Aarav ko ek sentence bahut achha lagta tha:
"Kal se pakka."
Kal se padhai.
Kal se exercise.
Kal se life serious.
Problem ye nahi thi ki wo jhooth bolta tha.
Problem ye thi ki wo khud se jhooth bolta tha.
14 saal ki age me lagta hai time bahut zyada hota hai. School hai, dosti hai, mobile hai, games hai. Lagta hai sab manage ho jaayega. Aarav bhi yahi maanta tha.
Subah alarm baja.
5 minute aur…
Ye 5 minute kab 30 minute ban jaate hain, pata hi nahi chalta.
School late pahucha. Class me last bench mili. Teacher padha rahe the, par Aarav ka dimag window ke bahar tha. Uske liye time wahi ruk jaata tha jahan use comfort milta tha.
"Aarav!"
Teacher ki awaaz aayi.
"Yes ma'am," usne bina soche jawab diya.
"Kal ka homework?"
Class me sannata chha gaya.
Phir hasi.
Aarav bhi hansa.
Par wo hasi sirf chehre par thi, dil me nahi.
Lunch break me Rohan bola,
"Bhai life chill hai. Abhi kaun serious hota hai? Aage bahut time hai."
Aarav ne bina soche haan kar di.
Yahi uski pehli badi galti thi —
galat soch ko sahi maan lena.
Us din Ananya se baat hui. Wo new thi. Thodi alag bhi.
Ananya boli,
"Tum log itne relaxed kaise rehte ho?"
Aarav hansa,
"Time bahut hai yaar."
Ananya thodi der chup rahi, phir boli,
"Time hota nahi hai… time nikal jaata hai."
Aarav ne is baat ko joke samjha.
Use laga ye sab filmy dialogue hai.
Use nahi pata tha ki ye line ek din uske dimaag me chilla-chilla ke bolegi.
Shaam ko ghar aaya. Maa ne bola diary likhne ko.
Usne bas ek line likhi:
Day 1:
Aaj kuch khaas nahi hua. Normal day.
Ye bhi ek galti thi.
Kyuki jo din hume normal lagte hain,
wahi din baad me sabse zyada regret dete hain.
Time har din kuch likh raha tha.
Aur Aarav… bas pages palat raha tha.