It Started with a Friend Request

by Nagarkar, Sudeep

  I thank Akash, Aleesha, and Kritika, and that moment in Goa when Aleesha convinced me to write about her love story with all its imperfections. The idea struck us when we were lazying on the beach and Kritika suddenly exclaimed, ‘Somebody should seriously think about scripting our lives. It’s so filmy!’ Thank you for convincing me to give it a shot. I hope I have done justice to your story.

  I thank Saurabh More for convincing Akash to reveal the truth, even though he feared his mom would be against it. Eventually, we convinced his mom too! Love you Kaki.

  This book wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Aisha Shah who stood by me even when her son Mohsin was writing his exams.

  To Mrunmayee, for handling my mood swings. You are a sweetheart! To Dipika Tanna and Reeda Dalwai for reviewing the script at Rajnikanth’s pace as many times as I requested them. To Swati Chaure for boosting my morale throughout the journey. To Hetal Bhanushali for helping me finalize the title and Priyanka Dhasade for being her sophisticated self, always.

  Thank you to my grandparents—Sulbha and Divakar Palimkar—for your constant support and blessings.

  Thanks to Shalini Katyal and Diksha Babbar for being the sweetest friends and motivating me during my rough phase.

  Thanks to Zankrut Oza, Narendra Singh, Manik Jaiswal, and RJ Jeeturaaj for their selfless promotions.

  To the people who really matter—mom, dad, and my sister Shweta for their humble support. Love you all!

  To God, for being kind to me when it comes to my writing.

  My extended family on Twitter and Facebook.

  Thanks to Milee Ashwarya, Gurveen Chadha, and the entire team at Random house India for always answering my crazy questions.

  I am extremely sorry if I have missed out a few names, but each one who is reading this holds a special place in my heart. Love you forever and hamesha!

  A Note on the Author

  Sudeep Nagarkar is the author of two bestselling novels—Few Things Left Unsaid (2011) and That’s the Way We Met (2012).

  Sudeep’s books are inspired from real life incidents. They have been translated into regional languages and continue to top the bestseller charts.

  He has a degree in Electronics Engineering from Mumbai University and is currently pursuing management studies from Welingkar Institute of Management. He is also a motivational speaker and has given guest lectures in various institutes and organizations. He resides in Mumbai.

  You can get in touch with Sudeep via:

  Facebook: www.facebook.com/sudeep.nagarkar

  Twitter: www.twitter.com/sudeep_nagarkar

  Facebook fan page: www.facebook.com/sudeep-nagarkarfanpage

  Email: sudeepnagarkar@gmail.com