Chapter 1: Waqt Ke Baad Bhi
Kuch mahine beet chuke the…
School ki wo last bench, canteen ki hasi, aur baarish wale din—
sab ab sirf yaadein ban chuke the।
Zindagi ne dheere-dheere sabko alag raaston par chala diya tha।
Riya ab college me thi।
Naye log, naye faces, naye experiences…
Sab kuch naya tha।
Par phir bhi…
har naye din ke beech kahin na kahin ek purani yaad chhupi hoti thi।
Kabhi lecture ke beech wo khud ko khidki ke bahar dekhte hue paati…
aur bina wajah muskurane lagti।
"Riya, kya hua?" uski friend Neha ne poocha।
Riya ne halka sa sir hila diya—
"Kuch nahi… bas aise hi।"
Par wo jaanti thi…
Yeh 'aise hi' nahi tha।
Yeh Aman tha।
Dusri taraf…
Aman bhi apni life me aage badh raha tha।
Usne apne aap ko busy rakhna seekh liya tha—
studies, goals, future…
Sab kuch set karne ki koshish me laga hua tha।
Par kuch cheezein chahe jitni bhi koshish kar lo…
badalti nahi hain।
Kabhi-kabhi wo apne phone me purani chats scroll karta…
aur ek chhoti si smile ke saath screen lock kar deta।
Jaise usne apne emotions ko accept kar liya ho…
par unhe dobara jeena nahi chahta ho।
Kabir ab bhi dono ke contact me tha।
Wo kabhi-kabhi unhe call karta,
group chats me baat hoti…
Par ab sab kuch thoda different tha।
Ek halka sa gap…
jo kabhi poora nahi hota, par kabhi puri tarah dikhai bhi nahi deta।
Ek shaam…
Kabir ne message kiya—
"Kal free ho? Milte hain। Bahut time ho gaya।"
Riya ne message dekha…
Dil ek second ke liye ruk gaya।
"Aman bhi hoga?" usne socha।
Par usne phir bhi reply kar diya—
"Haan, aa jaungi।"
Agle din…
Wo jagah decide hui—
ek chhota sa café, jahan teeno pehle bhi ja chuke the।
Riya sabse pehle pahunch gayi।
Usne aas-paas dekha…
sab kuch normal tha।
Par uska dil…
normal nahi tha।
Kuch hi der me Kabir aaya—
"Arre madam, itni jaldi?" usne haste hue kaha।
Riya bhi muskura di—
"Bas aise hi।"
Par dono jaante the…
yeh 'aise hi' nahi tha।
Phir darwaza khula…
Aur Aman andar aaya।
Waqt ek pal ke liye ruk sa gaya।
Riya ne usse dekha…
Aman ne bhi uski taraf dekha…
Dono ke chehre par halki si smile thi—
par aankhon me hazaar baatein thi।
"Hi," Aman ne casually kaha।
"Hi," Riya ne dheere se reply kiya।
Sab baith gaye…
Baaten shuru hui—
college, naye dost, future plans…
Sab normal tha।
Par un dono ke beech…
ab bhi wo unsaid feelings thi,
jo na poori tarah khatam hui thi…
na hi poori tarah zinda thi।
Kabir beech-beech me jokes karta raha…
taaki awkward silence na aaye।
Par kuch silences hote hain…
jo chahe jitni koshish karo, toot'ti nahi।
Kuch der baad…
Kabir kisi call ke liye bahar chala gaya।
Ab table par sirf Riya aur Aman the।
Kuch seconds tak dono chup rahe।
Phir Aman ne kaha—
"Kaise ho?"
Riya halki si hansi—
"Yeh question to tumne pehle bhi poocha tha।"
Aman bhi muskura diya—
"Answer bhi wahi hoga kya?"
Riya ne uski aankhon me dekha…
aur dheere se kaha—
"Shayad nahi।"
Aman thoda sa serious ho gaya—
"Kya badal gaya?"
Riya ne ek gehri saans li—
"Main।"
Aman chup raha।
"Main sochti thi ki sab kuch samajh gayi hoon…
par shayad main khud ko hi samajh nahi paayi।"
Aman ki nazar us par tik gayi।
"Par ab…" Riya ne ruk kar kaha,
"Ab main bhaagna nahi chahti।"
Aman ne dheere se poocha—
"Kis se?"
Riya ne uski aankhon me seedha dekha—
"Apni feelings se।"
Waqt phir se ruk gaya।
Par is baar…
kisi ne kuch nahi kaha।
Na Aman ne…
na Riya ne।
Kyuki kabhi-kabhi…
kuch baatein kehne se zyada mehsoos ki jaati hain।
Door khada Kabir un dono ko dekh raha tha…
Aur uske chehre par ek halki si smile thi।
Jaise usse pata ho—
kahani abhi khatam nahi hui…
bas ek naya chapter shuru hua hai।