ZaYa OS || This Moment Is Ours ||

Zain had suffered too much in the past three months. He had literally experienced every tragedy a human being could possibly experience all at once. First being betrayed by the woman who he had loved more than life, then going to jail and being accused for a crime he hadn't done, losing all his respect and watching his mother being tortured. The last straw was when his father died right in front of him while he just watched helplessly. His family had lost everything and broken. He had no choice but to break off his marriage with the woman who was the main culprit of everything, Aaliya.

There was once a time when he couldn't bear a single tear in her eye but something had made him so cold and he didn't know what. She was crying and pleading while he screamed those words at her.

"Main tumhe talaaq deta hoon. Talaaq! Talaaq! Talaaq!"

~~~

"NAHI ZAIN!" Aaliya woke up shaking and sweating once again like every other night since the past 3 months. It was the same nightmare again.

She had been having these nightmares since the day her perfect life had turned upside down. Her only mistake was that she had left the house without informing anyone, but what else could she do? She had her reasons and her intentions were sincere. How would she have known that one mistake would cost her so much? Such a big punishment for one small mistake?

She picked up a glass of water from the bedside table and drank it all in one gulp. There was no looking back now. Just one more day and then it would all be over. Her Iddah period would end and Zain would set her free of all the relations she had left with that family. She buried her face in her pillow and cried until she fell back asleep.

~~~

The ringer on Zain's mobile woke him up.

"Rehan? Itni subah subah call kyun ki? Everything alright?"

"Sab theek hai, don't worry", Rehan replied, "I hope you remember that tomorrow Aaliya's Iddah will be over and then you can end the marriage?"

"That's great", Zain replied without any emotion.

"I just need you to do some work before that", Rehan went on. "Could you come to the office right now?"

Zain agreed and went to get ready after hanging up.

He had a quick shower and then put on his blue denim jeans and black top while his earphones were plugged in blasting music on full volume.

Aaj phir se tere nazdeeq aaya hoon
Aaj phir se tere nazdeeq aaya hoon
Haan badi kismat se iss lamhe ko paaya hoon

It was pouring with rain outside; he put on his jacket and walked to the car while getting drenched in the rain. He then started his car and drove to the office while still listening to the music.

Aaj phir se tere nazdeeq aaya hoon
Haan badi kismat se iss lamhe ko paaya hoon
Tujhe dekh dekh ke phir se jeene lagaa main
Ab dil ko kya samjhaun
ki main tera guzra kal hoon

He got out of the car and made his way to the office. He had just walked into the office and greeted Rehan when Aaliya entered behind him.

Ik pal yahi tera mera
Ik pal yahi tera mera..
Ik pal yahi tera mera
Ik pal yahi tera mera..
Isey jeena chahta hoon main

Rehan made both of them take a seat so that he could explain the procedure to them. He informed them that he had called both of them there to explain that this was their last chance to mend their relationship because tomorrow would be the third and last divorce and then there would be no looking back.

"Ek baar phir itminaan se soch lo. Do you really want to go ahead with the divorce?"

"HAAN", they both screamed without a moment's pause.

I won't even give him another chance if he begged me to, I can't stay with a person who doubted and accused me for such a big thing, Aaliya thought to herself.

There's no question about it, I can never forgive my father's murderer, Zain thought to himself.

"Fine if that's what you both want", Rehan replied sadly. He wished he could do something to clear this big misunderstanding and save their marriage. His heart knew Aaliya was innocent but he also knew the pain that Zain was going through right now, he knew Zain could never doubt Aaliya but all these happenings were not letting him think straight. He thought that now was the time to put his plan to action.

He excused himself saying he had to go get some papers to complete the paper work for their divorce, leaving Zain and Aaliya alone in the office room with an awkward silence between them. He locked the door from outside so that they wouldn't be able to escape. Right now, they needed to spend time together to clear their misunderstanding and feel their love.

Zain and Aaliya both faced the other way, not uttering a word to each other and avoiding eye contact. To get away from the awkwardness, Zain put his earphones back in his ears which he had taken out when he had entered the office.

Phir wahi alfaaz tujhse kehna chahta hu
Raat bhar baate main teri sun'na chahta hu
Tere saath sath rahoon main
Bas yahi sadaa hai
Par zindagi me teri main sirf mehmaan hu

He suddenly felt a familiar feeling in his heart which he hadn't felt since the past few months. He turned his face around to see Aaliya fast asleep, her face covered with tears and head resting on his shoulder. He remembered the time when they were newly married and hadn't confessed their feelings to each other. When Aaliya had slept on his shoulder the whole night and even though it was very uncomfortable for him, he still loved it. He felt that same feeling now and he hated the fact that he was loving it.

Ik pal yahi tera mera
Ik pal yahi tera mera..
Ik pal yahi tera mera
Ik pal yahi tera mera..
Isey jeena chahta hoon main

He gently tried to pull away from her trying not to disturb her from her sleep. She had dark circles under her eyes. It seemed as if she hadn't slept for days, yet she was sleeping so peacefully on his shoulder. The tresses of her hair were tangled in his button making it harder for him to pull away.

Lafz mere chhupne lage
Jo tu saamne hai khada
Dil dhoondta hai wahi
Pyaar jo tha kabhi darmeyaan
Ik aas hai dil ko ki tu rok le
Aur keh de ye mujhko mere sang jeena hai
Khair ho sake toh
Mujhko kabhi na bhoolna tu

Each and every word of the song was so appropriate, he realised while he stared at her beautiful form. His hatred was fading away and love was making its way back in his heart. Love for this deceitful woman. No, he could not let this happen.

He turned off the music as it was making him more restless. He turned his face away from her again trying to convince himself that she didn't matter to him anymore.

He sat like that for what seemed like 10 minutes, wondering what was taking Rehan so long to come back. The fact that Aaliya kept moving more closer to him in her sleep was annoying him even more since he couldn't get up.

After a while, he heard soft cries coming from her. He looked at her worriedly but saw she was still asleep. She was crying in her sleep. She must be seeing a bad dream, he thought. He decided to ignore her, not thinking much of it.

"Mamooo, Zain ko aake samjhaaye na, mera koi kasoor nahi hai. Wo mujhe talaaq de raha hai", she cried in her sleep. She was continuously trembling and pleading, "Mujhe talaaq na do!"

Zain had had enough. He shook her vigorously to wake her up.

"Yeh naatak band karo apna! Rehan lagta hai wapas nahi aane wala, maine jaana hai". He rudely pushed her away and made his way towards the door but was shocked to find that it was locked.

Aaliya joined him as they banged on the door calling for someone to open it but no one seemed to hear them.

They got tired and went back to sit on the sofa again. Both of them keeping as much distance as possible between them. Aaliya dozed off again making sure that this time her head rested on the other side of the sofa and not anywhere near Zain. Zain had nothing else to do except listen to the same music he had been continuously listening to since the morning.

Ik pal yehi tera mera
Ik pal yahi tera mera
Ik pal yehi tera mera
Ik pal yahi tera mera
Isey jeena chahta hoon main
Wo oh..

He listened to the song again and again while trying to call Rehan but there seemed to be no network on his phone. He reluctantly tapped Aaliya's shoulder waking her up again.

"Apna mobile dena. Mine isn't working", he told her.

She took it out of her purse and gave it to him. Zain teared up seeing a picture of him and Aaliya with his father from their wedding day as her screensaver. He tried to hide his emotions and call Rehan but it was still unreachable.

"Ab to lunch time bhi khatam ho gaya aur hum isi kamre mein band baithe hain. Waise, since this is our last day as a married couple we should make the most of it, right? Kal se to waise bhi mujhe tumhari shakal nahi dekhni paregi", Zain taunted her deliberately.

"Kya matlab?" Aaliya glared at him. She knew he was trying to hurt her again but she wouldn't let him know how much he affected her.

"Kal se main azaad hoon. Isliye aaj main tumhare saath jitna bhi waqt guzaar loon us se koi farak nahi parta. Na mujhe, na meri mom ko aur na dad ki rooh ko", he spat harsh words at her as she closed her eyes tightly to hide her tears.

"Yeh lo, mera favourite song suno", he forcefully shoved the earphones into her ears as the music started blasting again.

Tujhe dekh dekh ke phir se jeene laga main
Ab dil ko kya samjhaaun ki
Main tera guzra kal hoon

"Bas Zain, ab aur nahi!" she got up and screamed at him, "tum kuch nahi jaante. Dhoka tumhare saath nahi, dhoka mere saath hua hai Zain. Mere ami abu ne dhoke se un papers pe mujhse sign karwaye. Main kuch nahi jaanti thi Zain, aur jab tak mujhe sach bataya gaya tab tak bohat der ho chuki thi. Rahi police ki baat, complain na maine darj karwayi aur na mere ami abu ne. Yeh kisi aur ki saazish hai. Main nahi jaanti kis ki, aur na hi koi farak parta hai kyunki tumhe to mujhpe yakeen hi nahi hai. Sazaa to mujhe mil chuki hai".

Both of them were taken over by their emotions that they hadn't realized Rehan opening the door and coming in while Aaliya was shouting.

"So, would you still like to proceed with the divorce?" Rehan asked. Aaliya covered her mouth and ran out of the door at the speed of light while Zain stared behind her in utter shock and disbelief.

The earphones which Aaliya had thrown on the floor in anger carried on playing the song, but Zain was too distraught to even notice...