मुझे तेरी मोहब्बत का सहारा मिल गया होता
अगर तूफ़ाँ नहीं आता किनारा मिल गया होता,
ख़ुशी से अपनी आँखों को मैं अश्क़ों से भिगो लेता
मेरे बदले तू हँस लेती

Chapter 5 of TERI DEEWANI has been updated on scrollstack . Link is in our Instagram and Wattpad bio.

Chapter 5 will be updated on Wattpad on 18 January. So try to complete the vote target before 18.

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The living room was unusually quiet, the weight of unspoken emotions hanging heavy in the air. Arav paced back and forth, running a hand through his already disheveled hair. His frustration was evident, and his voice broke the silence.

"I don't know what's wrong with Akash!" Arav exclaimed, his tone laced with both anger and hurt. "I understand his trauma, Ritika, I really do... But how could he say such harsh words about my brother? He knows what Shashwat goes through every single day. He's a soldier, damn it! Not a day goes by when we aren't worried sick about his safety. How could Akash-"

Ritika gently took his hand in hers, stopping his restless pacing. Her calm demeanor seemed to contrast sharply with Arav's stormy frustration.

"Arav," she said softly, looking into his eyes, "let them solve this. I know Akash was wrong-so, so wrong-but I don't think it's our place to interfere right now. This is something they need to address themselves. I'm disappointed in him too-not just for what he said about Shashwat but also for involving my sister in all of this. It's unacceptable."

Her voice faltered slightly, but she continued, "But confronting him right now won't help. He still sees you all as his family. Just...be there for your brother. Take his side, but don't let it escalate. You know how fragile Akash is-it could trigger him."

Arav exhaled sharply, running both hands over his face before sitting on the edge of the couch. "Why did this have to happen today? Of all days, Ritika... It was supposed to be a special day."

Ritika crouched in front of him, placing a comforting hand on his knee. "Shh... It's okay. Let's not let this ruin everything. Come on," she said, addressing everyone else in the room. "It's late. Go to your rooms. Don't you all have to wake up early tomorrow?"

The group began dispersing reluctantly, the tension still palpable. Siya, however, lingered behind, her gaze fixed on Arushi, who sat silently in a corner, her shoulders hunched and her expression forlorn.

Siya approached her cautiously and slid beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Sab thik hai," Siya whispered gently, her voice full of reassurance.

At her words, Arushi broke down, burying her face in Siya's shoulder. Her voice trembled as she spoke. "I'm so sorry, Siya. I'm so, so sorry. I got so caught up in my own happiness that I failed to see your pain. I should have been there for you, understood what you were going through. Instead of comforting you, I kept triggering your wounds without even realizing it. You've been carrying this burden alone for so many years...and I-"

Siya hugged her tightly, her own eyes glistening with unshed tears. "It's not your fault, Aru," she whispered, her voice steady despite the emotions swirling inside her. "Hamari galti hai. Hamne hi sabse chupaya. You couldn't have known."

The room was dim, bathed in the faint glow of the bedside lamp. Reyansh pushed open the door, a bottle of water in his hand, and his heart clenched at the sight before him. Shashwat sat on the edge of the bed, his shoulders hunched, face buried in his hands. The muffled sound of his sobs broke through the stillness of the night.

Reyansh walked in slowly, closing the door behind him, careful not to startle his best friend. He quietly moved to sit beside him, the bed dipping under his weight. For a moment, he didn't say anything, letting the silence stretch as Shashwat tried to compose himself.

When Shashwat finally spoke, his voice was hoarse and barely audible. "He...he wished me to die, Reyansh."

The words hung in the air like a knife twisting in Reyansh's chest. He swallowed hard, trying to find the right words to ease the anguish radiating off his friend.

"Shashwat," he began softly, "you know Akash didn't mean it. People say things they don't mean when they're angry. He's hurting too."

Shashwat lifted his head, his tear-streaked face turned toward Reyansh. His eyes were red, the pain in them so raw that Reyansh had to look away for a moment.

"I don't know, Reyansh," Shashwat said, shaking his head slowly. "I never thought he could say something like that. And blaming Siya? How could he? She wasn't even at fault! You know... I can forgive everything else he said, but not this. Not what he said about Siya."

His voice cracked, and his hands balled into fists. Reyansh placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it gently. "Shashwat, I know how much Siya means to you. And I know Akash crossed a line. But don't let his anger make you question your relationships. You know him-he lashes out without thinking."

Shashwat shook his head vehemently, his voice rising slightly as emotions overwhelmed him. "But Reyansh, I can't shake it off. You don't understand. I know I've been distant. I know I haven't given enough time to everyone. But what could I do?" His voice broke again, and he rubbed his face roughly.

Reyansh remained silent, letting Shashwat pour his heart out.

"I wasn't enjoying it, Reyansh," Shashwat continued, his words tumbling out. "Living away from all of you, from home. I couldn't even call freely. Do you know how much I missed everyone? You, him, Siya, Arav, Darsh, Maa, Papa... everyone. Every single day, I thought about all of you. There were days I felt so suffocated, so alone. I wanted to leave everything and just come back home. But how could I? I couldn't!"

Shashwat's voice rose, and his chest heaved with the effort of holding back tears. Reyansh reached for the water bottle, unscrewing the cap and offering it to him. "Shashwat, take a sip. Breathe. It's okay."

Shashwat hesitated but took the bottle, his trembling hands betraying the storm inside him. After a few sips, he placed it on the bedside table and continued, his voice softer but no less anguished.

"I tried, Reyansh. I really did. I tried to stay connected with everyone, even if it was just for a minute. But...was I wrong if Siya became my priority? Shouldn't she have been? She needed me, Reyansh. And even then, I never talked to her for more than ten minutes. Was that so wrong? Isn't Richa Akash's first priority? Why is it a crime that Siya was mine?"

Reyansh opened his mouth to speak, but Shashwat cut him off, his words spilling out faster now.

"I know I should have given more time to everyone. I know I should have done better. But at IMA, it wasn't like NDA. I barely had time for myself, let alone for others. And Akash...he's my best friend. He's supposed to be one of the most important people in my life. But Siya...she held a different place in my heart. A place no one else could take. And that doesn't mean I loved anyone else less."

Shashwat's voice dropped to a whisper, his shoulders sagging as the weight of his own guilt pressed down on him. "But maybe Akash was right. Maybe I am incapable of keeping my relationships intact. I couldn't keep my best friend from hating me. I couldn't keep Siya from...from slipping away."

His breath hitched, and a sob escaped his lips. "I've lost her, Reyansh. I've lost both of them. And maybe...maybe it's my fault. Maybe I'm not meant to hold on to the people I love."

Reyansh's chest tightened at Shashwat's words. He couldn't bear to see his best friend unraveling like this. He gripped Shashwat's shoulder firmly, forcing him to look into his eyes.

"Shashwat," he said, his voice steady but filled with emotion, "you need to stop doing this to yourself. You're not perfect, none of us are. But you've always tried. Don't let Akash's words make you doubt your worth. You've given more of yourself to the people you care about than anyone else ever could."

Shashwat's body shook as he cried, his chest heaving with every painful sob. "And I would not be shocked if Siya hates me... I deserve this," he whispered through his tears, his voice cracking with guilt. "Ek rishta nahi sambhala gaya mujhse..." He paused, the words barely escaping, the weight of his own self-loathing consuming him.

Reyansh, unable to bear watching his best friend crumble, moved closer. Without a second thought, he wrapped his arms around Shashwat, pulling him into a comforting embrace. "Shhh... stop, Shashwat," Reyansh murmured gently, his voice soft yet firm, as he held him tightly. "You don't deserve this. You need to stop blaming yourself."

Shashwat's sobs grew louder as he buried his face into Reyansh's shoulder, unable to stop the flood of emotions. His body trembled as the weight of his failures crashed over him-failing his relationships, failing his best friend, and failing Siya. Reyansh continued to hold him, not saying much, just letting him cry it out.

Meanwhile, across the house, Richa stood at the door of Akash's room, her frustration and hurt evident. The room was shrouded in darkness, the only sound being the faint hum of the air conditioner.

"Lights kyun band ki? Khud ko face karne ki himmat nahi ho rahi hai ab?" Her voice was sharp, almost biting, as she stepped into the room.

Akash's voice was barely audible, broken and low. "Leave me alone..." he murmured, his words laced with exhaustion and a deep.

"No," Richa replied coldly. "You have to face what you did, Akash. Aaj sirf tumhari wajah se Maine Siya ko aisa dekha... I won't forgive you for what you said to her."

She waited, expecting some sort of reaction, but when the silence stretched, she took a step closer, her heart pounding in her chest. Slowly, she walked toward him, sitting down in front of him. She reached out, lifting his chin gently to force him to look at her.

His eyes were bloodshot, streaked with tears, and the sight of his broken expression was almost unbearable. For a moment, they just stared at each other, the tension thick between them.

Richa's voice cracked as she spoke again, her words dripping with sarcasm. "Why are you crying now, Akash? You should be happy, right? You broke everyone to prove yourself right. And oh, how could you ignore this good news? Siya and Shashwat bhaiya are not together anymore... Come on, be happy. You wanted this, didn't you?"

Her words were like daggers, but they were true. She couldn't hide the bitterness in her voice, nor could she stop herself from voicing the hurt she felt for Siya. She paused, watching Akash's face closely, as if daring him to speak.

Akash's entire body trembled, and his breath caught in his throat. His tears fell freely, no longer restrained by the anger that had fueled them earlier. The harsh words he had said to Shashwat echoed in his mind like an endless loop, and each repetition of them twisted the knife deeper into his chest.

"I didn't mean it... I didn't mean it, Richa," he sobbed, his voice breaking as the weight of his own words crushed him. "I... I never thought it would go this far... that I would hurt him like that, or you... or Siya. I don't know why I did this."

Richa sat in front of him, her expression hard but her heart heavy. She didn't speak immediately, letting him cry. After a long silence, she spoke again, her voice calm but firm. "You did it because you wanted to be everyone's priority," she said quietly, the words sinking in. "But what you forgot was that relationships are about balance, not selfishness. You became selfish for being a priority, and you hurted others because of your need to be needed."

Akash looked up at her, his tear-filled eyes pleading for some kind of redemption. "It's not true."

Richa's eyes burned with frustration as she looked at Akash, her voice sharp as she started to speak the harsh truth he had been avoiding.

"Look at yourself, Akash," she said, her voice full of disdain. "You've been so focused on trying to be everyone's priority that you've lost sight of what really matters. You think it's about being the most important person in their lives, but it's not. People have their own priorities, their own lives to live. Why do you think you need to be first in everyone's list? Wasn't it enough for you that people cared about you when you were growing up? You weren't anyone's priority after your grandmother died, and your father... your father hated you. That hurt you, didn't it?" Her words were biting, but they were the truth. "So now, you want to prove that you're someone's priority, anyone's priority. But you've lost the plot, Akash. You think you're entitled to be at the top of the list, but priorities don't work like that."

Akash's head hung low as he listened to Richa, his guilt intensifying with each word. He knew she was right, but it still hurt to hear it. Richa continued, her voice gaining strength with each sentence.

"People have different priorities, Akash. And no one can be everyone's priority. I understand your pain-being neglected, feeling unimportant. But that doesn't mean you get to force others to revolve around you. You need to understand where you fit in. Shashwat bhaiya has his own life, and Siya is a part of it now. You want him to make you his priority over her, but what about Siya's position in his life? You know she's not at fault. So why are you insulting her? What was her fault? If Shashwat bhaiya chose to give her more importance, if he loved her, if she became his priority, what was wrong with that? She was his girlfriend in all the ways that matter. And for you to say such things about her... You have no right." Richa's voice was harsh, but her words carried the truth, each one striking a painful chord in Akash's heart.

Akash shifted uncomfortably, his guilt deepening as he realized just how wrong he had been. Richa wasn't done, though. She was tired of his self-pity and needed him to understand the bigger picture.

"Do you think Shashwat bhaiya doesn't understand priorities? He has a whole world of responsibilities. He's a soldier, Akash. His life is at risk every day. Do you think he can always choose to be with you, talking to you all the time, or leaving his work just to make you feel like a priority?" Richa asked, her voice firm, though her anger was starting to fade into something more akin to pity. "I understand how important Shashwat bhaiya is to you, but that doesn't mean he has to choose you over everyone else. And it doesn't mean he loves you less. He just has other things to focus on-things that matter. You have to learn to accept that, instead of blaming Siya for taking his attention."

"And what about the words you said, Akash? 'I would have been happier if Shashwat bhaiya didn't come back.' Did you really say that?" Richa's voice was filled with disbelief and anger now. "Think about what you said. Did you even realize what you were putting out into the world when you said that? You know Shashwat bhaiya is a soldier, right? There's no guarantee that he'll come back every time. And yet, you wished he wouldn't return. Do you realize the weight of that?"

Akash's mind was reeling, his body still trembling from the guilt.

Richa let out a sigh and looked at him, her gaze softening just a little. "Akash, you will always be my priority. But you can't expect everyone's priority. You need to figure out where you fit in the lives of the people you care about. And you need to make peace with that. You're important, Akash. You don't need to be the number one priority in everyone's life to know that."

Akash's sobs grew louder, his body shaking with the weight of his emotions. Overwhelmed by guilt and regret, he suddenly reached out and pulled Richa into a tight embrace. His arms trembled as he clung to her, as if holding on to the only thing that could offer him any comfort in the storm that had consumed him. His breath came in jagged gasps, and he cried out, his voice raw and full of pain.

"I don't even know why I said all of that," he choked out, his voice breaking with the depth of his brokenness. "I-I was so angry, Richa. I don't even know what happened to me... It all just came out, everything... all that pain. I never wanted to hurt anyone, especially not Shashwat or Siya. But the anger, the frustration-it's been bubbling inside me for so long, ever since that day... the day my father met me. I-I've been carrying it around for three years."

It was three years ago, on the anniversary of his mother's death, and Akash found himself near the temple, doing the rituals of her mother's death anniversary alone.

Richa had her exam the next day, she couldn't be here. He couldn't call her; it wasn't right. She had her own life, her own responsibilities. He wanted Shashwat's reassuring presence, the one person who always knew how to calm him, how to make him laugh even on the worst of days.

He let out a shaky breath, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand as he finished the last of the prayers. Just as he was about to stand up, he felt a cold presence behind him, and a voice cut through the stillness like a dagger.

"What's this, Akash?" Dinesh's voice was sharp, full of disdain, as he appeared from behind. Akash froze, every muscle in his body tensing. His father stood there, eyes narrowed, lips curled in a sneer. "Performing rituals for your mother, huh? After you killed her?"

Akash's heart stuttered in his chest as the words hit him like a punch. He could feel the blood drain from his face, his pulse quickening. He opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. His father's eyes bored into him with a look of utter contempt.

Akash's stomach twisted with guilt, the words cutting deeper than he could bear. His father's words echoed in his head, repeating over and over again. He wanted to shout, to defend himself, but all that came out was a strangled gasp. His hands clenched into fists as he stood up slowly, trying to hold on to some shred of dignity, but inside, he felt completely shattered.

"I... I didn't..." he started, but his voice was shaking, barely a whisper.

Dinesh stepped forward, his eyes dark with contempt. "You didn't kill her, Akash? Look at you! You think anyone in this house cares about you? You think anyone will ever care about you? You think Shashwat cares about you? You've always been a problem, Akash. No one wants to deal with you. Aur bahot bharosa tha na apne dost par tumhe, kahan hai wo shashwat aaj? Listen Akash, Shashwat, the so-called 'family' you've got, will leave you. He's got his priorities, and you're not one of them."

"Bad luck," Dinesh spat, the words dripping with malice. "That's all you are. A curse. You've always been a curse, Akash. You ruin everything you