The engagement got over pretty soon, and it was time head back home, but Zoya had other plans.
This was going to be her last night in Auli for tomorrow evening, she was going to head back to Missourie, and she wanted to do something special.

Ammi: Accha Zoya tum uss taraf baith jaao, Tara yahaan so rahi hai, bechari bohot thak gayi aaj

Zoya: Ammi...aab sab ghar jaayie, humein kuch kaam hai

Ammi: Kaam? Iss waqt ko? Kal subah kar lo

Zoya: Nahi Ammi, Aditya Kuch dekhna chah rahe thay, aur-

Aditya: Main kuch dekhna chah raha tha?

Aditya looked at Zoya in confusion and she simply glared back, and he immediately looked away.

Noor: Theek hai na ammi, bacche thodi hai, aap dono jaayie, hum ghar jaa rahe hai, chaabi hai na ghar ki?

Zoya: Haan haan, hain

Aditya and Zoya watched Ammi, Abbu, Noor and a very sleepy Tara head off in their car.

Aditya: Haww, khule aam romance karna chah rahi thi kya?

Zoya: (rolling her eyes) aap bhi na, aapko kuch nahi ho sakta, chaliye

Zoya and Aditya walked to the Main Street, before Zoya halted a rickshaw.

* in the rickshaw *
Zoya: bhaiyya, Joshimath le jaayie

Aditya: Kahaan jaa rahe hai, Zoya? Batao na?

Zoya: Sabar kijiye, aapko pata chal jaayega

Soon enough, the rickshaw halted in front of a path that led upstairs, to an area that looked hilly and rather pristine.
Zoya and Aditya got off, and Aditya looked confused as ever.

Aditya: Tum mujhe kidnap kar rahi ho kya?

Zoya: Aakhein bandh kijiye

Aditya: Kijiye

Zoya: Bandh karenge ya nahi?

Aditya shut his eyes, and slowly, Zoya led him up the small path, and a few minutes later, they stopped.

Aditya: Ab khol dun?

Zoya: Kholiye

Aditya opened his eyes to a view that he could perhaps never forget ever. Tiny white cottages, clouds, greenery and the moonlight shining over them. It felt like a scene from a painting. Almost too perfect.

Aditya: Zoya...Yeh...this is so beautiful

Zoya; Hain na?

Aditya: Haan. Yeh dikhaana chah rahi thi?

Zoya: Haan. Chaliye, wahaan baithte hai

Zoya and Aditya sat on the rickety white bench that stood behind them, this time a lot closer to each other, and they simply watched over the view

Zoya: Yash aur hum aksar yahaan aate thay, our happy place. Jab khush hote thay, tab yahaan aaya karte thay. Phir unke marrne ke baad humne khud se vada kiya tha ki hum yahaan kabhi nahi aayenge,

Aditya: Aur phir?

Zoya: Phir Uss waqt kaha pata tha ki zindagi mein khushi waapis aayegi, ki hum bhi kabhi khush ho paayenge

Aditya simply smiled at her.

Zoya: Aap Humaare 'happy place' hai, Aditya, aur isliye aapko yeh jagah dikhaana chah rahe thay, bass.

Zoya then held on to his arm and rested her head on his shoulder, while Aditya looked on delicately.

Aditya: Thank you, Zoya

Zoya: Thank you Kyun?

Aditya: Sach mein, jab tumse pyaar karne laga tha, tab mujhe laga ki tum mujhe kabhi accept nahi kar paaogi, ki tum mujhe kabhi apna nahi paaogi

Zoya: Humein bhi wohi laga tha, Aditya, lekin shayad ab nahi.

Aditya: I love you.

Aditya leaned in to kiss Zoya's forehead, while she burried her face in his shoulder.

Zoya: Konsa perfume pehena hai aapne?

Aditya: Kyun?

Zoya: Acchi hai, bohot

Aditya: Flirt kar rahi ho, Mrs. Zoya?

Zoya: (Rolling her eyes) Nahi toh.

Ah, love and it's subtle nuances. The fragrance of worn off perfume, the crispy wind, the stiff shoulders, the gentle kisses, the music of the air. so much of it was beautiful, so much of it was simple, so much of it was theirs. just theirs.

Zoya proceeded to lay down on his lap, while he looked over, a little surprised by her sudden sense of comfort and physicality.

Aditya: Tum theek toh ho?

Zoya: Haan, Kyun?

Aditya: Aisa lag raha hai jaise mai Sapna dekh raha hun

Zoya smiled and got up, with her back facing his chest, and leaned in to kiss his cheek, before he smiled away.

Zoya: Ab bhi sapna lag raha hai?

Aditya held her right cheek in his palm, and ran his finger up her cheeks, and near her lips, and countless butterflies flooded Zoya's insides. Why did she feel this way everytime he touched her?
Ever so slightly, they both leaned in and latched their lips on to each other's.
Aditya pulled her close as he kissed her, and in that moment, everything, just everything felt perfect. just perfect.

It felt like yesterday, when their conversations were filled with awkward pauses and mumbles. Where seeing the other felt or meant nothing. Where everything felt stagnant, and fake, and ceremonial.

Zoya wasn't in love with Aditya yet, but she could feel her heart opening up to him. She felt a sense of comfort, intimacy, vulnerability around him. The kind where she didn't care how her hair looked, the one where she didn't have to be conscious about her behaviour, or her way of talking, where she could just be herself. As emotionally naked as ever, if you may.

They broke from the kiss, and Aditya simply looked into Zoya's eyes. God, he loved her so much.

She returned into his arms and they watched the moon shine over the cluster of cottages. That night, the moon shone a little too bright.

Aditya: Ghar chalein?

Zoya: Hmm, Chaliye

*In Zoya's room, at home*

That night everything felt so right. So perfect. Aditya and Zoya slept with the wall of pillows between them. Zoya slept with Aditya's arm around her, and that was perhaps the first time the two slept with a smile on their faces. The smile of peace, of relief, of the joy that newfound love brought with it.

Aditya smiled because well, he finally felt that Zoya was coming close to him, and Zoya smiled because she was just happy, and she felt secure. She felt safe. She felt at peace.

Ah, the beauty of love, no?

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