Anisha's folly.

Anisha Mehra belonged to an upper middle class family. She studied in class XII. She had opted for the commerce stream. Her younger brother, Anand, was a student of class IX. Both of them went to Delhi Public School, where their mother, Anupama, taught primary students. Anisha's father, Jaideep, worked as a senior executive in the HR department of a private firm. They lived in an apartment consisting of three bedroom hall and kitchen in Rohini, New Delhi. 

Anisha was excited to receive a smartphone from her father on her seventeenth birthday in March 2020. He had to buy another phone for Anand because of the online classes. Anisha's friends already had their accounts on Facebook and WhatsApp. She joined all the social media sites. She received lots of friends' requests from her classmates and strangers. She accepted all of them. She didn't realize the danger that lay ahead. 

Apart from attending her classes online, she started spending her spare time chatting with her friends online. Anand used his smartphone only for studies. Their parents were worried about Anisha. She preferred to be alone with her smartphone. Her parents decided it was time to knock some sense into her.

It was Sunday. Anisha was sending messages on Facebook after lunch. She sat comfortably on the sofa, deftly moving her fingers on the keypad. Her father sat beside her, trying to peek into her mobile. " What are you doing, dad?" she inquired, without waiting for his answer. She turned around and continued to pore over her mobile. Jaideep countered her with another question. He asked," Are you trying to hide something from me? Are you chatting with your boyfriend?" 

Anisha had a terrible shock. She muttered slowly," I am just chatting with my classmates. They include boys and girls. Trust me, father. I don't have any boyfriend." Jaideep replied," I trust you completely. There are certain risks involved in sharing personal information through social media. I want you to be careful while dealing with people on the internet." Anisha nodded in silence. He left her hooked on to her mobile. 

Days passed on uneventfully. However, Anisha became addicted to her mobile. 

Her list of friends had more boys than girls. She was an attractive girl with a slim waistline and perfect curves. Her wavy black hair extended up to her waist. She often sported a pigtail. Her cheeks dimpled when she smiled. Many boys in her class tried to befriend her. She ignored their overtures. Her new passion changed her old lifestyle. She became bold, accepting the friendship of the strangers. Guys complimented her on her beauty. Her classmate, Gagan, sent her messages. Initially, he sent her friendship quotes and general knowledge updates. Anisha became alarmed after he started sending obscene messages. She started avoiding him. Gagan knew her weakness. She was a sweet-natured girl who wanted to please everyone around her. She couldn't say no to anyone seeking her help. He started taking advantage of her by emotionally blackmailing her. He sent her the following message on Facebook Messenger:

He: Hi! How are you, my sweetheart?

She: I am not your sweetheart. You are just a friend.

He: You are so naive. Don't you know that a boy and a girl can never be good friends? They are either a couple or siblings. 

She: Go to hell with your third-class logic. I wish I had listened to my father before adding you as my friend. I don't want to talk to you anymore.  

He: I want you to know that I have your photos that I can edit and upload on the internet. You are smart enough to think about the consequences. I just want to have a date with you. 

She: You can't force me to get involved with you. I simply refuse to accept your proposal. Why don't you find yourself another girlfriend?

He: I will commit suicide and blame you for my death. You will be in deep trouble.

She: Please, give me some time to decide. Besides, we can't meet each other during a lockdown.  

He: I will give you two days to decide. I have made arrangements for our meeting. I will take all the necessary precautions. Don't worry about the lockdown. 

She: Ok. I will contact you again.

Anisha exited from her Facebook page. She cursed herself for the trouble she had created. She had to make amends for her big mistake. Her mobile rang incessantly. Her best friend, Mridula, had called her. They chatted for a while. Anisha decided to seek her advice. She briefed her about Gagan's blackmail. Mridula was silently listening to her rambling. Finally, she spoke," I am sorry to say that you are a first-class idiot. You should have listened to your father. I know Gagan very well. He is a son of bitch. I admit that he is handsome. He has managed to charm many girls. Don't trust him. He is the son of a hotelier. He will ask you for a date. You know the rest that will follow. I have an idea. Pretend that you are in love with him. Let him assume that you love him. Tell him that you are ready to meet him on 3rd August 2020. The buffoon will surely accept your request." She whispered the rest of her plans to Anisha. The latter was ecstatic after hearing the solution from her wise friend. 

Mridula lived just two streets away from Anisha. She would drop in to tie Rakhi to Anisha's brother, Anand, every year. Likewise, Anisha would do the same.  Her friend paid a visit to her house on the occasion of Rakshabandhan ( An Indian festival dedicated to brothers and sisters. The sister ties a sacred thread on her brother's wrist, seeking his protection.) 

Mridula convinced Anisha's parents about the safety of their daughter. They gave her permission to visit her friend. 

Anisha wore her face mask and gloves. She carried her purse and phone. Anisha and Mridula stopped briefly at the latter's house. She tied Rakhi to Mridula's brother, Mohan. 

They chatted for a while. Gagan called up Anisha to remind her of their date. He had made all the arrangements for luring her into bed. He brought along his best friend, Abhinav, to record the video and blackmail Anisha. 

Mridula said," Make sure to carry two or three rakhis. We may need it for our safety." She took out four rakhis from the drawer of her study table. They left for Hotel Bright in Connaught Place. Gagan was pacing in the corridor. Mridula and Anisha arrived at the hotel at 3 PM. Mridula went to park her Scooty, while Anisha met Gagan. They occupied a table near the entrance. A waiter poured them chilled water in their glasses. 

" I have ordered a special lunch for both of us," said Gagan," I want you to enjoy this special meal. Thank you for coming. I do hope that you like the food." Anisha replied, " I want to thank you for this wonderful treat. I have a special gift for you. Consider it as a souvenir of my love. Please close your eyes and show your hands." Mridula watched Anisha's move from another table. She saw a young guy approaching their table. She recognized him as Abhinav. She didn't want him to ruin her plan. She got up from her place and moved towards him. " Hi, Abhinav!" exclaimed Mridula. Gagan and Anisha looked at her. " What a pleasant surprise!" retorted Abhinav," What are you doing here?" She responded," I have accompanied my friend just like you did. I think we should leave them alone and have a date of our own." She winked at Anisha and dragged him to another table. Anisha asked Gagan to close his eyes for his special gift. No sooner did he close them, she held up his wrist and immediately tied a rakhi. " Open your eyes," she commanded. Gagan opened his eyes and found a beautiful rakhi tied to his wrist. He lost his temper and shouted at her," You are a cheat. How dare you do this to me? Just a few days ago, you expressed your love. Why did you tie the rakhi?" 

Anisha answered him with a smile, " I still love you as my elder brother. You guys have a serious problem. If a girl responds to your friendship, you assume that she is in love with you. Your imagination gets the better of you. I am well aware of your noble intention to get me into your bed. My primary focus is on my studies and a great career. I am not at all interested in love and romance. Since you are my brother, I am also your well-wisher. Don't squander away your parents' hard-earned money on girls. Just concentrate on your studies. Women are not objects of lust. Try to consider them as human beings and respect their feelings. I have finished my speech." Gagan's anger faded away. He was ashamed of himself. He looked at her with respect. He promised her to give up chasing girls. He advised her to be careful while dealing with boys. Anisha admitted that she had disobeyed her father. She repented over her actions. Mridula and Abhinav joined them. The latter proudly displayed the rakhi on his wrist. All of them had a hearty laugh. Gagan paid for their special lunch. The group departed with a promise to stay in touch with each other. They continued to remain best friends on social media. They were more than best friends. They were brothers and sisters. 

Anisha thanked Mridula for her timely help. She also made sure to avoid getting into trouble with her social media interaction.