ASYA FF: THE EXCUSE,to love you❤️
I was brought back from my self-describing session by my friend Naina whose birthday party it was.
" Sorry Zoya. Sharmila aunty wasn't leaving at all. I tell you, sometimes I feel that she can even put a chatter-box to shame. She talks way too much." She exclaimed in an annoyed tone and I giggled at the weird expressions she made while talking about some distant relative of hers who called her earlier to have a chat.
" It is ok. You don't need to say sorry." I said with a smile.
" Aww..you are too sweet. Now come on. I want to introduce to someone." She said chirpily, she was clearly excited about the meeting.
" Who?" I asked confusedly as I knew that she knew of me not being a very social person.
" Well he is Kabir's college friend. They met yesterday after a long time, so he invited him here. And the best part is that he is from Bhopal. I know how much you love and miss your city. So I thought you will feel nice to meet someone of your town. May be he can be someone you know already as he must be of the same batch as yours." Naina explained with a smile and I reciprocated it, touched at her thoughtfulness. Kabir was Nisha's cousin who was only one month elder to her. So though slim but there were chances of his friend being someone I knew. It wasn't everyday that you find someone from your hometown in a city like this and the feeling of meeting someone from the place where you were born and brought up, was always full of nostalgia.
" Oh! Then it would be really nice to meet him. Let's go." I replied smilingly and followed Naina as she led the way. I had a really bad habit of getting nervous around strangers and I just hoped that I didn't end up making any blunder. With all these thoughts in my mind, we finally reached the boys who were busy conversing but the loud music drowned their voice. The person I was to get introduced to was facing his back towards. I guessed that he was already told about me as I noticed Kabir stopping his talk and mouthing him a they are here' while flashing me a smile which I returned. The guy finally turned towards me and the moment I saw his face, a gasp left my mouth. My breath seemed to catch in my throat and everything else faded in the background. My wide eyes stared at the man in front of me in stunned silence. After 8 long years, in front of me was standing Asad Ahmad Khan...my batch mate in high school...and my first and the only crush till date.
We came out of our trance by the confused voice of Kabir whom we had completely forgotten due to this unexpected shock.
"You guys know each other?" Kabir asked confusedly and I could see an equally confused Naina having the same question written on her face. I and Asad both looked away quickly, embarrassed. I could feel my cheeks heating up as I looked everywhere else than him to avoid further eye-contact. Clearing my throat, I decided to answer but as if my luck having some twisted sense of humor that day, Asad also decided to open his mouth at the same time.
"We were classmates/ friends." We both said together and as soon as he did so, I felt my heartbeats and breathing, both getting stopped together. Did he really referred to me as his friend or my ears are simply playing tricks on me?' This was my first ever thought as our darted towards each other, only to look away immediately, after hearing his confident statement which stated me as his friend which I was NOT AT ALL. I mean the guy who never even said a single hello to me I during our whole school life, let alone talking, suddenly met me after eight years and declared me to be his friend! Can you tell me what was the third question sir asked?' I can still remember clearly the only sentence he had ever said to me. I had half the mind to ask him if he really recognized me, his old classmate Zoya, as I was almost sure now that he must have mistook me for someone else. There was no way in hell that he would consider me as his friend... or would he? My mind was screaming in confusion and I felt like pulling out my own hair.
I could very well guess that Naina and Kabir were also having some idea of our awkward relation by now as passed me and Asad awkward smiles in response of our nervous ones. I mentally cried out a loud NO' when Naina excused herself to attend to a guest who was calling her. I looked on with terror written on my face that Kabir also walked away to attend some call, leaving only the two of us and of course our best buddy...Awkwardness. We stood beside each other while some peppy number tortured our senses from background. None of us knew what or how to say. So we both opted for doing what we did the best and that was to stay silent. The whole situation was just so awkward that I couldn't even muster the courage to say excuse me and walk away as for that also I had to talk to him, something which I had no idea about how to do and I could feel that his situation was no different. So we just stayed there, quietly, fiddling with our phones. I glanced at him sideways through the thick curtain of my hair which was covering the side of my face. I felt myself smiling softly as looked at the man beside me, deeply engrossed in his phone. The cute and charming boy I once knew had turned out to be an insanely gorgeous and handsome man with an intense charisma exuding from his whole personality. I looked on with great amazement that how much changes these long years had done to him. The innocent face which used to gleam with mischief and childishness, now showed seriousness, maturity and power. My eyes finally noticed his muscular built and I wondered if he was having six packs too. I giggled silently at my stupid thoughts and shook my head lightly. My eyes fell on my long, red gown and suddenly I became self-conscious. He had always seen me in jeans, tops, kurtis and salwar-suits. These years had changed me physically a little too and I suddenly felt nervous with my changed appearance. I felt someone's gaze on me and as I turned towards him, I found him engrossed in his phone like before. This was nothing new. This had happened before too but still I felt a little disheartened by his ignorance.
I couldn't ponder on my thoughts for long as Kabir came back and apologized for taking so call. No sooner had he arrived, Asad excused himself and I finally let out the breath which I myself didn't know that I was holding all this while. After that I also went to other side but my eyes refused leave him as I continued to follow his every move, every expression with my eyes. I was desperately trying to remove my eyes from him but it seemed that the distance of eight years have made my eyes more stubborn than ever. It drank his sight thirstily like a dying bird in a desert, not wanting to miss even his slightest glimpse, fearing that this moment might never come again in my life. It had been only fifteen minutes after I walked away, that I saw him making his way towards the exit, causing a dull ache in my heart. But may be something was still left to be done as I saw him calling Naina and telling her something. My brows furrowed in bewilderment when I saw her glancing confusedly in my direction in response of his words. I strained my eyes to get a better view of them amidst the hundred heads surrounding us and saw him saying something more which caused Naina to nod in ok. I saw them doing something with their phones and after exchanging brief smiles and most probably thanks from his side, I saw him walk out of the hall, leaving my mind and thoughts more flabbergasted than ever.
************
I retired to my bed after returning from the party and changing. Asad's thoughts didn't leave my mind for even a single second. I mind was still going haywire with thousands of thoughts but not a single answer to calm them. The unexpected turn of events had completely thrown me off-guard and now there was no way that I could hold back the old memories and unattended emotions from flooding my heart again. Though my mind tried to make me believe that there was probably no chance of us meeting again but my stupidly but stubbornly refused to believe it, saying that our paths would cross again and that too soon. I sighed and decided to call my parents who were in Bhopal at that time along with my Dadi to attend some distant relative's wedding. They were missing our old city and home, so I suggested them to go and spend some quiet days there after the wedding. It took me really a lot of effort to make them agree for this little vacation, as even 26 also they don't find the courage to leave me alone, on my own.
After talking to abbu and dadi for some time, it was finally time to have a chat with my BFF a.k.a my ammi with whom I was dying to share this latest happening of my life.
" I met that idiot today." I broke the news in a single breath. Well, don't take me wrong but idiot was the secret nickname I gave him and me and my mom used to refer him with this name only, instead of his original name, every time we talked about him.
"Who?" My ammi sounded confused.
"Asad Ahamd Khan." I increased the information further as I understood that the name must have skipped her mind due to the long time span.
"Oh! That idiot! Now I remember." My ammi exclaimed happily as she finally remembered him and I shook my head at her antics.
" You met him! When? How?" My ammi sounded as surprised as I expected and I narrated to her the whole incidence in details.
" I still can't believe that he called me his friend. I mean of all the people he called ME his FRIEND! The girl with whom he never even tried to talk. My head is really spinning with all this. I thought that he won't even recognize me but not only recognition, I also felt like I saw happiness in his eyes at our meeting. Am I just imagining things or were things really not that much one-sided? I am just not not understanding anything. Everything is just confusing me more and more " I shared with my bestie what was bugging me since our meeting, after I told her everything.
" Well, without meeting or knowing him, it is really tough to conclude anything but it can be one of these two things for sure. Either he wasn't that much ignorant of your presence as he showed or he simply has a good memory and manners." She teased me and whined annoyed at her joke, making her chuckle.
" Ok, ok sorry. But on a serious note, there isn't much you can do beta. Just go with the flow. Even before also, when you were sad about not being able to meet him ever again while leaving Bhopal, I told you that if he is in your destiny, your paths will cross again and see, today that happened. So now also leave to your destiny to decide your path and if he is the one, your paths will automatically collide with each other. It itself will make you understand everything you want to know. Just follow your heart and believe your destiny in this matter." She advised me gently and as always I felt relaxed and peaceful after hearing her words. I believed in destiny and I knew that whatever is written, will happen for sure. I smiled and talked to her for a few more minutes before hanging up. I was about to lie down when my phone beeped with the arrival of a new message. Confused at seeing the unknown number, I opened the message and as soon as I did so, I choked on the air I had just inhaled. My eyes widened to the size of football in shock and I cupped my mouth which was forming the biggest O' possible. I pinched my arm to realize that I was neither hallucinating nor dreaming. I blinked my eyes a few times as read the message again.
"Hey, it's me, Asad. Sorry for disturbing you so late. I actually needed your help in something. So if you are free tomorrow, can we meet?"
I stared blankly at the screen for a few moments as my shocked mind was still not able to register the fact that ASAD AHMAD KHAN was messaging me, that too asking for help. Suddenly my mind flashed the memory of the party and I finally understood what he and Naina were talking about. He was asking her my number.
Before I could think any further, I found myself sending him the reply.
" Yeah, sure. Will it be ok with you to meet me at my place in the morning?"As soon as I sent the reply, I felt like killing myself. Why the hell did I invited me to my place? I was feeling like banging my head on the wall. It wasn't really safe to invite someone at home while staying alone but I had the full trust that he wasn't one those bad people, he could never be. My chain of thoughts were broken by another beep.
"That will be great. I will be there at 8. Hope that will be ok with you?"
"Yeah, that will be perfectly fine. Here is my address." I replied immediately and messaged him my address.
" Ok, I got it. Will see you tomorrow then. Good night." I got his reply seconds later and after sending a brief Good Night', I fell down on the pillow. The day had turned out to be even stranger than my strangest dream. I still was nowhere close to believing that he was actually coming tomorrow to meet me or rather seek my help. I knew that the word sleep had left my dictionary for the night and I spent the remaining hours thinking about the 100000 and 1 possible reasons behind his visit.
**********
I was pacing the living area restlessly while mumbling under breath and sucking my nails, a thing which I do whenever I am nervous. It was close to eight and I was completely ready. My nervous marathon and the thoughts of all possible scenarios came to an abrupt halt by the sound of the doorbell. Taking a deep breath, I opened the door and as expected found Asad at the other side, on time like always. I stepped away to make way for him and both of us quietly sat down on the sofa after closing the door. Few minutes passed in absolute silence while I experienced a mini world war going inside me. The subtle hint of nervousness on his face was making me even ten times more nervous in return, I was getting a gut feeling that something big was coming. Finally when the silence became unbearable, I finally mustered up the courage to break it.
"So what is the matter you need my help in?" I probed him gently though curiosity was killing me from inside and Asad's silence and nervous eyes were only making the matter worse. He took a deep breath as he closed his eyes and finally dropped the bomb while looking directly into my eyes.
" I want you to be my wife Zoya."
*********
PRECAP: I looked at the building in front of me and felt like I was about to faint with all the heavy dose of confusion and shock I was getting since last night. Why had he brought me here, to the National Intelligence Burro?!! What does it have to do with Asad's sudden marriage proposal to me. Allah Miya ! What hell is actually going on here?
and if anyone is interested in reading more, please let me know 😃 Please leave your precious likes and comments and feedbacks behind as your response only will decide if I will continue it or not. Thank you😃
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