Love's Redemption♡

CHAPTER - 47

"Out of ignorance, I called you a homeland and I forgot homelands are taken away"
-- Mahmoud Darwish
---------------------------------------------------------
Present--

Vahni POV:

Vishal spins the bottle, and it lands on Vihaan. "Truth or dare, Vihaan?" Vishal asks.

Vihaan smirks. "Truth."

Vishal grins mischievously. "Okay, Vihaan, what's the one thing you're most proud of accomplishing?"

Vihaan thinks for a moment before responding. "I'm most proud of starting my own business. It was a huge risk, but it's paid off."

Now it's Vihaan's turn. He turns to me. "Truth or dare, Vahni?"

I hesitate for a moment before responding. "Truth."

Vihaan's eyes sparkle with amusement. "Okay, Vahni, if you could go back in time and give advice to your younger self, what would it be?"

I take a deep breath, my voice barely above a whisper. "Don't fall for someone who doesn't feel the same way. It's not worth the heartache and the tears."

Vihaan's expression turns serious, his eyes locked on mine. "Sounds like you're speaking from experience," he says, his voice low and husky.

Now it's my turn. I turn to Vanya. "Truth or dare, Vanya?"

Vanya's eyes light up with excitement. "Truth!"

I grin mischievously. "Okay, Vanya, what's the craziest thing you've ever done on a dare?"

Vanya thinks for a moment, a sly smile spreading across her face. "I once snuck into the school's auditorium at midnight and sang my favorite song on stage."

I laugh, impressed. "That's amazing! I had no idea you were so adventurous."

Now it's Vanya's turn. She turns to Vyara. "Truth or dare, Vyara?"

Vyara's eyes sparkle with excitement. "Dare!"

Vanya grins mischievously. "Okay, Vyara, I dare you to do a funny dance in front of everyone."

Vyara laughs, then gets up and starts doing a silly dance, complete with flailing arms and legs. We all burst out laughing, enjoying the show.

But as I watch Vyara dance, I can't help but sneak a glance at Vihaan, who's sitting across from me, a small smile on his face. My heart skips a beat as our eyes meet, and I quickly look away, feeling my face grow hot.

As we continue playing truth or dare, we lose track of time, and before we know it, the sun starts setting outside the train windows. Vanya looks at her watch and exclaims, "It's already dinner time!"

She starts distributing the food she had packed earlier, and we all sit down to eat in silence, savoring the delicious flavors. The food is a welcome break from the excitement of the game.

After dinner, we start getting ready for bed. Vyara claims the upper berth, while Vanya takes the other one. I settle into the lower berth, feeling grateful for the comfortable spot.

Vihaan takes the other lower berth, his eyes meeting mine for a brief moment before he looks away. Vishal takes the side berth, which is a bit smaller than the others.

I twist and turn, unable to sleep. As I shift, I feel myself losing balance. Suddenly, Vihaan's voice whispers in my ear, "You'll fall down."

I'm about to scream, but before I can make a sound, Vihaan's hand clamps over my mouth. I look up to see his face inches from mine, his eyes gleaming in the darkness.

"Shh, you'll wake everyone up," he whispers, his breath tickling my ear. "It's 3 am."

I try to pull away, but Vihaan's grip is firm. "What are you doing here?" I whisper back, trying to keep my voice steady.

Vihaan's voice is low and husky. "Can't sleep in trains."

The darkness seems to vibrate with tension as we lie there, our faces close together. Then Vihaan whispers again.

"Earlier, the advice you gave... did you mean it?"

My heart skips a beat as I realize what he's referring to. I take a deep breath before responding, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes, I did. With all my heart."

Vihaan's eyes seem to bore into mine, as if searching for something. The air between us is charged with tension, and I can feel my heart pounding in my chest.

"Why?" he whispers, his voice low and husky.

I swallow hard, trying to find my voice. "Because I know how it feels to fall for someone who doesn't feel the same way," I say, my voice barely above a whisper.

Vihaan's expression is unreadable, but I can sense a flicker of emotion in his eyes. He knows exactly what I'm talking about.

The silence between us is palpable, thick with unspoken words and unresolved emotions. Vihaan's eyes hold mine, and for a moment, it feels like time has stopped.

Then, without a word, Vihaan reaches out and gently brushes a strand of hair out of my face. His touch sends shivers down my spine, and I feel my heart skip a beat.

I look up at him, searching for answers in his eyes. But his expression is still unreadable, leaving me wondering what he's thinking, what he's feeling.

Vihaan's hand lingers on my face for a moment, and then he pulls it back, his eyes never leaving mine. Without a word, he turns to leave, but then pauses, looking back at me.

"If you got a chance to love that person again," he asks, his voice low and husky, "would you?"

I feel a pang in my heart, and I know I have to lie. I don't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing that I still have feelings for him.

"No," I say, trying to sound convincing. "I wouldn't."

Vihaan's eyes narrow slightly, as if he's trying to read my expression. For a moment, I think he's going to call me out on my lie. But then, he just nods, and turns to walk away, leaving me feeling confused and vulnerable.

---------------------------------------------------------
HAPPY READINGGGG 🧸🎉