Aarav uske bilkul kareeb khada tha।
Unke beech ki distance… almost khatam ho chuki thi।
Vaishnavi ka heartbeat itna loud ho gaya tha… jaise wo khud sun sakti ho।
"Main… ab aur ignore nahi kar sakta।"
Uski awaaz low thi… par usme ek weight tha।
"Tum kya ignore kar rahe the?"
Vaishnavi ne halki si frown ke saath poocha।
Aarav ne kuch seconds tak usse dekha।
Jaise wo decide kar raha ho… kitna kehna hai।
"Tumhe," usne finally kaha।
Vaishnavi freeze ho gayi।
"Main try kar raha tha ki ye sab… bas ek trip rahe," Aarav ne dheere se bola,
"par tumhe dekh kar… wo possible nahi hai।"
Vaishnavi ke paas words nahi the।
"Kal raat…" Aarav ne uski aankhon me dekhte hue kaha,
"wo sirf ek moment nahi tha।"
Vaishnavi ka heart tighten ho gaya।
"Phir… ab kyun aisa behave kar rahe ho?" usne almost whisper me poocha।
Aarav ka expression change hua।
Intensity… wapas distance me badal gayi।
"Because things are complicated," usne seedha jawab diya।
Vaishnavi ka face fall ho gaya।
"Complicated?" usne repeat kiya।
Aarav ne nazar hata li।
"Tum nahi samjhogi।"
"Try me," Vaishnavi ne immediately kaha।
Silence।
Aarav ne uski taraf dekha… phir halka sa head shake kiya।
"Abhi nahi।"
Aur bina kuch aur bole… wo aage chal diya।
Vaishnavi wahi khadi reh gayi।
"Har baar… adhoora kyun chhod dete ho?"
Next Morning
Subah ki light room me softly fall ho rahi thi।
Vaishnavi ne aankhen kholi… aur pehla thought—
Aarav।
Kal raat ke words… uske dimaag me repeat ho rahe the।
"Main tumhe ignore nahi kar sakta…"
Usne side dekha—
Bed khaali tha।
Uska heart thoda sink ho gaya।
Wo balcony ki taraf gayi।
Door half open tha।
Aarav wahan khada tha।
Back towards her।
Hands pocket me।
Calm… distant…
Jaise kal raat ka Aarav koi aur tha।
"Good morning," Vaishnavi ne softly kaha।
"Morning," Aarav ne bina mudhe reply diya।
Bas itna।
Vaishnavi uske paas aayi।
"Kal jo tumne—"
"Ready ho jao," Aarav ne interrupt kiya।
Vaishnavi chup ho gayi।
"Par—"
"Vaishnavi," uski tone thodi firm thi,
"let's not overcomplicate things."
Uske words seedha uske dil pe lage।
"Overcomplicate?" Vaishnavi ne dheere se repeat kiya।
Aarav ne finally uski taraf dekha।
"Jo hai… use simple rehne do."
"Par wo simple nahi hai," Vaishnavi ne almost hurt tone me kaha।
Aarav ne kuch nahi bola।
Aur wahi silence… sab kuch keh gaya।
Breakfast Table
Sab log normal the।
Laughing… talking… planning…
Sirf Vaishnavi ke andar storm chal raha tha।
Aarav bilkul normal behave kar raha tha।
Jaise kuch hua hi nahi।
"Coffee?" Sumit ne poocha।
"Hmm… thanks," Vaishnavi ne smile force ki।
Sumit ne usse observe kiya।
"Tum theek nahi ho," usne directly kaha।
Vaishnavi ne halki si laugh ki।
"Main theek hoon…"
"Jhoot," Sumit ne calmly bola।
Vaishnavi ne nazar jhuka li।
"Usne kuch bola?" Sumit ne dheere se poocha।
Vaishnavi ne Aarav ki taraf dekha।
Wo kisi aur ke saath laugh kar raha tha।
"Bola bhi… aur nahi bhi," usne confused tone me kaha।
Sumit ne deep breath li।
"Wo tumhe confuse karega…"
"Already kar raha hai," Vaishnavi ne
halki si smile ke saath kaha… par aankhon me sadness clear thi।
Jealousy Build
Later…
Vaishnavi aur Sumit thoda side me walk kar rahe the।
"Tum deserve karti ho clarity," Sumit ne kaha।
"Par wo deta nahi," Vaishnavi ne softly reply diya।
Door se Aarav unhe dekh raha tha।
Unka saath chalna… baat karna…
Usse disturb kar raha tha।
Wo unke paas aaya।
"Kaafi private conversation lag rahi hai," usne casual tone me kaha।
Vaishnavi ne seedha uski taraf dekha।
"Problem kya hai tumhe?" usne finally pooch liya।
Aarav thoda taken aback hua।
"Tumhe problem hai na?" Vaishnavi ne continue kiya।
"Kal raat tum… aur aaj tum…
main samajh nahi pa rahi tum ho kya।"
Silence।
"Tum overreact kar rahi ho," Aarav ne cold tone me kaha।
Vaishnavi hurt ho gayi।
"Ya tum avoid kar rahe ho?"
Aarav ka expression hard ho gaya।
"Tum decide karo," Vaishnavi ne dheere se kaha,
"main kya hoon tumhare liye।"
Ek second ke liye time ruk gaya।
Aarav ke paas answer nahi tha।
Aur us silence ne sab clear kar diya।
Vaishnavi ne aankhen band ki ek second ke liye।
"Samajh gayi…"
Wo wahan se chali gayi।
Cliffhanger
Shaam ho chuki thi।
Sab wapas car ki taraf ja rahe the
Aarav thoda peeche reh gaya।
Uska phone vibrate hua।
Usne screen dekhi…
aur uska expression instantly change ho gaya।
"Rhea Calling…"
Usne turant call receive kiya।
"Tumne ab call kyun kiya?"
Doosri side se kuch kaha gaya।
Aarav ka face serious ho gaya।
"Main handle kar lunga…
tum bas abhi yahan mat aana."
Vaishnavi thodi door khadi thi…
Aur usne ye sab sun liya
"Rhea…"
Uska heart dheere se sink ho gaya।
"Kaun hai ye…?
Aur Aarav usse kya chhupa raha hai?"
To be continued.....