Another day

At Mia's orphanage.

Mia's troubles seemed to be endless as she went from one issue to the other. Lakshmi dropped her off at the orphanage and waved her by when Mia began to perceive smoke.

She looked at the orphanage and it didn't seem to be on fire, she went in and found some kids playing as usual.

But something didn't settle well with her, when one of the staff went into the kitchen to prepare a meal for the kids, she turned on the electric cooker.

Some kids were playing and they ran towards her in the kitchen.

"You can't catch me now" the little girl hugged the lady's waist as the boy she was playing with tried to go around the lady to get to the little girl.

There was an electric problem and the first thing to catch fire was the curtain that covered the kitchen window. The lady tried to put it out by pointing water she got from the sink but that only made it worse and the fire began to spread.

They tried to escape but the fire had spread quickly, surrounding them on all four sides. There was no escape for them.

Everyone in the orphanage began to panic and they called the fire department but as usual it would take time for them to get to the scene. Mia was the only person that didn't panic while everyone was screaming.

Their screams were very disturbing to Mia and all she wanted to do was to get away from them.

"Stop!" She shouted at the top of her lungs as she covered her ears with her palms. She was feeling very dizzy and their noise only made her condition worse, she knelt down on the floor and rolled herself into a ball, with her palms still covering her ears.

"Stand up Mia, you have to go. I said get up!" She heard her father's voice scream into her ear. It was as if he was scolding her for her behavior.

She sprung up from the floor and went to the sand box outside. Using the sand bucket the kids used to play with to pack sand, she tried to go close to the fire but some staff stopped her. They were holding her back.

"Mia, are you stupid? Do you want to kill yourself" one of the lady was dragging her back and the sand she had fetched from outside had spilled all over the kitchen's door mouth.

"Leave me!" She kept on struggling with the ladies who held both of her arms very tightly.

Mia was in a fix, she started using her legs to hit the door, she was trying to push it down and she succeeded.

Seeing this the ladies tried to pull her out of there since she was too close to the fire but Mia was very stubborn, she kept on kicking her legs, trying to spread the sand in the fire.

The fire was gradually subsiding but she was out of sand. The little girl who she made a kite for earlier picked up the sand bucket to fetch sand from the sandbox, she wanted to help Mia save her friends because she noticed that was what Mia was trying to do all this while but the ladies kept on preventing her.

She poured the sand inside the kitchen, quenching a huge part of the fire but it was already too late for that.

Lakshmi's POV

At Lakshmi's house

I was willing to take Mia's advice. I no longer decided to die in silence, I was approaching my parents bedroom, the door wasn't fully closed. I wanted to knock when I heard my mother yelling, my parents were in a heated argument.

"So how long were you planning to hide the truth, Veer?" My mum pointed her index finger at my dad's chest.

" You need to calm down Aadvika, I wasn't hiding anything from you. I also just got to know about it" my dad held both of my mum's wrist.

"So I am supposed to believe such lies. How dare you look me in the eyes and vomit such rubbish? Do you think I'm a fool huh?" My mum was very enraged, she shook her head angrily and the bun she made her hair into got loose, it wasn't a tight bun.

"Don't you trust me? After so many years of marriage" my dad was quite surprised by my mum's attitude.

"Trust? You dare open your mouth to talk about trust?" My mum's eyes widened.

"I love you Aadvika and I will never do anything that would hurt you, please believe me" my dad was trying his best to appease my mum but to no avail.

"Where was that love when you hid the truth from me for so many years? For crying out loud we have a 15 years old daughter and I just got to find out about this now?" My mum was very offended and she spoke angrily before she took a pause and smiled, just then a tear dropped from her eyes.

"Was that the reason you insisted that we stopped trying to have another child after my last miscarriage? Was that the reason? Answer me Veer!" My mum grabbed my dad's collar and was yanking it very roughly. My dad placed his palm at the back of my mum's hand and was speaking gently.

"You have to calm down, lower your voice or else Lakshmi might hear you. We don't want her to get involved in this'' my dad took her hands off his shirt. My mum averted her gaze from him before she looked back at him.

"We? I think at this point you will have to start talking for yourself because I totally disagree with everything you have said so far and I'm sure I will disagree with whatever you will say again.

And so what if she hears us? Are you trying to keep the fact that you are a horrible father from her?" My mother was crying and at the same time she was angry.

I really didn't know what could have caused such a fight between my parents but I wasn't going to stop eavesdropping on their conversation even though a huge part of me wanted me to.

"Stop this! Stop your nonsense right now because I have had enough!. What exactly is your problem? What is it that other husband's do that I haven't done? Please tell me so I can do it" my dad joined both of his palms together and was practically begging my mum for an answer but she was quiet but her silence didn't last for long.

"Other husbands have been faithful to their wives that is what they have done that you haven't. They don't cheat on their wives that is what you do that they don't" my mum yelled and this time I felt like the entire roof was going to fall.

"I have been faithful to you from the very day we took our wedding vows!" my dad thundered.

My mum wasn't going to take it any longer. She went in front of the mirror and made her hair into a bun again.

"Where are you going?" My dad held her hand, stopping her motion.

"I am not going to sleep on the same bed with you" she forcefully freed herself from him.

I ran away to hide behind a pillar and I saw her walking into one of the guest rooms and shutting the door. My dad trailed after her and tried his best to make her open the door but she refused.

"Please listen to me. Just listen to what I have to say" my dad was pleading and banging on the door but my mum didn't give him any reply and after several attempts he retired to his room.

At the orphanage

The entire kitchen had burnt down and there was almost nothing left except for the lady whose arms were firmly wrapped around the two kids.

Seeing this, the ladies who were restricting Mia freed her at once.

"Oh Aunty, I thought I would die there. Thank you for saving us" the little girl who survived the fire incident ran out of the kitchen to embrace one of the ladies that stood outside in amazement.

The lady inside the fire was coughing along with the two kids who had survived the fire. They didn't last longer as they passed out.

The fire department had arrived and they came to quench the remaining fire while the victims were rushed to the hospital. Mia isolated herself and went into her room, shutting the door behind her.

The ladies who were restricting her earlier began to feel guilty as one of them tried to go and appease Mia but she didn't open the door for anyone.

Mia was drowned in her thought, she began to feel like anywhere she goes, something bad will definitely follow even if she tried her best to save everyone that was in trouble she still felt like she was the cause of their predicaments.

Too much thinking wasn't good for Mia, she immediately fell into a deep sleep, trying to forget her negative thoughts.

Lakshmi's POV

At Lakshmi's house

I don't know if it was because I overheard my parents' argument last night that made me feel my parents weren't good at hiding their differences from their child.

They were totally avoiding each other, well my mum was the one avoiding my dad, breakfast didn't even settle well with me as the whole scene they were displaying was quite disturbing to me.

"I'm off to school now" I dropped my spoon, barely touching my food. I just didn't have the appetite.

"But darling you haven't finished your food yet" my mum tried to stop me but she had the wrong timing , I was already at the door and the driver was waiting for me. I hopped into the backseat of the vehicle as he began to drive.

I stopped at Mia's orphanage home to pick her up so we could go to school together. It had become a habit I didn't want to drop.

Mia and I were both lost in our own thoughts that we didn't even pay attention to the deadly silence on the way to school or to the fact that none of us was looking at the other person. We were both staring out the opposite windows in the backseat of the vehicle.

"We are her ma'am" my driver had to draw my attention and Mia also came to reality. We both picked up our school bags and headed for our classrooms.

I could barely pay attention to anything that was taught in class.

"Other husbands have been faithful to their wives that is what they have done that you haven't. They don't cheat on their wives that is what you do that they don't" that was the only thing that I heard playing in my head over and over again.

My mum's voice was like a recording in my brain, only that I couldn't stop this record from playing.

"You are also lost in thoughts. What is it?" Mia asked me as she focused on my food instead of my face as she sat opposite me in the canteen.

I took a deep breath and looked at her, she wasn't even focused on the conversation herself.

"Mia, are you even present minded?" I asked Mia who was paying all of her attention to a water bottle, she was gently spinning it in her right hand with the help of her fingers.

"Yes I am, so tell me what the problem is" she spoke softly and slowly but she didn't take her hands and eyes off the very small water bottle.

"It's my parents'' I paused to see her reaction but she was just silent and waited for what I would say next, her face didn't display any sort of emotion.

"I'm listening" Mia looked at me for a while before she quickly took her eyes off me after she had noticed my unnecessary prolonged silence.

"They are fighting with each other and I don't know why. My mum is so upset that she doesn't even want to stand or sit close to him. She doesn't even want to walk on the same tiles he stepped on'' I know I was blowing the thing a bit out of proportion with my last statement but that was how the whole thing was playing in my head.

"Research has shown that every couple has disagreements from time to time. It is a normal occurrence so I don't see it as something big. It is not worth being worried about" Mia was correct but the way she was talking as if she was selecting her words didn't really bring out the emotions needed in that statement, it didn't sound too convincing but I managed to get her point yet I still chose to worry.

"Mia, I don't think you would understand what it means to see your own parents argue like that" I immediately regretted my last sentence when Mia looked at me and I could see that I had triggered something in her, something that I wasn't meant to trigger but she focused on the water bottle again.

"Because I don't have parents anymore?" Mia shrugged.

"No Mia, I just had a slip of tongue, please forgive me.'' I begged her and she continued the conversation.

"What did you hear in the argument that drew your attention the most?" Mia dropped the water bottle and placed her hand in between her lap while she moved back and forth on the chair.

"My mum accused my dad of cheating on her Mia" I whispered.

"So he stole her money or perhaps rubbed her of something?" Mia tilted her head towards her left and as usual I used my hand to support her head.

"No Mia, it means that she is accusing him of being with another woman that is not her" I tried to explain to the best of my knowledge.

"What do you think? Do you think that your dad could do such a thing to your mum and if yes what's your reason ?" Mia was asking me and it felt like an interview but I knew I was still going to answer her questions anyway.

"Honestly Mia I don't know what to think because although I am my dad's daughter, I don't even know who he is. He spends so much time at work that I cannot tell what he likes and dislikes and the same thing goes for my mum. I don't know my parents'' I was so distorted and heart broken.

" You have to talk to your parents. That is the only solution to the problem you are facing right now. Communication clears a lot of misunderstanding between humans' ' Mia was trying to advise me.

"I really don't know about that Mia, I can't just walk up to my parents and ask them the reason why they are fighting. It just isn't.." I was thinking of the right word or phrase to complete my sentence but Mia beat me to it.

" It isn't normal human behavior?" She asked and I nodded my head, signifying a yes.

Lakshmi's POV

I returned to my quiet and lonely home once again, at least that was what I expected the atmosphere to be like. My parents would have gone to work and I won't see them for another week or even a month.

I rolled my eyes in disappointment and threw my school bag to God knows where, I was so sure a maid will come pick it up.

"You are not going to bring that boy to this house. I will never allow you to insult our marriage in such a disgusting way" my mum was running after my dad who was quickly making his way down the stairs.

"Veer! Veer!" My mum called out to him but he didn't reply.

"Veer I said stop there right now or else you will be signing divorce papers very soon" my mum threatened and finally she got my dad's attention.

"Really?" My dad was more than shocked as he turned around to look at my mum who had successfully made her way downstairs.

My mum was about to say something when she noticed me standing at the entrance of the house still with my school uniform on, she signaled for my dad to turn around which he did and he nearly had a heart attack.

"Lakshmi.. darling.. you are back so early ?" My mum was trying to pretend as if nothing happened.

"Don't even try that nonsense with me right now. I should be asking the both of you why you are still at home and not at work," I was losing my mind and I walked closer to them.

"What is happening dad? Why are you and mum arguing? And why does she claim that you want to insult your marriage?" I was about to have an emotional breakdown.

"No dear, your mum and I aren't having serious issues, we were just talking" my dad held my shoulders but I forcely freed myself from him.

"She just clearly threatened to divorce you. I want to know the truth right now and it would be better if you don't lie to me" I pointed my fingers at them.

"You cannot talk to us like this, we are your parents" my mum tried to shun me but I was too angry to listen to anything she had to say, just so she could avoid the topic.

"Mum if you don't tell me the truth right now I am going to go in there and pack my things so I can leave this house and sustain my peace of mind" I threatened my parents even though I didn't know what I was saying and where I would go to, I still stood my ground.

"Darling, you have to calm down," my dad said calmly.

"Don't tell me to calm down. I will count down from ten and if you don't start talking by the time I get to one then..." I couldn't finish my statement when my mum blurted out.

"Your father has a child with another woman" my mum said quickly before she covered her mouth as tears escaped from her eyes.

"What?" My mood changed completely and I could see the anger my dad had towards her. He turned towards her direction, fuming with anger. I was so confused I didn't know what to do. I just ran into my bedroom and locked the door.

"Lakshmi, Lakshmi please open the door. We can talk about this" my dad tried to beg me but my mind was too clouded with thoughts. I didn't know what to think or how I was supposed to react. I was just confused.

"Lakshmi please listen to your father" my mum was supporting my dad but I wasn't willing to listen to any of them.

"Why are you asking her to come out? Didn't you think of the repercussions when you blurted out the truth" I could hear my dad scolding my mum.

"Both of you should just go away! I don't want to see you or hear anything from you!" I screamed as I sat on the bed and folded my knees in such a way that it was touching my chin and I wrapped my hand around my legs, crying my eyes out. I just couldn't take any of this much longer.

I was already frustrated. I didn't step out of my room throughout the rest of the day.

I made sure to set my alarm at exactly 4am so I could prepare myself for school and exactly at 6:30 I made the driver take me to schooI. I was trying to avoid my parents as much as I could.

At school

I arrived at school very early, too early in fact but Mia was already there before me. No wonder she wasn't waiting for me at the orphanage gate when I went to get her.

"Mia?" I called out to her, she was so focused on her textbook that she didn't even notice my presence.

"You are here early" she stood up from the stairs where she was seated.

"Yes" she gave me a faint smile.

"Why did you come to school so early?" I was very curious.

"I have problems, I am trying to run away from my fear" Mia looked at me and smiled which made me burst into laughter.

"Mia you can never run away from your fear because it will always return to you.

"Isn't that the same thing you are doing right now?" Mia closed her textbook.

"What?" I got confused.

"You came to school this early just so you can stop thinking about why your parents are fighting" Mia nodded her head slowly as she tried to guess what my own problem was.

"That's not really the case though. I just found out a secret my parents have been hiding from me, I just don't know how to react to it so I left home. I'm trying to clear my head." I explained things to her.

"Ok" she shrugged.

"Mia what problems do you have?" I folded my eyes as I tried to concentrate on her.

"I'm bad luck, you should start staying away from me if not you might get hurt" Mia shrugged and for a moment I felt like my ears weren't hearing the right thing.

"Mia, are you sure you didn't take anything that messed with your reason? When did you start believing in luck, not just any luck but bad luck". I was trying to wrap my head around what she just told me.

"Luck exists, this book here talks about it" she handed me a book and here I thought that she was reading a textbook. I didn't know she was reading something else titled

"Existence of luck".

"This is complete nonsense even if the title doesn't make any sense. Mia, not everything you read in books or on the internet are true and besides where did you get this book?" I looked at the book once again.

"From the city library" she looked at her feet.

"Then you better return it, in fact I will stop at the city library on our way home after school today just so you can return this book. It is of no use to you and you should get rid of it okay?" I caressed her face.

"Okay" she agreed and nodded her head as if she was just a year old. I found it really cute.