Posted:
So considering that i did not have internet for the past 24 hours, i pretty much managed to type almost 8 pages on my Microsoft word, but I have a feeling posting so much at one go will just bore you guys. So chapter 8 is basically Rian and Nandini, if you want MaNan wait for chapter 9. it will be up in an hour.
Chapter 8
"No one's asking you Lilliput." Manik said still looking at Rian.
"Brother. I was actually waiting for you inside but you didn't turn up. So I got bored, I don't want to be late for Kiara's party." Rian said as casually as if someone was asking him his favorite colour.
"Okay go ahead then, Nandini won't come." Manik said in a final tone.
Nandini's head snapped up to look at Manik. Both the guys were very tall and she had to actually crane a neck because they were close to her and she was almost a head shorter.
"You don't get to tell me what to do. I'll see you later Manik." Nandini slipped her hand out of his and walked towards the door.
"Seriously bro, she's so feisty. You've got a match for your attitude now." Rian chuckled and left manic standing there. Nandini was waiting for Rian on the porch and smiled at him when she saw him appear next to her.
"Shall we?" He said offering her his arm and she put hers through it as if they were going for a ball.
He walked down to the parking to his white Audi and opened the passenger seat for her then closing the door once she was in, he went to the driver's seat.
"Fancy ride." Nandini said appreciating and he just smiled at her.
Nandini almost for a second thought whether she had done the right thing. She didn't know this guy, it was 10:30 pm and she was in his car. He was taking to a stranger's party and he himself was a stranger for her. But then her thoughts were chucked out of the window when she got a text from Manik.
You'll be fine. Stop pondering over it. Anything fishy, call/text me. I'll be there in no time. See you soon.
As much as she wanted to punch him for telling her what to do in front of Rian, she felt an invisible blanket of warmth wrap around her because of the text.
The ride was rather interactive. Rian asked her a few questions and she got to know him. He was three years elder to her which meant around 21, he loved classical music, he also showed her Beethoven's CDs in his car drawer, and he hadn't studied in India. He was here for a while but would go back to California once his vacations were over.
"By the way Rian. I'm not even sure if I'm dressed for a formal event." Nandini said glancing at her attire.
"You look absolutely beautiful Nandini, just tie your hair in a bun and you'll fit in perfectly." He said with only one quick glance at her; a smile almost appearing at the end of his lips.
She blushed. Nobody ever had actually called her beautiful, so she immediately knotted her hair up in a bun and looked at herself in the mirror.
"Don't worry. You don't even need to see yourself. You're looking amazing."He again said.
"Oh and it's my sister's 20th birthday party, so if anyone asks you anything, tell them you're with me and that you're my girlfriend." He said the last part in a low voice.
"What?" Nandini said a bit too loud.
"Chill baby doll. It would be really funny if I get someone I met a minute ago to a party and more than funny it would seem very skeptical."
"Hmm." Nandini was again thinking over her impulsive decision.
"And anytime you want to go back just say the word. I don't want to be in Manik's bad books." Manik's name gave her the little push she required and she felt fine suddenly. Nandini just nodded in response.
"We're here." Rian said as they drove inside two magnificent gates.
What Nandini saw ahead was even more mesmerising, it was a mansion. The kind someone would only dream of. It was lit up in yellowish cream colour lighting and several cars were parked outside.
They halted outside and someone opened the door for her. A person dressed better than her was welcoming her and then offered Rian to park his car. Rian nodded and handed over his keys then came beside Nandini and offered her his arm like earlier. They walked up the majestic stairs; Nandini was too absorbed in seeing her surroundings that she didn't realise when Rian was talking to her.
"Chin up and smile, your smile is too beautiful to not be seen."
Nandini blushed again.
They entered two grand doors which were so well carved and looked so royal that she was sure they must have belonged to some palace prior to this mansion. They reached a big ballroom like area where there were people, not many, enough to make Nandini nervous. She wasn't scared of a crowd, but when in a crowed dressed in Gucci and Dior and she was wearing just casual frat party clothes, anybody would feel conscious.
The girls around here were wearing dresses and gowns with heels and the guys were dressed in suits and formal clothes. A few heads turned towards them and the people had warm smiles. She felt Rian stiffen and she gestured her to come along.
"Rian! You finally made it! God, we were waiting for you!" A very pretty girl came running in an off white floor length gown and hugged rian. Her hair was knotted up in a bun and she was wearing a small tiara twinkling in the lighting.
"Yes. I know, I got held up somewhere." Rian said confidently yet casually.
"No issues, and who is this young lady?" the girl now looked at Nandini with a warm smile on her face, she seemed kind. Not the mean snobbish brats.
"Kiara meet Nandini. Nandini meet Kiara my sister." He said gesturing to the two girls introducing them.
"Oh! Happy Birthday Kiara!" Nandini shook hands with her.
"Thank you so much Nandini! Anyway, I have to go and meet the other guests! Enjoy yourselves guys!" Kiara said before she pecked Nandini lightly on both the cheeks and left.
"That was nice." She looked at Rian and he just smiled at her.
"Come on in. I'll give you a mini tour before she cuts the cake."
He took her around the mansion showing her various rooms. Nandini saw almost 18-20 bedrooms almost all having en-suite bathrooms and the second floor bedrooms actually having private decks. He showed her the pool and the garden which were something out of a fairytale.
Nandini didn't speak all through the tour, occasionally gasping in awe.
"This place is just so majestic. Thank you for getting me here Rian" Nandini said gratefully.
"We can come here as often as you want. Didn't you read the name outside the gates?"
"No I didn't. I was to dumbstruck by all this beauty." Nandini said twirling wishing she was wearing a gown right now.
"Kiara's my step-sister. This is my father's house. Rian said smiling at Nandini."
"Oh." Nandini stopped in her tracks feeling guilty suddenly.
"Don't give me that look. You do not need to feel bad. Everything in my life is happy and I'm glad it all happened. My parents are happier without each other."
"You Malhotras are a very big clan."
"We certainly are. Different shades too if you've noticed." He chuckled.
"Yes I did. Your sister is sweet, you're the gentleman and Manik is the spoilt brat. Did I sense some bad blood between you two?" Nandini was now walking ahead of him, taking in her surroundings, the paintings on the wall, the mini chandeliers, all of it.
She took a quick turn and they were now near the pool, he gestured her to sit on the beach bed beside him and she did.
"Manik and I, we have some unresolved issues. I have always tried talking to him but you know the way his temper works. He didn't even turn up for our sister's birthday." Rian said in a sad tone, all the confidence in his demeanor gone.
Nandini kept her hand on Rian's. She was sitting a bit far from him so she didn't feel anything weird yet.
"I think we should head inside, almost time for dinner and cake." Rian said suddenly all showing chivalry. She took the hand he was offering and the two of them walked hand in hand back to the big ballroom.
"Remind me next time you plan on getting me for a party this kind, that I should dress well." She said casually.
"So there will be a next time?" he gave her a notorious smile.
Nandini blushed. It was unlike her to say something like this but she felt free with Rian. He was in many ways like her and she liked this similarity they had. Breaking her Rian trance she heard her Phone ringing in her pocket.
"I think you should get that." He said.
Nandini nodded and moved a little away from the crowd.
"What is it?" She whispered answering the call.
"Are you alright? Has he pulled any stunts yet?" a frantic Manik spoke fast.
"No he hasn't Manik. In fact, he's one of the most chivalrous gentlemen I've ever met till date."
"Well, you haven't met anyone then. I'm coming to pick you it's been almost two hours." He said in a final tone.
"Manik." She said warning him.
"No Nandini. I know what I'm doing. Trust me this once and just come outside the main gate."
"Fine. I'll be there in 10 minutes" she hung up without saying bye.
"Rian, actually, there's something come up at home, my friend called saying it's getting out of hand and so I must go back and handle things before my house burns down. " she smiled nervously at him.
"Oh of course! I totally forgot that we've been here for a long time. Come along, I'll drop you."
"No, actually Manik's coming to pick me. He'll be here any minute." She said making a guilty expression.
"Oh! Okay" Rian said looking away.
"But I want to thank you for tonight! I really enjoyed it and I'm sure we can do this sometime again." She said.
"Sadly, my sister celebrates her birthday only once a year but I could take you out for dinner this weekend."
"Sounds good, text me the time and place."
"Oh no no, I shall take you there myself." He was back to being confident.
She smiled. He was truly a gentleman.
"I should really get going." Nandini started to fiddle with her phone.
"Come I'll walk you outside." He gestured towards the door.
Nandini wished Kiara again before leaving. Kiara insisted that she stay for a longer time but when Nandini politely refused she wished her goodnight.
Rian and Nandini walked down the majestic steps of the mansion, he held her hand All the way till the main gate.Nandini spotted Manik's black sedan right outside the gate. The six feet plus annoyance leaning against it.
"I will see you soon Nandini." Rian said taking her hand in his and pecking the top of it.
She smile mumbled a thank you and then came to Manik.
"I missed you." Were his first words
"Well that's a first." She giggled.
"Shut up Nandini, I'm serious. I was worried." Manik was angry but then he engulfed her in a bear hug.
"I'm alright Manik. It was just two hours." She said a bit moved by his sudden affection.
"Yes, but I missed you so much." All the anger gone, he sounded sad.
Nandini craned her neck so she could sniff him and like she assumed, he was drunk.
"Manik, you're drunk. Why did you drive?" she was the angry one now.
"Because I missed you." He said in a final tone.
"Brother. I was actually waiting for you inside but you didn't turn up. So I got bored, I don't want to be late for Kiara's party." Rian said as casually as if someone was asking him his favorite colour.
"Okay go ahead then, Nandini won't come." Manik said in a final tone.
Nandini's head snapped up to look at Manik. Both the guys were very tall and she had to actually crane a neck because they were close to her and she was almost a head shorter.
"You don't get to tell me what to do. I'll see you later Manik." Nandini slipped her hand out of his and walked towards the door.
"Seriously bro, she's so feisty. You've got a match for your attitude now." Rian chuckled and left manic standing there. Nandini was waiting for Rian on the porch and smiled at him when she saw him appear next to her.
"Shall we?" He said offering her his arm and she put hers through it as if they were going for a ball.
He walked down to the parking to his white Audi and opened the passenger seat for her then closing the door once she was in, he went to the driver's seat.
"Fancy ride." Nandini said appreciating and he just smiled at her.
Nandini almost for a second thought whether she had done the right thing. She didn't know this guy, it was 10:30 pm and she was in his car. He was taking to a stranger's party and he himself was a stranger for her. But then her thoughts were chucked out of the window when she got a text from Manik.
You'll be fine. Stop pondering over it. Anything fishy, call/text me. I'll be there in no time. See you soon.
As much as she wanted to punch him for telling her what to do in front of Rian, she felt an invisible blanket of warmth wrap around her because of the text.
The ride was rather interactive. Rian asked her a few questions and she got to know him. He was three years elder to her which meant around 21, he loved classical music, he also showed her Beethoven's CDs in his car drawer, and he hadn't studied in India. He was here for a while but would go back to California once his vacations were over.
"By the way Rian. I'm not even sure if I'm dressed for a formal event." Nandini said glancing at her attire.
"You look absolutely beautiful Nandini, just tie your hair in a bun and you'll fit in perfectly." He said with only one quick glance at her; a smile almost appearing at the end of his lips.
She blushed. Nobody ever had actually called her beautiful, so she immediately knotted her hair up in a bun and looked at herself in the mirror.
"Don't worry. You don't even need to see yourself. You're looking amazing."He again said.
"Oh and it's my sister's 20th birthday party, so if anyone asks you anything, tell them you're with me and that you're my girlfriend." He said the last part in a low voice.
"What?" Nandini said a bit too loud.
"Chill baby doll. It would be really funny if I get someone I met a minute ago to a party and more than funny it would seem very skeptical."
"Hmm." Nandini was again thinking over her impulsive decision.
"And anytime you want to go back just say the word. I don't want to be in Manik's bad books." Manik's name gave her the little push she required and she felt fine suddenly. Nandini just nodded in response.
"We're here." Rian said as they drove inside two magnificent gates.
What Nandini saw ahead was even more mesmerising, it was a mansion. The kind someone would only dream of. It was lit up in yellowish cream colour lighting and several cars were parked outside.
They halted outside and someone opened the door for her. A person dressed better than her was welcoming her and then offered Rian to park his car. Rian nodded and handed over his keys then came beside Nandini and offered her his arm like earlier. They walked up the majestic stairs; Nandini was too absorbed in seeing her surroundings that she didn't realise when Rian was talking to her.
"Chin up and smile, your smile is too beautiful to not be seen."
Nandini blushed again.
They entered two grand doors which were so well carved and looked so royal that she was sure they must have belonged to some palace prior to this mansion. They reached a big ballroom like area where there were people, not many, enough to make Nandini nervous. She wasn't scared of a crowd, but when in a crowed dressed in Gucci and Dior and she was wearing just casual frat party clothes, anybody would feel conscious.
The girls around here were wearing dresses and gowns with heels and the guys were dressed in suits and formal clothes. A few heads turned towards them and the people had warm smiles. She felt Rian stiffen and she gestured her to come along.
"Rian! You finally made it! God, we were waiting for you!" A very pretty girl came running in an off white floor length gown and hugged rian. Her hair was knotted up in a bun and she was wearing a small tiara twinkling in the lighting.
"Yes. I know, I got held up somewhere." Rian said confidently yet casually.
"No issues, and who is this young lady?" the girl now looked at Nandini with a warm smile on her face, she seemed kind. Not the mean snobbish brats.
"Kiara meet Nandini. Nandini meet Kiara my sister." He said gesturing to the two girls introducing them.
"Oh! Happy Birthday Kiara!" Nandini shook hands with her.
"Thank you so much Nandini! Anyway, I have to go and meet the other guests! Enjoy yourselves guys!" Kiara said before she pecked Nandini lightly on both the cheeks and left.
"That was nice." She looked at Rian and he just smiled at her.
"Come on in. I'll give you a mini tour before she cuts the cake."
He took her around the mansion showing her various rooms. Nandini saw almost 18-20 bedrooms almost all having en-suite bathrooms and the second floor bedrooms actually having private decks. He showed her the pool and the garden which were something out of a fairytale.
Nandini didn't speak all through the tour, occasionally gasping in awe.
"This place is just so majestic. Thank you for getting me here Rian" Nandini said gratefully.
"We can come here as often as you want. Didn't you read the name outside the gates?"
"No I didn't. I was to dumbstruck by all this beauty." Nandini said twirling wishing she was wearing a gown right now.
"Kiara's my step-sister. This is my father's house. Rian said smiling at Nandini."
"Oh." Nandini stopped in her tracks feeling guilty suddenly.
"Don't give me that look. You do not need to feel bad. Everything in my life is happy and I'm glad it all happened. My parents are happier without each other."
"You Malhotras are a very big clan."
"We certainly are. Different shades too if you've noticed." He chuckled.
"Yes I did. Your sister is sweet, you're the gentleman and Manik is the spoilt brat. Did I sense some bad blood between you two?" Nandini was now walking ahead of him, taking in her surroundings, the paintings on the wall, the mini chandeliers, all of it.
She took a quick turn and they were now near the pool, he gestured her to sit on the beach bed beside him and she did.
"Manik and I, we have some unresolved issues. I have always tried talking to him but you know the way his temper works. He didn't even turn up for our sister's birthday." Rian said in a sad tone, all the confidence in his demeanor gone.
Nandini kept her hand on Rian's. She was sitting a bit far from him so she didn't feel anything weird yet.
"I think we should head inside, almost time for dinner and cake." Rian said suddenly all showing chivalry. She took the hand he was offering and the two of them walked hand in hand back to the big ballroom.
"Remind me next time you plan on getting me for a party this kind, that I should dress well." She said casually.
"So there will be a next time?" he gave her a notorious smile.
Nandini blushed. It was unlike her to say something like this but she felt free with Rian. He was in many ways like her and she liked this similarity they had. Breaking her Rian trance she heard her Phone ringing in her pocket.
"I think you should get that." He said.
Nandini nodded and moved a little away from the crowd.
"What is it?" She whispered answering the call.
"Are you alright? Has he pulled any stunts yet?" a frantic Manik spoke fast.
"No he hasn't Manik. In fact, he's one of the most chivalrous gentlemen I've ever met till date."
"Well, you haven't met anyone then. I'm coming to pick you it's been almost two hours." He said in a final tone.
"Manik." She said warning him.
"No Nandini. I know what I'm doing. Trust me this once and just come outside the main gate."
"Fine. I'll be there in 10 minutes" she hung up without saying bye.
"Rian, actually, there's something come up at home, my friend called saying it's getting out of hand and so I must go back and handle things before my house burns down. " she smiled nervously at him.
"Oh of course! I totally forgot that we've been here for a long time. Come along, I'll drop you."
"No, actually Manik's coming to pick me. He'll be here any minute." She said making a guilty expression.
"Oh! Okay" Rian said looking away.
"But I want to thank you for tonight! I really enjoyed it and I'm sure we can do this sometime again." She said.
"Sadly, my sister celebrates her birthday only once a year but I could take you out for dinner this weekend."
"Sounds good, text me the time and place."
"Oh no no, I shall take you there myself." He was back to being confident.
She smiled. He was truly a gentleman.
"I should really get going." Nandini started to fiddle with her phone.
"Come I'll walk you outside." He gestured towards the door.
Nandini wished Kiara again before leaving. Kiara insisted that she stay for a longer time but when Nandini politely refused she wished her goodnight.
Rian and Nandini walked down the majestic steps of the mansion, he held her hand All the way till the main gate.Nandini spotted Manik's black sedan right outside the gate. The six feet plus annoyance leaning against it.
"I will see you soon Nandini." Rian said taking her hand in his and pecking the top of it.
She smile mumbled a thank you and then came to Manik.
"I missed you." Were his first words
"Well that's a first." She giggled.
"Shut up Nandini, I'm serious. I was worried." Manik was angry but then he engulfed her in a bear hug.
"I'm alright Manik. It was just two hours." She said a bit moved by his sudden affection.
"Yes, but I missed you so much." All the anger gone, he sounded sad.
Nandini craned her neck so she could sniff him and like she assumed, he was drunk.
"Manik, you're drunk. Why did you drive?" she was the angry one now.
"Because I missed you." He said in a final tone.
(To be continued..)
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