shattered souls By Afsheen k.

The deal

Irha

The heavy oak door creaked open, revealing a grand Victorian house filled with deep, dark colors. The thick curtains blocked most of the light, adding to the mysterious feel of the place. As I stepped inside, I realized it would take more than a day or two to explore every part of this huge mansion.

I found myself in the lounge, surrounded by elegant furniture, though the room felt quiet, like it was waiting for something to happen. "Arhan?" I called out, my voice echoing slightly.

"Up here!" came a small voice from above. I followed the sound to the grand wooden staircase. The banister was smooth and cool under my hand as I climbed. Upstairs, the hallway had three closed doors, and I wasn't sure which one to choose.

"Arhan? Which room is yours?"

"On your left," he replied. I opened the door to find toys scattered all over the floor, a mess in the otherwise neat house. Arhan was sitting in the middle, holding a toy robot with a big smile on his face.

"Come play with Dobby!" he said, his excitement contagious.

"And who's Dobby?" I asked, kneeling down beside him.

"He's the leader of all the toys! Isn't he cool?" Arhan held up the robot, its eyes flashing with tiny lights.

"Oh wow, Dobby is very cool!" I said, laughing.

"Do you like Dobby?" Arhan asked, his eyes full of hope.

"Definitely," I replied, making him grin even wider.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" he asked suddenly, catching me off guard.

"N-no, Arhan, that's a funny question," I said, laughing.

"Well, Dobby can be your boyfriend! He needs someone nice like you," he suggested, his logic simple but sweet.

"Alright, Pumpkin, Dobby is my boyfriend now," I agreed, playing along. We spent hours playing, Dobby leading all sorts of fun adventures. Eventually, Arhan got tired and fell asleep in my lap.

While he slept, I pulled out my work, trying to catch up on assignments. I had chosen this English literature because of my love for books-reading always helped me escape from the difficulties of life. As I read, everything else seemed to fade away.

"I'm hungry," Arhan's small voice broke my concentration. I hadn't even noticed him waking up.

"Okay, let's see what we can find in the kitchen," I said, putting my work aside. We searched the kitchen and found some pasta and fruit. I cut up the fruit while the pasta cooked, and poured us both some orange juice.

"You two seem to be getting along well," a deep voice said behind me. I turned to see Zayyan standing in the doorway, looking tired.

"Yes, Daddy! We had so much fun! She's the best-I want her to stay forever!" Arhan said, beaming at me.

"Would you like to join us?" I asked Zayyan, noticing how exhausted he looked.

"I'd like that," he replied, his voice softer now. As I reached for a plate, our hands touched, and I felt a jolt of surprise. Our eyes met, and for a moment, everything else disappeared. His green eyes sparkled, and I felt myself getting lost in them.

Arhan's voice pulled me back to reality. "And Daddy, we played with her boyfriend too!"

Zayyan's eyes widened in shock. "Wait, what? You brought your boyfriend here?!"