To say that Harshwardhan Hooda was stunned would be an understatement. He could literally feel the chills from Anjana's hurt voice. A mother's pain. A mother who has felt every emotion right from the beginning. The betrayal, the hurt, the agony and the deceit.
A mother who has endured loneliness in her life for the longest time even being married to a man and has been longing for her only son's care since years.
Anjana was staring at Harshwardhan with warm tears attempting to flow down her cheeks with the anger she felt in her heart.
"Mera bete ke baare mein aise ghatiya soch rakhna bhi mat Harsh. Aaj tak jo kuch bhi tumne mere baare mein kaha, mere bete ke baare mein kaha maine sab nazar andaaz karliya tha. Sahi ho ya galat, I kept listening to you and followed your instructions too. Maine kabhi tumhari baat ignore nahi ki. Zoya ke saath ghar mein normal behave karne keliye Adi se batana abhi tak main kar nahi paayi. Par aaj tak mein har roz ye dard seheti aayi hoon. Lekin Harsh, Adi ke baare mein aisa mazaak karna bhi mat. Woh mere liye sab kuch hai aur unhe aapki, ek dad ki naam ki zaroorat hai. Main nahi jaanti ki aapko apne bete, aapke khoon ke baare mein parwa hain bhi ya nahi, lekin aaj tak mere chup baitne ka galat matlab mat nikhal na Harsh. Shaayad tumhe Adi ki value nahi hai apni life mein par woh mere liye meri zindagi hai!"
With her bitter words working it's way to Harshwardhan, huffing menacingly Anjana walked towards their master bedroom and closed the door with frustration engulfing her heart and mind. Harshwardhan looked at his Rolex watch and placed his hands inside his trouser pockets sighing when Maria came running towards him from the kitchen.
From her body language, it seemed to Harshwardhan as if whatever she wanted to tell to him was something urgent.
"Sir, aap hume maaf kardijiye galat time par aap se baat karne keliye par Adi baba ke saath Zoya ma'am bhi abhi tak ghar nahi lauti!"
Harshwardhan couldn't believe his ears as soon as Maria's words hit his senses and he turned to face her immediately and moved in front of her widening his eyes with disbelief.
"What? What are you saying Maria? Tum kehena kya chahthi ho? Adi aur Zoya dono ghayab hai ghar se? Un dono mein se kisi ka bhi call nahi aaya?"
Maria shook her head showing dejection.
"Nahi Sir. Adi baba ke number Anjana ma'am shaam se try kar rahi hai. Zoya ma'am ne call karke bola Anjana ma'am ko ki woh dinner karke ghar aayegi aaj par saath bajhe se lekar unki phone bhi bandh aarahi hai! Anjana ma'am Adi baba aur Zoya ma'am dono ko try kar rahi thi unke phones par, tabhi aap ghar aaye the.."
"What's happening in my house! Jab main ghar par nahi hoon, jiska jo mann kare woh kartha hai! Ek woh mera beta, jo meri ek bhi nahi sunta. Humesha apna mann maani kartha rehetha hai aur mere saath badtameezi se baat kartha hai aur dusri taraf, meri dost ki beti. Jinhe humare ghar par horaha hai, ye jo tamasha haina roz ka? Uske baare mein zikra bhi nahi hai! Woh bachchi kaha gayi hogi itni dher tak? If this continues tonight, Police ko call karna padega Maria. Tumhe koi idea hai kaha gaye hai dono? At least Zoya ke baare mein?"
"Ji sir, hume lagtha hai ki Aditya baba Yuvaan baba ke saath honge par Zoya ma'am, I'm sorry sir.."
Harshwardhan felt miserable since he had taken the responsibility of taking care of Zoya, his friend's daughter. He wanted to call Yuvaan's family and ask about his son's whereabouts at least for now but he knew, when they'll see his mobile number appearing on their phone screens, they wouldn't pick his call. That's why Harshwardhan decided to take a step ahead.
"Maria, Anjana ma'am ko bol dena ki main Yuvaan ke ghar jaaraha hoon, Adi ko dhoond ne keliye. At least I'll get to know about his location from Yuvaan. Agar Adi ya Zoya ka call aaya toh let me know asap. Keep that in my mind, OK?", Harshwardhan's stiff voice scared Maria and she nodded her head vigorously.
Harshwardhan took one last glance at his room to see whether Anjana would come out before he leaves and left the house, with a plan working inside his head.
"Zoya, woh gunde kabhi sabak nahi seekhenge. Woh aaj tumhe chedh rahe the, kal kisi aur ladki ko chedhenge, samajh nahi aata hai kya tumhe? Seriously? Bachcho jaisi behave mat karo Zoya aur mujhe jaane do! Main jaakar sabak sikhaunga.."
"Aditya, kyun ki ab tum gusse me ho don't take any hasty decisions. Is baat ko samajhne ki koshish karo. Woh log criminals hai aur shaayad, un logo ke paas hatiyaar bhi hosakthe hai. Agar aap jaakar un gundo se ladh pare toh pata nahi aapka kya hojatha, so stay here!"
Aditya couldn't believe how Zoya was trying to maintain calmness as the goons were supposedly making fun of her character. He shook his head disagreeing to her conditions.
"Nahi Zoya, I'm not gonna stay silent today. Maine kaha na pehele? Woh log kal kisi aur ladki ko chedhenge aur kya tum chup chaap tamasha dekhti rahogi? Mere yaha chup bait ne se kuch nahi hoga aur agar main chahoon, toh un sabko police ke hawale karsaktha hoon.."
"Toh Police ko apna kaam karne dijiye Aditya, aap hero banne ki koshish hi kyun kar rahe hai?"
Zoya's cut-throat words made Aditya feel a weird tug at his heart. Why does her words affect me? She's no one to me except a visitor at my house, that too Mr. Hooda's. Then why do I feel bad as she put allegations against me? This isn't about me trying to become a hero for her or any other girl but to save rest of the innocent lives, who could be prey's to those man-eating ba******! Why can't Zoya think from my point of view for a while and understand that I'm trying to do a good deed here?
Aditya cleared his throat and tightened his grip on Zoya's shoulder purposely, to make her face him to which Zoya immediately turned her head from the right and stared directly at Aditya's dark brown eyes, hinting a shade of sympathy within them. Aditya looked down and straight at Zoya.
"Mera intention hero banne ka nahi hai balki un masum ladkiyon ki jaan bachane ka hai, jo in darindo keliye shikhar bansakthe hai Zoya. Tum chahthi ho aisa galat kaam aage bhi ho? Aren't you getting my point ya phir yaha wajah kuch aur hai Zoya?", Aditya didn't know why he wanted to direct such a question but his words held no control today.
Zoya meanwhile was lost in her thoughts until she heard what Aditya asked her. She stiffened at his question as she herself was trying to search for answers.
What is it with you Zoya? First you didn't know your own intention behind not letting go of Aditya to fight with the thugs. Whether it was because you wanted protection or you unknowingly cared about Aditya's life. Now that he was providing you with a valid answer, denying claims of himself trying to become a hero why can't you answer his simple question? Why are you hesitating so much? Is your ego bigger than anything?
"Zoya.. Maine tumse kuch poocha tha, I need the answers!"
"Mujhe.. mujhe nahi patha Aditya. Main bas itna jaanti hoon ki un logo ke saath aapko koi lena dena nahi hai aur raha sawaal baaki ladkiyon ki, hum dono police mein complaint karsakthe hai aur aisi karke, range haathon un logo ko pakar sakthe hai. But with help aur aap aise akhele nahi jayenge ladne, please.."
Aditya senses tension coated in Zoya's voice and he knew that she had a valid point. As he kept on looking at her, suddenly Zoya shouted in pain.
"Aah!"
Aditya didn't know the reason behind Zoya screaming as she just winced in pain, closing her eyes tightly. Aditya was too shocked to react and without wasting further time, he took the next step boldly.
It was easy for him as Zoya was already facing him when he got hold of her face smoothly, placing his hands on either sides of her soft cheeks and covered her scarlet plump lips with his in a hard and desirable kiss.
There was nothing gentle about it, heck it wasn't even romantic! Aditya's swift move made Zoya's body cover with an immense pleasure and she turned to face him completely, with a fluttering heart and their legs however were entangled in the process.
Aditya took her face delicately between his hands and invitingly smooched her roughly and Zoya was petrified to react to the arousing kiss Aditya was placing on her lips. Every thought which had been clouding her mind a while ago evaporated in to thin air and she was left with confusion.
In no time, Aditya's hands snaked around Zoya's waist firmly, not letting her move an inch and Zoya didn't struggle to get out of his hold either as she placed her head on his left shoulder, moaning in to the kiss. The air around them started getting hot and Zoya threw her arms around his neck, relishing their kiss and aligning her head.
It continued for a few seconds, till Aditya decided to break apart and move, breathing hard. As Zoya felt him breaking the kiss which was unexpected from his side, she didn't want it to end this soon and Zoya did what exactly she herself might have not imagined that she would want to do with Aditya.
They were just few inches apart when suddenly Zoya sent her hands to clutch Aditya's t-shirt in a a quick move and pulled him towards her, pressing her lips to his. Aditya was baffled with the contact and in a reflex move, he grabbed hold of Zoya's petite waist and pulled her closer than ever. A low groan at the back of his throat was all it took for Zoya to lick his lips with fervour.
Aditya was so lost in the kiss that he for a while didn't register who was kissing him and at the same moment, when Zoya realized what she has been doing, she abruptly pulled away from the kiss, her mind clogged.
She felt helplessness as well as guilt overpowering her emotions before she lost her senses. Zoya wasn't aware of the reason why Aditya was kissing her in the first place and there she was, selfishly and shamelessly succumbing to her physical needs with someone she knew as a complete stranger, a boy whom she knew hated her with his very being.
Aditya was way overwhelmed to accept the truth that he was kissing someone he at first place had planned to never have any connection with, any interaction and the fact that the same girl pulled him for a passionate kiss made his heart pound inside his chest hotly.
He kept looking at the ground while Zoya on the other hand, kept staring at her shaking hands that were holding Aditya around his neck as she was kissing him.
How could I possibly get lost in his kiss so much that I had to drag his lips towards mine to relish them for another round? How low can I stoop? How did I even gain the courage to do so? And moreover I shouldn't forget the reason, who his parents are!
Zoya was feeling ashamed of acting so vulnerably in front of Aditya, Aditya who hated her presence, he who had threatened her the first day they met itself that he's tolerating her at his house solely since he didn't want to hurt his mother's sentiments.
He who asked her and moreover warned her that she shouldn't be crossing her limits with him! She had lost her own fight, it was a debacle for Zoya.
Aditya slowly lifted his eyes in an attempt to look at a guilt-ridden Zoya. He noticed how she was trembling, her face was pale and how her full and now chapped lips were shivering uncomfortably.
Without waiting he reached to the front and looked at the road to see no sign of the hooligans and sighed in relief. The next moment, he clutched Zoya's left hand with his right softly and stood up with her.
Zoya was still looking away from Aditya as they stood next to each other and he didn't like the feeling strangely. She looked rather embarrassed with the intimate moment they shared. Aditya bent down to his side, picking Zoya's bags and the handbag.
As Zoya noticed what Aditya was doing, she immediately placed out her free hand on which Aditya placed her bags, without touching her hand. She clutched on to them and moved her hand away from Aditya's reach. She wasn't ready for small talk with him.
"Hume yaha se left jaan hoga, uske baad main road nazar aayegi tumhe..", Aditya muttered softly as a whisper to which he saw Zoya nodding her head.
"Shu.. shukriya. Hum yaha se akhele jaasakte hai.."
Zoya's faint whisper made Aditya's heart race menacingly with no control over his rushing sentiments. She moved ahead of him without taking a glance behind and with the next few words said, done and dusted she was gone.
"I'm.. I'm sorry. I didn't intend to... It was a mistake!!!"
Aditya stood rooted to the same place, staring at a frightened and embarrassed Zoya, running away from him without listening to a word he would have with prolonged hesitation said to stop her, from leaving him alone. Things had definitely changed for them tonight.
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So they kissed, were you expecting the kiss? 💛 Anyway things are going to change between Aditya and Zoya and many more incidents are yet happen. Hope the chapter was a good read!
Hasta la vista! 🍸
❆ Sewwi ❆