MaNan OS ' Dare You To Love Me

MaNan OS - Dare You To Love Me

It was around midnight I was sitting in swanky pool side restaurant of a five star hotel in Mumbai where I have shifted recently with my two besties from LA, USA. We three are mad haters me and my besties, when don't need anyone in this world in this world, we can bring the house down all by ourselves. We are totally different from each other east, west and north err south; but we can't survive each other. We have seen many ups and down together since grade school. Waise bhi growing up as an Asian in Beverly Hills ain't easy you need someone to back you up. Its not that we didn't had white friends our whole group was white but we three kind of had a secret group in that group. My high school boyfriend was white. Ok fine chalo I won't bore you with my past life.

Lets come back to the place that I was sitting; pool side of a swanky hotel with my BFFs and doing our favorite thing flirting with boys and playing dare and double dare. Ok now before you think what is this as we know everything about each other so we don't do truth but we do dare and double dare; it goes if someone fails a dare they have to do double dare. Trust me we have done crazy stuff like jumping off the water falls, swimming at night in cold winter nights and the list goes on and on. Oops did I tell you my name or not oh as usual I talk crap and forget the main part.

Well let me introduce us to you. First my BFFs Alya; a total fashionista, diva and our style guide. She works for Vogue as a fashion photographer and shifted to India with me to join Vogue India as chief photographer. Mukti, my another BFF she owns a music label ok its not big its small but yes she owns it. Its called Red Bedroom Records and she came to India to make music and money. Now me; well my name is Nandini; Nandini Murthy naam toh suna hi hoga. Hehehe nahi suna ab sun lo I am Nandini and I am doctor and came to India running away from my past. Yes I have a past what's that its not important. My dad is an architect and owns a company Homes N Gardens and my mother is chef owns a restaurant Sosas. And I have an elder sister too who helps my mom in her business though dad wanted me to be an architect but I blackmailed him to let me be a doctor and here I am.

So we were sitting and the bottle stops at me. "So what's it gonna be bitches." I asked them. Alya and Mukti sat thinking what task to give they knew I am good at this. While they sat cribbing I sat sitting my wine. After a while a see a evil smile on Alya's face. "well Nandini I know what you have to do." She was glowing with evil. I thought this bitch will get me trouble.' But I still put a brave face and said "Ok whatever it is I am ready bring it on." She smirked and said "turn back." I gave her what' look and she said "are look na." fine I give into her and turn back. A group of guys were sitting and chilling just like us.

"Do you see the guy in red jacket?" she asked. I tilted my head a bit and saw and the only thing that came out of my mouth was "holy freak! He is delicious."' Great." Alya smirked again and said "well go and kiss him on lips." I turn back to Alya and said "what are you crazy?" she nodded her head in a capital NO. "but Alya I don't even know him." I freaked out. "Well that's your dare kiss a stranger." She was jumping with joy.

"And if I don't agree." I asked. "Then double dare kiss and lap dance to him only." Alya winked . bitch.' I cursed her and gulped my saliva. Ok I have kissed boys no big deal and I can kiss him too. I turn back and tilt my head again to see him and boy he was smoking hot; fair perfectly jelled hair total Gregory Peck I say; those eyes damn those big deep chocolaty eyes I can drown in them and he laughed hayee I was lost in that laugh those lips damn they were made to be kissed till death. I got up from chair and said to Alya "watch and learn." And walked to him.

"Hey." I said with a small smile as I reached their table. The four boys were engrossed in their own talk and he my red blazer hottie was the first to look at me. I went all numb his eyes were powerful, crazy powerful and found myself short of words. He gives me a questioning look and I get to the task at hand.

"Hi I am Nandini." I introduce myself and they all smile at me. I smile again and continue "actually what I am about to say may sound weird but I am a very good girl from a decent family, nice house nice parents, an elder sister and a german shepherd." What the hell I mentally slap myself for giving my bio data to them as they all were giving me are you nuts look.' "ok sorry I went totally off track as I am very nervous." I said looking at those two bitches who were enjoying the show at my expense and the boys were still clueless.

ok Nandini enough beating around the bush get to business and be done.' I motivated myself and looked at my red jacket hottie and said "I need to kiss you on lips." All in one breathe. Poor guy almost spilled his drink in shock. Of course anyone will be shocked I mean when does a random girl walk at you in the middle of the night and says I want to kiss you. He gaped at me in total shock, awe, surprise and god knows some other alien expressions.

"ok listen we are playing dare and double dare and those bitches." I pointed to Mukti and Alya who waved happily "gave me dare to kiss a stranger and that is you please don't say no or else I have to do double dare and don't judge me I am a good girl from very nice family with parents, sister and a german shepherd." What is with me and my german shepherd. I was blabbering something trying to convince him when he got up all of a sudden and walked towards me. Damn he is tall' I thought. He came near me pulled me on to himself and fused his lips with mine for a kiss.

We were kissing each other. He was sucking my lower lip and I was sucking his upper lip. He clutched my waise and pulled me more close to him and I unknowingly started caressing his hair at the nape of his neck. Oh damn this was supposed to last just 3 seconds and now here I am kissing like I knew him ever since. "Nandini stop.' My brain kicked me but no no I can't I felt myself complete in his arms and the way he kissed me all delicately like I am a doll. He bit my lower lip so softly that I couldn't even moan but just part my lips and let him enter my mouth. His tongue met mine and there was a beautiful symphony like mozart's piece in my mouth. I pulled him more to me as I bent a little and he gave in too. There we stood in time kissing each other mad; two strangers, one dare, one kiss and life was changed forever.

It was around 3 am when I dropped my friend Cabir at his home in Bandra and finally drove to my own home. We were group actually a group of four boys called Band of Boys. We have been together since our boarding school days. Life in boarding can be difficult at time away from family and all gets to you and it is then you realize the importance of friends. I met my friends in one such we are missing our parents session' and since then we four are inseparable. We are the most famous band of our school and college. But now we are looking for a record label to sponsor us. Not that I can't get a label cause my dad is the richest business man of this country but I wanted to achieve things on my own.

Let me introduce to my friends. Cabir he is my best friend and the drummer in the band. Dhruv he the guitarist and back up vocalist. Harshad he is the key board player and me well I am Manik, Manik Malhotra and Mumbai mein har music lover ne mera naam suna hai. My dad Raj is a multi millionaire and my mom Neyonika well she is into everything business, charity and of course loving me as I am her ladla beta and I don't have any siblings and no I don't own a german shepherd cause I hate dogs man.

I was lying on my bed tossing and turning up and down trying to sleep but dude how can you possibly fall asleep when you have returned from a dinner which turned out to be from a regular to the most happening dinner. That girl what's her name ahh Nandini with parents, one sister and one german shepherd; btw what is with her and german shepherd. Whatever but she was something. They was she nervously said "hi" damn the moment I looked at her I felt my heart stopped beating. She was wearing a white crochet top and a black pencil jeans; her long hair I so wanted to sleep under them, her big eyes I so wanna get lost in them. Her short frame fits so perfectly with my huge frame and those pink pouty lips I can kiss them to death and won't regret.

She walks up to us and says locking eyes with me and says "I need to kiss you." Bam I almost spilled my drink. No no I wasn't nervous at all I have kissed many girls you see advantages of being the lead of the top college band; girls all around and I have kissed few. But never ever a girl half drunk came to me and said this; when I gaped at her she went all nervous and blush with pink. I don't know what got into me I got up, pulled her in my arms and kissed her.

Ok that was supposed to be a 3 seconds kiss but I just couldn't let go of her lips. Her strawberry lip gloss, her fruity smell from her chanel perfume and her soft supple skin drove me crazy. I kept repeating Manik this is getting embarrassing let her go' but I just couldn't and even she reciprocated and we kissed deep; she tasted wine damn she has a good taste in wine. She parted her lips and I tasted every corner of her mouth and I wanted to trace every inch of her body. My grip on her waist and her grip on my shoulders increased and finally she ran out of oxygen and I had to pull out unwillingly.

As reality dawned on us few seconds later with our friends coughing, sneezing and doing what not; morons I say she went red and I went all rainbow colors and before I could say anything she ran away. "Nandini from a good family parents, an elder sister and german shepherd ahh stupid dog so much attention to him' we will meet again." I thought as I joined my friends for an elaborate tease Manik session.

2 weeks passed and that girl slowly went off my memory as I got busy with my music. My music was my escape from everything not that I was worried about anything but I had a world where music was the only thing that mattered. We were busy in preparing few songs for a representative of a new record company in India Red Bedroom Records; they were from LA and were looking for new talent in India perfect set up for Band Of Boys. We prepared three awesome peppy numbers and sent to their rep who liked them and arranged for a meeting with the owners of the company.

It was boring Saturday afternoon I was so in the mood to sleep but Mukti dumb she dragged me to a lunch meeting with some Band Of Boys band reason as I was part holder of Red Bedroom Records although I always maintain its her company but no this missy she won't listen. "nandu please yaar lets go." She said for the nth time and I had no option but to drag myself out of bed. "Nandini how can you not be excited its about boys." Alya was too excited cause as she said it was about boys "and its high time we need to get hooked up in India." She declared and I nodded in agreement. True India has not been very eventful for us except that dare night kiss after which I cursed myself to death for not asking the hottie's name. Anyway I wear my blue mid thigh length outfit with a white cardigan and blue studs and tie up my hair in a messy bun and made way for the meeting.

We were waiting for the boys to arrive and discussing the terms of contract and random things when an "oh shit." Escaped my mouth as I sipped my juice with full force making an eww sound. "what?" Mukti asked. With eyes almost ready to pop out I pointed to the door and then a chorus "oh shit" escaped from Mukti and Alya's mouth. It was the same hottie and his friends. He was again looking sinfully hot with white linen shirt with 2 buttons open damn that should be banned for him and a blue jeans and black aviators and wait he was coming to our table.

"oh no why is he coming here no way." I was looking for a place to hide and that dude lost in his own world talking to his friend kept moving to us. Finally on not finding any place to run I slipped down my chair and sat beneath the table. "Nandu what's this?" Mukti asked bending down I said "Shh call me when he walks past us" but my bad luck he came and greeted "well well we meet gain." Mukti I guess smiled and said "I am Mukti owner of Red Bed Room Records and she is Alya my friend she is a photographer." While Mukti was speaking all I could sense that hottie had a sexy voice. He spoke again and my heart skipped a beat "Hi I am Manik, this Cabir, Dhruv and Harshad and we are Band Of Boys." They all exchanged pleasantries and were ready to sit down oh wait then what about me it means I am gonna be stuck here under the table bam.

Suddenly I felt someone stepping on my hand "ouch." And they all bent down and was "oh shit." Manik looked down and smirked; he shouldn't be smirking it's a turn on man. "well Nandini." He greeted me and all I could do was smile and come out and sit on the chair right across him.

This girl Nandini damn weird I mean crazy weird. Second meeting under the table and did I say she looked heavenly in that blue and white outfit and when she smiles that is so sinfully hot man its major turn on. She sat right across me and we finally begin the meeting with my 30% attention on meeting 70% on her. We kept steeling glances at each other unnoticed by others and finally after three hours we signed the deal and we will start recording two days later.

As we were all leaving I finally stopped her and asked for a coffee and after some thinking and cajoling from her friends she agreed. We went to Barista and sat there. It was awkward in the beginning but as we spoke we didn't realize how time passed we left the coffee house and went to beach for a walk on her insistence and there I realized she is a breath of fresh air in my tired life. She is fun, intelligent, extremely beautiful, a little goofy, funny girl who lived for the moment. I just didn't realize who time passed with her. She taught me to love little things not luxuries in that one evening; the fun on the beach eating pav bhaji and gola I had with her I never had in any of the clubs or pubs maybe that's her magic. And finally around midnight I dropped her home but not before taking her number.

It was 12 am when Manik pulled over his MBW on front of my house. It was a fun evening with him as I realized he loved many things but never expressed them. He was born rich and music was his first love. But when he spoke his words can make feel any girl the most special girl in the world, when he looks with those dreamy eyes I feel myself melting under his gaze. Everything about him is special which words can't describe. "good night Manik." I said as I was about to open the door of the car when he held my hand "Nandini can you please keep your hair open you look like an angel." And he opened my hair and came close to me and pecked on the corner of my lips and said "good night" needless to say I was blushing unable to look into his eyes; he smiled and opened the door for me and I ran out without turning back.

The next few weeks went helter skelter with recordings and recordings. The songs came out great after lot of hard work and everyone was very very happy. Mukti was planning a grand launch for us and we were just waiting for this moment for a long long time. After the music it was the time for the photo shoots and other glitz and glamour. Pheww this was some stressful work sitting with stylist working on looks and then photo shoot and yes how can I forget to mention the shooting of songs. Music is easy but all this took its toll on me and I seemed to lose myself at times but the only person kept me sane was Nandini. We spoke everyday, my day began with her voice and ended with her voice; no matter how late it was she would wait for my call, talk to me and calm me down. We went for coffee and dinners and although we never kissed after our first kiss but we did peck each other and before I realize I was in love with her.

Finally the biggest day of my life had come; first album of Band Of Boys needless to say were excited and so were mom and dad but this night was extra special for me as I would tell Nandini how I feel about her I was going to propose her yes I even brought a ring. It was 9 pm and we all made way for Taj Lands End where the party is scheduled. We all were dressed in black tuxedos as the dress code was black. All the biggies from the music and entertainment industry were invited and they all graced too.

The party was the biggest talked about event of the town after all its Band Of Boys getting a launch. Soon the guests started arriving along with the media and press who were dying to see the teasers of the songs and take our bytes for the same. I was looking and waiting impatiently for her and finally she walked in wearing a backless black shimmer gown with red lips and open hair looking like an angel my angel. Every guy was ogling her which boiled my blood but I kept my temper under control as she wasn't paying any attention to anyone else but me.

Soon the launch began with the teaser of our first song being played and as the song ended we were greeted by a standing ovation. I was overwhelmed finally all the hard work had paid off. The industry pundits rated us the next big thing to watch out for and the media went crazy with the bytes and interviews. I wrapped up mine soon and asked my boys to cover up for me as I had an important business to take care off and walked away after texting her.

I was standing at a distance watching him enjoy all the glory that he deserved, the he worked hard for. He was glowing with success but that smile something was different about that smile of his. Suddenly Alya pulled me to introduce to few people as I stood talking to them I got a text from him to meet in the garden. I was a little taken aback but decided to trust him and meet.

As I walked in the garden I saw him standing in the middle of the garden and it was illuminated with candles all placed in heart shape. He was looking at me with a glint in his eyes as I lost myself in them and walked upto him in a trance. "you look ethereal Nandini." He complimented and continued "you know every story ends with a kiss but we began with a kiss. You and I are so different Nandini north pole and south pole. Like you love dogs I hate them; your notes are always off track well I can hit them right even in my sleep. But there is one thing that matches for us is our heartbeats they both play the same music - LOVE." His words left me speechless as he spoke again. "that night that kiss changed my life, you changed my life." He held my and kissed my knuckles and said "you are my good luck charm Nandini and I love you." I was speechless now as he bent down and said "I am a musician Nandini and life the biggest song so will you be mine and sing the song of life with me." And he took out a beautiful diamond ring.

I didn't knew how to react, what to do, what to say as I stood their seeing his unconditional love for me; his love was as pure as the first rays of sun and first drops of rain. "Nandini say something. Why are you crying? did I say something wrong? Don't you." And before he could say the dreadful last sentence I shut him up and said "Manik I love you. I love you with every breath of my life and every heartbeat of my heart but." I couldn't speak anymore as words failed me, tears rolled out and my past came haunting me. "Nandini I know about your past." I looked up stunned ; he smiled wiping my tears and said "Mukti told me everything. And whatever happened in the past is past and I love you with it. You know what that past means you are strong and one of a kind woman Nandini and I love you." His words were healing the wounds that hurt me for years "Nandini you deserve love, a love that makes you crazy and wild not that you are not but you deserve to be loved like mad; like me. Giver your heart a chance; give yourself a chance and see what you mean to me. You are my world Nandini." He healed me with his words and his love. "but I am a mess Manik." I said he slid the ring in my finger and said "you are a fine mess Nandini and you are my mess." I smiled and fused my lips with his.

One night, one dare, one kiss and two strangers and life changed forever.

End of the OS.

Ciao

Sweta