| OS Contest Voting Round | *Voting till 28th* NT pg 7 - Page 2

"Mmm" I moaned as I enthusiastically slurped down my hot chocolate, and I was sure I had a mustache of that good chocolaty foam on my face. I looked out the window, admiring the delicate snowflakes sailing through the air and to the ground, which itself was covered in a white blanket. For a moment it reminded me of that day. Oh no, again I'm thinking about it. I quickly dismissed my thoughts, not wanting to spoil such a lovely winter day by reminiscing about the past.

So this is me, Zoya Farooqui.

Single, age 27, living it up in Manhattan. So I'm usually happy, except when I'm home. Why you may ask? That's because I'm sharing an apartment with the most obnoxious, biggest jackass ever. Asad Ahmed Khan!

Why the hell did he have to know my Appi and Jeeju? Now I'm stuck sharing an apartment with him .We work together, he's my boss, actually. He sure knows how to be friendly. But at home, oh boy, he's a devil.

Living in together, I can't say I absolutely hate it. I still remember how excited I was when I heard I would have to stay with him. We used to get along really well when we were teenagers. I guess I can add in that I had a tiny, little crush on him. And we kissed.

Big woop. That heartless son of a! Anyways, so yes, that idiot kissed me before I returned to India. It was just a peck, but he caught me off guard. I always thought it was one sided but that day I realized he liked me too. It was in fact, a day just like today. A chilly snowy day, the perfect weather to be romanced by your prince charming, under blankets of love. That was the last winter I had experienced before this one.We spoke often, but just as friends. I thought things might hit it off when I would come here.

Coming here to New York to stay with him, I had many expectations. But boy, was I flung in the mud. Even Appi and Jeeju liked him for me, they've always wanted us to be together. They had to stay back in India, but I missed New York too much and decided to return. Appi insisted I stay with someone I knew.

THANK YOU APPI!... I THINK.

But no, Mr OCD screams at me, finds faults and leaves no chances to tease me. Sometimes we talk. Like, without fighting. But there's still that edgy feel to him.

One thing though. I always say I hate him now, but... I guess you can tell, I don't. I wish he'd take me on more, but he treats me like any other employee, well maybe better actually but I am sure he doesn't like me. If he did, we would have surely been closer, especially after living together for two months.

Oh god. Here he comes. Looking as edible as ever.

"Hey Zoya"

"What?"

"Hmm not very pleasant. Careful, I just might complain to your boss" he smirked.

"Oh cut the crap, we're at home Asad"

"Hmm" he said shrugging his shoulders.

My eyes opened wide as he sat beside me on the loveseat and looked out the window. From the corner of my eye, I saw him pick up my hot chocolate.

"Heyyy! get your own"

"My house, my chocolate" he winked, before sipping it, finishing it all.

"Ass" I muttered.

"Said something?"

"Yes, I said you're an ass. A big one at that"

"This is why I like you! Always put me in my place. No other girl ever disagrees or goes against me. Just you. Just like the old times."

My heart raced for a nanosecond, at hearing him mention the old days. I looked at him and saw that goofy smile on his face. He had a mustache of chocolate on his mouth and I immediately clutched my tummy laughing at him.

"What's the joke kiddo?"

"Don't call me that, I'm not your kid." I grunted, punching his arm slightly.

"Sorry. I know you hate me calling you that. You're my girl" he winked.

"Exactly"

"Really?"

I realized what I had said and mentally banged my head on the window.

"You've got chocolate on your mouth."

"And?"

"Wipe it off idiot"

"You do it"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard right, wipe it off"

"Like hell I would" I scoffed, even though I was just imagining my fingers on his face, touching his lips. Oh boy, I really liked him. I felt myself getting caught up in thoughts and snapped out of it when he cleared his throat.

"You know, lately I have been thinking. Aside our professional life, I don't really know you anymore"

"Took you long enough"

He laughed, and I did too because his laugh, resembled something like a goat's mixed with a baby's cry. Funny stuff.

"I feel like I don't know you"

"Yeah well maybe if you weren't so busy being my boss, and such a jackass at home, you might have gotten to know me really really well" I said, raising my eyebrow at the second really.

He came closer to me and pulled my blanket across to him a bit.

"Remember that game we used to play?"

"Truth and dare?"

"Yep, that's the one. We're going to play that now!"

"The Asad Ahmed Khan is lowering his standard to play games with a useless girl. Omg I feel so honored."

"You're not useless, just confusing"

"I'm confusing? How? You are!"

"Yes! Sometimes you act like you hate me and then sometimes you act like you want me to.."

"Want you to what?"

"I'm going to go get another mug of hot chocolate, want one before we start to play?"

"Sure" I offered him a smile.

I closed my eyes and inhaled the scent of his cologne swimming in the air around me even after he went into the kitchen.

This winter already began bringing me some joy. This was the closest we've ever been in the past two months. I hoped it would only get better.

He walked back in and sat beside me, coming closer, making my insides turn to puddles with just his skin near mine. He offered me the mug and I took it. My hands instantly caught on fire. Not because it was hot.

This sexy man's hands were touching mine. I shook his off, and pretended it made no difference.

"Hey save some for me" he said as I drank greedily

"I thought you were getting two"

"Nah, there was only one pack left"

"Oh" I said sheepishly and gave him the mug.

He placed it on the table and leaned in toward me, his hand coming closer to my face.

I felt his hand on my leg, as he came closer. I didn't know what to do. He was coming closer and closer, my heart was beating like a drum, I thought he would hear it. I shut my eyes tightly, waiting for whatever would come. I hoped for the unexpected. I knew he noticed how my chest was heaving, and I felt him snuggle into the blanket, closer to me.

I wrinkled my eyebrows in anticipation, getting irritated, not knowing what he was going to do.

"Zoya" he whispered, and I felt his breath on my face. I felt a shudder course through me. A chill ran through my body as his proximity got the better of me.

He was breathing on my face and almost automatically, I put my hand on top of his, that was on my leg.

"Relax" he whispered again, and I felt his fingers wiping above my mouth.

I felt like such an idiot.

I actually thought he was going to kiss me. OH I just wanted to bury myself in the snow outside. I didn't even want to open my eyes. I was utterly embarrassed.

I opened them, nevertheless, and saw him looking at me with those luminous deep brown eyes. The ones that pierced through my soul. I expected him to smirk and tease me, but he just stared, and I could see in his eyes something that looking like ... longing? I wasn't sure.

He moved his fingers onto my lips and traced my lower lip.

I shivered. His fingers electrocuted my lips with his fiery touch.

He moved his hand hesitantly and I go up, moving the blanket, ready to dash for my room before I embarrassed myself further.

"Wait!"

"What?"

"We didn't play truth and dare yet"

"Please" he pleaded. And I sat down, only because he never begged me to do anything for him before.

"So truth or dare?"

"Umm dare"

"Okay I dare you to go to my room and bring me another blanket"

"What the hell!"

"A dare is a dare. We'll share the blanket, as you know the thermostat is jacked up out here. We're gonna freeze if they don't fix this bloody thing soon"

"Fine. It's all your fault though. Your apartment, your thermostat."

I returned with his thick blanket from his room and dropped it on his lap.

I sat beside him and he covered both of us and pulled me closer to him. I went toward him without resistance. I loved seeing his cozy side, and this was the most he had ever been like this with me. Except years ago, anyways.

"Soo Asad, truth or dare"

"Truth"

"Bok bok bok, someone's afraid of dares?"

"Nope, I'm braver than you think. You're the chicken. We both know truth is harder for the two of us. Imagine what truth you could ask me for." he said, looking at me, his tone so serious it scared me, yet I was happy to know he somehow acknowledged what we had.

I bit my lip thinking about what to ask him. I knew what I wanted to ask him, but I didn't know how. I decided to take it slow.

"Did you miss me?"

"What?"

"Did you miss me? When I wasn't here?"

He chuckled. "See, I told you truth was harder."

I looked at him expectantly, pleading with my eyes.

He held my hand under the blanket.

"Zoya, I tried not to, but I did. I did miss you... Happy?"

"Very!"

"Truth or dare"

"Truth" I replied confidently.

"Let's make this more interesting. Every truth we ask, we both have to answer to it. Deal?"

"Umm okay."

"Start with just now. Did you miss me?"

I was stumped. I know I did, but to admit it to him was not what I was intending.

"Come on Zoya, it's just me. In fact, I think we should have done this long before. Come on chicken, tel.."

Before he could continue I blurted out. " I missed you so much it hurt"

I knew I went far with that reply, but I didn't regret it the moment I felt him grip my hand tightly and saw his eyes look pained.

"I know exactly how you felt" he said softly and my heart began doing that dance where everything just shakes up inside me.

"My turn still" he replied quickly.

"If I asked you to be my girlfriend, would you?"

Who told me to sip hot chocolate then and there?

I spat it out, and coughed, completely taken aback and horrified yet pleasantly astonished.

"What the f***"

"Too soon?"

"I..."

"You what?"

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Give me one good reason why I should say yes?"

"Because..." he stuttered and I gave him a deathly stare.

"You treat me like a kid and scold me for nothing. You act like you forgot our first kiss and the moments we had together. And now when I'm accustomed to that, you ask me to be your bloody girlfriend. What the hell"

He looked hurt but I felt relieved I gave him a piece of my mind. I stood feeling confident but I wanted to kill him the moment he turned and just went to his room, after muttering that he was joking.

I stood with a pissed face and then a puppy dog sad face because truth was, I wanted to be his girlfriend. But I wanted him to explain why he ignored what happened before. But this fool wanted to take the easy way out? Oh please. I took up the mug and went to my room.

About one hour later:

Oh to hell with this Asad. I was better off in India. At least wasn't freezing my ass off. Oh no. what to do.

Ahah! Extra blanket we left outside. Im coming for ya!

3^rd person

She went out of her room and him taking the blanket.

"Nooo I need it"

"It's mine"

"I'm freezing Asad" she cried.

"Come on" he motioned her toward her room.

"it really is cold in here."

"This whole place is cold. And the bloody repair guy can't come till tomorrow!"

"You do know, that if we put our blankets together, it might be more effective right."

"You're not getting my blankets Asad" she jabbed her finger at his chest.

"No idiot" he rolled his eyes and picked her up in his arms.

"Put me down Asad. NOW"

"Make me!" He smirked.

He entered his room and dropped her down on his bed.

"Are you mad? I'm not staying in here with you for the night. The same apartment is bad enough, muchless for the same room"

"Oh shut up. You're not going back in there to freeze. You'll get sick. And besides, now we can continue catching up. If I recall correctly, you missed me so much it hurt."

"Youuu!!!" she snapped.

He jumped into bed with her, and placed both their blankets over them.

"Still cold?" he asked.

"Yes" she snapped back, without looking at him.

She felt something on her waist and thought she was dreaming. Asad draped his arm around her and pulled her closer to him.

"Body heat, it helps" he said sincerely and she smiled to him.

"My turn" she replied, resting her hands on his upper arm.

"Wow your hands are freezing" he exclaimed before linking his fingers through his, placing their joined hands under the blanket.

Zoya blushed and he giggled slightly seeing this.

"Um right my turn.Truth or dare?"

"Truth"

"Why did you ask me to be your girlfriend?"

"Next one"

"Answer me"

"How about no?"

"Asad please"

"To hell with this game"

"You know what, stop playing with me. You kissed me that last winter we spent together, and then we didn't see each other for years. You're so freaking bipolar. Always looking out for me at work, but at home you just tease the shit out of me. What do you want? And now you're asking me to be your girlfriend all of a sudden? Listen, I like you. That doesn't mean you can play with my heart. So let go of my hands and let me go back to my room, please" she pulled away, feeling tears in her eyes. She didn't know why she was overreacting but all she knew was that she wanted him, and he kept brushing off the topic.

She got up to go and he looked at her with hurt and angst written on his face. She felt guilty but it wasn't her fault. He refused to give answers.

She was about to go when he pulled her back onto the bed so she was lying halfway on top of him.

"Zoya, I know it's not my turn but if I kiss you, would you mind?"

"I want answers"

"Please"

"It's not your turn, answer my question then I'll answer yours."

"To hell with this game Zoya, To hell with it. You want answers and I want to give them to you."

"Huh?" she looked up to him and saw his eyes mirroring desperation.

"Would you mind?"

Seeing him looking as though he was broken in front her and just imagining the feel of his lips on hers she boldly replied. "Find out yourself"

Asad leaned in and placed his lips on Zoya's. The place they had longed to be since their last kiss.

He rested his arm around her waist, pulling up the covers to their necks. She sucked his lower lip between her lips and he relished in their kiss as he bit her upper lip. He kissed her lips again and again as if trying to memorize them.

He pulled away gasping for air.

"Your wanted answers" he whispered, leaning his forehead on hers and she placed her hand on his chest which was raising and falling with his deep ragged breaths.

"Asadd I..."

"Shhh Let me first. Zoya I love you. I didn't know how you felt, I didn't know how to be around you after so long. But now I do. Now I do."

Zoya leaned down and kissed his nose.

"Silly. I love you too. How could you not know how I felt!"

"Shhh let's just enjoy this winter babe, make it better than last time"

"It already is"

Asad smacked his lips onto hers. She parted her lips slightly and he drove his tongue in to caress hers, stroking it and she crawled on top of him. He kissed down her neck, he jaw and left open mouthed kisses on her collarbone. Zoya's hands crept under his clothes and felt his abs and sixpacks. Her hands roamed his body while his tongue roamed hers. The thermostat could have been broken but the heat between them was more than enough to keep them warm. Their kisses left them breathless and tongue tied and Asad pressed Zoya into his body even more.

"Wait." he said.

"Can I give you one dare?"

"Really? Now?"

"Zoya!"

"Okay, yes"

"Marry me"

Zoya looked at him affectionately.

"Smart guy. It's a dare, I can't refuse"

"Promise me every winter will be like this" he kissed her hair.