Unfazed

78. Green Is.. Sometimes, Good (Deven)

Hey guys!! It's a SUNDAAAAYYYYYY and I'm hyper for no reason. This chapter is one of the most awwww chapters of the book - so.. yeah. Gonna go cry a little now.

I wrote it in two parts because it didn't really feel "right" to make it one looooong chapter. I mean, it is still a long chapter - but just in two parts.

The image above is like OMG. I wish! xD

Also, WE ARE SO CLOSE TO 500 VOTES!!! GO GO GO HIT Vote and let's get this baby rollin!

Okies then - without further ado, here's the chapter!

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PART I

"Ladies, if you all wouldn't mind, I must borrow the beautiful stylist-aesthetician here, as a certain cousin of mine happens to need some emergency help", I found myself saying - with oozing charm, to the old ladies who surrounded us.

"I hope it is your cousin and not you, Little Sanghvi", said one of them almost evilly while I smiled and assured them it certainly was.

Finally getting Dee away from the crowd and leading her towards the back of the hall, I was surprised at the hushed and angry tone in which she asked me, "Dev. What the hell was all that about?"

"You wanted to actually hang out with those women?" I ask, stopping to face her, thoroughly perplexed.

"Just stop. Okay? You're messing with my head," she says and now, I know it's no light matter.

"You know what, let's take a quick walk", I say and lead her out of the doors to a small little space outside the hall where we could still hear the chatter of the party, but could still be alone to have a conversation.

Sitting next to her on a little bench outside, I take off my coat and wrap it around her in the chilly evening breeze - and I can't help remember the time my mother told me the importance of this gesture. I was eight years old.

Brought back to the situation at hand, I ask her, "Dee.. What's wrong?" As always, she doesn't give me a reply in the first go, so I have no choice but to prod with, "Deeksha - If you don't tell me what it is, I'm going to overthink it and assume the worst. Unless of course, that's okay with you."

While I meant this as a joke, clearly she didn't see the humour in it with me. Looking up at me with her beautiful doe-eyes (albeit filled with a whirlwind of negative emotions I couldn't identify), she snaps.

"You know? You are SUCH a hypocrite. I don't tell you something and you're allowed to overthink it. BUT GUESS WHAT! You did the exact same thing to me yesterday - and I told you I trust you and then today, until now at the party, you conveniently choose to ignore me. If anyone is allowed to lose it here, Dev - it is not You", she says - oscillating between whispers and her normal volume.

"Whoa - whoa. Easy there, tiger. Tell me what is bothering you.." I say seriously, though I must admit that when directed at others if Deeksha's anger is a volcano, when directed at me this way, it feels almost.... Amusing.

"You! Your fifty thousand mood swings! That's what's bothering me", she says - clearly still angry.

"Me?!?! What have I done?" I ask, now genuinely concerned.

"When we started working on the restaurant issue together - all of us - between you me and Harsh, we were a team", she says. "But then yesterday, Dev - you tell me there is a plan in action at the moment that I don't know about, where I need to trust you and Harsh and I tell you I do. Hell I don't even ask questions."

"Thanks for that, by the way" I say but she is on a roll.

"But then I come here today and you decide that you don't want to talk to me, don't want to tell me what's happening, don't tell me what you need me to do - YOU don't tell ME anything! And the whole time I'm sitting there, left to wonder what's happening - knowing that something IS happening - that too, while you go chill with your girl friends. So, Dev Sanghvi.. you tell me. Do I have a problem?"

I am quiet for a long moment - looking at the twilight slowly giving way to the night.

Slowly, Dee nudges me with her elbow and says, "Say something, D. I feel like a freak who's had a meltdown in front of you."

Then, I laugh.

PART II

In the process of laughing from the bottom of my gut, I hear Dee say, "Great - now you're laughing at me." I don't know what comes over me, but without thinking, I wrap an arm around Dee's shoulder as she looks away from me and I'm relieved when she doesn't flinch or push me away.

I say in the most comforting voice I own, "Dee.. I'm sorry - look at me? Please?"

Reluctantly, she does and in that moment, I want to tell her how I've felt about her for a long time. How once, she was just a school-boy's crush but she is now someone I can't imagine my world without. How I hate the fact that I always thought because I'm her elder brother's best friend, she will never see me that way.

Instead, of course, I tell her, "The plan in action is very dangerous. Harsh knows this too - so until we test how volatile the situation is, we agreed not to get you or Alana involved. As of right now, Harsh is trying the polite way to get Viren to confess about what he has done - but we don't know for sure what he is capable of.

As for why we didn't tell you or Alana anything - is because we needed both of you to be as natural as possible. Alana doesn't know that Viren and Kumar are the same person yet - and I don't think that will be an easy blow to bear."

Dee nods. I know she doesn't necessarily second this, but though I can see that she is stunned, she is completely focused on what I'm saying. Feeling a little more confident and aware that the last part of her accusation was rooted in more than just her displeasure at not knowing the plan, I focus on her, allowing her a moment for that to sink in. However, I did know that if Deeksha Bhalla's skin could change colour with her emotions, it would be a deep shade of green about now, drowning her in her jealousy.

She looks away from my face and is quiet for a long moment, but eventually, she whispers, "You could have told us." In response, I tell her that, "There is a lot of time for could-haves and would-haves - Dee... We chose not to tell you because neither of us could bear the thought of anything happening to you." Realizing what I said, I correct it to "Either of you."

I'm not surprised when this doesn't go unnoticed by Dee, who though still not looking at me, proceeds to place her head on the crook of my neck where it joins my shoulder - an unmistakable smile playing at the corner of her lips.

"Also - Dee - for the record, that girl you saw today is a distant cousin of mine. Her name is Shambhavi and she's the Sub-Inspector of Police."

Dee doesn't respond, but instead, moves closer to where I sit - and I don't know for how long, but I know for sure that in that moment, time stood still.