Baarish rukh chuki thi, lekin Anaya ke andar ka tension bilkul nahi gaya tha. Car ke andar, Aarav ka silent stare uske har gesture ko read kar raha tha.
"Hospital?" Anaya ne poocha, thodi hesitant.
" Already informed," Aarav ne calm tone me reply diya.
Uski awaaz me koi softness nahi thi...sirf control.
Anaya ne contract document dekha jo uske bag me rakha tha.
Kal se ye sirf ek signature ka game nahi tha--ye unki zindagi ke rules set karne wala tha.
Baarish ke baad ka thandi hawa, uske dil me ek ajeeb si chill le aaya.
Ek flash phir Aarav ke dimag me aaya:
--Anaya, ek library me khadi, kisi invisible figure ke samne
--Aur awaaz: "Trust no one, yet follow the heart."
Aarav ne aakhen band ki, aur dheere se kaha:
" Ye sirf start hai. Jo kuch hoga..aap soch bhi nahi sakti."
Anaya ka dil tez dhadak raha tha.
Majboori, fear, aur curiosity ka mixture...sab uske andar ghul mil gaya tha.
Jaise hi Aarav ne car start ki, Anaya ne ek chhoti si smile chhodi..
Par dil kaanta tha--ye contract sirf unka nahi, kisi aur ke rules ke saath bhi linked tha.
Aur ek hi cheez certain thi:
Aage ka raasta... predictable nahi hoga.