Second Chance

Chapter 11 Stirring New Tensions

Rastogi Ji asks Dev to talk in private, without an audience. Dev obliges his request as they move to the porch. Everyone inside takes their seats to contemplate what just happened and what really is going on.

Shruti guesses,' He is an honest person. Maybe he personally wanted to apologise to Dev.'

Everyone nodded silently in agreement. After few minutes Dev walks in dazed, unaware that everyone inside was waiting for him. He suddenly realises the attention towards him as they waited for him to kill their curiosity. He simply smiles and says,' He was just feeling guilty about the raid. That's all.' All of them sighs off hearing this, except Mahi and Ekta.

Mahi notices that Dev's smile didn't reach his eyes. She could clearly see that it was not about the raid. He just lied to everyone, Mahi could tell. So does Ekta. Both quickly exchange a knowing look and keep it to themselves. Ekta decides to interrogate Dev later, maybe tomorrow. However, Mahi contemplates whether she should ask him or not. He clearly looks perturbed, but Mahi promised herself not to pry in his life anymore.

Without further delay, everyone resigns to their respective homes, concluding the night cordially.

Dev doesn't say a word on his way to home. Mahi realises that Dev has been lost in some thoughts. Without taking notice of the fact that Mahi is seated next to him. His eyes seemed disappointed and sad. Mahi becomes curious and concerned at the same time. She tries hard not to ask him if he is alright. They reach home. Dev straight away leaves for his room, even without saying goodnight to Mahi, out of curtsy. Mahi realises that throughout the way and even when they reached home, not once, Dev looked at her. Mahi had got used to Dev's glances at her. But right now, she suddenly felt strange that Dev didn't even throw a glance in her direction. She takes her thoughts to her room to sleep it off.

In the middle of the night, she wakes up becoming thirsty. Seeing her jug empty, she picks it up and leaves for the kitchen to fill it up. She sees the kitchen's small lights on. While entering, she sees Dev standing next to the stove. He was half seated, leaning backwards, taking the support of the slab behind. Mahi sees a small pan with milk on the stove about to spill out, next to him. He was standing next to it, though out of his sight. He looked spaced out as he failed to notice Mahi's entry and the milk on the stove. She runs towards the stove and turns it off before it spills over. Dev becomes attentive with the movement around him. He sees Mahi standing in front of him after she turned off the stove.

'Where are you lost?' asks Mahi looking at Dev as she keeps the jug in her hand on the slab.

'Sorry! I just wanted to have some coffee,' says Dev with a low tone not even sparing a look at Mahi.

Mahi fails to keep her concern to herself and speaks up,' What's wrong? You don't seem yourself.'

'All is good. It's just another sleepless night,' says Dev forcing a smile on his face.

Mahi nods thoughtfully at first as she simply says,' Ok.' She turns to pick up the jug and moves towards the RO to fill it up. As she fills it up, she glances back at Dev, who hasn't left his position. He was still staring at the floor, becoming adrift again. As Mahi was about to leave the kitchen, she changes her mind. She stands in front of Dev, placing the filled jug on the slab this time.

Now she speaks more firmly,' Talk to me! Tell me. Why are you so lost?'

Dev tiredly looks up at her. He smiles at her and says,' As what you are asking me that question?'

Mahi looks away for a second. So that she could come up with a better intimidating answer to make Dev talk his mind to her. She replies less confidently,' As your housemate.'