He moved closer to her, circling his arms round her waist tighly. This was after ages he was holding her so close. It really felt like a dream. But he was just drowning deep into her.

"I am sorry Zain." She snuggled into him, sobbing.

"Why are you sorry? For hurting me? Or for pretending to love me?" He asked, not letting her go.

May be their arms were the only place where they could sort it out. May be.

"I... i never pretended. I actually love...."

He interrupted,"No! You never loved me. Kyun ke jahan pyaar hota hai wahan insecurities nahi hoti." He was calm. But the pain was audible.

Her sobs came to a halt.

"You are wrong. I can prove."

"Okay. Prove then." He said.

"Avni was insecure though she loved Neil." She rubbed a tear while removing his hand from her waist and intertwining it with her own.

"Will. You. Please. Stop. Comaparing. Avni. With. My. Aditi?" He stressed on each amd every word.

Her lips curved up in a smile. He spoke her name, just now. She loved it.

"Thank you." She said, biting her lower lip.

"Haan?" He was taken aback by her sudden thanks.

"For calling out my name. It sounds so beautiful." She smiled.

"Stop it please. You cannot still pretend." He spoke sternly.

"Are you for real? How many times do I have to say that i never pretended.?" She was serious too.

"Whatever." He ignored.

"You cannot avoid it. You don't believe in me?" She spoke, drawing random patters over his palm.

"As if you did." He shot back, albeit clamly.

"Zain." She called out.

"Don't leave me please." She continued.

"What about you then? You did." A tear rolled down his cheek.

"I know. I also know that you will never." She spoke, looking up at him.

"Hah! Wow. You know I can." He spoke and began getting up to leave when she grabbed his arm.

"Tum yehin raho. Mein jaati hun." She spoke, getting up.

"Nahi jaao please." She heard him say as she was about to step out of the bed.

Smiling, she turned back and ran to his arms.

"I wanna feel you just for this particular night. I want to sleep peacefully." He added to which she realized he hadn't forgiven her yet. But she was still happy. This was all she wanted.

They dozed off in each other's arms feeling relieved after a long time.

***

"Yaar. I can't do this. I cannot work with her again!" Zain said for the tenth time, pacing in the living room.

"And why can't you?" Abhi asked, grabbing his shoulders stopping his unnecessary movements.

"Because.. Just that. I don't know." Zain added.

Abhi sat near the opened laptop on the table and began typing something which went unnoticed by Zain.

---

"Thank God koi tou opportunity mili. I will try to make it up now." Aditi spoke, thumping down on the couch.

She had come to visit Poonam, Gulfam and Nupur. Though they had been very hurt, they couldn't be longer upset with this bubbly lady. Some confronations were there, but they had forgiven her. And just like that, they were helping her for making it up for Zain.

"Will it be easy Adu?" Nupur asked, concerned.

"I think so." Poonam added.

"I know he wouldn't be upset any longer just like us." Gulfam spoke, sitting beside Aditi.

---

"She will be all there. I can't." Zain spoke again.

"Bhai!" Abhi called put smilingly.

"Kya hai?"

"Done!" Abhi exclaimed, clapping his hands loudly.

"Whhhhaaaattt?" Zain came running and his senses came to an abrupt stop when his eyes traveled to the laptop screen.

"Abbhhhhiiiiiiii!" He slapped his back.

"Kya!! I have just replied to the email. You will have to join this new project. With your Avni!" Abhi stated teasingly.

"This is not done yaar!" Zain was irritated but thinking something, he didn't object more.

---

"Done!" Aditi cheered pressing the ENTER key.

"Good" they all clapped their hands in unison.

"Fans are gonna get AdiZa back!!" Gulfam said, happily.

"Even we are the shippers. We should be happy! No?" Poonam teased eyeing at a blushing Aditi.

***

They stood in his balcony when she came to discuss about the new project that they both had signed together. He prepared some coffee for them and now they were staring at the moon.

"I hope our professional and personal life doesn't get miffed together." Zain spoke, looking at the starry sky sipping his coffee.

"Of course. I will make sure this doesn't happen. We have to be 'good friends' then?" Aditi replied with a tinge of playfulness, her eyes fixed on his face.

"Whatever. Well, stop staring." He said sternly.

"Why should I? My eyes, my rules." She moved closer to him, their arms brushing. His face shined in the moonlight.

"Okay. Don't. Do whatever you want." He said, moving away.

She moved even closer. He moved away. This followed for many times when finally he found his right arm pressing against the wall beside him. He couldn't move away. Taking it as an opportunity, she inched even more closer.

"A.D.I.T.I" his voice was restless.

"Yes my love?" She asked grabbing his arm.

"This is not affecting me." He squeezed his eyes, trying to free his arm from her grip.

"I know. But this is doing good to me. And I am selfish." She spoke, tightening her hold.

"Dare you call yourself selfish again. You are perhaps the most selfless person I have ever seen on the face of this Earth." He said all in one go.

"See. Even my words affect you. And you say I don't affect you." She smiled, kissing his arm from above his shirt.

He closed his eyes feeling her lips. She smiled looking up at him. His breathing pace increased, deepening her smile.

"And you say I don't affect you." She whispered in his ear, pressing a kiss on his cheek.

He tried to fake his calmness but she knew him inside out. She moved to face him in front. Their chests crashed and he gasped.

"You cannot take the lead that easily. You cannot decide things on your own always." He hardly mumbled, trying to pull back as much as he didn't want to.

"Firstly, I have not taken the hold yet. Secondly, I have not decided anything yet. Thirdly, don't try to pull back. Fourthly, I know you want to stay right here, in my arms." She spoke, drawing random patterns on his cheek.

He couldn't say anything. He wasn't in a state to. He was melting in her hold though he didn't want to.

"Zain." She called out.

He looked at her helplessly.

"You can't be more upset." She pressed a feather light kiss on his forehead, lingering her lips there longer than required.

He gulped the lump forming in her throat. His arms were still beside his own body.

She pressed herself more into him, still drawing circles over his chest. Smiling, she started to unbutton his shirt.

"Ad..Aditi.. what are you doing?" He gasped, trying to remove her hands.

She shushed him and opened the first three buttons of his shirt.

Putting her head near to his heart, she inhaled sharply.

"Remember I told you this heart beats for me?" She asked, but didn't wait for his answer.

She continued,"You cannot hear. But I can. In between it's every systole and diastole, I can hear my name." She curled up inside him like a baby. He rubbed a tear forming in his eyes.

"Aditi. Please." He pleaded, trying hard not to melt inside her. It wasn't that easy. It shouldn't be.

She pressed a lingering kiss on his chest, right where his heart lay. Cuddling up more inside him, she rubbed his silent tears slowly with her thumb.

"Aditi." He called out.

"Hmm." She hummed in response.

"Leave me." His stern voice made her stutter in his embrace as she pulled back, looking at him.

He grabbed her hands on his arms and slowly yanked them away. She kept on reading his glassy eyes. She was still so close to him and all he could do was step beside. Even before she could comprehend, she saw him walking inside the living room and then disappearing into the darkness of his room.

"I lost it." She uttered, lots of tears flowing inside her. She didn't dare to let the tears flow from her eyes, she had to be strong. God knows, how many tears had she drank inside her to quench her thirst.

Forcing a smile on her face, she left his apartment only to enter hers.

She could be happy just because she had a chance to be so close to him. At least, she should be happy for the way he responded, he was trying to control himself as he never wanted to melt.

That is what made her sleep with peace that night. After all, that was her. The girl who finds happiness in the minute things.