School ke din ab pehle jaise nahi rahe the. Ab har subah Riya ko school aane ka intezaar hota tha—sirf padhai ke liye nahi, balki Aman se milne ke liye।
Aman bhi ab uski zindagi ka ek hissa ban chuka tha. Wo chhoti-chhoti baatein jo pehle kisi se share nahi hoti thi, ab bina soche samjhe Aman ko bata di jaati thi. Kabhi kisi teacher ki daant, kabhi ghar ki baat, kabhi bas bina wajah ki udaasi—Aman har baat dhyaan se sunta।
Aur Aman… wo sirf sunta hi nahi tha, samajhta bhi tha।
Neem ke ped ke neeche baithna ab unka routine ban chuka tha. Har din lunch ke baad wo wahi jaate। Aman apni funny stories sunata, aur Riya hans-hans kar thak jaati।
Par dheere-dheere kuch badalne laga tha।
Ek din Aman ne casually poocha,
"Riya, agar main ek din school na aaun, to tumhe farq padega?"
Riya ne bina soche turant jawab diya,
"Haan, bahut."
Aman ne muskura kar kaha,
"Bas itna hi?"
Riya thodi si sharma gayi,
"Matlab… haan, tumhare bina school boring lagega."
Aman ne kuch nahi kaha, par uski aankhon me ek ajeeb si khushi thi—jaise wo kuch sunna chahta tha, par abhi nahi।
Usi waqt unki zindagi me ek naya mod aaya।
Class me ek naya student introduce hua—Kabir।
Kabir bilkul alag tha. Confident, smart, aur har cheez me perfect. Teachers uski tareef karte nahi thakte the, aur students usse impress the।
Kuch hi dino me Kabir aur Riya ki baat-cheet shuru ho gayi। Shuru me bas studies tak limited thi—notes share karna, doubts discuss karna। Par dheere-dheere wo normal baaton tak badhne lagi।
Riya ko Kabir se baat karna achha lagta tha। Wo polite tha, samajhdaar tha… aur Riya ki baaton ko dhyaan se sunta tha।
Par Aman ke liye ye sab naya tha।
Pehle lunch break me Riya seedha uske paas aati thi। Ab kabhi-kabhi wo Kabir ke saath busy hoti। Pehle har baat Aman se share hoti thi… ab kuch baatein reh jaati thi।
Aman ye sab notice kar raha tha—par kuch keh nahi pa raha tha।
Ek din kaafi der tak Riya class me nahi aayi। Aman baar-baar door ki taraf dekh raha tha। Jab wo finally aayi, to uske saath Kabir tha।
"Sorry, late ho gayi," Riya ne kaha, "Kabir ke saath project discuss kar rahi thi."
Aman ne sirf "hmm" kaha aur apni notebook khol li।
Riya ne uski taraf dekha—ye wo Aman nahi tha jo har baat par react karta tha।
Lunch break me Riya phir Kabir ke saath baithi thi। Wo dono kuch discuss kar rahe the, aur kabhi-kabhi hans bhi rahe the।
Door se Aman unhe dekh raha tha।
Uske andar ek ajeeb si feeling ho rahi thi—na wo gussa tha, na udaas… par kuch to tha jo use disturb kar raha tha।
"Mujhe kyun farq pad raha hai?" usne khud se socha।
"Wo meri friend hai… bas friend."
Par dil shayad kuch aur keh raha tha।
Us din jab Riya uske paas aayi, Aman ne thoda thande andaaz me poocha,
"Aajkal tum busy rehti ho."
Riya ne normal tone me kaha,
"Nahi to… bas Kabir ke saath project chal raha hai."
Aman ne halki si hansi ke saath kaha,
"Achha hai… ab tumhe meri zarurat nahi padti shayad."
Riya ka chehra serious ho gaya,
"Aman, tum aisa kyun bol rahe ho?"
Aman ne turant baat ko halka kar diya,
"Arre, mazaak tha… itna serious mat ho."
Par Riya samajh gayi thi—ye mazaak nahi tha।
Us din neem ke ped ke neeche dono saath to baithe, par pehle jaise nahi। Beech me ek khamoshi thi… jo shayad dono feel kar rahe the, par keh nahi pa rahe the।
Riya ne dheere se kaha,
"Aman, sab theek hai na?"
Aman ne nazar chura kar kaha,
"Haan, sab theek hai."
Par sach to ye tha ki kuch bhi theek nahi tha।
Shaam ko ghar jaate waqt Aman bina rukhe aage badh gaya। Pehle wo hamesha Riya ke saath chalta tha… par aaj wo akela tha।
Riya peeche khadi usse jaate hue dekhti rahi।
Uske dil me ek sawaal tha—
"Kya hamari dosti badal rahi hai?"
Aur Aman ke dil me bhi ek sawaal tha—
"Kya ye sirf dosti hai?"
Dono ke paas jawab nahi tha… par ek baat clear thi—
ab unki kahani simple nahi rahi thi।