Aditya dipped a piece of warm bread in the stew and munched it. Food, real food was so much better than junk. He had freshened up and come down for lunch. Frank and Ivy were already at the table. Zoya was getting ready in the room at the moment and would join him shortly in the dining table.
His mood was lighter, now. Zoya, currently was annoyed with him, but that was much better than her giving him the silent treatment. At least she was talking to him now.
He chuckled inwardly at what had happened in the bathroom sometime ago. When he had raised his hand to get his clothes, she thought he was going to touch her face or something along those lines. Her expression was etched in his mind- the widening of her brown eyes, the way her brows knitted together and her lips quavered ever so slightly-
Aditya ceased his train of thoughts.
What are you doing? A small voice inside his head wondered. Why are you thinking about her?
He shook his head, and focused on the meal in front of him. She would be in Dublin by tonight and he in Limerick. After today, they might never even meet and she had a boyfriend and-
He put his inner ramblings to a pause. Why was he stating those reasons to himself? It didn't even matter because there was nothing to think about. Right?
A few moments later, Zoya joined him for lunch. She was wearing a blue dress with floral prints and had let her hair down.
"So about you car trouble," Frank spoke in between bites, "It's stuck quite deep and we'll next extra hands. I will gather some people tomorrow. We should be able to get it out of the muck."
"Tomorrow?" Zoya and Aditya questioned in unison.
"Can't something be done today?" Zoya prodded.
Frank shook his head, "Small town," he answered, as if that was supposed to be an explanation in itself. On seeing Zoya's confused face, he added, "People are laidback here, there's no rush. Moreover it's Friday. No one's gonna spend Friday evening literally getting their hands dirty."
Aditya noticed Zoya's face had fallen at this.
"It's alright, dear," Ivy too had noticed Zoya, "You'll reach Limerick in no time tomorrow. Besides we have a small dinner tonight... you know... for Valentine's Day."
Zoya smiled and nodded, though Aditya could tell she was doing it begrudgingly.
"A dinner?" Aditya repeated, looking at Ivy, "If you don't mind, I would like to make something. You guys have been really helpful to us."
He saw Zoya tilt her head toward him, in what he assumed to be surprise. Ivy's face broke out in her usual, signature grin, "Oh sure dear. We'd love it. But there is another couple staying with us. Will that be okay?"
"The more the merrier," he replied, adding, "Earlier I saw a vegetable patch outside. Would it be okay if I pick something fresh?"
That made Ivy even happier, "What ever you need."
---------
Later that afternoon, Zoya brewed a cup of tea for herself and sat on a wooden bench in the small garden at the back of the cottage. Aditya was working in the vegetable patch, digging around grown vegetables and observing them intently. He had rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt and was completely immersed in the job.
Zoya studied him from afar before approaching him.
"What are you doing?" she asked, hovering over him. He was hunched down over a plant.
YOU ARE READING
In The Stars || AdiYa FF
Fanfiction#1 in AdYa (17.08 to 1.09.18) #69 in Travel (27.10.18) || Zoya Siddiqui, for the first time in her life, throws caution to the wind and goes to Ireland chasing after something she thinks she needs. Aditya Hooda, a man on a mission, is running away f...
