Subah ka waqt tha…
Riya ne raat bhar theek se neend nahi li thi।
Aankhon ke neeche halka sa dark circle…
aur dimaag me wahi sawal—
"Kaun hai Shreya?"
Usne mirror me khud ko dekha…
aur dheere se kaha—
"Mujhe kya farak padta hai…"
Par dil ne turant jawab diya—
"Padta hai."
College me…
Riya aaj zyada hi lost thi।
Neha ne usse shake kiya—
"Hello madam, earth pe aa jao!"
Riya ne forced smile diya—
"Haan haan, sun rahi hoon…"
"Sure?" Neha ne eyebrow raise ki।
Riya ne baat divert kar di—
"Assignment complete kiya?"
Par Neha samajh chuki thi—
kuch to serious chal raha hai।
Dusri taraf…
Aman aaj thoda normal lag raha tha।
Shreya uske paas aayi—
"Coffee?"
Aman ne halka sa smile diya—
"Sure।"
Dono canteen me baithe…
Baaten normal thi—
studies, classes, plans…
Par Shreya ne achanak poocha—
"Tumhare life me koi tha na?"
Aman ka haath ek second ke liye ruk gaya।
"Ky—kyun?" usne poocha।
Shreya hansi—
"Tumhari aankhon me dikhta hai।"
Aman chup ho gaya…
Phir dheere se bola—
"Tha…"
"Ab?" Shreya ne poocha।
Aman ne nazar jhuka li—
"Ab nahi hai।"
Yeh kehna asaan nahi tha…
par shayad zaroori tha।
Shaam ko…
Kabir ne phir group meet plan kiya।
"Kal milte hain, same café," usne message drop kiya।
Is baar…
Riya ne bina soche "Okay" likh diya।
Aman ne bhi reply kiya—
"Done।"
Par dono jaante the—
Kal sirf ek normal meet nahi hone wali।
Agle din…
Café ka wohi corner table।
Sab kuch same tha…
par situation bilkul different।
Kabir pehle se waha tha।
Riya aayi…
Aur kuch hi seconds baad Aman bhi।
"Hi," dono ne ek saath kaha…
Phir awkward silence।
Kabir ne mazaak me bola—
"Arre bhai, aise behave mat karo jaise pehli baar mil rahe ho!"
Teeno halki si hansi…
Par tension ab bhi hawa me thi।
Kuch der baad…
Kabir intentionally call lene ke bahane bahar chala gaya।
Ab phir se…
sirf Riya aur Aman।
Kuch seconds tak koi nahi bola।
Phir Riya ne himmat jutayi—
"Aman… mujhe tumse kuch poochna hai।"
Aman ne uski taraf dekha—
"Haan, poochho।"
Riya ne seedha poocha—
"Kaun hai Shreya?"
Aman thoda surprise hua…
Par usne apne emotions control kiye—
"Ek friend hai… bas।"
Riya ne turant poocha—
"Sirf friend?"
Aman ne uski aankhon me dekha—
"Tumhe kya lagta hai?"
Yeh sawaal seedha Riya ke dil par laga।
Wo kuch seconds ke liye chup ho gayi।
Phir dheere se boli—
"Mujhe… farak padta hai।"
Aman ka expression change ho gaya।
"Pehle bhi padta tha… ya ab?" usne softly poocha।
Riya ne aankhen jhuka li—
"Shayad pehle samajh nahi aaya…
par ab… ignore nahi kar pa rahi।"
Aman ka dil zor se dhadakne laga।
"Riya…" usne dheere se kaha—
"Main confuse nahi hoon ab।"
Riya ne uski taraf dekha—
"Main clear hoon…
par shayad late ho gayi hoon।"
Yeh sunkar Aman chup ho gaya।
Kuch pal ke liye dono ke beech sirf khamoshi thi।
Phir Aman ne ek gehri saans li—
"Riya… main aage badhne ki koshish kar raha hoon।"
Riya ka dil halka sa toot gaya।
"Shreya ke saath?" usne dheere se poocha।
Aman ne seedha jawab nahi diya—
"Apne aap ke saath।"
Riya ne aankhon me aansu rok liye।
Is baar…
wo bhaagna nahi chahti thi।
"Aman…" usne kaha,
"Main iss baar sach bol rahi hoon…
mujhe tumse farak padta hai।"
Aman ne uski taraf dekha—
Par is baar…
uski aankhon me pehle jaisa yakeen nahi tha।
Door khada Kabir yeh sab dekh raha tha…
Aur usne dheere se khud se kaha—
"Sach bolna zaroori hota hai…
par kabhi-kabhi sach bhi late ho jaata hai।"