Subah ka waqt tha,
lekin Yasha ko laga jaise raat abhi khatam hi nahi hui ho.
Uski aankhen laal thi,
neend shayad aankhon me aayi hi nahi thi.
Phone bedside table par pada tha—screen blank, par dimaag me messages abhi bhi chamak rahe the.
"Aur ye sirf shuruaat hai."
Yasha bed se uth kar window ke paas gayi.
Kal raat jis window se use door rehne ko kaha gaya tha…
aaj wahi sabse zyada draw kar rahi thi.
Usne dheere se curtain side kiya.
Neeche gali bilkul normal thi.
Subah ki awaazein—sabzi wale ki awaaz, door se school bus ka horn.
Sab kuch normal.
Par Yasha ko pata tha—
sab kuch normal nahi tha.
Phone vibration se uska dhyaan toota.
Anuvardhan:
Good morning. Tum theek ho?
Yasha ne type kiya—
Haan… shayad.
Reply turant aaya—
Shayad nahi chalta, Yasha. Aaj tum college nahi ja rahi.
Yasha thoda sa smile kar gayi.
Wahi concern.
Wahi protectiveness.
Tum decide karoge meri zindagi?
usne mazaak me likha.
Kuch seconds ka pause.
Agar baat tumhari safety ki ho, to haan.
Yasha ka dil thoda sa heavy ho gaya.
Par oddly… safe bhi laga.
Tabhi ek aur notification aaya.
Unknown number.
Yasha ka haath apne aap kaanp gaya.
Unknown:
Tum aaj window ke paas khadi thi.
Yasha freeze ho gayi.
Usne dheere se phone pakad ke likha—
Tum mujhe dekh kaise rahe ho?
Reply aane me thoda waqt laga.
Jaise saamne wala soch raha ho—kitna batana hai.
Main hamesha dekhta aaya hoon, Yasha.
Uska saans tez ho gaya.
Tum kaun ho?
Typing bubbles aaye… phir ruke… phir aaye.
Jo tumhare school ke last bench pe baithta tha.
Aur tumhare braid ke peeche se tumhe dekhta tha.
Yasha ke dimag me ek jhatka sa laga.
School.
Last bench.
Uske dimaag me kuch blurred faces aaye—
koi ladka jo zyada bolta nahi tha,
jo teachers ke questions ka jawab jaanta tha par kabhi haath nahi uthata tha.
Tum jhoot bol rahe ho,
Yasha ne likha.
Reply almost instantly aaya.
Tum blue ribbon pehenti thi.
Aur jab nervous hoti thi, pencil ko daant se pakad leti thi.
Yasha ka phone haath se chhoot-te chhoot-te bacha.
Ye details…
ye koi random stalker nahi jaanta.
Tum mujhe tab bhi pasand thi,
message aaya.
Aur ab bhi ho.
Yasha ka dil zor se dhadakne laga.
Isi moment par Anuvardhan ka call aa gaya.
"Hello?"
Yasha ne almost breathless awaaz me kaha.
"Tum thik ho?"
Anuvardhan ne turant poocha.
"Wo… wo mujhe messages kar raha hai,"
Yasha boli.
"Keh raha hai school se mujhe jaanta hai."
Doosri taraf silence tha.
Phir Anuvardhan ne bahut dheere kaha— "Yasha… jo banda itne saalon se chupchaap dekh raha hota hai na…
wo pyaar bhi kar sakta hai…
aur dangerous bhi ho sakta hai."
"Tum kehna kya chahte ho?"
Yasha ki awaaz halki ho gayi.
"Main kehna chah raha hoon,"
Anuvardhan ne firmly kaha,
"ke ab tumhara har step important hai.
Aur main tumhe akela ek second ke liye bhi nahi chhodunga."
Yasha kuch bol hi nahi paayi.
Tabhi unknown number se ek aur message aaya.
Anuvardhan tumhe protect karna chahta hai.
Par wo mujhe nahi jaanta.
Yasha ki aankhen phail gayi.
Tum usse jaante ho?
usne type kiya.
Reply aaya—
Main tumhare har close insaan ko jaanta hoon, Yasha.
Kyuki maine tumhe kabhi nazar se hataya hi nahi.
Uska dil jaise ruk sa gaya.
Last message slowly appear hua—
Aur ab jab Kushagra wapas aa raha hai…
main bhi peeche nahi rehne wala.
Yasha ne phone gira diya.
Teen naam.
Teen log.
Teen alag-alag intentions.
Aur beech me…
sirf ek Yasha.
Raat ka dar ab din me badal chuka tha.
Aur use samajh aa gaya—
Ye sirf pyaar ki kahani nahi thi.
Ye ek obsession ki shuruaat thi.
To be continued… 🔥