Raipur ki shaam thodi cloudy thi. College ke campus mein halki hawa chal rahi thi, par mere andar sab kuch bilkul opposite tha — heavy.
Kal raat se Garv ka "Good work" message dimaag mein ghoom raha tha. Sirf do words. Bas do. Par jaise kisi ne mere calm water mein chhota sa patthar phenka ho.
"Calm down, Aaru," maine khud se kaha. "Ye bas project partner hai. Aur kuch nahi."
Aaj college mein unusual excitement thi. Notice board ke paas bheed lagi thi.
"Annual Cultural Fest announce ho gaya!" Riya almost chillate hue mere paas aayi.
"Mujhe interest nahi hai stage wagairah mein," maine seedha jawab diya.
"Arey participation compulsory hai first years ke liye!"
Mera heart thoda sa drop hua. "What?"
Hum dono notice board ke paas gaye.
"Freshers Presentation – Pair Performance.
Theme: 'First Impression'."
Pair performance?
Maine list dekhi.
"Partners senior select karenge."
Mere andar ek ajeeb sa uneasy feeling aayi.
Tabhi peeche se familiar voice aayi—
"Lagta hai destiny ko coincidence pasand hai."
Main mudti hoon.
Gaurav.
Aaj woh grey t-shirt mein tha. Casual. Comfortable. Jaise use duniya se koi tension hi nahi.
"Senior partners choose karenge?" maine Riya se dheere poocha.
"Haan, seniors ko ek first year pick karna hoga."
Mera dil literally bol raha tha — bas ye mujhe choose na kare.
Auditorium mein sab freshers ko bulaya gaya.
Stage par seniors khade the. Ek ek karke names announce kar rahe the.
Mera number abhi tak nahi aaya tha.
Phir mic par awaaz aayi—
"Next… Gaurav."
Mera heart ek second ke liye freeze ho gaya.
Woh stage par aaya. Confident steps. Sab usse jaante the.
"Tumhara partner?" coordinator ne poocha.
Usne crowd scan kiya.
Ek second ke liye uski nazar mujh par ruki.
Maine seedha neeche dekh liya.
Please no.
Please.
Aur phir—
"Aradhana."
Pure hall mein halki si murmur hui.
Riya ne mera haath squeeze kiya. "Oh my God."
Main stage ki taraf chal padi.
Dil dhad dhad dhad.
Woh side mein khada tha. Expression unreadable.
"Congratulations," usne dheere se kaha.
"On what?" maine straight face se poocha.
"Being chosen."
"Main koi trophy nahi hoon."
Woh halka sa hansa. "Relax. Itna serious mat hua karo."
"Main serious nahi hoon."
"Phir?"
"Bas normal."
Woh mic pakad kar announce karta hai,
"Hum theme ko thoda realistic rakhenge."
Main uski taraf dekhti hoon. Realistic?
Practice ke liye hume auditorium ke side room diya gaya.
"Tum stage comfortable ho?" usne poocha.
"Nahi."
"Good."
Main irritate ho gayi. "Good kyun?"
"Kyuki mujhe bhi zyada drama pasand nahi."
"Phir participate kyun kar rahe ho?"
"Compulsion."
"Same."
Ek second ke liye dono ek dusre ko dekh kar halki si smile share karte hain.
First time conversation thodi less defensive thi.
"Theme 'First Impression' hai," usne chair pull karte hue kaha.
"Hum kya karein? Drama? Speech? Dance?"
"Main dance nahi karungi."
"Main bhi nahi."
"Speech boring hoga."
"Exactly."
"Short act?"
"Possible."
Silence.
"Hum real first impression pe act karein?" usne casually bola.
Maine turant uski taraf dekha.
"Matlab?"
"Jaise… do log takrate hain. Misunderstanding. Ego. That kind of thing."
Mera heartbeat fast.
"Kya tum har cheez ko funny banana chahte ho?"
"Nahi. Bas relatable."
Main kuch second chup rahi.
"Fine."
Practice start hui.
"Tum line bolo — 'Tumhe dikhta nahi kya?'" usne script banate hue kaha.
Maine aankhon mein dekha.
"Seriously?"
"Act hai. Chill."
Main dialogue bolti hoon.
Woh intentionally close aata hai.
"Excuse me? Aap bhi dekh kar chal sakte the."
Woh thoda slow clap karta hai. "Not bad."
"Mujhe acting nahi aati."
"Sach bolne ki habit hai shayad."
"Har baat ko analyse karna zaroori hai?"
"Har baat ko ignore karna bhi nahi."
Silence.
Practice ke beech kab conversation personal ho gayi pata hi nahi chala.
Break ke waqt ek senior girl room ke paas aayi.
"Garv, rehearsal ke baad coffee?"
Uska tone friendly se thoda zyada tha.
Mujhe koi farq nahi padna chahiye tha.
Par pad raha tha.
Woh casually bola,
"Later."
Girl chali gayi.
"Meri wajah se mana kiya?" maine almost subconsciously pooch liya.
Woh mujhe dekhta hai.
"Tumhe kya lagta hai?"
"Main guess nahi karti."
"Good."
Phir woh thoda serious ho gaya.
"Tum jealous ho?"
Maine turant jawab diya,
"Bilkul nahi."
"Good. Kyuki mujhe unnecessary drama pasand nahi."
Ye line seedha dil pe lagi.
"Main drama nahi hoon," maine thoda cold tone mein kaha.
"Main aisa nahi keh raha."
"Par imply kar rahe ho."
Woh sigh karta hai.
"Tum har baat personally kyun leti ho?"
"Kyuki main robot nahi hoon."
Room mein silence.
Hawa heavy.
Usne dheere se kaha,
"Main bas normal rehne ki koshish kar raha hoon."
"Main bhi."
Practice khatam hui.
Hum auditorium se bahar nikle.
Campus mein shaam ho rahi thi.
Orange sky.
Students groups mein.
Hum dono side by side chal rahe the, bina baat ke.
Phir woh ruk gaya.
"Aradhana."
Main rukti hoon.
"Tum mujhe avoid kar rahi thi pehle."
"Shayad."
"Ab?"
Main uski aankhon mein dekhti hoon.
"Ab mujhe samajh nahi aa raha."
Woh halka sa confused smile deta hai.
"Kya?"
"Ki main tumhe ignore karna chahti hoon… ya samajhna."
Ye words mere muh se kaise nikal gaye mujhe pata nahi.
Woh kuch second chup raha.
Phir dheere se bola,
"Main utna complicated nahi hoon jitna tum soch rahi ho."
"Par simple bhi nahi."
"Maybe."
Ghar aakar main mirror ke saamne khadi thi.
Aaj pehli baar maine khud ko different feel kiya.
Main woh same shy Aaru thi…
Par thoda sa guard down hua tha.
Phone vibrate hua.
Garv:
"Kal 11 baje final rehearsal."
Main type karti hoon — "Okay."
Phir 2 second baad message aata hai—
"Waise… tum stage par nervous cute lagti ho."
Mera heart literally skip.
Main 1 minute tak screen dekhti rahi.
Reply karun? Ignore karun?
Main sirf ek word bhejti hoon—
"Focus."
Uska reply instantly aata hai—
"Trying."
Main phone side rakh deti hoon.
Par smile control nahi hoti.
Raat ko balcony mein khadi thi.
Raipur ki lights shine kar rahi thi.
Hawa thandi thi.
Main soch rahi thi—
Kya ye bas partnership hai?
Ya beginning of something slow… steady… dangerous?
Kyuki jitna main usse samajhne ki koshish karti hoon…
Utna hi woh unpredictable lagta hai.
Aur shayad…
Main bhi uske liye simple nahi hoon.
-------End Hook Line-------
"Shayad hum dono ko stage par 'First Impression' act karna tha… par asli story toh backstage shuru ho chuki thi."