For me holiday meant only three words, 'Sun', 'Sand', 'Beach'. And Darjeeling was exactly opposite. Darjeeling smelled of wilderness and adventure. Mountains never fail to thrill my soul yet these mountains are so calm and serene.

We landed in Darjeeling, the cold weather welcoming us. This place helped me to overcome Altophobia, fear of heights which I developed from a childhood incident. I saw a man falling down from the 31st floor of a building during the annual kite festival. That was a shock to me.

Avery was coming with her orphanage buddies and the nuns. My baby was very excited about the picnic. This would be a great experience for her.

I am happy that she is happy. Though I am worried for her but I know she will be taken care of. The nuns were very caring and protective towards the kids in their orphanage. Next month, finally she will get her eyes.

Three days, a long needed holiday with my best friend. Mountain climbing, bungee jumping, paragliding and so many more. It's going to be super fun. I was actually excited for this trip but I didn't tell Annie about it because she will never stop her teasing.

"Lets have dinner first. I am hungry!" Annie announced and my stomach gurgled at the mention of food. Don't get me wrong, food and I have shared a very intimate love story.

"There is a small diner at the corner." I pointed my finger to an old diner that serves delicious food.

"Stop the car." Annie told the driver. The hired driver did as told.

Annie and I headed towards Mackey's Diner.

The place was warm and cosy, the tables were small each having four chairs, small chinese lanterns hung at the corners. The place scented of apple cinnamon.

Two men passed by our table, engrossed in their conversation, like Annie was engrossed in her new iPhone 7. Being a fashion icon and an international designer, I never liked such fancy phones but I had one still. The features are really good.

The two men who just entered the diner, took a table behind Annie. Annie was now talking to someone in the phone while the waiter came to take our order.

"Parth, shut up!" I heard a voice coming from the table behind Annie. The other guy spoke whose back was facing me. It was very deep and sensual which can catch any woman's attention.

The guy named 'Parth' spoke, "Oh please, what was she like? Tell me man!" His eyes twinkled with amusement.

The other guy said, "She was good," in a strained voice. "Cut the crap man! No girls in this trip, remember?"

Parth waved him off and the conversation died down. I wonder why the hell am I staring at that guy and want to glance his face for once atleast?

Stop staring, Ashna! I sighed and looked away to focus on my best friend.

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Parth and I went to a nearby bar beside our hotel, we took four bottles of beer which will help me to survive the cold weather. Parth didn't want to camp out in the hills, he was scared of insects. I know quite funny it is but I don't wanna risk it because Parth tends to act like a girl when he is scared. I have even handled a crying Parth in middle school and that was hell.

Hotel Blue Star, was the name of our hotel. It was already 11 p.m. when I was strolling in the beautiful lawn of this hotel. The bushes were well-trimmed, and the lamp posts stood alternate to each other along the footwalks. Red and green creepers creeped through the lamp posts.

Nights and places like these, always made me remember that one girl, Ashu. I wonder what got into me that made me so rude towards her. Why did I let her go? I just wish she was here now, her hands in mine and we were walking together, I wish she was with me now as my girl... I wish. I wish that fateful night never turned out the way it did. If only I could go back and fix the time...

"Sr. Mary... are you there?"

While I was lost in my depressing past, I heard a soft voice of a child, sniffing and calling out someone.

I walked behind a bush, from where I heard the voice.

There sat a little girl on a wooden seater, face palmed and sobbing. She had a long black ponytail, falling till her waist. She wore a white satin dress which had a big blue bow tied at the back. She was the cutest thing ever that my eyes have witnessed.

I went and sat beside her, she looked at me and held her hands out and asked, panicking. "Who are you? Please take me to momma." She started crying again but her hands tried to touch something. I got confused, what she wants to touch?

Her tiny fingers touched my palms. I just kept quite and concentrated on what she was doing. She clasped her tiny fingers with mine and squeezed it a little. A smile crept through her lips. I did the same with her fingers. Suddenly this pretty girl seemed to relax a bit.

"I can't see you." Princess sniffed. "But I feel you are nice." Princess smiled. She was like the lost princess in the woods, I do not remember that fairytale but yeah this little girl is like that princess.

"So why is princess crying?" I asked, wiping her tears with my thumb.

"I lost my friends." She sniffed again.

"Pretty please don't cry." I said while making her sit on my lap.

"Sr. Mary would be worrying for me. I am hungry. I want to sleep and I'm feeling cold. I want to go to momma." She said everything in one breadth and started crying again.

"Princess, you'd look more pretty with a smile." I smiled at her. "And." I searched my pockets to take out some chocolates. "Do you like chocolates?"

What? I hide chocolates because I love chocolates. That's not a crime. Everyone has their dirty little secrets, right?

"Momma said to not take chocolate from uncles I don't know but you are like a bear and you are nice so I'll have it!" She exclaimed and I laughed. She took the chocolate and popped one into her mouth after opening the wrapper.

"So, what is the name of this little princess?"

"Avery."

"You know Avery, you look like a fairytale princess." I smiled at her, this little girl will grow up to be a gorgeous woman one day.

"Momma said they are very pretty, just like me." Avery spoke in her sweet voice and giggled.

"You look like Snow White." I told her, caressing her hair finally remembering the story title.

"Really?"

"Yes really."

As we conversed animatedly for the next 5 minutes, I got to know a little more about Avery. It was pretty shocking that this little girl didn't have eyesight but the good thing was she was getting her eyesight next month.

"Avery!... Avery!" We heard two, three voices calling out the same name. Someone came out of the bushes, "Jesus! Avery, baby are you okay?" A sister spoke.

The other sisters came running towards us. "Sr. Mary!" Avery jumped off from my lap and I stood up with a smile.

"Thank you, son." Sr. Mary said.

I nodded with a smile.

"Snow."

Avery turned and gave a heart-warming smile.

"Yes?"

"Goodnight, princess."

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Edit (13 july' 17)-- chapter edited!

--loren