I had planned on giving alternate updates for this story and TDC, but then that felt more like a compulsion to write than a will. So from now on, I'll be randomly updating my books. Might even come up with new stories, so stay tuned!

**

"Nope, that won't do. Try this one."

Groaning with her head thrown back, Surbhi caught the dress Jyoti threw her way and made her way into the washroom for the fourth time in the past 10 minutes. Closing the door, she pulled the knee-length strapless blue dress over her head and added it to the pile of clothes lying on the floor. Sighing, she took a look at the black slip dress she was holding, before shaking her head exasparatedly and wearing it. Taking a look at the mirror, she frowned. She didn't like it, but ultimately, it would be up to her friends to decide. Walking out of the room, she was met with dissaproving looks from her friends.

"Nah, this is too.. I don't know. Too little, I guess," Her friend, Melanie, said with a shrug, while Jyoti agreed.

"Oh my Gosh, I will never find a perfect dress and my date will be a disaster!" Whining, Surbhi threw herself on the bed, face down, while the other two girls rolled her eyes.

"You'll be fine, don't worry," Jyoti consoled her, patting her butt and making her get up. "We still have many dresses to choose from. Now get up, you lazy bum!"

Scowling at her best friend, Surbhi got up, and sat cross-legged while her friends went through her wardrobe, throwing clothes here and there and making her room a complete mess. While they were at it, there was a knock on the bedroom door, before it opened.

"My my, what are you all up to?"

Entering the room, Surbhi's mother, Shashi Chanda, was stunned to the state. Dresses, jeans, makeup- everything lay on heaps on the bed and floor. The girls gave a her a nervous smile. 

"Nothing aunty, just, you know. Wanted to look good for the girls' night out!" 

Lying through her teeth, Jyoti turned back to the task at hand, and Melanie followed. Surbhi's mother gave her a questioning glance and came to sit beside her on the bed.

"You've never been so keen on dressing up for hang outs, before?" She whispered to her daughter. Surbhi gulped. She had a great relationship with her parents and told them practically everything, but since Nakuul was such a big deal, she didn't want to reveal anything just yet. The only two people who knew about her date tonight were currently busy looking for the perfect outfit, and even then, it had taken her one whole hour to call them up and tell them. In fact, it had taken her one hour to process the fact that he had asked her out on a date, herself. In hindsight, Surbhi realized that she had acted like a complete idiot by replying only in monosyllables to him asking her out, but in her defense, she had been completely paralyzed, since this was all too good to be true.

Coming back to the present, Surbhi tucked a strand of hair behind her ear nervously and avoided eye contact with her mother, who knew her all too well.

"Well, we haven't hung out in really long, you know?" She asked, smiling fakely. "So I thought- why not dress up? Haha...ha.." Traliling off awkwardly, Surbhi cleared her throat, and fiddled with her fingers. Shashi Chandna grinned at her daughter's patheric attempt to hide the truth. Cupping her cheek with one hand, she squeashed them lovingly.

"Sweetheart, you know you can't lie to me, right? Then why do you even try?"

Understanding that there was no point in lying, Surbhi bit her tongue, and held one ear in apology. Her mother only smoothed out her hair.

"You can share anything with me, baby. Anyway, I'll go now and leave you to get ready for your date."

Surbhi's cheeks turned pink at that, and she kissed her mother- who happened to be the coolest mother alive- on her cheek. Shashi smiled, and got up to leave the room, not before calling out a "Have fun, girls!" over her shoulder, and shutting the door.

Turning back to her friends, Surbhi jutted out her bottom lip.

"You guys found anything, yet?" She asked, almost sure by now that she would have to end up wearing one the many dresses they had rejected for her date because she was already getting late. It was 7.30 already, and it would take her about half an hour to go to the restaurant he had suggested. How was a girl supposed to get ready for her first date within just one hour! And Surbhi was against the idea of being fashionably late, because she didn't want to keep him waiting. The guy had an early morning flight to catch, anyway!

Surbhi was almost about to give up hope and lie back down on the mattress, when an excited shriek from Jyoti made her straighten up and put her hands to her ears.

"Kya hua?" She asked, scrunching up her face. In glee, Jyoti took out a piece of cloth from the very corner of Surbhi's wardrobe, and held it in front of her. It was a black sleeveless crop top, that would end just below her breasts, with two straps criss-crossed beneath. Surbhi remembered buying it on one of her shopping sprees with her sister, but had never worn it before.

"Tan tanaaa, I present to you the perfect top for Surbhi Chandna's first date with the one and only Nakuul Mehta!" Saying this, Jyoti spun around and then took a bow, and Surbhi rolled her eyes at how dramatic her friends were. Melanie too squeled as she saw the outfit, and set out to find a perfect pair of jeans to go with the top, while Jyoti took the responsibily of finding matching accesories and make-up. Unwillingly, Surbhi's face broke into a wide smile.

The next hour passed in a rush, with Surbhi changing into her top- paired with high waisted white skinny jeans that ended right below her belly button- and then sitting on a stool in front of her dressing table, while she let her friends doll her up. They straightened her hair and left it open to sway till her waist, sprayed perfume on her, did smoky eyes, used highlighter and put on some terracota red lipstick. She finally wore her black heels that had straps till above her ankles, and at exactly 28 minutes past 8, was ready to go. Taking a good look at the full length mirror, Surbhi smiled, making her face glow even more. Admittedly, she did look pretty good. 

"Thankyou guys, I love you both!" Walking over to where her friends stood, admiring their work, she pulled them into a tight hug.

"We know, now get going, girl! Rock this date and make Mr. Mehta drool over you," Melanie said with a wink.

"And don't forget to tell him I love him!" Jyoti added, as Surbhi shook her head fondly at her friends, and walked out of the door. Thankful that all the other family members except her mother were out, she got into the car that was awaiting her outside, and leaning back, kept a hand over her heart that kept beating faster with every passing minute. She leaned back against the seat with her eyes closed, trying to imagine how their date, the very first one but hopefully not the last, would go, when her phone buzzed, bringing her out of her reverie. Seeing that it was a message from Nakuul, her face lit up in a shy smile. They hadn't talked or texted since afternoon, since he had asked her out, and she wondered why he would text her now when they were so close to meeting. What if he wanted to cancel? With that thought, her face formed a frown.

Hey, just wanted to say that I'm 
dying to meet you. See you soon <3

Sighing in relief and blushing in glee, Surbhi started typing. 

Excited about meeting you too, Mr. Mehta <3

Hitting send, she reclined her back against the seat again, staring out at the nightlife of Mumbai through the window, a small smile playing on her lips that just wouldn't leave. 

**

"You're sure not many people will come this way, right? I would have booked the whole area but it's because of your assurance that I didn't do so."

"Don't worry, Mr. Mehta. This is a reserved area only for our special customers, and we'll make sure you'll have the full comfort and privacy you need over here."

Nodding, Nakuul turned away from the manager of the five-star restaurant he had been talking to, and walked towards their table. It was 9 already and Surbhi would be here any minute, and to say that Nakuul was extremely nervous would be an understatement. He had never done this before, but he knew that even if he had, this would be special because it was with her. He wanted everything to be perfect to the t for their first- and hopefully not last- date. He had booked a table on one of the secluded areas of the restaurant- a carpeted room with cream coloured, comfortable sofas instead of chairs, with glowing yellow lights and a soft music playing in the background. Because both of them were famous in their own fields, they would definitely be recognized and it would create a ruckus, especially if the media came to know they were dining together. As it was, the media people always annoyed him with their endless questions about who he was dating, and this would be breaking news for them that he was having dinner with an actress. Hence, he had chosen this particular restaurant which was responsible about providing privacy, and was also not crowded due to being expensive.

Taking a seat at the sofa, Nakuul rubbed his hands in apprehension, his gaze fixed on the door leading into the room. He had instructed the manager to lead Surbhi in here when she came, and as each second passed, his heart threatened to burst out. Opening the front camera of his phone, he looked at his reflection. He wasn't a vain person, but tonight, he wanted to look good, just for her. Hoping that his black shirt, paired with a grey jacket rolled up to his elbows, and casual grey pants made him look okay, he ran a hand through his hair and kept aside his phone. Smiling at how much his life had changed in the last one week and how he could never have imagined himself sitting at this fancy restaurant, waiting for a girl to arrive, that too just the night before another IPL match, Nakuul looked up when he heard the door open. The manager walked in first, looking at him and wearing a smile that told Nakuul that his date had arrived. Nakuul stood up, and waited for Surbhi to appear from behind the manager. 

When she did, he could swear his heart stopped beating, and he realized that tonight, he would rather have this delicious looking woman than the overpriced food of the restaurant.

**

Credit for that last line goes to Abhi (Lailasahibaa) and her khidkitod ideas!

I was tagged by crazymaniac_in a little something, so why not get it done here itself? ;)

1. Straight although Surbhi Chandna makes me question it.
2. Female
3.More than I've been in the past 10 months.
4. Girls Like You by Maroon 5 ft. Cardi B
5. Black
6. Pisces
7. I'm an unsocial loser so yeah, my mom.
8. Don't really have a favorite but I like this specific shade of orange a lot.
9. Pasta
10. 68%
11. Chris Evans
12. I'm a vegetarian but I literally do not have a favorite.
13. Black. Dark Brown under sunlight (??)
14. Jeez I don't know. 7 or 8.
15. Therapist/ Chief Editor of a Magazine

Not tagging anyone because I'm too lazy :P

Much love

xoxo