Paradise ~ A Devdutt Padikkal Story

26.

"And this is Disha. Disha Rajan." Dev refused to look at Disha who was staring at his soul.
Vedangi's head snapped to look at Dev with the speed of light. Her eyes held shock and surprise, apprehension and realization. Dev looked into her eyes before she turned to face Disha, smiling warmly.
"Hi Vedangi, what do you do?" Disha started a conversation.
"I'm an intern lawyer at Hinduja Law Firm. What about you?" Vedangi answered politely.
"Oh I just moved back to India from London. I'll work at NCA henceforth." Disha's eyes darted at Dev while he looked up appalled.
"National Cricket Academy?" His voice sounded harsh and disappointed at the same time.
"Yes. What about you, how have you been?" Disha asked softly. Her facial expressions turned expectant as she tried to acclimatize with the situation.
"I- I am, fine." Dev paused while he replied.
"We should get going, it's already very late." Vedangi interrupted Disha who was about to speak more.
Successfully easing out of the uneasy circumstance, Dev and Vedangi exited the restaurant.

"For fucks sake!" Dev banged his hand loudly on the car's bonnet the moment they approached it. His face conveyed evident disdain and agony. Closing his eyes to calm himself, he rested his forehead on the door.
Vedangi watched him silently. His conduct was extremely reluctant infront of the woman he loved, taking her by surprise. Vedangi had seen the yearning and longing in Disha's eyes and she couldn't help but feel extremely sorry for the way Dev behaved with Disha.

Unlike the typical cinematic vamps in a love triangle, Vedangi honestly sympathized with Disha. Women hating women over a man never fit into Vedangi's standards. Humans can do better than this, can't they?
It is 2023 and all of us need to spread kindness because we rise by lifting others. Right from the moment Vedangi became aware of Dev and Disha's mutual interest in each other, she had moulded herself to acquaint with the concept of unrequited love. Is it that hard to let go? It surely feels like a thousand daggers piercing your heart but no screams come out. She was ready to endure heartbreak if that meant Dev staying happy. His happiness mattered irrespective of the person who gave it to him. Vedangi was willing to go through this ordeal if that meant watching him smile wholeheartedly.
She felt no enmity towards Disha.

Recalling Disha's appearance, Vedangi couldn't help but agree with the fact that she was definitely breathtaking. Disha was not the model type beauty. Instead she was the independent, warm, homely, someone with who you'll fall irrevocably in love type beauty. Shoulder length shiny black layered hair, a sharp nose, wheatish skin and a slender frame. No wonder Dev fell for her to such a depth.

Jealousy is being protective of something that your already possess whereas envy is wanting someone else's posssesion. Vedangi had no right to get jealous, did she? He wasn't even hers. A part of her heart did definitely get envious of Disha. Vedangi wished to be in her shoes even if it was only for a day. A day would suffice her for a lifetime, but does a day really suffice for a lifetime?

"Why would you do that?" Vedangi questioned Dev who was standing with his head rested on the door frame.
"Thankyou for bringing me out of that awful situation." He replied instead, irking her.
"Answer my question! What was that?" Vedangi persistantly glared at him.
"Reluctance. Ignorance. Negligence." Dev answered plainly.
"Did you see the hurt on her face? I could clearly see the longing and the love in her eyes, couldn't you?" Vedangi reprimanded him.
"I don't want to look into her eyes!" He exclaimed loudly, startling her.
"What a perfect end to a memorable night!" Dev muttered angrily.
"What's up with you? Weren't you irrevocably in love with her?" Vedangi's tone conveyed her surprise.
"Let's not talk about that! She can't just walk into my life all over again when it is starting to get back on track! She was the one to derail it!" Dev spoke resentfully.
"She loves you!" Vedangi defended Disha.
"But I don't!" Dev shouted, much to her surprise.
"Don't you dare say that. You're only fooling yourself! All of this is your anger and agony speaking on your behalf, you can do better than this Dev!" Vedangi placed her hand on his arm.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Dev inhaled loudly before speaking, "Can we go home right now?"
Vedangi nodded her head understandingly and got in inside the car. The ride back home was painstakingly silent with none of them speaking a word. Dev drove aggressive than usual and that left Vedangi all the more concerned.
She rested her head against the window pane while the citylights and street lamps casted their golden glow over the rapidly moving vehicles below.

This is going to take her down.

_________________________________________