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Welcome to Unfazed - the story of people who deal with life every day and still look at adversity in the eye and give it a wink and a smile. Sometimes, when no one is looking, they cry too.
Join Deeksha Bhalla - AKA Dee - a girl with si...
Was ignoring the fact that Dev landed a blow to Tanay's head just before I walked in, a smart idea? Probably. Anyway, I had agreed to join them for lunch only by virtue of the fact that Tanay promised it was official. Somehow, casual meals during work hours was against my personal ethic. Maybe, I am as weird as my friends usually point out.
After a quiet ride in the elevator where neither Dev nor Tanay said anything, we walked into the lobby of the office, to find two drivers waiting with their keys ready. Opting to ride together in Tanay's car, Tanay and I jammed to the pop songs playing on the radio as he drove, while Dev sat behind us, impenetrable as always. The only time he opened his mouth was at one of the signals, when he asked Tanay, "What is this lunch for?"
Brutal much? I thought to myself as Tanay simply warded off his question with an "All in good time". Turned out, Tanay and I got along marvellously and Dev being Dev, barely joined us in the madness.
Laughing at something I had just said, Tanay turned to me after we pulled into the parking lots of one of the bigger malls in our town and said, "Oh my God. Where have you been all my life? I can't remember a time when I've laughed this much in just one short drive!"
"Glad I amuse you, your Highness Mehra", I mocked and continued, "But.. I agree. I am pretty fab."
"Are we even planning to eat?" said a gruff voice from behind us and of course, just like that, Tanay and I shot each other knowing looks. This was one of those friendships that just clickedfrom the moment we got into the car.
We alighted and Tanay had just about adjusted his seat to let Dev out of the back when he promptly, barely using his hands, jumped out of the car. How he managed to do that with the grace of a dancer, I have no idea. However, Tanay grumbled something under his breath and I'm sure it was the word "show off" that I caught in its midst that made me snicker.
Dev wore an amused expression as I straightened my own and soon enough, all three of us were a few feet away from the restaurant Tanay picked.
"Of course you had to pick the ONE restaurant with a 40 minute waiting, Tan", said Dev, his voice acerbic.
"Hey – It's not my fault. These guys make excellent soufflé", said Tanay – with an expression that reminded me of a five-year old.
"You wanted to come here for ONE dish? Tanay, are you MAD?", started Dev – but I don't know what made me reach out and touch his forearm. Almost immediately, it was like he switched from a tornado into a drizzle. Tanay shot him a curious look, as Dev locked eyes with me and we engaged in what seemed like a wordless battle. Eventually, he gave in and looked past me to Tanay, who seemed to have repositioned himself with me between the two boys.
"Coward", spat Dev at him and I further narrowed my eyes at him.
All I had wanted to do was tell Dev that we could just eat elsewhere. I had not been prepared for whatever This, was.
"Self-Preservation", Tanay remarked as I turned to him, to distract myself from whatever was going on between Dev and myself. The awkward – unspoken weirdness thing was... awkward, unspoken and weird but not in a bad way.
"Tanay – sorry but I'm with Dev on this. We should have at least made a reservation", I said to him and he looked defeated, the earlier smugness all gone.
"Damn right", I heard a murmur behind me – but I chose not to turn around, lest the unease should ensue again.
"Sorry Dee.. Sorry man", Tanay said, "Maybe I can tell these guys who I am and..."
"Nope" I said at the same as Dev who said, "No".
"Food court?" he offered, after meeting Dev's eye behind me for a moment with a triumphant expression. Best friends. You will never understand what goes on between them. "That's great," I said. Dev, just nodded.
Tanay began leading the way and was a few feet ahead of us, when a hand on my wrist made me turn around to face Dev. I saw him motion with his hands for me not to make a sound and proceeded to point towards something to my left. Almost inaudible to anyone else, he said, "Look carefully – but don't make it obvious."
Inside the restaurant we had wanted to go to, sat Alana and across from her, with her hand in his, was someone I recognized instantly. Harsh's boss – Viren Kothari.
Viren, who was supposed to be in Paris this week.
(ME, AT THIS POINT, TO YOU)
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