Chapter-5

Hope it brings a smile on your face..❤

Zoya turned in her bed. She has been doing this since two hours. She even implied her mother's instruction that, "Close your eyes, you will eventually fall asleep.." but nothing seems to work right now. She counted sheep and they went up to lakhs, still the sleep was far away from her. When she was about to turn once more, her phone beeped. She picked it up.

An unread message

She opened the messaging app and saw a message against the name Dr. Aditya Hooda .

"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."

She read it again to understand its meaning more.

"It means that only I can save myself..but how?"

"Have a peaceful sleep today..if still you don't find it you can call me.."

She remembered his words earlier from the day. Her finger hesitated to call his number.

"Will it be okay to call at this time?" She questioned in her mind and then finally gathering all the courage she dialed his number. Still not sure about her decision.

He picked the call in the second ring when she was just about to cut it.

"Hello Zoya.." He said in his usual cheering sound and she could imagine him smiling on the other side.

"Hello Doc-Doctor...actually..I wasn't able to sleep..can you suggest me some sleeping pills.."

"What did you say..sleeping pills? No Zoya they are not a solution..you may become dependent on them and excess of it can be dangerous.."

"Doctor, I promise I will have them under control..please.."

"No Zoya, I said no! And you can call me Aditya.."

"But-"

"No ifs and buts.."

She nodded lightly.

"Zoya, say words I can't see you nodding.."

"O-okay"

"But how will I fall asleep..I-"

"You will eventu-"

"I tried to pretend as if I'm sleeping...I even counted sheep..but I couldn't seem to sleep.."

"What did you say? You counted sheep?" He burst into laughter and she could hear his hearty laugh.

"So, what's there in counting sheep..everyone does it.."

"Not everyone Zoya..kids do it.." He again started laughing. She felt shy and embarrassed.

"So, what should I do?" She said instantly changing the topic.

"Counting sheep will surely not help.." She could feel him controlling his urge to laugh.

"Hmm..Ya! I can sing you a lullaby!"

"What? No! I'm not a five year old.."

"If you can count sheep then you can listen to a lullaby too..!"

"Bu-"

"Do you want to sleep or not?"

"I want to but.."

"So then it's final.." He cleared his throat.

"Oh ri chidiya..na tujhe ri..ky-"

"Stop!"

"What happened?"

"Your voice..it is causing an ache in my head.."

"So, it is true. My friends back in college used to tell me this and I used to consider them just jealous..but now I think that my mindset was wrong at that time.."

"So, what do we do now?"

"I read about this therapy somewhere..maybe it can help.."

"Which therapy?" She heard a song playing on the other side.

"Aditya?"

"Shh..Just listen to it.."

Oh ri chidiya...na tujhe ri..

"Feel every lyric of it..every music note..let your body relax.."

Kyun ye duniya bhaye re..

"Clear up your mind of all thoughts..of every worry.."

Oh re pancchi kyun humesha..

"Of every incident..lose yourself in the music.."

Baithi muh latkaye re..

"Just feel its magical effect.."

Teri aankh ye jo namm hai..inme jo gham hai..

"Imagine as if you are lying in a garden.."

Chodke subha pe kar yakin..

"Feel yourself close to nature..the cool breeze is caressing your face gently.."

Ho ye jo jhoomta savan hai..meethi jo pavan hai..

"Birds are chirping around you..the sunlight is falling on your face.."

Teri hi muskaan se hai bani..

"Providing a very small share of its warmth to you.."

Ho teri baaton ki chehak ko na jaane..na jaane kaisi raat mil gayi..

"Your eyes are feeling heavy..sleep is approaching you.."

Na jaane kaisi raat mil gayi..

"Inhale.."

Na jaane kaisi raat mil gayi..

"And exhale.."

"Isn't this song beautiful, Zoya?"

"Zoya?"

"Lagta hai so gayi.." (It feels as if she has slept..) He cut the call with a beaming smile, congratulating himself of this little success.

•••

The weather was nice, it was serene. The cool breeze flowing by and the rustling of leaves was making it all seem beautiful and peaceful. The sun was hiding behind the clouds and that is what made it all complete. However, this serene atmosphere was echoed with the laughter of two people.

They both were settled on a bench located in the heart of a beautiful park. They were laughing, giggling and were enjoying their present without worrying of the past or the future.

"You can't say anything to coffee and chips unless you have tried it? This combination is heavenly.." The mere thought of it brought water to her mouth.

"Coffee and chips? Yuck! How can anyone eat it?"

"Weird combination are the best sometimes..." She zoned out thinking of herself and Yash. The memories bringing a smile on her face. Then she got reminded of the accident and the havoc that it brought along with it. Her smile vanished and tears filled her eyes and she shivered when a sob escaped her lips. This whole scenario was witnessed by him and he could see that there hasn't been much progress. There was still so much pain left inside her which she was hiding from the world under the cover of a fake smile.

"Zoya?"

"Hmm.." She turned away from him and wiped her tears.

"Do you know how does a butterfly grow?"

"What's in that? It first becomes a caterpillar, then a cocoon and, then finally a butterfly..What's new in that?"

"Nothing is new in that...but think of it more clearly...the caterpillar is born from the eggs by breaking its shell and then feeds upon leaves. It grows and then covers itself in a cocoon...It prepares a cover around itself which no one but only it can break. It heals itself...and then one day that cover finally cracks slowly at first and then all at once. It emerges out as a beautiful butterfly and glides with the wing. It is no more dependent on only leaves now...it can go to any extent as it wishes and can sit on any flower of its choice...this is life Zoya...you need to heal yourself on your own, no one else can do it for you..you have to work on yourself Zoya, alone...single-handedly..we can only guide you how..are you understanding?"

She nodded wiping the newly formed tears in her eyes.

"Wo-" Before he could say another word, he felt something wet on his hand. He noticed that it had started raining.

"Zoya, get up fast!"

They both ran from there and stopped only when they were under a shade of a tea stall. Zoya flipped her hair trying to dry them while someone was just lost in noticing her without her or even his attention. She looked at him staring at her without blinking his eyelids and a frown appeared on her face.

"Aditya?" Her sweet voice brought him out of his trance and he looked at her trying to avoid her eyes.

"Wh-" She couldn't complete her sentence as she sneezed.

"You sit here..I will bring something for you.." He excused himself before she could ask him something.

After few minutes, he appeared before her with two cups of coffee and a packet of chips. She was surprised.

"Why not try it now and tell you my experience..." He said handling her the cup.

"Mmm...not that bad as I thought.."

"I told you right?"

"I meant that it is still bearable.."

She let out a loud sigh and pressed her lips in a thin line.

"Okay, I was kidding...this combination is good.."

She passed him a fake smile at that.

"Nice joke…"

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Hope, you are liking the story...and didn't fell asleep in the first part of the chapter..😂 the transition is really slow and why not let's enjoy that...some cute AdiYa moments are what make it all count..by the way someone was caught gawking at someone😂...

I will meet you in the next chapter..till then make a resolution for a day that you will do something that will make you happy from inside.. tata bbye.. take care guys❤