S A C R I F I C E

C H A P T E R - 5

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Sanjay tried to lunge at me again, but before he could, Siya was there. Her arms wrapped around me from behind, pulling me away, trying to stop the fight. Her touch, gentle but firm, somehow managed to still the storm raging inside me, even if just for a moment.

She dragged me away, but I wasn't paying attention to where we were going. My focus was entirely on her hand gripping mine, leading me with a strange kind of urgency, almost... concern. My mind raced, clouded with questions I couldn't shake. Why is she holding me like this? What about her boyfriend, Veenu? Why does she care?

I swallowed hard, trying to push down the confusion swirling inside me. The silence between us felt thick, heavy with unspoken words. When we finally stopped, I blinked and realized we were on the rooftop, the cool breeze hitting my face. But none of that mattered. All I could think about was the way her hand lingered on mine.

The rooftop at night felt like a world apart, detached from the chaos below. The sky stretched out like an endless canvas, dotted with faint stars that flickered through the urban glow. A soft breeze whispered through the air, the moon hung low, casting a pale silver light over everything, making the rooftop glow in a soft, almost ethereal way. Shadows danced across the surface, long and subtle, creating a sense of mystery. The air smelled faintly of concrete and distant greenery, a strange mix of urban and nature mingling in the night.

I sat on the ground, legs crossed, facing the soft glow of the moon. Siya joined me quietly, mirroring my position. A peaceful silence settled between us, not the awkward kind, but one filled with unspoken understanding, as we absorbed everything that had happened. I was hurting, filled with regret for the choices I had made. Slowly, I turned to look at Siya.

She was gazing at the moon, her delicate features illuminated in the soft, silver light. Like always, I found it impossible to take my eyes off her. Her baby-soft face, the way the moonlight danced across her skin, captivated me. I allowed myself to study her in that moment of silence, trying to memorize every detail.

And then, her hazel eyes shifted to mine. She sighed, her gaze soft yet searching, like she was trying to read my thoughts, my emotions, without me having to say a word.

That's when I felt it—a tightness in my chest, a swelling behind my eyes. Tears. Why am I crying? I didn't know if I was crying for her, for myself, or for everything that had happened. I bit my lip, trying to hold it all in, but the tears wouldn't stop. Before I could fight it, they spilled over, and I broke down. The walls I had built so carefully crumbled as I sobbed, no longer able to hold back the storm of emotions that had been raging inside me.

She had to be the first girl to ever see me cry like this. Embarrassment flooded over me as I realized I was breaking down in front of her, something I'd only ever done in my mother's arms. I swallowed hard, trying to pull myself together, and whispered a soft, shaky "sorry" to her.

To my surprise, without hesitation, she pulled me halfway into her embrace, one arm wrapping around me while her other hand gently patted my head. I was too stunned to speak, the softness of her touch and the warmth of her body silencing any words I could have said. Slowly, I wrapped my arm around her waist, feeling the gentleness of her skin against mine, and for a moment, everything else faded away.

I forgot the reality of her dating someone else—the thought of that nerd who had taken her heart was gone. All I could focus on was this moment, her warmth, her comfort, and the strange sense of peace that settled over me, like I had found my home in her arms. A whisper echoed through my heart, telling me that I was safe, that this was where I belonged, if only for now.