Us din ke baad sab kuch badal gaya tha।
Riya aur Aman ek hi class me hote hue bhi jaise alag duniyaon me rehne lage the। Na koi baat, na koi smile… sirf khamoshi।
Class ka mahaul pehle jaisa hi tha, par un dono ke beech sab kuch toot chuka tha।
Riya apni seat par baithi thi, par uska dhyaan kahin aur tha।
Teacher padhate ja rahe the… par uske kaano me sirf Aman ki awaaz goonj rahi thi—
"Tumhe meri zarurat nahi rahi…"
Usne apni aankhen band kar li।
"Kya sach me aisa hai?"
Uska dil khud se hi sawal kar raha tha।
Dusri taraf Aman bhi chain me nahi tha।
Wo Riya ko ignore karne ki koshish karta… par har baar uski nazar us par jaakar ruk jaati।
"Maine itna rude kyun bola?"
Usse afsos ho raha tha।
Par ab baat itni aage badh chuki thi ki wapas jaana mushkil lag raha tha।
Aaj baarish ho rahi thi।
School chhutti ke baad sab students jaldi-jaldi ghar ja rahe the।
Riya apni chhatri bhool gayi thi… wo gate ke paas khadi baarish rukne ka wait kar rahi thi।
Tabhi Aman wahan aaya।
Usne Riya ko dekha…
Aur kuch pal ke liye bas usse dekhta raha।
Riya ne bhi usse dekh liya।
Dono ke beech phir se wahi khamoshi aa gayi।
Aman ne himmat karke apni chhatri uski taraf badhayi—
"Chalo… main chhod deta hoon," usne dheere se kaha।
Riya ne ek pal ke liye socha… phir bina kuch bole uske saath chalne lagi।
Dono ek hi chhatri ke neeche chal rahe the।
Baarish tez ho rahi thi… par un dono ke beech ab bhi khamoshi thi।
Sirf baarish ki boondein aur unke dil ki dhadkane sunai de rahi thi।
Achanak Riya ruk gayi।
"Aman…" usne dheere se kaha।
Aman bhi ruk gaya।
"Tumne us din jo kaha… wo sach tha?" Riya ne poocha।
Aman chup raha।
"Bol na…" Riya ki awaaz halki si toot rahi thi,
"Tumhe lagta hai mujhe tumhari zarurat nahi?"
Aman ne finally uski taraf dekha।
Uski aankhon me dard tha।
"Problem yeh nahi hai…" usne dheere se kaha,
"Problem yeh hai ki mujhe tumhari zarurat zyada hai."
Riya ek pal ke liye freeze ho gayi।
"Matlab?" usne dheere se poocha।
Aman ne aankhen band ki… aur jo baat wo itne dino se chhupa raha tha, wo finally bahar aa gayi—
"Mujhe tum pasand ho, Riya…"
Baarish aur tez ho gayi।
Riya ki saansein tez ho gayi।
Usne kabhi socha nahi tha ki Aman aisa kuch bolega।
"Main try kar raha tha ignore karne ka… par nahi kar paaya," Aman ne kaha,
"Jab tum Kabir ke saath hoti ho na… to pata nahi kyun ajeeb sa feel hota hai।"
Riya chup thi।
Uske paas shabd nahi the।
"Isliye main door ho gaya…" Aman ne kaha,
"Kyuki mujhe darr tha ki kahin main tumhe kho na doon."
Riya ki aankhon me aansu aa gaye।
"Par tumne to waise hi kho diya…" usne dheere se kaha।
Yeh sunte hi Aman ka dil toot gaya।
"Main kya karti, Aman?" Riya ne kaha,
"Tumne kabhi bataya hi nahi… main kaise samajhti?"
Dono ki aankhon me aansu the।
Kuch pal ke liye sirf baarish bol rahi thi।
"Aur ab?" Aman ne dheere se poocha।
Riya ne uski taraf dekha…
Uski aankhon me confusion tha… dard tha… aur shayad kuch aur bhi।
"Ab…" wo ruk gayi,
"Ab main bhi confused hoon, Aman."
Yeh sunte hi Aman ne apni nazar jhuka li।
Dono ek hi jagah khade the…
Par ab unke rishte ka naam badalne wala tha।
"Jab dosti pyaar me badalne lage… to kya rishta aur gehra hota hai, ya sab kuch tootne lagta hai?"