(Hey Guys! This is one of the most intense chapters in the book - and I wrote it in two parts because not letting you know of both sides of this coin was totally unfair.
Gif Above: The traffic Dee is in.
Gif Below: Dev's reaction)
PART I (DEEKSHA)
"You're awfully quiet today compared to the other times I've seen you," remarked Viren, coming to stop at a particularly time consuming signal.
I'm in a car with you, alone, you freak! - I wanted to scream. Instead, of course, I took a deep breath, formulating my lies in my head before turning to him with an answer. "It's.. Just.. Work.. I mean: People can be really, pathetically dumb sometimes, you know?"
"More than you might believe I do", he said, not quite looking at me. Trying to change the conversation I remind him where he is supposed to "drop" me – and ask how long it might be before we get there.
"Well – it's a Friday evening – so the traffic is heavier than usual.. I think I'll take a shortcut to the Ring Road and then go left from there", he says as the light turns green.
I barely murmured a real response, fully aware that if I objected to anything this man said, it wouldn't end well for me. Trying to be as candid as possible, I tell Viren, "Listen – the supervisor who looks after purchases has messed up big time – I'm gonna be on a call with him now until I get there, okay?"
Viren agreed and continues driving. I pick up my phone and scroll through my contacts. I can't call Harsh – the contact will give me away. I can't call Dev – knowing him, he would have taken a two-wheeler or something to follow us, instead of a car. I hoped he had. Finally, I decided to call Tanay's number since his was the only number Viren didn't know.
Before Tanay could say "Hello" once the call connected, I got into a rant, "Mr Mehra – I don't expect such shoddy work from you, of all people. Please inform the concerned people that I am on my way."
"Deeksha... are you alright?" he asked, sounding baffled and concerned.
"How on Earth would I be, after everything that has happened?!" I ask, trying to sound as realistically angry as possible. "I really don't understand," he begins but I interrupt him again.
"You know what, you won't understand ANYTHING. You can tell Dev that I am heading to the office right Now and if he wants to save you, he can come and do that himself. I am taking the Ring Road as there is a lot of traffic – but I should be there in about twenty minutes. Bye. And don't call me back" I say.
After cutting the call, pretending to text angrily, I send him a quick message saying "PLEASE CALL DEV. REPEAT WHAT I SAID. HE WILL KNOW."
Then, I sent a prayer up to whatever or whoever was out there – that my plan would work and that Dev and Harsh would know where to come and find me.
PART II (DEVEN)
Standing at a long signal where I had lost track of Viren's car, I wouldn't have answered the phone had it not been Tanay's name flashing on the screen. Answering it, I said, "Bro – this is really not a good time – I'm trying to help Dee with something here."
"Yeah – that's kind of the point. She called me and said some random things that made no sense just now, then sent me a message in all capital letters asking me to repeat her words to you", he said. Oh Goodness. Dee had called him. Smart girl.
"Okay – listen.. I was at a signal – the light just turned green. I'll park somewhere and call you in a minute" I said before cutting the call. The last thing any of us needed was an accident now.
Sure enough, once I pulled over by a sidewalk before I called Tanay, I called Harsh. I explained Tanay's earlier call to him and asked him to be quiet. Over the conference call, I then asked Tanay what happened.
"Dev – Dee just called me, it was really weird. I was on my way to the Hall – so I thought she was calling me to hurry up", he said.
"Okay – but what did she say?" I asked him, my tone urging him to get to the point.
"She kept going in circles about not expecting shoddy work out of me and that I should inform the concerned people that she was on her way," he explained. "She then told me that I won't understand anything, and that I should tell you that she was heading to the office right now. Also that.. Umm... if you wanted to save me, you can come and do it yourself."
"Tanay – please go on.. Did she tell you anything else?" I prodded when he took a pause.
"She said she is taking the Ring Road as there is a lot of traffic – and that she should be there in twenty minutes. She also told me not to call back" he finishes.
"Smart girl. She knows that there will be at least a few people in the office now – as it isn't seven yet. Also, since she pretended the need to finish work, office is a safe bet" I say – thinking aloud and not to anyone in particular.
"Uh.. Bro.. What?" Tanay asks, but I ignore him. "This was all she said and I was super confused. But since she told me not to call her, I didn't. And two minutes after the call, like I told you, she sent me a message in all caps saying that I had to tell you this."
"Thanks Tanay", I say sincerely.
"Dev – where are you? Do you want me to come and help?" he asks, finally catching up with the mood of the situation. I tell him to head over the hall as I will be needing help there soon, but make him promise not to say anything about this conversation to anyone.
Once he cuts the call, Harsh finally opens his mouth to tell me what I'm already thinking. "Dev – head over. Follow them. We're just about to reach the station. We will be there as soon as we can."
And for once, I didn't need to be told twice.