FROM NEVER TO HAPPILY EVER!

14.

Noor's POV

"Princess, how did you get hurt?"

"It's nothing bade papa. I was just removing a bottle of perfume and it slipped out of my hands", I reply with a sheepish expression. Everybody has been asking me just that ever since I came down from my room.

" Noorie has always been the careless one among the two. Izaan always had to look out for her so that she did not get hurt."

"Papa, you are making it sound like I am still a kid. I am a big girl now." I say firmly and all of them laugh. I huff and fold my hands on my chest, they never take me seriously.

I see Zaan coming from his study. He comes towards the dining table where all of us are having dinner, occupying the only empty chair beside me. It was always like that since we were kids.

He turns his plate and puts some curry on it, taking one piece of tortilla. I frown, why is he eating so less. I noticed at the penthouse also, he either doesn't eat regularly or eats very less. I had resumed cooking the day I came back from Ashfa's.

I took the cooked vegetables and put them in his plate. I also put a few more pieces of tortilla there. Once I am satisfied he has enough on his plate, I put apple juice from the jar into his glass. He needs the right proportion of nutrition in his system.

I look up to set myself a plate and notice all eyes are on me, even Zaan had stopped eating to look at me. My cheeks flush and I duck my head down due to embarrassment. Everyone chuckles and continues with thier eating, the chatter resuming on the table. I finish eating fast, trying to get out of here without any more stupidity. I mean, I should have been more inconspicuous while putting food in Zaan's plate.

I finally finish food and rush out into the garden. I sit on the huge  stone located at the end of the garden from where the moon is visible clearly. People are right when they say time flies fast. It feels like just yesterday when I was a kid dreaming about being a doctor, who wanted nothing but her stethoscope in one hand and Zaan's in the other. I have always admired him from when I was a toddler. There was something about him that caught my undivided attention. The way he carried himself, how he dotes over his mother, his possessiveness towards his family, even the way he owned up to his mistakes whenever he made them, he never reacted harshly even once when bade papa scolds him.

For me as a kid, he was a source of inspiration, as an adolescent my biggest crush, and as I slowly grew into the woman I am today, he became my world. He was always what I dreamt  of, as cliche as that sounds. And when he finally became mine, I thought I had more than half the battle. But guess not, he was a stubborn man to convince but I was no less. I did everything that I could and even couldn't do to woo him.

I guess that's where I went wrong, I went overboard with it. You cannot force a person to love someone. That's the beauty of it, it just happens. It completes you but at the same time leaves you vulnerable. I was afraid. Afraid of being anymore vulnerable that I decided it was better to hurt him back.

I still remember the horrified expression on his face when he saw me leaving home with Riz on his bike. I didn't think it would effect him as much as it did. I thought he wouldn't  even notice my change of clothing. But he did, and he reacted in the way I never imagined him to. He was behaving possessive. I couldn't even grasp his reaction properly and threw my thoroughly practiced remarks at him. I had never even spoken to him harshly much less in that condescending tone.

The way he punched that guy to death, when he tried grabbing me. I was dumbfounded at how damn protective he was in the bar, Riz was right beside the stage when it happens but he wasn't quick to spring to action as fast as my Zaan came. Even though the site of him punching that guy was scary, some part of heart fluttered at the fact he was so alarmed. I wanted to hide in his arms forever that night. I still remember how badly I wanted to turn back towards him in the bed and curl myself into him. But something stopped me. Like dadima said, it was my ego.

Even though I was in the wrong and responsible for what happened, I refused to take the blame. Zaan protected me and provided me a sense of security but I rejected him so mercilessly. My evil side was in full form that day.

Oh my god, it is now I am realising!

Zaan said he never cheated on me. Infact, he followed me to the cafe that day when that bitch stuck to him. Damn it!! How could I not recollect this important piece of information earlier. I messed up the little chance I had with him, didn't I ?

I run back into the house, rushing towards our room. Zaan please be awake, please be awake. I slowly open the door only to see him sleeping on the bed. His eyes are closed, I think he is sleeping.

I settle down towards my side of the bed, turn towards him. His one hand is over his forehead and the other folded on his stomach. I take the one on the stomach and place it on the pillow. Then slowly bend to keep my head on his arm putting mine around him. I snuggle closer to him, inhaling his sweet smell. I place a kiss on his chest which seems to startle him awake.

He raises his head to peer at me and then the next second he is pushing me  away from him. I  sit up quickly, he is already out of bed.

"What are you doing? Stay away from me", he warns me sternly and turns towards the door. Before he turns the knob,  I hug him from behind. My hands going around his waist. I wrap them around him firmly.

"Please don't leave me alone here. I was just trying to sleep."

He jerks my hands away, striding out of the room. Shit! I messed up big time.

I have to apologise to him when I get the chance. What did I do in my anger. Please help me god.

Next Morning.

Durrani Mansion

"Place that box of chocolates on the uppermost corner. Yeah, right there.
And that carton is filled with pieces of fabric. Keep it with the sarees. Done"

"Noorie, take a break beta. Dont worry, everything is settled and everything that we give away has already been placed in the vehicles. Now all you have to do is go and sit at your place in Izaan's car. Okay?"

"Okay taima, I am going."
I nervously walk towards Zaan's Mercedes and get in the passenger seat. We are all heading to Dawer, our native place. Every year we make a visit to the place before Ramzan and on Eid.

Zaan starts the car. The other family members are in the next car behind us. I slightly turn towards him, he is having a blank expression as usual. His signature messy hair at it's best and that slight stubble is enough to make me wek in the knees. I want to talk to him, but I don't know how to start a conversation. After yesterday, I don't think he even wants to see my face.

He has been driving for three hours straight now. The midday sun present in all its glory, I can see sweat forming on Zaan's forehead. I turn on the AC. I remove my kerchief, turn towards him and wipe his sweat. He seems surprised, I pass the water bottle to him but he just shakes his head.

I open the cap and tilt the bottle towards his mouth, " Come on! You need water in this heat. "

He bends forward and drinks from the bottle. He nods after he is done and I withdraw my hand. Finally after a few more hours of driving we reach Dawer. There is a cottage that our family owns here. I come out of the car stretching my limbs.

"Noor ji!! You are finally here. I was waiting for you", I turn around hearing Sameer's voice to find him standing there with a bouquet of flowers. He is smiling widely at me.

"Fuck!", I hear the curse from behind me and giggle.