I took a quick hot shower; I tied a towel tightly around my figure and come out of the bathroom. I blow dried my hair, all the while thinking of Arham, imagining his face when he sees my surprise.

I go through my wardrobe selecting my best dress for the night, after fifteen minutes I finally found the dress I thought will be perfect.

I wore a black full sleeve top and quickly buttoned it, I wore white pants with it. I applied kohl in my eyes making sure it is perfect. I dabbed my lips with red glossy lip-gloss. I wore my watch in my right wrist and a small pearl earring. I applied generous amount of perfume and slipped into matching black and white flats.

I combed my hair and left it open, my hair isn't too long or too short, it reaches just below my chest, perfect.

For some time, I mentally debated with myself if I have to leave my hair open or tie it, then I remembered Gunjan had mentioned once that men generally like open hair, so I kept it open.

Twenty minutes later I find myself standing in front of a small apartment. I feel my heart beating furiously inside my rip cage. I didn't like this apartment; it is really shady. There is really suffocating standing in a dimly lit corridor. The walls are dirty with few Pan stains and there is smell too, the apartment seems packed.

I held on the tiffin tightly and looked at his front door, I read his name in the wooden nameplate.

I gently caress his name and smile. My fingers trembled as I rang the doorbell. Few minutes later I heard his footsteps and as his footsteps grew louder my heartbeat also grew louder.

Soon the door opens. I gulped feeling very nervous. How will he react? Will he throw me out? Will he scold me?

Arham opens the door, I smile at him nervously. He has opened the door slightly with only half his body visible from behind the door.

He looks haphazard, his eyes swollen and puffy like he had been crying. My doubt gets cleared when I noticed dry tear stains on his cheek, his hair messy. My heart drops seeing his condition.

He looked shocked to see me

'You? what the hell are you doing here?' he asks

'I got you this' I say raising the tiffin that I had got for him; he shakes his head in disbelief. He looks around and grabs my arm and pulls me in.

I look around, his house is extremely small. Everything looks crampy. There is one single bed pressed against the wall in one corner, open kitchen with a small fridge in another corner. A small door leading to the bathroom, a small black leather sofa next to the only window, the window thankfully is big. There is a small TV hung on the wall opposite to the bed. There are clothes lying everywhere and small decorative pieces. I noticed some wine bottle on the kitchen slab.

'What is the meaning of coming here?' he says angrily

'I told you I got you food' I say and walk towards the kitchen, I almost stumble over his office clothes that lay on the floor. I recollect him wearing this in the morning.

'Why have you got food?' he says following me to the kitchen

'Yaar, you ask so many questions.... don't say no, I have made it with my own hands' I say happily

He eyes me suspiciously

'What?' I ask shrugging.

'Have you added something in it?' he asks eyeing me suspiciously. My jaw drops hearing his accusation, does he think I am so pathetic that I will add stuff in his food and why will I? but then why didn't I think of this earlier, I could have added some truth syrup and got all truth out of him.

'Are you mad?' I say as I open the tiffin. I had prepared fresh Aloo Paratha and Veg Manchurian. I look at him. He is eyeing the food hungrily and I know he will not accept it but he wants to eat.

'Where are the plates?' I ask looking around for plates, he is still eyeing the food, dazed. Hearing my voice, he snaps out of his trance. He frowns

'I am not hungry' he says, he is such a stubborn kid.

'Shut up, don't argue with your boss' I say as I finally find two plates. He looks at the other plate surprised

'You haven't eaten?' he asks

'I thought I will eat with my friend...' I say casually.

After I said that statement I bit down my lower lip, I turn my head and saw him looking away and his expressions changing to a sad one. I shouldn't have said what I said.

He looks at me as I finished plating the food and forward him, I look at him too.

We kept looking at each other for few minutes before realizing that we had food to eat.

'Come' he says taking his plate and leading me towards the bed. He sits on the bed and gestures me to sit on the sofa which I quietly obliged.

I watch him keenly as he fed himself the first morsel, I see him close his eyes and smile blissfully. I am glad he liked my food, and more than that I am glad I brought a smile to his face.

'How is it?' I ask, from his expressions I knew he liked it but I wanted to hear from his mouth.

'Very delicious' he says, mouthful. I smile, its first time someone complimented my food, well its first time I have taken so much effort to make food for someone.

We ate in silence, occasionally we kept glancing at each other. Watching him lick his finger enjoying the food made my me, it satisfied me. I can make food for him forever. I smile sadly.

Once done I extend my hand to take his plate when he stops me and takes my plate instead.

'I will wash them, you go freshen up' he says and I nod standing up. I look at him and go to washroom to wash my hands.

Arham goes into the washroom to wash his hands, I look around again. This place is really messy; all this place needs is a woman's touch.

I tie my hair quickly in a messy bun and started to pick up his clothes from the floor.

I held the clothes in my hands. I am walking towards the other side when I noticed few photo frames on table along with few decorative pieces.

I placed the pile of clothes on his bed and walk towards the table. I pick up one of the photo frames, for the first I see his daughter.

It's a cute pic of Arham holding his new born baby girl, the baby girl is so cute and pink wrapped up in white and pink towel. She has her eyes and fists tightly closed and her mouth slightly open. Arham is looking at the camera and smiling widely, I haven't seen him smile so bright since school.

I find my eyes getting moist as well. I kept the photo frame and picked up the next, this photo had a little girl slightly grown. She is sitting leaning against a chair, she looks no less than a doll dressed in a sky blue fork, her face slightly powdered and her hair neatly combed. Her hair tied in a cute coconut ponytail on top of her head. I look into her eyes, she inherited them from her father, her grey orbs are exactly as captivating and alluring as her father's.

'Irum...'

I nearly dropped the photo frame as I hear his voice from behind me. I turned around and find him coming towards me, his gaze fixed on the photo frame that I held. He stands next to me and takes the photo frame from my hand. I see his expression soften and change to a sad one

'My daughter' he says caressing the photo from behind the frame. I smile

'She is really beautiful' I compliment, and I meant it sincerely. I love Arham and so I love everything that is associated with him, and his daughter, Irum, is a part of him, then how can I not love her.

He sighs sadly 'it's been...nearly...one...year...that I met her' he says, his voice cracking. I knew he will break down again, and I wanted to be there with him. I place my hand on his shoulder assuring him.

Arham quickly wipes his tear and places the photo frame back on the desk, he looks at me. I quickly look away blinking my tears.

'You should be going; it's getting late' he says

I smile 'not yet, now we will have desert' I say

'Excuse me?' he says raising his eyebrows.

I look at him for few seconds before realizing what he thought I meant

'Chi...Arham' I say smacking my forehead.

I went to the kitchen again, and opened another small tiffin that I had brought.

'Tada!' I say, extending the tiffin box to him. I have got him Gulab Jamun, of course I haven't made these, I got it from my favourite sweet shop.

'I can't have this' he says, and I frown

'Why dude! I have made these too' I lie in hope that he eats them

He smiles like he caught my lie, his smile making my heart skip a beat just like how it had ten years ago.

'First of all, I agree you are a very good cook (I rejoice in my head on hearing his compliment) but not perfect to make these... (I pout looking down) and secondly I can't have this because I am diabetic' he says

I look up at him, he is diabetic, since when?

'Last year I was diagnosed with it, don't worry it's not very serious.' He says, but still I don't feel assured.

'Arham, can I ask you something?' I say nervously, he looks at me

'Since I have seen you I see you are very disturbed, please share with me what's bothering you' I say softly, my tone almost pleading him.

He looks at me sadly and shakes his head, I sigh

'Please...'

'No, you will hate me more' he says

I am surprised by his statement and my expressions gave away my emotions, he looks at me helplessly.

He sighs.

*

Next day is Sunday, it's a holiday. I have planned something special for today. I am going to make Arham smile again. I had prepared French toast, boiled veggies and got a pack of orange juice. I quickly wear a floral three by fourth jumpsuit, tied my hair in a loose ponytail and placed it one side of my shoulder. I applied nude lip gloss and kohl. I slip into white flats and quickly pack the tiffin for Arham. The image of him enjoying the food made me feel thousand times better.

I wore my bug shaped sunglasses, my watch and kept my mobile in my suit's pocket. I took the tiffin box and my car keys and leave.

'Hello, Miss Malik' I cringe on hearing Mr. Mehta's voice as I unlock my car. I turn around and find him smiling slyly at me.

'Yes'

'Where are you off, young lady?' he asks, I gap at him for his audacity for few seconds. I smile

'I am going to meet my boyfriend' I say smirking, then before he could counter that I sat in my car and drove off.

I rang the doorbell and wait patiently for Arham to open the door. I am smiling brightly thinking about his surprised look. I check my watch, its 9am. I rang the bell again because it's been 5minutes and yet he hasn't opened the door. I adjusted my hair and dress.

Few minutes after the second time I rang the bell, he opens the door. He looks like he has just woken up from sleep. I feel guilty of waking him up so early. But he is looking too cute as he looks at me confused.

'Hi' I say smiling widely

He frowns 'What are you doing here?' he hisses and glares at me. I smile and forced myself into his house.

I look around and shake my head, the place is exactly as I had left. In fact, the pile of clothes that I had placed on his bed were scattered again.

How can someone live in such a mess? I walk into the kitchen and kept the tiffin box on the kitchen.

He follows me

He sighs and comes to me 'What do you want?' he says sounding frustrated. I smile simply

I walk towards a small wooden cupboard and take out a towel and throw at him

'Get ready, food will go cold...be quick' I command. He gapes at me like I have grown a pair of horns.

I shrug. He shakes his head he murmurs something under his breath, making sure it is inaudible for me, he dashes into the bathroom. I smile victoriously.

As he goes in, I roam around and start to pick up his clothes that are lying everywhere. I neatly fold them and placed them in the cupboard. I then start to tidy up his bed when his bathroom door opens and he emerges out having only towel wrapped around his waist. I look at him wide eyed, he looks little embarrassed.