Ananya ki zindagi ab dheere-dheere badal rahi thi. Scholarship milne ke baad uski padhai bina rukawat ke chal rahi thi. Teachers ab usse ek bright student ki tarah dekhne lage the. Class mein bhi uski ek alag pehchaan ban chuki thi.
Lekin har kahani mein ek aisa mod aata hai, jahan sab kuch aasaan nahi rehta…
Aur Ananya ki zindagi mein bhi woh mod aa chuka tha.
Uski class mein ek ladki thi — Riya. Woh hamesha se class ki topper rahi thi. Sab teachers uski tareef karte the, aur bachche bhi usse respect dete the. Lekin jab se Ananya ne first position hasil ki thi, Riya ke chehre ki muskaan dheere-dheere gayab hone lagi thi.
Ek din class ke baad, Riya apni doston ke saath khadi thi. Unki nazar Ananya par padi.
"Dekha usse? Ekdum se topper ban gayi," Riya ne halki si hasi ke saath kaha।
"Pata nahi kaise…" uski dost ne jawaab diya।
Ananya ne unki baat sun li, lekin woh chup-chaap apni kitaab lekar wahan se nikal gayi।
Usne socha —
"Mujhe bas apne goal par focus karna hai."
Lekin baat yahin khatam nahi hui।
Agle kuch dino mein, Ananya ne mehsoos kiya ki kuch ajeeb ho raha hai। Kabhi uski notebooks gaayab ho jaati, kabhi uske notes par ink gir jaata। Ek din to uski important assignment hi missing ho gayi।
Woh pareshaan ho gayi।
"Yeh sab kaun kar raha hai?" usne khud se poocha।
Uska dil keh raha tha ki iske peeche Riya ho sakti hai… lekin uske paas koi proof nahi tha।
Ek din, jab Ananya library mein padh rahi thi, usne dekha ki Riya uski bag ke paas khadi hai। Jaise hi Ananya wahan pahunchi, Riya jaldi se wahan se chali gayi।
Ananya ka shak aur gehra ho gaya।
Usne apna bag check kiya — uski important notebook phir se gayab thi।
Is baar Ananya ka sabr toot gaya।
Woh seedha Riya ke paas gayi।
"Riya, kya tum meri cheezein le rahi ho?" Ananya ne seedhe poocha।
Riya muskuraayi, lekin uski muskaan mein sachchai nahi thi।
"Tum kya keh rahi ho? Main aisa kyun karungi?" usne thande andaaz mein kaha।
"Kyuki jab se main first aayi hoon, tum badal gayi ho," Ananya ne himmat karke kaha।
Yeh sunkar Riya ka chehra sakht ho gaya।
"Apni aukaat mat bhoolo, Ananya," Riya ne dheere lekin tez awaaz mein kaha।
"Ek scholarship milne se koi kisi se better nahi ho jaata."
Yeh shabd seedha Ananya ke dil par lage।
Kuch pal ke liye woh chup ho gayi।
Lekin phir usne khud ko sambhala aur kaha —
"Main kisi se better banne ke liye nahi padh rahi. Main bas apni zindagi badalne ke liye padh rahi hoon."
Riya ne aankhen ghumayi aur wahan se chali gayi।
Us din ke baad Ananya samajh gayi —
Ab uski raah aasaan nahi hone wali।
Ab sirf mushkilein hi nahi…
Log bhi uske khilaaf khade honge।
Lekin is baar Ananya darne wali nahi thi।
Usne apni kitaab ko zor se pakda aur mann hi mann kaha —
"Chahe koi bhi mere raaste mein aaye… main rukungi nahi."
Uske andar ka junoon ab aur bhi tez ho chuka tha।
Aur shayad yahi junoon usse har mushkil se jeetne ki taaqat dega।