Nandini's pov:
" Hi!" I heard him say with a stupid grin plastered on his face, while all I was capable at the moment was to gape at his towering figure.
HE CANNOT BE SERIOUS!
" Where are your manners at? Won't you allow me in?" he spoke in a pretending to sound stern.
The nerve of this dude!
" Why are you here!?" I exclaimed, barely able to contain the shock.
" Like I mentioned, I am here to ask you out on a date" The nonchalance in his tone irked me further. He cannot just stand at my door one fine afternoon with some rugged blue jean and black shirt on with that top buttons open revealing just enough to turn me restless and ask me out on a damn DATE.
I was MAD but he looked TEMPTING...all messy and casual.
I scoffed at his attitude, only sheer disbelief lingering in my eyes.
" Is it that easy for you to get it? You have barely met me and have the GALL to ask me out!"
I leaned against the door frame, with him at the other end of the threshold. Nobody gets in that easily!
" It is usually after the first meet and just so we keep the records straight....I have never...ever....ever got a NO" he smirked leaning closer trying to intimidate me but all he got was an eye roll..
Geez! If you think this deters me then you at the wrong door honey..
" Guess there's a first for everything " I challenged and there was an instant shift in his expressions.
"Okay! I am sorry..I was kidding, can you please let me in now. I mean for what it's worth I still am an Actor and I have a reputation sensitive than a touch me not plant, plus I definitely don't wanna get papped doing what I am about to.."
The suggestive undertone had me shift my stance to defensive.
NOW GIRLS! If a guy happens to utter any of this YOU KICK HIS BUTT OUTTA YOUR HOUSE, okay?
Anyway, I let him in!
"Are you this naive on regular basis or have I charmed you?" He said, closing the door behind him, turning to look at me with a teasing glint in his eyes.
Reciprocating with a glare I made it clear he better start with the chatter for all the charade he put up.
His guardian angel better be looking over him, in case I didn't find the reason appealing enough!
Just saying...I am a nice human otherwise but there's a limit and mine happens to be my sleep.
" Nandini" he sighed, I am still not used to him calling my name like that with the permanent husk dwadling voice...It just does weird things to me especially when he speaks it the way he did now, low and firm as if he hasn't ever been more sure of anything in his life other than speaking my name.
" Before I get to all the explaining I have to tell you that I am extremely sorry to have pulled out your private information without your consent, I am fully aware this wasn't something that should be entertained and as nonchalant I was at the door, if any of this is making you feel out of place or uncomfortable you just have to tell me to leave and you have my word I will. I would hate it if you feel unsafe."
Out of everything on the table I was not expecting this, I would have been raging if it was someone else, literally raging mad enough to at least ruin his entire day but even when THIS man stood here confessing how ridiculous he acted, anger is not one of the many emotions I feel at this moment.
I was startled by his appearance, yes. But he didn't make me uncomfortable not once since I met him, we sure wasn't very decent the first time we met or the second or maybe now and yet, I feel he isn't going to hurt me.
They say girls have an impeccable sixth sense and mine is ALL FOR HIM.
As nothing came from me for more than a minute, he looked guilty and read to apologize and walk away.
" I didn't" he snapped to look at me, a small easy smile was back on his lips. It looked great there. Just that.
" What if I say I am here to plead you to accompany me as my plus one for an event!"
He confessed, and boy! If I was startled before I was stupefied now..like my jaw would have been hanging level stupefied.
DID I HEAR HIM RIGHT? Did he just say..PLEAD and DATE in the same sentence?
HIM. HIM!
Manik Goddamned Malhotra!
The person whose pictures from his first theater show I attended is still with me in a lazy corner of my Almirah from years back and so many more then on!
The one who can get anyone he wants then why is he here? Precisely why does he want me?....I mean want me to accompany him.
Have I really managed to transport myself to an ACTUAL PARALLEL UNIVERSE am I dead in the previous one? Was I already dead before I went to the club the other night?
Am I hallucinating? It has to be something beyond reality! This ain't happening for real..NOPE..NADA! NO WAY!
" Nandini, you know right you do have to say something like...Yes Manik I would love to!"
He tried imitating my voice which by the way was so far from it at least I would like to believe so, because if not..I should have been banned from speaking ages ago.
"Why me" I voiced the only thing that's been bothering me.
" Now that, is a long story...can we do that while we have something to eat?" He spoke raising his eye brows with a petty smile.
With a humorless nod I made my way to the kitchen getting something quick and edible for us made.
I cannot take this suspense anymore.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••
"Manik!!! For the billionth time, chop it like this and NOT this!" I chided exasperated at his ability to not follow, snatching the knife away from him and showing him how to not be a cold blood murder.
To come out clean! I am no Gordan Ramsay but I can cook enough to not die out of starvation but this man cannot chop tomatos to save his life!
Like the bar is so low, A TAMATO! how difficult can it get? I could let him paas for an Onion but this was just bizzare.
" For the billionth time Nandini, how does it matter!" He mimicked making me glare at him.
"Fine! Don't see me like that...it is scary...main try kar raha hu na"
(I am trying no)
He said almost pouting slightly at his futile efforts, a smile threatened to leave me.
He could be so adorable!
" I never knew cooking a simple Pasta can be such draining task!"
I heard his voice as I worked to get the other ingredients ready for the sauce.
" It isn't for people who bothered to learn basic life skills" I could feel his glare at my back for the mockery.
" Your house, it looks so pretty" his voice grabbed my attention away from the last stir I was busy giving to the almost cooked Pasta, while he sat himself down on the slab beside the stove claiming he worked 'hard enough' and he had no energy to even stand.
I would like to have a word with the man who termed women DRAMATIC he clearly did not analyse himself enough!
"Thankyou. Me and Navya my friend and flatmate we put in a lot of efforts to pull this together. Hours of after work planning and innumerable arguments about which table lamp will go with the wall color but it was all worth it. It gave us our happy place..this ambience"
Serving us the Pasta, I made my way to the dining area with him tagging along.
"You have a flatmate?"
He asked rhetorically.
"Yep Navya, she left for work early today and thank god for that"
We sat ourselves down to relish the tempting piece of heaven before us.
" Enough about me...your turn?"
I let the flavors of our very appealing red sauce pasta hit my tongue and almost moaned at the taste...OMG it was a blessing!
"Okay..! So every year there is this charity gala conducted by a few NGO's together, to basically raise funds for their organizations. They send invites to the elites in town for engaging in such events and they do for one reason or the other.
My mom...she has been associated with these organizations for many years now and she is invited to the gala every year and she always makes it a point to make her presence know and like every year this year too I was supposed to be her plus one for the night, this has been out thing for a while now"
He had my entire attention now as I leaned a little, waiting for him to gulp his food down and continue. I don't know if I was this invested because I wanted to know the answer to my why me? Or because he was giving me a part of his life and I was more than willing to take it.
"But, one of her childhood best friends got into a lethal accident this morning and she had to leave town ASAP....You would think it ended with my mom but that is because you don't know her, yet."
The unintentional pause before the yet got me jittery for absolutely no reason.
" My mom things I am way too much invested into my work and WORK only and the result is a very stagnant love life, so she has now taken it upon herself to find me a match and set me up with someone. And from this whole wide world full of amazing, gorgeous and sane women the one she manages to find is her colleague's daughter Adweta Sarkar...She is a nice woman but, she is just not someone I see myself with but apparently Adweta is convinced that we are meant to be or by the sound of it I assume she has theories of why and how we are related since past life."
Now he is talking, this sounds like some fun.
" And these events are the only place we really see each other so she is obviously going to be there. I tried coaxing my mother into letting this go but she pulled out her mother card and partly blackmailed and partly threatened me to stick to the plan...passing a not so subtle hint to ask Adweta as my plus one. I will forgo my hunger for a day but in no way will I do that. I just don't want to lead her on to nothing and my mother is too stubborn to give in!"
He sighed helplessly.
" And so I am here...asking you out for that very date instead"
He spoke concluding his monologue, making me arch my eyebrows at dissatisfaction of not hearing what I asked.
" You still didn't answer my question... Why me?"
" Fine if you are that persistent on it then brace yourself, I have a Naked truth coming your way"
*Has he also read IT ENDS WITH US? what are his thoughts on Ryle?*
Nandini Shut up and focus! This is something that will ACTUALLY effect your life.
" It might come off as a hard pill to swallow but...I am extremely awkward around Women!"
He said leaning closer and squinting his eyes.
"Nandini! Careful!" I heard him shriek and sprint towards me as I chocked on my food.
"Shh...shh..it's alright...take it easy" he kept muttering nothings and rubbing my back while holding the glass of water near my lips for me to gulp down the content.
"Manik, I am okay" My voice came out grogy with all the coughing, he looked at me with worried eyes making sure I mean what I said.
Cute.
"God! Could you not slow down on your food."
DID HE JUST SCOLD ME!?
"What do you expect from a girl after uttering something so obnoxious" I glared at his towering figure.
"Excuse me! What do you mean" he took a defensive stance.
"What do I mean is you are surrounded by females...most of your co-actors you have the most scenes with are females and don't get me started on the fan following now! You enjoy all that attention and you want me to believe this, whatever you said right now?"
I argued, still holding my grounds.
"Those are two different things okay" he justified with a bad face, placing himself on the chair beside mine.
"I do like all the attention from my fans because they love me for my work, they love the characters I play and the little bit on me available for them to witness. I appreciate and will forever be indebt and grateful for that love I receive and about my co-actors we work together and we are bound to be cordial in order to do so, it is a very professional thing. You out of all the people should know that."
"I know a lot of people but I am hardly friends with any, plus the only person I could trust on this with is out for a vacation with her 'girls' and I know no one else who won't take this as a move I made to think of something serious with them and that is what brings me here to you."
He explained and sat looking at me with anticipating eyes...I gave him a small smile, a little disheartened at the fact that I wasn't his choice, I was his only option.
"Plus I also need someone fiesty to handle that Adweta situation and by sheer experience, who better than you!" he smirked and gave me a ' what do u think look'
"Hold on, I have something for you!" he said making his way to the couch before I could contemplate my answer.
"Here...Nandini Murthy, will you be my date for the night?"
He asked like it is supposed to be done, with flowers in his hand that for some odd reasons I didn't notice before since those white peonies and purple orchids were a sight to not miss on.
A part of me wanted to deny for many reasons, the fact that he breached my privacy, made me cook on my planned lazy day and how casually cruely he stated that I was his only option but, did I do so?
"Yes"
No. I didn't, I did exactly opposite of what is the right thing to do.
I don't know what that was his ridiculously charming eyes starring at me with anticipation or the fact that this event actual did intrigue me and I genuinely wanted to help him out...or rather maybe plainly because it was HIM who asked.
For whatever reasons, I had a date to be on tonight and I really needed to worry about my outfit.
Zara si Zindagi hai
armaan bahot hain,
humdard nahi koi
Insaan bahot hain,
dil ka dard sunaye
toh sunaye kisko,
jo dil ke kareeb hain,
voh anjaan bahot hain...
~ Unknown
Hey guys! I hope you liked the update!!! cannot wait to know your views on this one...Have been MIA due to some issues but we back now! so the updates will keep coming!!!!! Please do vote and comment! ❤️