Raat ka waqt tha…
Room ki lights off thi, bas phone ki screen halki si roshni de rahi thi।
Riya bed par leti hui thi, par uski aankhon me neend ka naam tak nahi tha।
Uske dimaag me sirf ek hi word ghoom raha tha—
"Maybe…"
Aman ka woh reply…
simple tha, par uske dil me ek ajeeb si chubhan chhod gaya tha।
"Matlab koi hai…" usne dheere se khud se kaha।
Usne phone uthaya, chat open ki…
par is baar usne message nahi kiya।
Kuch der baad usne phone side me rakha—
aur aankhen band kar li।
Par jitna wo bhoolne ki koshish karti…
utna hi sab clear hota ja raha tha।
Usse farak padta tha।
Aur shayad… bahut zyada।
Dusri taraf…
Aman balcony me khada tha।
Thandi hawa chal rahi thi…
par uske andar ek ajeeb si bechaini thi।
Usne phone nikala…
Riya ka last message dekha…
Phir apne aap se halka sa muskura diya—
"Tu kya kar raha hai, Aman…?"
Wo jaanta tha—
Riya ke sawaal me sirf curiosity nahi thi…
ehsaas tha।
Par usne phir bhi "Maybe" likha।
Kyun?
Shayad khud ko bachane ke liye।
Shayad use thoda feel karwane ke liye…
ya shayad… sirf isliye ki wo khud clear nahi tha।
Agle din…
College me Riya thodi chup thi।
Neha ne notice kiya—
"Kya hua? Aaj tu itni silent kyun hai?"
Riya ne normal banne ki koshish ki—
"Kuch nahi… bas thodi tired hoon।"
Neha ne tease karte hue kaha—
"Tired ya kisi ke baare me soch rahi hai? 😏"
Riya ne forced smile diya—
"Pagal hai kya…"
Par andar se wo jaanti thi—
Neha galat nahi thi।
Usi waqt…
Kabir ka message aaya—
"Evening me free ho? Call karte hain।"
Riya ne reply nahi kiya।
Uska mann nahi tha baat karne ka।
Par kuch hi seconds baad Kabir ka call aa gaya।
"Hello?" Riya ne dheere se kaha।
"Kya hua madam? Aaj attitude zyada hai?" Kabir ne mazaak me kaha।
Riya chup rahi।
Kabir ka tone thoda serious ho gaya—
"Riya… sab theek hai na?"
Riya ne kuch seconds baad kaha—
"Kabir… Aman ki life me koi hai kya?"
Kabir thoda surprise ho gaya—
"Yeh achanak kyun?"
"Bas bata na…" Riya ne zor diya।
Kabir ne sach bataya—
"Ek ladki hai… par mujhe nahi pata kitna serious hai।"
Riya ka dil halka sa sink ho gaya।
"Naam?" usne poocha।
"Shreya," Kabir ne kaha।
Riya ne aankhen band kar li।
Ek ajeeb sa dard uske dil me phail gaya—
jo wo samajh nahi pa rahi thi…
par ignore bhi nahi kar pa rahi thi।
Shaam ko…
Aman library me baitha tha।
Uske saamne Shreya baithi thi—
wo notes discuss kar rahe the।
Shreya hasti hui boli—
"Tum itne serious kyun rehte ho?"
Aman ne halka sa smile diya—
"Bas aadat hai।"
"Ya phir kisi ne serious bana diya?" Shreya ne tease kiya।
Aman ek second ke liye chup ho gaya…
Phir usne baat change kar di—
"Chalo, yeh topic complete karte hain।"
Par uske dimaag me sirf ek chehra tha—
Riya।
Raat ko…
Riya balcony me khadi thi।
Aasmaan me chaand tha…
par uska dil ajeeb sa khaali lag raha tha।
Usne phone uthaya…
Aman ka chat open kiya।
Typing…
"Kaun hai Shreya?"
Usne likha…
Phir ruk gayi।
Delete kar diya।
Kuch seconds baad usne sirf itna bheja—
"Busy ho?"
Aman ne turant reply kiya—
"Nahi, bolo।"
Riya ne kuch seconds socha…
Phir likha—
"Kuch nahi… bas aise hi।"
Aman screen ko dekhta raha।
Usne feel kar liya tha—
yeh 'aise hi' nahi hai।
Par is baar…
usne bhi kuch nahi poocha।
Us raat…
Dono apne-apne rooms me the…
Dono ke haath me phone tha…
Dono online the…
Par dono ke beech…
sirf khamoshi thi।
Adhoori baatein…
jo kehne ki himmat kisi me nahi thi।
Aur shayad…
yehi adhoori baatein unhe ya to aur door kar degi…
ya phir ek din sab kuch kehne par majboor kar degi।