"A truth that no one knows is still the truth." - Sharon Shinn

"TRUTH or dare, Vyas?" Siya asked with a teasing smile, though genuine curiosity hid behind her playful tone.

Sidharth leaned back, his eyes narrowing as he considered his options. "Truth," he finally replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

He had no desire to end up doing one of the ridiculous dares that had filled the evening, like shirtless push-ups or an awkward dance routine. He especially noted how Siya was annoyed by her boyfriend's antics but hadn't yet called him out.

Siya, who was also Sana's close friend, knew exactly what to ask. "Do you still want revenge on Sana for bruising your ego?" she asked, her voice light, but her gaze was sharp.

For a moment, silence fell over the group, eyes flicking between Sidharth and Sana. The tension in the air was unmistakable.

Sidharth's gaze shifted toward Sana, and their eyes met across the fire. For a second, it felt like the world had shrunk, leaving only the two of them caught in an intense, quiet stare.

Sana's heart raced, waiting for his answer. "Tell me, Sidharth. Do you still want revenge? Should I stay away from you?" she wondered, holding her breath.

Sidharth finally spoke, his voice steady. "At first, I did." He paused, letting his words hang in the air. "But now I don't."

Sana felt her heart skip a beat. There was something so simple yet sincere about his response, making her smile softly.

Sidharth continued, his tone lightening. "After learning about her love for her grandfather, revenge felt... unnecessary. But don't get me wrong." He threw a smirk in her direction, leaving the rest unspoken.

Ram, however, wasn't convinced. "What changed?" he asked, his tone challenging as he leaned forward, trying to read Sidharth's expression.

Sidharth's eyes flicked to Ram, his gaze turning steely. "I'm not answerable to you, Thakur," he replied coldly. "And besides, Siya only gets one question."

Ram's jaw tightened, but he nodded, letting it go. "I still don't trust him," he thought, studying Sidharth with suspicion.

The game continued, with Sana spinning the bottle next. It stopped on Kartik, one of Sidharth's friends.

"Before you ask, dare," Kartik jumped in confidently.

Sana smirked, seizing the moment. "I dare you to belly dance, Kartik."

Kartik gaped at her, not expecting the turn of events. "I'm not doing that," he protested, looking at her in shock.

"Oh, you are." Julia chimed in, her eyes glinting. "And don't forget to lose the t-shirt. People need the full experience, you know."

The group erupted in laughter as Kartik's face turned a deep shade of red. Even Sidharth chuckled, amused by the payback. Sana's choice was especially satisfying; after all, Kartik had been the mastermind behind making Julia do the belly dance on their first day in college.

"I hate you all," Kartik muttered, stripping off his t-shirt with a dramatic sigh.

"Now, dance!" Julia demanded, barely holding back laughter.

Sighing in defeat, Kartik awkwardly wiggled his hips to the beat, his moves drawing cheers and laughter from the crowd. Julia and Siya took it upon themselves to critique his form and posture, turning it into a full performance.

"Come on, Kartik. Don't be a crybaby," Sidharth teased, wiping a tear from laughing.

Kartik shot him a glare. "I'm getting you all back for this, mark my words."

"Try me," Sidharth shot back, his voice light but challenging.

"You'll see," Kartik muttered, flopping back into his seat with a grumpy expression, while everyone else was still chuckling.

Sana couldn't help but chime in. "Now you know how Julia felt that day." Her eyes glinted with a mix of satisfaction and anger, a warning for Kartik not to mess with her friends again.

"You're on my list too," he shot back, glaring.

He felt humiliated.

Sana feigned terror, hiding behind Julia. "Oh no, I'm so scared!" she mock-whispered, breaking into laughter as the rest of the group joined in.

Sidharth watched her with a hint of a smile. "She's really something else," he thought, catching the flash of resentment in Kartik's eyes. The same resentment he himself had once harbored but had now let go. He made a mental note to keep an eye on Kartik.

The atmosphere settled down, and it was finally Julia's turn. She had been waiting all night for this, and when she spun the bottle, it landed precisely where she'd hoped-on Ram.

Her eyes lit up with mischief. "Truth or dare, Ram?" she asked, her tone deceptively sweet.

Ram eyed her cautiously. "Dare," he said after a pause, thinking it would be safer than answering any personal question she might have about his feelings for Siya.

Julia's smirk grew wider. "Perfect."

She leaned back, pretending to think for a moment. "I dare you to kiss the most beautiful girl here. On the lips."

Ram's eyes widened in disbelief as he glanced at her, recognizing the trap. "Julia..." he started, but she merely raised an eyebrow, waiting.

"This girl..." he thought to himself, frustrated yet cornered. Julia knew him too well-she knew who he found the most beautiful, and he hated her for it. Glancing around the circle, he inevitably found his eyes settling on Siya. She gave him an innocent smile, completely unaware of the storm brewing within him.

Julia clapped, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Come on, Ram! We're waiting!"

The group's cheering grew, but a few people stayed noticeably silent-Sana, Sidharth Kapoor, and Siya.

Kapoor's jaw clenched as he observed Ram's hesitation. He knew Ram had feelings for Siya and that was precisely why he disliked him. He didn't trust Ram's intentions.

"If he even thinks of kissing her, he'll regret it," he thought, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

Ram swallowed, painfully aware of Kapoor's icy gaze. He had no choice but to move forward, even if it meant facing his wrath.

"For me, Siya is the most beautiful girl," he said sincerely. "But she's my best friend, and she has a boyfriend. So, I'm not going to kiss her."

Siya smiled warmly, visibly touched by his words. Meanwhile, Sidharth relaxed, a small smirk appearing on his face. Julia, however, looked disappointed.

Then Ram's gaze turned to Sana. He moved towards her, meeting her eyes with a hint of nervousness. "Sana," he began, his voice soft but determined. "You're beautiful, inside and out. Can I...kiss you?"

Sana's eyes widened in surprise. This was definitely not part of Julia's plan, but she could feel Sidharth's gaze burning into her, his irritation evident. An idea sparked within her, a chance to get a reaction out of him.

"Sure," she replied with a calm smile, ignoring Julia's shock and focusing on Sidharth's reaction.

Sidharth's fists clenched, his gaze hardening as he watched Ram lean in closer to Sana. His hands curled into tight fists, fighting the impulse to drag Ram away.

Ram cupped Sana's face, gently pressing his lips to hers for a brief, almost hesitant kiss. But as he pulled back, Sana grabbed his collar, pulling him into a second, longer kiss. She felt the tension leave Ram as he gave in, while Sidharth's stare grew even darker.

Sana could practically feel the heat radiating from Sidharth's glare. Her plan had worked, and she deepened the kiss, knowing it would rile him up.

"Enough!" Both Sidharth and Siya shouted at the same time, causing the two to break apart.

Sidharth's face was a mask of fury, and Siya's expression mirrored it, directed toward Ram. Julia, however, was beaming. Her plan had turned out better than expected.

"I just wanted to see if Siya would get jealous, seeing Ram kiss someone else. But I didn't expect Vyas would get jealous watching Sana kissing Ram. Interesting... very interesting," Julia thought with satisfaction.

Sana and Ram immediately pulled back, exchanging a quick smile. Sana winked at Ram, catching the way Siya glared at her, her eyes still full of fire. But Sana ignored Siya's anger and turned her attention to Sidharth. He was already on his feet, striding toward her-or maybe toward Ram-with unmistakable fury.

Ram gave a small nod and stood, intending to go back to his place. As he turned, however, he found Sidharth standing directly in his path, towering over him with a barely restrained scowl.

"Any problem?" Ram asked, his voice steady.

"No," Sidharth replied coldly.

With a hard shove, Sidharth brushed past Ram, causing him to stumble. Siya quickly grabbed Ram's arm, steadying him before he could fall.

"You okay?" Siya asked, her voice still edged with irritation, though her concern for Ram was clear.

Ram nodded, smiling briefly. But as his gaze shifted to Sidharth, who was glaring at him with unmasked hostility, his smile faded. He noticed Siya's anger simmering as well, though her focus was on Sidharth, her jaw set tightly.

"Siya, come here," Sidharth ordered, his tone sharp.

But Siya ignored him, pulling Ram with her instead. Sidharth followed closely behind, clearly fuming as he watched her continue to ignore him.

Without warning, Sidharth stopped in front of Sana, his expression dark and his gaze fixed firmly on her. Sana felt a shiver of nervousness under the intensity of his stare. Maybe pushing him like this was a mistake, she thought, her confidence faltering.

Before she could react, Sidharth seized her hand, pulling her to her feet and tugging her along with him. Sana gasped in surprise as he steered her forcefully away from the group and toward the forest.

"Sidharth... Sana..." Julia and the rest of Sidharth's friends called after them, but he ignored them entirely.

"Sidharth, the forest-" she began, trying to pull back slightly, but he silenced her with a quick, sharp look.

"Just shut up," he snapped, his voice low and simmering with frustration.

Sana fell silent, her heart pounding as they moved deeper into the woods, the sounds of the group fading behind them.

"Why did you bring me here?" Sana asked, glancing around, realizing Sidharth had taken her back to the secluded spot from the night before-the place they'd spent hours talking and clearing the air between them.

"I'm talking to you." Her voice held an edge of frustration, but it wavered as he remained silent, staring at her with a fire she hadn't seen before. When he nudged her down onto the log, she blinked up at him in surprise. "Sidharth?"

"Shut up." His words were sharp, raw with anger, and he didn't break eye contact as he stepped back, only to run a hand through his hair in frustration.

"But,"

"Why did you let him kiss you?" His voice was low, but each word was laced with an anger that could cut glass.

Sana tried to shrug, fighting to appear casual. "It was a dare, and Ram asked for my help. We're friends," she replied lightly, hoping to ease his mood, though her own heart pounded, realizing how much she had pushed him. She knew the jealousy was real but hadn't expected him to confront her so directly.

"Don't play games with me," he shot back, stepping closer. "How dare you kiss him, Sana?"

A flicker of a smirk crossed her lips as she looked up at him, eyes challenging. "Why, Sidharth? Were you...jealous or something?"

He scoffed, but his jaw clenched, his eyes flashing. "Or sometime," he repeated sarcastically, crossing his arms as if daring her to keep playing with him.

Her heart skipped at his unexpected admission, but she quickly masked her surprise. Of course, she'd seen the way he was acting earlier. But still...to hear him admit it was different, catching her off guard. Her breath caught as she glanced down, nerves and excitement mingling in her chest.

"I can't believe you,' she whispered, breathless.

Before she could even process, he took a step forward, his fingers grazing her knee as he parted her legs slightly and moved into the space between. Her breath hitched as his hand traced up her thigh, his gaze burning into hers, leaving her unable to look away.

"Believe me, babygirl. I was jealous,"' he murmured, his voice barely a whisper, but it carried an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine.

"I was so angry and irritated... wanted to punch Thakur, maybe even slap you,' he admitted, his tone both raw and unapologetic.

She looked up at him in shock. "You wanted to slap me?"

He nodded, eyes fixed on her. "Yes.!"

"Why?" Her voice came out in a whisper, laced with a mix of curiosity and disbelief.

His fingers trailed slowly along her exposed thigh, igniting every nerve under his touch. She closed her eyes, biting her lip as his hand moved over her skin with deliberate slowness. Despite herself, she couldn't help surrendering to the intensity of his touch--it was intoxicating, a dangerous blend of possessiveness and desire.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she felt a thrill at his words.

He's possessive about me.

A faint smile crossed her lips, even as she felt his mouth press roughly against her neck, each kiss marked with raw possessiveness.

"I don't raise my hands on women," he whispered near her ear before biting down on her neck hard enough to make her gasp. She clutched his arms for support, her breath coming fast.

"But you pushed me to that edge with your stupid stunt--trying to make me jealous." His voice held an accusatory note, piercing through her daze. "Kissing Ram... just to get a reaction out of me? Well, congratulations, Sana. You got what you wanted."

A smile twitched at her lips, though she tried to suppress it. She knew he'd caught on to her plan, but before she could respond, he pulled her closer, his body pressing firmly against hers, and she gasped as he held her there.

"Sidharth..." she moaned, arching into him as he dragged her flush against his body.

He closed his eyes for a moment to enjoy the way she took her name. "Say my name," he demanded.

"Sidharth," she mumbled softly, her voice breathless.

Fuck! I loved it.

"Fuck my thighs, babygirl,' he commanded, and she obeyed.

Her body moving instinctively, each shift making her breaths come quicker. Her fingers slipped up around his neck, and her face flushed as he leaned in close, lips brushing her ear.

"This is what you wanted, isn't it?" he murmured, his voice a deep, teasing whisper. "You wanted to get fucked by your bully?"

"Yes," she breathed, eyes half-closed as she tilted her head back, offering him more access. Her thoughts were a blur as he pressed kisses along her neck, his touch both rough and dangerously addictive.

"You want me, don't you?" he taunted, his lips pressing against her throat.

"Yes... Sidharth," she moaned, the words spilling out, all her defenses stripped away. "I want you."

"Such a desperate girl you are, Sana," he taunted, though his hands didn't let up as they moved over her skin, his grip intensifying her desire.

Her body reacted instinctively, her hips moving faster, chasing the release that felt so close.

And then, just as she reached the peak, her body beginning to shake, he suddenly pulled back. The abruptness left her breathless, caught between a sigh and a gasp, her eyes flying open as she looked up at him, frustrated.

"You're such a jerk, you know that?" she scowled, cheeks flushed, her voice sharp with irritation.

A smirk pulled at his lips, his eyes glinting. "Now you know how I felt, watching you let him kiss you. Angry, irritated.." He leaned down close, his voice dropping to a growl. "So angry, I wanted to punch him and fuck that pretty little mouth of yours that dared to kiss another man, when we had an agreement."

She took in his words, her irritation flaring again as she straightened, meeting his gaze. "I still haven't said yes to your 'offer so no--you don't get to make claims like that." Her tone was defiant. "And for your information, it was just a simple dare to help my friend. Nothing to be pissed about."

His smirk only grew, eyes narrowing. "You still don't get it, do you?"

She crossed her arms, her irritation obvious. "No, I don't."

His hand shot out, tangling in her hair, pulling her closer. "Fine," he whispered, his voice low and challenging. "I can't kill Ram, but I can make sure you never forget who you belong to."

His grip tightened slightly, and her breath caught.

✿✿✿

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