CHAPTER 10 — "Rishton Ka Pehla Imtihaan"
Aarohi us raat bilkul nahi so payi.
Reyansh ka haath…
uski warmth…
uske woh do simple words— "Mujhe tum pasand ho."
Dil baar-baar wahi scene repeat karta raha, jaise koi favourite memory ho jo dimaag baar-baar chala kar dekhna chahta ho.
Aarohi ko aise lag raha tha jaise bohot saalon se rukhi hui hawa aaj phir chal padi ho.
Saans halka lag raha tha.
Dil halka lag raha tha.
Aur sabse achha—
ek ajeeb sa sukoon tha, jo Aarohi ne bohot time se mehsoos nahi kiya tha.
Par khushi ke sath ek chhota sa darr bhi tha.
Family.
Wo dono ke feelings samajh payegi?
Approve karegi?
Ya phir… koi complication?
Subah uthte hi Aarohi ka phone vibrate hua.
Reyansh:
"Good morning. Aaj shaam tumhari family se milna hai. Darna mat. Sab theek hoga."
Aarohi ko ek second ke liye saans rukti hui mehsoos hui.
Unke families…
Shaam ko…
"Shaam itni jaldi kaise aa jayegi?" Aarohi ne pillow me muh daba kar complain kiya.
Lekin jitna darr tha, utna excitement bhi.
Woh nayi journey ka pehla step tha.
🌿 Scene 1 – Nervous Morning, Restless Thoughts
Aaj college off tha.
Ghar me mummy breakfast bana rahi thi.
Aarohi dining table pe baithi, par uske thoughts breakfast ke taste se kai zyada strong the.
"Chup-chup kyun ho aaj?"
Mummy ne poocha.
Aarohi ne pani ka glass uthaya.
Normal behave karne ki koshish ki.
"Bas aise hi… thoda thak gayi."
Par mummy ekdum seedhe fir se poochti hain,
"Thak gayi? Ya kisi ke bare me soch rahi hai?"
Aarohi ka dil ek sec me throat tak aa gaya.
"Kaun… kaun?"
Mummy ne hansi roki,
"Pichle kuch dino se tum bohot badli ho. Smile zyada karti ho. Phone zyada dekhti ho. Kuch to baat hai."
Aarohi ka face laal hone laga.
Wo kuch bolti isse pehle hi ek message pop hua.
Reyansh:
"5 baje pick kar lunga."
Aarohi ne phone ko table ke neeche dhak diya, lekin mummy ne dekh liya.
"Hmhm… naam to batao?"
Aarohi panic me aa kar bas ek hi line bol payi—
"Mummy aap please abhi mat puchho, sab theek hai."
Mummy ne kuch seconds tak uska chehra dekha.
Phir soft tone me boli,
"Main tumhe trust karti hoon. Jab time sahi ho, khud bata dena."
Aarohi ka tension thoda kam ho gaya…
but shaam ka thought phir se heavy ho gaya.
🌿 Scene 2 – Reyansh's Family on the Other Side
Reyansh bhi ghar par normal behave nahi kar paa raha tha.
Maa ne directly bola,
"Beta, tum poore time phone pe ho. Kaun hai?"
Reyansh thoda awkward hua.
"Maa, ek friend hai."
Maa ne eyebrows raise kiye,
"Friend ya special friend?"
Reyansh ne pehli baar bilkul seedhi aankhon se kaha,
"Special… par aapko shaam ko pata chal jayega."
Maa aur papa dono ek-dusre ko dekhkar silent ho gaye.
Lekin unke expressions me curiosity thi, concern nahi.
Fir papa ne bola,
"Beta, jo bhi ho… hume batana. Hum tumhare saath hain."
Reyansh ko thoda relief mila.
Lekin uske dil me ek burden tha—
Aarohi ko protect karne ka.
He wasn't ready to let anyone hurt her.
🌿 Scene 3 – The Pickup (With More Chemistry Than Expected)
Shaam ke 5 baje jaise hi clock ne ding kiya, Reyansh car lekar gate pe tha.
Aarohi ne deep breath li.
Dupatta theek kiya.
Aankhon ke neeche thoda kajal.
Simple peach kurti.
Reyansh ne Aarohi ko aate hue dekha,
aur wo literally 2 seconds tak usse dekhta hi reh gaya.
Aise jaise usse realize ho raha ho—
"Ye ladki… ye hi hai jo meri life ka sabse important part banne wali hai."
Aarohi seat belt lagate hue softly boli,
"Bohot tension ho rahi."
Reyansh ne ek gentle smile di.
"Main hoon na. Tum bas normal rehna."
Aarohi ne cheek se baal hataye,
"Normal rehna mushkil hai."
Reyansh ne driving start karte hue uski taraf dekha,
"Tum nervous hoti ho na… aur bhi cute lagti ho."
Aarohi ka heart literally skip hua.
"Reyansh!"
"Arre sach to bol raha hoon."
Aur Aarohi ne khidki ke bahar dekhkar smile chupa li.
Car me woh silence fir aa gaya—
par ye silence ab pyaara lagta tha.
Soft.
Warm.
Comfortable.
🌿 Scene 4 – The Families Meet
Reyansh ke ghar pahunchte hi uski maa ne door khola.
"Namaste Aunty," Aarohi ne politely kaha.
Reyansh ki maa ne Aarohi ko top to bottom dekha…
par expression soft tha.
Koi judgement nahi.
"Namaste beta. Aao, andar aao."
Living room brightly lit tha.
Papa newspaper fold kar rahe the.
Unhone calmly bola,
"Beta, baithe."
Aarohi couch pe baithi, hands nervously together.
Reyansh uske side nahi baitha.
Wo thoda distance pe single sofa pe baitha—
taaki kuch awkward na lage.
Aarohi confused thi ke reyansh khud kuch bolega ya nahi.
Fir Reyansh ne deep breath li.
"Papa… Maa… main aapse ek zaroori baat karni thi."
Unke parents attentive ho gaye.
"Aarohi…"
Usne Aarohi ki taraf dekha.
"Wahi friend nahi hai jaisa maine bola tha."
Aarohi ka dil halke se dhadak gaya.
Wo gusse me bhi nahi thi—
Bas outcome ka darr tha.
Reyansh ne continue kiya:
"Hum dono… ek dusre ko bachpan se jaante hain. Aur… hum dono ek dusre ko pasand karte hain."
Room me ek pal ko silence aa gaya.
Aarohi ne papa ko dekha—
unke chehre pe koi gussa nahi tha,
par surprise definitely.
Maa ne puchha,
"Beta, tum sure ho? Ye koi impulsive decision to nahi?"
Reyansh ne confidently kaha,
"Nahi Maa. Main Aarohi ko bohot time se jaanta hoon. Aur… main uski respect bhi karta hoon, care bhi."
Maa ki nazar Aarohi par gayi.
"Beta, tum?"
Aarohi ne throat clear kiya.
"Ji Aunty… main aur Reyansh dono ek dusre ko bohot samajhte hain. Hum bas… honestly batana chahte the."
Maa ki expression soft ho gayi.
"Shukar hai tum dono ne chhupaya nahi."
Papa ne calmly poocha,
"Aur tumhari family? Unhe pata hai?"
Aarohi thodi uncomfortable ho gayi.
"Abhi nahi… lekin main bataungi."
Reyansh ke papa ne thoda sochkar, softer tone me bola,
"Dekho beta… hum tumhari khushi chahte hain. Bus hame ye ensure karna hai ki tum dono apni studies, career aur goals ko lekar serious raho."
Aarohi ko relief mila.
Ye acceptance tha.
Clear acceptance.
Maa ne thodi affectionate smile di,
"Tum dono ache lagte ho ek sath. Bas ek dusre ka support banna."
Aarohi ka tension 80% kam ho chuka tha.
Reyansh ne discreetly Aarohi ki taraf glance kiya—
Ek aisi glance jisme guarantee thi ke—
"Dekha? Maine bola tha sab theek hoga."
🌿 Scene 5 – Balcony Moment (Soft Chemistry)
Dinner ke baad Reyansh aur Aarohi kuch time balcony me khade the.
Night breeze halki si thandi thi.
Lights soft thi.
Aarohi railing pakad kar khadi thi.
Reyansh thoda peeche, par close enough.
"Tum theek ho?" Reyansh ne puchha.
Aarohi halki si muskuraayi.
"Tumhare wajah se hoon."
Reyansh ne thoda surprise acting ki,
"Main? Maine kya kiya?"
Aarohi ne side glance diya.
"Tum presence rakhte ho… aur wo kaafi hota hai."
Reyansh ka heart warm sa ho gaya.
Usne dheere se railing ke paas ek inch door khade hote hue kaha,
"Aaj tum… bahut beautiful lag rahi thi."
Aarohi ka face instantly warm ho gaya.
"Reyansh, stop. Tum bas…"
"Sach bol raha hoon," Reyansh ne interrupt kiya,
"Hamesha se."
Aarohi ne nazar neeche kar li.
"Humesha se?"
Reyansh ne halka sa lean karte hue bola,
"Aarohi, tumhe lagta kya hai? Main itne saalon tumhe bhool sakta tha?"
Aarohi ka throat tight ho gaya.
"Reyansh… thank you."
"Thank you kaisa?"
He smiled softly.
"Tum meri ho… aur main tumhara."
Aarohi ka dil literally ek sec skip hua.
Halki si blush uski neck tak aa gayi.
Reyansh ne kuch seconds ke hesitation ke baad…
apna haath railing par rakha.
Wahi jagah jahan Aarohi ka haath tha—
bas ek inch ka gap beech me.
Wo chhua nahi.
Bas presence.
Phir halki si slow voice me bola:
"Main jab tak chahun… ye distance rehne dunga."
Pause.
"Jab tum chaho… ye distance khatam ho jayega."
Aarohi ne uski taraf dekha—
uski eyes honest, warm aur respectful thi.
Woh pal…
romantic bhi tha,
safe bhi,
aur deeply emotional bhi.
Aarohi slowly boli,
"Maybe distance… thoda kam ho sakta hai."
Reyansh ne surprise me uski taraf dekha.
Aarohi ne dheere se apna haath…
half inch slide kar diya.
Reyansh ne bhi half inch slide kar diya.
Ab unke haath…
touch nahi kar rahe the.
Bas… ek warm sa brush.
Aarohi ne nazar nahi hatai.
Reyansh ne bhi nahi.
Wo moment koi dramatic nahi tha.
Koi filmy nahi.
Bas…
real.
Soft.
Perfect.
🌿 Scene 6 – A Sudden Twist
Jab Aarohi ghar pahunchi, mummy living room me baithi thi.
Aarohi ko dekhte hi mummy ne bola,
"Kahan gai thi? Phone bhi silent tha."
Aarohi ka heartbeat slow hua.
"Woh… mummy… main… ek dost ke ghar…"
Mummy ne interrupt kiya—
"Uska naam Reyansh hai?"
Aarohi shock ho gayi.
"Mummy… aapko kaise—?"
"Neighborhood me sab dikhta hai, beta."
Mummy softly boli,
"Aur main itni bhi inexperienced nahi hoon."
Aarohi silently baith gayi mummy ke paas.
"Sach batao, beta."
Mummy ne gently puchha.
"Tumhare aur uske beech kuch chal raha hai?"
Aarohi ne deep breath li.
Aaj shaam Reyansh ne apne parents ko truth bataya.
Ab uski baari thi.
Aarohi ne mummy ki aankhon me seedha dekha aur kaha—
"Mummy… wo sirf dost nahi."
Mummy silent ho gayi.
Aarohi ne courage jodkar continue kiya:
"Mujhe Reyansh pasand hai."
Mummy ke expression me shock bhi tha, concern bhi.
"Aur tum sure ho?" Mummy ne poocha.
Aarohi ne honestly kaha,
"Bohot."
Mummy ne zyada react nahi kiya.
Sirf ek heavy sa exhale kiya…
aur phir ek line boli:
"Kal subah hum usse milenge."
Aarohi froze.
"Kal?? Itni jaldi?"
Mummy ne calmly kaha:
"Rishta seedha dil se hota hai…
lekin zimmedari dimag se."
Aarohi ka chapter…
jahan love abhi bloom hona shuru hua tha…
ab ek nayi direction lene ja raha tha.
✨ Chapter 10 Ends ✨