Paradise ~ A Devdutt Padikkal Story

6.

London

The warm sunrays hit the glass window, traveling through it and emitting a faint rainbow with the red and blue visible to her eyes.
Observing the dust particles swirling in the air, Disha smiled to herself.
Getting up from her bed, she slipped on her slippers and went to the kitchen.

The rusty aroma of grounded coffee reminded her of him. The coffee they had had in the Saint Joseph's canteen was still fresh in her mind. It was a rainy day in Bangalore and Dev had arrived late to submit his assignment. She had stayed back in the library and it had started raining.
Spotting Dev in her way, she had asked him if he'd like to have a coffee in the canteen. The conversation that enfolded thereafter had enriched Disha. She could see the way he looked at her.
She loved him then, she loved him now.

Two years ago, when her parents had randomly decided to move to London, she was shaken. What even was the need to do this? She had not even completed her graduation when Disha had to board the flight to London. Her father was a renowned gynaecologist of Bangalore and he had received an offer to work as the Managing Director of the London branch of Jehangir Group of Hospitals. Her mother was a teacher and she obliged with her husband.
Disha's life took an erratic turn and she still blames the Jehangir Hospital for it.

Grabbing her bag, she slipped her hands into her beige overcoat and left her house. Disha was submitting her last project of Business Management at the University College London. Graduation was due three weeks later and she would finally return to India, to her house and to her Dev.
She had planned on telling him that she liked him but she never got a chance to.
Her heart goes out to everyone who couldn't express their feelings.

"Disha, did you book your flight ticket?" Her Mom questioned.
"Maa, I already told you I have booked the ticket. You better visit the great Jehangir Hospital and get a test done for dementia!" Disha answered, earning a light smack on her arm.
"Woh Vinita ko kuch chahiye tha na? She messaged me ki Maasi, remind Disha to get me the Swarovski earring." Disha's mother recalled and she got up with a jolt.
"Shit! I totally forgot it, Vinita has messaged me atleast ten times by now, oh God! I should go and get it before they sell the last piece!" Disha ran around the house, grabbing her bag and car keys.
"Who needs to get a test for dementia now? Ja jaldi!" Disha's mother laughed while she muttered a quick sorry.

Disha was waiting in the Swarovski store's lounge, looking at her phone when an Instagram post from @devpadikkal19 appeared infront of her.
Is Dev addicted to Essentials? All he wears is hoodies and caps from the same brand with alternate colours.
Checking the comments below his post made her mentally vomit. Stay away fanpages, he's mine.
It wasn't until Disha had lifted the Swarovski bag than an idea struck her.
Making her way to the Essentials store that was atleast an hour's drive from her current location, Disha drove through the frosty streets of London.

Before entering the Essentials Store, Disha checked Dev's Instagram page to check what things on his profile were from Essentials. Okay one black and one white hoodie and a cap.
Making up her mind, Disha entered the store and grabbed a brown oversized hoodie for him. Though it left a large dent in her pocket, she didn't mind.

If Dev was her test at patience, she was a saint. Disha could've easily told him her feelings through a text but she chose not to. She believed that face to face conversations resulted in better outcomes. And so she waited, she waited for two years to only see his face and open her heart to him.

At times, her patience broke to a great extent. It resulted in horrible breakdowns and she starved herself. Her appetite died out of frustration.
Her eyes wouldn't stop watering, her thoughts flooded with doubt. Her mind asked her if Dev still remembered her or there was a new girl in his life.

But then she looked at the candid photo her friend Zoya had clicked of Dev and Disha engrossed in a conversation, laughing wholeheartedly. That gave her strength to keep going.

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