Third person's pov.
"Hello. I'm advocate Merzia shah speaking. Is this miss Zoya?" The sweet yet powerful voice filled her ears making her heart pick up its pace.
"Yes. I'm Zoya." She said walking away from the crowd to a more quiet corner of the garden. The fairy lights glittered like stars on her porcelain white skin.
"Yes. So miss Zoya I've received your email and I've given it a thought. Your father as you claim was my professor and a person very close to me. About what you've told me I believe it's necessary for me to study the files you've mentioned personally." Zoya hummed in response as the sweet yet professionally cold voice sent chills down her spine. After a short silence Merzia continued.
"I will be visiting swat later this month, I would appreciate it if you'd bring me the files for me to go through them. The information and the case is sensitive and is supposed to be dealt with in silence. Mark the date and if time allows I'm looking forward to meeting you" she concluded. The conversation was mostly Merzia talking and Zoya humming and mindlessly nodding. The woman according her had said everything right. In all honesty she was the one with more experience and knowledge.
The call ended with Zoya feeling as if someone was choking her. The remanents of what she remembered haunted her yet again. The sudden phone call had brought her back to the mark that she was deliberately trying to avoid.
Her hands shook and throat clentched with a feeling of something holding it painfully tight. Faces, voices, and places took over her blurry vision as she took a seat on a nearby bench.
"Why don't you come with us Dadi ma?" The little girl asked the woman who held her in her lap. Soft auburn eyes gazed down in green earthly orbs.
"Because jaana someone has to look after all this till you return" the voice. The sweet melodious voice was a faint in her mind. Shahana smiled down at her granddaughter, caressing her raven black hair.
"But we have Altaf uncle to look after the house" the little girl pouted making her grandmother chuckle. She shook her head and planted a kiss on the top of Zoya's head.
"Guljaan. You go and have fun. I'll be waiting for my zarrgiya to return" she smiled softly, her pale thin lips stretching in a small smile.
"But—"
"Shush. Now go baba and mama are waiting" Shahana shooed the girl away who hopped off her lap and ran. Tiny white shoes padding against the marble floor as she slipped down the grand staircase and out of the haveli.
Shahana stood near the floor to length window on the top floor staring at the car roll out of the property.
"Zee?" Zoya jumped feeling a hand on her shoulder. She looked to the side to see Jhanzaib staring at her worriedly.
"Yeah?" The answer came out as a question. Her voice shaky and small.
"You don't look okay to me. You're looking pale like you've seen a ghost." he said sitting beside her. His brown eyes stared at her making her cringe at the amount of concern they foreshadowed.
"I'm fine" she sighed. Jhanzaib threw his arm around her shoulder making her slap his chest.
"So what are you doing here leaving the function like that?" He asked as he covered her with his khaki shawl.
Jhanzaib looked like he was dressed to kill. Black kurta pajama paired with a khaki shawl, his hair styled back with few strands falling over his forehead. His brown eyes filled with warmth and mischief.
Between his casual flirting he had noticed Zoya leave the hall and had followed her after she didn't return after twenty minutes. He panicked seeing her trembling on the bench. He thought it was because of the cold but when he got closer he saw her glistening with sweat beads covering her face and neck.
Panic surge through him as he shook her few times but then called her loudly making her jump out of whatever trance she was in.
"I just got tired of all the faces and people" she shrugged scooting alittle away from him. He let her take his shawl with her as he stared ahead of them.
He hummed in response. His eyes staring at the stars that lined the sky with diamonds. The dark sky looked surreal with the twinkling dots.
"What are you doing here away from your potential girlfriends?" She teased nudging him with her elbow. He smiled a little. The dimple on his right cheek came into view. His boyish feature highlighted by the fairy lights.
"She got tired of faces and people" he pouted making her look at him with a bored expression.
"Haha. Very funny Jhanzaib" she laughed sarcastically.
"What if I'm not joking, then?" he said leaning forward making her breath hitch. The wind was coming to a slow stop as it looked at the scene with keen interest.
A pair of grey eyes froze on them as they flared up with a flame unknown to the owner. The amount of times he had over heard aunties speaking to his mom and Chacho about her, and showing their interest in her was overwhelming for him. Zahan walked out only to have himself enraged.
His nostrils flared seeing her cocooned in Jhanzaib's shawl. Their closeness. He wanted to rip Jhanzaib away from her but she had already done that herself. He stomped inside the house. His anger knew no bounds, he wanted to teach her a lesson but with what right. The whole time he couldn't remove the picture of them gazing into eachother's eyes.
Jhanzaib's gaze made her cheeks flare up as a faint blush covered them. Zoya tucked a strand of hair behind her ear feeling conscious of his unwavering eyes. He winked at her and burst out laughing.
"You should've seen yourself. Oh God that was gold" he laughed making her fine in anger. She got up harshly and walked away from him.
"Insaan ke Bache ban jao Jhanzaib" she said slapping his head harshly.
(Get back in your senses Jhanzaib)
"Pagal aurat" he yelled making her crumble his shawl and throw it at his face.
(Crazy woman)
"Ajeeb" Zoya walked away making him shake his head and smile at her retreating back.
(Weirdo)
"Ammi jaan" he sang going inside the house with a mission. He swayed inside smiling like a lunatic to find his mother. The function was finished and all the guest had already left. Time flew by with the speed of light.
⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️⚛️
Zoya ran inside her heart beating like she had just ran a marathon. She leaned against the door heaving a sigh of relief.
"What were you doing with Jhanzaib?" Zoya jumped on the sudden deep voice that resounded in her room. She had just entered and closed the door behind her when his voice scared her.
"Einstein. Are you nuts what are you doing in my room?" She yelled knowing well the room was sound proof.
"Jhanzaib ke saath kia karrahi thi tum?" He yelled making her flinch and plaster herself against the door. He staked towards her making her gulp. She had never seen him this angry or deadly before.
(What were you doing with Jhanzaib?)
"What? Itne gusse me kion Hain aap. Hum dono Bahar bethe hue the bus" she said in an obvious tone.
(Why are you so angry we were just sitting outside?)
"I've told you this before I'm telling you this now stay away from him." He said standing closer. She felt intimidated by his height and the closeness. She felt her heart beating faster as she realized how close and alone they were.
"E... Einstein m.. move" she stuttered pushing him back but he didn't budge.
"Why? Wasn't he even closer?" His voice was deadly. Her eyes snapped to his, wide like a saucer. Her green eyes looked so warm and enchanting. Her rosy lips parted as she stared up at him with confusion. Their noses brushing.
"What.... Have you gone crazy Einstein?" She yelled but her body stiffened as he dipped his head down in her neck. He couldn't stop himself. His hands ran down her arms making her shiver. The dupatta slipped off her shoulders onto the floor. Pooling in their feet.
"Wh..." Her voice hitched feeling hot breathing on her neck. His lips touched the smooth surface of her shoulder. Her hands on his shoulders as she clutched his shirt.
"If I ever see you with him again Zoya. I swear it won't be a pretty sight to be seen" he breathed against her neck intoxicated by the faint scent of Jasmin, she yelped feeling him nibble on her neck. His hands rounded around her waist pulling her soft body against his. His hand ran on her back feeling the softness of her skin and the beading of the blouse.
His hold tightened around her as she whimpered lowly, his lips tasted her skin as if he a hungry man. He could feel her against him but it felt as though she was far far away. His lips were about to meet hers when his eyebrows furrowed, the scent of Jasmine disappeared and she started dispersing from his grasp.
Zahan jolted awake from his sleep and found himself in his room. The darkness that welcomed him calmed his frantically beating heart.
"It was dream" he sighed running his fingers through his hair. He looked to his side to find an empty water bottle. He groaned and got up to fill the bottle. He stepped out of his room and went to the kitchen to find it empty thankfully. After that dream he knew he wouldn't be able to face her.
'How can I even think such a way about her' he scolded himself going back to his room after filling it.
He was going to leave but the sound of someone sniffling stopped him. He waited for the sound to be heard again but it didn't. His eyes turned towards the double doors of the balcony. They were ajar. He didn't want to he found himself walking towards the door. He peeked inside and he froze.
Zoya sat on the marble floor her back against the railing wall. Her knees brought up to her chest and face in her hands. Her shoulders shook slightly as the pain intensified. She was looking at the pictures of her parents she promised herself she wouldn't cry but the salty liquid trickled down her cheeks unknowingly.
She looked up from her hands and wiped her tears looking down at her phone. The screen illuminated her face, it glowed red. Their beautiful smiles and glinting eyes made her heart lurch in her throat.
She clutched the phone near her heart in a useless attempt to have them physically close to her. She woke up with yet another nightmare repeating how they left this world. The realization that she didn't even see them last time made her heavy heart bleed. She came out to have some fresh air but it only clogged her throat even more.
Zahan was stunned. It was the first time he had seen her cry. It pained him to see her cry all alone in the darkness of the night while in tht day she shined brighter the sun. She kept on wiping her face harshly making him want to go and pull her hands away from her face and pull her in a tight hug. To cease her cries and wipe her tears away.
"Zahan?" He jumped at the voice that sounded behind him. He turned around to come face to face with Yasir.
"Ch.. Chacho?" He stuttered too spooked to say anything.
"Is everything alright why are you standing here?" Yasir inquired.
"Uh.. I went to take a bottle of water from the kitchen I was just going back to my room" he said looking at him and glancing back at the door.
"Oh.. have you seen Zoya. I went to her room but I didn't find her there." Yasir said worriedly. A repeat of events was not what he hoped for.
"She's outside." He said pointing to the doors. He didn't know if he did good of bad but according to him it would be better if Yasir consoled her.
Yasir went outside in tht cold and Zahan decided it was best if he left. His heart clentched seeing his daughter weeping alone in the dark. The shuffling of his feet made her look up and immediately wipe her tears away. It hurt him even more to know how easily she had faked a smile.
"Baba?" She smiled but it faltered. The trembling of her lips didn't go unnoticed by Yasir. He sat down beside her.
"Are you okay?" Yasir asked cupping her cheeks examining her.
"Y.. yeah I just felt suffocated in my room that's all" she smiled, her lips slightly quivering.
"Are you really okay luray?" He asked making her lips quiver even more and salty tears to brim her eyes. She couldn't ever lie to her baba.
(Daughter)
"No" she croaked.
"What's wrong?" He asked softly.
"I miss them baba" she croaked hugging him tightly. Yasir felt his heart constrict in his ribcage.
"Why didn't they take me with them?" She cried making him pull her back softly. He caressed her cheek looking in her green eyes. The eyes that his Maheen adored the most. The eyes that brightened his day like the brightest day.
"Because you were written to be ours Zoya. They may have left this temporary world but they are still here within you for you a part of the that no one can remove. Pray for them, pray so that we all could live together in jannah. They left but they made sure that their daughter found the people worthy of her." He spoke pulling her to his chest making her hiccup.
"Maybe it wasn't your purpose to leave with them. Your purpose was to be found and to rule the world you live in. My daughter don't feel like you're alone. I'm here. Even if they're not but I am and I will stand by your side as your wall till my very last breath" Yasir said as tears of the knowing feel from his eyes. Secrets that's burdened his heart made him clutch his daughter like his life depended on it.
He kissed her head as he felt her sobbing cease. He pulled away smiling slyly.
"Why not you make me your infamous coffee. What say?" He grinned making her mirror his expression with swollen eyes.
"Ofcourse why not. I'll make you my fan today" she said jutting her nose out proudly.
"We'll decide that later." He winked wiping the residue of her tears. They went to the kitchen to make the coffee and then out in the garden to enjoy their drink.
"I love you baba. You're the best. I'm sorry I said all that earlier. I.. I just got emotional. It won't happen again" she hung her head low feeling guilty of putting her emotional baggage on her father.
"Don't feel sorry for expressing yourself Zoya. A person who shames you for showing your emotions or not being a stone is not human. I'm always here for you whenever you need me. If I won't hear you out then who will." He said tucking her under his arm and in his shawl.
The night was cold but not the embrace of her father. She felt safe. She felt secured. She knew these arms were her getaway from reality and she didn't need anything else. But fate has plans that sometime clash with ours. And time has turns which turn out world's around.........................
Assalamualikum guys how are you all?
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A lot happened 😂. I know.
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Until next time
Allah Hafiz ❤️💞
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Hafsa_tahir