CHAPTER 2 — "Achaanak Dooriyan"
School ka ek aur saal shuru ho gaya tha, par Aarohi ke liye ye naya saal kuch alag lag raha tha.
Reyansh, jiska saath uska bachpan se tha, ab uski life me ek constant presence ban gaya tha—dosti, laughter, aur unki chhoti chhoti baatein. Har recess, har lunch break, har chhota sa moment wo dono share karte the.
Par is saal kuch alag tha. Reyansh ka behaviour thoda badla lag raha tha.
1. Small Changes, Big Hints
Ek Thursday ka din tha. Aarohi garden me apna notebook lekar baithi thi. Reyansh uske paas aaya, par uski smile me pehle jaisi warmth nahi thi.
"Tumne naye sketches shuru kiye?" Aarohi ne pucha, notebook dikhaate hue.
"Hmm," Reyansh ne thoda distant tone me kaha.
"Main busy hoon… family ka kaam thoda zyada ho gaya hai."
Aarohi ne raise eyebrows kiya.
"Busy? Hum school me hi to hain."
Reyansh sirf haan me sir hila kar notebook ke corner me ek small fold kiya. Uske haath ka gesture Aarohi ko samajh nahi aaya, par use ek ajeeb si feeling hui—yeh wahi Reyansh nahi hai jisse wo har roz race lagaya karti thi.
2. The Note
Friday ka din tha, aur Reyansh classroom me Aarohi ke pass aaya. Usne apna bag thoda side rakha aur Aarohi ke notebook ke upar ek folded paper rakha.
"Ye… bas tumhare liye," Reyansh ne softly kaha.
Aarohi ne paper uthaya. Usne dheere se open kiya.
Paper me likha tha:
"Aarohi, mujhe kuch time ke liye chhodna pad raha hai. Family ko ek jagah shift hona hai. Main wapas aunga… promise. Tum hamesha wahi tree yaad rakhna jahan humne sab promises kiye the.
— Reyansh"
Aarohi ke haath thode se thande ho gaye. Note me Reyansh ka handwriting tha—perfectly neat, jaise har ek letter me uska personality chipka hua ho.
Wo kuch der bas note ko pakad kar khadi rahi, aur dimaag me sirf ek hi thought ghoom raha tha:
"Kab aur kyun? Aur… kyun bina bataaye?"
3. The Silent Goodbye
Next Monday, Reyansh school nahi aaya.
Tuesday… nahi aaya.
Wednesday… phir bhi nahi.
Aarohi ko dheere dheere samajh aaya—ye sirf temporary absence nahi hai. Something bigger hai.
School ke corridor me dusre students ke discussion se pata chala ki Reyansh ka family suddenly shift ho gaya hai, aur parents ne kisi ko details nahi batayi.
Aarohi ka dil dhadak raha tha. Usko ek mix feeling hui—missing, confusion, aur thodi gusse wali irritation.
"Kyoon? Sirf mujhe kyun nahi bataya?" wo sochti rahi.
Har recess me Aarohi waha garden me jaati— wahi tree ke neeche. Reyansh ki jagah ab sirf khali bench aur hawa thi, jo uske hair gently hila rahi thi, jaise uski yaadon ko aur zinda kar rahi ho.
4. Aarohi's Perspective
Aarohi ke liye school ka har din ab kuch incomplete lag raha tha. Class me Reyansh ke bina games me interest nahi aata, aur drawing me inspiration kam lagti.
Uski best friend, Mira, ne dekha ki Aarohi ka mood kuch zyada hi quiet hai.
"Kya hua? Tumhari drawing me focus nahi lag raha?" Mira ne pucha.
"Reyansh… woh… shift ho gaya," Aarohi ne softly kaha.
Mira ne eyes widen kiya.
"Woh? Par… kyun? Kab?"
Aarohi ne note dikhaya.
Mira ne note padte hi apni haan hila di.
"Hmm… bachpan ka pyar aur… family secrets. Samajh gayi. But don't worry, he will come back. Tum dono ke promises to hamesha ke liye hain na?"
Aarohi ne head nod kiya.
"Yes… promises hamesha ke liye hote hain."
Phir bhi, dard aur longing Aarohi ke andar chhupi hui thi. Har din school aur ghar ke beech wo bas ek hi question repeat kar rahi thi:
"Kab? Kyoon? Aur kya main usse wapas dekhungi?"
5. Secret Reason (Hinted)
Kuch din baad, Aarohi ki family bhi Reyansh ke sudden disappearance ko lekar thodi confused thi.
Aarohi ke parents aur Reyansh ke parents ke beech occasional phone call hua, par dono families koi detail share nahi kar pa rahi thi.
Kuch chhoti chhoti hints mil rahi thi:
Reyansh ke papa ne sirf kaha: "Family matters, nothing to worry."
Aarohi ke parents ne Aarohi se kuch zyada discuss nahi kiya.
School me Reyansh ke absence ka reason simple lag raha tha—lekin sach me kuch aur tha, jo sirf time ke sath reveal hoga.
Aarohi ko pata tha ki "secret reason" hai, par abhi usse sirf wait karna hai… patience aur hope ke saath.
6. Childhood Promises Still Alive
Har evening Aarohi apne notebook me wahi tree sketch karti.
Har ek branch, har ek leaf carefully draw ki ja rahi thi—jaise Reyansh ki yaad ko immortal banaya ja raha ho.
Ek evening, Aarohi khud se baat kar rahi thi:
"Reyansh, tum kahin bhi ho, tumhare promises ab bhi yaad hain. Main wait karungi. Ek din wapas aaoge… aur hum dono phir wahi tree ke neeche milenge."
Uski awaaz me thodi sadness, thodi hope—aur bilkul bachpan ki innocence mix thi.
Wo notebook close kar ke tree ke neeche baithi rahi, aur halki hawa me patte hil rahe the… jaise Reyansh usse silent "promise" kar raha ho.
7. Emotional Closure for Chapter 2
Week ends tak Aarohi ki routine me ek naya rhythm ban gaya: school, drawing, aur Reyansh ki yaadon me lost moments.
Ek din school principal ne announcement ki:
"Class 7 ke students ke liye ek new student joining hoga… details baad me batai jayegi."
Aarohi ka heart thoda skip hua, par usne head shake kiya.
"Reyansh ke bina bhi main apna kaam karti rahungi," usne softly kaha.
Phir bhi notebook me, tree ke neeche ek extra line likhi:
"Promises sirf words nahi, feelings hai. Aur feelings hamesha survive karti hain."
Aur ye line uske liye ek daily mantra ban gayi.
Har din school me, har drawing me, har silent moment me Aarohi ko ek hi thought yaad dilata—Reyansh ka wapas aana… aur unka bachpan ka wada, jo ab sirf yaadon me nahi, balki future ke liye ek direction ban chuka tha.
Chapter end...!!!