When I Met Him | fin.

Five

He stepped out of the gate of Bangalore Airport and said loudly, “Namma Bengaluru!” which in Kannada meant ‘our Bengaluru.’

But his excitement was popped like a balloon when a passing by taxi driver heard him and in a very disappointed tone with a Kannada accent, he said, “Aye, this is not Benglur. Benglur is three hours away. All these people these days da.”

The taxi driver drove away and Devansh kept staring at the disappearing taxi with a look of confusion resting on his face.

“What just happened?” He mumbled in confusion.

✿ ✿ ✿

His days in Bangalore were extremely boring. Wake up in the morning. Talk to Rishika on phone. Go to the office. Do the office work. Return to the apartment. Talk to Rishika again. Sleep. And repeat. His routine fell into a rhythm, but it wasn't melodious for him.

But once he met his college friends and they went to a club together. His friends were certified assholes and thought of him the same. One of them said, “See, yaar, these girls are so hot.”

The girls were sticking to them like leeches. But Devansh excused himself and went to the bathroom where he called Rishika. He spent the entire time hiding in that bathroom, talking to her on the phone call.

While his friends, umm, let's not talk about them.

✿ ✿ ✿

Five months passed in this rhythm of routine. And Rishika and Devansh were together for almost a year by then. Rishika wanted to go to Bangalore and meet him for their anniversary. But her father had said that he won't let his daughter go there alone. He said in Marwadi, “Mah mhari chhori ne akele ko ni bheju su.”

So she somehow convinced Arjun to accompany her. But then she pleaded to him that she wanted to be alone with Devansh. Initially, Arjun didn't agree on this. But then he agreed and they parted their ways on the airport itself. Arjun went to explore the city and Rishika went straight to Devansh's office.

✿ ✿ ✿

Devansh's cousin Sneha was also present in the office that day. She studied in London and had returned home. There was no connecting flight to Delhi so she flew to Bangalore and was supposed to take Jaipur's flight from there. So for the free hours that she had, she came to meet Devansh. But the conversation happenig between the cousins was anything but pleasant.

Devansh had seen a transition in Sneha over the years. In the childhood she was sweet but then something changed in her. And at that moment she felt like a stranger to him.

“Why are you marrying her? She is not upto our standards. You knew that Disha liked yoi for so long. You chose her over my best friend. Disha is so upset. She genuinely liked you.” Sneha kept on complaining and criticized everything about Rishika, even Rishika's long hair that were backward in her perspective. She continued, “I know why she is so excited to marry you. She is after our wealth. If not, then why she would marry a guy five years older than her?”

Devansh had had enough and scolded her, “Don't forget that she is your Bhabhi now. I won't hear anything disrespectful against her. Be in yours limits, Sneha.”

The very moment Sneha saw Rishika standing by the door. Sneha passed her an angry look before going away from there.

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Rishika heard their conversation. When Sneha left after glaring at her, she knocked on the door.

“Come in.” said Devansh.

When she entered the cabin, he was sitting on a chair with his head hung low. His hair was messy and tie and blazer were thrown away recklessly. He didn't look up, unaware that it was her. She stepped closer to him and cupped his face. As she made him look up, anger was dominating his features which later turned into shock looking at her. He stood up and hugged her. He asked, “How... when did you come here? You should have called me...” He kept on asking questions without a pause. So she kissed him, to shut him up.

Later, they went to his apartment. He showed her the spare bedroom. Rishika put her luggage there and freshen up before they went to explore the city together.

✿ ✿ ✿

At night, Rishika exited the bathroom after taking a shower. She was in her inner garments and began doing her skincare routine for night because Devansh wasn't around. But, all of a sudden, Devansh entered the room. Rishika looked at him in astonishment. He immediately turned around and went outside.

Rishika quickly dressed and exited the bedroom. Devansh was making coffee in the kitchen. His cheeks and ears had turned pink after that. Rishika snaked her arms around him and hugged his back. He took a hold of her hands resting on his waist. He turned around and kissed her. She responded to the kiss and that's all it took for things to get heated up. He kissed down her jaw and neck. His hands reached the knot at the back of her Kurti.

“Rishika, may I?” He asked for her permission. She blinked her eyes in a yes.

He undid the knot and slid down her sleeve. He turned her around and began leaving kisses on her shoulder. He tried taking off her Kurti but Rishika held on to the fabric, not ready to proceed further than that. He understood that and stopped. Devansh turned her around and hugged her. And then kissed her forehead.

That night they didn't feel like sleeping in separate rooms. So they slept in the same bedroom. But Rishika slept on the bed while Devansh took the couch.

That was the first time they got closer physically.