THE SILENT MELODY – PART 5 (CONTINUED)
Wo meri aankhon me dekha…
Aarav (slowly): "Kyuki main tumse door reh nahi paaya…"
Mera heart ek second ke liye ruk gaya…
Meera (teary smile): "Toh phir jaate hi kyun ho baar baar…?"
Wo halka sa smile kiya… par us smile ke peeche pain clearly tha…
Aarav: "Kyuki meri life simple nahi hai, Meera…"
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Main uske aur paas gayi…
Uska haath pakda…
Meera: "Mujhe farak nahi padta… main ab bhi wahi hoon…"
Wo meri taraf dekhta raha… jaise believe karna chahta ho… par dar raha ho…
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Meera (softly): "Us raat kya hua tha…? Tum theek ho na?"
Wo thoda side me dekhne laga…
Aarav: "Main bach gaya… par sab khatam nahi hua…"
Mera heart phir heavy ho gaya…
Meera: "Matlab…?"
Aarav: "Jo log mere peeche hain… wo ab bhi hain… aur ab…"
Wo ruk gaya…
Meera: "Aur ab kya…?"
Wo dheere se bola—
Aarav: "Ab unhe tumhare baare me bhi pata hai…"
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Mera haath automatically uske haath ko aur tight pakad liya…
Meera: "Toh kya hua…? Main darne wali nahi hoon…"
Wo suddenly serious ho gaya…
Aarav: "Ye game nahi hai Meera…"
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Silence…
Bas hum dono ki saanse…
Aur door se halki music ki awaaz…
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Main dheere se uske paas gayi…
Aur usse hug kar liya…
Meera (slowly): "Main bas tumhare saath rehna chahti hoon…"
Is baar Aarav ne mujhe aur tight hug kiya…
Jaise finally usne give up kar diya ho…
Jaise usne decide kar liya ho ki ab wo mujhe door nahi karega…
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Kuch seconds baad…
Wo meri face ko hold karta hai…
Aur dheere se kehta hai—
Aarav: "Agar tum mere saath rahi… toh sab kuch lose bhi ho sakta hai…"
Maine bina hesitate kiye kaha—
Meera: "Par tumhe lose karna usse zyada painful hai…"
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Wo mujhe dekh ke halka sa smile karta hai…
Aur phir… slowly… mujhe kiss karta hai…
Is baar kiss calm tha… deep tha…
Jaise finally peace mil gaya ho…
Jaise dono ne ek dusre ko choose kar liya ho…
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Tabhi…
Achanak backstage ki lights blink hone lagi…
Aarav turant alert ho gaya…
Aarav (low voice): "Something's wrong…"
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Door ke paas kuch log dikhne lage…
Same vibe…
Same danger…
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Aarav (fast): "Meera, mere saath chalo…"
Is baar main bina question kiye uska haath pakad ke uske saath bhaagi…
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Hum dono campus ke peeche wale road par ruk gaye…
Saans heavy… heartbeat fast…
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Meera: "Ab kya karenge…?"
Aarav ne meri taraf dekha…
Uski aankhon me fear nahi tha ab…
Bas determination…
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Aarav: "Ab bhaagna band…"
Main confuse ho gayi…
Meera: "Matlab…?"
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Wo mere paas aaya…
Mera haath pakda…
Aur bola—
Aarav: "Ab hum saath ladenge…"
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Mera heart strong feel karne laga…
Dar ab bhi tha…
Par usse zyada trust tha…
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Achanak…
Uska phone vibrate hua…
Usne message dekha…
Aur uska face serious ho gaya…
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Meera: "Kya hua…?"
Usne phone mujhe dikhaya…
Message me likha tha—
"Final warning… next time, we won't miss."
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Meri spine me chill sa feel hua…
Par is baar…
Main peeche nahi hati…
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Main Aarav ke aur paas gayi…
Aur dheere se bola—
Meera: "Let them come…"
Wo mujhe dekh ke thoda surprised hua…
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Meera (strong voice): "Is baar… main bhaagne wali nahi hoon…"
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Aarav ne halka sa smile kiya…
Aur mera haath aur tight pakad liya…
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Door kahin se wahi melody fir se bajne lagi…
Par is baar…
Wo sad nahi thi…
Wo strong thi…
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Kya Aarav aur Meera milke iss danger ka saamna kar paayenge…?
Kaun hai jo unhe target kar raha hai…?
Aur kya unka love itna strong hai ki sab survive kar sake…?
Story ab turning point par hai…
To be continued…