Maya's POV

"It was never us Ved. It was you, always you." 

"Maya, I know that I made some mistakes-" Ved started but I cut him off as the first tear rolled down my face. I absolutely detested that I was being this vulnerable in front of him but what he did to me, it crushed me.

"Some mistakes Ved? The mistake you made crushed my entire self esteem! It killed my confidence. I had to visit a psychologist for years before I returned back to normal! You call that 'some mistakes'?" I lashed out at him. Ved looked at me, his mouth slightly parted and his eyes held in clear shock.

"Maya, if I could change time-"

"I don't need you to change time Ved! Just, just leave me alone please." I said. "What you did, I nearly-"

I decided to stop there. There was no reason that he had to know something like this. I nearly killed myself during the aftermath of the incident. All the hate I received was piled up on me and I thought the only way to get rid of it was by cutting through it. But Paati caught me before I could do anything to myself. She swore that she wouldn't say anything to anyone but she made me promise to her that I would visit a psychologist and never do this to myself.

"Maya?" Ved asked softly and I snapped back to reality.

"It doesn't matter anymore." I mumbled and left the room. I walked to the nursery and picked up Vedya. I was glad Ved didn't follow me to the nursery. I rocked her sleeping body against my warm one and went to my bedroom. Thoughts were flashing in my head about my past and I closed my eyes for a moment.

"Maya, it's Ved on the phone! Come and get it!" Paati yelled from downstairs.

"Ok!" I said and ran down to get the phone. I picked it up and heard Bollywood music in the background.

"Ved?" I said casually as I chewed on an apple. We were past formalities and treated each other like we knew each other forever.

"Come out Mayo the Fro-yo!" Ved said.

"Eww, I would never eat Mayonnaise in Frozen Yogurt...that's like a crime." I replied.

"No dude seriously, come out!" Ved said, exasperatedly.

"Please don't tell me you are outside my house!" I said in disbelief.

"Well, you said it yourself sweetheart! Now come outside, let's get ice cream!" Ved said.

"Are you crazy? It's below freezing and you want ice-cream! Besides Appa won't let me go out." 

"Well, talk to him yourself." Ved said with a chuckle. 

"Maya? It's ok, you can go." Appa said after a crackled sound.

"Appa, seriously where are you?" I asked him.

"Outside." he said. I put on my winter gear and walked outside. Sure enough, Appa's car was parked next to Ved's car and they were both having a casual conversation through the window.

"Appa, Amma is waiting for you inside! But are you sure I can go?" I told him.

"Oops, I will go in now. But we must surely continue this conversation on coding! And yes Maya you can go. Be home by 9." Appa said and proceeded to park his car in the garage.

"Sure Uncle. Hop in Mayo!" Ved said. I sat in the front seat next to Ved.

"Hi Maya Akka!" Virat called from the backseat.

"Hi cutie! I didn't know you were coming?" I told Virat after I turned around in my seat. Ved began driving to the ice-cream parlor.

"I wanted ice cream too and since Mom wasn't home, Ved anna brought me!" Virat said.

"Ok tell me, what flavor do you want?" I asked him.

"Chocolate and Vanilla swirl!" Virat told me excitedly.

"Ok done. Ved what flavor are you getting?" I asked him.

"Cookies and Cream, duh!" Ved said, rolling his eyes.

"Eyes on the road dummy!" I told him and he snapped back into reality and switched lanes. Then he asked me.

"What about you Mayo? Will it be Mayonnaise flavored ice cream for you?" 

"No way. I'm probably getting a vanilla milkshake." I told him, sticking my tongue out.

"Aww...what's the excitement in that?"

"Vanilla is exciting!" I argued back to him.

"I agree with Akka!" Virat piped in from the back seat.

"That's correct." I said giving him a high five.

"Ok we are here. It's cold outside Maya. I don't want to bring Virat outside so I'll bring the ice cream to the car." Ved said.

"Aww..." Virat whined.

"Virat, you and I can have fun in the car!" I told him with a grin. Then I turned back to Ved.

"Go ahead Ved, I'll stay with Virat in the car." 

"Ok thanks! I'll be out in five minutes buddy." he said to Virat and walked inside the store. As Virat and I chatted about silly first grade level things, something buzzed next to me. I picked up Ved's phone which was stuck under his seat. He was getting a call from his mom.

"Oh no, it's Amma's call! She doesn't know that we are here!" Virat said, covering his mouth with his two tiny hands.

"I should probably pick up and let her know where we are." I said and was about to pick up the call when Virat snatched the phone out of my hands.

"Virat please give me the phone."

"No Akka, Ved Anna will get in trouble and I don't want to be responsible for that!" Virat said, pouting.

"Virat, it isn't right to keep your Mummy in the dark about where you are. She must be worried. Please give me the phone!" I said reaching for it. But Virat leaped out of his booster seat and ran outside the car.

"Virat! Stop running!" I told him as I stepped outside the car. But before I could do anything I heard the screeching of tires and Virat's scream piercing the cold winter air.

"VIRAT!" I screamed.

I woke up with a start. I heard the baby's cries next to me as the morning light began to peek out. The clock read 7:00 am. I must have slept the entire night with Vedya in here. I picked up her writhing form and held her close to me.

"Aww baby, I think you need a change." I told her and changed her diaper. After I brushed my teeth and showered, I got Vedya showered and dressed in a cute pink dress and a matching hair bow. I put her in the infant carrier and went downstairs.

"Hi Mary!" I said brightly.

"Hi Maya, how's little Vedya?" She asked, wiping her hands on a towel. She came over and picked her up from the carrier.

"She is growing day by day!" Mary said as she rocked Vedya in her arms.

"I'll prepare her bottle. Do you want me to carry her?" I asked Mary.

"Oh no, I'll mind her for a bit." Mary said and proceeded to play with her. After preparing her bottle, I decided to take Vedya outside for a bit of fresh air.

"Mary, do you mind telling Ved that I am taking Vedya out for a stroll outside in the garden?" I asked her.

"No problem Maya. I'll let him know." She said and walked towards the intercom in the kitchen. I walked outside with a jacket as the air was still a little chilly from the thunderstorm two nights ago. Vedya's eyes grew big as she saw the marvels of nature around her. She cooed in happiness in my arms.

"Now that's a rose. That's my favorite flower. See that Vedya? And that's an apple tree!" I told her pointing at the various flowers and plants.

"Akka?" a voice called out from behind me. I turned around and was met with a changed sight in front of me.

"Virat?" I asked in confusion.

"Oh my god Akka it's you!" Virat said and embraced me. He was taller than me by an inch.

"Virat! It's been so long!" I said, studying his face. I found the faded jagged scar at the side of his head from the accident. He had grown to be handsome just like his brother.

"You are an 8th grader now?" I asked him.

"No, I am a freshmen in high school. I skipped a grade." Virat told me as he lead me to a stone bench in the center of the garden. He picked up Vedya from the carrier and held her.

"She is so cute." Virat said as he kissed her nose. Then a thought occured to me. What if Virat knew who the birth mother is? But my thoughts were dismissed when Virat asked me a question.

"What are you doing here akka? I haven't seen you in seven years? Where have you been and what are you doing at Ved anna's house?" Virat asked quizzically.

"Virat, it's a long story. It starts from when I met your brother. Anyway, I am Vedya's nurse/governess now so I work for your brother." I told him, attempting to end the matter.

"Akka but why? What happened seven years ago?" Virat asked.

I was stumped on whether to tell him the truth and ruin the impression that he had on his big brother or to lie.

A/N: I have nothing to say except for that I will be frequently updating this week meaning you can see my sucky writing more often :) I'm so sorry for the bad writing and rare updates!