The wind outside blew hard, like it wanted to aware people of an impending storm, but the two people inside that lit room, couldn't feel it or its harshness. They both couldn't feel anything except grief, and pain, as they stood staring into each other's eyes. They were the most unfortunate people in the face of Earth in that moment because they were Zoya Siddaqui and Aditya Hooda, two people madly in love, with each other, but while the former was yet to accept it forefront, the latter had given up owing to her happiness.

"Ye sab hone se accha toh hamari Jaan hi chali jati!".
( My death would have been better than all these mishappenings).

" Aapme or Arshad me se, Arshad hi Zoya k liye better choice hai".
(Out of you and Arshad, he is the better choice for Zoya)

Those words that Zoya had uttered in haste, and Zoya's mother had spoken under a misconception had ruined Aditya, and this time forever. His ability to trust was already shattered with Pooja's departure, and now, Zoya leaving him was robbing him of his confidence and sanity. He had felt so little of himself that he had accepted it in his heart this time, that he wasn't the one made to be loved, that he might not deserve to be loved.

Zoya watched him smile at her, despite his own sadness that was etched all over his face, and tears continued to roll down her Kohl clad eyes. She saw him blabbering to her about how beautiful she looked but registered nothing, her mind was focused on the redness in his eyes, and the way he was trying to hold back his own tears for her, just so that he could be her friend for one last time.

" Come, I will walk you down the aisle, with full rights of being your 'azeez dost', one last time", Aditya smiled, extending his right palm to her as he watched Zoya stand Frozen, looking like the most beautiful bride ever.

Just not his bride.

She was going to be someone else's in a few more minutes.

Zoya bit a sob and it alarmed Aditya.

" Zoya why are you crying? Oh wait, tears of happiness, right?", He panicked at the sight of her tears and then calmed down himself in the next second as the gravity of her words from before and her firm declaration the she did not love him, sinked in again.

How had he been so blind? How had he even thought she loved him?

Nobody could love him anyway. Neither Pooja, nor Zoya.

Taking in a deep breath, he gulped down all his pain, and formed a small smile again.

" Come let's go, Zoya. If I keep standing here and staring at you for even a minute more, I will give up. My strength will give up!", He uttered and Zoya with baiting breaths, and swollen eyes, placed her Heena clad hand in his, and watched him tighten his hold on her.

Everything began to flash before her eyes, as they started to walk. Their first meet in that gift shop, the moments at Zosh Office, their friendship, his failed tries at confessing, his letter, everything. She could not take her eyes off him, off his face, off his eyes while he made sure to not look at her. He lowered his eyes, aware of her gaze but not finding it in him to look at her anymore and give in to his feelings. He kept his eyes focused on the floor, walking in silence, basking her warmth near him for one last time, her scent sending jitters down him like always, until he felt a pull back from her.

The seed of hope that had been put to a brutal death by him, got rejuvenated as he turned to face Zoya with expectant eyes. Maybe, she would stop all these. Maybe, she did love him.

But when his eyes fell on her weeping figure, and followed her gaze to find the end of her huge dupatta hooked in a show peice, which was why she had stopped mid way, more than Aditya it was Zoya who saw how it killed him, whatever was left of him, to be precise. She saw his eyes lit up one second when he turned and then the light die down, his always so expressive eyes giving it all away, screaming at her how it was crushing him from within, but he stayed mum, sniffing occasionally but not a word came out of his mouth until they reached the altar.

Zoya watched her parents stand up at Aditya's sight, and Arshad and his parents' disgusted faces too. She watched her baby sister Noor's disappointed eyes and her mother's worried ones, before resting her eyes on her Abbu's strict face. But then one look at the man who made her sit down with a smile, and she could feel her own heart bleeding at his sight.

He was the perfect epitome of someone who had just lost his will to live, and given up on his smiles. She knew this was going to scar him forever, and hence when she watched him go away, his steps slow and forced, her heart beats had began to race. She watched him move towards the door, after being humiliated by her Abbu once again, her own eyes crying like never before.

" Zoya Siddaqui, Kya aapko ye nikah Qubool hai?", The kazi asked, and Zoya could feel him stopping just at the door of her house, one step from walking away from her, and this time forever. She didn't even realize when Arshad had accepted her as his wife, three damn times, before she was asked the question.

She wanted to scream a no, she wanted to go and crash in Aditya's arms and watch him smile again. In that moment, she would have given up anything to watch that irritating upward curve of his lips, the teasing smirk in his eyes, the warmth of his face.

" Zoya Siddaqui, Kya aapko ye nikah Qubool hai?", The Kazi repeated again, and Zoya trembled under the weight of her own desires and those of her Abbu's. She raised her eyes and found her Abbu staring at her, his eyes rigid and arms fisted by his side.

" Qubool hai".
( I agree).

Two words and Aditya kept his foot outside the house he had grown to be fond of. This was it. This was the death of his dreams of another chance at life, his hopes, his desires and probably him too.

Tears rolled down unchecked, as he walked haywire on the streets, towards the mansion he called his house, his hands limp by his side, as he stumbled in his path only to fall down in the middle of the road.

" Zoyaaaa!", A scream left his mouth, as he took her name for one last time, before deciding to bottle all her memories in the safest corner of his heart and got up to go.

A lover had again lost that night. And so did his faith in God, again.

---------

" Kya aapko ye Nikah Qubool hai?", The Kazi asked the second time, and a shivering Zoya again raised her head to find a smile only on her Abbu's lips. Her mother was weeping silently, Noor was not looking at her but at the door and Arjun stood dazed like he could not believe what just happened. She blinked, more tears leaving her eyes, before her eyes settled on Arshad's face. For some reason, he didn't look at her with a smile, his face was glum.

Her Abbu urged her to speak again, but this time, she raised her eyes to see Arjun walking out of the door, worry evident on his face. She saw Noor who was shaking her head at her, she watched her mother weeping silently. And it struck her.

This was not her. This was the Zoya who was Yash's wife, always scared, under confident, scared of her Abbu, scared of the world. This was not her, the new her, the one Aditya had shown mirror to. He had taught her how to live by herself, how to stand for her rights and her happiness, how to smile and find joy in small things, and she was proud and content to be that new version, his version.

Remorse ran through her, as she went on a guilt trip. How could she do that to him? How could she snatch his smile from him, for a relationship even she was not happy or comfortable about. How could she push him into the same darkness again, just like Pooja did? She had promised him the day Aditya and she let go of Pooja and Yash at the lake side, given him hope that things will be fine one day, only to snatch his hopes again today?

The determination shone in her eyes as she raised her eyes again, to meet the Kazi's eyes.

" Nhi, hume ye nikah Qubool nhi hai", the words escaped her, and she felt a heavy burden off her chest. She could see her Kohinoor smiling in ecstacy as Zoya stood up, unpinning the heavy dupatta off her head, ignoring the stern glances by her Abbu.

Arshad and his family stood up too, but before his mother could insult anybody, Zoya joined her hands.

" I am sorry Aunty, but I had clarified earlier too that I don't want to get married. If I hadn't been forced, all these would not have happened", Zoya blurted, but her eyes and entire demeneour had a confidence that shook all of them up, specially her Abbu. He was glaring at her with fire in his eyes, and continued to do so until Arshad and his family along with all the guests left the wedding venue, after humiliating her and her immediate family.

Waseem Siddaqui furiously turned and lashed out at his daughter, who had again insulated his wishes. He shouted at her, demeaned her and did everything he could but Zoya stood mum, tears again rolling down her cheeks, as she joined her hands again.

" Humne bahut koshish ki Abbu, per hum apne dil k aage haar gye!"
(I tried my best Abbu, but lost in front of my heart).

Zoya's answer enraged her Abbu more, while Noor was only happy that her Appi could take the right decision at the right time. Waseem with his angry glare, pushed Zoya away, and moved to his room, while Roshna hugged Zoya, proud of her.

" Appi, now don't waste time, let Aditya know", Noor smiled, and Zoya's heartbeat accelerated. She prayed in her heart for things to go right, because finally, Zoya Siddaqui was ready to proclaim her love!

-----

Note: here goes the first chapter!

Honestly, I had Many expectations from Adiya's wedding, but most of all, I wanted Zoya to confess herself, not because Arshad intervened. Aditya literally begged her and suffered a lot, so I wanted Zoya to compensate for his pain too.

Also, there were so many points that were missed, and I am going to try and include everything of that. Let's see how it goes!

Do drop your reviews!