahi hun?

Zoya: Pata nahi, yeh khaana bohot pheenka lag raha hai humein.

Aditya raises his eyebrow in surprise, and Zoya looks at him in surprise. 

Zoya: Kya? Aise kyun dekh rahe hai aap?

Aditya: Woh isliye, kyun ki aapko humaari aadat ho chuki hai, nahi?

Zoya rests the spoon on the plate and looks at him, rather puzzled.

Zoya: Accha ji...Aur woh kaise? Zara batayie

Aditya: Tumhe pehle mirchi hazam bhi nahi hota tha, Zoya, aur yahaan dekho, puri bottle kha rahi ho!

Zoya: Khair, aisi bhi koi baat nahi hai...

Aditya: Pyaar-Vyaar ka chakkar hai toh bata do, mai toh single hoon, waise...

Zoya throws the towel on Aditya, and she looks visibly upset.

Zoya: Aapke mazaak bhi na...bohot gande hote hai, qasam se

Aditya: Arre, gussa kyun ho rahi ho?

Zoya: Gu-Gussa? Insaan gussa na karein toh kya karein? 'Mai toh single hoon', isska matlab kya hai? Humse shaadi ki hai aapne, obviously aap single nahi hai.

Aditya simply looks at her gently, and places his hand on hers, while Zoya continuously looks down, not making eye contact.

Aditya: Main mazaak kar raha hoon, Zoya. 

Zoya: Jaante hai, isliye kaha tha ki aapke mazaak bhi bohot gande hote hai.

He simply raises her hand and kisses it before rubbing it. Aditya didn't know why he was so hell-bent on pacifying Zoya, and Zoya, on the other hand, didn't even know why she was feeling so possessive over Aditya. 

*At the Park*

Zoya and Aditya are sat on the ground of a park, overlooking the pristine lake in front of them. There is an obligatory distance between the two, as they look on. 

Zoya: Aditya...hum aapse kuch baat karna chah rahe thay...

Aditya turns to look at Zoya, who seems visibly nervous. 

Aditya: Haan bolo na, kya baat hai?

Zoya: Woh...

Aditya: Kya baat hai, Zoya? Kuch hua hai kya?

Zoya: Woh...hum soch rahe thay... ki hum...woh...

Aditya: Ab bolo bhi

Zoya: H-Hum kaam karna chahte hai.

Aditya: Haan, toh?

Zoya: Hum...Hum kar lein?

Aditya: Kyun nahi...ek minute, tum mujhse kyun puch rahi ho?

Zoya: Pata nahi aap kya sochenge...Ki hum ghar ke kaam nahi karna chahte ya...

Aditya: Hazaar baar kaha hai, Zoya, tum ghar ki naukar nahi ho. Ghar ko sambhaalna hum dono ka farz hai. Tumhe mujhse permission ya aise kuch maangne ki bilqul zaroorat nahi hai, yeh tumhari marzi hai, theek hai?

Zoya simply nods.

Zoya: Yash ke maa-baap, saaf mana karte thay...kehte thay ki mai kisi kaam ki nahi hun

Aditya: Aisi koi baat nahi hai Zoya, puraane khyaalaat walo ka hum kya hi kar sakte hai, nahi?

Zoya: Haan

Aditya: Accha mujhe yeh batao, tum kaam kahaan karna chahogi?

Zoya: Kisi publishing house mein...Kal hi humne kuch vacancies dekhi thi

Aditya puts his arm around Zoya's shoulder and pulls her close.

Aditya: Matlab humaari begum lekhak banengi, sahi?

Zoya: Begum? 

Zoya begins to laugh.

Aditya: Thodi bohot urdu mujhe bhi aati hai, theek hai?

Zoya: Haan, Haan, bilqul. Ab chalein? Tara ko school se pick up bhi karna hai na?

*Back at home*

Zoya: Accha Tara, aapne dahi khatam kyun nahi kiya hai? Khaana waste karna acchi baat nahi hai na?

Tara: Nahi chahiye, Maa. I'm full

Zoya: Jaldi khatam karo, chalo

Tara looks towards Aditya for help.

Aditya: Bete iss baar toh mai mummy ke side pe hun, khaana waste toh nahi kar sakte. Chalo, chalo, tum air force pilot ki beti ho! Discipline kahaan hai?

Tara sighs and finishes her food.

Zoya: Ab sone chalein? Humein bohot neend aa rahi hai.

Aditya: Haan, mujhe bhi...

They head to their separate rooms. Aditya to his room, and Zoya and Tara to their room. 

*Middle of the night*

Zoya and Tara are fast asleep when a loud sound can be heard. It sounds like glass breaking. After this, the sound of someone wailing  can be heard. Zoya instantly wakes up, while Tara is fast asleep. 

Zoya follows the sound and is shocked to find Aditya on the floor, wailing uncontrollably. A glass is broken next to him, and his hand appears to be slightly injured. She rushes to his side.

Zoya: Aditya, Aditya, kya hua? kya hua?

She takes his face in her hands, and she looks at him with a sign of worry reigning her face.

Aditya: (crying) woh...woh awaaz...Zoya...woh aadmi ro raha hai...tumhe sunaai de raha hai na?

Zoya: Kon ro raha hai, Aditya? 

Aditya hugs Zoya tight, and sobs in her arms. She gently runs her hands on his head, trying to comfort him.

Zoya: Kuch nahi hua hai, shh...shh...hum yahaan hai na? koi nahi ro raha, Aditya.

Zoya quickly cleans the mess and tends to his wounds, before she manages to help him get up, and helps him get on the bed. Zoya sits on the bed, her hand gently tapping against his forehead, and while she does, she wonders why Aditya is behaving this way. Did something happen? Was it the trauma of the war? 

No, it couldn't be. He was perfectly fine throughout the day.

Zoya fell asleep next to Aditya, who finally got some sleep in her arms, but when she woke up, the next morning, he wasn't in the room. 

* Next Morning*

Zoya rushed to the kitchen and found Aditya there. He looked...different.

Zoya: (Gently) Aditya...

Aditya: (Happily) Arre, tum uth gayi? Yeh lo, chai-

Zoya takes the chai from his hands and places it on the platform, before gently cupping his face. His gaze is lowered.

Zoya: Aditya...kya hua tha kal? Aap ro rahe thay...

Aditya: K-Kuch nahi tha...Arre chhodo na, tum chai-

Zoya: Humne aapko aise pehle kabhi nahi dekha hai, Aditya. Border pe kuch hua tha, kya? Humein bataayie, please.

Aditya: Kuch bhi toh nahi hua hai, Zoya.

Zoya: Hum doctor ke paas chalein? 

Aditya: Tumhe kya lagta hai, main pagal hoon? 

Zoya: Humne yeh toh nahi kaha tha...

Aditya: Subah-subah mood kharab mat karo mera...please.

Zoya watches him leave the kitchen. He sits on the sofa, holding the cup of tea in his hands. She picks up her chai, and sits next to him. She then takes his hand in hers and places it close to her. Aditya looks visibly conflicted. 

Zoya: Aapko humse sharmaane ki zarurat nahi hai, Aditya.

Aditya: Sharm, aur main? I'm an Air Force officer, tumhe pata bhi hai-

Zoya: Sabse pehle toh aap ek insaan hai, Aditya.

Aditya looks down and simply sighs.

Zoya: Please, doctor ke paas chal lein? Ismein sharam ki toh baat nahi hai, aur main saath hoon, kuch nahi hoga-

Aditya: Kal raat ko kuch nahi hua tha,Zoya, please mujhe akela chhod do. Please.

Aditya gets up and walks away from her, while she simply looks on. 

What was wrong with him?

--------------------------

I hope you liked this one. Lots of love xx