Deva

THE CALL

Deva gazed at Ravi who is standing on the other side, fiance of Kala. After listening to everything Sita has said. He didn't rushed to warn him instead he turned around and stood there staring at him.

Ravi found Kala behind Deva and he dropped his gaze on Deva who is standing there with his hands to his back and staring at him with a light smirk.

It is not new to anyone find Deva gazing at him, his gaze was always lovely and soft but his look now, though it is normal, Ravi felt uncomfortable. He looked away but he came for Kala and looked at Kala. He saw her staring at him without any emotion and he understood that she leaked his secret.

And understood that it's the reason for the smirk on Deva face. He gulped and quickly got onto his bike and drove away without looking back.

Deva chuckled and turned back them who are surprised to Ravi drove away like that.

" Solved! " he asked obediently at Kala.

Kala smiled.

" What if he returns again? " Sita asked.

He lifted his eyes to Sita, " I want to " he mumbled.

" What? "

He cleared his voice and " Give me a call if he returns. This time we will make him understand " he said.

They gazed at him and nodded.

" Number? " he said.

" Huh! "

" Number.. Take my number " he said.

" Oh! " Sita pulled out her mobile.

" 98 48 21 20 11 " (don't call this number.. it wont reach )

Deva gave them a smile and the bus came. Sita and Kala rushed for it.

" Deva Babu " the driver called and the conductor rushed out quickly.

" Anna, Namaste " the conductor greeted. Driver lifted his hand, Deva greeted him back. " Namaste "

Sita sat in the seat along with Kala and in a minute, the bus filled with people.

" Deva Garu " they are calling for him. He smiled at the girls and waved at the boys.

Conductor waved at him signing that they are leaving and Deva nodded waving one last time at Sita who is just staring at him and the bus started from there.

" One second " he stopped the bus and he quickly went for his bullet and pulled out the box that Badra has given him a week before.

Sita chuckled and he rushed to Sita side. Gave it to her. If one can witness this scene they can surely point out the blush that Sita is hiding due to the importance Deva is giving her and the attention she is getting from everyone in the bus.

" I don't want to still keep this with me for one more week. " he said smiling. " I forgot everyday "

Only he knows why he hasn't returned that box.

Sita took that from him and Deva moved back waving at her and the bus drove away. Deva hopped onto his bullet and drove to Gaja's new party office for a meeting with Kariyappan.

He called Badra on his way.

" Come to the party office with the copies that I asked you to keep safe " he asked.

" I will be there in ten minutes " he said seized the call.

Deva drove away letting the bus go first and he followed it. Hoping that Sita will give him a gaze but who is he kidding. Sita on that side, the time bomb he want to keep in his house. But he saw her like the beautiful rose with sharp thorns. A girl so protective of herself.

Like she knew that he is thinking of her, or like felt him calling her, she turned back and found him beside.

This was not gone unnoticed by the people in the bus and they were as always biting each other ears, building their own story about them.

2.0, 2.0.1 and many other versions of their story.

Deva crossed the bus and went for Vallar crossing Kabela giving a last glance at Sita and he drove away to the party office where Badra is waiting for him already with a file.

" Am I late? " he asked parking the bullet.

" Is my sister back safe? " Badra asked handing him the file.

Deva smiled and " Everybody is safe "

Badra smiled and he found Gaja and his men coming out of the office. He signed Deva. Deva turned to Gaja and his men beside him.

" Anna " they came to him.

" Why is he here, Deva? " Gaja asked.

Deva looked at Badra. " After all you are busy with elections and whom should I call all the time! "

" I will come once these elections are done " he said.

Deva chuckled, " How can I keep MLA for myself. You should be there for people " he said. and walked inside signing Badra walk along.

Deva found Kariyappan already waiting for him with his men. Riyaz and Daniel.

" You look wonderful, Kariyappan sir " Deva said sat before him.

" Deva " he gave him his hand for a good hand shake.

They sat opposite, Badra stood beside Deva and Gaja on other side gritting his teeth.

" Looks like opposition party is giving you a good care " Deva said observing the gold chain and other gld ornaments on his hand.

Kariyappan laughed dryly. Kariyappan once an MLA in Deva's father party now jumped to opposition party for gold and money. Asking Deva's support which he denied and made Gaja a candidate from his father's party.

" Your father never recognised my effort at all and what should I do.. Bharani gave me a good offer "

Deva nodded his head.

" That's okay, but why are you roaming around my house " He asked dropping the file on the table.

" Deva, there has been an issue with the collector. My nomination is at risk " he said.

" Hmm, I heard about it.. he seized your consinement " Deva said.

" No, it's not mine and it is not my consinement either. They are the medicines for the hospital "

" So, you can free them with a proper proof " Deva said.

Kariyappan slapped his man, " This idiot bought them for less amount from a drug dealer. We can't show them to the collector right " he said. The boy walked back with his cheek cupped in his palm.

" Kariyappan, sir. Election time.. I can't do anything that risks my father's votes " Deva said.

" I know Deva. I am not asking you to risk the votes. " Kariyappan is trying to continue but Deva dropped the file on the table.

" These are the allegations that are on your name and are ready to be filed. " Deva said.

" I can't help you this time " he said.

" How do you get them? " Kariyappan asked him confused grabbing the file.

Riyaz took the file from Kariyappan and found that there are allegations on him too. Kariyappan gazed at Deva and his men surprised. And he realised. He rose up kicking his chair.

" Deva... You? " he asked.

" You are greedy, I let go every mistake of yours until you touched the poor directly. " he said. " You are worsening their health and taking penny from dead " Deva said.

" That's not your business, Deva. You have no right to question me. I am an MLA " he roared.

Deva rose up from his chair and held his hands to his back. " What made you an MLA? ". He pointed at the file, " This is made you a criminal and I.. " he continued " made you an MLA thinking that you do some good to people but you didn't stand it "

He said as calmly as one could.

" Days changed, Deva and people change. I changed.. and you can't question me " he fired.

" Yes... But I can stop you "

Kariyappan gritted his teeth, Riyaz tried to attack them but Kariyappan stopped, Deva men shielded Deva. Badra stood infront of Deva.

" You are dealing with a wrong wrong person " Badra mumbled.

Kariyappan looked dow at Badra and lifted his eyes to Deva. Fisting his hands.

" You don't know where this reaches " he warned.

" I am always ready " Deva said and Kariyappan walked out with his men. Deva noticed them leaving with their vehicle and turned to Gaja. " If you become the same person like Kariyappan, I will be the first one to oppose you "

Gaja stared at him.

" I will not allow any second thought to kill you " he warned and walked out. His men followed wher as Gaja stood there gulping and looking at the pamplates, party flags and the money.

Deva hopped on and signed Badra to hop on.

" Anna, come home early in the morning. ACP is coming to meet us " Deva said to his men giving a kick to his bike. They nodded their head and he drove away with Badra.

" You don't have to go all way long back to drop me, Deva " he said.

" You should have brought your scooty then. What are you doing with that?.. doing some pooja? " he asked a little frutsrated.

" I am out of petrol...that's alright.. stop to the left " he asked. And Deva pulled in to the left, to a small shop.

Badra got down and " Two cigarettes, Babai " he asked. And pulled out a match box handing one to Deva. " Please don't say that you don't "

Deva chuckled and shook his head, " Not always, once in a ten days "

" This was my relief when I.. you know think about- "

Deva nodded his head. " I understand "

Badra nodded his head gently and they smoked for a while and returned back to their homes.

⇽ ⏃ ⇾

Deva walked out reading a news paper and found the government vehicle driving into his compound. He dropped the paper and stepped down the foyer shaking hands with the ACP.

Deva invited him into the varanda and Kanakam brought two cups of tea for them.

" Sorry for disturbing you, Deva sir but the elections are nearing " he said and sipped his tea.

Deva nodded head.

" We have assigned police at the polling centres but there some information that Riyaz and others involved this time. " he said.

Deva paid attention to ACP.

" This time we are counting on your men. " He asked.

Deva men were listening to him and lifted his eyes to Deva. He smiled at ACP. His men kept a face thinking that Deva might agree. And Deva didn't have them a gaze.

" Sorry, sir... They are not here to serve me. They are here for me. And I don't rule them " he said.

His men smiled and relaxed a bit.

" Ask their permission " he said.

ACP gave him a dry chuckle and turned to them. He rose up and walked to them.

" I need your help in controlling the people from getting into arguments. If they knew that you are Deva men, they will stay quiet "

" ACP sir " Deva called. He turned back. " I am their man, they are not my men. " He said and walked to him. " Anna, I wish that you all help him. Because, people give us respect and they won't think that there is happening any fraud "

ACP smiled nodding.

" What happens if Kariyappan lead argument or his men. " Badra asked.

Deva looked at ACP.

" I will assure that no man of sir Kariyappan reach you " he said.

Deva smiled at him, " We don't like to break their bones, that's why " one of Deva's men said.

Deva nodded and gave him a hand for a good bye shake.

ACP joined his hands in respect and left from there saying, " I will send vehicles.

" Anna, there is no pressure. " He said.

" Deva Babu, don't talk like that. We will always do whatever you say, we like you and we trust you " one of them said. " Dey, let's go. We have work in the farm " he said. " We will go then, Deva Babu " they said and left.

Badra noticed them leaving.

-tring-

Deva went for his mobile and Badra observed him. He lifted the cal whilst handing the keys to Badra.

" By the way, don't argue with him. " Deva said to Badra before handing him the jeep keys.

" Alright "

" Smash the mobile " Deva suggested.

Badra lifted a thumbs up not paying any attention that he answered the call, Gowri walked out all of a sudden.

" Who the hell is he? " She asked with an irritated look. " How can you give our things to him "

Before Deva could talk.

" We can't trust anyone. That too an outsider and a low-class- "

" Shushhh " Deva sounded and Gowri silenced.

" We will not be talking to each other of you again raise any topic regarding caste and creed understand " he said and walked away with his mobile.

Found that he left it answered.

And thought of who can be that staying still on the call. Waiting for him. In patient. He stuffed his phone in the crook of his neck and went for hot water, for bathing.

" Hello " he talked.

" Don't answer when don't talk "

And that's it he left the phone surprised and it jumped into the hot water that are in the bucket.

" No.. No " he squealed and tried to pull the mobile from the hot water. " Ouch "

Such a crazy mess a man can become after hearing to his love.

The towel from his shoulder dropped and he kicked the bucket to pick the phone. The mobile slid away with the water and Deva stepped on the hot water jumping back quickly to the dry floor and picked the mobile which was burnt in the water and also Deva's fingers. He dropped it back and picked the towel to lift the mobile from the floor.

" Uff! " He sighed and cooled the phone by blowing the air and tried to turn it on.

But it didn't.

Deva dropped the mobile and rushed out with bare chest. Gowri is walking in and found him running out.

" Deva " she called him.

He looked here and there, " Gowri, did Badra left? " He asked hurriedly pulling his beard chin looking around.

" He left " she said and he sounded defeat. He tried to ask her something but refrained. Thinking that he don't know her number.

He scratched the back of his head and walked inside. Poured water on him cursing himself for talking the time he answered and walked into his room, pulled out the ironed shirt and as always white dhoti with red end design. He wore his clothes and combed his hair before rushing into the Pooja room for a quick Pooja and literally ran out picking his phone and started his bullet.

Went for a cell point and asked them repair his mobile.

" Sit down, Anna. We will do it in 10 minutes " they respected and he sat down. They called a cup of tea for him and he waited for it to repair until he passed the wait with a cup of tea and a little talk with the owner who came knowing that Deva visited.

" Deva Babu, we have best mobiles in our shop... Choose anything. Come " the owner asked seeing the mobile that the boy is repairing. " You can leave your phone with us or can take it with you "

Deva shook his head with a smile and " This was so special for me. And I realised it few hours before. "

The boy came with Deva's mobile and handed him.

" Thanks chinna " he patted on the boy shoulder looking at the clean and neat. Looking at the clean and neat mobile of his. The boy smiled amd Deva pulled out money.

" No need sir. We can't take money from you " the owner said.

" It's a sin not to appreciate the talent of young, Anna. " He said and handed some money to the boy and the the cost to the owner.

He drove away to his yard and dialed for the last call. She didn't picked it.

" What happened? " He dialed again.

She didn't answered.

He dialed again and this time she seized the call.

" Is she angry? " He dialed again.

He walked to the window and tried again. She seized the call again. He waited there for her to call back.

Walking here and there, picking up random things and placing them in some other lace. Leaning to the table. Drawing water designs on the table and pouring water from the bottle to the glass and from glass into bottle. Looking out of the window endlessly. Thinking of possible reasons of why she is not answering and looking at her number again and again.

He might have learned her number for sure.

Picking the needle used to stitch the sacks and looking at it deeply and poking his leg unconsciously sitting down and squealing when he poke him hard and throwing it away and looking at the mobile for nth time.

And this has never gone unnoticed by the workers who are chuckling seeing him

-tring-

And finally the long wait has ended.

He picked the call in one ring.

" Hello " smiling as a weird person and adjusting his dhoti to between his legs.

" Please ...

______________

How many of you are waiting for their romance?