Zoya

Chapter Twenty Four.

Asad's P.O.V.

The afternoon sun streamed through the curtain waking me.
I turned to see, I was tucked safely under my blanket and saw that on the side table a glass of water with Advil kept.

Angrily, I got up from bed and rushed outside the room shouting," Zoyaaa!!! Zoya!!!"
But instead of Zoya, Samantha came rushing asking," what's wrong Sir? Zoya ma'am left for work in the morning..you want anything?"
Massaging my head I muttered," no, you continue with your work." I then headed inside the room and took the Advil.

I stayed in my room, the whole day waiting for Zoya.

****

I don't even remember at what time I slept, but I woke up to find almost ten at the night.
I went towards Zoya's room and knocked.
But instead I heard her voice behind me, I turned around to face her.
"Zoya!"
"Asad!" She mimicked me.
I smiled and said," I was waiting for you."
"Oh really?  Anyway I was just about to eat my dinner, want to join?" She asked.

I looked at the white polythene bag on her hand and nodded.
"I was going to eat in my room, so join me there yeah?"
I nodded again entering her room.
She had kept her room simple and neat, her bed was made with white bedsheet and I could feel the scent of oud In her room.
"Oud! Nice and whats with the white bedsheets?"I asked.
"I like the scent of oud and white bedsheets are like Khafaan for me, what if one day I sleep and never wake up?" She replied.

Khafaan- it's a white fabric, used by Muslim to wrapped on their body when they die... Also known as shroud in English.

"Khafaan? Stop thinking of death, it's inauspicious." I spoke.
"One should remember their death every now and then, now stop talking and let's open this package." She mumbled sitting on her bed.
"You can stain your khafaan, so let's sit on the floor and eat." I suggested sitting on the floor.
She followed me suit as I asked," what did you bring for dinner by the way?"
Smiling she replied," Chinese fried rice."
"Chinese? Is it halal?" I asked.
I was worried.
What if Chinese gives us shredded lizards instead of shredded chicken??

Biting her lower lip she muttered," I don't know, I ordered it online." She then removed the box tiffin from the polythene bag and placed it infront of us.

Reading the name of the restaurant on the box, I hurriedly took the food from her and stood up saying," this restaurant serves frog and cockroaches, it isn't halal." Moving towards the door to go throw this food I continued," we can't eat this, I'll go throw this." I had now reached near the staircase with Zoya behind me.
"But then what will I eat for dinner? Remember I don't know how to cook!" Zoya spoke from behind me.
Rolling my eyes at her, I continued going towards the kitchen and upon reaching I first threw the food in the dustbin.

Dejectedly, Zoya stood at the entrance of the kitchen muttering," I'll sleep empty stomach today? I'll be hungry today," I smiled taking her hand in mine and led her towards the counter in the kitchen.
"I thought holding hands was not allowed according to the agreement." She said in a sarcasm tone.
I left her hand and spoke," wait for the food at the counter."
Standing infront of me she asked," wait! You are going to take the food back from the dustbin?"

Shaking her shoulders with both my hand I said," I guess you lost your brain screws while looking for mine."
Taking her towards the seat, I said," you just wait while I go and cook something for both of us."
I heard her excited voice as I turned," Chinese rice?!"
My back was now facing her, but I smiled and shook my head," no, we don't have soy sauce for that, let's eat today something else I'll make Chinese rice tomorrow for you."

"I thought you cooking for me was against the agreement," she asked.
"There are alot of rules we have broken, so I guess one broken will do for today."
"We??? You have broken alot of rules not me," she tried to correct me.
"We! Not me, being in the same room at the same time is also against the agreement rule number six." I stated cutting the paneer into cubes.
"Why have you added such strange rules? By the way why were you waiting for me? Am sure waiting for me is also against the agreement in one of the rules" She said.

I looked at her and raised my brow," being anywhere near you or anything to do with you is against the agreement in all the rules, but I was waiting for you cause I wanted to know why did you enter my room in the morning?"
"Enter your room? Why would I enter? You saw me entering?" She asked sarcastically.
"No I didn't but then why was I tucked in bed and why was Advil kept on the side table?" I asked clearing the confusion.
"Samantha did all that, wait! Samantha is allowed to enter your room yeah?" She asked.
"Yeah she is but only for cleaning, and why would Samantha do that?" I asked.
"To help you with your hangover," she replied nonchalantly.
"How would she know I would be having hangover?" I asked again suspiciously.
"I told her and before you ask me how I would know? I came to you last night but you were totally drunk that you started calling me Angel, who is this Angel anyway?" She stated.
"Angel?" I asked.
And she nodded.
Shit! I called her Angel again.
"But I wasn't..." I started but Zoya continued," drunk? Yeah that's why you don't even know that I came to meet you."
Continuing with the paneer gravy I asked," what is you wanted to talk about last night?"
"I actually wanted to clear some thing," she replied while I switched off the gas and kept the food on the table between us.

*****