THE SILENT MELODY – PART 1
Rain ho rahi thi… halki halki… aur campus almost khaali tha.
Main library ke bahar khadi thi, tabhi pehli baar maine usse dekha…
"Kim Aarav…"
White shirt, thoda sa wet, headphones laga ke khada tha… jaise duniya se koi matlab hi nahi.
Mujhe pata nahi kyu, par usse dekh ke ajeeb sa feel hua… calm… par thoda lonely bhi.
Tabhi usne headphones hataye aur meri taraf dekha.
Aarav (slowly): "Tum yahan akeli kya kar rahi ho?"
Maine thoda awkward smile kiya…
Meera: "Rain dekh rahi hoon…"
Wo halka sa muskuraya…
Aarav: "Rain dekhne ke liye bhi koi itna serious hota hai?"
Mujhe hasi aa gayi… aur pata nahi kab hum dono ek hi chhat ke niche khade baat karne lage.
---
Next few days…
Wo mera habit ban gaya.
Cafeteria me…
Library me…
Campus ke corner bench pe…
Har jagah bas main aur Aarav…
Ek din…
Hum dono campus ke garden me baithe the. Sunset ho raha tha.
Meera: "Aarav… tum itne chup chup kyun rehte ho?"
Wo thoda serious ho gaya…
Aarav: "Har kisi ke paas ek story hoti hai… bas sab share nahi karte…"
Mujhe uski aankhon me dard clearly dikha…
Par maine force nahi kiya.
---
Us raat…
Mujhe uska message aaya:
Aarav: "Kal milogi?"
Next day…
Rain fir se ho rahi thi…
Jaise pehli baar mili thi waise hi…
Main pahunchi… wo already wahan tha.
Is baar… wo mujhe dekhte hi mere paas aaya… aur bina kuch bole… mujhe hug kar liya.
Main shock ho gayi…
Par us hug me itni warmth thi… ki maine bhi use tight hug kar liya.
Meera (slowly): "Aarav… kya hua?"
Wo dheere se bola…
Aarav: "Bas… aaj tumhe chhodna nahi chahta…"
Mera heart literally fast beat karne laga…
---
Thodi der baad…
Wo mere face ke paas aaya… itna close… ki meri saanse ruk gayi…
Aarav: "Meera… can I…?"
Main kuch bol nahi paayi… bas aankhen band kar li…
Aur usne… softly… mujhe kiss kiya.
Sab kuch slow ho gaya…
Rain… hawa… sab…
Sirf hum dono the…
---
Us moment ke baad sab perfect lag raha tha…
Par…
Achanak uska phone ring hua…
Usne call dekha… aur uska face completely change ho gaya…
Wo mujhse thoda door hat gaya…
Meera: "Kya hua?"
Wo kuch seconds chup raha… phir bola—
Aarav (cold tone): "Meera… tum mujhse door rehna…"
Mujhe laga wo mazaak kar raha hai…
Meera: "Aarav stop it… ye funny nahi hai…"
Par uski aankhon me wo same warmth nahi thi…
Sirf distance…
Aarav: "Please… mujhe bhool jao…"
Aur wo chala gaya…
Bas aise hi…
Without explanation…
---
Us raat…
Mujhe ek unknown message aaya…
"Stay away from Kim Aarav… warna tum bhi hurt ho jaogi…"
Mera heart sink ho gaya…
Ye sab kya tha…?
Aarav ne achanak aisa kyun kiya…?
Aur ye message kisne bheja…?
Story abhi start hui thi…
Aur sab kuch already toot raha tha…
To be continued…