Game

!!Story Time!!

Gulafsha spun the bottle, and everyone leaned in with anticipation. It finally came to a stop—pointing directly at Divya.

She smiled and straightened up. "Alright," she said. "Ask away."

"Tell us something about yourself," someone said, "and your best friend."

Divya paused, thinking for a moment, then pointed to the girl sitting beside her. "Well, my best friend is none other than this girl with glasses right here."

Radhika immediately interjected with mock outrage, "Excuse me! My name is *Radhika*, not 'this girl with glasses.'"

Divya laughed, "Alright, alright, Radhika it is."

She looked around playfully. "Now, what would you like to know about me and Radhika?"

Ishika jumped in, a teasing glint in her eyes. "Well, in every series we watch, all the girls have boyfriends. So, if either of you have someone special, this is the time to confess."

"I have a boyfriend," Divya said with a shrug. "But she doesn't have." She jerked her thumb toward Radhika with a wicked grin.

Radhika rolled her eyes.

"Don't be shy," Ishika coaxed. "We won't tell anyone, promise."

Divya leaned back and chuckled. "Oh, she's not shy. The moment you spend five minutes with her, you'll know just how wild she really is. And no—she doesn't have a boyfriend."

Radhika inhaled deeply, then spoke, her voice unusually calm. "I don't believe in love—not anymore. I used to have a crush… but thank God I didn't fall any deeper. That guy turned out to be nothing special."

Her tone hardened slightly. "Right now, my priority is success. I have to build something for my parents, fight for the life they deserve. Love can wait. It's complicated anyway. Just look at *her*."

She gestured at Divya.

Divya threw up her hands. "Don't drag me into this! I'm *happy* in my relationship, thank you very much."

Radhika pushed her glasses slightly down the bridge of her nose, casting a sly sideways glance. "Are you really, though?"

Divya turned her face away, feigning innocence. "Can we just spin the bottle already? Who's next?"

Radhika gave a knowing smile and nudged the bottle again. It spun, twirling wildly before landing on Khushi.

"Well, Khushi?" Radhika asked. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare," Khushi answered confidently.

Radhika's eyes lit up. "Alright. I dare you to walk up to the girl sitting behind me, say *'I love you'*, and kiss her on the cheek."

A collective gasp and a chorus of "Oooooooooh!" filled the room.

"Saying 'I love you' is one thing," Khushi protested, laughing nervously, "but kissing? Isn't that a bit much?"

"Nope," Radhika smirked. "That's the challenge."

Gulafsha, sitting beside her, leaned in and patted her back. "Looks like someone's entering her villain era," she whispered. "Khushi, don't hold back."

Khushi flipped her hair dramatically. "I'm no less than anyone else. Watch this."

More cheers and teasing laughter erupted as Khushi approached the girl she'd been chatting with earlier. She leaned in close, lowered her voice, and said, "Hey… there's something I've been meaning to tell you."

"I… I love you."

Before the other girl could even react, Khushi planted a soft kiss on her cheek.

"What are you doing? Have you lost your mind?" the girl asked in disbelief. "That was just a dare! Don't take me seriously."

A second of silence.

Then the girl smiled and whispered back, "Baby, I love you too."

"What—?"

Before Khushi could respond, the girl leaned forward and kissed *her* on the cheek.

The room exploded with laughter and cheers.

"Ooooooooooooh! Now the score's even!"

Just then, another voice chimed in. "Can I play too?"

Radhika turned around, grinning. "Of course! Come on in!"

Khushi smiled and looked at the new girl. "And what's your name?"

The girl smiled playfully. "My name's Akansha," she said, her tone hinting at mischief.

😉

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