Theatre of Hearts (Short Story)

 Theatre of Hearts

“Sometimes, pretending becomes real…”

Aditi Sharma had never stepped on a stage in her life. Her hands trembled at the thought of speaking in front of a crowd. But when her professor suggested joining the college drama club to overcome her fear, she reluctantly agreed—telling herself it was just a small role, maybe a tree in the background.

Instead, she was cast as the female lead.

Opposite Aditya Mehra, the most arrogant, talented, and annoyingly charming actor on campus.

"You forgot your cue again," Aditya snapped during rehearsals, tossing the script on the ground. "It’s ‘Say you love me’, not ‘I think I might’. Do you even care about this play?"

Aditi flushed. "I'm trying! Not everyone was born with a spotlight on them."

Aditya rolled his eyes. "Try harder."

Despite his cold demeanor, something about him intrigued her. Beneath the sharp tongue and rolled eyes was a passion she couldn’t ignore. On stage, he transformed—vulnerable, intense, magnetic. And when he looked at her during romantic scenes, her heart beat faster… even when she knew it was just acting.

Or was it?

As the weeks passed, their stage chemistry grew undeniable. The audience could feel it. So could the director. So could they.

Off-stage, their arguments became fewer. The silences between them turned warm. Glances lingered. During one late-night rehearsal, the line blurred entirely.

“You’re not supposed to actually cry during this scene,” Aditya murmured, touching her cheek gently. “Are you okay?”

“I don’t know,” Aditi whispered. “Maybe I just… felt it.”

He paused. “Me too.”

But neither said more.

On the night of the final performance, the stage lights dimmed, and the auditorium fell silent. In the final scene, Aditya knelt before Aditi, as scripted, and said:

"I love you. On stage or off, I’m done pretending."

The audience cheered.

Only Aditi knew—this time, it wasn’t in the script.

And she smiled, finally brave enough to say, “I love you too.”

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