Unfazed

66. There's A First Time For Everything (Deven)

(HEY GUYS!! 

Here is what Deven feels like, pretty much throughout this chapter. Of course, he is Dev and this is Anna - but you get the point.. right? :D 

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Hit that vote button, okay?

Love ya! Bye!)

I drove to one of the oldest patisseries in town, as I knew that only desserts would bring Deeksha back from whatever little rabbit hole she was going into. And I wouldn't say it was my favourite kind of Deeksha.

Like your favourite kind of Deeksha matters! – said a small voice in my head. I chose against rationality and simply went with my gut as Deeksha went on and on about different aesthetic elements we could add in Smile Café.

"Welcome to Premium Sir, Ma'am", said the man behind the counter as we entered. I couldn't help notice how bright Dee's eyes had gotten ever since we walked into her personal wonderland. "So.. what would you like to have?" I asked and she said, "Umm.. I can't decide".

I let her take her time as I browsed at the various delicacies displayed. I was lost in thought about how to talk to Vish about the whole mess when I felt a tug on my sleeve. I turned to look at Dee who had a determined excitement in her expression.

"You have a plan and I'm not going to like it", I said. There was no guess needed there.

"Spoil sport", she spat at me, "You didn't even bother hearing about the idea." She was about to walk away when I caught her wrist and said, "Okay – I'll hear it, then mock you." She grimaced at first, then grinned slowly.

"We are going to pick any three items for each other – without letting the other know and rate it once we taste it. Whoever scores higher by appealing to the other person's taste, gets to have one aesthetic element in Smile Café. No questions asked", she explained.

"How can you turn something like picking cake into a competition, Dee?!" I asked, unable to hide my surprise, "and more than that, how are you letting work into this?" Wondering how someone could be incredulous, I look at her shuffle on her feet before telling me, "Hmm yeah. No work, agreed – but whoever loses, admits the other as being the King-Slash-Queen of desserts and takes the winner to a restaurant of the winner's choice and allows them to be treated to whatever they want. Full meal – loser can't order for himself."

"Or herself", I add.

"I'm pretty confident" she says, a gleam in her eyes, "Are you?"

"Challenge accepted", I say in the spur of the moment and we both head over to two sides of the long counter to ask the respective employees to pack our parcels.

I make them pack a red-velvet cupcake, a piece of walnut brownie and a cheese croissant – a perfect blend of sweet and savoury. If I could simply turn a blind eye to the number of calories this entailed, I could possibly say it was what I would have wanted to be gifted.

Deeksha met me at the car fifteen minutes later, holding a parcel of her own. "You're gonna love this!" she says confidently, but only smirk in response. This girl has no idea what she is in for. "Wait – we didn't think of where to go. Premium doesn't have seating" she said, only realizing now what I was thinking about for the past five minutes.

"Prestige Park?" She asked me.

"Closes at six – it's seven right now", I say.

"Hey – Vish's place is close by, no?" she says, "Will he mind terribly if we hung out there for a bit?"

"Okay – if this is your grand scheme of wanting to snoop around in Vish's flat, you have failed already" I tell her with a laugh. She laughs too, before adding, "Don't blame a girl for trying!"

After a moment of silence – awkward for me, I ask her, "Dee – you do remember that I live in the same building right?"

"DUUUUUUDEEE!!" she says, smacking my arm closest to her, "you're stupid or what? Let's go there then! Frikkin – 'You do remember I live in the same building' – it seems! Go! I'm gonna judge you for your flat now!"

"I regret this already", I mumble but she just laughs. Then, as if stopped by a sudden thought, she turns to me and says, "Wait – you're not afraid that I'm gonna try and attack your or violate you, right?"

I laugh at how ridiculous she looks and sounds. Oh, what I wouldn't give to know what actually goes on in that head of hers. Eventually when I stop laughing, I tell her Dee, "Even if you are the first girl I'm ever taking home, Dee – don't worry. I know self-defence."