Chapter 18

Devakshi FF: Reaching Out

Part 16

Dev placed his duffel bag on the bed and waited for Keechu Bhaiyya, their help, to place his other suitcases near his wardrobe. "Ho gaya Bhaiyya ji Keechu Bhaiyya said with a smile. Dev nodded curtly and waited for him to leave the room.

Dev sat on his bed and looked around the room. It felt weird to be back in this room again. Yes, this was his room undoubtedly, but for the past couple of years, the penthouse and its rooms had been his own room too. And surprisingly it felt as if those were more welcoming than this one. Dev furrowed his brows and got off the bed. Walking to the other door in his room, he opened it and then climbed down the stairs that led to the garden. He walked to one of the chairs there and sat down.

When he had first shifted out of this house, he had missed the Dixit Mansion a lot. Nothing in the penthouse seemed to be likable. It provided him all the luxuries, but it wasn't home. But with Sonakshi's entry into the penthouse, things changed. He didn't know when it happened, but after a point, he started referring to it as home. It felt welcoming and warm. It was a place he yearned to be in. Dev groaned and closed his eyes. He didn't know what to do.

"Dev?

Dev snapped his eyes open to find his mother standing before him with a cup of tea. "Arey ma, tune kyun takleef ki. Keechu Bhaiyya ko bol diya hota, woh bana dete naah. Ishwari flicked her son's forehead and said with a smile, "Mere bete ke liye chai banana takleef kab se hone laga bhala? Dev smiled slightly at his mother's words and took the cup from her hands. Ishwari went on to sit on the chair beside him and said, " Waise main toh bohot khush hui tujhey yahan atey dekh. Kitne dino baad aya hai tu ghar pe rehne. Bohot achha lag raha hai! But all the while she kept her eye on Dev's face. She didn't want to miss any of his expressions. She paused to give Dev a chance to reply, even though she had this feeling that he wouldn't. And she was proven right when Dev kept quiet and only smiled slightly. Ishwari was convinced that her thoughts were on the right track.

"Par tu zyada khush nahin lag raha iss baat se she said continuing to observe Dev. Dev, on the other hand had just taken the first sip of his tea and almost spit it out hearing his mothers words. He gulped it somehow and looked at his mother, " Aisa kyun keh rahi hai ma? Main ghar akey khush kyun nahin hoonga? Ishwari folded her hands in front of her chest and said, " Yeh toh tujhey hi pata hoga. She smiled slightly and without waiting for Dev's reply, got up and made her way to the kitchen. While Dev sat staring in amazement at his mother, Ishwari knew she had let Dev know about the fact that she could clearly see why he was here, without directly telling him anything. She wanted to talk to her son about it, but only when he would want to.

Dev stared at Ishwari's retreating figure. Were his emotions so transparent now? The Dev Dixit who was infamous for his impassiveness now gave his emotions away that easily? Dev shook his head, no that wouldn't do. He would have to go back to being in control. The control which Sonakshi had successfully destroyed in these few months. He abandoned his cup of tea and climbed the stairs back to his room. He sat on the bed and then slowly lay back on it. He closed his eyes.

** Flashback**

Excuse me. Aap job hi hai. Aapko koi haq nahin banta ki aap ek chhoti si galti ke liye inki naukri chhenney ki baat karein!

**End of Flashback**

Dev's eyes snapped open. That was the first time he had seen her. And unknown to Sonakshi, she had made an impression on him with just those words. Nobody had ever challenged him the way she did. Never. Everyone was scared of his impassive cold exterior. But not Sonakshi. She had come right up and challenged him. And since then, she had kept challenging him every step of the way. Those challenges excited him too. It was because of these things that he entered into dangerous territories, territories where he lost control, where he fell in love.

He sat up again.

**Flashback**

"Kyunki hum eksaath nahin reh sakte Sonakshi. I want you to stay away from me.

**End of Flashback**

Dev fisted his right hand and hit the bed loudly. He could still clearly see the despair in Sonakshi's eyes when he had uttered those words. He knew that despair very well, because he felt it too. The only difference was that he was good at hiding it while Sonakshi wasn't.  He didn't want to let her go. If it was up to him, he never would have. He would have kept her with him forever. But he had to let her go. Because if he didn't she would end up hurt and broken like him. And he would not be able to see Sonakshi in that state.

As he sat remembering his last words with Sonakshi, Riya strolled into his room. "Bhaiyya, aap ghar pe kyun ho? Dev looked up at his sister, " Iska kya matlab hai, main ghar pe nahin ho sakta? Riya squinted her eyes and sat down beside him, " Aapko toh ghar se duur rehna hi achha lagta tha naah. Toh aaj aap yahan kya kar rahe ho? Upar se kitne sad bhi lag rahe ho  Dev's anger flared suddenly, " Yeh tum logo ne kya sad sad laga rakha hai. Main apne ghar akey sad kyun hoonga, aur apne ghar wapas ana koi ajeeb baat hai kya?

Riya quickly put her hands up in the air, indicating that she was surrendering, "Relax bhaiyya. Main toh yoon hi poochne ayi thi. Aap shanty se APNE ghar me raho. Main chalti hoon. With that she exited the room. Dev sighed deeply. " Saara gussa Riya pe nikal diya maine he said to himself. But at the moment he didn't have the energy to go and apologise. He decided to talk to her in the morning. As he sat mulling over the events of the day, Keechu Bhaiyya knocked on his door. "Bhaiyya ji khana lag gaya hai.

Dev threw his comforter away and got up from his bed as the clock on his bedside table struck 8 in the morning. He hadn't slept a wink the whole night. He had alternated between staring at his phone, waiting for her call and looking at the packing of the diabetes tablets that Sonakshi had bought for him. He rubbed his eyes and reached for his phone again, but nothing. No calls, no messages. " Kya ho gaya hai tumhe Dev. Tumney hi toh ussey contact karne se mana kiya tha naah. Toh yeh sab kyun? he said to himself angrily.  He was frustrated with himself. In one swift motion, he took his phone and switched it off. "Buss, ab office jao, aur yeh sab bhul jao he coaxed himself.

One hour later, he was ready for work, but Sonakshi was still on his mind and nothing could divert his mind from her. As he took the stairs down to the drawing room he was greeted by Ishwari, " Dev, beta dekh na, kuch samaan khatam ho gaya hai, le aa na. Dopahar ka khana banana me lagega. Dev nodded his head, " Theek hai ma. Breakfast karke le ata hoon. Drop karke phir office chala jaunga. Ishwari smiled, " Haan yeh theek hai. Dekh tu aa gaya, ab cheezein kitni assani se ho raha hai Ishwari said to Dev, again observing him. This time, he didn't even smile. In fact it didn't seem like he heard what Ishwari was saying.

He seemed to be in his own world as he sat eating his breakfast among the chatter of his family. Everyone noticed it, but no one disturbed him. No one let him know that they were well aware of his every move. He silently finished his food and left with the list of things he needed to buy. During his drive to the departmental store he debated whether to switch on his phone or not. " Kya farak padhta hai, office ka koi kam hai toh woh toh mujhey office jake hi pata chal jayega he thought. But then Sonakshi might have called. He quickly switched it on. But again, nothing. He sighed. He didn't know what he was expecting.

As the car rolled to a stop before the shop, he got off and strolled into the shop. Having got a trolley for himself he left in search of the items. Within a few minutes, everything was in his cart, except a packet of Rajma Beans. As he stopped before the shelf that contained the packets, he was reminded of the time when Sonakshi had cooked the same for him. He gripped the packet harder; he needed to stop doing this. But it was so difficult when everything reminded him of her. He slowly made his way to the counter. While absentmindedly stared at the packet of Rajma seeds, standing in line, someone accidently bumped his trolley with theirs from the line beside him. He didn't react. But the bump was immediately followed by a soft, "I'm Sorry Dev's head snapped up towards the voice. His eyes widened. "Sonakshi... The lady in question was busy arranging her things in her own trolley to see who she had bumped into. Hearing him say her name she looked up to meet his eyes. Both of them looked like as if their breathe had been knocked out of them. They were in a daze. But the spell didn't last long. The lady at the end of Sonakshi's counter called her. She snapped into movement and literally ran forward. Checked her things without looking up even once, paid and took a turn to leave.

Dev had another person before him, so he couldn't go after Sonakshi. He wanted to call her out. He wanted to talk to her. He wanted to ask if she was okay. But he just stood there and saw her exiting the store. Just then his phone rang and he answered without looking, " Hello.. He saw Sonakshi load her things on her scooty and start it. He heard Tina's shrill apprehensive voice on the other side say, " Sir! Dr. Bose ne penthouse chhor diya! while Sonakshi zoomed out of the parking lot.

He took in a sharp breathe hearing Tina's words, realising that Sonakshi had not just left him standing there alone, but had also exited his life, leaving him alone.

And ironically, that is exactly what he had asked her to do.

So why did it feel as if the world had come crashing down at his feet?

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Love

Mishti