Adiya FF || 7 Days, 7 Reasons || Aditya | Zoya | Bepannah |Bepannaah |Bepanah

Prologue.

The night was dark. It was drizzling and I got ready to go out for a walk as per my routine. It had been my routine to distract myself from the thoughts of her but didn't usually work. She had been on my mind and heart since the day I saw her and she'll always be there, in my heart, where she belongs. Though she doesn't know about it and I might never get the opportunity to tell her that because I don't have time. You must be wondering who she is?

She's the girl with a heart of gold and is the most beautiful in the entire universe. She's full of life and very optimistic. Her father had always treated her like a princess. She's the purest soul on the earth. She finds positivity in any negative thing that happens in her life and that's what attracts me the most about her. She's kind. She's bubbly. She's Zoya Siddiqui. Oh sorry,now Zoya Yash Arora.

I'm next door neighbor but I wonder that is she even aware of my existence. I could have told her about my love for her but an awful truth stopped me to do so. I could never hurt her. I can't even think of that.2

I was walking down the lane when my eyes got stuck on a girl in the center of the road. A car was coming from the other side in full speed. My heart raced. I thought I knew who she is and the tattoo on her back made me sure. Not caring about my life, I jumped on the road and pulled her. We rolled to other side. She became unconscious. Her body was lying lifelessly and dried tear marks were visible on her cheeks. My heart clenched at the sight.

XXX.

I put her on the bed and covered her from the blanket. The thought of Zoya attempting suicide shocked me to the core. I looked around the room and found everything scattered. I looked at her and my heart sank. Her face looked pale and it looked like that she'd been crying for days. A tear rolled down my eye. I quickly rubbed it off.

Zoya slowly opened her eyes and tried to comprehend where she was. She looked around and then finally her eyes settled on me. She tried to get up and I made her sit. Confusion was clearly visible on her face. 'I didn't die?' She asked with ever so soft tone. 'No, you didn't.' I replied. Her eyes glistened with tears and it hurt me. The spark was missing from her eyes and was replaced with tears and hurt. 'Zoya, what were you trying to do?' I asked sitting beside her. 'Who're you?' Her question stabbed my heart like a knife. I knew she doesn't know me. 'I'm Aditya Hooda, your next door neighbor. The boy you never noticed. You can call me Adi.' I replied hiding the hurt. I was too expert in it. 'Ohh, I'm sorry. I didn't know.' 'It's fine. There's no need to say sorry.' 'Why did you save me?' She asked, her voice trembling. 'I didn't save you. I saved myself, Zoya.' I replied and she looked at me with utter confusion. 'What do you mean by that?' 'Nothing. Now, tell me why were you attempting suicide? What's wrong with you?' I asked and this question broke her.

She broke down into tears, her voice trembling. My heart clenched seeing her crying. I neared her trying to comfort her when she hugged me. Her arms snaked around my neck and her face hid in my chest. She'd never been so close to me. Her closeness did strange things to me. I placed my hands on her small back. My vision blurred because of the tears. I was able to feel her pain. Something was surely wrong or else Zoya wasn't the crying one whatever maybe the problem.

'Zoya, what happened?' I asked. She suddenly pulled herself away from me, confusing me. She started at me blankly. Her face devoid of any emotions. 'Adi.' She spoke and I swear my name never sounded so pleasant. 'I'm listening, Zoya.' 'He, he cheated on me. He cheated on me, Adi.' She told and again broke down. I was too shocked to react. How could he hurt her. How could he cheat on her? If he was in front of me, I would have killed him for hurting Zoya. I took her face in my palms and rubbed her tears. 'Don't waste your tears for him. He's not worth it.' 'I loved him so much that I even left my family for him and what did he do. He broke me. Why did you save me? You should've let me die. There's nothing and no one I would live for.' She said painfully. I held her hands in mine and looked at her. 'Life doesn't end by someone's betrayal. It's your life and you don't have the right die for someone who never loved you. Life is like an ice cream so enjoy before it melts.' I tried to make her understand because I knew the importance of life. 'Enjoy. Seriously? Are you kidding me? I have no one, Adi.' 'You have me, Zo.'

'What did you just call me?' She asked and I didn't know what she was talking about. 'What?' 'The last sentence.' I realized she was talking about me calling her Zo. 'I'll never call you again by this name. I'm sorry.' I apologized thinking that I hurt her. 'No, I did like it. No one has called me Zo before.' 'So, I'll call you Zo from now. Is that fine?' I asked. 'Adi, why are you doing this? Just don't.' She pleaded.

'I'm doing nothing. I'm just trying to make you understand. Someday someone is going to look at you with a light in their eyes you've never seen. They'll look at you like you're everything they've been looking for their entire lives. Wait for that.' I said and she sighed. 'Adi, you don't know what I'm going through.' She said. 'Zo, you don't know what I'm going through. But that doesn't mean I'll desolate myself from the world.' I told her, my eyes on the floor. 'So, what do you want me to do?' She asked.

'I want you to look at life with a different perspective. Get over him. He was not worth your love nor is he worth of your tears. Your life is very important. It might not be for you but there are people around you who loves you, who cares for you. No one knows the importance of life except the person who's dying.' I was somewhat successful. She was quiet, trying to fathom my words.1

'Fine, I give you 7 days Adi and in those 7 days you'll give me 7 reasons to live. More precisely, you've 7 days to change my decision of attempting suicide.' 'Wow, that's nice. I like the idea.' I was on cloud nine. Zoya was going to be with me for 7 days. What could be better than this? 'But you've to make a promise.' I said. 'Promise?' 'Promise me, you'll not fall in love with me.' I smiled albeit painfully. How much I wanted her to be in love with me. How badly I wanted her to be called mine but that wasn't possible in this lifetime. 'Huh? Are you even serious? Where did love come in between?' 'It was always in between.' I laughed trying to hide the pain I was going through. 'I promise, I'll never fall in love with you.' She said and I felt a sharp pain in my chest. Her lips straightened and she stared at me as if asking the reason for it. I can never tell her the reason.

_FilleSilencieuse_

Reason# 1: Family.

XXX.

Aditya had slept while Zoya lied in bed thinking about the recent happenings in her life. She thought her life has ended. She knew that he won't be able to save her or prove her that life is worth living in just 7 days but deep down in heart she wanted him to. She wanted him to save her. She didn't know why. Her mind wandered to the promise Aditya had taken from her. Her brows furrowed thinking about it. She didn't know why did he want to save her. She wanted to know.

XXX.

The sun rays peeped in through the curtains breaking the not-so-peaceful slumber of Zoya. She tried to open her eyes but they were so heavy because of all the cryings in the past days. Her head hurt. She finally succeeded in opening her eyes and looked around the room. She found the room empty. Aditya was nowhere to be seen.

She feared that he also left her. Being alone was somethung she dreaded the most. Her eyes got stuck on the table beside the bed where the breakfast was kept with a sticky note placed on the table. She took out the sticky note and it read,
"Had to go out for some important work. Don't panick. Will be back soon. I've made breakfast for you. You have to have it.
Aditya."
The note instantly brought smile to her face. The fact that she was cared was enought to make her happy. Her smile soon vanished as the flashes of Yash crossed her mind. Her eyes flooded with tears.

For an instance, she had forgotten that Yash ever existed. She was living, living in the moment with Aditya. But his thought was enough to make Zoya do the unthinkable. Tears threatened to spill out of her eyes. She felt her head would explode. She held her head with both of her hands.

Zoya got up and started throwing the things here and there. She threw the pillows and the bedsheet away from the bed. She took the vase and broke it into pieces. Tears cascaded down her eyes and she fell on her knees with a glass piece in her hand. She looked at it intently and then looked at her wrist.1

As she was about to cut her wrist, Aditya's face flashed through her mind. His eagerness to save her and prove her that life was worth living gave her second thoughts. She threw the glass piece away and went to the washroom. She couldn't betray Aditya. She herself had given 7 days to him to give her 7 reasons to live. She wouldn't back off now.

Zoya came out of the washroom after freshening up. She started to clear the mess she had created when Aditya entered the room. He dropped the shopping bags from his hamds to the floor and ran to her.
"Zoya, you okay? What's all this? Are you alright? Did something happen? It's my fault. I won't ever leave you alone, again. I promise." Only he knew how fake that promise was. He was going to leave her, no matter what. He had to.

Zoya was taken aback with his concern. He hugged her tightly as if someone would snatch her away. "I'm fine, Aditya. You don't need to worry." She tried to calm him down. He broke the hug and looked embarassed. "It's okay." She uttered. He made her sit on the bed and sat down holding her hands.1

"Zoya, tell me what happened?" He asked looking ardently at her. She bowed down her head. "I remembered him and I lost my control. I threw all the things around and even held the glass piece to cut my wrist..." She stopped and his heart beat stopped. "Then?" He asked being courageous. He didn't have the courage to look at her wrist if she had really cut it. "Then I remembered you and the thought of doing suicide was soon vanished." She said and his heart started beating again, now more rapidly. He smiled that at least he mattered to her that's why she stopped herself.2

"Where were you?" She asked. "I had gone for an important work and to buy some clothes for you." He said while handing over the bags to her. He saw the breakfast and took the tray to her. He fed her breakfast while she kept on staring at him with glassy eyes.

 

"Today is the first day, so tell me the first reason?" She asked while he smiled. "You'll get to know it in the evening." He told her and she frowned. "Why evening, tell me now!" She said being ziddi. "Ziddi Zoya, you'll get to know it today only." He patting her cheek. She smiled sadly.

XXX.

"Aditya, tell me where are you taking me? You've put a cloth on my eyes. I can't even see." She said being irritated. He smiled and said, "Zo, be patient. Your eyes are close na, so listen to me carefully." "Yeah, I'm listening." She said and he continued, "Think of all the memories that have built up over the years and the people who you call family. The people who have made an impact in your life, have been impacted by you as well."

"You don't know anything about my relationship with my family so please..." She was cut by him, "I know. I know everything, Zo. Your father didn't want you to marry Yash, right? But still you did and he didn't accept you." "How do you know?" She asked. "That doesn't matter." He said. "You know what, Abbu was right about Yash." She said as her voice trailed off. Tears flowed down even from her closed eyes remembering the day she had left her home for a person like Yash, who destroyed her life.1

"Family is the most important thing in the world. No matter what they say, they love you endlessly. By attempting suicide, your suffering would not end. It would be passed on to your family." He tried to persuade her and she looked somewhat convinced. He looked at her to see her reaction and saw the tears flowing on her cheeks. He let her cry because he knew the pain of losing a family. "Family is the anchor that holds us through life's storms. The love of a family is life's greatest blessing. It's not an important thing, it's everything." He continued while she kept on crying. "But they have disowned me Aditya!" Her voice trailed off.

"Zo, no family is perfect. We argue, we fight. We even stop talking to each other at times, but in the end, family is family. The love will always be there." His voice shook as he said. "Aditya, are you okay?" "Yeah, I'm fine." He lied as a tear rolled down his eye. "Zoya, I know what the loss of a family feels like. I lost them in an accident, my mother, father and my brother. Since that day, I crave for a family's love. I don't want you to suffer the same. Don't lose them. Talk to them. They will understand." He said and she held her hand and squeezed it gently.

"Where are we going?" She asked again. "You won't stop asking, right? So listen, we're going to give you the first reason to live and the most important one." He said and she sat quietly.1

XXX.

Aditya's car halted in front of a big mansion. The name plate read 'Siddiqui House'. The guards opened the main gate for him and he entered in the mansion and parked the car. "We're here." He said cheerfully. "Can I take off this piece from my eyes?" She asked being irritated. "No, not now." He held her hand and took her inside the mansion.

Waseem, Roshana and Noor stood in the hall looking at her. They had unshed tears in their eyes which threatened to spill. "Where are we? It looks like a big mansion!" She asked and he didn't say a word. He made her stand in front of the three of them and took off the blindfold.

She slowly opened her eyes and looked at the surroundings. She was taken aback. Her mouth flunged open. Her eyes were a pool of tears. Soon the tears started to spill of her eyes. She was shocked, stunned and everything which described being aghast. Her eyes went wide. She opened her mouth to say something but was speechless. She was meeting her family after 3 long years. Only she knew how had she spent those years missing them crazily and crying at night.

Roshana couldn't see her daughter crying and hugged her. Zoya stood like a statue. It seemed a dream to her. She looked unbelieveably at Aditya and he just smiled.1

"Zoya beta, how are you? We all have missed you so much." She said and Zoya stared blankly at her. It took her some time to comprehend what actually was happenig. Roshana broke the hug.  Zoya instantly felt a hole in her chest as she came out of her mother's embrace and hugged her. Her ters flowed endlessly. "Ami..!" Her tongue didn't support her.

Roshana broke the hug and Noor hugged Zoya tightly. "Appi..!" She said as they both cried vigorously.  "Kohinoor..!"1

Waseem stood at a corner with wet eyes. Zoya looked at him and walked in his direction. She stood in front of him with her tears flowing and folded her hand in front of him. "Abbu, humein maaf ker dein. You were right. I was wrong. Please, forgive me. Allah has punished me for hurting you and Ami." She strted blabbering while crying when Waseem hugged her. His tears started flowing while Zoya felt peace being in his embrace. "Zoya beta, humne aapko maaf kiya." He said and Zoya closed her eyes heaving a sigh of relief while tears rolled down her cheeks.

Aditya stood at a corner watching the family's union. He couldn't be more happy than this. He had given her family back to her.

Roshana came forward and held his hand. "Shukriya beta. Hu,ein humari beti se milane ke liye." "Nahi aunty, is mein shukriya ki koi baat nhi. Me ne wo hi kiya jo thek tha." He said when Waseem came to him.

He hugged him and patted his back. "Shukriya ki baat hai. Humein ye samjhane ke liye ke humari beti humare liye kitni ahem hai. Ye batane ke liye ke usy humari zaroorat hai." Waseem said while breaking the hug. Aditya just smiled and said, "Nahi sir, Zoya means a lot to me and I've done whatI felt was right. I didn't want her to live a life like mine."

Zoya looked at the person standing in front of him who probably had the most beautiful soul with so much adoration in her eyes.

He surely had given her a very important reason to live. She smiled at him and he smiled back.1

The happiness and relief on her face was something that Aditya would never forget.

The feeling and adoration she felt at that time for him was something she had never felt before.

Reason# 2: The struggles you're going through are going to make you stronger.

Zoya walked towards his room hesitantly in the morning. Waseem had asked Aditya to stay with them as he wanted to thank him for bringing back Zoya. Her mind was full of his thoughts. He clearly had given her a reason yesterday.

She stood in front of his room and raised her hand to knock the door but then stopped. She didn't know what she would say when he'll be in front of her. She finally gave in and knocked the door. 

Aditya opened the door and was surprised seeing her. "Hi.!" She greeted him and he smiled. "Hi..! Good Morning! Itni subah tum yahan.!" He greeted her back. "Good Morning. Actually, I wanted to.." She wasn't able to say anything. He looked at her ardently. "I'm listening, Zoya. Speak up!" 

"Aditya, actually wo.. kal.." She again stopped. Her tongue didn't support her. "Kya hua, Zoya." He knew what she was going to say but he wanted to hear it from her. Zoya stood silent. "Leave it, tum nhi bol paaogi.!" He said in disappointment and turned to go when she held his hand. "Thank You.!" She said instantly. His lips curved into a smile. He turned around to have a look at her and found her looking at the floor. "Konsa design hai?" He asked. She looked at him confused. "Marble ka. Itna keenly observe ker rahi thi na tum floor ko." He said while she smiled. "Aditya, thank you so much. I don't know how to thank you but trust me, yesterday was the best day of my life." She said while he kept on looking at her hand holding his wrist. She looked at it and left his hand immediately.2

"Zoya, you don't need to thank me. I gave you a reason which you had asked for." "I know. But still, you made me meet my family and I can't thank you enough for that." Her eyes held sincerity. He looked at her the way all women want to be looked at by a man. 

XXX.

Zoya was sitting on the swing in the terrace while sipping the coffee made by her Ami. Her eyes were glassy. A tear cascaded down her eye which was wiped by Aditya. She looked at him and wiped her tears with the back of her hand. He sat beside her and sighed. She got up to go when he held her hand. "Did you not like me sitting beside you?" He asked. "No, it's not like that.." She said when he pulled her back on the swing. "Then sit here." She sat quietly. 

"I need coffee." "I'll go and make it for you." She said but he didn't let her and took her mug. "I'll have this one." Her breath hitched but she didn't say anything. She let him have her coffee. She didn't know why did she do that. She wasn't the one to share her coffee with anyone. If it was Yash taking her coffee and sharing it, she would never have given him and would have clearly said a no but it was Aditya, the man who made her heart race in thousand ways and made her feel what she was unaware of. 

He took sips from her coffee and spoke, "So, time for the second reason. Are you ready?" She looked at him while he was sipping on the coffee looking at the sky, "Be careful. When trying to fix a broken person, you may cut yourself on their shattered pieces." "I don't care. The thing I really care about is you!" He said looking her in the eye.2

Not able to meet his intense gaze, she looked down. She didn't know why he was doing all this. He knew her barely but she didn't know he was the only one who knew her the most. "Are you really in this game?" She asked. "Game? Are you serious? This is not a game for me. It's my life." He said and Zoya looked at him. "Why are you doing this, Aditya? You won't be able to change my decision." She firmly said. He smiled, "You yourself gave me 7 days, now you can't back off. Let these 7 days pass, then we'll see."

She sat silently. He continued, "When life throws you curveballs you need to know how to dodge them without getting hit and the only way of doing this is by fighting through them and not becoming weak in the process." She was listening to him intently. "Once the struggle is over you'll be able to take over the next one with more experience, knowledge, and strength." He looked at her while she kept on looking at the floor. "The struggles you're going through are only going to make you strong. You must've heard the saying, 'what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger'. Have you?" He asked. "Yes. I never understood the meaning." She said.

"It's not difficult. If this pain doesn't kill you, it is making you strong. The struggle you're in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow." He said and held her hand. Fresh, hot tears cascaded down her cheeks. He wiped them off from his thumb but they just didn't stop.

"Pain makes you stronger, tears make you braver, and heartbreaks make you wiser. I'm not telling you it's going to be easy, I'm telling you it's going to be worth it. All the struggles you're going through will make you a whole lot stronger." He stopped and sighed. Zoya wiped her tears and looked at him. "I don't know what magic do you cast on me. I don't know why did I trust you when I was not even in the state of talking to someone. I trusted you, Aditya." She spoke, her voice a whisper. "Why should I tell you the trick?" He said smiling and she too smiled.1

"And you know what, happiness has its own way of taking its sweet time. Life isn't always beautiful but it's a beautiful ride." He said while she smiled in between her tears. He got up and started walking away. "By the way, tumhari coffee peene ke liye sorry but bht achi thi." He said and walked away.1

She kept on looking at his retreating figure until he disappeared. She looked at the mug of coffee kept beside her. She picked it up and looked at it. She didn't know why did she share her coffee with him. She didn't know why did she trust him. She didn't know why did she give him 7 days to save her. She just didn't know anything.3

XXX.

Aditya came out of the terrace when he saw Waseem standing on the door. "Uncle, how are you?" He asked. "What's going on between you two?" Waseem asked startling Aditya. He fumbled with his words when Waseem asked the unexpected question, "Do you love her?" It was enough for Aditya to lose his self. But he maintained the composure. He so wanted to scream loudly and tell the world he loved Zoya Siddiqui. He always have been. Not from today, not from tomorrow but from years, he had always loved Zoya. But God was cruel to him. When he could have her, he clearly couldn't.2