He got and stopped her midway. She looked surprised at the sudden interruption and looked at him shocke

“Aap? Aap yaha kya kr rhe hai?”

“Gaadi se kyu bhaagi tum?”

He asked in a serious tone. She huffed and looked away indicating her narazgi.

“Hatein samne se. Late ho raha hai mujhe lecture ke liye.”

“Pehla lecture tumhara already miss ho chuka hai aur dusre lecture kai abhi adha ghanta hai. Jawab do mujhe. Kyu bhaagi thi gaadi se?”

She looked at him angrily and said.

“Kyunki gussa aa rha tha mujhe.”

“Itna gussa? Kis baat ka?”

“Kisi baat ka nhi. Aisi hi hu mai. Aap jaayein ab yaha se.”

With that she ran inside her college and he sighed looking at her retreating form. Something was bothering her. But what? 

Zainab had always been closer to Asif. Amina was a quiet child and didn't talk much. But Zainab had lighted up the house with her contagious laughter and giggles. 

She was such a happy baby. Asif still remembered her 5 year old self running to his 10 year old one for every small thing.

‘Asif aapko pata hai aaj ye hua, aapko pata hai aaj wo hua, abbu ne mujhe ye dilwaya, mai aapke liye ye layi, etc.’

But things started changing as she entered her teenage.

Zainab was sitting at the college canteen with her friends. They ordered their food while she opened her lunch. 

“Hello guys! We're organising a fundraiser for the cancer patients at XYZ Hospital. We request your support. Would you like to donate something.”

A young, decent looking man came to their table and said with a smile. Everyone opened their purses. Zainab checked hers. She had only 150 Rs. With her. And she needed 50 rs. to get home also.

She saw all her friends pulling out either 50 or 100 rupee notes and she too pulled out the 100 rupee note.

The man made donation slips for all of them and thanked them. He was not even out of shot when one of her friends spoke.

“Zainab yaar badi hi kanjoos hai tu toh.”

Zainab looked confused and raised her eyebrow.

“Itna paisa hai tere paas lekin sirf 100 rupees hi diye tune.”

The man turned and looked at them for a moment but walking away and Zainab felt her temper rise.

“Aaj nhi the mere paas paise. Aur koi ameer nhi hu mai.”

“Oh please! Hum sabko pata hai ki tumhare abbu ke paas bhut paisa hai. Aur phir tum toh khud bhi kamati ho. Phir bhi itni kanjoosi.”

One of them snickered and all of them started laughing. Zainab felt her blood boil and she left from there. Why was she even friends with people who couldn't understand her?

Asif's phone rang and he groaned looking at the time. It was 2 am in the night. It was his work team calling. The nature of his work was such that he had to attend foreign calls even at such an odd time.

His work took him about 15 minutes. He sighed and reached for his water bottle but found it empty. His laptop was also getting discharged. He thought of leaving it on charging so that he could have a charged laptop by morning.

He first went to get water for himself and then looked for the charger. It then clicked his mind that he might have left it on the terrace when he was working there in the evening.

He reached the terrace and was surprised to see it unlocked. They had a habit of locking the door before going to sleep. He then heard some noises and entered to see Zainab sitting there.

She was working on a sewing machine and was very focused that she didn't hear anyone coming in.

“Zainab?”

“Ahh! Ya allah!”

She screamed not expecting anyone at this hour and looked at Asif in horror. She then placed a hand on her heart and huffed in relief.

“Aap hai! Dara dia mujhe.”

“Tum itni der raat ko yaha ye kya kr rhi ho?”

The place was a mess. There were clothes lying around. He bend down to see what she was sewing.

“Ye rubber bands kyu bana rhi ho tum?”

And then he heard the giggle he had been missing since days now.

“Rubber band nhi hai. Scrunchy kehte hai isse.”

“Haa haa! Lagti toh baalo mai hi hai na.”

“Nhi! Log fashion ke liye haathon mai bhi pehnte hai. Dress se matching matching.”

She showed him for example and he scrunched his nose in confusion.

“That still doesn't answer my question. What are you doing here at 2:30 in the morning?”

She bit her lip and contemplated.

“Aap pehle wada kre ki aap kisi ko nhi batayenge. Ye baat mere aur aapke beech rahegi.”

He smiled. He was seeing the glimse of the old her a lot today.

“Kabhi tumhare secrets reveal kre hai maine?”

She grinned wide and shook her head.

“Mujhe na ek bhut bada order mila hai. Scrunchies ka.”

“Tum business krti ho?”

He asked feeling surprised and proud. She nodded.

“Abhi toh start hi kia hai. 3 mahine hi huye hai bas. Aur abhi toh sirf meri batch ke hi logo tak hai business.”

“Wow Zainab! I'm so proud of you Chanda!”

Her breath hitched when he called her the nickname he used to call her when they were kids. She blushed and he smiled.

“Par abhi so jaao. Kal kr lena. Bhut der ho gyi hai ab.”

“Nhi. Kal order dena hai mujhe. Bas thodi der ka aur kaam hai. Phir so jaaungi.”

With that she started working again. He stood there for a few seconds before saying.

“Mai madad krwa deta hu phir. Kaam jaldi ho jaayega.”

“Arre nhi nhi! Mai kr lungi. Aap so jaayein.”

“Neend toh mujhe waise bhi abhi aa nhi rhi hai. Tumhari thodi help hi ho jaayegi. Batao kya kr du?”

“Ummm…phir aap ye cutting krde. Maine marking kri hui hai. Bas uske hisab se kaatna hai.”

He took the cloth she passed and got focused on his work. Zainab looked at him from time to time and smiled seeing him so focused. He looked cute. And she fell a little more in love with him.