A Serendipitous beginning

Chapter 10

Steps in the aftermath...

Sonakshi wiped the plate dry using a dish towel, glancing at the lit up screen of her phone. It was a text confirming her annual dentist appointment. Nothing else.

She shouldn't expect anything else.

Her thoughts traveled back to the Holi celebration. Dev having fun with her and all her friends. She smiled to herself thinking of his stunned face, when she had covered him in bright red color, mouth full of kachori, eyes wide in disbelief.

He used to say his childhood was pale, ridden with responsibilities. But that day, his world had all the colors of the rainbow. He was full of vengeance, chasing after her, with water balloons and handfuls of colors. He had complained incessantly about the food which apparently was not to his standards. She has rolled her eyes at him and informed him that none of that fried stuff was good for him anyway, whether in India or abroad. He had stuck his tongue out at her advice.

But she has been glad to see him relax, let loose and live in the moment, if only for the time being.

She had wanted to see more of that Dev and that's why she dumped some ice inside his T-shirt. It was probably the funniest sight ever, he was very tall and it was like seeing a giraffe frolicking. But that's what led to the next thing.

Sonakshi put away the dish she was drying and inhaled deeply, as she thought back to what happened next. She could still feel his body pressing against hers, his heart racing underneath her palm. She remembered the intensity in his eyes, his scent, the feel of his lips on hers and the way her whole body had buzzed, as if on a live wire.

She wished the moment had lasted just a little longer, wished Aniket hadn't banged on the door just yet. They didn't get a chance to be alone again the rest of that day, but her mind had been jumbled with worrying questions.

What are we going to do? Are we going to date again? How is the situation any different from years ago? How do we make this work? What about his mother? What will she tell her parents? How will her father react?

The questions were running on a loop in her mind, so much so that she had barely paid any attention to her friends, the conversation happening at the table or the food she was eating, which she pushed around on her plate absently until it was time to go. She needed to discuss with Dev, but before that she needed a little time to think what it was that she wanted in her life.

Sonakshi finished in the kitchen and flicked on the TV in the living room. Some game show was going on. She wrapped herself in a throw, staring at the screen.

Dev had come to see her the next day. She wasn't quite clear on how to go about things yet, but turned out she didn't need to. Dev nonchalantly had told her it didn't matter. He just wanted to be friends and nothing more. 'Just a moment that happened.' is how he put it. A tear escaped her eye now, even as she tried hard to focus on the TV screen in front of her and not his words from that day. 'No big deal.' She hoped he hadn't noticed the crushing disappointment washing all over her. So that was it.

Stop it Sonakshi. He was being sensible, it's for the best, they didn't have a future together.

Sonakshi's own mother had realized something was going on and had prodded her on one of their calls. She ended up telling all about encountering Dev again and their subsequent meetings.

"Shona, but why? Why him again?" Asha had asked. "I don't know, Ma. It's not like I am aiming for a future with him. That's not possible. But I like it when he is in my life, even if it is just as a friend."

Asha had let it go, but Sonakshi hadn't missed the worry in her eyes.

Dev had flown back to India. She wondered if his work with his clients in Chicago was completed so he wouldn't need to visit again. They had been chatting on video calls and texting, but the frequency with which he called had reduced. She tried to console herself that he had Neha's engagement to organize and her new endeavor to set up, besides his own work and family. Add to it the fact that they were simply 'friends' and nothing more, it was only understandable that he wouldn't be trying to call her every waking minute.