Sham ka waqt tha. Aasmaan par kaale badal dheere-dheere chha rahe the, jaise kisi ne dhoop ko chhupa diya ho. Hawa mein mitti ki khushboo ghul chuki thi — woh wali khushboo jo dil ko bina wajah halka kar deti hai.
Aarav bus stop ke neeche khada tha, haath mein purani si kitab aur aankhon mein thodi si thakan. Din bhar coaching padhakar aa raha tha. Zindagi seedhi thi… thodi boring bhi.
Tabhi—
Tip… tip… tip…
Pehli baarish ki boonden girni shuru hui.
Log idhar-udhar bhaagne lage, par Aarav wahi khada raha. Use baarish pasand thi. Bahut zyada.
Phir achanak…
Ek ladki daudti hui bus stop ke neeche aayi — saans phooli hui, baal halki si bheege hue, aur aankhon mein ajeeb si ghabrahat.
"Excuse me… yahan thodi jagah milegi?" usne halka sa muskura kar kaha.
Aarav ne bas sir hila diya. Par uska dhyaan ab kitab par nahi tha.
Us ladki par tha.
Uski aankhen… bilkul waise jaise baarish ke baad ka aasmaan — saaf aur gehra.
"Tumhe bhi baarish pasand hai?" ladki ne poocha.
Aarav thoda hansa, "Haan… shayad zarurat se zyada."
"Good," woh boli, "kyunki mujhe bilkul pasand nahi."
Dono ek pal ke liye chup ho gaye… phir dono ek saath hans pade.
Baarish tez ho chuki thi.
Hawa ke saath kuch pal aise aaye jo bina bole hi yaad ban jaate hain.
"Kya tum yahin rehte ho?" Aarav ne himmat karke poocha.
Ladki kuch bolne hi wali thi ki—
TRRRRNNNN…
Uska phone zor se baja.
Usne screen dekhi… aur uske chehre ka rang ekdum ud gaya.
Aankhon ki chamak gayab.
Honth halki si kaanp gaye.
"Sorry… mujhe jaana hoga," usne jaldi se kaha.
"Par baarish—" Aarav ne kaha.
"Main aadat se majboor hoon," woh dheere se boli.
Aur phir…
Woh bina peeche dekhe tez baarish mein bhaag gayi.
Aarav bas use jaate hue dekhta reh gaya.
Par jaane se pehle…
Woh apni chhoti si diary wahi bench par bhool gayi thi.
Aarav ne diary uthai.
Cover par sirf do shabd likhe the —
"Mujhe mat dhoondhna."
Aarav ka dil ek pal ke liye ruk sa gaya.
"Yeh ladki… hai kaun?" usne dheere se khud se kaha.
Aur usse bilkul andaaza nahi tha…
ki yeh mulaqat uski zindagi badalne wali thi.
(To be continued…)