Ghar ka darwaza band hote hi Yasha ne apni peeth usse laga di. Dil abhi bhi tez dhadak raha tha, jaise koi marathon daud ke aayi ho. Car ka wo pal, uska saamne baithna, uski aankhon ka ek pal ke liye bhi usse na chhodna—sab kuch uske dimaag me repeat ho raha tha. "Bas ek meeting thi," usne khud se kaha, lekin dil maan hi nahi raha tha. Aaj tak jis ladke ko sirf screen ke through dekha tha, wo aaj uske saamne tha… bilkul real, bilkul paas.
Wo dheere-dheere bed par baith gayi. Phone haath me liya, par screen dekhte hi uski saansein bhaari ho gayi. Anuvardhan. Uska naam bhi aaj kuch zyada hi heavy lag raha tha. "Itna handsome… itna sorted… aur clearly rich bhi," usne mann me socha. Uski car, uska confidence, uska calmly baat karna—sab kuch kisi movie ke hero jaisa tha. Aur phir uska dimaag wahi sawal poochhne laga jisse wo bachna chahti thi: Ye itni door se mere liye kyun aaya?
Usne apne aap ko mirror me dekha. Simple si ladki, zyada sapne nahi, zyada expectations nahi. Phir achanak ek aur thought aaya—Kya ye bas timepass hai? Shayad uske liye ye sirf ek adventure ho, ek story jise wo baad me bhool jaaye. Yasha ka dil thoda sa kaanp gaya. Usne hamesha khud ko safe rakha tha, kam expect kiya tha, kam hope rakhi thi. Aur aaj… aaj use dar lag raha tha ki kahin wo zyada hi expect na kar baithe.
Isi darr ke saath usne phone unlock kiya. Uska naam khola. Fingers thode ruk gaye. Phir, bina zyada soche, usne ek decision le liya—block.
"Bas," usne khud se kaha, "ab baat band."
Wo samajh rahi thi ki shayad ye galat hai, shayad ye zyada extreme hai, par us waqt usse sirf apna dil bachana tha.
Dusri taraf, highway par Anuvardhan apni car chala raha tha. Sheher peeche chhoot raha tha, aur saath hi chhoot rahi thi wo warmth jo use Yasha ke paas mehsoos hui thi. Uske hothon par halki si muskaan thi. Pehli baar kisi se milkar use disappointment nahi hui thi—ulta, wo aur zyada attach ho gaya tha. Usne steering par haath kas ke pakde aur socha, Bas ek call kar leta hoon… poochh leta hoon ghar pahuch gayi ya nahi.
Car ek signal par ruki. Usne phone uthaya, number dial kiya. Ring nahi gayi. Dusri baar try kiya. Kuch nahi. Phir usne WhatsApp khola—last seen nahi, profile picture nahi. Uske dil me ek ajeeb si feeling utri. Usne chat open ki… aur wahi dekha jo usse bilkul expect nahi tha—You can't send messages to this contact.
Uska gala bhar aaya. "Block?" usne khud se poocha, jaise uska jawaab khud ko dena mushkil ho. Signal green hua, par uski car aage nahi badhi. Peeche se horn bajne lage, tab jaakar wo hosh me aaya aur car side me laga di. Phone abhi bhi haath me tha, screen blur ho rahi thi. Aankhon se aansu gir gaye, bina kisi warning ke.
"Main bas poochhna chahta tha ki tu theek pahuchi ya nahi," usne dheere se kaha, jaise Yasha wahin baithi ho. Usse laga jaise kisi ne uske seene ke beech me zor se kuchh tod diya ho. Wo kisi game ke liye nahi aaya tha, kisi timepass ke liye nahi. Usne apna time, apni energy, apna dil—sab laga diya tha is meeting ke liye. Aur aaj… bina kuch kahe hi sab khatam ho gaya.
Car ke andar khamoshi thi, bas uski saansein aur uske rone ki awaaz. Thodi der baad usne khud ko sambhala, aankhen pochhi, aur steering par haath rakh kar bola, "Shayad main hi zyada serious ho gaya." Usne phone seat par rakh diya, par nazar baar-baar usi par ja rahi thi, jaise abhi kisi miracle se block hat jaayega.
Raat gehri hoti ja rahi thi. Yasha apne bed par leti thi, aankhen band karne ki koshish kar rahi thi, par neend usse koson door thi. Dil baar-baar wahi sawal poochh raha tha—Kya wo call karega? Phir yaad aata—Maine hi to block kiya hai. Uska dil zor se dhadka. Ek pal ke liye usne phone uthaya, block list kholi, uska naam dekha… aur phir phone side me rakh diya. "Nahi," usne khud se kaha, "ab peeche nahi jaana."
Par dono ko ye nahi pata tha ki ye sirf ek raat ka decision nahi tha. Ye wo raat thi jahan ek galat assumption ne do dilon ke beech ek gehra faasla bana diya tha. Ek ladki jo darr ki wajah se door bhaag rahi thi, aur ek ladka jo bina galti ke bhi toot raha tha.
Highway par car aage badhti rahi, aur sheher ke lights peeche chhoot-te rahe. Aur kahin na kahin, do dil jo ek dusre ke liye dhadak rahe the, aaj sabse zyada door the—sirf isliye kyunki dono me se kisi ne bhi sach poochhne ki himmat nahi ki.
Aur usi khamoshi ke beech, Yasha ka dil achanak zor se dhadka. Jaise kisi ne andar se dhakka diya ho. Usne bina zyada soche phone uthaya, block list kholi… aur Anuvardhan ka naam unblock kar diya. Ungli thodi kaanp rahi thi jab usne call button dabaya. Ek ring… do ring… aur phir uski awaaz.
"Hello?"
Yasha ne saans li aur dheere se poocha,
"Kya tum ghar pahuch gaye?"
Aur wahi se shuru hota hai… jo dono ne kabhi imagine bhi nahi kiya tha...