Zoya

Chapter Four

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You gotta smile and love every moment cause this life is short and time never comes back.
P.s- unless you're Dastan from prince of Persia.

*****

Zoya's P.O.V.

I woke to see that I was lying on the sofa.
Means last night I slept with him?
The sentence itself sounds so wrong.

I sat up, eyeing the room.
From the entrance he had the living room, with huge windows overlooking a pool, on the right side he had staircase that went to his rooms.
With kitchen right below and on the left he had the huge bricked fire-place and the wall covered with books and books.

I walked towards the kitchen, and saw two men on the counter engrossed in conversations.
I spoke," Hi."
Making them face me.

I eyed the kitchen.
The golden light from the rising sun shone directly in through the south-facing window over the sink and through the sliding glass doors by the table.
Terra Cotta tiles on the floor, cute fruits and flowers stenciled along the walls of the kitchen.
On the right side he had his huge double glass doored refrigerator, with a huge cabinet beside it, which had all the kitchen appliances arranged.
From toaster, juicer, sandwich makers to coffeemaker.
At the front side of the door, where I stood.
Had a six burner stove attached with the oven and the sink,a huge fire-place.
In the centre had a marbled counter and pots and wreaths hung above the counter giving it a look of country living.

On my left side, there was a dining table for four people, facing the sliding glass door which led to the pool outside.

"Hi... I am Vinay," the guy sitting across the stranger spoke.
He had tanned skin, with light wavy brown hair, he had the features of a wasian(white+Asian).
The sun highlighting his light brown marbled like eyes, and accentuating his defined jaw, that had a little stubble growing.
I smiled at him and said," nice to meet you Vinay."
I then looked at the stranger, hoping he would say something.
Either his name or maybe thanks?
For I helped him yesterday.

"Hi, breakfast?" He asked.
I denied and spoke," I..I need to leave."
I then started fiddling with my fingers unsure of how to ask for my money that I used on fare yesterday.
He stood up, putting his empty glass in the sink and stood leaning on the sink, facing me.
"Thank you for yesterday, and as gratitude I'll drop you home. Where do you live?"

"Umm--" I cut short, taking a moment to draw in a deep breath, will it be okay to give him my address?
He is Rich, means he won't bother me.
He will forget me.
"Umm I live in the south side of the city. "
He nodded.

"You sure you don't want to eat anything before we leave?" He asked.
I denied shaking my head and said," I can't eat anything until I have my medicines."
Just then a tiny pup came rushing in the kitchen and barked at the stranger.
The stranger smiled and picked it up muttering sweet nothings.
The puppy seemed to understand every word.

Vinay stood up, picking a banana and said," let's go I'll be driving."
"No no no, you won't be touching my baby, I'll be driving." Said the stranger.

"You were drunk last night, you probably have a hang over and a headache." Vinay stated.
"I don't, I am absolutely fine. I wasn't drunk last night just a little tipsy," he then took the car key from his pocket and started walking towards the staircase outside the kitchen.
He turned towards me and said," have a seat, I'll just go change?" I nodded as he padded above the staircase missing one or two steps at a time.

I was sitting at the sofa, when Vinay came and sat across me in an ottoman.
"I don't trust at what he said so am asking you, Are you sure you guys didn't get cosy last night?"

I raised my eye-brow and asked," cosy?"
"Like sleep together,like a couple type of cosy." He muttered.
"No.. no no no... Why do you say so?" I asked.
"Cause when I came in the morning I saw you both were snuggled like lovers."
"With clothes on?" I asked.
What Happened last night?

"Yes clothes on that's why I have to believe what he said." He said.
"How do you know him?" He asked me.

"I don't.. I don't know him, I don't even know his name. I just helped him and wanted to leave last night but I didn't had the fare to go back home, and he was alone so had to stay back, and snuggled up? He pulled me towards him, I last remember wriggling out of his grip but I don't know how I fell asleep." I told him the truth.

"Thankyou for being with him last night, there's alot going on with him right now," Vinay sighed.
"That's why this mess?" I asked pointing to the broken pieces of China.
"Sort-of, plus after yesterday he has no one other than Mehreen bhabhi."
"Mehreen? His girlfriend?" I asked.
"No his bhabhi, brother's wife? After the death of his mother Mehreen is his everything, a mother-figure you know."

I nodded, remembering Miss D'Souza.
She is my mother figure.
"And by the mention of Mehreen bhabhi, I remembered we need to leave before she comes." He then stood up and rushed above the stairs towards the stranger's room.

I couldn't believe that even the rich people had problems in life despite having so much money.
Cause not all problems get solved with money.

******

We were now at his parking lot, the stranger started giving Vinay orders.
"Give the house key to Austin, Samantha will be coming."

"Who's Samantha?" Vinay asked.
"Samantha is the new maid." The stranger spoke walking towards his car with me walking behind him.

"Why? What Happened to the old maid?" Vinay asked again.
"She is on maternity leave and stop asking me questions as if you are my wife Vinay." The stranger told irritated.

"I knew you would forget," Vinay spoke, his lips puckering a little into sad one.
"Forget what?" The stranger asked.
I couldn't see his expression cause his back was facing me but Vinay turned him around and punched his cheeks saying," today's our anniversary honey."
I laughed at that.

The stranger removed his hand from his cheek and said in a stern voice," sit in the car and your punishment is that you will sit behind."
He then looked at me and said," umm you will sit infront, is that okay?"
"I can sit behind it's fine with me but wasn't your car left last night somewhere near the bridge?," I asked.
"No.. you need to show me the way to your place as well, that's why I need you beside me. Plus I have more than one car. "
I nodded at him and sat at the front while he instructed the watchman and then sat in the car.
Starting it.

We were now on the road," where to?" The stranger asked.
"west 41st Avenue, karisdale area, "I simply answered.
He nodded and then Vinay asked me," well you never told us your name."

I looked at him and said" oh sorry, my name is Zoya."
The stranger repeated my name as if tasting it in his tongue," Zo-ya, nice name...what does it mean?"
I turned to face the road ahead and answered," it means love... Means life."

"Well I don't know what my name means," Vinay spoke laughing, I laughed along when the stranger spoke," Asad, my name is Asad."

I nodded facing the front.
"It means brave, means lion." He continued.
"Asad is a nice name." I confessed.
He looked at me smiling and muttered a thank-you.

The expedition to my home area went on with Vinay and Asad's bickering.

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