Chapter 9 Gentle Gangster

From Zoya's Point Of View

"One day I'll give a contract to kill you" I was so frustrated by him. How could he just do this to me? I hate medicines.

I saw his eyes twinkling in amusement.

"Ahh...really? and to whom you will give that contract ?" He asked in a playful tone.

I narrowed my eyes on him, to make him fear whilst he was curiously staring at me.

"To Sultan"

The moment I said, he started laughing out loudly. WHAT THE HELL!!!

He kept laughing and laughing at me.

"Why are you laughing so much? Oh, excuse me! Don't you know how dangerous he is?" I tried to scare him. Of course, everyone scares even though I don't know how he looks but, just by his mere name Sultan, the whole town shakes up. But why Sahir is laughing? He looked completely unaffected. He didn't even get one percent scared after hearing Sultan's name. I have seen people trembling after hearing his name and look at this duffer. Did I just tell any joke?

"I think you are just shocked after hearing his name and that's why you are laughing " I empathized with him. He raised his eyebrows looking at me trying to hold his laugh.

"I am serious" I looked at him very seriously.

He burst into laughter again. I could see his eyes teared up. That much he laughed. I rolled my eyes at him getting more frustrated.

"Look I'm giving you last warning"

He rested his index finger on his lips and listened to me intently.

"If you behave well then we will spend more time together but if you behave badly I'll seriously GIVE YOUR KILLING CONTRACT TO SULTAN !" I said.

I saw him smirking at me.

"Well, I don't mind both!" He winked at me and I gasped.

My purse will get broken up one day by hitting him but he will not change. He is just impossible. I just shook my head in disbelief.

"Now please open this door. I have to go to work tomorrow." I whined.

He chuckled.

"Yeah yeah famous people, famous company but don't forget tomorrow you are coming to my home," He said.

"Yes, I'm already excited to meet Zubaida Ammi and Zaki" I can't help but get excited.

I noticed his sparkling eyes and then his lips raised to corner a bit.

What's on his mind now?

The Almighty knows!

I get down from the car and waved at him then straight walked inside the hostel.

The moment Rabia opened the door, she started teasing me.

"Oh someone was not letting dear Zoya go "

"Someone was spending romantic quality time in the car"

"Oh..looks like someone enjoyed in the rains"

Someone that! Someone this!

"Oh stop it Rabia" I tried to hide my blush but Rabia caught me blushing.

She did not stop teasing me. "Ooo...someone is blushing"

"Ya Allah mercy me" I looked away.

I saw Rabia giggling and I went towards the bathroom & changed into the pair of kurta and pajama. I don't know when I got carried away while thinking about Sahir. I felt butterflies tickling in my heart. After so much happened in the past but this feeling never faded away. Every time I see him, my breathing stops for a second & I pray not to let him hear my loud heartbeats.

Being with him still makes me feel nervous. Every time I look into his eyes, it tells different stories each day. I can see the pure emotions for me in his eyes which he never hides it. But when I had to hide my feelings from him I feel very guilty & it gets more difficult for me to hide when he makes remember beautiful memories with him.

I can see the change within him. He had totally changed his ways, his style, his behavior. He has become more calm, subtle, kind-hearted. He thinks a lot. Everybody judged him in the past for being possessive but for me, it was his protectiveness and it awakens in him only when he thinks or feels someone is taking me away from him. Sometimes he gets angry too but not often. After 9 years, I feel a peaceful relationship developing between us.

But if anyone asked me which Sahir I love the most, then I think I couldn't answer it. Because I had never compared him to his past. I love him the way he is. I knew one day he will prove himself. Without any help from his father & he proved it. He became an engineer and started earning for his family. He has become the person I wanted him to become. He makes it difficult to hide my feelings anymore for him. The feelings I've kept in my heart closed, the feelings I've never shared with anyone else, the feelings I had never allowed anyone to touch, he lives in those feelings every second. He invades those feelings in my heart every day.

My Sahir!

I closed the curtains and changed my clothes. I noticed Rabia. She eyed me from tip to toe and said mischievously.

"Hmm... Someone is smiling stupidly"

This girl is too much. I slapped on her arm.

"Ouch... Zoya. Come on. It's the 21st century. No need to get shy" Rabia casually waved off.

"Rabia, you are becoming shameless day by day"

She laughed and said "What? It's a fact. I daily see so many couples around."

"Yeah but 'WE' are not like those couples. Actually we are best friends. So slow down your imaginations "

Best friends? Really Zoya? I asked to myself.

Rabia widened her eyes.

"It doesn't look like though"

I raised my eyebrows at her.

"Ya, I mean. I don't know about Sahir, I didn't even see you both together but you...I always feel that you are in love with him" She blurted.

"Wh...what are you saying Rabia" I stuttered. I feel it difficult to hide my feelings anymore.

"Okay just imagine...if tomorrow Sahir introduces you to another girl and tells you that he is in love with her, what will you do?" She asked.

This makes me feel terrible for some reason. I felt someone stabbed my heart with a knife.

Why I'm still feeling in this way? For Allah's sake, I'm also trying so hard, not to show any emotions. Even after many years, why I can't detach myself from this feeling?

"These tears are proof that you are in love with him & can't see him with someone else."

She wiped my tears. I felt so vulnerable.

"Rabia, will you stop now? I don't want to talk further" I turned away from her.

"Ok ok," After a moment of silence, I found Rabia staring at me.

I sighed.

"Okay speak"

"When will I get a boyfriend Zoya?" She asked. I couldn't hold my laughter back.

This girl always makes me laughs so hard.

"Oh come now don't laugh at me. I also want to date someone & wants to do shopping with him & party hard " she told me her desires.

This girl is very immature.

"Rabia, sit here," I said and she immediately sat beside me.

"Love is not about shopping and partying. Love is...

Love is all about giving, taking care of each other, taking out time for each other in busy days, giving priority to each other, be there for each in hard times."

Flashback

Teenage Sahir and Zoya

Zoya was sitting there alone in the college washroom. She heard the chaos and cheering on the loudspeaker outside. The college fest has been already started.

Shit! What should I do now? Whom should I tell now? She thought.

In the mess of college festivals, she forgot about her menstruation days and didn't carry any sanitary napkins with her.

Ya Allah, please send someone at me. I need help. Please. I can't even go out.

She became worried. She thought about how Sahir was excited about today's event. His favorite actress Ravina Tondon is going to visit the college fest. Just for him, she agreed to attend today's event and now this was happening.

"Zoya are you inside?" She heard a familiar boyish voice with a knock on the door.

Is that Sahir?

"Sahir? wh...what are you doing in the girls' washroom?" I felt surprised.

"I was so worried about you. I searched for you everywhere. Finally, I've found you here. Let's go. The event has been started." He said.

I hesitated to even talk to him.

"Sahir...umm...you go ahead...I can't come.."

"What?Why?" He asked me loudly.

"And yaa please send any girl here," I told him.

"What happened? I am not leaving you alone" He sounded adamant.

"Sahir, please understand. Send any girl...I need help " I said controlling my frustration.

"I'm here, tell me what help you want? The event has already started so no one is going to come here" He said,

"Sahir you can't..."

"I can...tell me"

This boy is so stubborn. She sighed.

"Sahir, my menstruations have started and I forgot to bring sanitary napkins," I told him in a hushed tone.

Oh god, this is so embarrassing! She thought and waited for his reply.

"Sahir?? Are you there ?" She asked. No reply came from the other side.

Shit. He is also gone. I think I've embarrassed him. Of course, how could he miss the chance to see Ravina Tondon live? I knew it already. He can't help me. Now sit in the bathroom till the event ends Zoya, she cursed herself.

After a few minutes, she heard a light knock on the door of the bathroom.

She heard a low voice "Zoya take this"

It's Sahir!!

She half opens the door and grabs the paper bag from his hands. She opened it and saw a pack of sanitary napkins. She took a deep breath looking at it. He bought this for me! He really bought this for me from the pharmacy! She couldn't believe it.

"Zoya hurry up I'm waiting outside," He told her and left the bathroom.

After a few mins, she stepped out of the bathroom but couldn't meet eyes in his eyes.

"Come" Sahir held her hand and started walking. She felt pain because of menstruation cramps. It made her walk slowly and Sahir to look at her worriedly. She felt because of her he is getting late to attend the event.

"Sahir...you can go ahead...Woah " Before she could tell him, Sahir bent down and held her in his arms.

"Sahir put me down, you don't have to..." I wiggled a little.

"Shushhh...don't move or else we both will fall " He balanced himself for a while & carried her in his arms outside. She realized everyone is looking at them.

"Oh my Allah!!! I can walk Sahir. Look everyone is staring at us...oh shit. Your basketball coach. He saw us. You are embarrassing me now", Her face became red but Sahir kept his face plain and unaffected.

"I don't give any damn about what others think," He said.

Her eyes widened. 'Ya Allah this boy!' She murmured.

Soon she realized both are moving towards the college exit.

"Sahir where are we going?" She asked confusingly.

"At your hostel'' He said. That made her gasp.

"No, you can't, I mean, are you going to take me there picking me up like a child?" Zoya asked.

He hummed.

"But... but...what about the event?"

He didn't say anything and walked towards his bike. He put her down.

Just for today's event he took a chance for both & asked his father's for the bike so he can ride with Zoya.

"Sahir promise me you will not do this show again!" She said. He sat on his bike and started it.

"SIT" He looked at Zoya and pointed at the backseat. She kept her hand on his shoulder and balanced herself properly behind him.

While driving, Zoya kept asking him,

"Sahir, why we are going to the hostel? You don't know the warden, she is rude. What about the event? What about Ravina Tondon? You wanted to meet her"

"Let me ride peacefully Zoya," He said in a very caring tone.

After reaching the hostel, both went inside.

"Sahir, you can still go and attend the event, " I told him.

He looked at her stubbornly. "No Zoya. I'm not leaving you alone especially when you are in a need and I don't care about any event or any actress, because for me, nothing is more important than you !"

Zoya couldn't help but admire her best friend. He missed the event for me! He missed the chance to see his favorite heroine for me! She thought.

"Now tell me are you hungry?" He asked.

"Yes very much" Zoya smiled at him.

"Ok then what do you want to eat? Chef Sahir is ready to serve anything you want" He bowed down and looked up. She laughed at him. "Idiot, how are you going to cook here?"

"I know your warden is off duty today," He said excitedly. Her eyes slowly widened in a warning,

"Sahir!!! Don't tell me you... "

"I am going to cook only for my Madam Madonna" Sahir marched towards the kitchen & Zoya also followed behind him.

"Sahir Sahir, I am not hungry, let's go from here," Zoya said in a fear of her warden.

He picked the apron "Naah, I know you are hungry"

"What if the warden catches us?" Zoya asked him nervously.

"Only if she gets to know...now stop worrying and come help me," He said.

"Ok let me also help you too...Ouch," Zoya held her stomach as a cramp hits her again.

Sahir looked at her worriedly "Zoya! What happened?"

"Umm...cramps!" She told him hesitantly.

Sahir immediately scooped her up in his arms making Zoya gasp in surprise again.

''What are you doing? I can walk Sahir."

"Yes I know you can but I had noticed you in pain before so..." He delicately placed her on the couch.

"So I gathered all information about this and I got to know that, you should rest and eat healthy food." he brought some cushions and placed it near her, she immediately gets comfy. He grabbed the remote and turned on the tv.

"Besides who will miss a chance to pick you up in arms?'' Sahir said.

Zoya narrowed her eyes at him "Are you flirting with me?"

He chuckled.

"I will prepare something for you to eat" He goes inside the kitchen and she starts watching movies.

The channel was showing Gangster movie starring Kangna Ranaut & Shiney Ahuja.

Soon Sahir stepped out wearing an apron from the kitchen with three dishes on neatly balanced on his both wrists & a glass of juice on his one hand. He placed it in front of her.

"Your Highness.food is ready!" She giggled and wandered her eyes on the food. He has cooked a grilled chicken sandwich. On another plate, fruits were neatly chopped with fresh cream poured on it. On the third plate, seeing Chocolate waffles, the delicious smell filled in her nostrils. Her mouth watered.

Zoya looked at him adorably, while he sat beside her. She happily started eating.

She took a bite of the sandwich,

"Yummy" she moaned while chewing. Sahir chuckled at her reaction and continued watching the movie.

After a while, a very emotional last scene starts playing on the screen. Kangna meets Shiny Ahuja the gangster of the movie in the jail, the day of his death sentence. Zoya was done eating. Meanwhile, she heard sobbing while watching that scene.

"It's just a movie Sahir"

"How could she cheat on her husband, and how could he forgive her just like that?"

Sahir stared at her yearning for an answer.

"Because he loves her Sahir & even though he is a gangster, she loved him" Zoya smiled at him.

"Love! " His eyes sparkled when he looked at her in a realization. He finally understood the scene.

Zoya pushed the pillows aside and was about to get up but Sahir stopped her.

"Wait where do you want to go?"

She pointed her fingers at upstairs. "In my room"

He scooted closer to her, she quickly blushed feeling the sudden closeness between them. He stared at her for a while and she lowered her gaze.

He scooped her up in his arms bridal style and got a little unbalanced.

"Damnn Zoya you are heavy" He was ready to receive her hit.

She hits her hand on his chest. "Shut up" He chuckled over her. She couldn't stop herself from blushing. He climbed up the stairs carefully. After stepping inside her room, he softly placed her on the bed & arched his back."Grrrr, your weight" He received another fist hit from Zoya. He rubbed his neck.

"But I like the way you are, do not ever change'' He mumbled.

''Hun?'' Zoya looked at him confusingly.

Sahir covered her with a duvet."Nothing..you take rest now."

"Are you leaving ?" She asked.

"If I stay more, my back will get permanently broken" He chuckled. She gave him a look.

"Shut up idiot" Zoya snapped at him. He walked out of her room.

Zoya giggled remembering what he said, "He likes the way I am" She blushed. She felt an unknown feeling waved in her. After seeing his care, she felt something different. She closed her eyes and immediately his face appeared in front of her. What is happening to me? Zoya asked herself. She never experienced this feeling before. With the feeling, she dozed off. Little did she know, Sahir was still there outside her hostel. What if she needs something? He thought and sat there.

-End-

"Zoya?? Where are you lost?" Rabia patted on my arm, bringing me back from the memories.

I looked down trying to hide my blush and shook my head.

"Well, the way you described the true meaning of love made me think, that you surely fell in love with someone in your past" Rabia winked.

I rolled my eyes at her. "What rubbish!! Let's just watch TV" I tried to change the topic.

The moment Rabia turned on the tv, I felt my heart jumped. Gangster movie was showing on the channel. I quickly grabbed the remote and was about to change but Rabia stopped me.

"Hey wait, it's an amazing movie. Have you watched it? You should if you haven't " She said.

"I'm going to sleep Rabia. Tomorrow is going to be a very hectic day " I can't take it anymore, these feelings are slowly filling up every inch of my heart.

"Ok, Zoya. Good night"

I covered myself & tried to sleep. As soon as I closed my eyes, I saw Sahir smiling at me.

I immediately opened my eyes again felt those same old feelings.

Then some lyrics of songs fell on my ears.

"Dil main hain kya

(Tell me what's in your heart)

kuch to bata

(Tell me everything)

kyu hai bhala

khudase khafa"

(Why you are upset with yourself?)

I think I can never stay away from my feelings for him. I still love him. But I knew I can't let these feelings overpower me again.

With lots of difficulties, I closed my eyes but then something flashed in front of me. Something very dangerous. Something I have been always running away from.

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