Today was her best friend’s birthday.

Aadhya Dave, a 21-year-old college student, eagerly anticipated the celebration. At present, she was single. Two years prior, she had been in a relationship, but they had since gone their separate ways. Once deeply in love and full of promises, their bond dissolved when they entered different universities. Now, they were no longer connected on social media and had lost touch with each other’s lives.

Excited for her best friend’s birthday party, Aadhya chose to wear a pink dress and opted for delicate makeup. She decided to ride her new scooty to the event. With her helmet securely fastened, she started the engine and set off.

Midway through her journey, a person suddenly appeared in front of her without warning. She slammed on the brakes, but before she could react, she was seized by masked men. They quickly silenced her with tape and forced her into a car. One of the men injected her with a substance, and soon after, she lost consciousness.

......

“Why isn’t she picking up her phone?” Priya Verma, the birthday girl, was seething with frustration. The party was about to start, and many guests had already arrived. But Aadhya was missing, and Priya was growing increasingly anxious.

She immediately called Saurabh, a mutual friend of hers and Aadhya’s, who was also at the party. “Saurabh, Aadhya hasn’t shown up yet. I’ve tried calling her several times, but she’s not answering. I’m really worried that something might be wrong. Can you go to her place and see what’s going on?”

Understanding the urgency, Saurabh left the party right away.

......

“Mmm…” Aadhya Das woke up, feeling sharp pain in her lower body. She struggled to open her eyes but couldn’t. Her attempts to move her mouth were equally futile. She tried to push the man holding her, but his strength was unyielding. All she could hear was his labored breathing, which only heightened her distress.

.....

When Aadhya finally regained full consciousness, it was seven in the morning. The events of the previous night came flooding back to her. Although she couldn’t remember every detail, the pain she had felt was unmistakable. She was in an unfamiliar room, with signs of the previous night’s chaos scattered around. Alone and devastated, she realized the horrifying truth—she had been raped.

Determined not to be overwhelmed by grief, she wiped away her tears. She knew that crying wouldn’t change her situation. Gathering her resolve, she dressed quickly and searched for a way to escape. Knowing that opening the door would likely lead to armed guards, she decided to flee through the window instead.

Fortunately, she was on the ground floor. She cautiously opened the window and slipped out, grabbing the man’s car keys on her way. There was nothing else of interest, but she didn’t stop to think. Her main goal was to seek justice and hold her attacker accountable. She fled with urgency, her heart racing as if she were escaping a predator.

After running for what felt like hours, she finally reached a busy road and stopped, panting heavily. She borrowed a phone from a stranger to call her best friend. Once the call ended, she thanked the middle-aged man who had helped her. He smiled and said, “Don’t worry. Today I helped you; tomorrow, you should help me.”

Aadhya expressed her sincere gratitude before moving on.

.....

Two weeks later,

“Priya, I need to talk to you,” Aadhya said after taking a sip of her coffee. She had invited Priya to the café to discuss something important.

Priya’s curiosity was piqued. “Oh really? Tell me, tell me! Did you meet someone new? Are you seeing someone? I’m dying to hear all about it. Have you finally moved on from your last relationship?”

Aadhya was taken aback. She had hoped to confide in Priya about the emotional turmoil she had been enduring for the past two weeks. Instead, Priya seemed eager for gossip. Choosing to keep her pain private, Aadhya masked her emotions and replied, “I’m considering quitting my job. I’ve saved enough to support myself until graduation, and with the university’s placement services, I think it’s best if I focus on my studies to improve my grades.”

Priya raised her eyebrows and gave a thumbs-up. “How lucky! I wish I had saved enough to quit my job. If only I hadn’t spent so much on new clothes, I’d be in your position. Phew!”

Aadhya’s frustration flared. “What do you mean? I’ve always told you not to waste money on clothes, but you never listen. You don’t need to act like a celebrity. It’s perfectly fine to wear your clothes more than once! Did you ever heed my advice?”

Seeing Aadhya’s anger, Priya’s face turned pale. She waved her hands defensively. “No, no, no… You’re absolutely right. I’m the foolish one. Even though I knew better, I still spent recklessly. It’s entirely my fault.”

Aadhya’s anger subsided somewhat after Priya’s apology. They continued their conversation, eventually shifting to work topics.

As usual, Priya began, “Did you hear the news about Shrishti Dubey? She’s been promoted to the new receptionist at Star Hotel. Everyone’s talking about how she landed the position.”

“What? Shrishti Dubey is the new receptionist?” Aadhya’s shock was palpable.