Mondays are good for new beginnings and fresh starts. But my mind and heart has planned to reel over the past.

I can't stop thinking about last night, the dinner, his look, those sneaky glances, the way he moved his fork on the plate, his brushing his hair, his sitting posture, his brown eyes... Oh God! He is still the same.

His voice can still make my stomach tingle. How is that even possible? I should hate him and give him the evil eye but here I'm thinking about him and blushing and these traitorous butterflies are unstoppable.

But one thing I couldn't get over with was the way he looked at me. Why did he look at me like that? That look shouldn't be meant for me. That look made me fall for his charms years ago and I can't let that happen again.

Overthinking toys the woman's mind.

My little daughter was in love with photography and left me alone to take my frustrations out on my books. Avery makes me forget about all my problems and good and bad memories because when we are together we make only good memories.

My whole house is lit with small chinese lanterns except my library where I am sitting right now.

Picking out a romance novel by Danielle Steel, I started reading awhile ago. Now and Forever was the name of the novel. Danielle Steel is one of my favorites. All her stories leave a mark on you, it is that amazing.

I was so engrossed in my book that I didn't realize all the lanterns went off in the house, as well as the lights in the library. This is pretty strange though.

Let me tell you, this is the first time all the lights went off in my cottage and it is creeping me out a little. No sane person likes complete darkness.

Crockery fell in the kitchen and I couldn't find any candles at the time. I checked the drawers in the hallway but found none. I'm sure I had stocked them last week.

I entered the kitchen and to my great surprise all the windows were open, when I remember perfectly that I closed them. I sensed danger and ran to switch on the security alert. I hope all this advanced security works because this is the first time I would be using it. And these security systems cost me a fortune!

I pressed the buttons three times and nothing happened. Dang! I should pet Great Danes for security, that would be better safety than this.

Tap. Tap. I felt someone tapping my shoulder. But I'm least bothered to answer that person. I've a serious issue to handle. I was focused.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

"Move!" I pushed the hand away from my shoulder.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

"What the..." realization dawns over me. My eyes went wide and my body stiffens.

There was no one else except me in the house, then who is this? Shît!

I turn around and my eyes met with a brown pair of eyes.

My body relaxes at the sight of the person in front of me and he starts laughing, hysterically.

"You scared me!" I said while breathing heavily. My eyes were still wide and my heart was palpitating.

"I wonder how you became the owner of such big companies. You're still a scared mouse, Di." He goes into hysterics again.

"Ed." I hit his chest but he still laughs like a mad man.

He hugs me then. Christ! My little brother is taller than me now and a very handsome grown-up boy. I couldn't help but smile and cherish the hug, he was the closest to my heart and always will be.

"Wait, how did you do all this? I mean with the lights and the security system." I ask curiously.

"You see, your brother is a genius." Ed winks playfully.

Right, he was always fond of dramatic entries, how can I forget that? His first day in kindergarten, he was crowned as the prankster king. The bad boy of the town.

"Right, I get it. Now can you please bring the lights on, my genius brother? The show is over." I clapped my hands with a broad smile on my face. Ed just rolled his eyes at my sarcasm.

"In one condition." Ed said with a wide grin on his face, eyes full of mischief.

"What?"

"Cook dinner for me and my buddies?"

I smiled at my brother. "Definitely lil'brother." I ruffle his brown hair.

The lights came on immediately.

"TaDa!" My brother exclaimed as if he's hosting a kids show in my kitchen.

Boy's in black made a grand entry from my kitchen windows. All in all they were five of them.

"Mike, James, Calum, Alex, Pete." Ed pointed out his friends. "Where's Lan?" Okay, there was one more.

Footsteps. I turned around to see my daughter walking hand-in-hand with an eighteen year old boy.

"Ed you never told us, there lives a princess here?" Lan asked.

"Avery!" Ed exclaimed. And they hug like old pals, whereas they met for the first time. Ed always saw her on Skype and my baby never saw him but they bonded immediately.

"Momma, this is Lan. My new buddy." Avery spoke and smiled happily.

"And what about us?" James asked, making a puppy face.

Avery looked here and there, trying to figure out. "How many of you are here?" The boys looked confused. They probably didn't know about her.

"Sweetie all my 6 friends are here." Ed picked up Avery in his arms and introduced her to his friends.

The boys were very jovial. Lan was a charming flirt and helped me to cook in the kitchen along with Calum who was very shy and less talkative. My brother was a charmer I knew, his friends are as well, they had the good looks and smart mouth for what teenage girls fall for.

It was late at night and everyone was asleep. The boys planned to spend the night and I offered them one bedroom to each but there favorite spot was the living room. Boys will be boys.

I was sipping on coffee and working on some designs, when Ed entered.

"You're up?" I asked.

"I wanted to talk." He sounded serious.

"Yeah?"

"I saw him today in our old house in the city." Ed said with clenched teeth. "He was with another guy and they were interrogating the people around." His fists were balled and knuckles becoming white.

"What were they interrogating?" I asked totally confused about what he is talking about.

"About you." He said, facing the wind chime and his ears becoming red. He was angry.

"Who were they?" I ask. Tensed.

"Roy."

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Hometown.

This is the place where I stayed 7 years ago. This is the place where I was born, I attended school and spent my teen years, had the best time of my life and made so many memories.

This is the place which turned me into a cold-hearted player. Turned me into a bad boy. The place where I met that one girl and now I regret letting her go, insulting her.

I stepped into my apartment. It is a two-bedroom flat with a small kitchen and a living room. 7 years ago I left this place and now when I am back, it's a mess. Parth is going to stay with me for a few day, he says that he has work but I know the actual reason- Annie. And definitely he is not going to be a help to me in cleaning.

Whatever mess I'm surrounded with now actually doesn't matter much because I'm back home. A girl would call it like, 'Home Sweet Home?' Right.

This is the place where I can sit and think and do something good. This place kind of motivates me. I can just be myself here.

I sit back on the sofa and try to relax.

I let my eyes close and my mind think deep. All my savings are getting over and I can't use the cash which dad gave me to prove myself. I have to prove myself worthy. I've got a purpose to return back here. One is to find Ashu and apologize. Proving myself, was the second important thing.

And this is where I start, where I started doing everything wrong.

First and foremost, I have to find a job.

"I have some great news for you." Parth holding two beer bottle in his hand, barged inside the living room. Grinning evilly. This grin of his tells me that my innocent best friend has done something that is not at all innocent.

"What?" I asked grimly.

"Congrats man! You've got a job now." Parth said excitedly, patting my shoulder.

"Huh?" What the hell is he talking about?

"You're going to be hired as the new photographer for Basic."

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--loren :)