Chapter-7

Here it is...

Zoya was lying flat on her bed covered with a duvet and staring at the ceiling. She was pondering over his advice and the things he said to her.

"There is not a single thing lacking in you, Zoya"

A small, genuine smile graced her lips.

Their talks when they were sitting on the bench came next to her mind and unknowingly a short chuckle left her lips.

When the rain started pouring, the scene of their running together to find a shade came to her mind and she felt herself blushing. The way his eyes were staring at her added more to the feeling which she was experiencing. He made her feel a different emotion at that instant and she didn't knew which one it was. He even tried coffee and chips on her being stubborn about it.

"What was he hiding in his eyes?" She questioned herself and a curiosity grew in her to know more about him.

'We are friends after all, he only said that...' She thought in her mind.

"Our emotions are only in our head..we are their owner and it is our duty to make them joyful and ecstatic and not depressing..."

"You are drowning in your ocean of miseries, searching for a helping hand.

If only you knew, that the only hand you can trust is the one at the end of your own arm."

"Maybe, he is right..I will have to work on myself on my OWN..and neither my parents can do that nor him..I will have to do it myself.."

"I will return my parents the same Zoya which they lost few years ago.." She declared and promised herself in a determined tone and her eyes got filled with tears unknowingly.

"Let's do something productive, then.." She told herself and got up from the bed and took her laptop. She was searching for some online courses but couldn't decide for which should she sign up. She was confused and was totally without any help. She wanted to do something but she herself didn't know what. The passion which she had when she was in school was long forgotten and now she didn't had any interest in that. She ended up watching a counselling session on YouTube on how to choose a career.

"Choosing a career is the most important decision in our lives..the way how we want to live further in our life depends on our choice..we want it to express ourselves, our personality...it should be something which gives you joy which, makes you feel what it is to live in its full sense..it shouldn't be something in which you feel as if you have been coerced into...it should be close to your heart..something which gives you peace..of heart..discover yourself..find out your strengths and weaknesses..ask yourself questions that Will you be able to do it? and remove all negative thoughts from your mind..and once you choose something don't leave it just because you are so lazy to do any hard work...fate always help those who don't stop doing hard work...and remember that no job is big or small unless it makes you happy because life is too short to be sad........" The lady in the video continued confidently still, she wasn't able to find anything suitable for herself. Unknowingly, she saw the time and it was 3 in the morning.

"Ya allah, I should sleep now.." She advised herself and laid down. She practiced the therapy which he did and unlike before, she slept. Her sleep was peaceful and was filled with some happy memories of her past, with her parents.

•••

"Ah..I just love this feel.." He said feeling the cold waves covering his feet.

"Ah! It's so cold..!" She said moving away from water. He reached for her hand and brought her near the waves again.

"Feel it for once..for me.." He said looking at her giving a puppy look which no one has ever denied.

"Close your eyes...just feel the warmth of the sun on your face and the coldness of water on your feet..and just breathe..." He said himself doing the same. The cold water lapped at their feet, fizzing and bubbling like brine. Even though the sun was beaming in their eyes, she can't help but smile as the wind caresses her face. Waves ahead her roar and roll down, crashing onto the shore with a soft hiss; peeling away at the deep bronze sand beneath her feet.

"Now stretch your arms and feel the breeze...let it caress your skin and feel every bit of it..."

"This is amazing..!" She said after some time still not opening her eyes.

"I told you right? Only coffee and chips are not amazing..try some of my things, too.." She opened her eyes and looked at him with annoyance.

"Ok..sorry.." He said smiling. He resumed to his earlier position and she did too.

Scrunching her toes, she feels the softness of the sand, still damp from the retreating tide. She wiggles as a shiver cascades down her spine and her eyes burst open.The sand blurs out in a blissful trance, the shore fading into liquid gold, vivid in the brilliant light. Her lips curve upward and she looked at him. A small smile was gracing his face.

She moved her gaze to the far off horizon, the flaring hues of the sun melting into the sky and ocean like a divine painting. The forever stretching sea was masked with an apricot color, that beautiful umber flowing into turquoise. Through narrowed eyes she watched each wave overlapping one another, sending the white bubbling crests descending, masking the shore with the transparent fading water. The feeling of cold water against her feet made her close her eyes again.

He opened his eyes in between and looked at her and was happy to see her smiling. She had a very calm and peaceful expression on her face and the sun rays which were falling on her face added more to it.

Her eyes narrowed when she felt something pointing on her feet. She instantly opened her eyes and saw a crab near her feet.

"Ah! Crab..!" She yelled and hid behind him grabbing his shirt in her palms. He opened his eyes in a jerk on listening to her voice and looked at her. She had her eyes shut tightly and was clutching his shirt in a tight grip.

"It's a beach Zoya..crab will be here.."

She opened her eyes slowly and looked at the place where she was standing earlier and shut her eyes again.

"It's still there..please make it go away.."

"Let it be there..we will move somewhere else.."

They moved from that place and got settled on the sand beside each other. They were enjoying watching the waves. It looked satisfying. One can spend their whole day just by watching them. Aditya was watching the waves with so much patience and emotion. She was going to keep her head on his shoulder when he spoke and she halted.

"This helps me calm my mind.." He said still interested in watching the waves. She turned her head towards him and noticed a different kind of expression on his face which she hasn't seen till now.

"Whenever something troubles me..I come here..watching the endless sea and the sky makes me feel tranquility..."

"What troubled you today?"  She asked catching him by surprise. He changed his expression to the earlier happy one and masked whatever she saw a few moments ago.

"Nothing..I ju-just wanted to experience this..so, tell me how do you feel?" He said looking towards her.

"I feel good..but how do YOU feel?" She said looking deep into his eyes and she thought for once that she was able to break his barrier of emotions but he was retreated his eyes when she started looking into them, deeply.

"Mu-mujhe kya hua main to ek dum mast hoon..mujhe kya hona hai.." (Wh-what will happen to me..I'm totally fine..) He said still not able to look into her eyes.

"Have you ever tried making sand castles.." He said changing the topic.

"Umm..no.."

"Let's try now.."

"No, it's so childish.."

"Then, what do you want to do which isn't childish.." He said arching arching a brow at her. Her mouth hung open and formed a 'o' shape.

"I will make my castle here..you will make there and let's have a competition..." He internally laughed at her reaction.

They both started making sand castles with so much hard work but when it came to choose the winner, they realized that they didn't had anyone to judge it and laughed at their 'childishness' .

•••

"Dr. Aditya Hooda, now try to save yourself.." She warned him and bent down to collect some water in her tiny hands but stopped when she felt something wet on her face.

"Save yourself first..Ms.Siddique.." He said running from there and trying to save his life. He couldn't control his laughter watching her expression but he had to save himself.

"You!" She said and started chasing him.

"Ah..!" She shrieked and he stopped in his track. He looked back and saw her bent on her knees and holding her feet.

"What happened?" He asked with concern when he finally reached her. She got up in a haste and splashed some water on his face.

"This happened.." She said bursting into fits of laughter while he stood there acknowledging the events.

"I will take revenge.." He said recovering from the shock to which she only sticked her tongue out.

"We'll see.." She said with a mischievous expression.

"I'm hungry..will you eat something.." He asked.

"I'm also hungry.." She said searching around for a vendor or a restaurant.

"Aditya, there is that vendor selling roasted corn..but it is across the road.."

"I will bring it you wait here.." He said and went in the direction of the vendor.

_________________________________________

So, how was the chapter? I was so much excited to write this but don't how it turned out to be..this chapter would be the one in which I took so much time to write..hope you liked it..😅

I'm sad that we are reaching the end..😔..Also, hold yourself tight for next chapter..🙂

Love you loads and have a happy and cheerful day just like them..❤