Unfazed

69. Girlboss (Deeksha)

(IMAGE: Dev from Dee's POV. How cute, innit?)

"What the hell, dude?!?!" I scream at my phone screen as my cab shows that it will take at least half an hour to come and pick me up. Next to me, the now empty tub is the only evidence that any cookie dough even existed in Dev's house.

I was trying to glare at my phone hoping that by some psychic power, my cab would arrive sooner, but to no avail - when my power-glaring was interrupted by Harsh's call.

"Dee, are you home yet?" he asks.

"You really need to learn how to greet people on the phone, big brother!" I say, chuckling. "Just answer my question, SIS" he snaps, emphasizing on the last word.

"I'm at Dev's flat, at the moment. I'm waiting for my cab", I say.

"What the HELL, DEE?!?!" Harsh asks, but continues before I can reply, "You know what, we will talk about this later. For the time being, stay put - Alana, Vishwas and I are coming over to Vish's flat. Tell Dev and meet us there, okay?"

"Umm - I have so many questions right now, but I'll wait for you", I say.

"See you in a bit" we say to each other and hang up. The app for booking a cab still open, I see that the cab now shows an estimated five minutes. Great - now they will charge me for the cancellation. I groan at the irony of life but decide to talk to Dev before the others arrive.

In the balcony, I see that Dev, who had been on the phone until then now stood with his back to me, while his hair and t-shirt fluttered around in the wind. I may or may not have accidentally smeared cookie dough on his office shirt earlier, causing him to go and change into his home clothes. Like I said, may or may not have.

I walk up to him and repeat my conversation with Harsh while Dev listens intently. When I finish, he says, "So you're stuck here with me, until then, eh?"

I mockingly smack his arm before saying, "Sometimes, I just wish all this blows over soon, you know? I mean - whether all of us admit it or not, there's just so much happening all at once in such little time. But that's on one hand. On the other, I can't remember the time when life was boring and there were just little hassles every day." When Dev nods, I finish with, "At other times, I wonder if I will ever be able to go back to those simpler times too!"

"Hmmm" was all Dev says, in a long-drawn manner I've come to associate with him. We stand in a comfortable silence for a moment before Dev says, "I don't believe that, you know?"

Taken aback, I ask, "Sorry.. What?"

"I don't believe that you have lived an event-less life, Dee" he says.

"Please.. elaborate?" I ask.

"See - I knew about you for a few years while growing up. Sure, we didn't speak much but I was the quiet, observing kind - more than the extrovert. And I really liked observing people. So, I knew more than I let on. For example, you still like Taylor Swift's songs don't you?" Dev explains.

"Okay.. How - on earth - do you know that?" I ask, bewildered.

"The first time I saw you. When you'd just moved into the house you currently live in. You had headphones on and I was walking out of the kitchen with lemonade in my hand. You were dancing to... You belong with me" he says with a sly grin.

"OH NOOOOOOO...." I wail, palming my face, wanting to sink into the ground and die. "I crashed into you that day, didn't I?"

"I should think so," Dev says with a gleam in his eyes, "unless of course, there was a fifty-kilo monster wearing the same 'Death is Pink' t-shirt that fell on me."

When I don't say anything, he lets out a short laugh and goes on as if he didn't recount an embarrassing moment from my teenage years. "I remember you from school too - the many plays, skits and more. A lot of people thought you were bossy - I just thought you were a girlboss."

"Wow - Umm - I don't know what to say", I say, looking up at him through my lashes, embarrassment not entirely gone.

"It's okay - just letting you know", he says.

"Wait - so what about now?" I ask, "I mean.. If I was a girlboss back then, does grown up Deeksha meet those criteria?"

I desperately hope for an answer, but the doorbell rings just then and Dev walks off with a classic Dev-style smirk and a "We'll finish this later. Promise."