Shaam ka waqt tha…
Aasmaan halki orange roshni se bhar gaya tha. Aarohi apni balcony me khadi thi, haath me coffee ka cup… par coffee kab ki thandi ho chuki thi.
Uska dhyaan kahin aur hi tha.
Hamesha ki tarah.
Kabir par.
"Tumhe sunset pasand tha na…" usne dheere se kaha.
Hawa ka ek halka jhonka aaya, uske baal chehre par gir gaye.
Aarohi ne aankhen band ki…
Aur ek pal ke liye usse laga jaise Kabir uske peeche khada ho.
"Pagal hai tu… itni filmy kyun ho jaati hai?"
Wo awaaz…
Bilkul waisi hi thi.
Aarohi ne turant aankhen kholi.
Par waha koi nahi tha.
Sirf khali hawa.
Usne halki si smile di.
"Shayad main sach me pagal ho gayi hoon…" usne khud se kaha.
---
Us raat Aarohi ne ek ajeeb sa sapna dekha…
Wo wahi road thi…
Jahan accident hua tha.
Sab kuch slow motion me ho raha tha.
Kabir bike chala raha tha…
Phone uske haath me tha…
Wo baar-baar screen dekh raha tha
Aarohi Calling…
Aarohi ne sapne me hi chillaya
"Phone mat uthao! Kabir ruk jao!"
Par uski awaaz us tak nahi pahunch rahi thi.
Kabir ne phone uthaya…
Aur usi moment
Ek tez light…
Ek loud sound…
Aur sab black.
Aarohi jhatke se uth gayi.
Saans tez chal rahi thi.
Aankhen paani se bhari hui thi.
"Kaash… main us din call utha leti…" usne dheere se kaha.
"Kaash… main use block na karti…"
Usne apna face dono haathon me chhupa liya.
"Kaash…"
Par zindagi me sabse bekaar word hota hai
"Kaash."
---
Agli subah…
Aarohi ek jagah gayi…
Jahan wo kabhi akeli nahi gayi thi.
Kabristan.
Uske kadam dheeme the…
Dil aur bhi heavy.
Wo Kabir ke grave ke paas ruk gayi.
Usne naam dekha
Kabir Sharma
Uski aankhon me aansu aa gaye.
"Hi…" usne halki si smile ke saath kaha.
Jaise wo kisi normal conversation start kar rahi ho.
"Main aa gayi…"
Wo neeche baith gayi.
"Tum hamesha bolte the na ki main tumhe ignore karti ho…"
Usne dheere se grave par haath rakha.
"Ab dekho… main hi aa rahi hoon baar-baar…"
Uski awaaz me dard tha…
Par ek ajeeb si shanti bhi.
"Tum gussa ho mujhse?" usne pucha.
Hawa halka sa chali.
Jaise koi jawab de raha ho.
Aarohi muskurayi.
"Tum hamesha aise hi karte the… bina bole samjha dete the…"
Usne apne bag se ek chhota sa box nikala.
Usme ek bracelet tha.
Wahi bracelet jo Kabir ne usse gift kiya tha.
"Yaad hai… tumne bola tha kabhi mat utarna…"
Usne bracelet ko dekha…
Phir dheere se grave par rakh diya.
"Par ab… main ise yaha chhod rahi hoon…"
Aankhon se aansu girne lage.
"Taaki tumhare paas rahe…"
Wo kuch der waha chup baithi rahi.
Bas hawa ki awaaz thi…
Aur uske dil ki dhadkan.
---
Din beet rahe the…
Zindagi dheere-dheere normal ho rahi thi.
Par Aarohi ke andar sab kuch change ho chuka tha.
Ab wo jaldi gussa nahi hoti thi…
Logon ko ignore nahi karti thi…
Aur sabse important
Wo har call pick karti thi.
Chahe kitni bhi busy ho.
Ek din uski friend Neha ne mazaak me kaha
"Waah madam… ab to badi achhi ban gayi ho!"
Aarohi ne halki si smile di.
"Late ho gaya na…" usne dheere se kaha.
Neha samajh gayi.
Usne kuch nahi bola.
Bas Aarohi ka haath pakad liya.
---
Ek shaam…
Aarohi wahi cafe me baithi thi.
Usne apna laptop khola.
Aur likhna start kiya
"If Only…"
Wo apni story likh rahi thi.
Apni aur Kabir ki.
Har wo moment…
Har wo mistake…
Har wo regret.
Usne likha
"Agar maine us din call utha li hoti…"
"Agar maine use ignore nahi kiya hota…"
"Agar maine usse ek chance de diya hota…"
Uski aankhon se aansu girte rahe…
Par wo likhti rahi.
Kyuki ye sirf ek story nahi thi…
Ye uska confession tha.
---
Raat ko…
Usne last line likhi
"Kabhi-kabhi hum sochte hain ki humare paas time hai…"
"Par sach me… humare paas sirf ek chance hota hai."
Usne laptop band kiya.
Aur aasman ki taraf dekha.
"Dekho… maine sab likh diya…"
Usne dheere se kaha
"Ab shayad main thoda sa theek ho jaun…"
Halka sa hawa ka jhonka aaya…
Jaise kisi ne usse gently hug kiya ho.
Aarohi ne aankhen band ki…
Aur is baar…
Uske chehre par ek halka sa sukoon tha.
---
Kabir wapas nahi aayega…
Ye sach wo accept kar chuki thi.
Par uska pyaar…
Uski yaadein…
Aur uski galti se mili seekh
Wo hamesha uske saath rahegi.
Aur shayad…
Isi ka naam hai
Love… after loss.
💔
To be continued…