CHAPTER 8 — "Dillagi ki Pehli Dhadkan"
Aarohi ko lag raha tha ki uski zindagi ek ajeeb mod par khadi hai. Reyansh wapas aa chuka tha—par ab sab kuch waisa nahi tha jaise bachpan me tha. Un dono ke beech ek ajeeb si khamoshi, ek halka sa darr, aur bohot saara un-bola pyaar baith chuka tha.
Us raat ke baad se, jis raat Reyansh ne uska haath pakad kar kaha tha "Tum ab bhi waise hi ho," Aarohi ka dil aksar bekaar me tez dhadakne lagta tha.
Kuch bhi na ho, fir bhi hota sab kuch tha.
Aaj Sunday tha. Aur Sunday ka matlab—Aarohi ka poora din free.
Lekin aaj ek aur cheez free nahi thi…
Uska mind.
Wo bas Reyansh ke baare me sochta hi ja raha tha.
🌿 Scene 1 – The Unexpected Message
Subah 10 baje mobile vibrate hua.
Screen pe naam tha—
"Reyansh ✦"
Aarohi ka dil halki si jump maar gaya.
"Free ho? Thoda walk pe chalein? Ek jagah dikhani hai."
Aarohi ne type karne se pehle hi teen baar message ko pad liya.
Ye koi normal invitation nahi tha.
Aise lag raha tha jaise Reyansh kuch share karna chahta hai.
Kuch personal.
Kuch important.
"Haan, 20 mins." — Aarohi
Reply jaate hi usne shalwar suit pehna, baal half tie kiye, lip balm lagaya… phir ek baar khud ko mirror me dekha.
Aaj wo thodi zyada… acchi lag rahi thi.
Thodi thoughtful bhi.
Aur thodi nervous, obviously.
🌿 Scene 2 – The Walk That Felt Different
Reyansh colony ke gate ke bahar khada tha.
Black hoodie, messy hair, aur wo faint si smile jo Aarohi ko hamesha confuse kar deti thi.
"Chale?" Reyansh ne poocha.
Aarohi sirf itna hi keh paayi— "Haan."
Walk shuru hua, par baatein nahi.
Sirf dono ke kadmo ki halki si awaaz aur beech me thodi si hawa.
Aarohi ne chhupke se uski side glance li.
Reyansh bhi ek pal ko uski taraf dekha.
Dono ne aankhon se nazrein hata li jaise dono pakde gaye ho.
Wo awkward nahi tha…
Wo bas new tha.
Bade hone ka nasha.
🌿 Scene 3 – The Place of Memories
"Ye lo aa gaye."
Reyansh ne ruk kar kaha.
Aarohi confuse hui.
"Yahaan? Ye to purana playground hai."
Reyansh ne dheere se bola,
"Yahi na hum bachpan me shaadi ka promise karte the?"
Aarohi ke kadam ek pal ke liye ruk gaye.
Uska saans halka sa atak gaya.
Wo jagah… wo purani swing…
Sab kuch waisa hi tha.
"Tum yaad rakhte ho?" Aarohi ne hansi chupate hue pucha.
Reyansh ne uski taraf dheere se dekha.
"Main sab kuch yaad rakhta hoon…"
Ek second ka pause.
"…Aarohi."
Us kaise kaha?
Naam lene ka tarika kuch… alag hi tha.
Thoda soft.
Thoda warm.
Aarohi ka dil ekdum se halki garmi se bhar gaya.
🌿 Scene 4 – The Almost-Confession
Dono swing par baith gaye.
Hawa chal rahi thi.
Reyansh zyada swing nahi kar raha tha—bas halki se motion.
Aarohi bhi.
"Kya dikhana tha?" Aarohi ne puchha.
Reyansh ne kuch seconds chup reh kar jawab diya,
"Ye jagah.
Aur… ek aur cheez."
Usne hoodie ki pocket se ek folded chitti nikali.
Aarohi usko pehchaan gayi—
Wahi goodbye letter.
Jo usne 7 saal pehle chhoda tha.
Aarohi ka gala sook gaya.
Wo dheere se boli, "Tumhare paas abhi bhi hai?"
Reyansh ne seedhe uski aankhon me dekh kar kaha,
"Isme tum ho.
Main ise kaise fek deta?"
Aarohi ko laga duniya ek pal ke liye ruk gayi.
Uske gaal halka se garam ho gaye.
Phir Reyansh ne bohot dheere—bohot sambhalte hue bola,
"Aarohi… mujhe tumse kuch…"
Wo ruk gaya.
"…puchna tha."
Aarohi ka dil itna zor se dhadak raha tha ki usse khud sunai de raha tha.
Reyansh uski taraf halka jhuk kar bola,
"Tum… ab bhi waise feel karte ho jaisa bachpan me karti thi?"
Aarohi ne saans rok li.
Ek pal ko laga ki hawa hi gayab ho gayi ho.
Wo kuch bolti isse pehle, unke piche kisi bachche ki cheekh sunai di—
"Arre bhaiya! Yeh swing kharab hai!"
Reyansh seedha ho gaya.
Aarohi ne nazar jhuka li.
Confession ruk gaya.
But feelings nahi.
🌿 Scene 5 – The Walk Back (Full of Unspoken Feelings)
Ghar wapas jaate hue dono fir se silent the.
Par ye silence bilkul uncomfortable nahi tha.
Ye… filled silence tha.
Jisme sab kuch tha:
dil ki dhadkan,
unsaid words,
aur ek ajeeb si electricity.
Aarohi ne thodi himmat karke poocha,
"Woh… tum poori baat kehna chahte the?"
Reyansh ne uski taraf dekha,
uski aankhon me kuch soft sa, kuch hopeful sa.
"Ha… par shayad abhi nahi."
Phir ek halki si smile.
"Bohot jald."
Aarohi ka dil halka sa pighal gaya.
"Thik hai," wo muskura kar boli,
"Main… wait kar lungi."
Reyansh ne uski baat sun kar dheere se kaha—
"Main bhi."
🌿 Scene 6 – The Moment She Felt Something Change
Colony ke gate tak pahunch kar Reyansh ruk gaya.
"Hume kal milna chahiye. Kuch important share karna hai."
Aarohi ne poocha,
"Kya?"
Reyansh ne uski taraf dheere se dekha…
Aur ek second ke liye wo uske thoda kareeb aa gaya.
Bas itna ki Aarohi ko uski saans ki halka sa ahsaas hua.
"Aaj nahi bataunga,"
Usne dheere se kaha.
"Warna tum mujhe sunna band kar dogi."
Aarohi ki aankhen widened.
Uska face garam ho gaya.
"Reyansh!" wo bohot dheere me bola.
Reyansh turn hua,
chalne laga,
phir ek pal ko ruk kar piche mud kar bola—
"Aarohi… tumhari smile achhi lagti hai."
Aur phir wo chala gaya.
Aarohi wahi khadi reh gayi—
us heartbeat ke saath jo aj tak kabhi itni loud nahi hui thi.
Usne khud se dheere se kaha—
"Shayad… hum dono sach me badal rahe hain."
Aur ye badlav use bilkul darravena nahi lag raha tha.
Balki… bohot beautiful...
And the chapter is end here .....!!!