Aditya was sitting on his desk, typing furiously on his laptop. He wanted to complete his work and go home soon. Today, he has planned to spend some time with his parents. He was so engrossed in his work that he didn't notice Arjun entering his cabin.

Arjun looked at Aditya's working self frustrated. What in earth should he do with Aditya? God!

“Adi!” Arjun called him and he just hummed continuing his work.

“Ooo…. Humming bird! I am saying something here…” He finally looked up.

“Now what happened?” He asked Arjun, irritated.

“Why aren't you picking Zoya's calls?” Arjun asked as he settled himself on the swivel chair in front of Aditya.

A look of realisation came on Aditya's face and he instantly buried himself back in his laptop.

“Wo… My phone is on silent. I didn't notice…” He spoke, while slowly typing. 

“Your invitation card!” Arjun spoke, and threw the envelope lightly towards him. It landed on the laptop's keyboard. 

He glared at Arjun and picked up the envelope.

“Aarohi sent the invitation card for you and for me,” Arjun spoke, showing him his card.

“Zoya is calling you so that you can meet her and she could give you the card.” Aditya opened the envelope while hearing Arjun.

“As you didn't pick her calls and replied to her messages, she had no choice but to give your invitation card to me.” 

“What do you want to say?” Aditya asked rudely.

“Why are you ignoring her?” Arjun also asked straightforward.

Aditya closed his eyes in exaggeration and sighed.

“I am not.” 

“Hmm… That I can see…” 

“What do you want now? Can I finish my work?” 

“Zoya, me and Noor were planning how to leave for Delhi. So, we decided that Zoya will leave a week before the ceremony as Aarohi asked her to come early.” 

“So, what should I do in this?” Aditya asked rudely.

“Aren't you being too much on the edge?” Arjun finally asked, fed up of his rude behaviour. 

Aditya didn't say anything.

“Zoya wants you to accompany her. Me and Noor will reach there a day before.” 

“Why she wants me to go with her? What will I do going a week before there?” Aditya asked, not at all happy about going Delhi.

“So what? A week before or a day before. What does it change?” Arjun asked.

“Amm… Actually I am thinking not to attend the ceremony.” Arjun looked at him wide eyed after hearing him mumble.

“Now I get it! This is why you aren't picking her calls!” 

“Arjun it is not like Aarohi is my best friend or something…. We are kind of school enemies.. y-” 

“Does that even matter Aditya? She asked you personally that day to come… She even sent a card so that you could come…” 

“Arjun… ” Aditya sighed. 

“Fine… I will tell Zoya that some work came up so you won't be able to go with her. But how you will handle her, when you won't attend the ceremony?” Aditya gulped and went back to his work.

Arjun shook his head at Aditya and left his cabin, disappointed. His friend won't come back that easily and now he will have to lie for him. Wow!
_________________________

“What?! Are you coming or not?” Aarohi asked as she heard that Aditya won't be coming.

“Why won't I come? I am surely coming!” Zoya assured her.

“Haash! But why isn't he coming? I asked him personally and his friend too…” 

“His friend is coming, will reach a day before your your engagement,” Aarohi nodded, “He is not coming because he is again trying to escape.” 

“Escape?” Aarohi asked bewildered.

“I will explain you later… There is a place, I have to be right now…” Aarohi nodded.

Bidding her bye, Zoya winded up her work and left the hospital.
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Aditya was lying on the bed with his head in his Mumma's lap. Mr. Hooda was also there and they were talking. As planned Aditya was spending some time with his parents. 

“Adii… When will you marry?” Mrs. Hooda asked caressing his hairs.

“Is there any girl there who will marry me?” He asked looking up at his mother.

“We will find her. You don't have to worry…” Mr. Hooda replied. Aditya gave him a fake smile and then scowled. 

The doorbell rang and Aditya sat up immediately, grinning.

“My saviour is here!” He beamed and got up to see who is on the door.

As he opened the door, he found Zoya standing there. 

Love will find a way…
Jaaniye… Heeriye…
Love will find a way…
Jaaniye… Heeriye…

He blinked, looking at her.

She looked at him with a sulky expression and walked in.

“Humne suna aap nhi aa rhe Delhi?”
(I heard that you aren't coming Delhi…)

He didn't walk in behind her. She frowned and turned back to see him frozen at his spot. She stood in front of him and snapped her fingers. 

“Aditya….” 

‘Snap out of it Adi! She is your friend! Best friend!’ He fought with the urge of continuously looking at her. 

“Huh? Haan?” 

“Are you okay?” He nodded. 

She held his hand and started to walk in with him. 

“Aditya… Why are you not going to attend Aarohi's engagement? You know she invited you personally and this is how you are gonna reciprocate her gesture? You-” She turned around to find him again zoning out.

“Aditya!!” He jerked out of his thoughts hearing her call him out aloud.

“I don't think you are fine…” She spoke looking at him worriedly.

“Nhi nhi… I am fine….” He shook his head.

“You were saying something?”

“I asked you why aren't you coming with me?” 

“Wo… I am not able to… Some urgent work came up.”

“That's an old excuse. Tell me something new…” She spoke and crossed her arms at her chest. He looked away.

“Aditya… aap hume ek baat batayiye.. aap hamesha cheezon se bhagte kyun hai?”
(Aditya… Tell me one thing.. why you always run away from situations?)

He looked at her bewildered.

“Aditya… Till when you will keep escaping?”

“Escaping?” He asked looking at her unsure.

“Ji haan! Escaping! That's what you do! Remember when you met me in the party, you escaped from there too. I thought opening up about past will work but again.” She sighed. 

‘She is worrying for me so much…’

“Aditya… What will you do when Arjun will get married? Will you miss his engagement and marriage too? You know what! Do that! And what about you..? You don't marry, okay? Buy a farmhouse at countryside, live there with cats and dogs and do farming in backyard. You know what is the advantage? You won't need to escape from your pet cats and dogs..!” He smiled listening to her.

“Arre Zoya bete?” Mrs. Hooda spoke as she descended the stairs. Zoya turned around startled.

“Namaste aunty…” Mrs. Hooda accepted her greeting with a warm smile.

“What happened? Did Adi do something?” Mrs. Hooda asked as she heard Zoya's small monologue.

“Aunty, Aarohi is our mutual friend-” 

“Friend? Mine too?” Aditya asked, cutting her in middle. Zoya gave him a bitter smile.

“Haanji…. Your friend too!” She spoke gritting her teeth, trying to be polite.

“It is her engagement soon and she invited him personally and he is making up excuses to avoid going there…” 

“Very bad Adi! Tch… Tch..” Mrs. Hooda chided Aditya.

“Arre… Mumma wo… I have some important work here…” 

“You don't worry about work son. I will handle here…” Mr. Hooda spoke as he came down.

“Dad… Even you will need me.. you-”

“Adi, I am handling business from the time you weren't even born…” Mrs. Hooda and Zoya bit back their laugh. Aditya rubbed the back of his neck embarrassed.

Zoya leaned a bit towards him and whispered, “Now? This excuse of yours is gone down the drain… Any new excuse?” 

He looked down at her and she gave him cunning smile.

‘Cunning yet cute… How?’

“You coming now?” She asked.

“Haan haan… I am coming. Happy?” 

“Very happy… Acha… please do me a favour and book tickets to Delhi. Please…” 

“Okay… I will…” He agreed and smiled. She grinned.
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“Aditya!! Jaldi!” Zoya jumped up and down as Aditya took out their bags from the car.

They were at the airport, leaving for Delhi as decided. She finally succeeded in persuading him and he doesn't understand why, he doesn't feel frustrated about it.

Aditya hasn't gone out of city for a while now. Not even for business. After that fiasco and Pooja leaving him, Arjun took up on himself to go out for business if needed. Arjun curses himself now for doing so because whenever he asks Aditya to go out he becomes frustrated. He is completely dependent on Arjun for business trips. He avoids business trips and meeting people. He don't want to meet new people, open up to them, trust them and then get betrayed at the end. But with Zoya, everything feels fine. Why?

“Zoya… We aren't gonna miss flight…” 

“We are late!” She squealed and rushed in. Aditya shook his head at her and walked in.

As they entered in, they heard their names in the announcement.

“See! We are late!” She rushed and this time agreeing with her he followed her. 

They finally made it in time and settled themselves in the flight. Aditya sat by the window and Zoya on the middle seat. 

After the disturbing takeoff, everyone relaxed in their seats. Aditya was looking out of window. He turned to call Zoya and found her looking at him with puppy eyes.

“What??” He asked.

“I want to sit on the window side.” She spoke with a sad expression. He tried not to smile.

“It is my seat Zoya.”  He stated and relaxed more on the seat. 

“Aditya!! Exchange your seat with me…” 

“Zoya…” 

“Please…” 

If it would have been Arjun, he wouldn't have left his seat. But it was this cunning, sweet friend of his. He wasn't able to deny her. 

‘She is more handful than a child…’ He thought smiling inwardly.

‘I hope I am doing the right thing. Oh god! Please bring Aditya out of his trauma soon…’ She prayed silently. 

They exchanged seats and Zoya fell asleep keeping her head on the window glass as Aditya leaned on his seat, closing his eyes.

“Sir..” Air hostess asked Aditya for the lunch. He turned towards Zoya and found her asleep.

“No… Thank you..” He denied politely and Air hostess went back to her work after giving him a warm smile.

He gazed at Zoya for a while and tugged her hairs behind her ear. 

Mere mann yeh baata de tu..
Kis aur chala hai tu..
Kya paaya nhi tune..
Kya dhoondh raha hai tu..

‘You are like this only? Childish? Or you too...’ 

‘What are you thinking Adi?!’ He stopped himself from thinking stupid things.

Jo hai ankahi...
Jo hai ansuni...
Wo baat kya hai baata...

He gently kept her head on his shoulder shoulder without waking her up and gazed at her for few minutes.

Mitwa...
Kahe dhadkane tujhse kya...
Mitwa...
Yeh khudse toh na tu chupa...
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