Fond of you

•NINETY•

"no...I mean...yes.....I mean....NO..... I don't know what do you want me to say?"

"I don't want you to say 'something', I want you to say what you feel. Sahi baat bolne ke chakkar mein tum sach baat bolna kyun bhool jate ho?"

Aditya sighed, feeling the weight of her words sinking in. He reached out, taking both of her hands in his, his gaze locking with hers.

"Hmmm..." he paused, his eyes filled with emotion as he searched for the right words. "Yes. I do like it," he finally said, his voice sincere. "Aur kuch jaan na hai?" he softly asked.

"How much?"

"hUH?" He almost chuckled but cleared his throat.

"Answer me."

"A lot less than the love I have for you." he said without skipping a beat.

Her expression turned from frustration, to annoyance...slipping into a smile. "Smooth-talker kahinke."

"Koi smooth talking nahi hai yeh, I'm an honest man....is duniya mein aisa kuch bhi nahi hai, koi bhi nahi hai jise mai apni Zoya se zyada pasand karta hoon. I don't call you Jaan as a mere term of endearment. tum ho meri jaan."

"Tum na..... kitne cheesy ho yaar." Zoya giggled, her cheeks flushed with laughter. Aditya felt a surge of warmth at the sight of her smile, his heart swelling with love for this woman who meant everything to him.

Just as he was about to lean in for a kiss, the cabin door opened, and the airhostess entered with a polite smile. Aditya's heart skipped a beat as he recognized her as the same woman from his past, the one he had hooked up with years ago.

The airhostess greeted them warmly, her smile faltering slightly as her eyes flickered between Aditya and Zoya.

Aditya could see the shock and recognition in her eyes as they landed on him and then shifted to Zoya. His heart sank as he realized that Zoya had noticed the exchange, her smile fading into a mask of anger and hurt.

Zoya withdrew her hand from Aditya's, her jaw clenched tight as she struggled to contain her emotions. Her eyes bore into him with a stern, angry gaze that sent a shiver down his spine.

"Past fling?" she murmured her question in his ear. Her possessiveness audible in between her gritted teeth that formed a smile. She grabbed his arm as if marking her territory.

Despite the discomfort of the situation, he forced himself to maintain composure, returning her smile politely.

"Thank you," Aditya replied, trying to keep his voice steady. "We're fine for now, but I'll let you know if we need anything."

The airhostess nodded, her gaze lingering on Aditya for a moment longer before she turned to leave the cabin. Aditya couldn't help but feel a sense of relief as she walked away, the tension in the air dissipating slightly.

Zoya's eyes narrowed with a mixture of jealousy and anger. She could sense the lingering glances the airhostess had cast in Aditya's direction, and it fueled the fire of possesiveness burning within her.

Without thinking, Zoya reached out and gripped Aditya's bicep tightly, her nails digging into his skin almost possessively. She didn't want to admit it, but seeing another woman even looking at Aditya stirred up a whirlwind of emotions inside her. She was never like this before..... this raging jealousy was so unlike her.

Aditya sensed the rising tension in Zoya as her grip tightened on his arm. With a sigh, he gently turned to face her, his eyes softening with understanding.

"Zoya, listen," he began, his voice calm yet earnest. "That airhostess, she's just someone from the past. We had a fling a few years ago, and I never expected to see her again, let alone have her host us on this jet."