The morning light streamed through the thin curtains, painting lazy golden patterns on the ceiling. I stared at them blankly, my mind tangled in a mess of thoughts, emotions, and last night's leftover frustration.

Yesterday was... a disaster.

A sigh left my lips as I replayed the way I snapped at Naveen and Sathish. They were only trying to help, even if their methods were exasperating. And I, being the lovely, pleasant human being that I am (note the sarcasm), had rewarded their concern with a delightful temper tantrum.

I stretched, my limbs protesting against the movement, before my gaze landed on my study table. The open notebook sat there like a taunt, its pages fluttering in the soft breeze.

Ugh.

I forced myself to sit up and rubbed my face, peeking at last night's attempt at writing. It wasn't great. Half a page of nonsense scribbled in frustration before I gave up and buried myself in blankets. Now, looking at it in daylight, I felt nothing but... empty.

The words felt hollow. Forced.

Another sigh. Another reminder of how I was drowning.

Dragging myself out of bed, I shuffled into the living room, where Naveen was sprawled on the couch, one leg hanging off, his mouth slightly open. He looked like a crime scene victim, except the only crime here was his terrible sleeping posture. Sathish was nowhere to be seen—probably in the guest room, passed out.

Coffee. I needed coffee.

The rich aroma filled the air as I poured myself a cup, savoring the warmth between my fingers. Just as I took the first sip, the guest room door creaked open, and Sathish emerged, his hair looking like he'd been electrocuted in his sleep.

"Morning," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes.

"Morning," I replied, handing him a cup because I was a nice person (most of the time).

Before he could even take a sip, a groggy voice came from the couch.

"What's going on?" Naveen sat up, blinking blearily at us like a confused owl.

I took a deep breath. "We need to talk."

Naveen stretched, yawned, then fixed his sharp eyes on me. "About how you're in complete denial about your burnout?"

I scowled. "About me apologizing for yesterday."

Sathish sat down, watching me expectantly. Naveen simply raised an eyebrow. "Apology accepted. But you're still in denial."

Oh, for the love of—

"Sathish, please tell your friend to stop diagnosing me like some emotionally constipated novel protagonist."

Sathish sipped his coffee, completely ignoring my request. "You've lost your spark, Aarushi. You're writing out of obligation, not passion. That's why your books aren't connecting with people."

Ouch.

I looked away, gripping my cup a little tighter. "I just need to work harder. Prove to myself that I can still do this."

"Prove to who, exactly?" Naveen leaned forward, his expression too serious for my liking. "To the readers who bash you online? To investors who only see numbers? Or to yourself?"

His words struck a nerve. Because he was right. And I hated that.

Sathish sighed. "Aarushi, we're saying this because we care. You've been through a lot, and instead of taking a break, you're just... forcing yourself to function. You need to breathe."

Breathe? How could I breathe when my mind was constantly drowning?

"I don't need a break," I muttered, looking anywhere but at them. "I need distractions. Without writing, my thoughts get worse."

Silence.

Then Naveen moved, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Then let's make a deal."

Oh boy.

"If I prove to you why you need a break in twenty-four hours, will you accept it?"

I narrowed my eyes. "What exactly do you mean by 'prove'?"

Sathish perked up like an excited kid. "A bet! If we win, you go on a vacation. If you win, we'll do whatever you want."

A bet? Seriously?

I scoffed. "And what happens if I win?"

"You get to decide. Anything you want." Naveen shrugged.

My curiosity got the better of me. "Anything?"

"Anything," they both said in unison, nodding like enthusiastic puppies.

I thought for a moment. Then smirked. "Fine. If I win, I don't want to see either of your faces for a month."

Their confidence didn't waver.

"DEAL!" they said together, practically buzzing with excitement.

And that's how I found myself roped into their ridiculous challenge.

"Alright, get ready. We're going out," Naveen announced, snatching my coffee cup right from my hands.

"Excuse you?" I glared at him. "Give me back my coffee, you caffeine-stealing menace!"

"Too late. You made a bet. Now go get dressed!" He grinned and walked away, sipping my coffee like a villain.

Sathish, ever the opportunist, pinched my nose playfully before following him. "It's for your own good, Aarushi. Just accept defeat now."

I stood there, grumbling under my breath, wondering how I always ended up stuck in their schemes.

This was going to be a long day.