The fire crackled softly, casting a warm glow on the group huddled around it on their last night in Shimla. The cool breeze carried with it the sound of laughter, as Mayank leaned back on his elbows, smirking.

"Let’s spice things up," Mayank said, his mischievous tone hinting at trouble. "Truth or Dare?"

Kush groaned. "Come on, Mayank. Are we in high school?"

Milli giggled, nudging Kush. "Relax, it’s just for fun."

Naina rolled her eyes but smiled. "Alright, I’m in. But don’t get too creative, Mayank."

The game began, with harmless questions and silly dares creating waves of laughter. But when it was Mayank’s turn, his gaze shifted to Naina. "Truth or dare?"

Naina squinted at him, suspicious. "Truth."

Mayank’s grin widened. "Alright. Who’s your biggest crush in college?"

She threw a pillow at him. "Like I’d ever tell you that!"

"Rules are rules," Mayank teased, dodging the pillow.

Naina huffed, her cheeks flushed. "Fine. It’s… it’s Rajeev from the cultural committee."

The group erupted in laughter, except for Mayank, who forced a smile, masking a flicker of disappointment.

As the game continued, the spotlight eventually returned to Mayank. This time, he chose dare.

Milli grinned wickedly. "I dare you to propose to Naina."

The group fell silent, all eyes on Mayank and Naina. For a moment, Mayank hesitated, but then he stood, brushing off imaginary dust from his jacket. "Challenge accepted."

Turning to Naina, he took her hand, his playful demeanor softening. "Naina," he said, his voice steady but sincere, "I know I tease you a lot, but I also know that your laughter is the sound I look forward to the most. Will you… be mine?"

The group whistled and clapped, but Naina’s expression was unreadable. She looked at Mayank, searching for something in his eyes, then pulled her hand away, laughing nervously. "Alright, dare completed. Happy now?"

The night went on, but Naina couldn’t shake off the strange flutter in her chest.

---

Later, as the group prepared to sleep, Naina sat alone by the window, her mind replaying Mayank’s words. A small part of her wished he had meant it, but she reminded herself it was all just a game.

The next morning, she overheard Milli and Mayank talking.

"Did you really mean what you said to Naina last night?" Milli asked, her tone teasing but curious.

Mayank hesitated. "It wasn’t just a dare, Milli. I’ve been meaning to tell her for weeks. I just… didn’t know how to say it."

Naina froze, her heart racing. She hadn’t expected this.

That evening, as they walked through the quiet trails near the guesthouse, Naina couldn’t hold back anymore. She turned to Mayank, her voice trembling. "Was it really true? Or was it just the game talking?"

Mayank stopped, looking at her with an intensity she hadn’t seen before. "I’ve never been more serious, Naina. I’ve liked you for a long time. Last night was the only push I needed to say it out loud."

Tears welled up in Naina’s eyes, a mixture of relief and happiness. "You idiot," she whispered, lightly punching his shoulder.

Mayank chuckled, pulling her into a warm hug. "I know. But I’m your idiot now."

"Pehla nasha, pehla khumaar,
Naya pyar hai, naya intezaar…"

The song played softly in the background of her mind as she let herself melt into the moment, realizing that sometimes, even a silly game could lead to the most unexpected confessions of the heart.