She loved him.

She knew she loved him as soon as her eyes opened the next day. She knew it.

She knew as she woke up and set her bed, as she poured the hot tea into her cup, as she sat in her living room on this chilly Saturday morning.

She loved him. Zoya loved Aditya.

Her thoughts were broken when Aditya walked in, yawning and half asleep.

Zoya: (smiling) Good morning

Aditya: (Cranky) Good morning...

Zoya: Muskura toh lijiye

Aditya just sighed and sat besides Zoya, resting his head on her shoulder.

Zoya: Aap naha lijiye

Aditya: Kyun?

Zoya: Kyun ki aapse badboo aa rahi hai

Aditya: Kuch bhi

Zoya: Theek se so paaye?

Aditya: Haan, tumhare kiss ne shayad zindagi ki sabse-

Zoya quickly covered Aditya's mouth.

Zoya: Chup Ho jaayie! Tara wahi baithi hui hai

Aditya: Tou kya hua? Usse bhi toh pata hona chahiye ki uske maa baap ek dusre se kitna pyaar-, sorry I mean uske papa uski mummy se kitna pyaar karte hai!

How Zoya wished she could correct him and tell him that he was right. That Tara's parents did love each other. That Zoya did love Aditya. That her heart had no way out of it.

Zoya felt strangely paralysed that day. That day she couldn't move. She was pinned to the sofa, and her eyes would rover on him. She wanted to tell him, but she didn't know how to, what would she say? She felt like a school girl, blushing and embarrassed behind her pillow.

"Main dekh raha hoon, tum pure dinn mujhe hi dekh rahi ho, kya hua hai?" Aditya spoke

Zoya: (embarrassed) Nahi toh, aisa kuch nahi hai...

Aditya: (coming closer) aisa hi toh hai...

Zoya: Aditya, Tara—

Aditya: So rahi hai

Her concern turned into a shy smile and she began to blush.

Aditya: Tum sharma rahi ho? Haye!

Zoya got up to walk away but felt a strong force pull her back and within a second she was in his arms. He gently pushed the strand of hair off her face and brought her closer, but this time, Zoya didn't look down. Instead she looked up, and took his face in her hands, gently running her hands down his checks, and caressing it. Touching the razor nicks, the crevices near his eyes, every fibre of his face.

Zoya: Aap...Aap Daadee kyun nahi rakhte?

Aditya looked at her in surprise

Aditya: Kya? Daadee?

Zoya: Haan... Aapko suit karega

She continuing running her hands down her cheeks, and Aditya felt increasingly surprised by her newfound confidence, and how comfortable she had become with him.

Aditya: Tum roz sari pehen lo, main Daadee rakh lunga

Zoya: Very funny!

Aditya:'Aaj kya hua hai tumhe? Aisa lag nahi raha ki tum ho

Zoya: Kyun?

Aditya: Matlab Yeh confidence...tumhara itna kareeb aana

Zoya: Accha nahi lag raha?

Aditya: Nahi, aisi koi baat nahi hai, lekin-

Zoya: toh phir chup rahiye

Zoya wrapped her arms around his neck and embraced him, this time placing her head on his shoulder, and in that moment she finally felt like she was home. This was her person. The man she was destined to love and cherish, for the rest of her life. Her Aditya.
Love had its way of turning things around, of making things work out, and today it did the same.
Zoya loved him, and she wanted to stand on top of a stage and announce it to the whole world.

They say a woman loves differently from a man. That a man's love is filled with care, trust and support, but a woman's love is boundless, and one that is unfettered and fearless. One that is brave, and that stays calm in the face of a storm.

Zoya: Aaj raat ko, tara ke sone ke baad, balcony pe aa jaayiega, aapse zaroori baat karni hai

Aditya: Kya hua? Sab theek toh hai?

Zoya: Raat ko pata chal jaayega

*Later that night*

After putting Tara to sleep, Aditya headed to the balcony where he saw Zoya dressed in a dusty pink sari, with her swept to the side. It was as though she made the moon shine extra bright that day.

Aditya: Tum kahi jaa rahi ho? Kya baat hai, batao kya hua-

Zoya: I love you

Aditya: Kya?

Zoya: I love you, Aditya. I love you. Aaj subah jab uthi tab pata chal gaya tha ki aapse mohabbat ho chuki hai. Kitaabon wali. Chai peete waqt bhi lag raha tha, in fact, poore dinn lag raha tha. Kal bhi lagega, parso bhi lagega, Agle saal bhi, basically, humesha lagega. Aap...aap dil mein bas chuke hai, baith gaye hai, aur main nahi chahti ki aap mere dil se kabhi hilein. I love you. I...I love you. Pata hai, maamooli sa proposal hai lekin-

As they kissed, sparks flew. Not literally, but something felt electrifying. The kiss was perfect, they... they were perfect. They broke away from the kiss, and with just their foreheads touching, they smiled at each other.

Aditya: I love you. I love you too.

Zoya looked to find tears in Aditya's eyes and she wondered why he was crying.

Zoya: Arre, aap ro kyun rahe hai?

Aditya: Mujhe...mujhe kabhi nahi laga tha ki tum...matlab, tum mujhse pyaar karogi

Zoya said nothing and simply wiped his tears away, before hugging him and laying her head on his chest.

Zoya: Shhhh, Ab rona nahi hai, hum dono ne bohot ro liya

That night, Aditya hugged Zoya and fell asleep in her arms, and it felt like his demons had crawled away. She loved him. He nursed that thought like a baby and slowly drifting to sleep. That was perhaps the first time he slept peacefully.

—————————————-