It was daytime, the sun was shining over the Rathore mansion where the Rathore family was waiting for Arjun. Arjun came back and a handy cam was in his hand. Arjun showed the handy cam and Aditya was shocked to see that. Aditya took the handy cam.

Aditya: it is the same handy cam that Avni gave me.

Everyone got shocked.

Aditya opened the handy cam and opened the video. Everyone moved close to him. They saw that Avni is sitting on the couch.

Avni: Hi, Aditya, I know, you must be thinking that why I have recorded this message. Actually, Aditya, I want to tell you about something very important but I can’t tell that to you face to face that’s why, I am recording this video…

Avni paused and clenched her fist.

Avni: Aditya, I have a past.

Aditya and everyone got shocked.  Avni paused and she thought about her past. Avni was puzzled about from where she starts and then she went through the same pain again. Avni closed her eyes and clenched her fist. Avni squeezed her eyes. Aditya felt bad to see her.

Avni: Aditya, I, I was a drug addict and alcoholic person.

Everyone got shocked except Gauav.

Avni’s eyes were closed.

Avni: And I got caught by police when I was a teenage girl...

Everyone got shocked.

Avni: but, trust me, I, I… it was not my mistake. I was trapped. I, I never thought that my friends, my own friends will do that to me.

Everyone got another shock. Avni paused for a while because she was thinking.

Avni: this all starts when I was sixteen years old. No, not then… it all started when I was a kid. Don’t know how old I was, I just remember that I was attracted to that life that people call “Freedom”

Aditya frowned. Everyone was watching the video.

Avni: since my childhood, I was not allowed to go to play at my friend’s home, their parties and all. Grandma never permitted me to go even if I sometimes I went to my friends that too I went with Mama. Not only I, but Aman Bhai was also not allowed. I mean, we were not restricted or under house arrest. No, Mama, papa gave us a good life where we were used to visiting places and parks but that life where we can go anywhere by ourselves alone, we never got that life till our teenage because Grandma thinks that a teenage is a most dangerous age and she was right to some extent because it was the age when I lost my balance and fell in a trap…

Avni paused a few seconds.

Avni: I always wanted freedom and wanted to go anywhere myself just like my friends and classmate. They were used to partying in each other’s homes and staying in each other’s homes. They studied together and had fun. I also wanted that life, I wanted to go to visit my friends and party with them, stayed with them. Sometimes, the classmates of mine and their elder siblings made fun of me and they even bullied me.

Aditya and others got shocked and Avni remembered and saw the flashes where she was 12 or 13 years old and kids were saying shame, shame; shame, shame, mama’s baby wants feeder. Aww, poor baby. Avni closed her eyes and tears fell from her eyes. Avni wiped her tears and sighed.

Avni: I even told Mama, papa about it and they talked to the authorities and they resolved the matter.

Avni sighed.

Avni: but kids are kids, they never listen to anyone so the routine continued and Aman Bhai became my savior. Whenever anyone says something to me, he comes to save me. Our unity became my strength…oops, sorry, I went in the wrong direction. I was saying something else and went somewhere else.

Avni sighed.

Avni: so, I got attracted to that life. I badly wanted to experience that life and with time, the desires increased now, I wanted to go to pubs and clubs. When, I saw girls of my age wearing ripped jeans and tops, and short dresses, when I heard them, their way of talking, and their accent. When they said OMG, Oh my, my… I really wanted to be like them. I wanted to adopt that life where the cigarette, the glass of wine would be in my hands and I dance with my friends… you know, the things we see in movies, I want to live that life. I even slept numerous nights while imagining myself in clubs and pubs as they showed in movies… and then one day, my prays got paid off but it was just my thinking… my uncle, my aunt’s husband passed away… my aunt lived in Dehli. She was traumatized after uncle’s death. Grandma wanted to bring her here but she refused and said that she will not leave her home so, Mom and I went there to live with her because my aunt loved me a lot. So, we went to live there. After some time, we decided to come back but my aunt insisted that I live with her and after a lot of trying, she got success and I got admission there. Now, I was living with my Aunt. And there my changed.

Avni paused and sighed.

Avni: Bua never stopped me for anything. For her, my happiness matters the most. She just want to see me happy so there, I got a life that everyone calls “Freedom”. In the initial days, I was used to saying no to friends when they decides to go to a party or club.

Flashback:

Avni was sitting with her friends in the classroom and they were talking.

Girl: Avni, we are going to party in UV’s farmhouse. You also join us.

Avni: No, Jiya, you go and enjoy.

Jiya: what, yaar, you refused that day also.

Avni tried to avoid the topic.

Avni: leave it and tell me, did you complete the assignment?

Jiya: No, yaar. Listen, you are not coming to the party so, please, make my assignment also.

Avni made a face and Jiya said, please. Avni smiled to see her friend’s expression and said ok. Jiya hugged Avni who smiled.

Flashback ends.

Avni: everything was going well till the day when I met two monsters.

Avni got angry. Aditya frowned and was seeing the video.

Avni: monsters in human disguise.

Avni thought.

Flashback:

Avni was standing with a group of friends. They were talking and smiling. Jiya came there with two friends. Avni turned her face and looked at the boys. They stopped near Avni.

Jiya: Avni, you are here and I am finding you everywhere in school.

Avni: why?

Jiya: I wanted to introduce you to my two friends. Meet Jimmy and Jay…

Avni looked at the boys.

Jimmy: we are JJ.

Everyone laughed but Avni smiled.

Jiya: you forgot one J.

Jay: oh, yes, we are JJJ.

They laughed and did Hfi.

They shook hands with Avni and Jimmy caressed Avni’s hand. Avni felt strange and moved her back. Jimmy and Jay shook hands with the other girls.

Jiya: you know, girls, they are new admission in our class…

Avni: in the mid?

Jiya: yeah… I am so happy.

Avni smiled.

Jiya: come. Let’s go to the canteen.

Avni: you guys go. I have to go to the library.

Jiya: oh come on, Avni, don’t be a bookworm.

Jiya held Avni’s hand and dragged her. Avni tried to stop her but she didn’t listen. They came to the canteen where they talked and joked.

Avni narrated: I felt that “cool” factor there and that was my first step to my disaster.

Avni was sitting on the couch and recording her story.

Avni: After that day, my life took a 360-degree turn. I started to roam with my friends first at the day times on the name of group studies and then one day… one day, we planned to go to the club. First, I hesitated but then Jiya gave me the idea that I lie to my aunt that I am going to Jiya’s party. I went to Bua and she happily gave me permission without any argument. As I said that she never stopped me for anything. She was a chilled person. So, I got permission and went to Jiya’s home. I went by wearing a decent maxi and there…

Flashback:

Avni came to her friend’s room and there were other’s girls also. Avni saw their clothes and then she looked at her dress. Avni felt awkward. Avni met her friends and they talked. Avni sat on the bed and saw the dresses. Everyone went from there and Avni was sitting in the room alone so she thought to do a touch-up. Avni went to the dressing table and stood there. Avni did the touch-up and turned her face, Avni’s eyes fell on the dresses which were kept on the bed. Avni moved to the bed and thought and then she looked at the door. Avni hesitated but she took the dresses and saw them then he picked up a red mini dress. Avni looked at that and then she moved to the dressing table. Avni kept that dress on her. Avni touched it.

The door opened and Avni got shocked. Avni rolled the dress in her hand and tried to hide it but it was too late, Jiya saw the dress in her hands. Jiya frowned to see the dress and then she looked at Avni. Jiya came to Avni and took the dress from Avni who got shocked.

Avni: ab, J, Jiya, I, I…

Jiya was looking at the dress and then she kept it on Avni. Jiya smiled.

Jiya: OMG, Avni, look at you. This dress looks so pretty on you.

Avni felt joy in her heart.

Jiya: you will look sexy in it.

Avni got surprised.

Avni in her mind: Sexy?

Avni thought.

Jiya: Avni, you wear it today.

Avni got shocked.

Avni: n, no, Jiya, h, how can I?

Jiya: why not?

Avni: Jiya, it is your dress.

Jiya: so, what, you are my friend.

Avni: yes, but… still.

Jiya: I don’t want to listen to anything. You are wearing it so you are wearing it that’s it.

Jiya gave the dress to Avni and started to pull her to the bathroom and Avni was trying to stop her.

Avni was standing in the bathroom and confused. She wanted to wear that dress. Avni wore that dress and saw her in the mirror. Avni smiled and touched the dress on her.

Avni: Wow… it is so pretty.

Avni smiled.

Avni came out and Jiya turned and looked at Avni. Jiya got surprised and Avni hesitated and tried to pull her dress down and then she set it up. Jiya waved her hand as it was hot. Avni felt shy.

Jiya: woah. You are looking damn hot in it, sexy.

Avni looked at Jiya. Jiya went to Avni.

Jiya: Avni, you are looking beautiful. The boys will definitely drool over you today.

Avni felt shy and Jiya laughed.

Jiya: OMG, Avni, look at you. You are blushing.

Jiya laughed and Avni felt awkward.

Jiya: ok, tell me you are liking this dress or not. You are liking it, right?

Avni: yes, but…

Jiya: but what. Avni, to be honest, you were looking so sassy in that dress and now Look at yourself, you are looking so hot in this dress. Avni, we are not above 30 or 40 that we wear those types of dresses. we are… we are cool girls.

Avni looked at Jiya.

Avni in mind: Cool.

Avni: narrated: that “cool” word just gave goose bump and I felt a joy and felt like I am one of them. I am cool. I am something.

Avni and her friends went to the club.

Avni narrated: That day, I first time went to the club and I was looking here and there like a newborn baby because that all was new for me.

Avni looked around and saw some were dancing, some were sitting at the counter, and some were sitting on the couches. She was smiling and some were lost in their world they were drunk. Avni got scared of drunk people. Some were consuming drugs. Avni got scared of drunk boys and girls. The boys looked at her with lustful eyes. A boy was coming to Avni and was not in his senses.

Boy: hey, beautiful.

Avni got scared and moved away.

Avni looked here and there and opened her mouth and kept her hand on her mouth to see the boys and girls kissing and romancing. Avni saw her friends move on so she immediately went to them. Jimmy and Jay saw Avni and they looked at Avni from toe to top shamelessly. Avni was unaware of their bag gaze and was keeping her hair behind her ear.

Jay: she is my girl.

Jimmy: don’t be a hurdle in my way. My eyes are on her since day one.

They looked at each other.

Jay: mine too.

They smirk.

Jay: we can share her.

Jimmy: off course.

They laughed and touched their glasses. They looked at Avni and gulped their shot.

Jay: she is worth to taste.

Jimmy: yes, she is. But, it is not easy to get her.

Jay: why to fear when your brother is here?

They looked at each other. Jay winked and they smirked.