Anaya sat curled up on the cold bathroom floor, the sound of the running tap drowning out her muffled sobs. Her chest ached with every breath, her thoughts spiraling. The shimmering dress still hung on her cupboard door — no longer a symbol of magic, but a cruel reminder of everything she had hoped for.
Her phone buzzed beside her.
A message from Aarav.
> "I can't wait to see you tomorrow. I hope you'll wear the dress… I've planned something special. Just for you."
She stared at the screen, her expression unreadable. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, trembling. But no words came.
Just silence.
And the echo of the video.
Aarav's laughter.
The crowd.
The dare.
"Make her your girlfriend in a month."
The words looped in her mind like a nightmare she couldn't wake from.
She didn't reply.
She couldn't.
Meanwhile — Aarav's Room
Aarav paced restlessly, holding a notecard with scribbled lines. His confession. He rehearsed it in front of the mirror for the tenth time, adjusting his blazer.
He messaged Rohan:
> "Bro, do you think she'll like it? I just want her to feel special."
Rohan replied a minute later:
> "If it's Anaya, she will. But don't screw up — she's been hurt enough."
Aarav smiled, a nervous but hopeful one. He didn't know that a storm had already begun to stir — one he hadn't prepared for.
Back to Anaya — Late Night
The silence in her hostel room grew unbearable.
She finally picked up her phone and called the one person who had always seen through her — Mira.
As soon as Mira answered, Anaya's voice cracked.
Between gasps and tears, she told her everything — the call from the unknown number, the video, Nitya's words, and how her heart now sat in shattered pieces.
For a moment, Mira said nothing. Then her voice came — calm but firm.
"Anaya… don't believe a one-sided video. You know how easy it is to twist moments out of context. Think. Has Aarav ever treated you like a dare?"
Anaya fell quiet.
Mira continued, "If you really want to know the truth, ask him. Look him in the eye. You'll know if it was real."
The sun rose over a quiet city, casting golden light through the curtains of Aarav's room. Today was the day.
Sunday.
The day he'd waited for.
The day he would tell her.
The day everything could change.
Aarav double-checked every detail on his phone — the table reservation, the flowers, the background music playlist, the gift box with her favorite chocolates. Even the white rose was kept in a water-filled glass so it would stay fresh until evening.
He looked at himself in the mirror, nervous but determined. "Tonight," he whispered to his reflection, "I'll tell her everything."
Meanwhile… Across Town
Nitya sipped her morning coffee with a smug smile on her lips.
She had barely slept, too excited by her own victory.
Anaya must have seen the video. The hurt must have sunk in. There was no way she'd go to the date now.
"Why would she?" Nitya muttered to herself. "She's been humiliated again. And this time, I didn't even have to lie."
She scrolled through her messages, half-expecting Aarav to cancel the plan or mention something had gone wrong. But there was nothing.
Still, she smiled.
In her mind, the plan had worked.
Aarav would wait.
Anaya wouldn't show up.
And heartbreak would follow.
Just like she wanted.
The Cliffhanger:
The next evening. 6:45 PM.
Pearl Garden glowed under the soft sparkle of fairy lights. Lanterns swayed gently in the breeze. Rooftop seating, candlelit tables, and soft music created the perfect setting.
Aarav stood near the entrance, dressed sharp in charcoal grey. In his hand, a single white rose — delicate and full of meaning.
7:00 PM.
He smiled every time the door opened.
7:10 PM.
He checked his phone. No messages. His grip on the rose tightened slightly.
7:20 PM.
His heart began to race — not with excitement now, but fear.
Then — footsteps.
He turned, holding his breath.
And there she was.
But was it Anaya?
Or someone else who would change everything?