“Haallllooooo!” Aarohi chipped as soon as the video call connected on the laptop.
Zoya smiled wide at her childishness.
“Or? How is Dr. Abhimanyu doing?” Aarohi narrowed her eyes at Zoya.
“From where did you remember him?”
“Nhi…. yesterday you were only going on about Abhi is this, Abhi is that, Abhi is very kind too … So, I was just asking… You do not need to get jealous….”
Aarohi looked at her taken aback.
“Jealous..? Why would I get jealous? He is just a friend…” Aarohi said making her stance clear.
“Hmm… friend… or more than a friend?” Zoya asked, smirking.
“Haan Haan… why not? Afterall this is the exact equation Madam want with Aditya…” Aarohi teased back. Zoya pursed her lips in a straight line.
“There is nothing like that…. many people have crush on their guy friends… ” Zoya spoke not meeting Aarohi's eyes.
“So, why don't you kiss him and check it out?!” Aarohi asked wriggling her eyebrows.
Heat rose to Zoya's cheeks.
“If feelings are mutual, then he will reciprocate and if nooootttt…..”
“Friendship spoiled! Right?”
“Now, that depends on him…. what he wants to do…. it's not necessary-” Aarohi's spoke, pretending to ponder over the thought.
“Tu na!” Zoya chided Aarohi.
“Acha… leave this!” Zoya made a face.
“You know…. that Ruchi…. she is doing her internship under me….”
“Who Ruchi?”
“Aree…. Abhi's sister…!”
“Acha.. haan?”
“Starting mein I was so strict with her-”
“So, you were taking out the frustration on sister which you have on her brother…. ” Zoya asked smirking.
“Don't speak anything..!” Zoya chuckled at Aarohi's irritated face.
“Already the fuse of my mind is blown…”
Aarohi muttered not wanting Zoya to hear. But Zoya heard.
“Already blown or someone blew it up?” Zoya asked, smirking.
“Of course..! You have a lot experience. Afterall, everytime you see Aditya, your mind fuse goes off….” Aarohi teased back.
“Haww…” Zoya's mouth opened. Aarohi chuckled at Zoya's expressions.
“Let me get my hands at you! Then you are so gone!” Aarohi laughed.
“Acha leave all this…. you tell me something…” Aarohi asked.
“Aree… what shall I tell you what happened today!” Zoya replied sighing.
“What happened?” Aarohi asked, giving her undivided attention.
“Today… Aditya came and………”
Zoya told everything that Aditya said to her in anger and what fraud her uncle tried to do. She told Aarohi everything with minute details.
“Hey Narayan!! Won't you take any action?” Aarohi asked, worried for Zoya.
“…. Neither it is right nor easy for me to take any action… I have no idea about this, nor do I understand anything about it…. what if my decision lead to something drastic?! Noor understands all this more than me…. So, let me hand it over to her, how papa left it …”
“Whatever you think is right…. By the way, how can you forgive Aditya?! How can you? Didn't you felt angry or bad a bit? That idiot!!!”
Aarohi gritted her teeth, cursing Aditya.
“I did felt bad about it. I still feel bad, but he apologized…”
“Let his apology go to hell!!” Zoya laughed.
“He was genuine….”
“He-”
“Aaru… You too forgive when someone apologize genuinely. You are getting hyper because I am your friend. Moreover, he have some reason for this extreme reaction. He had some past.” Aarohi sighed, and nodded in understanding with a frown on her head.
“What past?”
“That I am-” Zoya was interrupted when the door of her room opened and Aditya entered with Noor and Arjun on his tail.
Zoya was sitting in such an angle that when they entered, Aarohi was able to see them all.
“Dii… I did something! And they helped..!” Zoya gave Noor a smile but before she can reply Aarohi beat her to it.
“Who is this Chashmish…?” Aarohi asked while looking at Arjun with scrutinizing gaze.
Arjun blushed lightly and looked away smiling. He was standing behind Aditya.
“Arey…. He is Arjun…. Aditya's best friend… and now he is a good friend of mine too…” She gave a smile to Arjun who reciprocated immediately.
”Really?” Aarohi asked Zoya, quirking her eyebrow.
“Aarohi… shall I call you later…” Zoya asked, giving a sheepish smile.
“Hmm… Fine…” Aarohi nodded and saying Zoya bye, she disconnected the call.
Zoya looked up at the clock to see what time it is. It was half past six.
“Now! What do you guys did?” Zoya asked excitedly turning to them completely.
‘Atleast she is not tensed like before.’ Aditya thought.
“I bought the 5 percent ownership shares from uncle Sudeep.” Noor replied grinning. Arjun was also smiling widely.
Aditya was sitting with a very light smile on his face. Almost a forceful smile.
“You did…. Really?” She asked not able to believe. Noor bobbed her head.
“Yeeeeaaa…..” Zoya stood up excitedly and hugged Noor.
“I am so proud of you!” Zoya pecked Noor's cheek happily. Noor rubbed her cheek scrunching her nose.
Arjun laughed and Aditya smiled.
“How you guys did it? I want details.”
____________________
Zoya was snuggled up in her bed cosily, reading an article on her I-pad. She was reading the recent study that came up about borderline personality disorder. She was so much engrossed in reading, that without taking her eyes away from the I-pad, she picked up the the coffee mug from her bedside table and took a sip.
Her mobile rang and she picked it up without looking at the caller ID.
“Hello?” She spoke.
“Zoya….” She recognised the voice.
“Aditya?” She spoke confused.
‘Why is he calling now? Is everything alright?’
“Come out in your balcony.” She frowned.
‘Has he lost his mind in the middle of night?’
“What?”
“Aree… Come out in your balcony.” He insisted.
“But why?” She heard him taking a deep breath. She can imagine him rolling his eyes.
“You just come!” He instructed.
“Okay okay I am coming…”
‘It is better to not to make him angry. I have seen enough of his anger for today...’
She threw the blanket away from her legs and stood up. But instantly regretted and looked back at place where she was sitting. The position was so cosy.
‘Ah… Aditya you better have some reason.’
She came out and looked down to find Aditya leaning on his car bonnet. He waved at her smiling. She smiled but looked at him bewildered.
“What are you doing here?” She asked on the call.
“Will you come down?”
She thought for a minute and replied, “Okay. Give me a minute.”
He disconnected the call.
She came in her room hurriedly and looked at her reflection in the mirror.
“I don't need to change. Do I?”
She looked at her reflection with a scrutinizing gaze.
“Nope!” She smiled.
She opened her door slowly, not to make a noise and peeked out. She didn't want to tell Noor or her Maasi that she is going out to meet Aditya. Lest they take it otherwise.
‘We're just friends.’ She thought and shrugged.
Not finding anyone, she tiptoed out of her room quietly and left her house.
She smiled at the guard who was sitting out and crossed the gate.
‘Hope they don't find out I am not at home.’ She thought, biting her lips.
“Hey!” He greeted as she walked up to him.
“Hi… What are you doing here at this time?”
“Thought to give you a treat.” She frowned.
“Why?”
“Afterall, the matter is finally solved. You sisters have hundred percent ownership now.” He answered.
“You have already given me treat by helping me to get those five percent of ownership back.”
“You don't wanna eat something? I thought that you will agree… That's why, I ate less.” He whined making her laugh.
“But I am more than full.” She spoke playfully.
“Ice cream?” She looked at him taken aback.
‘Why he is so keen to take me out…’ She thought and bit back her smile.
“Come on! Ice cream can be eaten on a full stomach.”
“Okay… Let me grab my purse.”
She started to turn around but he caught her wrist.
“No need.”
“But- ”
“It's alright. It's on me…“ She sighed accepting her defeat.
“Sit..!” He said. Both went opposite sides and settled in his car.
_____________________
Zoya was licking her ice cream cone like little girl while Aditya was eating from his ice cream cup.
“Aditya…” She called.
“Hmm..?”
“What is the real reason behind this treat?”
He looked at her surprised.
“Aditya I am a psychiatrist…..” She blinked innocently.
“I am sorry… ” He spoke gently.
Now it was her turn to look at him in surprise.
“I shouldn't have talked to you like I did. I shouldn't have blamed you.”
She nodded and licked her icecream.
“I know you felt bad. I heard you talking to Aarohi.”
She looked at him and frowned.
“Eavesdropping?” She asked, looking at him narrowing his eyes.
“No no no…” He shook his furiously.
“I heard it by accident. Trust me…” He spoke, making himself clear.
“If you heard our voices you should have left. It is eavesdropping…” She spoke eating her cone biscuit.
“I couldn't help it…. I was the subject of your talking.” He mumbled, gazing at his cup.
Her eyes widened. Did he hear everything?
“What did you hear?” She asked, looking at him sternly.
“You were telling her what all I said and she was asking you why did you forgive me.”
She left the breath she didn't know she was holding.
‘Thank god… Bach gye….’
“How do you know I have some past?” He asked suddenly.
She choked on her saliva.
“I heard that too…” He smiled sheepishly.
“Amm… Why should I tell you how I know?” She spoke with attitude.
‘He thinks he can take out everything from me. But he is forgetting I am the psychiatrist here!’ She thought, smugly.
“Because it is related to me! You know I have every right to know!”
“Okay… Okay…. Manavadhikar ka morcha leke mat nikal pado ab. I will tell you only on one condition.”
(Okay... Okay... Don't go on protesting about human rights. I will you only on one condition.”
“What?” He asked eagerly.
“You have to tell me what your past is! ”
He looked at her taken aback. She waited for him to reply.
‘Come on!’ She thought.
“Deal?” She asked forwarding her hand for a handshake.
“Zoya…” He hesitated.
“Fine I won't tell you how I know it.” She spoke with her nose high. and ate last piece of the cone biscuit.
“I will tell you on one condition.” She looked at him bewildered.
“You will have to tell me about your parents demise.” She glared at him.
“Adit-”
“Sochlo…”
(Think about it...)
“I won't tell how you know about your past!” She argued.
“Arjun must have told you…. Only he knows…” He spoke calmly, looking up in the sky.
She looked at him frustrated. She don't speak of that particular incident in her life.
‘Scheming idiot!’ She thought.
“We will be even. We are best friends. We owe it to each other.” He spoke.
‘Emotional blackmail..!’
“No doubt you are a shrewd businessman… And here I thought I was the clever one…” She muttered the last line. He winked at her.
“Fine!!” She said extremely irritated. He grinned.
___________________