Zoya

It's all his fault.
Yes it is. I'm going to blame all of this on him. I am running late for my office because once I start talking to him, I became unable to understand the pacing of time and thus.. ended up talking to him up until 3 this morning.

'I too need a coffee.' I told one of the interns working under me, as she was making a cup herself and went into my cabin to put my bag there.
By the time I returned to the coffee machine, she had poured it in the cup.

"Thank you so much." I said, almost hungrily smelling the aroma.

"You're welcome, ma'am." She said with a smile. Aditi is a talented girl, I genuinely hope she gets a good job. "Tired?"

"Kind of... Couldn't sleep last night."

Coffee has the best smell in the world.
Warm, soft and everything good... It's probably my brain's malfunction that this smell makes me think of him.

"Why?..." She looked at me with those naughty suspicious eyes that only a 21 year old could have.

"Uh hn!...keep your nose out of it." I pinched her cheek. In past few months, I've grown close to her a lot...We kind of catch each other's vibes but I try and keep the friendship out of the workplace. I don't want other interns to feel that I am biased towards her or towards anyone.

"Zoya maaaaammm..." She whined.

"Bring me the Mehra's file. Did you do the research?"

"Yeah, I did. But I have a few doubts..."

"Come to my cabin," I said and went with my coffee.

~

I was done explaining the situation about The Mehra's company to my interns. As a business analyst, understanding data and the market environment is my job and I love my job. It's so fascinating how a few numbers can change the lives of everyone sitting under this roof and working for this company...and how I am the one who's here to understand the language of these numbers....my phone buzzed and I dug it out of my desk and smiled at the name.
Aditya.

'I'll be waiting for you.
7:00 pm ?😘'

My heart fluttered at his text, I held my phone to my chest and shook my legs on the ground. Exciting work for the day.

Exciting Aditya for the evening. 

Life, like this...feels perfect. 

'Okayyyyyy' I replied, making sure that the number of y's will tell him how I felt. Numbers always tell a lot. 

  '😘' Another kiss

Talking to him yesterday had wiped all my doubts away. 

He understands me. It made my heart flap into a somersault.

He likes me. It made me giddy.

He is ready to wait for me...he wants to wait if it's for me...It was..he was driving me crazy. I had decided myself on this, I won't ruin this because of my overthinking. 

My phone buzzed again, but the name had the power to take me out of this bright world that I was entering into.

'Hey' Sahir's text read. I left it unread. 

I won't let him ruin us...Me and Aditya...I will make it...us. 

His smile, when I said I wanted to meet him...was eager to do that....that smile...the way his eyes looked at me...like I am...Like I am..the most beautiful thing he has ever seen. I would do everything and anything for that smile. 

I am going to earn that smile...not once but a million times over and over again.  

I don't want Sahir, I want Aditya...only him. Maybe I was wrapping myself in his charm a little too soon...but I won't regret this. I know I won't. 

~

We were sitting on Aditya's car's bonnet, looking at the night sky. He was wearing a white shirt, over a red shirt..under a brown blazer, wither the sleeves rolled up in the most attractive way sleeves could possibly roll themselves up, with blue denim jeans. I have never seen anyone wear anything like this...it looks like his statement style. Something that only he can pull off, something that works only for Aditya Hooda. 

And thanks to those rolled-up sleeves..yeah right! Show off those veiny arms Captain Hooda... I've caught two girls staring at him..giving me weird looks when I caught them trying to catch glances of him. 

Possessive.

Protective.

Panicky. 

Call me whatever P-word you may want to but the moment he's done with his ice-cream...I am going to get him out of here. Somewhere female-less. 

"Where's your mind at?" his voice made me face him. I looked at him and then at his back. "What happened?" He probably noticed my distraction. 

"No- nothing." 

He didn't turn back, not even a little. Didn't even looked in that direction from the corner of his eyes. 

"Sure?" He pinched my chin and my eyes met his gaze. 

"Why do girls keep looking at you?" I might have frowned..or pouted..I don't know but he smiled. 

"Are you jealous Zoya?" 

"Jealous? no. In the mood to punch a few people? Yes." 

"My jealous Zoya is so pretty." He said in a tone that was so low that even I thought he didn't actually say that. 

"I am not jealous Adi." I looked at him with determination and saw him bite back a grin. There's nothing inherently wrong with him getting any female attention but one thing that gets to my notice, which kind of impresses me too, is that he doesn't low-key enjoy that. To him all of that doesn't seem to matter. 

There's a good feeling in my chest that tells me that Aditya is so emotionally sorted and mature that things with him will be healthy. 

"Then maybe those girls are...." He said with a shrug and slid closer to me, his hand behind my back. 

Not making any contact, but still..it felt so intimate. It felt as if we had a bubble around us, separating us from the rest of the world that is essentially useless.

"I don't know," I mumbled. 

"Tell me about yourself."

"Hmm?" exactly what?

"Anything...I want to know you." His lips curve into a smile as he ate his ice cream. My frazzled brain malfunctioned and I couldn't catch my breath. He's too gorgeous when he smiles. Something wonderful radiates from the heart of him, realigning the features of his rough exterior and making him beautiful. 

"There's nothing interesting about me." I confess.

"C'mon now Zoya...You're the most interesting human being that I have come across." 

"Ah! really? " I gave him the sarcastic look. 

"like..how did that chashmish cutie turn into this lady that blows my mind with her wit and....when exactly did you become this gorgeous?"

I arched my eyebrow at him. "Do you realize that you're calling me beautiful in every sentence that comes out of your mouth? Aren't you trying too hard?"

"But I haven't used that word yet. Not even once. "  He narrowed his eyes with a smirk. I rolled my eyes trying to hold the heat in my cheeks. "Fine...family? Who's in your family."

"My sister. My younger sis, Noor."

"And..?"

"No one..." his expression changed, like something shot through his body. 

"No one?" he mumbled to confirm and I nodded in denial. "I'm so sorry..Zoya.." he paused.."When..how?..I remember seeing  your parents in school...I mean..." he probably didn't know what to say and I get it. People hardly know how to react to their own losses, Knowing what to say in order to comfort grief is something we human beings are not capable of.

"Do you really want to..?"

"Not if you don't want to..." 

I interrupted him.

"It was after school...I was about to start my first year in college when Ammi and Abbu went to Mussoorie for an occasional trip leaving us behind for a day.  It was a car crash. You know how it is in a hilly area...uneven roads...land..landslides..." My voice was cracking as I tried to speak but something stuck into my throat, vision blurred as tears filled my eyes...I always tried my best to not cry talking about my parents but.. it's impossible... it's just impossible....I couldn't even see his expression. 

"Zoya.." he breathed, holding me to his chest. I sniffed in, trying to take my mind off that night...when we got that phone call from the police station. 

"Noor was..very young. We started living with my uncle but soon I realized that he had us there just so that he could get insurance money...I couldn't risk her safety...I was so scared that something might happen to Noor when I wasn't home, or they may make her work because..that they did to me too..." I have never told about this to anybody... not even Dhara..it took me around a year to be able to talk about this to her but...I can't believe I am telling him all of it. "  At first, I thought it as a way of gratitude for letting us live with them but..soon my help became something more...and my..cousin..and his friends...they were.." His hand held mine, I dare not look at him otherwise I won't be able to hold myself "..not good to be around...I couldn't risk anything so we left the house. I used to do part-time jobs and...did modeling to pay our bills....but..." I wiped my tears away.." Don't give me that look...now we're fine.." I smiled at him. "Noor is in London, studying fine arts..I am here..with a great job which I actually love." 

He didn't say a word but his eyes had so much to convey that it made me giddy. My almost eaten cone fell off my hand when he hugged me. That hug was conveying it all..right now..I didn't need his words..I needed this. 

"You're such a brave girl Zoya." he said caressing his hand on my head. An embrace so soft and full of love that I leaned into his touch.

"My ice cream."

"I'll buy you another one.." 

"Adi.." I said, still hugging him. "I love your hugs but can we do it somewhere which is not so public? " I almost giggled. 

"Are you fine?" 

"I am.."

"Sure?"

"I am..." I caressed his back, indicating to him that I really was. I may need another of his hug tho, but later. 

The best part about being with him? I'll always have someone to lean on. 

But...will I ever be able to make this our always?

~~~

Thanks for reading. ❤️❤️❤️