[this is a double update. Or triple, including the trailer. read chap 13 first]

Aru pov

[Warning: Swearing in this chapter]

"Hey?" Aiden asked grinning. Aru had been the one to open the door, Mini on her right, Hira on her left, and Brynne towering over her on the back.

Aru checked the time. 4:08. So college had ended.

"How do you even know we'd be here?" Aru asked.

"You weren't at the apartment?" Aiden said. "Since Brynne and Mini live here I kinda figured?"

And now they were all sitting around this really cool Japanese heating table thing. Aru forgot what it was called. Kokatsu? Kotatsu? She didn't know. And anyway it warmed their feet up, so she didn't care.

"So?" Hira said. "How was I not informed about Aru's living situations?"

"I thought Brynne would" Said Aru.

"I thought Mini would" Said Brynne.

"I thought Aru would" Said Mini.

"Whatever" Aru sighed. She looked at Hira. "You are informed."

But Hira was distracted. She was looking half-excited and half surprised at her phone.

Aru nudged her. "What's up?"

But Hira got no chance to answer before the doorbell sounded.

"I guess I'll get it?" Aiden said, getting up.

He opened the door to find a tall, dark brown haired, Indian boy. The guy was wearing a hoodie that said 'I'm too hot, don't touch me I'm a fire hazard' And sweatpants.

"Oh sup dude? I was looking for Hira, but long time no see!" The guy said.

Aiden, who was blinking at him for a moment, seemed to regain consciousness and smiled.

"Nav!" And they did that weird broshake thing like what Drew and Aiden did.

Speaking of Drew...

"Drew!" Aru exclaimed excitedly. Drew was standing behind the mystery guy, that Aru had decided to call The Other Guy for now, wearing a bored expression. She still hadn't thanked him for saving her that day.

"Aru!" Drew smiled. Aru pushed past Aiden and The Other Guy and hugged Drew.

"Thanks for saving me that day" Aru said, pulling back. "I heard about the job fiasco. I'm sorry about that. Your manager has some serious problems"

"Yeah" Drew agreed.

"And who is this, hmm?" The Other Guy asked, looking at Aru. "You're pretty"

"Bro" Drew said warningly, almost panicky, glancing at Aru then Aiden. "That won't work on her. Trust me I tried"

"Tried and got roasted like hell" Aru agreed.

"Well aren't you a feisty one" The Other Guy grinned.

The whole room quieted. Aiden was trying not to burst out laughing, because he knew what was coming next.

"Uh oh" Brynne whispered to Mini. "He did not just call Shah feisty."

"Do I look like taco sauce to you?" Aru asked angrily.

The Other Guy looked utterly perplexed. He staggered back a few steps and asked feebly "What?"

"I asked you a question" Aru said dangerously low.

"Navdeep Singh, Aru Shah. Aru Shah, Navdeep Singh" Aiden explained.

"NAV!" Hira exclaimed.

Now it was Aru's turn to be surprised.

"This is the brother I was telling you guys about" Hira said excitedly.

"Him?" They chorused.

The Othe- Navdeep took a bow and said "Ladies."

"You have like, awful fashion" Aru said. "And that's me speaking"

"What's wrong with it?" Navdeep asked. "It speaks the truth"

"No it doesn't. The first line itself is a total lie"

"Ouch!" Navdeep said, placing a hand over his chest. "That hurt"

"Not to mention it's completely impossible" Mini said matter-o-factly. "Unless you're on fire, you're not a fire hazard"

Aru and Brynne winced. Wrong choice of words.

"Oh but I am on fire" Navdeep said walking over to Mini. "People often say I'm too hot for my own good" He said leaning down so they were face to face.

"Um, I think the fuck not" Said a voice at the door. Rudy?

"She's taken" He said breezing past the rest of them. 'Oh so they're official now? What, when, how?'

"How come so many people are coming into my house?" Hira muttered. "I don't think I invited any of you"

But they all ignored her. Aru put a hand on Mini's shoulder, and pushed Navdeep away with the other.

"Well, okay" Navdeep said.

Then they all sat around the heated table again. It was crowded, 8 people. But they managed. Navdeep just leaned on the wall, close to the hallway. So 7 people.

Aru learned a lot of stuff about Drew and Navdeep and a little of Aiden as well. She learned that he had a camera called Shadowfax, yes Shadowfax as in Gandalf's horse Shadowfax, and of how they met and-

"Oh so you're the third guy who saved me back in Atlanta" Aru said, connecting the dots.

"I'm still like, really confused about this whole 'saved Aru back in Atlanta thing'" Hira said.

"Me, Aiden and Nav saved Aru from my sister and her minions" Drew explained.

"Yeah, and she sassed us around like hell" Navdeep said. Aru flushed and look down.

"I was really embarrassed okay" Aru defended. "And desperate times call for desperate measures"

"And your desperate measures are being...sassy?" Aiden asked, looking down at her.

"You could say that"

And then her phone sounded.

'Mom💗'

"Sorry guys. It's my mom" Aru explained.

"If you want privacy, you could go into the hallway" Navdeep offered.

Aiden's expression softened, since he knew about her mom stuff. Aru smiled at him reassuringly, got up and went into the hallway for privacy. In the corner of her eye, she saw Navdeep take out his phone.

"Hey mom?"

"Hello my dear Aru."

Aru's eyes widened, and her breathing became quicker at the sound of his voice. Her heart quickened out of panic and she clutched her sweater over her chest. She slowly fell to her knees, and the sweating started.

"You got it wrong though. It's Dad"





Cliffhanger not really? So I don't know, I felt the need to introduce a third boy because there was three boys who saved Aru. And I was like-

Oh gods Hira hasn't been appearing much.

So then I devised a plan. I would give Hira some show time, making the third guy Navdeep, Hira's brother, so that he could be introduced through Hira.

Navdeep isn't my own character, he was introduced briefly in the second book I believe. He was in Aru's 7th grade homeroom and Aiden's lab partner in Mr. Dietz's science honors class.

But Drew is my own character. Just wanted to clear that up.

Anyway, all of that aside, What did you guys think?





-Loife