The Fated Ones: Chapter One

Asad and Zoya were sat on the steps, the song had faded out long ago and a short while before Yash and Aarti too had left for their room. Zoya couldn't look at Asad, the way he'd been looking at her, could it be...no, Asad Ahmed Khan had no room for such silly things as love. The man who couldn't take a sip of coffee from a mug with the slightest stain, how could that man take the leap of faith needed to love? Impossible. Zoya kept trying to assure herself of this. But the truth was, he had risked his life to save her and he was still doing so. Why?
"Allah miyah, what's wrong with me?" Zoya muttered to herself quietly.
"Apne kuch kaha?" Asad said and Zoya turned to him surprised he'd heard.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Woh baas, woh haat ki choht dukhri thi, issiliye..." Zoya said and Asad tensed. It was his fault she was hurt, he always did things with the best intentions, but whenever Zoya was involved everything always ended up going wrong. Even by the simple act of sitting down, he was now responsible for the cut in her wrist. He sighed heavily.
"Chalo." Asad said as he bobbed his head left.
"Kaha?" Zoya asked.
"Kamre main." He said and Zoya froze. "Khabraon maat, shahid undaar first aid kit hai, tumhari woh, choht ki liye." He said, Zoya nodded, Asad rose slowly and gave Zoya time to stand too.


When in the room Asad found a box and walked towards the bed he sat down and looked at Zoya who was still standing despite the hand-cuffs pulling on her skin.
"Zoya, zakhm aur gehra ho jayega, betjao." He said and Zoya had this look in her eyes, Asad had only seen it a few times before, for instance when she'd seen a cockroach, it was fear in her eyes. She'd never feared Asad before, not when he shouted, not when he forbid and not when he lectured...so why now? Zoya sat down. Asad opened the box and removed some TCP to disinfect the cut, just in case. He ripped up some cotton wool and began to pour the substance.
"Kya baat hai, usually tumhe chup nahin kar sakta, kohi shayari nahin aari aaj raat? Ek dum khamoshi, its not like you Ms. Faqrooqi." He said, Asad was hoping that he could distract Zoya's attention away from the fact he was about to apply a disinfectant that would sting her and knowing Zoya, she would Hai Tobha this whole Dhabba down!
"Allah Miyah, what's wrong with you? Usually you like women to sit quietly and say nothing, aap kya kehte hai usse, haan, tameez. You know Mr. Khan, apki problem kya hai, aapko yehi lagta hai ki zindagi bas ek hi tarike se jeesakti, aapki tarike se. Lekin aaj jab main chup chap yahaan pe bethi hoon, apko phir bhi problem hai, I mean apka problem kya- OW!" Zoya said and began to pull away, when she realised Asad's hand simply pulled along with her.
"Yeh tumne kya kiya, Mr. Khan?!" Zoya shouted.

"Dheere se bhol, varna voh saab gunde yahan ayenge, aur mujhe haatkhadi meh larne itne uchi se aathi nahin hai. Chup chap behti rahon. Let me." Asad said as Zoya shielded her wrist from him. "Bacho ki tarha maat beshakaro. Kya kheri thi uss raat, ki tum bhade bahadur ho, toh dikha apne bahaduri, do mujhe tumhara haat." Asad said and as he said it he realised the other meaning to what he'd said and he knew Zoya had thought the same from the slightly shocked expression she had. Asad bowed his head slightly, he wished he was more careful with his words, what was he saying? It had been a long day, he was tired, that was it.
He placed the plaster on her wrist and looked up at her.
"Abh kaisa hai?" He asked.
"Tik hi hoga, khabriye maat Mr. Khan, mamooli kharojh hai, tik hojayage. Ishi baat peh ek shair sunati ho-" Zoya was silenced by Asad's sudden closeness. He leaned over, raised his hand and gently placed his index finger on her lip.
"Tum chup hi zyada uchi lagti ho." He said, he'd meant it light heartedly but suddenly he could sense an undertone to this evening. This night had the same air as that moment he had with Zoya after he'd saved her from Akram. He remembered the moment well, it was the first time Zoya, in her frail vulnerability had called him Asad and she had taken his hand. In that moment, Asad had little to no control over himself and he could feel that same overwhelming feeling in the air tonight.

Zoya could hardly even control her thoughts, her brain had launched into over-drive. This was Asad Ahmed Khan a.k.a Jahan Pana a.k.a the biggest problem she'd faced since coming to Bhopal. He never gave her a chance but maybe now he was. There wasn't a trace of cruelty or malice in his eyes, only confusion and maybe even longing. Zoya knew how lonely Asad was but she had recently put that down to the fact that Ayaan and Asad could not interact openly. That was part of it but Zoya felt that there was something else also. There was something in his eyes that pulled her forward, despite his stiff stance and his harsh jaw his eyes were pure and innocent. She was slightly lost in them.
"Asad-" Zoya didn't have a chance to finish her sentence they both heard the gunshots.
"Zoya chaal." Asad said as he helped her stand. They heard voices and they were looming, closer and closer. "Zoya bhaag!" Asad urged.