In The Stars || AdiYa FF

Chapter 22 - A Second Chance

"Aditya..." Zoya took his name, "I-."

The shrill ring of the intercom interrupted her.

He rolled his eyes at the disturbance earning him a giggle from Zoya. She pushed him away gently and gestured to the ringing telephone.

It was the hotel's intercom so he was either getting the call from another cottage (which was unlikely) or the reception.

He pouted at her and walked over to the intercom. "Hello?"

He paused to hear what the other person was saying before replying, "Noor?"

Zoya's ear perked up at hearing her sister's name. Noor was at their cottage in the resort. She had come along with Zoya, for some work.

Zoya walked over to where Aditya was.

"Yeah, she is here... her phone?"

Zoya had left her cellphone in her office. It was a Sunday and she figured she would take a lunch break. Though she had not expected that her after noon would be spent kissing Aditya.

Aditya handed the receiver to Zoya. "She's been calling your phone," he whispered.

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Aditya stepped back and leant against the wall. Noor sounded flustered. He hoped everything was fine.

"Noor, what is it?" Zoya asked.

On hearing what Noor had to say, Aditya noticed that Zoya's face was turning pale. She wringed the wire of the telephone, "No, don't do anything," Zoya was saying, worry evident in her voice, "I'll handle it."

"Are you all right?" he asked the moment she hung up.

"Ummm..." Zoya stammered, "Yeah."

He could tell something was bothering her, "Are you sure? You can tell me-."

"I am fine," she cut him in, "Everything is fine. It's a... work thing. I need to give our accountant some receipts."

She headed toward the main door, "I'll... I'll see you later. I just need to..."

"Zoya, you are scaring me," he confessed honestly.

She walked back to him and took his hands in her palms, "It's nothing. I just need to take care of something..." She shook her head, "Forget all this. Let's have dinner tonight. You didn't let me make lunch so I need to show you my culinary skills at dinner."

He gave a small smile. "Dinner it is."

"I'll see you at 7," she smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

As she was about to walk away, he grabbed her waist and pulled her towards him. Her body was flush against his.

He gave her a peck on her lips, "Can't wait," he murmured.

Color returned to her cheeks at his words and she gave a shy smile. She left without saying anything.

Aditya looked at the clock hung on the wall. It showed 12:25pm. 6 hours. This was going to be a long wait.

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It was half past 5 in the evening and Aditya was all set for dinner. Zoya had said earlier that she was going to cook so Aditya expended his nervous energy and time in setting up the table for the dinner. Since his first date with her went tragically south, he figured he could make up for it in this second date.

Each cottage in the resort had a small private backyard over looking a cliff and hills at a distance. He had asked the hotel staff for fairy lights, which he then meticulously put on the white fence and hedges surrounding the small backyard.