Zoya

My eyes open feeling an emptiness near me. Aditya wasn't on the bed with me. I could barely see anything in the dark. My hand went to the side table to pick up my phone, it was four in the morning.

"Adi?" I mumbled in my sleep only to realize that he wasnt with me. At first, I thought it was weird, I have been sleeping alone for years now. It hadnt been even and hour of us sleeping but Adityas absence was so bothersome that I was wide awake. I looked around and found him standing at the window. "Adi?" I called. It took a few minutes for my eyes to get used to the darkness and be able to see in that darkness. He did not even turn to look at me, as if he was lost. Lost while looking outside, into the moonless night.

I did not know is he was bothered by something or just sleepless but this man, standing there, shirtless in his sweatpants was definitely the most beautiful thing I knew. I got up and back hugged him.

"What happened?" I asked as I rested my cheek on his bare back, wrapping my arms around him.

"Youre awake?" he asked, holding my hand, and turning to face me.

"Um hmm"... I nodded as he brushed my hair away from my face. It felt weird not having you near while sleeping. I came clean. He gave a small yet loving smile and said. "It hasnt even been an hour of us together on one bed and you're already so acquainted with it?"

"Guess? Im probably a little too obsessive when it comes to you."

"I see." He chuckled.

"You did not answer me. What happened?" I caressed his hair.

"Nothing."

"Adi." I sighed.

"I was...just I dont know if youll understand this from my perspective or not Zoya, but. I was just worried about you. That Yash..that fucking assholeI just couldnt be at peace after knowing whatever you had to go through because of him. Knowing what he did to you...?....I am so full of rage right now, its .its getting a little difficult to manage all of this here".. he said pointing at his head.

"Aditya" his name. Just those syllables came out of my mouth because how the fuck did I find him? I dont know what good I did in my past life but for the love of God I am thankful that I did it. "How...how the fuck are you so lovely Adi?"

"Lovely?" He narrowed his brows in confusion.

"You wont get it but my goodness are you not making me want to thank all the Gods for helping me find you."

"Zoya, I guess youre not able to understand what I meant."

"Shh... Firstly, I'm not dumb therefore, I do understand what you just said and secondly, Aditya...I am with you now. YOU. I just promised myself that I would not let my past bother me, how can you expect that Id let it bother you, hun? Please stop worrying about something that has passed."

"Zoyaaa." He cupped my face. "How can I?"

I hold his face to kiss his lips softly. "Focus on us. Just Us". I whimpered against his lips.

His arm tightened around my waist. I almost lost a breath because of that sudden rush of passion that probably made the air around us thicker. I entwined his fingers with mine as my thumb softly brushed his nape. "You cannot just kiss me out of my worries for you, shortcake. Let me be worried for you. Let me take care of you. Do you understand? he kissed my fingers, looking into my eyes. I always feel that Ill not be able to love you enough, so just let me try and do my best at being even remotely close to what you deserve. "

I let out a deep sigh. Is this man for real?

"Aditya. What is wrong with you? Do you not realize? You are so much more than what I could've expected."

I was looking at him, probably too wide-eyed when he said, "I have something to show you."

Saying that, Aditya spun me so that I was facing the bed and hugged me lightly from behind.

"show me, what?" I asked as his arm torqued around my waist like some sheltering force, his chin nudging my head a little. I hear a click and,

"Yes" he said and I gasped when I saw what was in front of me.

He had decorated our hotel room with such pretty lights, it wasnt something magnificent or grandit was sweet and simple yet it had the effect of magic on me.

"adi?!" I breathed in surprise.

"tonight was the first time we were going to share the same room, the same bed I just wanted to make it ..you knowa little special and cutemaybeI was intending to show you this earlierbut you came in"

"I came in all wild and hungry to kiss you and be touched by youthat I missed all the other lovely ways you can touch my heart." I turned my head to look at him.

"Not exactly like that, shortcakebut pretty much. Yes." He said, trying to hold back a chuckle.

"Why not exactly?"I said emphasizing at the word. Why would he deny? I described precisely what happened.

"I meant, lets not pretend that I didnt absolutely love it when you said that you were craving me!" I could feel this man smirk.

"SHUT UP!!" I let out a soft wine, nudging my elbow on his abs.

"ooou" he laughed, "I prepare so much to make you happy and this is what I get?!! I didnt even do anything."

"Yea right." I rolled my eyes, biting my lower lip as another spark of reckless mischief accompanied with passion ran through my body. I held his wrist and made him follow me to the bed.

"What happened?"

"Now that youve been so hardworking, and tried so much to make me happy I think you should get more than a few hits probably". I say that before pushing him on the bed.

"Zo" he looked at me, happy and surprised.

I started steadily going on the bed by my knees, on top of him with my hands holding each other in front of me.

"But I didnt do it to get...." I know what hes trying to say, Irrelevant. Because he has done whatever he had to. NOW? I was ready to do things.

"ssshhh." I kept my finger on his lips and made him lie down completely. My hair was probably messy but it made me feel hot. I slowly bent to suck his lower lip. I playfully scratched his nipple with my thumb and I hear a graon.

"Zoya..!" he looked at me surprised to which I couldnt help but laugh a little.

"You think only you get to play?" I arched my brow.

"You are one naughty woman" He grinned as I went to suck his neck. His hands go under his T-shirt that I was wearing, his palm pulled me closer to his chest, reminding me that I was wearing nothing underneath.

Uuuhhmmm..I groaned in his neck but he took my by surprise when he suddenly changed our positions and made me lie on the bed.

"There there, wild woman." He said cupping my face. "I'm going nowhere but we have a hectic day ahead, so stop making sure that both of us wake up dead tired.we dont have that many hours on us to sleep."

"Adii" I pouted with a frown for, dayum, was I not turned on. But so was he. But also, he was right. "Whats the point of you decorating our bed if I dont get bitten by this nasty man that you become?"

"ahem .." he cleared his throat and smiled. "But whats the point of me decorating our bed if my lovely Zoya cannot get proper sleep because of one nasty nasty man? "

"you beat me. Always!!"

"We should be sleeping, love." He said before planting a long kiss on my forehead and then my eyes.

That night, I slept in his arms like the luckiest woman he had made me to be.

~~

Next day

Everyone was dressed accordingly, the obvious theme of yellow for Abeer and Dharas haldi. The two lawns were separated for their separate haldi ceremonies as the ritual is to prevent the bride and the groom from seeing each other after the haldi has been put on, until the wedding.

"Zoya! Tina!" Dhara's mother called making us two girls rush to her.

Yes aunty. I said.

"Baba, you look lovely.." her mother patted my chin with love.

"Thank you".. I hoped I actually did. I dont usually wear suits but this yellow Patiala suit was for sure, lovely, I had tied my hair into a fishtail braid with light makeup. Haldi was supposed to be simple and I guess I was following the dress code our lovely bridezilla had given us, well.

"And so do you...Tina!!" she said as tina also joined us.

"Thanks aunty. You called for us?"

"Yes, can you two lovely girls do me a favor? and do the rasam of bringing the haldi from the grooms side? It is usually done by the sister of the bride but Dhara doesnt have anyshe isnt that close to her cousins but you two? You two are the closest to her.I want you both to do that, will you?"

"sure aunty."

We agreed to the rasam, why wouldnt we? Dhara was everyones love here, and went towards the garden that lead to the corridor which would eventually lead to the area where Abeers haldi was being performed.

"Zoe zoe!!" Tina teased, "you've been getting action lately, huh?!!"

"Maybe."

"What do you mean maybe? Cmon I'm curious." How do I tell her that I have been getting the action but its not the action that she means when shes saying action. And what is this fucking word? ACTION!? Sex. Its a simple, three lettered word, it shouldnt be that hard to say.

But no, wait, If she does say sex out loud, Id end up thinking about Aditya and if that happens, I would definitely not function properly. I cannot be taking that risk.

"Zoe?? Where are you lost?"

"hun? Nowhere.."

"Ugh! Pleaseyou were thinking about him, werent you??"

"Nooo"... I wavered my head.

"Shut up sexy, your lips can lie but your rosy cheeks dont."

"Its the blush."

"Exactly* she laughed with her tongue in her cheek.

"Not that blush."

"Oh cmon now Zoe. Since when are you this shy?"

"Ah! Tinu I dont know. "

"what do you mean?"

"I mean.." I said slowing my pace through the corridor, a little. "We're taking things slow.and trust meIm loving that. I genuinely enjoy this pace but it always leaves me wanting for morebut that want..feels..i dont knowunnatural? Its like, Im loving what I get but I dont know what I want."

"Babe, thats cuz its your first time! Simple. Theres nothing unnatural about this. Just go with the flow and youll figure things out, yourself. I know Im not the person youd normally talk to about all this...its dhuru"

"its not like that tinu"

"hold on, Im trying to make a point here. That had me quiet and listening. as I was saying, I wouldnt be the first person youd talk about this to..right? yet you can. And you know that. For the record, it doesnt bother or hurt me so dont worry and secondly the point being. If you cannot decide your own pace, let him take over. Let him decide the pace for the both of you and if or ever you feel that..."

"That its not what I want, I can always tell him. Right?"

"Exactly. I know you already know this, you just wanted someone to vocalize that and here I am, at your service madame."

"sure sure. I was just scared.scared that maybe Ill end up thinking too much and mess everything up. Just likeI used to do with....."

"Yash? No you wont. this is different Zoe, I can tell."

"You knew aboutmy issues with him?"

"Not exactly. I just knew that with yashyou were not our natural Zoeyou were making yourself this some other person that you were notyou were a very planned Zoya with him, Zoe.and that is whyI love Aditya for you and I am so happy for you."

"Tinuu" I hugged her. This girl! All she ever does is being a trouble maker, looking at her talk like this for me.was, I wont lie, overwhelming. I love all my girls.

Youve seen a lot Zoe we've seen you fight your way through life. Seeing you this happy with your man, seeing you receive all that love that you deserve gives me so much joy.....touchwood." Tina said hugging me back.

"enough hugging now.I cant really bear more than 15 seconds." Tina said breaking the hug.

"yea. Before I start crying." Yes I giggled.

"Idiot." She said in marathi with a laugh.

We went to get the bowl of haldi from Abeers mother. There I saw Aditya arching a brow at me, with his arms crossed while everyone was busy dancing and enjoying.

His yellow kurta and dhoti pants wereughhso fucking hot.

what? I gestured him.

With an expression to come to a side, I nodded in denial.

He made those puppy eyes to which I denied and went to put haldi on Abeer.

"Well, helloooo Jiju." I said. It's fun calling him that.

"Hi, zoya!! Are they really not going to let me see Dhara?"

"Na nuh!" I and tina giggled.

"Not for even a minute? Please that's ridiculous. No."

"Sorry jiju. But thats impossible. You know how Mr. bacchan said? Parampara, Pratishtha and prashasan?"

"none of that has to do anything with stopping me from seeing my Dhara."

"Abeer! You guys have been together for 4 years now. You wont die if you dont see her for a day."

"Two days. I wont get to see my Dhara until we get married, that makes tomorrows entire day count."

"oh whatever! Stop acting like a hopeless romantic now." I said, this man is literally lovesick.

"Let it be Bud, these women never understand what it feels like to not be able to be with your beloved." I hear Aditya come to us and stand behind Abeer's chair. "A day or two you say? I would argue that even a minute of not having your beloved around is tormenting. Its torture. Pure torture. He said that looking directly at me".

This dramatic ass man is going to get a nice smack once I find him alone.

"torture? Okay, if you wanna call it that. But you guys signed up for it. So you better not complain and, behave!" I say looking at him and left with Tina.

"yea. Even make that fight about yourself. You bastard. Make this entire fucking wedding about yourself, wont you? I should rather just stand here like a sponsor!!" I hear Abeer crib. I couldnt help but laugh at it.

"Why are you getting so worked up? Are you the bride or what? Chill out dude." Adi answered, but I could somehow feel his gaze at me as I left with the bowl of haldi.

~~~~~

Thanks for reading and Im so sorry, I was extremely busy.

Anyways, Im on a break now. So Ill hopefully be regular. Next shall be up soon.

Love love.