Chapter Dedicated to Rudvisk Hope U like it :) 

Chapter 23

Curled up in the Bench in the Back Garden , Her arms wrapped around her Knees as She sat with her legs up in the bench . Zoya looks up as a Lone tear drop falls . Why Does everyone I meet thinks money is the only thing ever needed in life? Let it be interacting with a person of higher status or let it be her step mother who hated the very existence of her if Not for the money she gave them.

"Where the Hell Is your phone?" Aditya shouts standing behind the bench close to her making her jump startled . She runs her thumb across her cheek in an effort to wipe her tears without him noticing. She turns around to look at him frowning ,

"I am Not Deaf For you to screech! " She tells him , Adi looks at her intently and instantly He knew something was wrong if Not She would have almost pounced on him yelling .

"Is Something Wrong?" He voices out concerned moving around the bench He pushes her a bit aside to sit beside her . She scrunches her nose pissed that he pushed her ! Okay it was a slight movement but then again How Dare He?.

"Aah" She shrieks in pain closing her eyes tightly . Adi worriedly turns to look at her to see her holding her right barefoot .

"Why what happened?" He asks worriedly pulling her hands back so he could inspect what was wrong . His eyes widens to see her bleeding . She doesn't move her hands back making him irritated .

"Zoya Let me check " He tells her this time taking her hands with a force . He takes her right leg and places it on his lap as She sits sideways looking at him .

", Oh my god! Blood , What the hell did you Do Rat? Don't tell me you went to steal something to eat , You little rat " He teases her trying to ease her so she gets distracted .

"Steal is What You Do Not Me!" He stills in his place Shocked and Looks up at her but She looks away from him .

"I am Gonna try & Steal your Girlfriend " His words echo in the back of his head as he sighs , He does not reply instead He shifts his gaze to her foot .

"How did you get your foot pierced Zoya?" Adi asks awkwardly after few minutes . Zoya turns to look at him but he has his gaze down . For once She found it awkward and The Feeling of empty fills in her .It wasn't the way he speaks to her it felt more formal Which causes a slight ache in her heart.

Hearing No reply Aditya repeats his question again "How Did you Get the pieces instilled in your foot rat ? " He yells at her .

Shocked To hear the concern from his voice , masking up She tells him "You Cat Stop calling Me rat! , While Walking by mistakenly I stepped on the glass piece which was fallen in the kitchen ! " True She had been damn hurt when she got back home so frustrated changing her dress into Pj's She had walked into the kitchen to drink some cold water to calm her down but had stepped mistakenly on the glass which was fallen. Angered that nothing was in her favor for the day she had walked to the garden not even bothering to tend to the wound ! .

"What? And you did not think it was necessary to apply something? " He yells Concern dripping from his voice .

"Wait Here!" !" He tells strictly placing her foot on the bench He walks into the house as Zoya looks at his retreating from wondering what he is up to . Within minutes he was back with a First aid box .

"What are you trying to do?" Zoya yells at him seeing him placing her foot again on his lap .

He shots a glare at her meaning to Shut up . Her eyes widens seeing him taking out a piece of cotton dipped in antiseptic . When Adi was about to dab on her wound ..She shrieks loudly holding his hand .. Her eyes showing fear looking at the cotton .

"Why what happened?" Adi asks worriedly wondering he did something.

"Aditya The wound would heal if I let it be like that , I Do not need this!" She tells hurriedly pulling her foot away from his lap . In time he holds her ankle and drags it back to his lap.

"Are you mad? It might get infected if proper treatment is not given!"

"No no it will not !" She tells hurriedly then eyeing the cotton dripping with the antiseptic She tells in a shaky voice "This is not needed!" Still trying to keep her voice stern .

He raises his one brow then eyeing from her to the cotton He bites his inner cheek grinning .

"So there is Something that My Princess is Scared off !" He tells grinning , Both still in their places as the wind passes by ruffling their hairs as They look deep into each other's eyes ."My Princess!" The word passes through her body in a swift making her heart swell If She had figured out by now her feelings She would swear that She fell a bit more if possible for him , Never in her life after her mother passed away some had called Her as Princess that too MY Princess . Zoya was lost in the depths of his orbs that She failed to hear once again her brain warning against the pain which will be inflicted .

Main Tha Reh Guzar, Tu ne Thama Iss Qadar,

Ab rahi na koi bhi fikrr.

Main Tujh main Bannt lun, yun khud ko humsafar,

Reh Na Jaye koi Qasar.

Tere Bina Mera Lage Na Jiya

Tere Liye Hi Dhadke Jiya

Mere Dil Ko Tere Dil Ki Zaroorat Hai

Mere Dil Ko Tere Dil Ki Zaroorat Hai

"My – Princess !" She stammers getting her voice back ,

"No I meant the Princess Not MY !" He emphasizes but instead Zoya looks at him tenderly as She whispers again to herself "Princess! " , Adi hears her instead of answering He dabs the cotton on her wound making her yelp as She digs her nails into his both arms holding him tightly ,

"It hurts" She cries tears falling from her eyes , He Looks at her as He holds her both hands in his left palm tightly so that She doesn't try to pull his right hand away from the wound , Leaning a bit more down he blows on her wound as She opens her eyes with tears dropping .

"To heal you need to get through the pain even if it hurts !" He tells her calmly dabbing more antiseptic around the wound , She flinches as She struggles to take her hands out of his hold , He leaves the hold on her hand as Her lips hooks up in a sad smile .

"Something's never heal !" She whispers ,

"There is nothing as such Zoya it may take time but it will heal eventually " He tells her wrapping the bandage around her foot . She shakes her head disagreeing with him but decides to keep mum .

She tries to take her foot back but He pulls it back to his lap , "Your Highness , Since you have tended so dearly to my wound can I have my Foot Back?" She asks him in an over sugar coated voice .

"No You May Not ! " He replies back playing along

"Why Can't I ?Majesty ? , the Foot belongs to me!" She sneers at him

"You Dare to Respect Me ? The King? " He asks her smirking and continues "When Something Comes to Me it Belongs to Me" He continues playfully but the intensity of his words hard hit her hard .

She does not try to pull it back instead She shifts her gaze to the night sky glimmering with stars . He drinks in her angelic face as The Moonlight falls on her He follows suit gazing up at the sky.

"Thank you " She tells him breaking the silence as She turns to look at him .

"Why?" He asks her

"No one has ever tended to me after Mamma passed away !" She tells him sadly

"Papa?" Adi asks unsure

"My Papa ?" She asks him with an amused smile as He nods .

She gives him a faint smile as She says " Why would He Do that? When He Believes I am not his blood!" and She continues " Maybe I was adopted?" She questions herself more than telling him and continues "I just want to see my Real Papa Once Adi if I was adopted",

Aditya looks at her shocked that She is so open and He could see the pain in her eyes . Keeping her foot carefully down he moves closer to her and takes her palm in his as he says

"Some people Like me Do not even Know Who their Real Fathers are Zoya until Someone comes suddenly and tells you , So in that case be happy !" , She looks at him intently it is not only her who is hurt and in pain Him too She admits to herself , Her heart aching for him .

"Why didn't you answer my calls?" Adi questions her remembering why He was here in the First place . Another Fresh set off pain flashes through her eyes remembering the insults She had to go though because of Pinky and Yash Shouting at her .

Instead of answering his question She lets out the pain as She says him with a faint smile

"Anything & Everything Could be Bought or Get attached With If One Has Money Haina Adi? I was mad to think One would accept me The Real Me Who Doesn't Know Whose Blood is Running in Her Veins One , Who Was Pushed Out By the person Who She thought Was Her Father and Just a Worker Who Does More than 10 Part time jobs to have a meal ! " A drop of tear streams down her eyes as the way Pinky gave her the stack of cash comes past her eyes making her cringed inwardly and The nights she had spent outside the house in the cold pouring rain comes past her because of Her step mother who had pushed her out of the door in the night hours as She had come home without money She had been just 16 when she was made to work by her step-mother . The nights she had slept empty because her step-mother refused to feed her unless She got them money.

Without thinking Adi pulls her close to him wrapping his arms around her shoulders as She keeps her head on his chest her arms going around his waist as She closes her eyes letting the tears stream down.

Money , Money ! That Was what made him lose the people who He loved dearly , Money is What Kept him away from the people who He grew up with as They were not of Hooda status , Money is what Mr.Hooda paid them or threaten them with to cut ties with him , Money , Money , Money ! The Only reason his happy life came crumbling down . Seeing her breaking down He could understand the turmoil she is going through . For the First time This little conversation made him understand that He might have wronged her that All She needed was money but What he wasn't sure is what made Her break down as He knew She was a strong woman .

"Sshhh Zoya it is just an illusion Money is what all we need , Love is above everything Zoya !" He tells cupping her face making her look at him tears brims in her eyes as She throws her arms around him hugging him tight as if her life depended on Him , Love is all she craved since small . He pulls her close to him one hand on her head stroking her hairs .

"Meow ! Meow! , Adi and Zoya break off hearing the Cat disturbing them . They look forward to see a Fat White Furry Cat glaring at them . Zoya giggles seeing the Little Catty wiping her tears ,

"Isn't it Like you Aditya?" She tells giggling loudly

"Hell Noo!" Adi says scandalized Him looking like a Cat , No no he got it Wrong , The Cat Looking like him . Do I look so Fat like that? Or Do I Keep glaring like that?

"Yes it is !" She teases biting her lower lip making him groan inwardly , Don't Do it Zoya!

Trying to Divert his mind Adi decides to have a walk around he stands up as She follows suit but Shrieks in pain and sits again .

"Zoya!" He admonishes Seeing her giving pressure to her legs , She pouts at him

"I can't stay here the whole night!" She whines ,

Within minutes She was in his arms "You should seriously Stop doing this!" She chides him She gets a feeling of as if lifelong she wanted to be in his arms .

"Why?" He leans down close to her and smirks seeing her flushed.

"Woh..that.. I have Legs" She concludes haughtily pushing him back his closeness not helping her either rather than making her blush and locks her arms around his neck.

Adi tries to answer but stops hearing her stomach growling . She smiles at him sheepishly ,

"You are famished Woman!"

"Yes You See None gave Food for Your Rat!" She tells faking her sadness pouting .

"Aww So Let's get something for My Rat to eat and make her fat , My Rat Does not look more than a skeleton!"

"What? Me Skeleton You Hulk!" She hits on his arms angrily .

"Hulk? Come on Zoya Do I look that Ugly?" He pouts walking with her in his arms , She nods chuckling .

"Where are we going?" She shrieks seeing him walking towards the Car park "With Pj's Where is he taking You? Her Brain scoffs at her. .

***

Yash Hits his hands on the steering wheel angry and at the same time guilty for chiding Zoya when She had no fault .

"I need to apologize! ' Taking out his phone he dials her number but It says switched off .

"Shit! !" Yash mutters turning his car towards the mansion .

He walks in a fast pace hurriedly to meet Zoya "Where are you?" He mutters under his breath not finding her in the room .

***

Zoya's eyes widens surprised to see that He had taken to the Road side stall , same stall Where She had taken him when he was famished .

"Hmm Pav Bhajjii My Favorite" She moans digging in hurriedly . Adi smiles seeing her finally the glow is back on her face The reason it is him makes hid heart flutter in pride .

She looks up at him with the bhajji in her mouth and eyes him asking Why isn't he eating .

He sighs he had been so lost in Looking at her smile that He forgot What he was here in the place , Giving her a curt nod He eats his as they Keep stealing adorable glances at each other.

Adi scoops her up in his arms as She squeals shocked gathering the attention of the Vendor , He frowns seeing them Not liking the way they are affectionate that too in front of him ! .

"Put me down!" Zoya whispers chiding

"Why?"

"That Man is staring at us weirdly !" She yells at him whispering struggling to get out of his hold .

"Let him be Zoya We cannot change their thinking despite that we aren't doing anything you Know ..Wrong" He tells her mischievous playing on his orbs , A Rosy tinge creeps up along her neck as Her mind wanders to the restricted area on His lines Anything Wrong? Like ..She closes her eyes as The images flashes in front of her eyes on What He & She could Do! .

"What is your heart yelling now?" He teases her walking to the car ..

"That..!" She stammers It is not heart yelling down this time it is a projector running through my body showing what We could Do ! She wanted to shout but Could She? , She decides to keep quiet .

"Stop!" Zoya taps on his arms screeching .

"Why?" Adi asks her halting the car .

"There " She points at through the windscreen Adi follows her gaze to see the Bench in the Park , The same park and the same bench that they had stayed up for a night and He would say the best night in his life as She was in his arms !, He throws his head a bit back jerking himself from the thoughts "Best Night?" He whispers to himself Shocked , Zoya taps him again on his arms excitedly

"Come let's go!" She squeals excited as She opens the Door and runs towards the bench. Shaking his head smiling Adi parks the car and walks towards her to find her already sited . Seeing him standing She pats the seat next to her. He sits beside her pretty close to each other as they sit in silence with a grin on their face .

"Your Father Might be Missing you" Zoya gingerly tries to start . Adi's looks changes into a pain one as he says

"Then What about the years I have been missing him terribly Zoya? I had cried to sleep Zoya wanting him to come hug me and Say that He is Here ! , I wanted him to come hug me when my mother-- " He stops as a lump forms .

Seeing him gasping for breath she worriedly soothes his back and pulls him close to her as he buries his head on the crook of her neck ..

"Aditya see me , " She cups his face making him look up at her

"We Cannot change the Past Adi but we can change the future maybe your father had a reason he did not reach out to you but Don't You think You should at least Honor and pay final respects ? He was the Man Your Mother Loved Dearly Aditya , He was the reason you are here today , Isn't it?" She tells caressing his cheeks calmly .

And Seeing him looking at her She further adds "I am not gonna force you Adi , Decision is up to you! "

Instead of answering He throws his arms around her shoulder placing his chin on her shoulder he hugs her and lets out the tears as She runs her arms along his back soothing him .

***

Zoya waits at the Entrance of the Temple desperately Praying that the Boys Pull up here . Arjun gets ready for his Shoot but Zoya's words Keep haunting him .

Aditya switches on the music and starts dancing but ends up stumbling and messing on his steps pissed and irritated he runs his fingers through his cheeks.

Yash holds onto the steering wheel conflicted as His nightmare haunts him. 

***

Adi & Zoya has had their own set off pain in their lives ! Will They Be Able to Heal Each other?

Will The Hooda Boys Make it to the Memorial or is it the Last day in the Mansion for Zoya?

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That What motivates me to Keep writing