SERENDIPITY: A DEVDUTT PADIKKAL FANFICTION.

25. Goodbye

The atmosphere in the RCB team room was gloomy. They had just lost the playoffs to Rajasthan Royals by a margin of 5 runs.
They really had their hopes high this year considering a brilliant team effort from the whole team.
Jos Buttler smashed an amazing century to take Rajasthan par the winning line.

Dev was sitting in a cubicle looking lost. Meera had made it a point to talk to him after she saw him sit lonely.
"It happens Dev. I'm not going to say things like winning and losing is a part of the game because sometimes its more than that. We all clearly have our emotions attached to RCB".
"And I know you're feeling terrible because we couldn't make it through but is sulking a better option?"
Dev shook his head.
"You've always given your best for the team but let's just say everything happens for a reason." Meera squeezed his hand.

Dev just smiled and Meera got up to leave when he held her hand.
"We won't meet everyday now, will we?" He stated the harsh reality with tremendous sadness.
"Dev" Meera just sighed and sat down beside him again.
She tightly held his palm in her hands.

"As much as it saddens me, we can't really help it. Kabhi na kabhi this was going to happen. Only that maybe aaj nahi to ek hafte baad hota." Meera spoke softly.
"I'll miss you, you know. You in the RCB jersey and your hair in a ponytail instructing people around. Us vibing to songs in the bus. Watching movies, sharing food, just us"  Dev looked into her eyes.

"And I'll miss the sight of you wiping your face with your jersey after training" Dev laughed heartily.
"Mein ekdum fangirl jaisa boli na?" Meera added.
"My favorite fangirl" Dev complimented her and she blushed.

Trident Hotel, Mumbai
9 am.
Meera heard the doorbell ring. Opening the door, she found Dev standing at her doorsetp.
"Ho gayi packing?" He asked her as she closed the door.
"Almost. I'm just rechecking ki sab le liya na. Tumhari packing ho gayi?"
"Ha but I can't find one pair of my gloves, one tshirt and one of my deodarant" Dev was honest.
"Dev tu pan na" Meera chuckled .
"When is your flight?" Dev asked as he sat on the chair.

"It's at 1:10. Would literally take 30 minutes to reach Pune."
"Mine is at 2. I'd reach Bangalore in 1.5 hours maximum but it would take me 1 hour to reach home because Bangalore traffic" Dev said in a weary tone.
"Yeah I've heard alot about Bangalore's traffic."
"It's worseeee" Dev emphasised on worse.

There was a knock on the door and Dev received the door. He brought two Chai cups with him while Meera was in the bathroom collecting her stuff.
"Dev and Chai!?" She exclaimed on seeing Dev sitting with two Chai cups in his hands.
"Yes Madam! Ek Chai ho jaaye?".
"Jaroor, its Chai pe charcha!".
She appreciated the fact that Dev had developed a liking for chai because of her.

"This is probably the last time we're having food together" Meera said sipping her Chai.
"Why last time?"
"I wont probably be in RCB next year. The contract was for one season only. Plus I've already applied at Apollo Hospital." She informed Dev.

Dev fell silent after this.
"Dev stop sulking." Meera cheered him up.
"Thank you Meera" Dev suddenly spoke up after a good pause of two minutes
"Thankyou?! Kyu bhai?"
"For staying by my side throughout these 2 months. I'm so glad I met you! I never thought I'd bond so beautifully with a girl until you happened. I've enjoyed every minute of our time together. I guess it was meant to be." Meera got up and hugged Dev with all the love she had.

Tere sang beete har lamhein pe humko naaz hai
Tere sang jo na beete uspe aitraaz hai.
Iss qadar hum dono ka milna ek raaz hai.

"Dev I cant even put it into words how thankful I'm to have you in my life. Never did I think I'd become bestfriends with my crush".
"Every moment we've spent together holds a place in my heart. I'm happy that I'm taking a yaadon ka bada sa suitcase with me which won't be enough for a lifetime" Meera said all of it in one go.

"And I'm so glad you had Chai with me"
Meera added.
"When you'll come to Bangalore, you'll have to have coffee with me" Dev said.
"I'd gladly because South Indian Filter Coffee has a different nasha"
"Cheers to Meera for being my favorite fangirl" Dev wrapped his arms around Meera.
"And cheers to Dev for being more gorgeous in real life than in pictures". Meera hugged him tightly.

All the team members were asked to pin their favourite memory of he season on the memory wall before leaving.
Meera selected two pictures. One was a goofy selfie of her and Dev after the dance party.
Another one was Dev smiling with gloves in his hands and a bat and a V sign. It was after his 100 in the match against LSG. Meera had taken the picture after he entered the dressing room.

She got the pictures transformed into polaroids from the person sitting there and she wrote two messages on them.
'Miracles happen when least expected' on their selfie.

'I believe in you, see you soon - M' on Dev's solo picture.
She ran a hand over his picture and got teary eyed but she wiped the tears and pinned the photos to the wall.

Dev too chose 2 pictures.
He wrote 'My favorite fangirl - D' on a candid  picture of Meera laughing with her hand on her mouth.

The second one was a picture of the citylights that he had clicked the night they went for Pune Darshan.
'Beyond the crowd, in the citylights - D'.
He read Meera's message for him and he hated life for being so unfair. He never wanted to go away from her, ever.

He'd miss the way her eyes lit up on seeing Chai, He'd miss her kurta looks with a messy bun and hair strands falling on her face.
He'd miss her black,shiny hair dancing wild with the wind.
He'd miss the floral scent of her hair when he hugged her.
He'd miss her.

People were present in the hotel lobby when Meera came with her luggage.
Dev was already grumpy and seeing her with her luggage irritated him on a greater extent.
"Your cab will arrive in 10 minutes" Soumyadeep, the team manager informed her.
"Jana jaroori hai?" Dev asked her in a childish manner with that pout he sometimes does in the middle of a match.
"Idhar ruk ke karu bhi kya? My contract is done".
"Yaar baar baar don't bring up that contract thing" Dev scolded her.

"Okay come here" She wrapped her arms around his torso and he responded by tightly wrapping his hands around her waist.
The way her hair smelt drove him crazy.

"Phone karte rehna"
He hummed in response.
"Don't overexert yourself. Stay hydrated"
"Hmm"
"Agar kabhi bhi kisi bhi baare mein baat karni ho to call me. Even if it is in the middle of the night".
"You'll give up on sleep for me?" Dev asked her playfully.

"Dev!" She hit him on his arm.
"Aur lastly, don't get married" She joked.
"Achha ji" Dev nodded.
They broke the hug and tears involuntarily made their way to Meera's eyes.
"Are yaar please don't cry. I dont like it when you cry. And it's not like we're going in different dimensions. We're just 90 minutes away." Dev wiped her tears with his handkerchief.

"Kya karu, aa jata hai rona, tum nahi samjhoge" She chuckled.
He wiped her tears again.
"I believe in you" She assured him.
"And you're stuck with me forever" He replied and kissed her cheek.
"Aur yaha mein pighal gayi" She acted the fangirl way and Dev giggled.

Soon after, Meera's cab arrived and she left. She waved at him until the car disappeared from his vicinity.

_________________________________________

Ipl khatam, long distance chalu.
We all know they're in love, should I make Dev propose to Meera soon?
Dekhte hai.

But honestly goodbyes are so hard! Jaan nikal jaati hai sachme.