Call sirf ek ring me connect ho gayi.
Yasha ne phone kaan se lagaya, par kuch seconds tak dono me se koi kuch nahi bola.
Sirf ek gehri si khamoshi thi… heavy, awkward, aur thodi si darawni.
Phir usne suna.
Ek broken si saans.
Jaise koi ro raha ho… par khud ko sambhalne ki poori koshish kar raha ho.
"Yasha…"
Anuvardhan ki awaaz kaanpte hue aayi, "tumne unblock kiya… mujhe laga tha tum mujhe chhod chuki ho."
Yasha ka dil zor se dhadka.
Usne kabhi socha bhi nahi tha ki wo itna darr gaya hoga.
"Main car chala raha tha," wo bolta gaya, "aur bas ye hi soch raha tha ki maine kya galat kar diya. Shayad main zyada close ho gaya… shayad zyada serious ho gaya."
Uski awaaz dheere dheere bhari hone lagi.
"Tumhe pata hai," usne ruk kar kaha, "jab tumne mujhe block kiya na… mujhe laga jaise sab khatam ho gaya."
Yasha ki aankhon me aansu aa gaye.
Usse laga tha ladka strong hoga, confident hoga.
Par yahan… wo sirf ek dil se pyar karne wala insaan tha.
"Mujhe tum bahut pasand ho," Anuvardhan ne dheere se kaha. "Itna ki main tumhe khona afford nahi kar sakta."
Yasha ne aankhein band kar li.
Ye time pass nahi tha.
Ye casual bilkul nahi tha.
"Par main tum par pressure nahi daalna chahta," wo jaldi se bola. "Agar tumhe dar lagta hai na, to time le lo. Hum milna band kar sakte hain. Jab tak tum ready na ho, tab tak."
Uske shabd simple the… par unka weight bahut gehra tha.
"Bas ek baat," usne almost request ke tone me kaha, "tum meri zindagi se mat jao. Tumhe dar lagta hai to main wait kar lunga."
Yasha ka dil pighal gaya.
Na koi promise,
na koi force,
sirf patience.
"Tum safe feel karo, bas ye hi chahta hoon," Anuvardhan ne kaha. "Agar tum ready nahi ho, to main bhi ready nahi hoon."
Us pal Yasha ko laga… shayad sab ladke ek jaise nahi hote.
"Tum ghar pahunch gaye?" usne dheere se poocha.
Dusri taraf thodi si chup.
"Haan," usne kaha, "ghar pahunch gaya hoon… par dil abhi bhi tumhare paas hi hai."
Yasha halki si muskurayi, aansuon ke beech.
"Tumhe pata hai," usne kaha, "main bas darr gayi thi. Itna sab achha lag raha tha ki mujhe laga kahin ye sach na ho."
Anuvardhan ne halki si hasi ke saath kaha,
"Main perfect nahi hoon, Yasha. Bas tumhara hoon."
Us raat dono ne future ki baat nahi ki.
Unhone apne darr share kiye.
Purane dard.
Aur ye bhi ki kaise ek dating app pe mili ek ajnabi… dheere dheere apni lagne lagi.
Call khatam hone se pehle, Anuvardhan ne kaha,
"Thanks… mujhe chhodne ke liye nahi."
Aur Yasha ne bas itna bola,
"Thanks… mujhe samajhne ke liye."
Call cut ho gayi.
ye call sirf ek galatfehmi khatam karne ke liye nahi thi.
Ye wo pal tha jahan ek galat decision ne sab kuch badalne wala tha.
Yasha ne phone side me rakh diya, par uska dil abhi bhi usi awaaz ke saath atka hua tha. Usne aankhein band ki aur pehli baar ye socha—agar main use khone se itna darr rahi hoon… to shayad main already use chaah chuki hoon.
Dusri taraf, Anuvardhan apne room me chupchaap baitha tha. Phone screen band thi, par uske kaan me abhi bhi Yasha ki awaaz ghoonj rahi thi. Usne dheere se kaha,
"Bas itna sa pyaar hi to maanga tha… jo aaj mil gaya."
Par kismat ko shayad itni aasani pasand nahi aati.
Kyuki jis raat dono ko laga sab theek ho gaya hai…
usi raat ek aisa sach unke beech khada hone wala tha,
jo ya to unhe aur kareeb laayega…
ya phir hamesha ke liye alag kar dega.
Aur agla din… kisi ke liye intezaar lekar aa raha tha,
to kisi ke liye ek aisa faisla…
jiska jawab dil ke paas tha, par himmat ke paas nahi.
To be continued…