⭐ CHAPTER 12 — "Jalti Aankhon Ka Sach"
Agle din college me sab kuch normal lag raha tha, par Aarohi ka mood thoda halka sa different tha.
Shaayad kal raat ki baat ne uske andar kuch naya sa jagaya tha.
Reyansh ki presence… uska concern… uska hug…
Sab kuch ek ajeeb si warmth chhod gaya tha.
Wo classroom me baithi thi jab ek new entry student aaya.
Tall, confident, aur first-day wali shyness ke bina smile karta hua.
"Hi, main Arman hoon. New admission," usne class ko introduce karte hue kaha.
Aarohi bas casual smile karne wali thi ki Arman directly uske paas aa gaya.
"Can I sit here?"
Aarohi ne polite smile diya.
"Haan, sit."
Arman friendly tha.
Pehle hi lecture me usne Aarohi se syllabus, teachers aur campus ke baare me poochna shuru kar diya.
Aarohi normally kisi se itna baat nahi karti thi, par wo decent lag raha tha, toh usne help kar di.
Break me Arman ne kaha,
"Tum campus dikhaogi mujhe? I mean… tum jaanti ho sab yahan."
Aarohi ne socha— ek normal request hi toh hai.
"Haan chalo."
Wo dono corridor me chal rahe the, jab seedhiyon ke paas hi Reyansh un dono ko dekh raha tha.
Aur ek second ke liye…
jaise uska pura expression freeze ho gaya.
Usne dekha—
Arman Aarohi ke shoulder ke near lean hokar kuch pooch raha tha.
Aarohi has rahi thi.
Aur Arman ke haath me uska notebook bhi tha.
Reyansh ki aankhon me ek garam si chingari jali.
Jealousy ka woh chhupa hua spark… jise wo khud bhi samajh nahi paaya tha.
Usne seedha aage badhkar un dono ke saamne ruk gaya.
"Aarohi," Reyansh ka tone bilkul thanda tha,
"tumhe class me kuch important batana tha."
Aarohi thodi confuse ho gayi.
"Kya hua?"
Reyansh ne Arman ko side glance diya.
Wo polite nahi tha.
Bas possessive sa.
"Kam hogaya tumhara campus tour?" Reyansh ne direct poocha.
Arman friendly smile ke sath bola,
"Haan almost. Tum Aarohi ke close ho kya?"
Reyansh ne straight face rakha.
"Aap kaun?"
Arman awkward ho gaya.
"Main new student hoon. Aarohi help kar rahi thi."
Reyansh ne ek instant, sharp jawab diya:
"Help ke liye teachers hote hain."
Aarohi ne surprise me Reyansh ko dekha.
"Reyansh, what? It's fine. Main bas—"
"Tumhe class me chalna hai," Reyansh ne uski baat cut kar di.
Uska tone soft nahi… bilkul emotion-control wala tha.
Aarohi thodi irritated hui,
"Par break khatam nahi hua."
Reyansh ne uski aankhon me seedha dekhte hue kaha,
"Main wait kar sakta hoon. Tum uske saath busy ho toh main baad me aa jaata hoon."
Us "uske saath busy" me jo slight irritation tha, Aarohi ne instantly feel kiya.
Arman politely bola,
"Aarohi, hum baad me talk kar lenge. No issue."
Reyansh ne usko ek forced-smile di—
jo smile ke naam par bhi insult lag rahi thi.
Aarohi ne situation control karne ke liye notebook liya aur Reyansh ke saath chal di.
Stairs se neeche aate hi Aarohi ruk gayi.
"Reyansh, what was that? Tum itne rude kyun the?"
Reyansh ne pockets me haath daal liye.
"Rude? Main toh normal bol raha tha."
"Normal?" Aarohi disbelief me boli,
"Tumne use bilkul ignore kiya! Aise behave kar rahe the jaise—"
"Jaise kya?" Reyansh ke tone me challenge tha.
Aarohi ruk gayi.
Uske paas words nahi the.
Par uske mind me ek thought baar-baar aa raha tha:
"Kya Reyansh jealous tha?"
Reyansh ne uski aankhon me wo confusion dekhi.
Usne thoda sa sarcastic smile diya.
"Mujhe bas ye ajeeb laga ki tum kisi new ladke ke saath itna comfortable thi."
Aarohi shock reh gayi.
"Seriously? Tum jealous ho?"
Reyansh ne instant deny kiya.
"Jealous? Main? Bilkul nahi."
Aarohi arms fold karke uske saamne khadi ho gayi.
"Matlab tumhe koi problem nahi?"
Reyansh ne casual act karne ki koshish ki.
"Bilkul nahi. Mujhe kya problem hogi? Tumhari marzi tum kis se baat karo."
Aarohi ne ek long breath li.
"Reyansh… tum jhoot bol rahe ho."
Reyansh ki aankhen ek second ko soft hui… par phir wo apna expression hide kar gaya.
"Tumne kuch feel kiya tha na?" Aarohi ne thoda softly poocha.
Reyansh side dekh kar bola,
"Maine kuch bhi feel nahi kiya. Bas… bas tum—"
Wo ruk gaya.
Aarohi ne ek step uski taraf liya.
"Bas… main kya?"
Reyansh ka throat dry sa lag raha tha.
Usne finally accept kiya—
magar indirectly.
"Bas mujhe pasand nahi aaya koi tumhare itna close aaye. Happy?"
Uska voice low tha.
Kasak bhara hua.
Jealousy clear thi.
Aarohi ka gussa dissolve ho gaya.
Wo soft smile se usse dekhti rahi.
"Tum… jealous lag rahe the," Aarohi ne teasing tone me kaha.
Reyansh ne aankhein thodi narrowed ki.
"Stop it."
Aarohi hansi rokte hue boli,
"Toh hi bol do na… ki tumhe farak padta hai."
Reyansh ko uski tease bilkul bardasht nahi hui.
Wo uske bilkul close aa gaya—
distance safe tha, par intensity high.
"Aarohi…"
Uska voice deep aur steady tha,
"Mujhe farak padta hai. Bohot padta hai."
Aarohi ek pal ko chup.
Uske dil ka rhythm bigad gaya.
Reyansh ne nazar usse nahi hatayi.
"Tum kisi aur ke saath khadi ho, hasti ho…
haan, mujhe accha nahi lagta."
Aarohi ne dheere se bold tone me poocha,
"Kyuuun?"
Reyansh ka answer bina kisi dramatics ke… seedha dil me utar gaya.
"Kyuki tum… sirf special nahi ho.
Tum meri ho."
Aarohi ne shock me uski taraf dekha.
"Tum… kya?"
Reyansh ne turant correct kiya,
"Matlab… tum mere life ka part ho. Aur uss jagah koi random ladka aakar invade nahi kare… toh accha lagega."
Aarohi ne soft smile kar diya.
"Reyansh, tum possessive ho rahe ho."
"Ho raha hoon," Reyansh ne bina shame ke bola.
"Kya kar logi?"
Aarohi ne uske chest par halki si gentle push di.
"Tum impossible ho."
Reyansh ne use do seconds tak dekhte hue finally smile ki.
"Shayad. Par tumhari wajah se."
Aarohi ko uske tone me warmth mehsoos hui.
Jealousy ka woh moment…
un dono ke beech ki doori aur kam kar gaya.
Reyansh ne quietly add kiya,
"Next time, Arman tumhare saath walk karega… toh main sach me polite nahi rahunga."
Aarohi hansi nahi chupa paayi.
"You're unbelievable."
Reyansh ne uske cheek ke side se hawa hatate hue kaha,
"Tum kisi aur ko smile dogi… toh jalunga hi.
Simple."
Aarohi ne aankhon me aankhon daal kar poocha,
"Toh tum chahte kya ho?"
Reyansh ki gaze soft hogayi.
"Bas… tum meri taraf dekho.
Bas meri."
Aarohi ne uske words sunte hi kuch nahi kaha.
Bas halki si blush karte hue neeche dekh liya.
Reyansh ne victory jaisi cute si smile di.
"See? Blush kar gayi."
Aarohi ne uska haath lightly thapki se maara.
"Shut up."
Par andar hi andar…
wo khud bhi accept kar chuki thi—
Reyansh ka jealous hona…
uski feelings ka sabse sachcha signal tha.
Chapter end..