Unfazed

37. Like You Wouldn't Let Go (Deven)

Still laughing from my little episode of teasing Deeksha after Harsh left, I jogged up to see Papa and Varun Uncle keenly listening to Vish as he explained the plan. I didn't really want to listen to what was being said as I knew the plan – or so I thought, until my brother's voice sounded my name.

"Huh? Sorry?" I said and Vish gave me an almost sympathetic look. "Papa, Uncle and Aunty are heading over to our place and I'll drive them there. The girls can go and drop all these picnic things at Sneh's place and we'll meet up wherever. I asked you if you'd be willing to drive them."

"Oh" was my intelligent reply. "Uh – sorry. Yes, of course." I added once I caught up completely. Varun Uncle handed me his keys saying, "This is Sneha's car for all means and purposes. If I were you, I'd be careful with it like it were made of gold, son." I let out an uneasy laugh and Vish added in all solemnness, "He's right dude. Don't mess with her car. I talk from experience." Wow. I wanted to laugh but I just nodded.

Wait... I had to drop the girls. Didn't that include...?

I looked up inconspicuously towards where the women were and almost cried in surprise when I found the pair of eyes I had been looking for, fixed on me even before I looked up. Unsure of what came over me, I smirked. At least whatever my face looked like, that's what I thought. That, or a constipated walrus.

Deeksha looked away in a couple of seconds and from what little I could see, she looked irritated about something. 'Your face, genius' said my brain while my heart said 'The Fight'. Great – now I was talking to myself. This is probably why they tell you not to become chief architect at twenty-four.

By the time I zoned back into the conversation I was supposed to be a part of, Vish had turned it towards corporate politics and marketing strategies for the restaurant, while Papa gave input wherever possible. Soon, it was time to go as Diana Aunty, Sneha, Alana and Diya walked towards us, while Deeksha followed tapping at lightning speed into her phone. 

She had been so engrossed that she even bumped into Sneha's back and immediately apologized. Oh how badly I wanted to laugh – but that'd mean I had seen the incident and I didn't want to embarrass her. So, I held my tongue, convincing myself that it wasn't because I was hesitant to admit that I was watching her.

Vish cleared his throat just then as Papa and Varun Uncle were busy talking about a common friend and said to me, "Deven – shall we go get the cars started while these guys catch up on the plan?" Nodding I said, "Good luck Dev," as I wrapped my fingers around the key Varun Uncle had entrusted me with, earlier.

Walking up to our black SUV, Vish had been quiet. Too quiet. He finally broke the silence with statements I hadn't anticipated at all. "So... I met Tanay in the food-court yesterday" he began. "Yeah so? You guys work in the same office complex. What's the big deal?" I asked, slightly confused.

"Of course.. Umm, but he was saying something.. you know – just in casual conversation.. nothing else.. And yeah.. so he was saying", he went on. I don't know why it irritated me. I usually like to get straight to the point. "Vish – just say it." I urged.

"Okay – I'm sorry. Yeah." He said. "This is weird, isn't it?" he asked, chuckling lightly. "Vishwashesh Sanghvi. Please stop beating around the bush." I enunciated.

"Tanay thinks you've been distracted and he thinks a girl might have something to do with it" tumbled out of his mouth. "And?" I asked. "And.. I saw you hug Deeksha today. You don't hug girls like that. You also" he rambled like a deer caught in the headlights. "Wait. Slow down." I said, "Let's take this one step at a time, okay?"

He nodded and I continued, "Tanay voiced his biased opinion. You saw me hug Deeksha. You said 'That Way'. What way?" He looked as uncomfortable as I felt, with this conversation – Vish and I had been super close once, but more than brothers, we were friends. I considered Tanay more of a brother than Vish and he knew this too. So, if Vish had to ask me this, either I'm missing something or there is a huge lack of acting abilities on my part. "You know... like you wouldn't let go."

I was confused, perplexed, discombobulated. But I knew one thing with certainty. Deeksha Bhalla, would be the death of me.

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To all those who've been asking for the cheesy romance in the story, please understand that this is not a "love at first sight" blah blah blah book. Sure, as the story develops, characters will certainly get closer to each other - but it will take its own natural course and as an author, I'd choose being real over being cheesy. Sorry if that hampers your hopes for an absolutely cliche novel.

Sure enough, the plot is thickening as I talk to you - with the Rohini-Harsh conversation, the "chill out episode" impending and now, Vish suspicious of Dev's behaviour. Please bear with me as we figure this our together? Any constructive criticism or feedback is welcome - but please don't ask me to make it "more like a romance novel" because it isn't a stereotyped sample. Thanks for reading this far! 

:) 

(Image above: Dev at the picnic)