Vaishnavi ka dil us pal ekdum sink ho gaya।
A stunning girl entrance ke paas khadi thi—
confident, elegant, aur us tarah comfortable jaise usse pata ho ki wo yahan belong karti hai।
Uski aankhen seedha Aarav par tiki hui thi।
"Miss me, Aarav?" usne smile ke saath poocha।
Aarav ka face stiff ho gaya।
"…Rhea."
Bas itna.
Aur Vaishnavi ke liye wahi kaafi tha।
Usne Aarav ki aankhon me woh tension dekhi jo wo normally kisi ke liye show nahi karta tha।
Rhea uske paas aayi aur bina hesitation uske shoulder ko lightly touch kiya।
"Tum phone par jitne rude the, utne hi handsome lag rahe ho," usne tease kiya।
Sab awkward silence me khade the।
Naina confused thi।
Sumit quietly observe kar raha tha।
Aur Vaishnavi…
Bas dekh rahi thi।
Uska dimaag apne aap answers bana raha tha।
Toh ye thi complication.
Ye thi woh reason jiske wajah se Aarav kabhi clear nahi hua.
Usne khud ko force kiya smile karne ke liye।
"Main room ja rahi hoon," usne softly kaha।
Kisi ne roka nahi।
Aarav ne dekha…
Par usne follow bhi nahi kiya।
Aur wahi sabse zyada hurt hua।
Later That Night
Vaishnavi balcony me khadi thi।
Hawa thandi thi, par uske andar sab garam aur heavy lag raha tha।
Usne aankhen band ki।
"Shayad main hi zyada feel karne lagi thi."
"Shayad hum dono ke beech kabhi kuch tha hi nahi."
Aarav ne kabhi promise nahi kiya।
Kabhi confess nahi kiya।
Kabhi kaha hi nahi ki wo usse chahta hai।
Toh phir hurt kyun?
Kis baat ka?
Usne deep breath li।
Aur wahi decide kar liya—
Ab aur nahi.
Wo khud ko aur false hopes nahi degi।
Next Morning – New Day of Trip
Naina full energy me room me ghusi।
"WAKE UP PEOPLE! Waterfall trek jaana hai!"
Vaishnavi ne forced smile di।
"Aa rahi hoon."
Aaj usne decide kiya—
Wo trip spoil nahi hone degi।
Aarav ke confusion ki wajah se nahi।
Breakfast
hall me enter karte hi Vaishnavi ka step slow ho gaya।
Rhea already table par thi।
Aur Aarav ke bilkul side me baithi hui।
"Morning!" Rhea brightly boli।
Jaise wo group ka part ho।
Vaishnavi quietly baith gayi।
Waiter Aarav ki coffee rakhne laga hi tha ki Rhea casually boli..
"No sugar. He hates sweet coffee."..
Waiter ne turant change kiya।
Vaishnavi ka chest tighten ho gaya।
Itni chhoti baat thi…
Par us familiarity ne hurt kar diya।
Aarav ne low warning tone me kaha—
"Rhea."
"Relax," wo hansi। "I still remember things."
Vaishnavi ne uske baad breakfast me hardly kuch bola।
Waterfall Trek
Nature trail beautiful tha।
Trees, cool breeze, distant waterfall sound—
Sab peaceful tha।
Group me sab masti kar rahe the।
Naina photos le rahi thi।
Sumit uska मज़ाक उड़ा रहा tha।
Aur Vaishnavi…
Try kar rahi thi normal feel karne ki।
"Vaishnavi!" Naina ne bulaaya।
"Come here, group selfie!"
Wo immediately chali gayi।
Aarav bhi frame me tha।
Normally Vaishnavi uske paas stand karti।
Aaj—
Wo Sumit ke side khadi ho gayi।
Aarav ne notice kiya।
Uski eyes slightly narrow hui।
Rhea ne bhi notice kiya।
Aur ek chhoti knowing smile di।
Casual Distance
Throughout the trek:
Vaishnavi Aarav se normal but distant thi
No extra glances
No awkwardness
No trying to talk
Bas polite.
Friendly.
Controlled.
Aur Aarav ko ye pasand nahi aa raha tha।
Bilkul nahi।
Small Trip Moment
Waterfall ke paas sabne shoes utare aur shallow water me chale gaye।
Naina splash kar rahi thi like crazy।
"SUMIT! Idhar aa coward!"
"Main bachcha nahi hoon—"
SPLASH.
"NAINAAA!"
Sab hase।
Even Vaishnavi genuinely laugh kar di।
Aarav usse dekh raha tha।
Longer than necessary.
Jaise usse samajh nahi aa raha—
Kal tak hurt thi।
Aaj itni normal kaise?
Rhea quietly Aarav ke paas aayi।
"You're staring."
Aarav ne immediately nazar hata li।
Later while walking back—
"Tum okay ho?" Sumit ne quietly poocha।
Vaishnavi smiled.
"Haan. Bas overthinking band kar di."
"Sure?"
"Some things aren't meant to be complicated," usne softly kaha,
"because maybe they were never anything to begin with."
Sumit ne uski taraf dekha।
Usse samajh aa gaya—
Ye line kisi aur ke liye thi।
Door se Aarav ne unhe dekha।
Aur uska jaw tighten ho gaya।
Sunset Activity
Evening me group ne resort rooftop par sunset view plan kiya।
Beautiful orange sky।
Music soft chal raha tha।
Sab calm mood me the।
Rhea Naina ke saath busy thi।
Sumit drinks lene gaya hua tha।
Vaishnavi railing ke paas khadi sky dekh rahi thi।
Aarav finally uske paas aaya।
"Can we talk?"
Usne uski taraf dekha।
Calm expression.
"About what?"
Aarav irritated ho gaya।
"Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"Act like everything's fine."
Vaishnavi ne halki smile di।
"Everything is fine."
Aarav ne closer step liya।
"No, it's not."
"Why?" Vaishnavi ne seedha poocha।
"Because I'm not reacting the way you expected?"
Silence.
Aarav ka expression dark hua।
"Rhea is not what you think."
Vaishnavi ne immediately reply diya—
"I didn't ask."
That hit him.
Hard.
"Vaishnavi—"
"Relax, Aarav," usne calmly interrupt kiya।
"Tum sahi the."
Uska heart internally crack ho raha tha…
Par face calm tha।
"Hum dono ke beech dosti ke alawa kuch tha hi nahi."
Aarav froze.
Vaishnavi ne slight smile di।
"So don't worry. I understand now."
Aur wo uske paas se chal di।
Aarav wahi khada reh gaya।
Speechless.
Final Cliffhanger
Raat ko bonfire ke baad—
Vaishnavi apne room ki taraf ja rahi thi।
Tabhi kisi ne uska wrist pakda।
Wo sharply turn hui।
Aarav.
Uski eyes dark thi।
Jaw clenched.
Breathing uneven.
"Tumhe lagta hai itna easy hai?" usne low dangerous tone me poocha।
Vaishnavi ka heartbeat jump hua।
"What are you talking about—"
Aarav uske aur kareeb aaya।
Almost no space left.
"Tum decide nahi karogi ki humare beech kya hai."
Vaishnavi stunned.
"Aur na hi itni easily door jaa paogi."
Uski voice aur lower hui—
"Because the moment you started mattering to me…
things stopped being simple."
Vaishnavi breathless.
Heart racing.
Mind blank.
Aarav leaned closer—
"Aur agar tumhe lagta hai main tumhe bas friend ki tarah dekhta hoon…"
He paused
Eyes locked on hers.
"Then you have no idea how wrong you are."
To be continued.....