Chapter-35

Hope, you like it...❤️

Shelves of books expanded over the wall, as if they had been planted as seeds and grown by virtue of the sunlight that filled the room. The smell of the new and old books mingles together and floats in the air, entering people's nose and lingering there. Each shelf withholding million of stories. Some undiscovered and some heard over years. The rainbow colored spines of books peeked out of the shelves making their lover attract to them.

Zoya and Aditya were standing in a narrow lane, each side formed by the tall book shelf. Their one hand holding the books and the other searching for more.

"I think we should stop..." Zoya said eyeing the book shelf hungrily.

"I know...but I don't seem to..." Aditya said as he turned a book to read the back cover.

"Same, I become mad whenever I enter a book store..."

"And I thought I was the only one..." They both chuckled at the same time.

"If I keep adding more books, I will be broke soon..." She said taking a book out of its place.

"I think I already am..." He said laughing.

"Ok, let's stop...I don't want to read these books on the footpath..." She said keeping the book back in the shelf.

"I guess you are right..." Aditya said as he kept the book on top of his pile.

"I'm always right, there isn't any doubt in that..."

"Of course, there is!" He said looking at her dramatically widening his eyes. She stick her tongue out to him and passed a fake smile.

"How many do you have?" Aditya asked.

"Maybe...7,8,9...umm...11..."

"And I have um...10.."

"I won...." Zoya said grinning.

"Whatever... I'll be having those after some time...so it doesn't matter..." He stick out his tongue.

"And I'll be having yours!"

"Ya ya..." He said moving towards billing counter.

"Don't 'ya ya' me..." She said following him.

"Did I 'ya ya' you?" He asked keeping his fore finger at his chin and then said," Oh yes, I did!"

"You're gonna pay for this soon, Dr.Hooda..." She said keeping her book pile on the cashier's desk.

"Really Dr.Siddique?" He said taking out credit card from his wallet and giving it to the cashier to swipe.

"Oh yeah, ofcourse!" She said folding her arms across her chest.

"We'll see..." He said taking the bag in his hand.

"You'll eventually will!" She said opening her purse. Aditya grinned hard at her showing all his teeth.

"Toothy grin!" Zoya said looking down and shaking her head with a smile.

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Aditya glanced up at the web made by the leaves. They created a maze through which sunlight was struggling to get through. One such beam fought its way through the leaves and was falling on Zoya's right cheek. Aditya was lying in her lap as they both decided to read some bit amidst nature. The faint light falling on her made her appear as an angel to Aditya which he felt too. She indeed came as an angel in his life.

Zoya's hand reached his hair and caressed them lightly.

"What are you thinking?" She asked not moving her gaze from the book which she held in her other hand.

"About you..." He said voicing out his thoughts.

"And what are you thinking about me?" She asked this time, keeping the book aside.

"Things which I should..."

"And what are those things?"

"The thing that you are actually here and not an illusion." He said raising his hand in the air and tucking a strand of hair behind her hair. Zoya bent her head down and nudged their noses together.

"You know what I was thinking?" She asked keeping her face a little away from him.

"About the fictional character in your book?" He asked in a confused tone.

"No, stupid! About the real person who is here with me..."

"Then, why were you pretending to read the book..."

"Because I can't stop picturing us while reading it..." She said as she pinched his cheek. Aditya sit up straight and looked at her as she picked her book again to read. He kept his hand on the book and brought it down to stop her from reading.

"You can't just say that and then act like this..."

"Like what?" She said as she brought the book up again to read.

"Like. . ." He struggled to answer.

"Like?" She said now finding jow in seeing him struggle to find an answer.

"What's the book about?" He said as he snatched the book from her hands.

"Aditya, give it back!" Zoya said loudly. He got up from the grass and tried opening the page which she was reading. Zoya got up too from the ground.

"Looks like I'm near..." He said squinting away from her and turning pages.

"Stop right there, Dr.Hooda! Or else I will. . ."

"Or you will?" He asked stopping his actions.

"Or else I will...umm... Yes! I will not talk to you..."

"Seriously Zoya, Can't you come up with something interesting? That's the lamest one!"

"In less time you get this only..." He scrunched up his nose not liking her choice of words.

"Were you trying to threaten me?"

"Of course I was and I AM!"

"Then, I'm not threatened!" He laughed out as he ran from there.

"You!!!" Zoya said but then saw him laughing. He was running while laughing, a rare sight for her. Maybe, this is the only time she is getting to see this sight but it made her feel good. A smile crawled up her face as she saw him happy. Aditya's shriek snapped Zoya out of her thoughts and she looked in the direction from where it came. She tried searching for Aditya but he wasn't found anywhere. She rushed in the direction where she saw him last. She reached there and saw him on the ground covered with mud. She couldn't control her laughter as she registered his state.

"Don't laugh at me like that!"

"Run now!" She said laughing more.

"At least help me..." He whined like a small child.

"Aww...you want my help?" Aditya nodded and stretched his hand for her to take and pull him up. Zoya pressed her hand on his palm making a clap sound.

"Zoya...!" He looked at her with serious face.

"Ok...okay!" She forwarded her hand for him to take. He took her hand but instead of getting up, he pulled her down with him.

"No!!!" She shrieked as she realised what he did. His laughter entered her ears as she was also stained in the mud. She scrunched up her nose taking in her state.

"My clothes..." She said sadly eyeing her baby pink kurti which she loves dearly.

"My clothes also got stained, I'm not crying..."

"I got this design very difficultly!"

"Aww... that's sad..." He said sounding sad but it didn't look like he was sad when she looked at him. He raised up his hands in surrender when she looked at him angrily.

"Let's first get up and then we'll continue this..." He said.

"Yeah..." She got up with difficulty, her hands staining in the process. She wiped them on the grass and took the book from Aditya's hand so he could get up too. He got up from the ground and then looked down at himself. They both eyed each other from toe to head and when their eyes met they couldn't stop laughing.

"We should go get changed..."

"I know..."

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Aditya wiped his head with a towel, shaking his head to make his hair dry.

"Aditya, I don't have any clean clothes..." Zoya shouted from the room. They both were at Aditya's place. Aditya just finished taking a shower and now Zoya was having one.

"I've kept some dry and clean clothes on the nearby shelf..."

"Ok...But wait, these are yours..."

"Of course they are mine...I don't have spare lady's clothes..."

"How do I-"

"They will fit you don't worry...and after your clothes dry you can wear them..."

"I-"

"Do you want me to go out and buy new clothes for you?" He asked genuinely.

"Uh-No... I'll wear them..."

"Ok... I've ordered food...it will come soon..."

Aditya was hanging his towel on the string to dry when he heard some steps from behind. He turned and saw Zoya in his t-shirt and sweat pants. They were so loose on her and she looked like she wore some giant's clothes. He moved his gaze up to her face to see a weird expression. Seeing that expression, he couldn't control his laughter.

"Don't laugh now !" Zoya said.

"Look at your face..." He said laughing more.

"Your clothes are so big and loose..." She said eyeing herself.

"I have an idea..." He said and started moving towards her. She stood frozen at her place seeing him decreasing the distance between them. When he was standing just i front of her, his hands moved to the hem of her t-shirt. Her eyes widened seeing where his hands were. He raised the shirt a bit and collected it in his hands. He gently tied a knot in the front so the shirt became a little short and then moved back from her. She was still looking at him in daze.

"See...!" He said looking at the knot and then at her face. His voice snapped Zoya out of her trance and she looked at the knot.

"Oh, so this is what you meant..." She said eyeing the knot and touching it.

"Yeah, what did you think..." He said and she looked up in his eyes, blushing.

"Oh...." He said with a mischievous expression.

"I-I..." She turned away and started to go but Aditya held her hand and pulled her towards him. He snaked his arms around her restricting her from moving.

"What were you thinking a bit earlier Dr.Siddique?" He asked in a whisper hovering his lips over her ear.

"No-nothing..." She said closing her eyes affected by his scent.

"Really?" He asked as he moved her hair from one side to the other with his one hand. His rings lightly grazing her neck. He traced his nose on the side of her neck making goosebumps appear on her skin. She closed her eyes at the ticklish feeling. The sound of the bell flinched them both. Zoya found an opportunity and came out of his grip.

"Looks like the food came!" She said and moved towards the main gate not turning back to look at him. Aditya shook his head and lightly tapped the back of his head smiling uncontrollably.

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Zoya dug her fork in the noodle bowl and filled it long noodles while not moving her eyes from the tv screen. Aditya and Zoya were sitting on the wide couch, beside each other and their eyes were fixated on the screen before them. A horror movie is what they both like and when a horror movie fan meets another they watch one together. That's what they were doing, while eating their lunch.

Aditya carefully got up from the couch without letting Zoya know. He went behind the couch and made a loud noise. She flinched immediately and let out a loud shriek. When realising it was Aditya, she hit him on his arm, not lightly.

"You scared me!" She said trying to calm her breathing.

"That's what I intended to do. MISSION SUCCESSFUL! YES!" He said punching the air.

"You are impossible..." She said shaking her head at him.

"You should have looked at your face!" He said rolling on his stomach on the couch.

"Stop it!" Zoya said as she threw a cushion at him

"No, I'm not gonna stop any early!" He said as he caught the cushion before it hit him.

"Aditya, I'm warni-" The ringing of Aditya's phone interrupted her.

Aditya stood up and picked his phone looking at Zoya with a teasing smile. His expressions started changing as the time went. The earlier teasing smile was now replaced with a serious look. Zoya looked at the transition before her eyes and worry entered her face. She kept her eyes on Aditya and stroked his shoulder comfortingly. Aditya kept the ohone on the table and looked straight ahead at nothing particular.

"What happened?" She asked in a low voice.

"I have to go to London." He said looking ahead.

"All of a sudden?"

"Pa...he-he is unconscious...he ha-d a cardiac arrest...he may di-e..." Aditya said as tears filled his eyes.

"I will have to go, Zoya... immediately..." Zoya kept stroking his shoulder.

"I will come with you." She said. He immediately turned and looked at her only to be met with the determined eyes of her. He hugged her without any delay as he felt peace in her arms.

Sona sona itna bhi kaise tu sona...

Tere ishq mein jogi hona mujhe jogi hona...

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Here's the next one! Hope, you like it...❤️

Someone is really being a tease and is teasing us since yesterday...🌚

This is all till now...will see you in the next chapter...till then take care of yourself and your family...

Love y'all and I'll see you soon...💕