Chapter 22: Pages That Burn

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💬
"Some secrets aren't written to be read... but to be felt."

Intro

Under the stars, Siddharth finally opens Vidhu's diary. Every page drags him deeper into her heart — her pain, her laughter, her battles, her forbidden feelings. The girl who always said "two different worlds" suddenly speaks truths she never dared in daylight. And Siddharth realizes: her diary is not just words. It's her soul.

🌌 Rooftop – Night

Siddharth lay flat on the cold tiles, staring at the diary clutched to his chest. His breath was ragged, his mind a storm.

Return it unopened, he told himself. Be decent. Be the man she deserves.

But his fingers shook as he flipped it open anyway.

📖 The First Page

"Day 1, Yogamaya... He made me stand on the bench in front of everyone. I swore I'd hate him forever. Arrogant professor, thinks the world bows to him.

Siddharth's lips parted, his throat closing.

"She hated me... from day one," he whispered, eyes burning.

📖 Page After Page

He turned pages like a starving man.

"Today in the café... I called him heartless. But then guilt wouldn't let me sleep. I apologized. Why do I even care if he forgives me? Why do his eyes follow me in my dreams?"

"In class... when he smiled once, I forgot the equation on the board. Why does my world blur when he's near? Am I sick? Or just stupid?"

Siddharth shut his eyes, pressing the book to his forehead. "Vidhu..."

📖 The Confession Night Entry

"He confessed. He said he loves me. My Siddharth sir, who stands like a storm in front of the world... trembled when he spoke to me. I wanted to scream yes, I wanted to hold his hand... instead, I froze. Instead, I hurt him. Inside, my heart was dancing. Why do I feel like I betrayed myself?"

Siddharth shut his eyes, breath ragged. His fingers trembled over the ink. "You... wanted to say yes..." he whispered, almost breaking.

He flipped again.
📖 The Smudged Page

The next entry was blurred, the ink warped into faint water stains.

"I keep saying we are from two different worlds. I keep hurting him with those words. But how do I manage myself when I turn soft around him? How do I stop myself from falling... when I already feel like I'm halfway there?"

Siddharth's thumb traced the faded blotches. His chest ached. "You cried while writing this... and I wasn't there."

His breath hitched. He nearly dropped the diary.

"That day... she said it to my face. Two different worlds. And then she came here and cried into these pages..."

His chest burned. He could feel her tears dried into the paper.

📖 The Library Night Entry

"He asked me... why my heartbeat runs with his. I lied. I said it doesn't. My hand was shaking so badly I thought he'd hear it. My heart betrayed me every second he stood close. Why can't I admit it? Why am I so scared?"

Siddharth pressed the page to his forehead, his voice breaking. "Your heart told me everything that day. You didn't have to say it."

📖 Her Pain

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