Vaishnavi ka dil abhi bhi fast beat kar raha tha।
"Rhea…"
Naam uske dimaag me repeat ho raha tha।
Wo thodi door khadi thi, par Aarav ki serious tone uske kaano me abhi bhi gunj rahi thi—
"Main handle kar lunga…
tum bas abhi yahan mat aana."
Handle what?
Aur Rhea kaun thi?
Usne kabhi ye naam nahi suna tha।
Kabhi bhi nahi।
Aarav ne call cut ki aur turn kiya—
Tabhi uski nazar Vaishnavi par padi।
Ek second ke liye uska expression freeze hua।
Jaise usse samajh aa gaya ho—
She heard it.
"Tum yahan kya kar rahi ho?" usne normal tone me poocha।
Vaishnavi ne forced calm dikhaya।
"Bas… sab wait kar rahe hain।"
Aarav ne kuch seconds tak usse dekha।
"Tumne kuch suna??"
Direct question.
Vaishnavi ka heartbeat aur fast ho gaya।
"Should I have?" usne equally direct tone me reply diya।
Silence।
Aarav ne jaw tighten ki।
"Drop it, Vaishnavi."
Uska tone thanda tha।
Final.
Aur wahi tone Vaishnavi ko sabse zyada hurt karta tha—
Jab wo walls khadi kar deta tha।
"Fine," usne softly kaha।
"Drop it."
Wo uske paas se nikal gayi।
Par uske andar ab curiosity se zyada hurt tha।
Next Morning —
Trip Day Out
Aaj group ne nearby lake resort explore karne ka plan banaya।
Bright sun, cool breeze, open water—
Sab kuch beautiful tha।
Par Vaishnavi ka mood nahi।
"Guys! Paddle boats!" Naina
excitement se almost jump kar rahi thi।
Sumit hasa।
"Tum kabhi serious bhi hoti ho?"
"Vacation pe serious hone wale boring hote hain," Naina ne tongue out ki।
Sab hase…
Even Vaishnavi thoda smile kar di।
"Teams banate hain!" Naina ne announce kiya।
"Main Sumit ke saath!" wo instantly boli।
Sumit ne dramatic bow kiya।
"Smart choice."
Sabki nazar automatically Aarav aur Vaishnavi par gayi।
Naina smirk ki।
"Toh tum dono together obviously."
Vaishnavi aur Aarav ne ek dusre ki taraf dekha।
Awkward silence.
"Works for me," Aarav ne calmly kaha।
Vaishnavi bina kuch bole boat me baith gayi।
Lake Scene
Boat paani par softly glide kar rahi thi।
Chaaron taraf calm water.
Distant laughter.
Soft breeze.
Perfect romantic setting.
Aur phir bhi…
Unke beech silence tha।
Aarav paddling kar raha tha।
Vaishnavi paani dekh rahi thi|
Finally—
"Tum mujhse naraz ho," Aarav ne kaha।
Vaishnavi ne laugh kiya।
"Tumhe lagta hai?"
Aarav sighed।
"Vaishnavi—"
"Nahi, seriously," usne uski taraf mudkar kaha,
"tum ek second mujhe feel karwate ho ki jo chal raha hai wo real hai…"
Uski voice crack hui slightly।
"Phir next second walls khadi kar dete ho."
Aarav chup raha।
"Main koi game nahi hoon, Aarav."
Boat halki si slow hui।
Aarav ne uski taraf dekha।
Is baar uski eyes soft thi।
Real.
"Tum game nahi ho," usne low voice me kaha।
"Problem ye hai… tum usse zyada ho."
Vaishnavi ka breath hitch hua।
"Phir problem kya hai?" usne whisper me poocha।
Aarav ne nazar hata li।
"Bas hai."
Vaishnavi hurt ho gayi।
"Tum impossible ho."
"Trust me," Aarav ne bitter smile ke saath kaha,
"mujhe pata hai."
Water Splash Fun
Suddenly—
Paani ka splash unki taraf aaya।
"HEY!" Naina chillaayi from other boat।
"Race karo losers!" Sumit ne tease kiya।
Vaishnavi hansi bina nahi reh saki।
Aarav ne uski smile dekhi…
Aur kuch seconds tak bas dekhta raha।
"Finally," usne softly kaha।
"kya?"
"Tum hansi."
Vaishnavi ka heart skip kar gaya।
"Tum jab smile karti ho…" Aarav ne half whisper me kaha,
"tab sab difficult aur zyada difficult ho jata hai."
Before she could respond—
Boat suddenly wobble hui।
Vaishnavi balance lose karne lagi—
"Aarav—!"
Wo girne hi wali thi—
Par Aarav ne instantly uska wrist pakad liya।
Aur usse apni taraf kheench liya।
Ab wo literally uski chest se lagi hui thi।
Breaths mixed.
Faces inches apart.
Sab kuch ruk gaya।
Aarav ne dheere se kaha—
"Tumhe idea bhi nahi… tum mere saath kya kar rahi ho."
Vaishnavi bol nahi paayi।
Door se Naina ki teasing scream aayi—
"GET A ROOM YOU TWO!"
Dono instantly alag hue।
Awkward.
Flustered.
Bonfire Night
Raat ko group ne bonfire plan kiya।
Music, snacks, games.
Atmosphere light tha।
"Truth or Dare!" Naina shouted.
"Absolutely not—"
Aarav bola।
"Too late," Sumit laughed. "Sab khelenge."
Game start hua।
Sab fun questions.
Laughter.
Teasing.
Then bottle spun—
Stopped at Aarav.
Naina grinned wickedly।
"Truth."
Aarav narrowed eyes. "Ask."
Naina smirked।
"Kya tum kabhi kisi se genuinely pyaar kar chuke ho?"
Complete silence.
Vaishnavi ka heartbeat stop sa ho gaya।
Sab Aarav ko dekh rahe the।
Aarav ka expression unreadable ho gaya।
Usne kuch seconds liye।
Phir uski nazar—
Seedha Vaishnavi par gayi।
"Yes."
Vaishnavi freeze.
Naina screamed dramatically।
"WHO?!"
Sumit bhi interested ho gaya।
Aarav ne bottle uthayi, smirk kiya—
"Bas ek question tha."
Aur answer wahi chhod diya।
Vaishnavi ka mind spin karne laga।
Kya wo…?
Nahi.
Ya…?
Final Cliffhanger
Bonfire ke baad sab rooms ki taraf ja rahe the।
Vaishnavi thoda peeche thi।
Uska mind still stuck tha on Aarav's answer.
Suddenly—
Ek female voice aayi:
"So… this is why you've been ignoring me?"
Vaishnavi froze.
Aarav instantly turn hua।
Uska face pale ho gaya।
Aur entrance par khadi thi—
A stunning girl.
Confident. Sharp. Beautiful.
Eyes locked on Aarav.
She smiled.
"Miss me, Aarav?"
Vaishnavi ka heart drop ho gaya।
Aarav ne almost whisper kiya—
"…Rhea."
END CLIFFHANGER
Vaishnavi ko us pal samajh aa gaya—
Aarav ka past unke trip tak aa chuka tha…
aur jo bhi Rhea thi...
wo sab kuch change karne wali thi.
To be continued...