SERENDIPITY: A DEVDUTT PADIKKAL FANFICTION.

31. Serendipity

Theme song :- Rang Lageya Ishq Da

"You're yawning so much!" Dev observed Meera while she was preparing coffee in the kitchen.
"Neend poori nahi hui yaar." Meera yawned again.

"You know, when I was in college, we used to pull off long stretches of the night studying for exams. Tab hum maggi banate the aur chai peete the".
"And then sometimes we would go and watch the sunrise. My college was on walking distance from the Marine Drive." Meera reminisced her college days.

"Itna kyu padhte the tumlog?" Dev asked, sipping on his coffee.
"Kyu ki humko normal MBBS ke subjects aur Physio ke subjects dono hote the. Aur agar utna nahi padhti to I wouldn't have been able to fix cricketers like you". Meera pinched Dev's nose as she said that.

"Meri to assignments bhi Amma likh ke deti thi. But mein padhta tha obviously exams ke time." Dev disclosed.
"Credit what comes in, Debit what goes out." Meera exaggerated.
"Aye, Commerce isn't only about debit what goes out, credit what comes in, there's more to Commerce." Dev tried to defend his stream.
"Agar mein cricketer nahi hota na, toh I'd have done CA, like Venkatesh Iyer." Dev added.
"Yeah, there are very less educated cricketers and one of them is you, I liked you for completing your graduation." Meera patted Dev on his shoulder.

"You've never lived the hostel life, have you?" Meera was curious to know.
"Nope never."
"Arre! Hostel life is such a enriching experience! First time sneaking out, first cigarette, first shot at alcohol, boys coming to girls hostel and vice versa, my god!" Meera narrated.
"You smoke?!" Dev was flabbergasted with the recent revealation.
"Ae what no! I smoked once under peer pressure but ended up coughing like some maniac, and also, I had my first drink during my internship days so I was well above the legal drinking age." Meera explained and Dev returned to normalcy.

Dev played 'Pani Da Rang' as they started their journey to Nandi Hills.
"I was in 9th standard when this song came out and I remember during our school trip, a boy named Shivam had played this song on guitar for me and poore class ke samne propose kiya tha." Meera told Dev.
"Toh what you said?" Dev asked curiously.
"What would've I said? I said ki agle saal 10th hai to let's not get involved in all this." Meera laughed it out.

"Tumhe kabhi kisi ne propose kiya hai?" Meera asked as she folded her legs into a comfortable position and pulled the Shawl closer.
"Yeah twice. Pehli baar in 10th standard. I was in an all boys school but humare tuition mein ek ladki thi, Priyanka, usne mujhe bola tha, Dev I really like you, will you be my boyfriend?" Dev imitated the girl's voice.
Meera was in hysterics.

"Tumne ha bola?"
"Nahi re. 10th tha, iss sab jhamele mein nahi padna tha mujhe." Dev turned on the heater in the car.
"Aur second time kisne propose kiya tha?"
"I was practicing at KIOC, tab ek ladki came running to the nets directly and usi time I hit the ball, uske haat ko laga directly." Dev laughed as he remembered the incidence.

"Oh shit!! Fir?"
"Fir usi halat mein usne bola, Dev mein tumhare bina jee nahi sakti, pls mujhse shaadi karlo." Dev yet again imitated the girl's voice.
"The whole crowd started laughing and security had to come and take her away".
"Direct shaadi kar lo wala propose! Aisi extreme fangirl to mein bhi kabhi nahi thi." Meera stated.
"Isiliye to you're my favorite fangirl na."
Dev winked at Meera who blushed and looked out of the window.

After a while Meera asked Dev hesitantly,
"Waise agar mein kabhi bolu ki mujhse shaadi karoge to kya jawab hoga tumhara?"
"Um thodi der baad batata hu."

At around 7:15 they reached Nandi Hills.
"Tell me about Nandi Hills." Meera said as the car entered through the gate .
"Nandi Hills is a hill station type mountain where a fort built by Tipu Sultan resides. Its known for its scenic beauty because the view from the top is fucking breathtaking! Wait till you see it." Dev briefed.

Meera stepped out of the car and ran ahead as Dev saw her scarf flying with the wind.
Dev stood beside her.
"Khoobsurat hai na?"
"Bohot khoobsurat!" Meera said as they watched the clouds surrounding the hill with sunlight peeping through it.

The orange morning light was falling on Meera's face with her hair flying wild. Meera's scarf touched Dev's face and he knew it was the right time.
He tucked her hair behind her ear and Meera smiled heartwarmingly.
She was about to step ahead when Dev held her wrist.
Meera looked behind to see Dev on his knees.

"Meera, I've been wanting to tell you this for a quite while. I'm irrevocably and completely in love with you! My day starts with you and it ends with you. Its like tum se hi din hota hai, surmayi shaam aati hai, tum se hi. You're serendipity to me because you happened to me in the most unexpected way. Will you be my girlfriend?" Dev spoke truthfully and it felt like catharsis to him.

"Pinch me." Meera requested with urgency in her voice.
"What?" Dev asked confused.
"Do what I say you idiot!"
Dev pinched her and she shrieked.
"This is real?"
"Absolutely real."
"You love me?"
"Unconditionally, deeply, madly." Dev replied.
"Oh God Dev!" Meera burst into tears and Dev embraced her.
After she was sober, Dev asked her why she cried.

"Dev, all of this feels so unreal. I never imagined you proposing to me, never ever!"
"But I did na. What is your answer?"
"Dev I love you too! I always have! Oh God, I'll obviously be your girlfriend! I love you so much!!!" Meera replied urgently.
"I love you too." Dev said as they hugged each other tightly and he planted a kiss in Meera's hair.

"I got these for you in Pune, thought I'd give it to you when the right time comes. This is yours and I'm yours too." Dev said handing her the jhumkas he bought for her.

(Remember those pink jhumkas Dev bought in Pune?)

"They're lovely!!" Meera did the najar utarne wali action.
"Ab I want my birthday gift." Dev demanded in a flirty tone.
"Kaunsa gift? You already got that watch which emptied my bank account". Meera failed to understand the hidden meaning behind his demand.

Dev came closer to her and encircled his arms around her waist. His touch felt electric yet homely to her.
He could see her cheeks heating up.
"Can I kiss you?" Dev's breath fanning her face.
Meera hid her face in her hands momentarily and then stood on her toes.
She looked into Dev's eyes and then touched her lips with his.
It was overwhelming for both of them initially.
She pecked his lips, looking at him and they both smiled knowingly and kissed again.
Meera's hand entangled in Dev's hair while his hands pulled her closer.
Their lips moulded perfectly as if they were crafted for each other.

They pulled away after sometime and watched the scene before them with Meera's hands around Dev's waist and his left arm on her shoulders.
"Waise you didn't answer my question."
"Which question?"
"If I ask you to marry me, will you?"
Dev laughed and shook his head.

"Ab itna sab hone ke baad bhi you have a doubt?"
"Tell na please." Meera persisted.
"Achha, I'll be the one shedding tears as you walk towards me in your bridal attire looking pretty af."
Meera blushed in response.

"So now you're stuck with Chai Biscuit for pachaas saal till you die."Meera sort of warned Dev as he drived.
"Manjoor hai. You're the Elaichi to my Chai." Dev said as he blew her a kiss.

"So now, you can officially take a bath with me." Dev said in a teasing tone.
"Dev!" Meera hit him on his arm and smiled to herself.

They were to each other like the Sun to the Earth.

_________________________________________

Deveera are together officially!!
It makes me so proud when I look back at how it started and how its going.

Ishq mein doob gaye hai dono.💓