Agla din…
Riya school thodi jaldi aa gayi thi।
Uska dil kal raat se hi fast dhadak raha tha।
Aman bhi aaj unusually early aaya।
Dono ne ek dusre ko dekha…
aur bina kuch bole school ke piche wale garden ki taraf chal diye।
Wahi jagah… jahan unki dosti shuru hui thi।
Kuch pal tak dono chup rahe।
Phir Riya ne finally bolna start kiya—
"Aman… main kal raat bahut sochi।"
Aman bas usse dekh raha tha।
"Mujhe darr lag raha tha," Riya ne kaha,
"Darr ki agar maine kuch galat choose kiya… to main tumhe kho dungi।"
Aman ne dheere se kaha,
"Main ab bhi yahin hoon, Riya…"
Riya ki aankhon me halki si nami aa gayi।
"Par main ek baat samajh gayi…"
wo ruk kar uski aankhon me dekhte hue boli,
"Main tumhe waise nahi dekh pa rahi jaise tum mujhe dekhte ho।"
Yeh sunte hi Aman ka dil halka sa toot gaya…
par is baar usne apni aankhon me aansu nahi aane diye।
Riya ne aage kaha—
"Par iska matlab yeh nahi ki tum mere liye important nahi ho।
Tum… mere liye bahut important ho, Aman।"
Aman ne halka sa smile kiya… dard bhara, par sachha।
"Samajh gaya," usne dheere se kaha।
"Main tumhe force nahi karunga।
Pyaar kabhi force nahi hota।"
Riya ne uska haath pakda।
"Par ek promise karo…"
"Hum apni dosti ko tootne nahi denge।"
Aman ne uski taraf dekha…
Kuch pal ke liye usne socha—
kya wo wapas sirf dost ban paayega?
Phir usne halka sa sir hila diya।
"Try karenge," usne kaha।
Kuch hafton baad…
Sab kuch dheere-dheere normal hone laga।
Hasi-mazaak wapas aane laga…
par ab un dono ke beech ek maturity bhi thi।
Kabir bhi unke saath tha…
par ab usse sab clear tha।
Ek din…
Riya, Aman aur Kabir canteen me baithe the।
Riya hass rahi thi…
Aman usse dekh kar smile kar raha tha—
is baar bina kisi expectation ke।
Aur shayad… yahi uska sachha pyaar tha।
End Note:
Har pyaar ka end "relationship" nahi hota…
kabhi-kabhi pyaar ka sabse khoobsurat roop "dosti" hi hota hai।
Aur Riya aur Aman ki kahani…
isi baat ka saboot thi।