Zoya sat in the station, lifting her fingers she dragged her nails across the table and blew out a harsh breath. She had been waiting for maybe ten minutes, but it had felt like hours already.

"Shit get off of me" a woman shouted making Zoya turn around, she shifted her chair forward as the woman passed, then stood up, crossing her arms. "Zoya".

She turned around to see Aditya facing her, he walked forward stopping before her and smiled "Its good to see you Zoya, how have you been"

"Uh, I" she hissed as someone barged into her shoulder, Aditya span around "Hey, watch it, can't you see where you're going" he smiled back at Zoya "Its my break, come lets go grab a coffee"

"I can't, im needed for questioning"

"Oh, well we can ask questions after, come on" he grabbed her hand leading her out, but all Zoya could focus on were the sparks that trailed up and down her hand, she watched as he sat on the floor and pulled her down with him. "So, how have you been" he repeated

"I, uh, I have been good, thank you for um saving my life as many times as you did" she smiled, patting his hand

"Oh, its fine, its my job, thank you for teaching me patience, meeting you was a breath of fresh air"

Zoya lifted her hand to her chest, her heart was racing but why? It wasnt like she had any reason to be nervous. "How is work" she coughed

"Its been good, busy as usual, how is your life now, anyone bothering you" he turned to face her making red darken her cheeks

"No, I dont think anyone would bother me now Mahi is out of the way, thank you for that, for a while I actually thought you were going to kill me" she laughed uncertainly

Aditya frowned "Im sorry I ruined your birthday, infact if its okay I'd like to take you out for dinner, to make up for it"

"I would like that, but only if you let me pick where we eat"

He pulled a face "None of those roadside places" he shook his head

Zoya stood up "Then thats where we're going" she laughed "Dont I need to be questioned now"

"I have questioned you, you're free to go, ill pick you up at 7"

Zoya looked away "Oh, okay, ill um see you later" in her hurry to get away she lost her footing, making her falter back, but Aditya grabbed her arms, pulling her back up "You dont have to be so scared Zoya, I wont bite"

Zoya pulled away "No, I just" she sighed "You make me nervous and im not sure why" she looked up slowly to see Aditya looking at her intensly, his eyes narrowed "Ill see you later Zoya"

XXX

Zoya threw herself on the bed "What do I wear" it was 6:45 and she still had no idea, she stood up, grabbing something from her wardrobe, changed quickly then she heard a knock on the door, she pulled it open, her breath hitching when she saw him dressed in a blazer, shirt and tie. "I now feel really underdressed" she laughed

"You look" he took a deep breath "Beautiful, are you ready" he held out his hand, she smiled as she placed her hand in his and followed him outside

Zoya looked down at their still entwined hands, she looked back over at him then pulled him over to the side of the road "Jalebis please" she smiled

"Zoya, I thought we were eating dinner"

"We are, the best type of dinner" she held a plate out to him and then sat down "So, what made you want to become a police officer"

His face darkened "I decided I never wanted anyone to be in the same place as me"

Zoya nodded "Is it fun" she leant forward

"Zoya its not" he shook his head "Okay sometimes" he smiled

She took a bite of her jalebi, the syrup dripping down her chin, he swiped his thumb against it, then lifted it to his mouth "You're right, it is nice"

Zoya's eyes widened "I um" she swallowed, wincing then looked back at him

"You stutter a lot Zoya" he noted, looking down

She gasped "I never did until you came along, you just make me feel all fuzzy" her eyes narrowed "Stop looking at me like that"

"I make you feel all fuzzy, what does that even mean" he raised his brow

"I dont know, you have a dark aura and its like knowing you shouldnt enter a haunted house, but you do it anyway and then find out its beautiful inside, and then you just want to keep visiting, I dont know, something about you just makes me want to get to know you"

"Zoya, that made no sense whatsoever, can you explain it slowly"

She huffed "You're confusing and a puzzle I will never solve, but im going to try anyway"

"My name is Aditya Hooda, I am a senior investigator, I have been for years now, I work with many women just like you who get blamed for crimes they didnt commit or get abused, yet I never make a bond with them like I have with you, you are everything I'm not and that interests me, but dont go thinking im a good man, because I'm not, so if thats what youre looking for, youre in the wrong place"

"But, you saved my life twice, how does that make you bad"

"Just because I saved your life, doesnt mean I have always been the saviour, ive made my mistakes, im set in my ways and I dont believe in any God"

Zoya smiled "Bad people dont offer to take people out to make up for ruining their birthday, bad people dont save lives and bad people dont protect others" she reached out, grabbing his hand "Maybe you never noticed Allah, but Allah always noticed you, whatever tough time you're going through right now, your life will get better, its in the darkest days that we get accustomed to the darkness and forget light is on its way"

Aditya frowned, tugging his hand away "You have no idea what you're talking about" he stood up, ready to walk away when Zoya's words hit hard

"Maybe you have always been people's saviour, but no one ever saved you" she stood up, gripping his arm and turning him around, "I may not know you well, but I know enough to know you are good, and maybe its fate that led us to this very moment but all I want you to know is that whatever crimes you feel you commited, you have paid for them already, the past does not define you and Allah"

He grabbed her arms, pushing her against the lamp-post, "Enough about your Allah, if Allah existed then why would people like Mahi exist" he seethed

"Because there needs to be bad for people like you to thrive, if there was no bad what would you protect us from, its all for a reason Adi" she assured, unwilling to back down

"You know what Zoya, you keep believing in that, you are crazy" he shook his head going to walk off

"Ha meh pagal ho, I am crazy, crazy for even bothering to try and explain to you that you're not alone, because you dont see anything past what you want to see, right, so then tell me Senior Officer Hooda, why did you invite me out today if im crazy, if me talking about my beliefs bother you that much"

"Because maybe for just one damn night I wanted to be a man who would be enough to be your friend, I wanted to be the man that could be normal, that could sit with you and just listen and maybe then I would be able to believe that if the world can hold someone as good as you, then maybe there is hope for me yet" he pinched the brim of his nose as he took a deep breath "You know what, forget it, forget I even said anything"

"Usually on someones birthday they get a cake, I cant eat one alone"

His face contorted into one of confusion "You want to still finish the night"

"The night is young and so are we" she skipped infront of him "Oh and Adi, you are more than enough, im lucky to have a friend like you, also I like victoria sponge, ill be waiting right here" she smiled

XXX

"Happy Birthday" Aditya whispered, placing the cake before her, Zoya stood up, pushing the cake infront of him

"Make a wish officer, while the night is young"

Aditya looked up "But its your birthday celebration"

"Yes and that means I get what I want, so come on, close your eyes and make a wish, maybe it will come true" she put her hands over his eyes

He leant forward, blowing the candle out, then sat back, Zoya removed her hands, sat down and cut the cake "Come on, dig in then"

"You're going to make me fat at this rate" he chuckled

"Hey, I eat this stuff all the time and im not fat" she rebuffed, holding out the cake to him

He bit into it, then fed her some, and before they knew it, their conversation had been going on for hours

XXX

Aditya dropped Zoya back at her house "Thank you for tonight Zoya, I had fun"

Zoya smiled "Me to, and um if ever you feel like eating my kind of dinner, you know where to find me"

He smiled softly "Ill take you up on that offer some day" he turned and walked toward his car, waving as he drove away

Zoya smiled, leaning against the door whimsically, she twirled her hair around her finger "Lets hope that some day comes soon"