Chapter 10

Athira Patel

The ringing of the doorbell woke me up from my deep sleep. But still, I'm stirring in my place not ready to be woken up from my beauty sleep. Someone was tapping my shoulder repeatedly but I just shrugged it off and turned to another side. Immediately recognising that it is not my bed which I'm sleeping in, so I lazily opened one eye to take a peek on who is trying to disturb me but found out that my dad is trying to wake me up. Then I remembered waiting for my friends and sleeping on dad's lap. The doorbell was still ringing, making me get up from dad's lap so that he can answer the door. I'm running my hands in my hair to make them flow straight which were tangled in a messy way due to my sleep when my friends entered inside and Dev tackled me on my couch.

"God Dev. Just get up idiot. You're suffocating me" I shouted from beneath him trying to make him stand up.

"No. I just feel fine in this position" He said looking down at me with mischievousness in his eyes. But there was something else in his eyes which I cannot pinpoint because he masked it so fastly.

All of them were laughing standing there including my dad. You would have thought that being my dad he would have helped me. But no. He will never come in between our fights unless they are getting out of hand. I pinched his thigh strongly to which he shouted and got up from me immediately falling down from the couch.

"Fuck woman. Why the need to pinch me. You could have asked me sweetly" Dev said rubbing the spot which I have pinched just before.

I laughed getting up from the couch and stood beside his sulking posture "That's called teaching you a lesson for tackling me" I said patting his head.

"Language Dev. No one is going to use foul language under my house." Dad said looking sternly at Dev to which he lifted his hands in surrender.

"Ok guys. Stop fighting and let's eat. I'm feeling hungry" Riya said keeping the bags on the dining table and arranging the plates. One by one all of them got to the dining table and started helping each other to open the boxes which they have brought for lunch.

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Everyone spread on the floor sleeping and arguing about which car needs to be taken to the Railway Station tomorrow. Riya was arguing about taking her car since there is plenty of place at the back side to load our luggage while Rishi and Dev were suggesting about taking their car since their car is more comfortable and I'm stuck in between saying yes to both of them.

"Stop it. All of you. No one is taking anyone's car" Dad said looking at us. They all started to argue about it but dad raised his finger to silence them. "Because I will drop all of you in my XUV. So just think of your bags and belongings. Nothing about cars." Dad said looking at them and not giving any point to arguing. Tomorrow is Monday, but probably dad kept leave to his office to drop us off since we all will be leaving then. I got up and hugged my dad, closely followed by Riya and then Rishi and Dev.

"Ok Ok. I love you all but, please let me, breath kids. Don't wanna die this early" Dad said jokingly to which I gave a stern look "Ok Sorry for using word 'Die'. Not again" He corrected himself knowing how badly I hate that word if anyone uses it. We all released him from the hug and went back to take our places on the floor and watch the movie which is playing on television.

"So what are the timings of your trains then?" Dad asked starting the conversation after some time.

"Ours is at 6:00 PM and Dev's and Athi's is at 6:30 PM," Rishi said indicating Himself and Riya.

"So everything is set or you need to look after your staying at Pune then?" Dad asked Rishi since he didn't know about their stay. It was the last moment decision about room for them.

"We got a single bedroom apartment for both of us since we will be working at the same office and same location. Of Course, even if it was a different office also, we would have stayed together, That is of common thing" Rishi said smirking at Riya and smiling towards dad to which dad shook his head.

"So what about you Dev, I got to know that your location got transferred?" Dad asked Dev turning towards Dev and relaxing on the couch.

"Yes. There was no training team in Mumbai it seems. So, I needed to choose other location and I have chosen Bangalore" Dev said smiling and looking at me to which I returned his smile.

"Yes. You would have for sure" Dad said knowingly. What are they indicating secretly towards each other? I gazed at dad to which he shrugged it off and smiled at Dev. "And where you are staying then? I hope you will be with Athi if you got Bangalore location. Right?" Dad asked guessing correctly. Dev arranged this Single bedroom flat for me in Bangalore with the help of his friends when he got to know that I got in Bangalore location and I have asked him to stay with me in Bangalore to which he agreed readily.

"Yes, Boss. We are staying together" Dev said saluting to dad to which dad laughed.

"Take care of her for me," Dad asked Dev catching my hand.

"I will uncle. Don't worry. She is my Choti after all. How can I not?" He said winking at me and nodding at dad.

"You too take care of my Tiger Rishi. I know that you will. But still staying. I want both my daughters to be safe and fit." He said hugging me and forwarded his right hand towards Riya to take it. Riya got up and hugged dad from other side getting emotional.

"I will Uncle. Don't worry" Rishi said smiling and tapping on dad's thigh.

"Ok. Enough of this emotional drama. Everyone packed their stuff, right? Or still is there anything pending?" Dad asked us all to make sure we packed everything to which we nodded and said yes.

"And I have listened to some other news as well today morning," Dad said looking at me smiling mischievously. Immediately I know where this topic is going. I wanted to stop before it started getting my whole attention but thanks to Riya. She caught on to what dad was indicating with her fast brain.

"Oh, yea. Did she inform you? Whom am I asking? She is a daddy's girl. But yes it's very interesting news and quite amusing because he got the attention of our Athi and even kiss" Riya shouted laughing loudly and turned completely towards dad. "And you know what uncle, I have a feeling that it was not an end to their 'newborn weird kind of relationship' but it was a start and they will definitely meet each other again," Riya said sounding excited and rubbing her hands together.

"You too think so. Even I feel the same way after she told me today morning" Dad said adding his opinion with her. Sometimes I get a feeling that dad should be a gossip queen. I slapped Riya's Head and got up from the couch.

"Stop it both of you. Nothing is going to happen between us and don't bring this topic again" I said seriously to which everyone went silent, but Dev was looking strangely at Riya. No one seemed to observe him but me. I don't know what is wrong with him. Will have to ask him tomorrow after getting into the train.

"Now let's order something for dinner. I am hungry" I said sitting beside Rishi on the floor facing dad.

Everyone wanted pizza so we ordered it. By the time we ate, it was almost 11:00 PM in the night so we all called it a night and dad went to his room leaving us in the hall. Rishi and Dev went to the guest room to sleep saying goodnight to us and we both went to our room.

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"Common guys, It's already 5:00 PM and we are still at home. It will take at least 40 minutes to reach Railway Station" Dad shouted standing at the back of the car placing my bags inside.

"Coming uncle" Riya shouted from inside carrying her luggage outside with the help of Dev whereas Rishi was carrying all the other bags with food from inside the kitchen.

We all got out of the house after locking it and got inside the car. Dev taking the front seat while we all took the middle seat and dad on the driving seat, I have handed the house keys to dad after getting inside and dad started the car towards Railway Station.

After 45 minutes of travelling, we reached the railway station and got out taking our luggage with us inside. We looked at the display to check the platform number of Riya's and Rishi's train. After checking it we all got to the train which is already on the platform ready to take off. Riya and Rishi got inside immediately with their luggage after hugging us and saying goodbye's making promises to call immediately after reaching Pune. After their train left we went to our platform and placed our bags inside our cabin and got out to say goodbye to dad.

"Go safely, princess. Do call me daily. Will be waiting for your call. Eat on time and take care of yourself" Dad said hugging me. "All the best to the start of your new life. I am going to miss you Athira. Come back to visit when you have time. I will make time to visit you as early as possible" Dad said releasing me from the hug and kissing my forehead.

"I will dad. Dev is there to look after me. Don't worry. And you too eat on time and come home early. Don't stay late at the office now that I'm gone." I said smiling to which he laughed and nodded in agreement. "I'm Going to miss you too dad," I said kissing his cheek and hugging him again. After some moments he released me and went towards Dev who is watching us silently having a smile on his face.

"Take care of yourself kid. And even her. Call me whenever you have time." Dad said hugging Dev and patting on his back.

"I will Uncle. Don't worry. And will not forget to call you" Dev said after hugging dad.

"Ok. Now get inside. The train may start at any moment now" Dad said pushing us towards the train door.

I hugged dad one last time and got inside waving dad. The train started to Bangalore leaving Hyderabad taking me to my new beginning. I'm excited to see what is waiting for me in Bangalore.

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