Hi Guys,
This is my first post, my first ZaYa story and my first attempt after hitting a shadowy writer's block for a while now. I sincerely hope writing this TINY story will bring me to the shelter of the kindness of the gods.
Let the Good Gods be with me and let the kindred souls inspire me.
Peace to the world. No rest for the criminals.
xx
Sincerely,
Silver Spoon
P.S. I don't do prologues much so I guess I am gonna kick-start from the first chapter itself. Uh...
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Jealousy is that tie which binds, and binds and binds
- Helen Rowland
***
Confetti Masks (ZaYa SS)
CHAPTER ONE
Something tickled his nose again. Having waved the annoying prick of troublemakers a couple of times, he found himself growling like a whining lazy cat, "Get your twin towers of agony off my face, Maamu Ki Bhaanji!"
"I am not doing anything!"
"I am sorry! There was no mention of witches owning four legs instead of two in any of my general knowledge books. Mind removing the other two off me then? They are pretty smelly, you know?" he gagged, knowing well that she was glaring at him.
She responded by throwing her pillow at him. It hit him, square on the jaw and he groaned, frustrated, "Seriously? I have a really long day tomorrow, M.K.B! Lots of meetings to attend with Dad. Bhai's also out of station till this weekend! So, for your Maamu's sake, just let me sleep!"
"Yeah, right! You make it seem like you are the only one who works in this world."
"That may not be true but thanks to you, I certainly work more than many!"
"Yeah, I know what kind of work you are committing yourself to..." she trailed off acidly, leaving his ears attentive and his mind clearer.
Zain opened his left eye and peeked at Aaliya, a mischievous smirk slowing playing at his lips.
Aaliya had turned away by then although she was still clenching a handful of her golden brown hair a little too rashly. Zain stifled a chuckle, knowing well a frown must have shadowed her face by then.
She really has noticed the subtle hints he had been dropping.
Especially, after Shirley Watson's re-appearance in his life.
He pursed his lips to form a lop-sided grin and coughed a little, "What will you know about it anyway? It's not that you are around," he emphasized, adding, "to check on me."
"I wish I was," she grunts noisily.
"I also promised to take Shirley out tomorrow."
The effect was instantaneous. Aaliya whipped her head to catch his gaze, about the same time that Zain pushed himself a little upwards and rested against the headrest, slinging one arm behind his head.
He noticed his t-shirt had crumpled around his abs and were precariously showing his toned torso. He was about to cover himself again but pulled at the blanket instead when he felt a pair of eyes on him. Wondering why she wasn't retorting yet, he looked up and caught his wife staring at his abs silently. Her soft brown pupils were dilated and her lips were parted.
So inviting...
So enticing...
It took a lot on Zain's part to not wrap his arms around her and take her then and there, crushing her fragile frame and awakening her only to crush her again and be crushed himself. He would go on, he told himself quietly, and never stop, until she confessed her feelings and gave in.
He loved her fire, he loved her spark and he knew he would burn the moment he marks her. In fact, that was what drew him to her in the first place itself, apart from her goodness and grace.
But it wasn't the right time, he sighed. He would have to wait.
However, to tease her evermore, he stretched his limbs lazily, letting generously his wife to regard him and yawned.
"If you are done admiring my masculinity, maybe you can pass me the bottle?"
Aaliya gasped, her cheeks flashing deepest tints of red that only Zain managed to bring out from her.
"I-I wasn't looking!"
Zain chuckled, his ego and his heart both swelling at her undeniable physical reaction to his body, "Whatever you say, babe!"
"Don't call me that!" Aaliya scrunched her eyes, suddenly remembering the issue that Zain had distracted her from, "What do you mean you promised Shirley?"
"Shirley loves beaches. And beaches love her!" Zain grinned, helping himself with water when his wife wouldn't oblige him, "And I love seeing Shirley on the beaches even more!"
"You have done this before?" she scowled at him, distaste evident on her face.
"Yeah, we did when we lived together. Most weekends actually, now that you ask," he shrugged coolly.
"You lived with her?" her voice had hit high pitch, high enough to make Zain wince but he ignored it and nodded, "Yeah, for a while."
Aaliya darted her eyes back to the ground. Zain pressed his lips together. He had had many girlfriends earlier but there was one thing he never did. He never moved in with any one of them. Simply because it meant admitting to having an emotional bond and expectations. Having seen his friends wasting their lives upon such live-in bimbos, he had had absolutely no intention to partake the same misery.
Especially not with a woman as demanding, mean and conniving as Shirley.
But Aaliya needed not know that.
The person in question threw another sharp glance at his direction. He watched as her lips parted and closed along with that signature frown creasing her forehead. His fingers itched to straighten it but he controlled the urge and instead, raised a brow at her.
"How long have you been with her?" she was gritting her teeth so hard that he feared she would invariably break them and then blame him.
"Who?" he feigned innocence as he slid back under the covers.
"Shirley!" Aaliya snapped, choking.
Zain answered after much thinking, "I think I was still dating her when we got married."
"Oh." Hurt flashed across her eyes before she withdrew her gaze, making him feel guilty. He felt like a jerk but this needed be done.
Aaliya laid back and curled into a ball. Zain leaned a little and when she didn't respond, he asked cautiously, "You okay?"
Say no. Please say no.
"Why wouldn't I be, Mr. Zain Osman Abdullah?" she growled, sitting up so fast that it made Zain draw back hastily.
"Exactly my thoughts," Zain agreed, concealing his frustration, "I mean, what we do outside these walls is not the other's business."
"Is that so?" Aaliya shrieked, rushing towards him in a frenzy. He jerked his hands backwards, to support both her and himself when she lurched for his t-shirt.
"So, it doesn't matter at all, does it, Zain?" she gathered his shirt in her hands and thrust her soft palms against his hardened abs, "You can take your exes to dates without any consideration of-" she stopped rambling, her eyes focused on Zain's distractingly delectable full lips, so close to her own.
She lengthened her index finger across his tight jaw. He looked down as she left trails of soft butterfly touches behind her. When his jaw stretched, she gazed at him and noticed the ghost of a twinkle in his eyes. Her gaze then rested back on his lips that were smiling generously now. And that smile was so infectious that she couldn't help but smile, quite unknown to herself.
Aaliya breathed quietly and his musk cologne hit her senses hard, overwhelming her.
A random thought appeared in her head. Would he realize that she had sprayed some of the same on herself just so she would at least feel him around when he was gone to work?
"Of what?" he asked gently. His voice pulled her back from her thoughts, to his arms.
"What?" she asked, dazed.
"Consideration of what?" he prodded her, a little impatient this time.
"N-nothing," Aaliya moved her hands off his chest quickly. What was she doing? She chastised herself and then him, "Go to sleep-"
"Finish what you were asking," he demanded, almost ferociously. When she shook her head to move away, he snaked his arm around her waist and pinned her to him.
"Zain-" she began, suddenly conscious of every part of her pressing against the hard length of his body.
"I said finish it, Aaliya!" he ordered her, startling her and making her look straight into his eyes.
She had never encountered this side of his personality. The usually chatty, teasing and annoying child she was married to was not there right now. Instead, she saw a demanding man, whose mere eyes, exuberant of his virility and rawness, could penetrate her soul and whose touch made her hungrier. She felt his arms adjust themselves around her waist and she shuddered.
No, it was not the tingles this time. It was vulnerability that she felt herself trapped in that scared her. It was the fact that he could so easily impact not just her body but also her senses that made her want to rebel.
Wasn't he a heartbreaker? Didn't he himself admit to doing it to every girl he dated? Judging by that catty freak Prada Model Shirley, he was not exactly the one who would settle for a simpleton like herself even after marriage.
Who was she anyway? Just nobody from a small city whose destiny was embroiled with his, much to her choice and his chagrin?
Why would he even think about her, let alone want her?
Why would a man who had tasted wine settle for water?
Why would anybody want her?
Zishaan didn't. Even though he was far less experienced and less exposed than Zain.
Aaliya pushed him away from her with all her might, "Never mind, Zain! Just go to sleep, okay?"
Zain watched her coldly as she settled on her back, "Well then, don't say things you do not wish to pursue."
"I am not pursuing them because they are insignificant!" she added mentally, 'to you'
"I see."
She dared not open her eyes but it seemed like he was seething, or his voice was.
Aaliya stayed quite for a while and after counting 500 in her head, she peeked, regretting her decision instantly.
Zain was grinning victoriously at her.
"What?" she rolled her eyes.
"Oh nothing!"
"Tell me!" she slipped her harshest scowl and directed it at his dreamy eyes.
Zain smirked, "I was just reminded of that particular incident at a beach at Dorset!"
"I don't want to know," she shook her head, dreading his revelation.
"Oh, but you have to. I went with Shirley and we were having fun..." he trailed.
Aaliya sat up quickly, "Fun?"
"Oh yeah, snogging that is..." he shrugged casually, his tone and words making her writhe with insane anger as she repeated after him. His words were hammering against her head and she failed to figure out which one was more obnoxious.
His mouth or the man himself.
"And Chelsea came out of nowhere."
"Chelsea?" Aaliya's radar picked itself up.
"Yeah, the hot blonde I was dating before Shirley."
Aaliya bit her lower lip so violently that her mouth was instantly filled with a taste of bitter copper.
"And Chelsea was a bit obsessed with me. I mean, she couldn't take it and she jumped on her." Zain chuckled at the memory and smirked at Aaliya, "You know how cat fights on beaches end."
Like I had gone to one, she grimaced at his presumption.
"No?" he threw a look of sympathy at her, "well, it best ends with one going topless!'
"Ya Allah!" Aaliya gaped, "T-t-topless?"
"In this case, both of them," Zain guffawed before drinking some more water.
Of course, she thought bitterly, beaches meant women clad in nothing but bikini and all those sleazy wear. What was she thinking?
Did it mean Zain had-?
Her eyes moistened without any warning and she ducked her head behind her hair. She could feel his eyes boring into her head but she wouldn't let him see she was affected.
Placating a mask of perfect poise and indifference on her face, Aaliya snatched the bottle of water from his hand and gulped some.
"Wow! You are such a pervert!" she spat.
"Whoa!" Zain arched both his brows, "Now you are blaming me for acting like any other guy?"
"I am sure Fahad Bhai wouldn't have reacted like you!"
"Well, he never got to date chicks like Chelsea or Shirley or Suzanna... He was stuck with Nafissa Bhabhi quite early." Zain put the bottle beside him and brushed his hair with his fingers.
Like you are stuck with me?
Aaliya suddenly felt Zain's intense gaze on her again.
Did she just say that aloud?
Even if he did, he showed no signs of acknowledgement, "Anyway, it was a riot. I had to take both girls out for a while until I set Chelsea with Rizwaan."
And here she thought he was beginning to take care of her.
Aaliya laughed bitterly to herself, her eyes desperately trying to withhold tears.
"What's funny?" Zain eyed her.
"Marrying me has put chains on your limbs, hasn't it, Zain Abdullah?" How could he not see that she was upset? Was she this oblivious to him?
Did she mean nothing at all?
"Really?" Zain's mouth formed an o, "I never feel bound. I mean, look at us now. I just told you about my date tomorrow and you aren't even blinking an eye."
"I will tell Maamu."
Zain laughed, "Don't tell me you are jealous, babe."
"I am not jealous! Don't call me that and I don't want to talk to you!"
"Fine. Relax!" he swiped the air with his hands and smirking still, closed his eyes.
For a long time, neither spoke.
Then Zain heard her mumble, just seconds before falling asleep.
"I hate that girl!"
He waited for a while and when he was absolutely sure she was not pretending to sleep, Zain sneaked to her side of the bed and propped his head against his palm as he looked down at his wife's face, noticing the sheer amount of angelic grace radiating from her even when she was sleeping.
With a smile on his face, he tipped her chin slightly towards him and caressed her cheek with his knuckles. She stirred and cozied herself, wrapping her arms tightly around her blanket, unbearably closer to him. He waited patiently and when she moved no more, he tucked a few strands behind her earlobe. His heart battled with his mind to grab her chin, hoist her face and simply claim her lips, making them melt and burn but Zain brushed her bottom lip with the tip of his thumb and pressed his lips only against her welcoming cheek.
"I am counting on that, love."
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