Destiny or Coincidence?

Athira Patel

"Yes, even i want to know. Now spill you, idiot. You made me wait a whole day for this" I said glaring at him and folding my hands. 

Abhi chuckled looking at my reaction and kissed my cheek with affection and kept a hand around my shoulder and I leaned towards his shoulder automatically which is becoming my own comfort zone nowadays. 

Dev gazed at all of us hesitantly before he started speaking. 

"I am thinking to take her on a vacation before proposing to her," he said very lowly that if we didn't concentrate on him then we might have missed it. 

"Vacation?" Questioned brother looking at him in confusion. 

"Ya vacation" Dev confirmed it by nodding his head in approval.

"Ok…" Abhi dragged before continuing "but where do we come in this plan of yours? I am lost" he completed what he was thinking in his mind. I too nodded saying that even I am as confused as them. 

"The thing is, I cannot directly ask her to come with me for a vacation. You know, it kind of looks awkward and uncomfortable" he said trying to explain his theory with a stressed-out face "Hell, I don't want her to feel uncomfortable around me." he said tugging at his hair in irritation. Looks like he was thinking about this for a while and was getting frustrated about this situation. I can understand how stressful it might be to him to plan all this for proposing and top it all, the tension of getting rejected. 

"Guys, i want you to help me out in this. I want to take her somewhere out of Bangalore and then according to the situation I will surprise her" he said giving us his best pleasing look by trying to convince us. "I want all of us to go for a vacation, at least for two days" he completed by watching us with a hopeful look on his face that i felt pity for him. 

We all were silent for a while thinking about it because we have a client meeting in Chennai this Friday for a new project. I don't know about brother but i am sure that Abhi is thinking the same as me. Then suddenly an idea stuck making me squeal in the excitement that all of them looked at me like I am crazy. 

"Sorry to startle you like that," I said apologising to them with a sheepish smile on my face. "Actually, I got an idea" I explained looking at them with an exciting look. 

"Ok….. what is it?" Abhi dragged the word 'ok' meaning that he is definitely going to have second thoughts about my plan which made me even more determined to get it executed. 

"Abhi, we are going to Chennai for this new project right?" I asked looking at him with a somewhat serious expression. 

"Yaaa…." He dragged looking at me with an expression of studying. Then suddenly I think he realised what i am about to indicate because a look of realization crossed across his face, making me give an evil smile towards his direction. 

"Don't tell me what i think you are about to say?" he said trying to look at me with a serious expression on his face. 'Try' is the keyword because, in the end, he cannot be mad at me, which I am going to take advantage of it now.

"Exactly. We are going to Chennai. And I want it to be a professional trip with all of our team members. So that even Charitha can be included in that and the best thing about this is, that she cannot even have any second thoughts about this trip as it is an official trip for the project." I said explaining to everyone to which Abhi groaned in response by making brother laugh at him. 

"What do you say Abhi?" I asked looking at him with my best puppy dog eyes to which he cannot say no. 

"Urghhh… Don't look at me that way babe. I can't say no if you look at me like that" he said pouting at me.

"That's the concept actually" commented brother, making Abhi glare at him while Dev chuckled. I just started saying 'please' that he groaned repeatedly like a baby.

"Fine. But the trip is only for one day. And I can't afford to extend it for two days to everyone" Abhi said waving his hands in the air by making me squeal in response and hugged him immediately. He looked surprised at first, but then hugged me back by chuckling at my reaction.

"You are whipped bro" mocked brother taunting Abhi.

"Thank you Abhi," said Dev looking somewhat relieved.

"Ya. It's fine. Anything for this girl" he said kissing my forehead by making me mush all over again for him.

"So, we have a meeting in the morning and i think it will last for half a day. Any ideas about how you are going to execute it? Because, since I am going to take all of the trainees with me, everyone needs to attend the meeting without fail. I hope it will be an experience for you guys" explained Abhi with a serious look that his voice sounded the same as CEO of the company. I am surprised to see the quick change of behaviour in him when it comes to work-related. Of course, i am not complaining though. He looks even more dashing and hot in this dominant and confident look that I want to push him against the wall and kiss him passionately. 

What the hell… where are my thoughts diverting to? When did my brain become this dirty? 

When you fell in love with this handsome guy. Stated my stupid brain. 

I just shook my head to clear my violent and dirty thoughts about him and tried to concentrate on the current situation which is on plate at present. 

"I have an idea. Only our friends will stay back after the meeting and the rest of them will travel back. What do you say?" I asked looking at him with the hope that my idea is good enough.

"Ya. But what if anyone suspects about it?" he asked making me go silent and deep in thought. Because he was right and someone might suspect it. 

"Tell them that the plane timings are different for some of them" brother suggested making Abhi nod in agreement.

"See, all this is for you and i hope that you won't destroy this plan and make me this that all this effort and planning were a waste. Because i am going to risk-taking all the trainees and i need to answer all of them" Abhi said with a calm look making Dev smile at him genuinely. 

"Thank you so much, Abhi. It means a lot" Dev said feeling grateful that a smile formed on my lips by seeing his happiness. I am really happy to see him like this again. I was so stressed thinking that i might have hurt his feelings but turns out I did it for the best. Perhaps, everything happens for a reason. 

"It's ok man. I can understand your situation very well since i have gone through that stage very recently." Abhi said kissing the side of my cheek indicating about our special night which made me blush thinking about that night. 

"All the best man. I hope you succeed in this and fly with all colours like this loving couple here" said brother with a dramatic expression that we both punched him in return. 

"Woah Woah… I will complain about this manhandling" brother said with an expression of fake hurt that we both scoffed in return making him groan.

"Ok, now that's completed. I am actually feeling hungry, so can we start dinner?" Dev asked patting his stomach in indication to his comment. 

"Ya. That's a good idea before these both love birds kill me with their punches" brother exclaimed getting up and running into the kitchen to arrange for dinner while we all laughed at his drama.

"He should have been born as a girl. It definitely suits with his drama" commented Abhi while coming closer to me.

"Hey angel, can i use your washroom?" brother asked looking somewhat uncomfortable all of a sudden by catching his stomach. I wanted to laugh at his way of standing but thought against it and nodded my head in approval. 

He immediately sprinted away towards the direction of the bedroom while we watched from behind with confused expressions. Then me and Dev started arranging the dishes on the table when brother called me from inside. I said Abhi to help Dev while I looked after the brother and went inside. 

When I went inside, brother was standing at the bedside table by catching hold of the photo frame of our family picture. He was looking at that picture with an expression of confusion and unbelievable. 

"Hey," I said with a low voice so that he won't startle listening to me. "It is our small but beautiful family," I said to clear his confusion. But it kind of created more crease lines on his forehead making me confused. 

"Are they your parents?" he asked after a while still looking at the picture. I nodded my head in approval, but then I remembered that he is not watching me. So I answered him.

"Yes. He is my father and she was my mother. And that is me in their hands when I was one year old" I explained looking at the picture of our family with adored eyes. 

"What are their names?" he asked looking at me with a distant look on his face. But I was in my own space that i didn't observe it. 

"Mohan Patel and Priya Patel," I said and continued "Of course, she is not here now. She died 3 years back leaving dad and me for each other to look after" I completed with moisture in my eyes. I blinked my eyes to clear the moist and look at him with a smile only to see that he was watching me intently. I raised an eyebrow to ask what happened but he shook his head and kissed my forehead by placing back the frame at its original place and went out without saying a word. It kind of felt confused and unclear about his gesture but then again he might have felt sorry for me and reacted that way. 

I shrugged and glanced one last time at the direction of the frame with a smile and exited the room to join the others. 

When i reached the dining table, brother was not there at his place or not even in the kitchen. I looked everywhere in the living room but not found him. Confused, i asked Abhi about his whereabouts. 

"Hey, where is brother?" I asked taking a seat beside him and serving myself since they both started eating their food. 

"He left," Abhi said with a mouthful by making me look at him with wide eyes.

"Why?" I asked stunning.

"Ok. It's weird" I muttered making him furrow his eyebrows. Smiling I just shook my head saying as if it was nothing and took a bite from my plate. Maybe he got some work and left. I sighed conversing with them while having my dinner. 

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Hello Everyone,

Here is your awaiting chapter. Sorry for the delay. I was kind of stuck with two ideas to execute the plan. So it took me some time to clear my thoughts with the help of my best friend.

So, Please do let me know your thoughts and opinions on this chapter. I will be waiting for your replies.

please don't forget to vote, comment and share it if you like.

Will try to update the next chapter as soon as possible.

Till then....

See you...

Love...

Sprinkle.....