Zaroorat

Chapter 18

Recap:

I don't want to be stuck in this lift with you all night Mr Hooda so please help me find a way out.'

Chapter 18

Zoya's eyes were wide. Full of rage and despair at the same time. On the other hand, Aditya was stunned into stillness.

'She wants to get away from me as quickly as possible. Does she truly mean this? She can't? Right...'

Zoya continued to bang on the lift doors and press the buttons but nothing changed and the lift remained stuck where it was.

'Help! Help! Is anyone out there! Help us please!'

Bang bang bang, Zoya pummelled the door and Aditya's heart followed its beat.

Tears of distress and frustration began to roll down her face but she didn't stop banging the doors. Aditya tried to step towards her to ask her to stop. He was worried her stress would cause another anxiety attack and being stuck in a lift would be the worst place for that to happen but there was little he could do.

He inched forward and put a hand on her shoulder to get her attention making her turn around immediately and push him away hard so he hit the back of the lift.

'How many times should I say it Mr Hooda! Stay away from me! Don't you dare come near me! I have enough of you! I've had enough of all men!'

Her rage slowly started turning to despair and she began to sink to the ground on her knees. Aditya's face was also riddled with tears. The strength had left his body and so he too fell into his knees.

'Aditya please I thought you were my friend. If for no other reason then please, for the sake of our friendship please respect my wishes. Please please leave me alone. Yash didn't show me any respect and so I lost all mine for him too. Please don't do anything that makes me lose respect for you too. I couldn't handle that.'

The more Zoya spoke, the more confused Aditya became.

'Zoya, I promise I'll leave you alone but please just tell me what I did. What do you mean after everything with Kirti?! I don't understand what my fault is please. Please tell me what I did so I never do it again. Please just tell me, I won't be able to let it go.'

Zoya was vigorously wiping her tears from her face now, trying to get some modicum of control over her emotions. What could she tell him. He had always told her that he loved her but she could never say it back. What could she say to him now? What right did she have over him? How could she explain why she was upset? But she was cornered and she knew she had to say something.

'Aditya...I just can't do this anymore. You...in my life...it's just so hard for me. I don't know what to do...'

Aditya grabbed Zoya's upper arms gently, he had hurt her enough and refused to make it worse.

'Zoya please, just talk to me, please just tell me what happened and let me fix this please. You are supposed to be my best friend. Please talk to me!'

Zoya sobs muffled the words she spoke so Aditya had to ask again what she said.

'Kirti loves you.' Zoya finally whispered.