"Hey, Aditi can you come to the park in the evening?"
Ashwin came to me looking down head turned a little to the side like he was avoiding facing me.
"Why?"
I asked harshly trying to hide my worry for him after what happened to his parents, even though he hurt me really badly on his birthday, but now he had lost his parents and I couldn't bring myself to hate him anymore.
"I-I just wanted to apologise to you for what I did on my birthday," he said his voice coming out meekly, and quite in shame.
"What?" I blurted out my mouth "Why in the park?"
"I just wanted to properly apologise to you, but if you don't want to that's fine, after what I did no amount of apology will mean much." He turned around and walked back taking heavy steps and fallen shoulder, looking down.
"Wait, I will come." In my confusion, I just agreed to it, how could I not after how weak and small he looked
He turned around his head with a faint smile, bangs covering his eyes "Thank you, Aditi."
***
When I arrived at the park Ashwin was already there waiting for me
"I am glad that you really came after what I did." He stepped closer "I am really, reaaalllly glad," He said with a bright smile creeping up on his face, the him from his birthday flashed before me.
"A-Ashwin what?" He grabbed both of my arms "Thank you Aditi" Tightening his grip he twisted my arms slowly "N...o" I couldn't continue, words got stuck in my throat refusing to leave,
'If you say anything I will kill you' I could hear his voice in my mind and I accepted that thought without question, Ashwins void eyes only made it clearer, my life is in my words now.
"Aditi" he said pulling me closer "Why did you kill my parents?"
What?!
"Why….did…..you…..kill…..my…parents?" He kept twisting my arms with every word.
"If you just kept silent about the phones my parents would have lived."
What is he talking about, what phones?
"If my parents didn't find out about their phones they wouldn't get the call for the meeting and they wouldn't have any reason to get on that plane."
With his words, things started becoming clear to me of what he was saying.
"Ashwin that's not true." I was surprised that I said that, but soon fear crept up on me 'I will die' 'He will kill me'
"What's not true Aditi?" Bending his neck to the side he moved closer to my face "Tell me" he got so close covering my vision, I couldn't see anything but his eyes, staring into my soul.
"…."
"Why are you not saying anything now?"
"….." I couldn't say anything my whole body froze up with his empty stare. I couldn't even feel him twisting my arm anymore, do I still even have my arm, I don't know.
"You killed my parents right?"
"Yes," Without any thought nor fear, I accepted his words.
"If you didn't tell my parents about the phones they would have lived right?"
"Yes," I am to blame, I am the one who killed his parents "Good girl" and this is my punishment.