Second Chance

Chapter 2 New Housemate

'Oh yes,' Mahi says, immediately realising for how long he has been holding her and tries to stand on the pool floors. However, her legs immediately betray her due to shock and nervousness. She finds herself grasping Dev again. Meanwhile, he doesn't let her go from his grip. Even when she tries to get out of his hold and stand without his help. Even when she fails to do so. 

'It's alright,' he says, keeping one arm around her, 'Let me help you,' he said while carrying her up and makes her sit on the edge of the pool. 

'Better?' Dev asks after putting her up on the edge of the pool. Mahi simply nods like a little kid, all drenched in water after her own mischief. 

Dev unknowingly smiles at her quick child-like nod and jumps up to get out of the pool. He quickly moves towards the shower area and disappears behind the walls separating the pool and shower space. 

He appears again within seconds with a towel over his shoulders and one in his hand. Still feeling the chills from the water and nervousness from the embarrassing fall, Mahi just keeps watching Dev's disappearing and appearing movements. He quickly opens the towel in hand and wraps it around Mahi. He then sits next to her on the edge of the pool. 

'Feeling okay?' asks the worried and curious eyes of Dev. He can't take them away from the woman sitting next to him, drenched in water, and from the looks of it, in the embarrassment too. 

Taking the ends of the towels to wipe her face and dripping mid-length hair, she nods more calmly now, 'Yes, thank you.' 

'I didn't know you were home,' says Mahi while drying off her hair. 

'It's Saturday! I am always....here,' replies Dev looking away for a second and steadying his gaze back on her. 

Mahi feels his eyes on her, which makes her a little uncomfortable and conscious at the same time. Dev senses her embarrassment and nervousness. To distract her from that, he asks, 'Where else do you think I would be if not here?.' 

'Haan! Nowhere. It's just...I thought corporate people don't stay home on Saturdays,' she replies and quickly glances at him. 

'Yes, they do,' says Dev while smiling at her response and continues,' when they own that corporate establishment.' 

Mahi nods with a smirk around her mouth and sneezes within the next second, 'Excuse me.'

'Bless you!' says Dev. He asks her to change immediately, while he'll ask someone to get her something warm to drink. Dev helps her up, and they walk back into the house together. Mahi leaves for her room, and Dev stays behind to instruct Karim in the kitchen. He asks him to send Mahi some masala tea or whatever she takes regularly. 

While Dev takes the stairs back to his room, still looking towards her room. Reaching his own door, he realises that this has been the most they have interacted with from the time they have known each other. It was not that bad. Except that it happened after he made her fall into the pool. 

The following morning, Dev gets out of his room to leave for the office. As he descends the stairs, he hears the small and familiar sneezes from the kitchen. He reaches the kitchen door and sees Mahi's back leaning sideways against the kitchen wall at the entry. She has wrapped herself in a brown shawl, and with a tissue in hand, close to her mouth. She was busy watching the house helps to prepare breakfast.