Lack of Trust

We moved back home in silence. I couldn't think of anything to say.

"Arya, where will I stay tonight?" Thankfully Mayur broke the deafening silence.

I told him why we can't live in the same room, not the details, just the basics that it's something couples do. He seemed quite confused as to what was the problem, and I was reminded of myself-how I mistakenly asked this question to my grandma two weeks after I came here and she thought I had gone barmy.

And the orphanage doesn't accept children aged above eighteen, and Mayur looked well above eighteen.

Truth is that I'm having a hard time adjusting here myself and now, though Mayur feels like a handful, I'm actually quite glad to see someone like me.

"I haven't thought of it." I replied.

I was thankful that he didn't ask about what Chester was talking about. If he'd ask, I'd have a hard time hiding my condition from him.

"Then where are we going?" He said, looking around him.

Before I could answer, he suddenly held my hand.

"Stop." He whispered.

"What's wrong?" I asked, rather confused.

He didn't respond. I kept on looking at him, trying to make out what he's doing.

"Something's here." He said. In other circumstances, I'd have joked, but he looked grave as hell. I could have sworn he wasn't joking.

"We need to get away. NOW!" He grabbed my hand and before I could react, we were running.

"What...?" I stopped myself, looking at him, something told me that he wouldn't answer anything just yet.

I followed him without questions, but I couldn't help but feel restless. The last time I followed someone like this, my life and reality got pretty messed up. Yep, you got it right. I'm talking about Becky.

And now, it hasn't even been two complete days and I'm already in the same situation again. You can't blame me if I'm scared.

We stopped in front a garage. Wait, let me rephrase that. We stopped in front of a long-lost deserted place that once would have been a garage. Yes, why not? Last time it was in front of a deserted building and this time it's an even stranger deserted garage. Excellent. Why do people love to drag me to deserted places? Can't it be an amusement park? or a theatre? or a restaurant? There are so many beautiful places in this world. But NO! It has to be some ancient place from the stone age where I can discover relics from the past.

I looked at Mayur and his forehead was beaded with sweat. I looked distracted and confused. I held his arm.

"Mayur, what's wrong?" This time I wasn't pleading him to tell me. It was a command.

"It's..." he looked at me and sighed, "I'm sorry. I got confused."

"Huh?"

What's this? He dragged me all the way here just because he got confused about something? Who's he kidding. It was evident that it was his first time lying about something. But then, what's wrong?

"Are you sure about this? There's nothing wrong?" I asked.

"Yes"

I didn't ask further. It was the same this morning too, when he woke up after having that nightmare. I could tell he was hiding something, but couldn't ask further. I know he needs time to develop trust and it's like that for me too. After all, there's so much I'm not telling him.

"Okay." I replied and we started finding our way back home.

"Lets go to my home. I'll find a place for you by tomorrow." I said.

"But how will I go in? What will you tell your Grandma?"

"We'll manage it...somehow."

The rest of the time, we walked in silence. I was partly mad 'cause Mayur wasn't telling me everything, even when I'm the only one who's helping him right now and partly 'cause I knew nothing about how to solve this problem at hand. I walked with big leaps and was way ahead than Mayur.

I reached home stood there for some time until Mayur caught up with me.

"Tell me about it when you're ready." I said, looking ahead and without looking at him, entered the house. "Wait here."

The kids were all around the house. There was no way, I'd be able to sneak him in. But I have to think of something.

I switched open the TV and all of the kids sat in living room, all lined up, glued to the screen.

'This tactic always works' I thought smilingly.

Next, I saw if there's anyone between the entrance and my room. All clear. I went to ask Mayur to come in.

"Mayur..." My words stopped in the air.

"Arya, why didn't you invite your friend inside? Poor thing. He was just standing outside when I came here. Where are your manners?"

"Grandma...?"

Mayur looked apologetically at me and I wasn't sure how to react.

"Grandma...it's that...? I tried to give an explanation, but she didn't let me complete my sentence.

"Come in, dear. We are about to have lunch. Come in." Grandma said and went in. It was pretty clear that there wasn't much of a choice.

"Let's get in." I said with a sigh.