It was around three hours later when I looked in the side mirror. Jasper’s car wasn’t behind us. In fact, there were no cars behind us. “Did they get lost?”

“No.”

“I don’t see them.”

He casually informed, “They just took a different route.”

Now, things started getting clearer. He made sure the two of us would be alone in the car. “We aren’t going to the same place as them, are we?”

When he didn’t answer right away, I started to feel anxious. I sat up properly, my instincts on high alert. As if sensing it, he said. “Relax. We are. We are just taking a pit stop somewhere first. I told you, I wanted to show you something.”

Right. I inhaled and worked on calming myself. “Do they know?”

“Kripa knows.”

That made me feel better. “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” I hate him for being mysterious always.

“Atleast tell me how far we are?” I asked hoping to have some information atleast.

Thank my lucky stars. One answer he did give, “Half hour.”

That I could work with. I rested my head against the door and closed my eyes till then, listening to music and the hum of the car, the zipping wind, the cool air from the air vent aimed at my face.

I couldn’t help but smile. Though it was artificial cold, it reminded me of Shimla. I had come to hate this hot weather of Australia. It always made me uneasy especially with the clothes I wore.

I blinked open when he parked in front of a house in a remote location. The city must have been at some distance for there didn’t seem to be many things around. It was surrounded by tall trees and a large clearing towards the back. There were some hills in the background but I imagine that would be somewhat of a trek.

I read the board after getting out of the car. “An orphanage?”

He walked around to stand beside me and glanced up at the board himself. Loving Smiles Orphanage. “In a way. It’s a shelter for those who have been… abused.”

“Oh.” The word escaped my lips without a second thought. This was the last place I expected him to bring me. Then again... I had no idea what I was expecting. Nothing he does is what I expect. Or maybe, I don't hold high expectations for him and so, when he does something like this, it takes me by surprise.

Is this why he knows how to help me? Or wants to help me?

“Yeah,” he murmured as if hiding some emotion before nodding towards the door. As we approached the porch, the lights were turned on and before he could knock, a lady in her mid-40s opened the door.

She greeted him with a warm hug, “Ah, Arnav. I was wondering when you were going to be here. You’re never this late.” After they parted, she didn’t wait for an answer as she noticed me. “And who is this? A friend?”

“Uh, yes.” He answered and even it felt weird to me… the two of us - friends. That’s something for the day. “Martha, meet Khushi. Khushi, Martha. She…”

I interjected, “Owns this place?”

Martha let out an amused laughed, “Oh dear, no. I only look after the place and the girls here. Arnav here is the owner.”

Say what now? My eyes widened at the piece of information. Forget friends. This is the biggest news for the day. He was too young to be owning anything. How old is he? 20? 21? Yeah, too young.

At my reaction, Arnav seemed to be scratching the back of his head looking uncomfortable while Martha continued to grin. “I take it you are not aware of just who your friend is, hmm?”

I politely shook my head. I thought I did. Turns out, I may not know him at all.

She ushered us inside, “Come on in.”

As we walked in, I whispered to Arnav. “Anything else I should know about you?”

He sheepishly answered, “A lot.” I waited for the follow up words but he didn’t offer them. Ofcourse. “You’ll find out eventually I’m sure.”

He walked ahead leaving me surprised. Did he think we actually would be friends eventually? That I would get to know him?

As I followed into the living area, a little girl ran up to Arnav. “Arnie!” While there was glow of happiness and a grin on her face as she wrapped her tiny arms around him, my heart broke. She couldn’t be more than 4. Such a small child should not be in a place like this. And yet… I knew it was the harsh reality. It’s the reason I had grown to hate the world… to stop finding anything to look forward to… the added reason for my depression.

Arnav talked to her with such fondness. I don’t think I would have ever imagined a side of him as this if I wasn’t witnessing it with my own set of eyes. “How’s my little Angel doing, hmm?”

“Missing you,” she replied wrapping her hands around his neck while he stood up carrying her.

“Aww, well I’m here now.”

Did he just aww?

She frowned, “Late,” as if suddenly remembering that and pulled away. He had to put her back on the ground and she crossed her arms over her chest showing her anger.

Though at the side the strings of my heart were tugged knowing something bad had happened to this little girl, there was a soft smile on my lips. Regardless of it, there was a sense of love and comfort this girl must feel here. She had certainly forged a bond with Arnav. She had some sense of normalcy in this strange world she lived in.

He kneeled on the floor to meet her height and held his ears to apologize, “I’m sorry?”

In front of me wasn’t this persona Arnav held when in college. The popular guy girls fawned over and a guy who deemed himself better than other and could care less about what was happening around him. In front of me was just a normal guy met with the difficulties of the world trying to appease a small child looking uber cute.

If he had apologized to me looking like he did, I fear I would have melted there itself. She, however, did not.

He went on to pull out a bar of three musketeers from his pocket and held it in front of her. She eyed it trying not to leap for it. It was obvious she loved them the way her eyes were starting to twinkle and this façade of being mad fading away.

Eventually, she gave in. Alas, even here, one thing remained the same. A victorious Arnav who always had his way. She pointed a finger at him to warn, “But this doesn’t mean I forgive you.”

He nodded as if believing her in all seriousness, “Not at all.”

She then noticed my presence and stepped closer to him as if suddenly intimidated. By me? I was somewhere taken aback on realizing I am not the only who gets scared. Others can have the same reaction to me. “Who is your friend?”

That’s when Arnav seemed to remember he hadn’t come here alone. He looked up at me and picking her up in his arms, stood up. This time, she didn’t fight him to be put on the ground again. “Oh. This is Khushi.” He introduced, “And this is my Angel.”

“That’s a pretty name,” I softly spoke trying to get her to ease up. I meant her no harm, after all.

She nodded timidly, “Yes, but you can’t call me that. Only Arnie can.”

She was possessive of the endearing name given by him. “Okay, what does everyone else call you then?”

“Annie.”

“Can I call you that?” I made her feel she had an important say in it.

She seemed to think for a second before letting out a nod.

I smiled at her. She was indeed very cute. “Nice to meet you then, Annie.”

She turned back to Arnav and he distracted her, “Angel, why don’t you go shower and get ready for bed, hmm? I’ll have my dinner and come find you. How does that sound?”

She added, “And you’ll read me a bedtime story?” When he answered with a nod, she grinned and excitedly jumped out of his arms. “Okay! Eat fast.” With that, she trotted up the stairs to wherever her room was.

Exhaling and standing up again, he asked. “Hungry?”

“Starving.” My normal bedtime was 9:30. I had my dinner around 7, whatever little I could manage to have an appetite to eat. Today, it was already past 9 and I hadn’t had dinner yet.

“Let’s go. I’m sure we can find something in the kitchen.”

Before we could enter though, Martha stopped us. “Oh no, don’t go in there. You’ll ruin their surprise.”

“Surprise?” He grumbled, “Not again.”

Martha smiled as she turned us about, “Oh yes. You know they love to. Go sit at the dining table. I’ll bring you two dinner there.”

Arnav sighed but listened. Wow. I didn’t think he ever listened to anyone. I followed to the dining table. “Surprise?”

He answered as we sat, “Every time I come, they have done something or other for me.”

“That’s sweet of them.”

“Yes… if only I liked surprises.”

I felt the need to make him understand, “They only want to show how much they care for you.”

Though, now that I think about it, I think he does understand for even though he claimed to hate surprises, he didn’t stop them from giving him one.