Perfect. Deep breath 💙
Ye EPISODE 16 hai — direct EP 15 ke Aarav
"Aarav…"
Yasha ke lips se naam nikalte hi uska gala sookh gaya.
Balcony ke sheeshe par likha hua wo naam ab bhi chamak raha tha —
jaise koi usse yaad dila raha ho
ki kuch cheezein kabhi peecha nahi chhodti.
"Tum theek ho?"
Anuvardhan ne uska haath thoda aur tight pakad liya.
Yasha ne sir hila diya, par uski aankhen sheeshe se hat hi nahi rahi thi.
"Ye naam…"
uski awaaz kaanp rahi thi,
"ye koi mazaak nahi hai."
Anuvardhan ne balcony ki taraf ek kadam badhaya,
phir ruk gaya.
"Tum jaanti ho isse?"
usne seedha sawaal kiya.
Yasha ne gehri saans li.
Yaadein jaise zameen ke neeche se ubhar aayi ho.
"School me…"
wo dheere se boli,
"ek ladka tha."
Flashback jaise uske dimag me chalne laga.
FLASHBACK
Library ka corner.
Books ke beech chupchaap baithi Yasha.
Aur thodi door…
hamesha wahi ladka.
Na kabhi baat.
Na kabhi complaint.
Bas nazar.
Kabhi-kabhi wo Yasha ke liye chair seedhi kar deta.
Kabhi book gira hota to bina dekhe utha deta.
Kabhi teacher ke daantne par silently uske notes slide kar deta.
Naam tha — Aarav.
Par Yasha ne kabhi dhyaan nahi diya.
Us waqt uske liye duniya simple thi.
Aur Aarav…
bas background ka hissa.
"Par hum kabhi close nahi the,"
Yasha ne present me aate hue kaha.
"Usne kabhi kuch kaha bhi nahi."
Anuvardhan ki aankhon me ek ajeeb sa tension aa gaya.
"Jo kabhi kuch nahi kehta,"
wo bola,
"kabhi-kabhi wahi sabse zyada observe karta hai."
Yasha ke phone pe vibration hui.
Unknown number.
Is baar sirf ek photo.
Yasha ne photo open ki —
aur uski saans atak gayi.
Photo me…
school ki library thi.
Aur us frame me —
wo khud.
Teen saal purani photo.
"Ye possible nahi hai…"
Yasha ne almost whisper kiya.
Anuvardhan ne photo dekhi
aur turant samajh gaya —
ye koi random stalker nahi hai.
"Yasha,"
usne firm awaaz me kaha,
"ye banda tumhe tab se jaanta hai
jab tumne khud ko bhi nahi jaana tha."
Phone pe next message aaya.
Aarav:
"Tumhe yaad hai tumhari favourite seat kaun si thi?"
Yasha ka sir ghoomne laga.
"Tumhe kya chahiye?"
usne type kiya.
Reply aaya — slow, deliberate.
Aarav:
"Tum."
Anuvardhan ne phone uske haath se le liya.
"Bas,"
wo bola,
"ab ye game main khelunga."
Usne Aarav ko reply kiya.
Anuvardhan:
"Usse door raho."
Kuch seconds silence.
Phir typing dots.
Aarav:
"Tum kaun hote ho beech me aane wale?"
Anuvardhan:
"Jo uske saath khada hai."
Reply almost turant aaya.
Aarav:
"Khade rehna aasaan hota hai.
Samajhna mushkil."
Yasha ne Anuvardhan ka haath pakad li.
"Wo mujhe jaanta hai,"
usne kaha,
"meri aadatein, meri jagah…
sab."
"Par wo tumhe paata nahi,"
Anuvardhan ne calmly kaha.
"Ye uski sabse badi galti hai."
Tabhi doorbell baji.
Dono freeze ho gaye.
"Tum kisi ko expect kar rahi ho?"
Anuvardhan ne poocha.
Yasha ne sir hilaya — nahi.
Doorbell fir baji.
Is baar lambi.
Anuvardhan ne peephole se dekha.
Bahaar koi nahi tha.
Sirf floor par ek envelope.
Usne dheere se door khola
aur envelope uthaya.
Andar ek paper tha.
Sirf ek line likhi hui —
"Jo saamne dikhta hai, wahi sach nahi hota."
Aur neeche…
school ka logo bana hua tha.
Yasha ne paper dekha
aur uski aankhen bhar aayi.
"Wo mujhe wapas us jagah le ja raha hai,"
usne kaha.
"Jahan se sab shuru hua tha."
Anuvardhan ne uske kandhe par haath rakha.
"Toh hum bhi wahi jayenge,"
wo bola.
"Par is baar tum akeli nahi hogi."
Phone ek aakhri baar vibrate hua.
Aarav:
"Kal library ke paas milte hain.
Akele."
Yasha ne screen dekhi.
Dil zor se dhadka.
Anuvardhan ne phone band kar diya.
"Tum nahi jaogi,"
usne kaha.
Yasha ne dheere se sir uthaya
aur pehli baar bina dare bola—
"Main jaungi."
Anuvardhan shock me reh gaya.
"Kya?"
"Kyuki,"
Yasha ne kaha,
"jab tak main uska saamna nahi karungi,
ye kabhi khatam nahi hoga."
Room me silence chha gaya.
Sirf ek sach hawa me latak raha tha —
Kal…
teen log
ek hi jagah milne wale the.
Aur unme se ek
sirf pyaar nahi…
apni poori zindagi le kar aane wala tha.