[Zoya, for some reason, couldn't sleep the entire night.

All she could think of was what had happened today, and how Aditya saved her not once, but twice, when he had no obligation to do so.

Maybe she had overreacted, she thought to herself, and the fact that she yelled at Aditya in that manner made her feel even more guilty. She could barely raise her voice at anyone, and Aditya had to be the first person to hear that.

Had Aditya not helped her, she would have been with her cruel in-laws, who knows, she may have even been dead.

Confused and ridden with guilt, she got up and walked towards the balcony, to find Aditya standing in the opposite balcony, his hands tightly gripping the railing of it. He looked rather pensive, but the moment he raised his face and saw Zoya, she saw the anger that had come over him.

Zoya slowly walked ahead, looking at Aditya apologetically, but he had already left his balcony and entered his room, and she looked away in despair.]

Zoya: (To herself) Hume bahut badi galti hui hai...unse iss lehze mein baat nahi karna chahiye tha...bahut galat kiya humne...Kitne nashukre insaan hai Hume bhi! Allah miyaan, Hume maaf kar dena, lekin uss waqt hum Aur Kuch nahi kar sakte the...Yash ki gairmaujoodgi ne Humaari zindagi ko khaali sa bana diya hai...Hume...Hume Aditya se maafi maang leni chahiye. Unnki wajah se hi hum Aaj zinda hai

[She figured she knew what to do.

She'd apologise to him the next morning.]

*The next morning*

[Soon after Tara's school bus left, Zoya snuck out of the house while Nani was asleep, and walked to the other side of the road, where Aditya's house was. She slowly opened the gate and entered the complex and pass the garden, and knocked on the door.

She knocked once.

Twice.

Thrice.

Was Aditya that angry that he wouldn't even open the door?]

Zoya: Dekhiye...Please darvaaza kholein, Hume aapse zaroori baat karni hai...aapne sahi kaha, Hum...Hum bahut Nashukre insaan hai...Uss waqt humne Aapko bewajah bahut daanta, aur hum safaai bhi de sakte hai, lekin phir bhi woh shaayad kaafi nahi hoga! Please, darvaaza kholein, Bass 2 minute ke liye

[Disappointed, she took a step and turned around, until her body hit a sturdier and taller one, making her cling on to the collar of his shirt.

Somehow these unexpected and random occurrences of 'physical' interactions had some different energy about them. Somehow Zoya's fingers were just rightly clasped on to his shirt's collar. Somehow, Aditya was just always on time.

Aditya's angry gaze almost stared through Zoya's soul, and immediately, she began stammering.]

Aditya: Tumhaari zindagi mein problem Kya hai?

Zoya: Woh...Hum...

Aditya: Kya woh? Baar baar apni beizzati karwaake thakti nahi Ho? Aur Kya sunna hai tumhe, bolo——

Zoya: Jitni beizzati humne apne sasuralwaalo se sahi hai, usske saamne aapki beizzati Kuch bhi nahi hai. Hum...Hum aapse maafi maangne aaye hai, Kal humne Aapko bahut Kuch suna liya, jabki aapne humaari jaan 3 baar bacha Li...

Aditya: Ho Gaya?

Zoya: (Embarrassed) Ji, woh...

[Looking her square in the eyes, he took a step, and spoke.]

Aditya: Kahi hui baaton ko unkahi nahi thehra sakte...ab please, Yahaan se Chali jaao, Mujhe kaam hai

[As Aditya walked past her and into his house, his words rang through her ears.

Rang through her ears incessantly because it sounded so similar.

So similar to Yash.]

*Flashback*
[Zoya was crying uncontrollably, trying to call up her Father, who refused to pick up the phone, and she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Zoya: (Crying) Yash, Kab se phone kar rahe hai Abbu ko, woh nahi utha rahe! Humne jo kaha gusse mein kaha! Humaara kehne ka woh matlab nahi tha!

Yash: (Calmly) Zoya...Alfaaz Na, bahut nukile hote hai...Tumne gusse mein kaha Ho ya nahi, unke nishaan zehen mein reh jaate hai]

*Flashback ends*

[Zoya was so mildly surprised by the fact that Aditya sounded so much like Yash, because truth is, she still missed Yash.

Two years later, she couldn't find it in herself to love someone else, because they weren't Yash.

That evening, as Zoya helped Tara with her homework, she heard the doorbell ring and knew it had to be Aditya. Somehow, Zoya had begun to understand that Aditya's presence was something inevitable, something which she had to accept. The moment she opened the door, he entered, and Tara squealed before running towards him, and he took her in his arms.]

Tara: Dita!

Aditya: Kaisi hai humaari Tara?

Tara: Bahut Accha! Homework kar rahe the! Zo ke saath?

[He looked at Zoya, while she looked back rather embarrassed, and he rolled his eyes before sitting besides Tara on the floor, taking a glance at her work.

Understanding that it was her cue to leave, Zoya took a step behind and was about to leave until she felt a tug at the end of her dupatta, and she turned around.]

Zoya: (Confused) Tara...Kya baat hai? Kuch chahiye Aapko?

Tara: Zo! Aap homework mein help karo!

Zoya: Woh...Theek hai

[Hesitantly, Zoya sat besides Tara, whilst Aditya sat on the other side, and throughout, Zoya could felt his brief glances on her, terrifying her.

Zoya and Aditya's eyes were fixed on Tara's notebook, and when they noticed that one of her answers was wrong, they both leaned in forward at the same time, their heads hitting against each other.]

Aditya and Zoya: Ow!

[Immediately, Zoya pulled Aditya's head closer to hers and hit it once again, angering Aditya.]

Aditya: What the hell!

Zoya: Woh...Humaari Ammi kehti hai ki aisa nahi karne se Kuch bura hota hai, isliye...

[Immediately, Tara burst into laughter, and the uneasiness on both their faces wore off when they saw her eyes glimmer and saw her laugh, and they began laughing as well, while Zoya pulled Tara close to her chest and kissed her forehead in a rather motherly manner.

Tara had begun to fill the void in Zoya's life that she could never fill.

She still remembered that day. That day, 2 years ago.]

*Flashback*
[The reports dropped from her hands and instantly, Zoya collapsed on the marbled floor, whilst Yash pulled her close to his chest, consoling her.

Yash: Zoya...Nahi, Nahi...Shh...Nahi, Zoya

Zoya: (Crying) Kisski nazar lag g-gayi hai Yash...Humne Allah taala se sirf khushiyaan maangi thi...H-Hum...Hum Ma nahi Hamm sakte h-hai...Hum...baanjh h-hai...

Yash: Toh Kya? Main hoon Na tumhaare saath hoon Na? Hum isska saamne ek saath karunga, theek hai?]

*Flashback ends*

[Zoya had become strangely attached to Tara, somehow.

That evening, someone else was slightly pleased by the sight they saw of Zoya, Tara and Aditya together.

Closing her eyes in prayer, Nani smiled from the distance.]

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Sorry for late update!!! Uni is hectic!!!
Thanks for reading! I hope you like this!! Please vote if you did!

Love y'all ❤️

Chandni ✨