Are you fine?

Shaan and Zeba shared an ideal relationship; the kind that is usually found only in novels. The bond and connection they had between them definitely made a lot of people jealous. He used to surprise her with sweet presents every now and then; small things that brought more to the plate than money could ever get. She made it a point to cook something delicious for him every fortnight(cooking being one of her strong point). Those occasional dinner dates and long drives were icing on the cake.

It was one of those random dinner dates,  but there was something usual about it. Shaan wasn't his normal self. He seemed a bit lost and blank. All of Zeba's questions were answered in nods and one word answers. It kind of scared her and out of concern she asked,  "Are you fine?"

Am I fine?  Do I look fine? Isn't it pretty evident from my face that I'm not okay? Can't you understand such a simple thing? I'm not even sure if I should bother with what's eating me up.  Even if I do,  I'm not sure how you'd react to this. How you'd react when I tell you my life is a mess. I'm about to lose my job just because of some stupid office politics. How things will be messed up when our parents find out about us. I'm so fucking uncertain about our future. I'm clueless how I'm going to manage things and people. I have no fucking idea what I'd do if I lose my job? 

Why are our lives so fucking complicated Zeba? Why can't things be simple? Why can't we honest about everything? I mean I so want to tell you how things are,  but I can't. Why don't right words come to you when someone asks you how you feel? Are we so bound by these social obligations that we can't even answer this? Why do you think one cannot answer how he feels when asked the same? Is it because of the fear that the other person might not understand him? Is it because he thinks he'll be judged? Is it because he's scared to lose them? Fuck,  this is bad! Why Zeba why? What's the reason for all this??

Leaving all those questions unanswered,  he simply smiled and said,  "I'm okay,  Zeba. It's just that I had a long day at work."

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