Yes

My professor called me to look after his family while he is away at work, I thought it would be easy to do and his family was really nice to me and Ashwin even though he was young acted really mature and never caused any kind of trouble like other kids I looked after.

But the Ashwin I am seeing right now is a completely different, kid he is kicking and punching a little girl I had never seen before, and Ashwin was preparing to punch her face again but I intervened to stop him, protecting the little girl behind me.

"What Are you doing Sanvi," Ashwin asked me smiling innocently like he always smiled when we were at home, but in this situation, his smile sent shivers down my spine.

"I should be asking that, What are YOU doing?" My voice came out louder than I wanted to, the girl behind me got scared and stepped back because of that. 

Turning around and getting down on one knee I got at the eye level of the girl trying my best to not scare her anymore.

"Tell me what is your name" I asked politely.

"…" She stayed silent and trembling in fear she was trying to look behind my back, looking at Ashwin.

"Don't be scared anymore, I won't let Ashwin hurt you again," Putting my hands on her head I asked for her name again in a softer voice.

She had bruises and cuts all over her body just how can a child do something like this?

She looked down calming herself with deep breaths and hiccups "Aditi" she whispered.

"Aditi right? My name is Sanvi, you don't have to be afraid anymore, I will protect you" Saying this and hugging her, I turned my head towards Ashwin.

"Ashwin are you even aware of what you are doing" I asked him keeping my voice in control, I am angry at him but I can't have Aditi more afraid then she already is.

"Of course I am, other call it bullying I guess," He said with his same old smile still plastered on his face "But this is not bullying, I would never do that, she is only getting the punishment she deserves," He said shaking his head in a tired manner and looked at me nonchalantly.

"What?!" His attitude and his words boiled my blood raising my voice "What do you mean by punishment" I could feel the girl trembling in my hands, I turned my head to her again "Don't worry, I am sorry for scaring you" and turned my head back at Ashwin

"Sanvi, why are you getting so angry, she is only getting punished for the sin she commit," he said stepping closer to us.

"What do you mean she deserves this, who are you to decide that?" Without answering me he stepped closer and moved his body to the side trying to look for Aditi, then suddenly he stopped looking and moved back to where he was before

I don't know what he did but Aditi who was trembling just now went still, looking down, it felt like she wasn't in my hands, like she was disappearing from my grasp "A-Aditi ar-are you okay."

"Yes," She said and went silent.

"Aditi" Ashwin called from behind us "You deserve this punishment, right?" He asked.

"Yes," She answered.

"You are the reason my parents died right?" He asked.

"Yes," She answered.

"If you didn't get in my way my parents would have lived right?" He asked again.

"Yes," She….gave the same answer, again.

Just what is this, what did he do to her, why is she suddenly being this way, how can he…..he is almost like!

"Sanvi" He called me "There you have it," He said.

"She ruined my life and killed my parents that's why it's natural for her to be punished too," He said "Everything I did to save my parents, she made all of my efforts meaningless" His face lost its innocent expression, lost all kind of emotions, looking at me with his dead, dark eyes "And I will give her the same amount of torment I had to go through because of her," he said.

"Ashwin!!" I shouted at him and got closer to him grabbing his shoulders and looking straight into his eyes "Are you even aware of your words, your actions?" he is not like a kid he is just like him.

"Of course I am aware," He said and stared back into my eyes, no fear no guilt not a speck of emotion was in his answer, I felt like I was sinking into the darkness in his eyes.

"So what?"

Shivers ran through my body, I stepped back from him my hands were trembling from fear, am I afraid of a kid, of him?

"You two are going back with me" It doesn't matter if I am afraid or not, one thing is clear to me I am powerless in this situation, and I can only count on their family.