~Zoya~

The thought of getting married to someone else other than Aditya was not only painful but also devastating. Loving him since childhood was the most natural thing to do. After all he was the only person along with Dadi whom I grew up. And he being 6 years elder to me, it was obvious to have some amount of fondness.

But I know he hated me for some reason. But what I still couldn't figure out. There are so many questions I wanted to ask him but never had the guts to approach him. The more he matured, the more he distanced himself from me. He shut me out like I was some kind of cancer growing under his skin.

'Did he not feel anything for me ever?' I wondered. Sometimes I found him looking at me when he thought that I wasn't looking at him and sometimes he ignored like I don't exist.

And now? He arranged my marriage with some random guy without even asking me whether I want to marry or not. The thought pained me a lot.

For me he was everything, my happiness, my Zoya and also the reason for my existence.

Do you know the pain of loving someone who doesn't love you back? I know and trust me it's pathetic. For me he is my life and but for him I am nothing but just a responsibility maybe. I was saddened by the whole situation.

Lost in my own thoughts I sat on the parapet of the window watching the decorator guys wrap the whole mansion with fairy lights. It is my favourite since childhood. Fairy lights made me feel like I am in some kind of magical world and often gave me the feeling of being a princess, his princess. I had no idea that one day I will feel deep repugnance seeing them.

Those coupled with his favourite white orchids, airlifted from Singapore mocked my feelings even more. Look at my destiny. I am getting married on the same day as he but not with each other. The thought about seeing him taking his vows with someone else was annihilating.

I am an ordinary girl to his most popular stretcher in the business world. He is the man for whom girls go gags over. My Adi is a handsome man in his late twenties. Despite of his busy schedule he maintained a perfect balance between raising his empire and taking care of his health except that he was detected with child diabetes.

He has worked day and night to reach where he is today. The most successful man in real estate world. Trust me I am so proud of him. It really wasn't easy since he lost his mom and dad at a very tender age.

At the age when other kids played and enjoyed he had a huge responsibility on his shoulders. Taking care of Dadi and me when he was just twelve, aged him faster. Sometimes I feel he just couldn't enjoy his young age like other kids.

These thoughts trailed me back to our childhood days.

**FLASHBACK**

I ran towards the mansion as soon as the carpool dropped me near my house. My face lit up thinking of meeting him after a painful five hours of school. He was long gone for his early morning cricket practice, which meant I missed my breakfast fun with him.

He was growing very fast. Becoming taller day by day. He was also becoming very good-looking boy. I blushed at the thought. But at the same time he seemed annoyed with me all the time. I don't like how closed off he has become. He avoids me most of the time. Dadi says he is a big boy now and big boys don't play with small girls.

That day I wanted to grow big as fast as I can. So I started drinking more milk. Dadi says if I drink milk regularly I will become just like Aditya and then he cannot avoid me.

I ran across the garden almost fell in the process and hurt my legs. But I got up and continued to run. Dadi says big girls don't cry so I will not cry even though my legs hurt. I could feel my eyes prickling but I wipe if off thinking about what he might think when he sees me crying. I don't want him to think that I am still small or else he will stop talking to me.

I pushed the huge door and entered my house. It is big and beautiful. The floor is white and a huge stair case ran right from the middle of the sitting area towards the first floor where my room is which is right beside his room.

I took three steps at a time to reach his room then without asking I was about to enter when I remember he didn't like me entering his room without knocking. He was very upset yesterday when I did that.

I stopped on my tracks and lightly knocked. There was no sound. I tried once again but still he didn't reply. Very carefully I opened the door and peered inside. I found no one in the room. Frowning I went inside the room and straight went to the bathroom and found that the door was ajar.

I decided to go to Dadi's room to check whether he was there or not. Opening the door I was disappointed to find Dadi alone. 'Where was he?' i wondered.

"Dadi! Dadi! Where is Additeeya?" I asked jumping on the bed beside Dadi.

Dadi pulled cheeks playfully and made me sit on her lap. "How was your school today beta?"

"School is always boring on tuesdays", I say quickly. "Boliyena Additeeya kahan hai?" (Please tell me where is he?)

"You don't like going to school on Tuesday's because Aditya tumhare saath nahi jata hai. Aur meine tumhe kitni baar kaha hai ki uska naam Additeeya nahi Aditya...ADITYA hai". (He doesn't go along with you. And I have told you so many times that his name is not Additeeya but Aditya).

"Additeeya" I giggled mischievously. I know his name was Aditya but i love calling him Additeeya. That way atleast he responded to me.

~Dadi~

Anjana, my daughter in law suffered a miscarriage when Aditya was really small. She always wanted a girl child. The incident led her to depression. My Son and Anjana kept on trying for a baby but destiny had something else stored for them. The doctors declared that she couldn't become a mother any more. They showed it to the best but the process was unsuccessful.

She was so depressed that she stopped eating and felt sick. Her psychiatrist told my son HarshVardhan to take her to an orphanage so that she can spend sometime with other kids and maybe she can adopt someone from there.

The plan worked. Anjana started to heal slowly and then one fine day she found a cute girl named Zoya and decided to bring her home. Spending time with her she started smiling again.

Disheartened Anjana, started visiting orphan age and one day she met a very beautiful and cute girl named Zoya. After that she started smiling after a long time.

All paper works were completed and they were about to bring her home when that ugly incident happened and everybody's life changed forever, specially Aditya's.

Zoya aa to gai Hooda mansion mein but her life was no fairytale. Probably she was destined to face a life without her parents.

~Zoya~

"Bataiye Na didi?" I pouted because I was impatient.

Dadi rocked me on her lap and hugged me. "Woh abhi abhi aya hai, tum tang mat karo ussey, uska mood off hai lag raha hai", she chuckled low. (He has just now come from school and is in a bad mood)

"I am not going to disturb him. But he is not in his room".

"Tell me something, did something happen in the school today? He seemed a little upset today".

I excitedly clapped my hand tucking my loss hair behind my ears. "You know Dadi, I kissed him today in front of the whole school", I giggled then kissed Dadi on her wrinkly cheeks batting my long lashes.

Dadi was awestruck. Probably she didn't think that I would do that. But I was missing him so much that I couldn't control myself before leaping on him and kissing his cheeks soundly.

His friends were bad. They started pulling his legs and he was very unhappy because of that. He pushed me away from him after ordering me not to come near him in school.

Before Dadi could stop me I climb down the bed and ran towards the TV room. If he is not in his room then he must be in his TV room. And I was right. I entered the room without warning and there he was connecting his PlayStation.

"Additeeya!" I gave him a wide smile.

"Go away Zoya. I don't want to be disturbed now".

"That was rude Additeeya"

"You are not suppose to kiss me in the school. Don't dare to that again or else I will stop talking to you further", that's it. I started crying in front of him. It hurts like hell. 'Why he have to be so rude to me?'

"What happened Prince? Why are you fighting with Zoya?", I didn't realize that Dadi followed me. I turned towards her and started weeping hiding my face, holding her tightly.

'Dadi, today she has crossed her limit. Out of nowhere she came to my class during tiffin time to borrow a sharpener. Then she kissed me in front of the whole class saying that she loves me. Its so embarrassing Dadi", he huffed and throws his hands in air making me weep even more. "And she used the nickname Dadi. My friends left no chance of teasing me".

"That's because I really love you Additeeya", I went towards him and hugged him. "Please don't be mad at me".

He grabbed my wrist and forcibly pushed me away from him. I started crying even more.

"aah! Additeeya! It hurts", I sobbed holding my wrist.

"Dadi, please ask her not to enter here. I don't like her entering this room. Its private. I have told her many times but she will never listen to me".

It made me even sadder. He is pushing me away just because I said I love him.

"I don't like you Zoya. Please stay away from me. This is the last time I am telling you this".

I kept my eyes down. My wrist was paining a lot and after what he said I couldn't look at him.

"I don't want to get into this. Both of you deal on your own. I am done with you guys. Aditya, she is a baby. You shouldn't be rude to her. And Zoya if he is asking you not to disturb him, you should give him some space. He is elder to you you should obey his orders", Dadi left leaving both of us alone in the room.

I kept quiet and sobbed mutely when he came and took my hand to inspect my wrist.

"Let me see" I snatched it from his grip but he once again pulled it this time carefully making sure not to hurt me.

"aah!"I screamed again.

"stop being so delicate Zoya! You are not a princess". I looked at him pouting.

He started inspecting my bruises. Because he was stronger than me, his fingers left red marks on my skin. They almost looked violet on my pale white skin. I wished I had his complexion. I like his so much.

He went to get the first aid box leaving me alone in the room. After returning he held my hand and we walked towards the sofa. He took the balm and started applying it on my bruises. I found him really cute and from this proximity I could see his prickly hairs on his jaw.

Sensing my scrutiny he looked at me then thinned his eyes before concentrating back on my wrist.

Once he was done I quickly sat on his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him once again.

"Enough Zoya", he unwrapped my arms and pushed me from his lap. "Why cant you just get it".

"Par kyun? Mujhe achha lagta hai". (But why? I like it)

"Par mujhe achha nahi lagta hai". (But I don't)

I silently got up from the sofa and walked towards the door pouting. Then I remember what he said few minutes back. I turned towards him then placing my hands on my hips. "Dadi calls you prince then why cant i be princess? We stay in such a big house which is like a palace. Waise bhi mujhe tum bohot pasand ho, isiliye Dadi se meine kaha hai ki mujhe tumse hi shaadi karni hai aur kisise nahi. And after that I will become your princess". I giggled and twirled around holding my tunic. (in any case I really adore you and I told grandma that I want to get married to you and you only, so after that I will become your princess)

He held my hand and gritted his teeth then dragged me out of the room closing the door on my face.

**FLASHBACK ENDS**

A lone tear slipped. This used to be the daily scene in the house. He always threw me out of the room and i kept on visiting him despite of his ignorance. The only person i had who never scolded me was Dadi. I used to go to her and cry my heart out thinking what have i done to deserve this. I love that boy and all he did was the push me away.

I was too young to have any kind of ego. Even when he behaved like an ass I used to forget all his hurtful words during dinner time. I peeked on his food, pinched his cheeks and sometimes force him to eat something from my plate. I know he hated it but could never say anything in front of Dadi. She always supported me and scolded Aditya. I know that Dadi was aware of his behavior towards me and she sometimes tried to make Aditya understand when i was not around.

I thought maybe when we grow up he will understand and accept my feelings but i was so wrong. He had sent me abroad after i completed my school. It was the worst day of my life. I have never felt his alone. But staying away from him increased my love even more. But by that time i learnt to keep my feelings to myself because i knew by then that he doesn't return those feelings.

Upon my return things changed drastically. He became a busy man who was hardly in the house. Even during weekends either the travelled or he locked himself in his room. But he didnt understand one thing, the unconditional love that i have for him these things didnt reduce my feelings towards my best friend, at least i considered him that.

There were times i wanted to visit him but i refrained myself from going to his room because i didn't want to hear more insult and dent my self respect.

After coming back from London i engrossed myself in things that i liked and one of them was sketching. I never thought i can sketch decently but i did. My whole sketchbook is now filled with Aditya's sketches.

I loved sketching him. His hidden emotions always intrigued me, epecially his eyes.

Sometimes they were hollow, devoid of any emotions. Sometimes I could see pain in them. Sometimes there was so much hatred for me and sometimes some unknown emotions that flicked for a mere second. The only emotions I never got to see was happiness and I wish one day I could see that.

I took out the sketchbook from the drawer and ran my fingers over each page memorizing everything. My heart ached thinking how am I going to justify this marriage with Yash when my heart and soul belongs to someone else.

I checked my mehendi flipping my hand whose smell was still raw. A big heart was drawn in the center of my pain and in the center of it letter 'Y' was drawn in a fanciful marrer. It was really pretty but it was not something I wanted.

Was it me who thought that the letter seems subdued compare to the rest of the mehendi? It wasn't as bright as the other designs. Probably because I purposely dropped my tear on it when it was made. The reason behind her tear was Pooja who had kissed Aditya on his cheeks during the Mehendi ceremony.

I checked my left palm now. The design was more vibrant that the right palm. She gave a close look to her ring finger and smiled looking at the letter A.

While everybody danced in joy in my Mehendi ceremony, I secretly took a Mehendi cone and come to my room. I swirled the letter 'A' right at the beginning of my ring finger so that nobody notices and cant be kept hidden under my wedding ring.