ENIGMA

Plans

As soon as Advik left the room, Ruhani sat on the edge of her bed, still fuming from the conversation. She couldn't take it anymore-the control, the pressure, the feeling of being trapped. Without a second thought, she grabbed her phone and dialed Tiyasha.

Tiyasha answered almost immediately. "Hey, girl! What's up?"

Ruhani let out a heavy sigh. "I need to get out. I can't stay here. I feel like I'm suffocating."

"Whoa, slow down! What happened?"

Ruhani quickly explained the whole ordeal with Advik-how he was taking control of her phone, the move to Hyderabad, and the constant pressure she felt to behave perfectly. By the time she finished, Tiyasha was practically vibrating with frustration on the other end of the line.

"Okay, first of all, screw him," Tiyasha said, her voice dripping with attitude. "You need a break. We need a break. We're going out tonight."

"Out? I don't know... if Advik finds out, he'll freak out. He'll stop all of my outings altogether. He won't even let me breathe without checking first."

Tiyasha rolled her eyes, though Ruhani couldn't see it. "You're coming with me, and we're going to have fun. I'm thinking... a bar. Maybe some vodka shots to loosen up?"

Ruhani hesitated, biting her lip. "A bar? I don't think that's a good idea. If he finds out I'm drinking-"

Tiyasha interrupted, laughing. "He's not going to find out. Relax. But fine, if you're too scared, we can skip the bar. How about we go to one of our friends' places instead? A flat? No one will know. Safe and sound."

Ruhani thought for a moment. "Okay, that sounds better."

"Wait, wait, wait," Tiyasha said, quickly changing her mind. "What am I saying? A bar is so much more fun! Come on, we haven't gone out in ages. You need this. I need this. Don't worry about Advik. He'll be fine as long as you don't do anything crazy."

Ruhani hesitated again. "But what if he finds out?"

"He won't!" Tiyasha insisted. "Look, just wear something sexy, and we'll sneak out. You can change somewhere else. No big deal. He won't even know what you're up to. We'll keep it low-key."

Ruhani sighed but couldn't help the smile tugging at her lips. "Something sexy, huh? You're bad news."

"Girl, you know it," Tiyasha laughed. "We're going full glam. Sexy outfits, lots of drinks, no worries. You're going to have fun, trust me."

"Fine, fine," Ruhani agreed reluctantly. "But no bar. I'll meet you at the flat."

Tiyasha wasn't having it. "Oh, come on! I'll convince you by the time we meet. Don't chicken out on me now!"

Ruhani laughed softly, the stress easing just a bit. "Okay, okay. But we're keeping it chill."

"Deal. I'll call Astha and Aakansha. We need our full squad for this," Tiyasha added, already planning out the night. "We're getting everyone together. We're making this the night."

Ruhani smiled, her excitement building. "Alright, I'll go along with it. Just this once."

As the call ended, Ruhani began thinking about the night ahead. A few minutes later, her phone buzzed with a message from Tiyasha. "Astha and Aakansha are in! We're all going to meet at 8."

Ruhani felt a small thrill of rebellion, knowing that Advik would never approve of her sneaking out in a sexy outfit for drinks with her friends. But at this point, she didn't care.

Just then, her group chat lit up, and Tiyasha was already starting the mischievous conversation.

Tiyasha: "Alright, ladies! What's everyone wearing tonight? Ruhani, better not be anything too boring!"