DEV(i)

9. Turmoil~

Dev's phone lay silent on his desk, forgotten in the chaos of the past few days. His life had become a blur of blueprints, contracts, and late-night conference calls. He had even asked his mother not to call unless it was urgent, knowing that one phone call could derail the fragile momentum he had built.

But now, as he slumped back into his chair, the weight of the last week began to lift. The meeting with the Malhotras had gone even better than expected. They had approved the architectural designs without hesitation, and the contract was signed—a deal that could elevate his firm's reputation to new heights.

For the first time in days, a small smile tugged at the corner of Dev's lips. He let out a long breath, feeling the tension in his shoulders ease as he leaned back, closing his eyes for a moment of peace. But as his eyes drifted open and landed on his phone, a nagging feeling crept in.

He picked it up, and there, buried beneath dozens of missed calls and unread emails, was a message from Srinika. She had texted days ago, a simple "Can we talk?" followed by his lazy, half-distracted response: "Hmm. Later." Nothing else.

Dev's heart sank. What the hell was I thinking? He hadn't spoken to her since. Days had passed, and he had been so consumed with work that he hadn't even noticed.

The clock read 1:00 PM. It was Saturday. His stomach clenched as he remembered—Saturday was the day she spent half her time in the lab. How had he let this happen? How had he let her fall by the wayside?

Grabbing his keys, Dev bolted from his office without a word to anyone. His mind raced as fast as his feet as he made his way to the parking lot. The thoughts circling in his head were relentless—how he had neglected her, how their friendship had always been a constant, how he had taken her for granted.

He sped through the streets of Kolkata, weaving through traffic, running red lights without a second thought. His mind was singularly focused on getting to her, making things right. Every delay on the road felt like an eternity, every slow-moving vehicle an enemy. He cursed under his breath as he hit another red light, tapping the steering wheel in frustration.

Finally, after what felt like hours but was only minutes, he pulled up in front of the lab where Srinika worked. There she was, just outside the building, struggling to carry a mess of books and papers, her lab coat draped awkwardly over one arm. Her glasses were sliding down her nose, her hair tied back in a messy bun. She looked tired—exhausted, really.

Dev stood there for a moment, just watching her. The guilt hit him like a wave. How had he been so blind? He had been so wrapped up in his work, his ambition, that he hadn't even seen what was happening right in front of him.

"Sri!" he called out, his voice louder than he intended.

She looked up, startled, her eyes wide with surprise. But just as quickly, her expression darkened. She lost her balance for a second, her foot catching on one of the books that had slipped from her pile. The books and papers tumbled to the ground, and Dev rushed forward to help.

"Here, let me—" he began, but Srinika cut him off.

"I don't need your help," she snapped, her voice sharp as she bent down to pick up the scattered papers herself. There was an edge to her tone that made Dev freeze.

"Sri, please, I—"

"Where were you, Dev?" she interrupted, not looking at him. Her hands were trembling slightly as she grabbed the last of the papers, stuffing them into her bag. "I texted you days ago. You didn't even bother to reply properly."

Dev's throat tightened. He felt the weight of her words, each one like a punch to the gut. "I'm sorry, I just—I was caught up with the deal, and—"

"Always the deal." Srinika stood up, brushing off her kurti, her voice laced with bitterness. "It's always the deal, Dev. It's always about work, isn't it? Do you even hear yourself?"

"I know, I messed up," he said, his voice low, filled with regret. "I should've been there for you. I just... I got so wrapped up in everything."

"Wrapped up?" she scoffed, her eyes finally meeting his. They were filled with a mixture of hurt and anger that he had never seen before. "You're always wrapped up in your work. But you know what, Dev? Life happens outside your office. While you were busy chasing deals, I was here, dealing with everything alone."

Dev shifted, unsure of how to respond. "I didn't know things were—"

"Of course, you didn't know!" she snapped. "How could you? You've barely been present. I don't even know who you are anymore."

Her words stung. Dev took a step closer, trying to bridge the gap between them, but she stepped back, her hands clenched into fists.

"Sri, please," he said, his voice softer now. "I didn't mean to—"

"You didn't mean to?!" Her voice cracked, and he could see the tears welling up in her eyes. "Dev, my parents are forcing me into a marriage! Did you even know that?"

Dev blinked, his mind racing. He had heard something about it, but he hadn't really paid attention. He had been too busy, too distracted. "Yeah, I know, but I didn't think—"

"Didn't think?" She laughed bitterly, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. "No, of course, you didn't think. You never think about anything that's not work. I'm being forced into a marriage I don't want, Dev. I don't even want to know who the guy is. And you, you're supposed to be my best friend, but where were you?"

He opened his mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't come. He had no defense, no excuse. She was right. He hadn't been there.

"And you know what's worse?" she continued, her voice trembling. "I am in love with Aakash. I don't want to marry some stranger my parents picked. I want to be with him. I love him."

The name hit Dev like a slap. Aakash. His jaw clenched, and he felt a surge of anger rising inside him. "Aakash? Seriously, Srinika?" His voice hardened, the bitterness seeping into his tone. "That fucking guy? You're still in love with him?"

Srinika's eyes flashed with anger. "Don't you dare, Dev. Don't you dare judge me for who I love. You have no right."

"Oh, I have no right?" He laughed, but there was no humor in it. "You want me to just stand here and be okay with it? With him? After everything?"

"After everything?" she repeated, incredulous. "What everything, Dev? You've barely been in my life for days. You were too busy with your precious deals to even notice I was drowning."

His frustration boiled over. "And what, Sri? You think I'm just supposed to drop everything every time you need me? I have a life, too. I'm building something. I'm trying to make something of myself!"

Srinika shook her head, her voice quiet now, the fight draining out of her. "You've already made something of yourself, Dev. But at what cost? You've pushed everyone away. Including me."

He opened his mouth to argue, to fight back, but the words wouldn't come. Because deep down, he knew she was right. He had pushed her away. He had let his ambition consume him. But the sleepless nights had spread his patience thin. And her constant nagging wasn't doing any better.

Srinika took a step back, her voice trembling as she spoke. "I thought you were my best friend. But I don't know who you are anymore."

The silence between Dev and Srinika was unbearable. She stared at him, her heart pounding, as if waiting for some flicker of empathy in his eyes. But instead, his expression tunred cold, almost indifferent, as if he hadn't heard the gravity of her words.

Dev barely reacted. He shifted his weight, crossed his arms, and shrugged. "Yeah, so what now?" His tone was flat, detached, as though her pain were an afterthought to him. He might as well have been talking about the weather.

Srinika felt the ground beneath her give way. The anger she had been holding back boiled over. "What do you mean, 'so what now'? Dev, what the fuck?" Her voice cracked, her words thick with disbelief. How could he be so indifferent? Didn't he see what she was going through? "I don't even know the guy! I don't wanna marry him. I... I love-."

~.~

To be continued...