~Zoya~

I stood rooted on the floor, flabbergasted about the whole turn of events. He just slid the ring in my finger, his mother's ring, damn it. The weight of the event was too much to bear which made me slump on the floor with a thud. Will he realize what has he done just now? He just got engaged with me and that too a day before my actual engagement with Samrat.

I couldn't make myself to see the ring because I was too overwhelmed to witness it. Closing my eyes I try to recapitulate the event. He was looking into my eyes when he slid the ring against my finger. He couldn't hide possessive demure from me. I opened my eyes to see the ring that he made me wear the diamond that seated in the middle winked at me as if mocking about the whole situation.

I felt anger and rage and wanted to open and throw it away. Who does he think he is? He might be some Aditya Hooda but he is no one to me. Who am I kidding? He is everything to me. Yes, still now he is everything. I got up from the floor and walked towards the bathroom repeatedly trying to open the ring. I rinsed my hand with soapy water so that the ring slid easily but my effort seems futile. It didn't move an inch from its location. Frustrated I stopped trying after a few minutes, my entire finger turning red due to friction. I knew if I try further my finger would come off.

I came and sat dejectedly on the bed and my tears have no bounds. The ring looks beautiful as if made for me. It sat perfectly on my finger despite its tightness. And moreover, my Arnu made me were it. I couldn't stop myself from kissing it. My lips quivered as I touched the icy cold diamond. "Why mumma why, why does he think that I am responsible for you and baba's death? I don't know what have I don't get rejected by the person whom I love the most in this world?

Feeling helpless I cried more. He has no right to give me this ring. And tomorrow I am going to become someone else's after which he will lose all the rights on me. I smiled sadly. Finally, Zoya will be wiped away from your life Arnu. Isn't it this what you wanted since I entered this house? Your win Arnu, you win.

**

~Aditya~

I entered the room in rocket speed trying not to remember what just happened. Suddenly everything was becoming suffocating so I switched on the air conditioner and the fan together. Taking out chilled water from the refrigerator that was inside my room I undid the second button of my shirt. However, nothing seems to work. I took the car keys from the drawer and thought of getting some fresh air.

I met dadi midway. She tried to ask me the reason, seeing my discomfort. But I was in no mood to talk to her reason being I was still mad with her about the ring. Without any reply, I walked towards the exit when the door banged against my head. The impact was so hard that I had to take a few steps back to regain my balance.

It was the decorator who entered the house. I was so freaking angry that instantly I held his collar and pushed him. Poor thing got so scared that he covered his face thinking that I might hit him. 'What has gotten into me that is making me act like a barbarian?' I thought.

I mumbled an apology and was about to leave the house when Dadi stopped me. "Aditya, wait"

She tried to hold my hand but I ignored. "You can't leave like this," she started to fuss.

I held her that that touched the area of impact on my forehead. "Dadi, I am just fine. And I want some time alone. So Please."

"Tu itne bhi bare nahi ho gaye ho ki tum apni Dadi ki baat na mano." (you are not old enough not to listen to your grandmother).

"Oh my god! You are bleeding beta" (son)

"Please dadi, this is just a cut. I request you to permit me to go out or else I will die in suffocation."

"Don't act like a teenager Aditya, I thought you knew it better than if you leave the wound like this there are chances of septic. And moreover, you and Zoya have your engagement tomorrow. You cannot expect me to allow you to go out now before tending the wound."

My irrational mind thought of the sentence 'And moreover, you and Zoya have your engagement tomorrow'

"Why are you looking at me like I have grown horns?" dad said while tending my wound.

"I am not getting engaged to her Dadi"

She took my hand and walked towards the sofa. "Why do you think I was referring both of your engagement? Well, you both are getting engaged on the same day except with different people." She shrugged. "I meant that only."

No matter how much she tried but she couldn't muffle her laughter by calling Zoya.

"Zoya bitiya! Zoya! Kahan reh gai yeh ladki? Lagta hai she is busy pampering herself for the engagement".

"Why are you calling her dadi?" trust me when I say that I didn't like the pampering part a bit.

"Well hamesha woh hi tumhare chot ka khayal karti ai hai na isiliye", she said as the matter of fact.

There she was standing lifelessly on the top of the stairs. "Haan Dadi?" But it was just for the fraction of a second. When her eyes fell on me the panic was evident. She did a good job hiding her concern but failed in my eyes because I know this girl in and out. 'Great job woman,' I thought. We will see how long can you pretend this 'farak nahi padta hai.'

~FLASHBACK~

"Zoya beta! ZOYA! Jaldi ayo beyta" dadi screamed.

My dadi is too much. Sometimes I felt so embarrassed. Today at the ground I fell down while playing cricket and hurt my knees. It wasn't that bad, I mean the cut. But yeh log ghar ko sar pe utha liya hai. When two women are fussing one should keep their mouth shut. This is what I have learnt in my 16 years.

She saw me and bolted from where she stood. Taking three steps at a time she hopped down the stairs to reach me.

"Chiku! Dadi kya huya Chiku ko?" In no time she was helping me to get settled on the sofa.

"Chiku! Kya huya?" her thick tears made me turn my face.

"He fell down on the ground while playing cricket.

No way I wanted dadi to expose this in front of her. Its embarrassing after all.

I politely removed her hand and mumbled a thank you, silently asking her to leave. But then Zoya being the girl she is, she threw herself on me and started crying. She didn't realize she was choking me to death.

"Chiku...why cant...you...take...care of...yourself?" she sobbed.

The next thing she did is try to pull the track pants, which was fixated with the wound. I held her hands to stop but she removed my hand with her free one.

I knew the wound was bad but being 16 years old I tried to be bold but failed when she exposed the wound. I tried to muffle my oomph and was successful in doing so.

The hell break loses when Dadi saw my wound. She started to call doctors while Zoya sprung towards my room after wiping her tears.

"Zoya! Zoya! Where are you going? Careful dear" Dadi screamed behind her.

**

Upon coming back with the first aid kit, she tied her long hair in a loose bun and opened the box. Taking a good amount of cotton she poured some spirit and started cleaning the wound.

I couldn't control the pain anymore. "Ouch!" came out from my mouth the moment the cotton touched the cut. She too hissed sensing my pain as if she was feeling the burn. She immediately started blowing onto you wound and I could only stare at her innocent face. My hand itched to touch her head but my ego stopped me.

She slowly picked up her long lashes and looked at me making a puppy face. Softly she asked, "Is it still burning?"

Seeing her eyes filled with tears that too for me was heart wrenching, "Not anymore."

She gave me a weak smile and completed dressing the wound.

Once the bandage was done she kissed me on my cheeks and mumbled, "take care" and ran towards her room ignoring my protest.

~FLASHBACK ENDS~