Competition ke result ka din aa chuka tha।
School ka mahaul aaj bilkul alag tha। Har taraf excitement thi, lekin Ananya ke dil mein sirf ek hi cheez chal rahi thi — darr।
Woh school ke corridor mein khadi thi, haath thande pad chuke the, aur dil itni tez dhadak raha tha jaise bahar aa jayega।
"Kya main jeet paungi?"
"Ya sab kuch bekaar ho gaya?"
Usne aankhen band ki aur kal ka din yaad kiya — bina notes ke competition dena, apne darr se ladna…
Usne apna best diya tha।
Tabhi announcement hua —
"Sabhi students assembly hall mein aa jaayein. Competition ke results declare kiye jaayenge."
Ananya dheere-dheere hall ki taraf badhi। Har kadam ke saath uska tension badhta ja raha tha।
Hall poora bhar chuka tha। Sabki nazar stage par thi।
Judges aur teachers wahan baithe the।
"Ab hum result announce karne ja rahe hain," ek judge ne mic par kaha।
Pehle third position announce hui… phir second…
Ananya ka naam ab tak nahi aaya tha।
Uska dil aur tez dhadakne laga।
Phir ek pal ke liye poora hall chup ho gaya।
"First position goes to… Ananya."
Jaise hi yeh shabd goonje, Ananya ko laga jaise waqt ruk gaya ho।
Kuch seconds tak use samajh hi nahi aaya ki kya hua।
Phir achanak hall mein taaliyon ki awaaz goonj uthi।
Ananya dheere se stage ki taraf badhi। Uski aankhon mein aansu the — is baar khushi ke।
Usne bina notes ke… sirf apni mehnat aur himmat ke dam par jeet haasil ki thi।
Jab woh stage se neeche utar rahi thi, uski nazar Riya par padi।
Riya ka chehra pehli baar poori tarah se udaas tha।
Lekin kahani yahin khatam nahi hui।
Jaise hi program khatam hone wala tha, ek teacher ne mic uthaya।
"Ek zaroori baat hai," unhone kaha।
Sab chup ho gaye।
"Kal competition se pehle kuch students ke bags check kiye gaye the… aur humein ek complaint mili thi ki kisi ke notes missing hain."
Ananya ka dil ek pal ke liye ruk gaya।
Teacher ne aage kaha —
"Investigation ke baad humein pata chala hai ki yeh kaam class ki hi ek student ne kiya tha…"
Sabki nazar idhar-udhar ghoomne lagi।
"Riya."
Yeh naam sunte hi poora hall shock ho gaya।
Riya ka chehra safed pad gaya।
"Riya ne Ananya ke notes chhupaye the, taaki woh competition haar jaaye," teacher ne saaf-saaf keh diya।
Ananya bhi shock mein thi। Usse pata tha ki Riya ne kuch kiya hai, lekin yeh sab itni jaldi saamne aa jayega — yeh usne socha nahi tha।
Riya ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye।
"Sorry…" usne dheere se kaha।
Hall mein chupchaap sannata tha।
Principal ne strict awaaz mein kaha —
"Riya, tumhe iske liye punishment milegi. Yeh sirf cheating nahi, balki kisi ke future ke saath khelna hai."
Riya sir jhuka kar khadi rahi।
Ananya uski taraf dekh rahi thi।
Uske dil mein gussa bhi tha… dukh bhi।
Lekin usne kuch nahi kaha।
Kuch pal ke baad, Ananya dheere se Riya ke paas gayi।
Sab usse dekh rahe the।
"Tumne galat kiya," Ananya ne shaant awaaz mein kaha,
"Lekin main tumse nafrat nahi karti."
Riya ne hairani se uski taraf dekha।
"Main sirf itna chahti hoon… ki tum bhi apni mehnat par bharosa karo," Ananya ne kaha।
Yeh sunkar Riya ke aansu aur tez ho gaye।
Us pal, Ananya ne sirf competition nahi jeeta tha…
Usne ek insaaniyat ki jeet bhi haasil ki thi।
Aaj pehli baar sab log usse sirf ek topper ke roop mein nahi…
Balki ek strong insaan ke roop mein dekh rahe the।
Ananya ne apne haath mein trophy ko dekha aur mann hi mann kaha —
"Yeh sirf meri jeet nahi hai… yeh meri mehnat, mere junoon aur meri sachchai ki jeet hai."
Lekin usse yeh nahi pata tha…
Ki aage ka safar aur bhi bada hone wala hai।