*A few days later*

Zoya took a final look at the mirror before taking her bag and heading out the room. It was officially her 4th day of work, and she was still taking time to familiarise herself with the environment.

Aditya: Chalein? Tara taiyaar hai?

Zoya: Ji, Chaliye

Tara, Zoya and Aditya went off. After dropping Tara off at her school, Aditya proceeded to Zoya's office.

*Outside Zoya's office*

Aditya: Good luck!

Zoya: Roz good luck kahenge kya? Chautha dinn hai, Aditya

Aditya: Pata hai, but still, good luck

Zoya: (smiling) thank you.

Aditya: I love you

Zoya didn't say much, but simply smiled before exiting the car and walking into the building. Aditya smiled to himself, before driving off.

*At Zoya's Office*

Zoya sat down at the cubicle and found a mountain of documents piled up at her desk.

Aamna: Zoya, yeh client ke magazine ke copies hai, inhe proofread karke edit karna hai, ASAP.

Aamna was Zoya's boss's assistant. I guess Zoya's boss as well.

Zoya: Ji, theek hai

Zoya took a deep breath before she took a file from the pile and began reading through it. No doubt, staring at tiny words on a piece of paper and a computer were painful, but a little mundane as well. Zoya hoped to do some work with regards to writing, but she understood that she'd have to work her way to the top.

It was around lunchtime when Zoya had finished just 2 out of the eight files that were due to be done by the end of the day, and her head was already spinning.

Just then, her colleague, Aman, walked over to her cubicle. Aman was a rather young, charming and handsome man, someone who was silent, yet selectively outspoken and open.

Aman: Abhi tak kaam kar rahi ho? Khaana nahi hai kya?

Zoya: Woh...oh, Aman! Haan, kaafi kaam pada hai

Aman: Mujhe bhi kaafi saare reports complete karne hai, lekin ab toh mujhe bohot bhook lagi hai. Hum sab khaana khaane chal rahe hai, tum bhi chalo?

Zoya: Aaj nahi aa paaoongi, Aman, bohot kaam pada hai, aur stress ke maare bhook bhi nahi lag rahi

Ria: Uffo, chalo na, Zoya

Zoya: Kal aayenge, pakka, sorry!

Aman: Accha tumhare liye kuch le aayein?

Zoya: Nahi nahi, hum theek hai, thank you

Aman: Accha theek hai fir

Zoya watched her colleagues Aman, Ria, Tanya and Om walk together for lunch. They were perhaps the only people that she had grown quite close to in just a matter of days.
Zoya sighed and yawned, before she went back to her work. Work that never seemed to be ending, for some reason.

It was 8pm when she saw her colleagues leave, and she stared at the three files that were yet to be done.

Aamna: Kaam khatam ho gaya hai, Zoya?

Zoya: Nahi...abhi 3 files aur bache hai...aaj hi khatam kar lungi

Aamna: Please kar lena, bohot zyada important hai.

Zoya silently nodded before she went back to work, when suddenly, her phone rang. It was Aditya.

*On the phone*

Aditya: Accha, mai abhi nikal raha hun, 10 minute mein-

Zoya: Aap ghar chale Jaayie, Aditya, hume office ka kaam hai

Aditya: Kitna waqt lagega? Mai wait kar lunga

Zoya: 3-4 ghante lag sakte hai, aap Tara ko pick up kar lijiye, aur ghar chale jaayie, aur haan, please Tara ko khilaakar, sula dena,10 baje tak. Aap bhi kha lijiyega, aaj ghar aane mein deri hogi

Aditya: Accha toh mai aa jaaon tumhe pick up karne? 11 baje?

Zoya: Kaam khatam hote hi hum aapko phone kar lenge, abhi hum phone rakhte hai, bohot kaam pada hai

Aditya: Theek hai fir, bye

Zoya put her phone on silent to avoid any distractions, and reached out to a bottle of water and took a sip, before she heard Aman.

Aman: Aap bhi overtime kar rahi hai?

Zoya: Haan, karna padh raha hai, lekin aap yahaan kyun hai?

Aman: Kyun ki aap yahaan hai

Zoya: (Confused) Ji?

Aman: Arre, I mean ki mujhe bhi kaam khatam karna hai, yaad hai lunchtime pe tumhe bataya tha?

Zoya: Oh...Haan, sahi

Zoya went back to her achingly boring work and worked, and worked, and worked, until it was 11:30pm, when she finally closed the files.

Zoya finally packed her things, when Aman walked up to her, with his things.

Aman: Tumhara kaam bhi khatam ho gaya?

Zoya: (Smiling) Ji, finally!

Aman: yahan paas mein ek cafe hai, mai wahan jaane ki soch raha tha, tum bhi saath chal lo, tumne toh lunch bhi nahi kiya hai

Zoya: Nahi, hume ghar jaana chahiye, kaafi der ho gayi hai

Suddenly Zoya's tummy let out a loud rumble, and she embarrassingly gasped. Aman simply started giggling.

Aman: Ab toh chal lo? Ek chai ke liye hi sahi

Zoya hesitantly agreed and they went to the cafe. Zoya ordered a club sandwich and glass of juice, while Aman ordered the same.

*At the cafe*

Aman: Kaam kaisa lag raha hai?

Zoya: Theek hai...kuch dinn hi hue hai, abhi kuch keh nahi sakte

Aman: Tum writer banna chahti ho, haina?

Zoya: Hmm, khwaab toh yehi hai...aur aap?

Aman: Haan, aisa hi kuch samajh lo.

Zoya: Aap Mussoorie se hai kya?

Aman: Nahi, Dilli se, but mere Maa-Papa yahin shift hue hai, isliye yahaan reh raha hoon, unke paas

Zoya: Aapki shaadi nahi hui? Sorry, thoda personal sa sawaal hai

Aman began to laugh, before nodding his head.

Aman: Nahi, abhi tak toh nahi.

Zoya: (Smiling) Accha, accha

Aman: Tum kaafi thaki hui si lag rahi ho, waise

Zoya: Haan, 12 ghante ke liye computer ke saamne hi baith rahe thay, pata nahi kal kya kaam karna padega

Aman: Dheeraj rakho, kuch mahinon mein tumhe writer walay kaam denge, yeh sab sirf shuruat hai

Zoya: Sach? Chalo shukar hai!

After their rather late dinner, Zoya and Aman got ready to leave.

Meanwhile, Aditya tried his hardest to stay awake on the sofa, waiting for Zoya's call. He had called her over five times; but it was to no avail.

Aman: Aao, mai tumhe ghar drop kar deta hoon.

Zoya: Arre nahi, aapko taqleef lene ki zarurat nahi hai

Aman: Ismein takleef ki koi baat nahi hai, chaliye na

Zoya: Woh...Theek hai.

Zoya hesitantly accepted and sat in the car, she figured Aditya must be too tired and didn't want to trouble him.

*In Aman's Car*

Aman: Aap Mussoorie ki hai kya?

Zoya: Nahi, Auli ke

Aman: Accha, Accha

Zoya: Bas isi gali mein rok dijiye, hum chalke jaayenge

Aman: Mai Aapko ghar tak drop kar deta hoon, koi problem nahi hai

Soon enough; the car stopped in front of Zoya's house.

Zoya: Thank you so much Aman Ji, humare liye aapne bohot zehmat ki hai

Aman: Aman ji nahi, Aman kaafi hai

Zoya: Thank you Aman, Good Night

Aman: (Smiling) Good Night, Zoya

Zoya opened the gate and walked towards her home, while Aman drove his car ahead to make a U-turn.

Zoya rang the bell, and Aditya gently opened his eyes with a startle, before he checked his phone and then opened the door, to find Zoya standing there. Needless to say, he was a bit annoyed.

Aditya: Kabse phone karne ki koshish kar raha hun, phone kyun nahi uthaati?

Zoya: Oh! Sorry, Aditya, phone silent pe tha

Aditya: Tum ghar kaise aayi? Taxi mein?

Zoya: Nahi, Aman ne humein drop kar diya tha

Aditya raised his eyebrow in confusion.

Aditya: Aman?

Zoya: Ji, woh office mein Humaare saath kaam karte hai

Aditya heard a car whizz past, and looked on rather suspiciously.

Zoya: Aise kya dekh rahe hai?

Aditya: Kuch nahi, chalo khaana khaate hai, main tumhara wait kar raha tha

Zoya: Aap wait kar rahe thay? Humne kaha tha khaana khaane ko!

Aditya: Akele khaana nahi khana chahta tha

Zoya: Unka bhi overtime tha, isliye hum dono ne socha ki bahar kha lete hai. Sorry...

Aditya simply sighed and looked down.

Zoya: Aaj Officer mein bohot zyada kaam tha, isliye phone check nahi kar paaye, Humne lunch bhi nahi kiya tha, aap baithie, hum khaana garam karke-

Aditya: Nahi, mai kar lunga, tum kapde badal lo,

Zoya: Accha, theek hai

Zoya washed her face and changed into a night suit, before she returned to the living room and sat on the sofa, to give Aditya company whilst he ate.
Aditya went into the kitchen to get his food but returned to the living room to find Zoya fast asleep on the couch.

He simply smiled to himself and rested the plate of food on his table, before carrying her in his arms and into her room. He gently laid her down on the bed next to Tara, and pulled the blanket over her body; before gently kissing her forehead.

He returned to the kitchen to find himself eating alone, and stared at the moonlight as he did.

Something about the name 'Aman' didn't sit well with him. Didn't he know that she was married? Why did he take her to dinner and do all of that? was he overthinking? or was it justified?

No one knew, but only time could tell.

Aditya went to sleep on an empty bed, as always, but tonight he felt incomplete. A little sad, to say the least. When would he be able to wake up next to Zoya? How long would he have to wait till she said she loved him? Would that ever happen?

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Thoughts, opinions, feelings?

Thank you for being patient ❤️