Disorientated & disillusioned, Dev sat at the bar, downing shot glass after shot glass. He ignored the several calls on his mobile, some from his mother, others mostly from Sasha.
After pushing a few girls' advances away, he blinked a few times before dialling a number that he didn't even realise he had memorised.
"Hello?" came her familiar voice, & a smile spread across his face.
"Geet..." he slurred. "Geet, I-"
Geet sat up from the couch, frowning in confusion. "Dev? Are you drunk?"
"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not."
"Look-"
"I think I'm gonna pass out." It wasn't entirely a lie, the room started spinning around.
"Where are you?" she asked, already off the couch & grabbing her keys.
"Some-some place... oh lord, I need to sit down..."
"Dev? Dev?" The call ended, & Geet called out to Pinky, who was clearing up after dinner with Yash, that she was heading out on an emergency call - before closing the door behind her.
__________________________________________
It didn't take Geet long to find the nightclub Dev was at - not many men went out clubbing in a suit. Pushing her way through the crowd, she eventually found him, slumped into one of the booths, half asleep.
"Dev? It's me, Geet," she patted his cheek carefully, but to her surprise he grabbed her hand.
"Geet..." he mumbled. "You smell nice. You always smell nice."
"And you're very drunk, let's get you out of here."
Hauling Dev up & placing one of his arms around her shoulder, Geet managed to lead him out of the club & onto a nearby pavement. They sat down on the ground, Dev's head in his hands as Geet looked on worriedly.
"This is the first time I've drank," he slurred. "I've-I've never drank before. Mother always said she was proud-proud of the fact that I... wasn't like him' but I am like him aren't I? Maybe I am him... could I be him, Geet?"
"I don't know who you're talking about," she stated truthfully. "Did you bring a car?"
He ignored her question. "I get pushed, pushed by Mother, to try and become CEO. But maybe..." he waved a finger in the air. "Maybe I'm tired of all the games. Maybe I just want to... feel content with what I have, with who I am. I don't always want or need... more, you know? More. It's such a selfish word. Why does everyone always want more?"
"Because we're naturally designed to always want or need something, I guess."
Dev stared at Geet's side profile for a few moments, then broke out into a lovestruck smile. "You're beautiful."
Geet laughed nervously. "I suspect you're going through a bad syndrome of beer goggles at the moment."
"No, I can see clearly. Look, my vision isn't blurred or anything," he waved his fingers in front of his eyes to prove himself. "I think... you're like an angel. Angelic. Angelic Geet."
Before she had a chance to respond, Dev moved in for a kiss - which caught Geet completely off guard & she moved back, pushing him away with her hands.
"Dev, we need to get you home," she said, changing the subject as she fished into her jean pockets.
"You-you pushed me away because I'm not him, didn't you?" Dev frowned like a small boy.
"Who?" she asked absentmindedly, her eyes widening as she realised she had no cash on her to call for a taxi...
"The ever so perfect-"
"Do you have any money on you?" she cut him off as she looked around frantically. "I'm presuming you don't have your car, even if you do it's no use as I can't drive. And I left my purse at home."
"I spent all my money on drinks," he smiled crookedly.
Geet stood up from the ground. "I'm gonna call Maan," she walked a little further ahead as she dialled his number.
"Of course you would call him..." Dev trailed off as he threw his head into his lap.
__________________________________________
Rolling up in his trusty Mercedes, Maan switched the engine off as he spotted Dev & Geet sat on the pavement. He got out of his car & beeped it shut as he stalked towards them.
Without even giving Dev a second glance, he held out a hand to help Geet up, looking down at her intently. When she held his hand, he tightened his grip around hers subconsciously as he gently held her up, then realised he was gripping her hand & let go, turning his attention to Dev.
Geet cleared her throat. "I'm so sorry to trouble you, but he needs to be taken home. He's really drunk."
Maan couldn't help but smirk. "It's the first time he's drank, that's why it's had such a strong effect on him."
"I heard that," Dev said grumpily as he lifted his head up.
"Come on Dev," Geet said as she held his arm, about to help him up.
Jealousy raged within Maan upon seeing her hold him. "Let go of him Geet, I'll get him up," he said, pushing her hand away.
Surprised at his sudden behaviour, Geet could only take a step back as she watched Maan help Dev to the car.
__________________________________________
Sasha was pacing her bedroom floor, an anxiety biting into her like it never had done before.
Why won't he pick up?! What could have happened to him... Maybe Maan knows where he is... No, that's unlikely, they can't stand each other.
For the first time in a long time, Sasha raised her hands into a prayer as she looked up at the skies & pleaded.
"Please, let the man I love be safe."
Her eyes shot open as she realised what she had said.
__________________________________________
After dropping Dev off outside the security gates of his house, at which point the watchmen had arrived to help him inside, Maan went back into his car & slid into his driver's seat. He looked at his rearview mirror at Geet, who was looking out of the window, lost in her own thoughts.
With her hair pulled into a messy bun & her face devoid of make up, she appeared even more enchanting than ever before.
It was only when she turned to meet his gaze in the rearview mirror that Maan snapped out of his thoughts & drove off.
"You didn't turn up to work today," he said casually a few minutes into the drive to Geet's area, remembering how her absence from the office had affected him so. He had missed her more than he thought capable of.
"I wasn't feeling too good."
"You didn't tell me."
"I told Dev."
"Why Dev? Is he your boss?"
Geet crossed her arms, dreading the very conversation that was taking place. "What difference does it make? You were aware of my absence, that's the main thing."
Maan was about to retaliate but kept his emotions as check as he continued on. After a few minutes of silence, Geet couldn't help but ask. "How was the presentation?"
"Fine."
"Just fine?"
"How is it any of your business?"
"I spent a lot of time helping you with setting the board up."
"And then you decided not to turn up when it mattered the most."
"I had a legitimate reason."
"It's good, it's not like I'll always have you around to guide me in the future, will I?"
His sentence cut through their hearts like a sharp knife, causing more pain than intended or planned. Geet felt an unknown tug at the thought of not seeing Maan a few years down the line - even though she knew she was worth more than what working for Maan could ever offer her.
For once, it seemed her feelings were overpowering her personal goals in life... the thought was frightening.
It had been a difficult day without her - how could he begin to imagine endless years at KC without Geet by his side?
He didn't know when these emotions had become so intense & real, when his feelings for her had changed from being friends to wanting something more - but all he knew was that there was no denying the fact that he was falling for Geet... and he seemed to fall for her with each passing day.
Without even realising, he had already pulled up outside Geet's building.
"Thanks for the ride, I'll see you tomorrow," her voice was devoid of the usual bubbliness that he had become so accustomed to.
Geet stepped out, sighing heavily as she walked towards the door, when the sound of a car door shutting stopped her in her tracks.
She turned around slowly, her heartbeat rising in a strange anticipation, just in time to see Maan look up from the ground & into her eyes.
"I'm in love with you."
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Cricket
