Pearl Pov:
The library was quiet—too quiet. The kind of silence where even thoughts echoed.
Pearl sweep her fingers across the dusty book spines until something caught her eye.A thick, leather-bound journal with gold lettering that shimmered under the dim light:
"Truth or Dare – open it if you can"
Pearl (murmuring): "Okay, cool title. Not dramatic at all."
She looked over her shoulder. Vansh was standing a few feet away, arms crossed, already bored.
Pearl: "Wanna play?"
Vansh: "With you? I'd rather sleep on library dusty carpet"
Pearl (mock hurt): "Aww. That's the most romantic thing anyone's ever said to me."
She flipped open the book. The pages were blank at first, then suddenly—ink bled onto the page like it was alive.
Player 1: Pearl. Truth or Dare?(it was written on book lines were automatically visible)
Pearl (eyes wide): "Okay, what the—did you see that?!"
Vansh (stepping closer): "Some dumb library prank. Calm down, drama queen."
Pearl (grinning): "Fine. Truth."wandering soul
Truth: Do you think about someone from your class before sleeping?(question arises in the book which pearl is holding)
She hesitated. Vansh leaned over her shoulder.
Vansh (smirking): "Well? Is it Aarav sir? Please say it's Aarav sir."
Pearl (flushed, shoving him): "Shut up. It's definitely not you, if that's what you're dreaming of."(why he is so close to me?)
Vansh: "You're the one blushing, not me."
The page glowed faintly and flipped on its own.
Player 2: Vansh. Truth or Dare?(question 2 visible to both of them)
He narrowed his eyes at the page.
Vansh: "Dare."
Pearl: "Of course. Too scared to open up, huh?"Mr.introvert!
Vansh: "Just don't trust cursed paper with my secrets."
Dare: Compliment the person beside you without sarcasm.(dare visible on the book for vansh)
Pearl froze.
Vansh: "Seriously?"
Pearl (smirking): "C'mon. Say something nice. I dare you."
Vansh (sighs): "Fine… You're… not as annoying as I thought."
Pearl: "Was that… an actual compliment from the Great Wandering soul?"
Vansh: "Don't get used to it."
Pearl (grinning): "Aww, did you just flirt with me through an insult? Cute."
Vansh (deadpan): "Trust me, if I ever flirted with you, you'd write a whole novel about it."
Pearl: (w-what why my heart is beating so fast something is happeing in my stomach oh god this boy )
Book flips again.
final challenge or dare: Both players must hold hands for 30 seconds… or the game resets.
Pearl (backing up): "Okay nope. This book is plotting against me."
Vansh: "We don't do this, it restarts. Do you really wanna go through another one of those truths?"
They both hesitate.
Pearl: "This is so stupid."
Vansh (holding out his hand): "Then it should be easy."
She stares at it. Rolls her eyes. Takes it.
Silence.
Their hands don't just touch—they fit. Warm. Steady. Too still.
Pearl (teasing, trying to distract herself): "Are you shaking? Aww. Cute."
Vansh: "You talk way too much."
Pearl (softly): "But you're still holding on."
Vansh (quiet): "you know what either you shut up or i'll make you shut up"
Pearl: Like you can huhh (w-what he just said oh my mind pearl calm down he is just messing with you nothing else)
Vansh(smirking) : Yes i can but you are not ready for that drama queen!
The book glows once more. A new line fades into view:
Some truths can only be revealed when you stop pretending to hate the answers