Enduring Ally

Chapter 37 : Friendship at stake

Zoya changed her dress and booked a cab. She was in a hurry, as driver was already waiting for her at the gate and he has called her thrice already. She came out of the room and went to Aditya to inform him that she was leaving but he was busy in a phone call. He didn't even look at her.

As it was getting late, she left without informing him. Once she hailed the cab and on her way, she realized that she left her phone at Aditya's house. But, that was not necessary, she has to talk to Riyaz and find out why he behaved rudely with Aditya. She felt it was good that she didn't tell Aditya where she was going? If she has told him then he would have tagged along with her. Which could be a disaster, she knows when it comes to their friendship they have never let anyone between them. Whatever it is, they sorted everything either by fighting or talk it through. Today, she has to talk it out without dragging Aditya between them.

She reached Riyaz's house and knocked on the door. Zara opened the door but she didn't greet her or smiled. Zoya had no clue why Zara is looking so gloomy, "Hey Zara, how are you? Is Riyaz there?" she asked while entering the house.

Zara just nodded then gestured her to sit on the couch and went inside. After sometime, Riyaz came out and he looked like he hasn't slept for days. He has grown beard, as far as she know, he always wanted to be clean. He used to shave daily, he hates growing beard. But now, everything was different about demeanor.

"Hey Riyaz, how are you? What happened yaar, you look like shit?" she asked jovially. He lost his cool and screamed, "What the heck do you think? You can come here and talk about shit just like that?" Zara came down running after hearing the scream but stopped at the end of the staircase.

Zoya looked at him petrified and tried to open her mouth but nothing came out. She gathered herself and asked, "What happened to you? Why are you screaming?"

"Will you please get the hell out of my house, before I say something that I may regret later?" he said. "But... tell me what happened and why are you angry at me? What did I do?" she asked.

Zara came to him and said, "Riyaz, calm down... She didn't even know about it... It's not her fault... Just calm down..." He lost his patience and said, "Oh... yeah... She doesn't know... and so convenient... Right!!! Why don't we tell her what happened?" He looked like a maniac for a minute.

Zoya went near him and held his hand then asked, "What happened, Riyaz? What I didn't know? What are you talking about?" He shook his hand to get rid of her and said, "I agree... that you and Aditya are in honeymoon phase of your love and that doesn't mean you should ignore someone who is in need of you... Where were you when I needed you the most? Just get lost... I don't want to see you... Just leave us alone..." he said and tried to go inside.

Zoya hurried and stopped him by standing in front for him. "What are you saying? I couldn't understand anything", she asked. He pushed her away and went into his study and locked it. "Please go away, Zoya... I don't want to talk to you or see you", he said from inside.

Zoya knocked on the door for him to open. "Please Riyaz open the door, let's just talk, and tell me what happened yaar?" she asked. As he didn't respond, she said, "Please open the damn door, Riyaz" and pounded on the door. Zara came to her and gestured to come with her.

Zoya went with her to the living room. Zara asked her sit and went into the kitchen, after sometime she came back with two coffee mugs and sat before her after giving one cup to Zoya.

After taking a sip of coffee, Zara said, "Zoya... I'm sorry on behalf of Riyaz but I'll not say what he said was wrong... We both went through so much in the last few days... And Riyaz was devastated due to that. And when you were not there for him... It affected him so much..."