Reharsals Of Choices

By Nuzat Morve

Chapter 1: From Shy to Bold

There was a time when Aanya barely spoke. She preferred the quiet corners of the classroom,

the last seat in the bus, and the comfort of books over conversations. In middle school, she

was the kind of girl teachers liked—obedient, disciplined, never questioning authority. She

dressed modestly, kept her head down, and never dared to draw attention to herself.

But something changed when she entered Grade 10.

Aanya started noticing how confidence turned ordinary girls into queens of the school. The

ones who laughed the loudest, who flirted effortlessly, who walked through the halls like they

owned them—those were the girls everyone admired. They got the attention of teachers,

classmates, and most importantly, boys.

Her new group of friends made sure she saw this difference.

"You’re too boring, Aanya," her best friend, Sana, would tease.

"No boy will ever look at you if you keep acting like a scared little kid."

At first, she brushed off their comments. But then, the seed was planted. She started

experimenting—first with small things. A little more makeup. Shorter skirts. Speaking up in

class, even when she wasn’t sure she was right. Flirting just for the fun of it.

And it worked.

Boys who had never noticed her before suddenly wanted to talk to her. They complimented

her, laughed at her jokes, fought for her attention. She loved the feeling. It was intoxicating,

powerful. The shy girl from middle school was gone—Aanya was now the playgirl of the

school.

But soon, the thrill of schoolboys wasn’t enough. They were immature, childish, easily

controlled. Aanya wanted something more. Someone older, stronger, mature. And when she

met REHAN, a charming 25-year-old man who looked at her like she was the only girl in the

world, she thought she had found exactly that.

She had no idea her world was about to turn upside down.

Chapter 2: The Forbidden Attraction

Aanya met Rehan on a late evening when she and her friends sneaked out to a café near their

school. It was a place filled with college students and working men—exactly the kind of crowd

Aanya now craved.

She noticed him before he noticed her.

Ansh sat in the corner, sipping coffee, his fingers lazily scrolling through his phone. He was

different from the boys in her school—taller, well-dressed, his face carrying the weight of

experience. She had spent months chasing the thrill of shallow flings, but this? This felt like a

challenge.

"He’s so hot," Shruti whispered.

"I bet he wouldn’t even look at a schoolgirl," another friend teased.

Aanya smirked. Watch me.

With perfect confidence, she walked past his table, pretending to be uninterested, but making

sure their eyes met. It worked. Within minutes, he approached her, offering an easy smile.

"You’re not from around here, are you?" he asked.

"Maybe I am. Maybe you just never noticed me before," she replied smoothly.

And just like that, she had his attention.

The Dangerous Game Begins

Rehan was everything Aanya thought she wanted—charming, mature, experienced. He

listened when she spoke, called her smart instead of just pretty, and made her feel like she

was more than just a teenage girl playing games.

Unlike schoolboys, he didn’t chase. He made her chase him.

And she did.

Their conversations stretched late into the night. He told her about his business, his

struggles, how he was looking for something real in a world full of fake people. Aanya wanted

to be that real thing for him.

At first, their meetings were innocent—just coffee dates and walks. But soon, Ansh began

setting rules.

"I don’t like you hanging out with those immature boys anymore," he said one evening.

"They don’t respect you. You deserve better."

Aanya took it as a compliment. She loved that he was protective, that he wanted her only for

himself.

She didn’t see it for what it was—control.

The Warning Signs

Her parents noticed the change. She came home late. She was always on her phone. She

argued more, rolled her eyes when they spoke, acted like their love was an annoyance instead

of concern.

One night, her mother confronted her.

"Aanya, who is this man you’re always talking to?"

"Just a friend, Mama. Don’t make a big deal out of it."

"A 25-year-old is not a friend to a 16-year-old!" her father slapped.

But Aanya was in too deep. She laughed at their worries, calling them old-fashioned. She

believed she was different—she could handle herself.

She was wrong.

Because the deeper she fell for Rehan, the more he tightened his grip on her world.

And soon, there was no escape.

Chapter 3: The Rebellious Decision

Aanya felt invincible. She had everything—excitement, passion, and a man who made her feel

like a queen. The fights with her parents had become a daily routine, but she no longer cared.

In her eyes, they were the villains, trying to control her, trying to keep her away from the only

person who truly loved her.

Rehan had convinced her.

"They don’t understand you, Aanya. They never will."

"You’re not a little girl anymore. You’re a woman, and you should live your life on your terms."

"If you love me, prove it."

Those words became her truth.

One evening, after another exhausting argument with her parents, she stormed out of the

house, blocking their numbers on her phone. She ran straight into Rehan’s arms.

"Let’s get married," she whispered, breathless.

And just like that, her fate was sealed.

The Wedding Without Blessings

There was no grand celebration. No family, no friends, no blessings. Just Aanya and Rehan,

signing papers in a dull government office.

As she held his hand, she convinced herself that love was enough. That one day, her parents

would realize they were wrong. That they would see Rehan for the amazing man he was.

"We don’t need them," he murmured into her hair.

"It’s just you and me now, my love. Forever."

Forever.

The word felt magical.

She had no idea how terrifying it would soon become.

The First Signs of the Cage

At first, marriage felt like freedom. No school, no parents, no restrictions. She could wake up

late, go out whenever she wanted, live like an adult.

But very quickly, the illusion shattered.

Rehan changed.

It started small—his tone turning sharper, his patience growing thinner.

"You’re not dressing like a married woman. Cover up."

"Why do you still follow those boys on Instagram? Are you still a child?"

"Stop talking back to me. I don’t like attitude."

At first, Aanya laughed it off. But then, the rules became commands.

He took her phone, saying she didn’t need it anymore.

He stopped her from going out, saying a good wife stays home.

He grew cold, distant, treating her less like a partner and more like his property.

And then, the first slap came.

It was over something stupid—a misplaced cup, a forgotten errand. She didn’t even see it

coming. One moment, she was talking. The next, her cheek was burning.

She stared at him, shocked.

"You made me do this, Aanya," he said, his voice eerily calm.

"If you just listened, this wouldn’t have happened."

That night, she cried herself to sleep, telling herself it was a mistake.

But deep down, a terrifying truth began to grow.

She had traded her freedom for a cage.

And no one was coming to save her.

Chapter 4: The Nightmare Unfolds

The first slap was just the beginning.

Aanya convinced herself it wouldn’t happen again. She told herself that love was patience,

love was sacrifice, love was understanding. But with each passing day, she realized love—real

love—was none of those things when it came to Rehan.

Because love wasn’t supposed to hurt.

But Rehan made sure it did.

A Cage Disguised as a Home

At first, he apologized. That’s how it always starts.

"I lost control, Aanya. You know I love you, right?"

"It’s just... I work so hard for us. The stress, it gets to me."

"If you just listen to me, everything will be okay."

And she wanted to believe him.

So, she obeyed. She stopped wearing the clothes he didn’t like. She stopped speaking too

much. She learned to walk on eggshells around him, afraid of saying something that would

turn his mood dark.

But nothing was ever enough.

The next time, it was because she didn’t cook his food properly.

The time after that, because she asked him for her phone back.

And then, because she simply looked at him the wrong way.

Each time, he shut the doors, raised his hand, and left her broken.

But the worst part wasn’t the pain.

The worst part was that she had nowhere to go.

Nowhere to Run

Her parents had warned her. They had begged her to stay. They had told her she was making a

mistake.

And she had ignored them.

How could she go back now? How could she look at them and admit that they were right?

She had chosen this life. She had fought for it, ruined relationships for it, betrayed her own

family for it.

She had burned every bridge.

So, she stayed.

She convinced herself that this was just a phase. That if she loved him hard enough, he would

change.

That maybe, just maybe, this was what she deserved.

The Moment of Realization

One night, she sat alone on the cold floor of their bedroom, her body aching from yet another

argument that had ended with bruises.

She stared at herself in the mirror.

The reflection that stared back was a stranger.

Where was the confident girl who had once ruled the school?

Where was the girl who had laughed, who had dreamed, who had believed in love?

She was gone.

And at that moment, something inside her whispered:

"If you stay, you will disappear forever."

It was the first time she admitted the truth.

She had made a mistake.

She had been blinded by excitement, by rebellion, by the thrill of being wanted.

She had traded her future for a nightmare.

And if she didn’t escape now, she never would.

Chapter 5: The Escape and the Regret

Aanya knew she had to leave.

But leaving was easier said than done.

Rehan had made sure she had no phone, no money, no way to reach out to anyone. He had

trapped her in a life she once thought was love, but now saw for what it really was—a prison.

And yet, something inside her refused to die.

She wouldn’t let this be her ending.

The Final Straw

That night, Rehan came home late, his mood darker than ever.

"You’re still awake?" he asked coldly.

"I was waiting for you," she said softly, hoping for a different response.

But instead of answering, he pushed her aside.

No reason. No explanation. Just violence, just power.

And that was it.

That was the moment Aanya knew—if she didn’t leave now, she never would.

She waited until he fell asleep, his snores filling the tiny apartment that once felt like a home.

Then, with shaking hands, she grabbed the few things she had left—a scarf, an old pair of

sandals, and whatever little money she had hidden in a drawer.

She didn’t look back.

She just ran.

The Road Back Home

The streets were cold, empty, unfamiliar.

She had no idea where to go.

And then, she did something she had sworn she would never do—she called her parents.

For a moment, she hesitated. Would they even answer? Would they care? Had she burned the

bridge so badly that there was no way back?

The phone rang once. Twice.

Then, a familiar voice broke through the silence.

"Aanya?"

And just like that, she broke down.

"Papa... I want to come home."

There was no anger in his voice. No I told you so.

Only one question.

"Where are you? I’m coming to get you."

The Reversal of Her Life

When her father arrived, she expected judgment. She expected disappointment, expected

him to tell her what a mistake she had made.

But when he saw her bruises, her tired eyes, her broken spirit—he only pulled her into his

arms.

And in that moment, she knew...

She had lost herself for so long.

But she was finally home.

Epilogue: The Regret That Stayed

Healing wasn’t easy.

There were days when she cried, remembering the girl she used to be. The girl who thought

she knew better, who had thrown herself into a life she wasn’t ready for.

She had wanted love, adventure, freedom.

Instead, she had found pain, regret, and a lesson she would never forget.

Some wounds healed.

Some scars never faded.

But one thing was certain—she would never make the same mistake again.

Because sometimes, a reversal isn’t just about going back.

It’s about learning, surviving, and becoming stronger than before.

And Aanya was finally free.

By Nuzat Morve