A/N: I think this is the last story that I need to move here. Before I explain this concept, lemme just go over the title real quick. Originally, the title was Mera Mann Kehne Laga Ki Pyaar Ho Gaya, and it's a combination of my two favorite songs, Mera Mann Kehne Laga from the movie Nautanki Saala, and Jo Pyaar Ho Gaya, from a show called Ishaan - which was really cute by the way. I wanted to change it because the title didn't really seem to click anymore, hopefully that doesn't inconvenience anyone.
As for the concept, basically, this is a different version of Taani coming into D3, with OCs galore because me, and it takes place during RDX and Nicole's wedding, except those characters don't exist in this story, I've totally changed them. This isn't an actual chapter, it's a prologue, but I hope everyone likes it regardless. Also, it's from Taani's POV.
"Ah crud!" I shout, as the box I was getting from the top shelf falls on me. "Curse my shortness!" I bend down to put the fallen items back in the box. As I place the box next to me, I scream, at no one in particular because my roommates were all out, "Okay, who forgot to tape this box?!" I then sigh and begin to pick up the items, which, lo and behold, were all pictures. "Ugh, why does Aliya have to take so many pictures?" I love my best-friend, and I appreciate her talent, but an entire box? Honey, invest in an album, honestly.
I shake my head, my blood turning cold when I see the pictures. They're pictures of me - from a long time ago - back when I was happy.
My crazy plans with Maya - my partner in crime.
"Did we really break into an ice-cream store?"
Me hitting my best-friend Varun with his guitar for saying something stupid. There are like 10 different pictures of me doing this.
"He says a lot of stupid things, that boy."
Me dumping ice cold water on Kunal, my other best-friend, countless times.
"That explains the high fever and weak immune system."
More and more pictures of my fun times with my friends started to appear. Bowling alley, water park, laser tag, or just a simple day in the park. These pictures brought back so many memories of the good old days. A slight smile adorned my face...
Until I saw the next pictures.
Daksh Rathore. My best-friend, my boyfriend, my protector, my clown, my support system... the love of my life! Dead. All because of me. Tears start streaming down my face as I remember the day that he confessed his feelings to me.
It was New Year's Eve. My friends and I were coming from a party, when our jeep got stuck.
"Varun you idiot!" I exclaimed, slapping him upside the head. If only his guitar were there...
"I'm sorry okay."
"Varun yaar, what the hell is this?" demanded Sanju. "You always forget to fill up your gas tank properly."
"And on top of that this stupid jeep of yours!" yelled Maya, hitting the side of his jeep.
"Hey, don't say anything bad about my baby. It's okay Rose, she's crazy. She doesn't know what she's talking about."
It took Kunal, Daksh, Taani, Sanju, and even Aliya to keep Maya from lunging at Varun.
"Varun, call a tow truck, and get as far away from Maya as possible," commanded Sanju. Varun did as he was told and got out of his jeep. He came back ten minutes later, with the worst news possible.
"The tow truck should be here in an hour."
"An hour?" I shrieked. "I am not sitting here for an hour."
Daksh cocked his eyebrow at me, in that way that he knew annoyed me to no extent. "Oh really? Then tell us Ms. Shekhawat, what exactly do you plan on doing?"
"Well if you must know, I plan on going for a walk."
"Where? Along the road? Do you also plan on getting hit by a car? Or a truck? Or a bus?"
"Shut up Daksh." Sarcastic ass, I thought.
"Okay, ignoring the sarcastic ass," began Sanju - it's like she really know me, "where exactly do you plan on going?"
I panicked as I looked around for a place, and then, the angels sang and shined a light on my savior for that night.
"There."
My friends turned to where I was pointing, only to see a forest.
"That's a jungle," remarked Daksh.
"No, it's a forest."
"Same thing!"
"Actually, jungles have more trees," Sanju piped up, in true Sanju fashion, always ready and willing spew facts and correct others. Everyone turned to look at her, and she immediately said, "Right, not the point here."
"Tans, there could be animals there. Like wolves and snakes," explained Daksh, trying to reason with me. "Or there could be people drunk off their asses who could try to hurt you."
"Daksh, I'm not a baby, I can take care of myself!"
Daskh rolled his eyes. "Sure you can." I let out a frustrated scream before getting out of the jeep.
"Nice job idiot," I heard Maya say, but Daksh merely ignored her comment.
"Should we go after them?" I heard a concerned Aliya ask. Them, who's them? I wondered, Is Daksh following me?
"Nah, they'll be fine," I heard Varun assure his sister.
Daksh was most definitely following me.
"I give them half an hour tops," I heard Kunal drawl. Wow, thanks Kunal, I thought, true friend, right there.
As I walked through the forest, I slapped my ankle, trying to hit the mosquito that was sucking the life out of me. "Stupid bugs," I grumubled, shooing them away with my hand. Soon, I started shivering because it was such a cool night. I rubbed my hands on my shoulders, trying to keep warm.
"I really wish I'd brought a jacket. But then again, I wasn't exactly planning on taking a walk through the forest!" I stepped on something squishy and cringed in disgust. I looked down and let out a breath of relief since it was just mud. Just as I took my foot out of the mud, I slipped on the wet grass - my tall wedges not helping the situation whatsoever - falling down the hill. I'm going to die, was what kept replaying in my head as I rolled down the hill. Once the rolling stopped, I opened my eyes and saw that I was sitting on someone.
Daksh.
I quickly got up and gave Daksh my hand, helping him up.
"You seriously came after me?"
"I always do." He smiled at me and I smiled back.
"So, how do we get back?"
"We'll just go the way I came." I nodded my head, following him. We walked in silence for a few minutes... until we heard a loud growling sound.
"Please tell me that that was your stomach!" pleaded Daksh.
My eyes widened in freight. "I was hoping to ask you the same thing!"
We looked at each other, panic evident in our eyes, and yelled, "RUN!"
We ran, and ran, and ran - okay, I fell like fifty times and eventually Daksh had to carry me because, hello, heels - and then stopped when we finally felt safe. Well, it was actually more like we were extremely out of breath, but let's go with that instead.
We sit on the muddy ground - this dress is going to be such a bitch to clean - face to face with Daksh having his legs spread out and me having one crossed over the other as we lean back. Our moment of peace is broken when Daksh asked, "Why do you have to be so stubborn?"
I raised an eyebrow, glaring at him. "Excuse me?"
Daksh continued as if my raised eyebrow and death glared meant nothing to him. "Why do you have to get yourself into stupid situations? Why don't you ever listen to me, or the others? Why do you always have to do what you want?"
"Are you done playing twenty questions with me?"
Daksh smirked. "That was only four questions."
"Wipe that smirk off your face Daksh Rathore or I'll smack it off!"
His smirk just got bigger.
We sat in silence once more, until I sighed in defeat. "Maybe it's because I like knowing that you have my back."
"What?" Daksh looked surprised, as scooted closer towards me.
"You know why I never think twice about all the stupid things I do?" I told him. "Well it's because I know you'll always be there for me, no matter what."
"Well, I like having your back. I like protecting you."
"Hey, I don't need to be protected!" Daksh raised an eyebrow at me, causing me to unwillingly admit, "Okay fine, maybe I do sort of need to be protected."
"Great, so I protect you, and the almighty force in the sky protects the innocent people of Earth from you, but who's going to protect me from you?" My eyes widened at his comment, earning him a hard smack on the chest.
"You are such a jerk!"
"See, this is why I need to be protected from you."
I got up in a huff, with every intention of walking away from Daksh in all his cocky, irritation glory - and possibly get lost along the way and regret all my life choices - when Daksh grabbed my wrist and pulled me down. We were nose to nose, Daksh and I. I could feel his hot breath fanning my face as he said, "Alright, I'm sorry. But come on, I did follow you into the jungle, which you so stupidly decide to insist is a forest."
I lightly punched him on the shoulder, a small smile on my face as I sat up straight, because despite being a cocky, irritating jerk, he was still Daksh, my Daksh, who I chose to love even though he made me want to tear my hair out.
Daksh chuckled, almost as if he could read my mind, taking a deep breath in - a clear sign that he was nervous about something.
"You know, tonight didn't exactly go as planned," he told me, my brows furrowing in confusion as to what he could've possibly meant. "See, there's this girl, and I love her more than anything else in the entire universe, and I had this big, elaborate, grand gesture planned to show her how I feel, except I never got the chance."
To say I was hurt would be putting it lightly. When Daksh had said that he was in love with someone, my mind immediately went to how he would never know how I felt, how it broke my heart that he would never be mine, and how being me, I'd keep it all in because I am a coward when it comes to my feelings.
I tried to give him a smile as I said, grinding my teeth together, "That's great, really, I'm so happy for you."
"Oh well, I can always try some other time."
"Yeah well, tonight didn't exactly go as I planned either!" I wanted to smack myself twice for that outburst. So much for keeping it all in.
"I was going to tell a certain someone how I'd been in love with him for the longest time. You actually know him pretty well."
I hoped Daksh would take the hint, but he didn't. Instead, he faked a smile - I could tell because he was biting the inside of his cheeks - and drawled, "Really now And who might this certain someone, who I apparently know, be?"
"Well, he's my best-friend for one. Always there for me, no matter what. He is supportive, and caring, and always wants the best for me."
"He sounds like a dream." Daksh was frowning, clearly wanting to talk about anything else.
"Yeah, he is. He also manages to get on my last nerve, before turning the whole argument around where I can't even stay mad at him anymore, and it frustrates me to no end, hefrustrates me to no end! But, I guess that's just what I love about him."
"Oh, so the guy of your dreams is just as bi-polar as you are, nice." And that, that right there, was the last straw. My patience had worn out and impulsiveness took over as I pinned Daksh to the ground, taking us both by surprise.
"Of all the idiotic morons in the world, why did Krishnaji decide to give me you as a best-friend?!"
"What the hell are you talking about?" His voice was barely above a whisper, he almost sounded breathless.
"I'm talking about that the fact that out of all the dumb things that I could possibly do, I go and fall hopelessly in love with you!"
Daksh's eyes widened at my outburst of a confession, as I sighed, half relieved to get that off my chest, but also embarrassed since I probably just ruined years of friendship, only because the one time I needed to keep my emotions all bottled up, I couldn't.
I was broken out of my thoughts when I felt something wet and disgusting under my back. I found myself looking up at Daksh, realizing that he had taken a page out of my book and pinned me to the ground. Suddenly, I found it hard to breathe, to look at Daksh and not think of my stupid behavior.
Daksh smiled, not smirked in that cocky way that I thought he would, saying 'aw, you have a crush on me,' but smiled, smiled wide and proud, as if he was the happiest person on the planet.
"You've said your part, now it's my turn," he said, his eyes not leaving mine. "Let me tell you about the girl that I am madly in love with."
I let out an outraged cry at his words, banging my fists on his chest, trying to get him to get off and let me go so that I can run away and never see him again. Also, possibly move to another planet - I heard that the moon was fantastic that time of year. Instead, Daksh stayed put as I glared at him.
"You have got to be fucking joking right now! I confess my undying love for you, and you decide that it's a wonderful time for you to be telling me about some girl that I probably don't even know, and how you're oh so in love with her, when you really should be letting me hightail out of here so I never have to face again. God, you are so insensitive, and quite possibly the biggest moron in the entire universe and I hate -"
I stopped talking once I realized that I was once again, nose to nose with Daksh, with his breath fanning my lips as he spoke.
"Would you please just listen to me for once?" His voice was tired, desperate, and clearly frustrated. I merely sighed, which he took as a signal to keep talking. "The girl that I'm in love with is crazy, she is absolutely insane, she constantly gets on my nerves and does this really annoying thing that even when she's wrong, she wins. Maybe that's why I've been ass-backwards in love with her for the past three years."
"So what you're saying is... the girl of your dreams is Harley Quinn?" Daksh shut his eyes, letting out a deep breath - something he only did when he needed to calm himself down.
"You're unbelievable," he scoffed, before sitting up and pulling me up with him.
"I'm unbelievable?! You -"
"And you seriously think I'm the stupid best-friend?"
"I mean you are -"
"I'm talking about you, Taani!"
That shut me right up.
"Me? Why me? What do I have to with anything?" I was ready to ramble on and on, but Daskh was having none of that then. Instead, he pulled me closer, placing his forehead against mine.
"I'm in love with you, you crazy woman! I love you - always have, always will."
"Oh." Yes, that's what I said after the love of my life told me he loved me. I'd kick myself too.
Daksh clearly had similar feelings. "Oh? That's all you can say?"
I didn't know what to say, how to react. I looked at Daksh, then at everything around us - dirt, mud, grass, the disgusting creation that is nature, basically. I buried my head in Daksh's chest, and burst out laughing.
"Look at us! We're insane! We're telling each how much we love one another through a series of insults and death glares, in a forest."
Daksh looked down at me, and soon started to laugh as well. "Yeah, we are pretty crazy. But just you know, this is a jungle."
I lifted my head up from his chest and looked at him incredulously. "Okay, dude, it's a forest."
"No, honey, I'm pretty sure it's a jungle."
"Okay, I haveve been your girlfriend for less than five minutes, and you're already arguing with me about something stupid and clearly not worth arguing about?"
"Only because I'm right." Daksh gave me the brightest of smiles, which I couldn't even appreciate because, hello, I was right! We could've sat there and argued - and later apologized before another argument took place - for hours.
Until we heard the lovely voices of our beloved friends that is.
"Quit your yapping!" shouted Maya, causing us to turn around and see her walking towards us with everyone else in tow.
"I'm happy for you guys and everything, but seriously, it's going to be so tiring to be friends with you," groaned Aliya.
"How did you guys even find us?" I asked.
"You guys are really loud," remarked Kunal.
"I give them half an hour tops," Sanju mimicked what Kunal had said, before slapping him upside the head. "Dumbass."
"Ow!" moaned Kunal, rubbing his head in pain.
"Dude, it was a hand, not a guitar, chill," said Varun.
"He has a very sensitive head," Maya informed him.
"Uh guys, I hate to break this up but, Taani and Daksh are gone again," said Aliya.
"What?!" the others all exclaimed, realizing that we were gone.
We laughed as we hid behind a tree.
"Our friends are crazy and annoying," I remarked.
"Yes, but they're also very stupid."
I giggled before looking into Daksh's eyes. "I'm sorry I took so long to figure out my feelings."
Dkash bit his lip as he looked at me sheepishly, rubbing his hand up and down the back of his neck. "I'm sorry I took so long to make a move." Tears streamed down my face as I hugged Daksh. "Here come the waterworks," he said playfully, causing me to laugh once again before our lips met.
"Here come the waterworks," I whisper, wiping away the tears streaming down my face... and that beautiful memory from my head.
A/N: So, this was a bitch to edit, it went up a good 1000 words or so. Um, as I mentioned, I do have some OCs here. Daksh, Kunal, Maya and Aliya are all OCs of mine, while Varun and Sanju, who I love with all my heart, are characters from a show called 'Best-Friends Forever?' As y'all probably know by now, I love Samridh Bawa, so in my head, he's definitely Daksh. Vishal Gandhi is who I imagine as Kunal, which might seem strange to some people, but in my head, it just works! Sana Saeed is literally the only one I can see as Maya, I don't even like her, she just seems to fit for a lot of my characters! As for Aliya, either Shritama Mukherjee, who is an absolute delight, or Sonia Balani, who is such a peach, could work. But, it's all up to your imaginations in the end, so imagine away!
Musical Inspiration: Sad Song by We The Kings (I always cry when I hear this song, no joke.)