Baarish ab dheere-dheere halki hone lagi thi…
par Riya aur Aman ke beech jo tufaan tha, wo abhi bhi rukne ka naam nahi le raha tha।
Riya ne ek gehri saans li।
"Aman… mujhe time chahiye," usne dheere se kaha।
Aman ne sir hilaya, jaise wo pehle se hi is jawab ke liye ready tha।
"Main wait karunga," usne halka sa smile karte hue kaha,
"Bas itna chahunga ki tum mujhse door mat ho jana।"
Riya ne uski taraf dekha…
yeh wahi Aman tha — caring, samajhne wala…
jisse wo kabhi khona nahi chahti thi।
Par ab sab simple nahi tha।
Agle kuch din…
Class me phir se normalcy aane ki koshish ho rahi thi।
Riya aur Aman baat to karte the… par pehle jaisi baat nahi thi।
Har conversation ke beech ek unsaid tension tha।
Kabir ne bhi notice kar liya tha।
"Sab theek hai na tum dono ke beech?" Kabir ne ek din Riya se poocha।
Riya thodi ghabra gayi।
"Haan… bas thoda sa… normal nahi hai," usne bachne ki koshish ki।
Kabir ne bas "hmm" kaha… par uski aankhon me doubt saaf tha।
Dusri taraf Aman…
Wo Riya ko space dene ki puri koshish kar raha tha।
Par har baar jab wo Kabir ko Riya ke paas dekhta… uska dil fir se heavy ho jaata।
"Shayad main late ho gaya…" usne khud se kaha।
Ek din school ke baad…
Riya akeli bench par baithi thi।
Kabir uske paas aaya।
"Riya, ek baat puchu?" usne serious tone me kaha।
Riya ne sir uthaya।
"Tumhe Aman pasand hai na?"
Yeh sawaal seedha uske dil par laga।
Riya kuch pal ke liye chup reh gayi।
"Main… nahi jaanti," usne finally kaha।
Kabir ne halki si smile di… par wo smile adhuri thi।
"Par Aman jaanta hai," usne dheere se kaha।
Riya ne confuse hoke uski taraf dekha।
"Uski aankhon me sab clear hai," Kabir ne kaha,
"Bas tumhe decide karna hai… tum kya chahti ho।"
Us raat Riya so nahi paayi।
Ek taraf Aman… jiska pyaar sachha lag raha tha।
Dusri taraf unki dosti… jo wo khona nahi chahti thi।
"Ya to sab mil jayega… ya sab kho jayega," usne socha।
Usne phone uthaya…
aur Aman ka chat open kiya।
Typing…
Deleting…
Phir finally usne likha—
"Kal mil sakte ho?"
Message send ho gaya।
Screen par "online" dikhte hi uska dil tez dhadakne laga…
Kal ka din un dono ke rishte ka faisla karega… ya unke beech hamesha ke liye fasla bana dega।
Agar chaho to next chapter (final ya twist wala) bhi likh deta hoon .