Paradise ~ A Devdutt Padikkal Story

9.

"Disha, are you seriously still hoping?" Dhruv questioned in a harsh tone.
"What? You know I've waited for this for two years!" Disha tried to prove her point.
"You should see a psychiatrist!" Dhruv exclaimed in disbelief.
"Dhruv! I'm not the only person yearning for love. There are thousands like me who are waiting and will keep waiting.
And you know he likes me!" Disha justified.
"Get your words right, he liked you. You don't know if he still does! And he's a cricketer, why will he keep longing for you?" Dhruv tried to put sense into his sister's mind.

"Achha mera jane de, what's happening with you nowadays? Who's that girl in the snap you sent?" Disha asked teasingly.
"Remember I told you about my internship? So there's this girl Vedangi who's a co-intern. She just moved to Bangalore and like every other person on Earth, she lives on Bannerghatta Road!" Dhruv elaborated.
"Dev lives there too." Disha blurted out.
"God Disha! Get over him! I'll tell Maasi to get you married." Dhruv groaned.

It was eight in the evening when Devdutt entered the Hinduja office. Chandni had asked him to get her an important file for which Devdutt complained relentlessly.
"Take this and shove it down your throat!" Devdutt said angrily as he kept the file on the wooden table.
"Dev! Itna gussa? I only asked you to bring a file and not lift the Mount Everest!" Chandni reasoned.
"Do you know mujhe direct ulti directions se jana pada? Pehle practice se ghar aao to Amma tells me ki go and give this to her dearest Chandni."
"Do minute baitha nahi to immediately exact ulti direction mein ek ghanta traffic mein drive kiya. You are useless!" Dev ranted.
"Accha thik hai, just sit down. Coffee piyega?" Chandni asked and Dev nodded.

Within five minutes, Chandni brought in two mugs of coffee and was about to take a sip when she received a call amd abruptly left.
Before going she informed Dev that she'll be late and also asked him to drop Vedangi home.
Devdutt exited the cabin. The whole space was dark and dimly lit with only his sister's cabin and a few other desks emitting light.
Walking through the large space, Devdutt finally managed to find her.

She was singing Bheegi si Bhaagi Si softly with the song playing beside her.
Her hair were up in a bun and the screen casted a dewy glow on her face.
Devdutt disliked the song for it had been Disha's favorite. Also the blue kurta and jeans on Vedangi irked him to the core. 'She is like her' was the first thought to cross his mind.

"Tum office mein gaane sunti ho ya kaam bhi karti ho?" His voice echoed in the large space earning a gasp from Vedangi.
"You scared me stupid boy!" Vedangi rebuked.
"How bad can someone's taste in music be? Who listens to love songs? I guess girls do." Devdutt expressed his dislike.
"Firstly, the office is empty so I played Mohit Chauhan to accompany me." "Secondly, you've no right to judge anyone based on their song choices because I can guarantee that you listen to rap music that doesn't make itna sa sense!"
"And thirdly, you're sexist!" Vedangi spoke with intensity.
"Oh you mean I'm sexy?" Devdutt left no stone unturned in annoying her.

With that statement, Vedangi took three steps back, closed her eyes, breathed deeply and turned to face him again.
"How self obsessed can you be? Just when I thought ki you're not a crocodile, you prove me wrong! Logo ko tang kiye bagair tumhara din achha nahi jata kya?" Vedangi asked calmly.
"Mujhe lecture dene se achha hai tum apna fashion sense improve karo." Devdutt blurted out but regretted immediately. He had better manners than judging women on the basis of their clothes.
"And I'll suggest ki you better improve your performance on the field! Your mom has no idea how disrespectful and arrogant you are!" Vedangi retaliated.

Devdutt's face had become gloomy when she attacked the thing he lived for. Did she even understand cricket? As if she had heard his thoughts, Vedangi started again.
"If you think I don't or in general girls don't understand cricket, you're horribly mistaken! It only makes you all the more sexist!"
"God! Will you stop speaking?! You'll be the reason I go deaf." Devdutt groaned.
"Now if you will, please excuse me Devdutt!" Vedangi smiled at him sarcastically as she placed her laptop in her bag.
He was used to everyone calling him 'Dev'. So when she called him by his name, it seemed foreign and melodius at the same time.
Vedangi walked past him and he instinctively grabbed her wrist.
"What?" She asked irritated.
"Chandni asked me to drop you home. You're coming with me." Dev explained his actions.
"Thankyou crocodile but I can go alone!" Vedangi freed her hand from his grasp only for him to stand infront of her.
"Ye jhagda abhi ke liye bhul jao. Trust me it's not safe for you." Devdutt's voice was genuine which sounded convincing to her.
"Kahi tum apne crocodile jaise daton se mujhe maar nahi daloge?" Vedangi attempted a joke.
"Not funny. For a lawyer, you seem very immature. Ab chalo!" Devdutt urged her and they exited the office.

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Also guys, this is not a typical, intense enemies to lovers story.
It has more to read than what you can guess.