Paradise ~ A Devdutt Padikkal Story

11.

"Dev, arrange the pillows. Our house looks so unclean!" Chandni ordered as she saw her brother entering the living room.
"You do it then!" Dev retaliated.
"Who's the elder one here?" Chandni smirked, raising her left brow.
"Get lost loser." Dev groaned and arranged the pillows orderly on the couch.

Dev was about to sit down when he heard the doorbell ring. Chandni gestured him to open the door and he threw the pillow next to him forcefully at her.
"Do you not have your own house? Jab bhi dekho humare ghar dikhti ho!" Devdutt mocked an over excited Vedangi who was standing at his door.
"You really need to see a psychiatrist because you're bipolar!" Vedangi pushed him aside and entered.

"You brought the carrots na?" Chandni asked as she saw Vedangi enter. Vedangi nodded her head in a yes, showing the carrots in her tote bag.
Devdutt watched with a perplexed expression as the two girls scurried inside the kitchen. He went ahead and saw both of them chatting animatedly with his mother.

"What exactly is going on? Can someone care to explain?" Devdutt asked, standing at the kitchen entrance.
"Amma is teaching us how to make Gajar ka Halwa." Chandni said as she grated the carrots.
"Vedangi, come we'll make the khoa mixture till Chandu grates the carrots. Also Dev, don't just stand there, come and help." Ambili Padikkal instructed.
"What help will I be of?" He whined.
"Use your height for good things like grabbing the big vessel from the top shelf." Chandni smiled like a psycopath to aggravate him.

Sighing, Dev approached the cabinet above the kitchen platform. It was only when their arms brushed that Dev realized the proximity between him and Vedangi.
She on the other hand tried very hard to not appear affected but the slightest of touch was enough to make goosebumps appear. Vedangi mentally cursed herself for wearing a sleeveless kurta for it would make the goosebumps obvious to anyone paying close attention.
Both of them were aware of the foreign sensation plaguing their minds. To ease the awkwardness, Vedangi smoothly moved to the side.

"Amma, some Mrs. Shetty called. She said that some saree wala is here and she told you to come to her house." Devdutt informed as he walked into the kitchen with his mother's phone.
"Mrs. Shetty is Indrajit's mother, Dev." Ambili stated.
"Shit I forgot!" Devdutt slapped his forehead.
"She was asking for you Amma. But you already have so many sarees, you don't need more." Devdutt added.
"Oye Devdutt, you should never question women as to why they shop." Vedangi barged into the conversation, siding with his mother.
"Aunty don't listen to him, aap jao mast sadi leke aao. Red looks really nice on you!" Vedangi urged Ambili who smiled in return.
"Also I'll look after the Halwa till you're back!" Vedangi added.

Devdutt observed Vedangi as she stood with her back against the kitchen counter. She was wearing a deep purple coloured kurta that complimented her skintone really well. Her silky black tresses accentuated her face shape, highlighting the cheekbones. Her face was devoid of any makeup with just a black bindi sitting on the middle of her forehead.
The pearl jhumkas in her ears swayed with the slightest of head movement.
The way she smiled while watching something in her phone mesmerized him.
Had he started liking her? Nope. Too early for that.

Devdutt didn't mean to eavesdrop on her conversation. It fell on his ears by chance or as he thinks. Her phone was on speaker and he could clearly hear every word she talked with Dhruv.
He was taking her for a food tour around Bangalore? On his bike?
The thought of her sitting so close to another guy did not sit well with him.

"Kya dekhne aaye ho?" Vedangi asked him as she stirred the Halwa.
"Dekh raha hu ki kahi tum zeher to nahi mila rahi iss mein." Devdutt replied sarcastically.
"It is so hot!" Vedangi fanned her face.
"Is it because of me?" Devdutt smirked.
"How narcissist are you Devdutt?" Vedangi looked at him disbelievingly.
"You have no idea Vedangi!" Devdutt laughed.

Vedangi was holding the vessel with tongs in one hand and with the other hand she stirred the Halwa. The flicks on her face were not helping as she tried to move them away by jerking her neck.
Devdutt did not know what led him to it but he impulsively tucked the flicks behind her ear. Vedangi looked up at him surprised. The heat rushing to her face didn't ease the situation and she had to turn her face to the other side.
Closing her eyes shut momentarily, a very thin smile graced her lips.

Steadying her face, she looked at him and muttered a thankyou.
"You were jerking your neck so violently, it would've snapped at this rate."
Devdutt justified his actions.
"Imagine yourself roaming like a zombie!" He added laughing.
Vedangi threw her head back as she laughed with him.

Thirty minutes later, Vedangi and the Padikkals were seated around the dining table. Chandni served everyone the Halwa and Vedangi waited with baited breath for everyone's reaction.
Devdutt was the first one to taste it and like a reflex action, he imitated vomiting.
"Amma I told you, this Vedangi and Chandni have put in zeher. All of us are going to die!" Devdutt teased.
"Are you done drama queen?" Chandni asked, smiling extra sweetly.
After he was done laughing, Devdutt gave his honest response, "Achha thik hai, as much as I hate to admit this, it's really good!"

Vedangi squealed with joy as she leapt from her chair to go and hug Chandni. Both the girls danced happily after Ambili praised them for their effort and the outcome.
Devdutt watched as Vedangi hugged his mother as if she was her own. The comfort and trust in the hug made him appreciate Vedangi all the more.
She treated his parents like they were hers.

While she danced, Devdutt looked at her and raised one of his eyebrows, showing appreciation. Vedangi gave him a heartfelt smile and nodded in a yes.
She was not like Disha. She was Vedangi and Dev appreciated her.

This was the start of something.

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