Chapter 1: "Shehar Mein Ek Ajnabi"
Raat ka waqt tha, aur shehar ne apni asli shakal pehni hui thi. Streetlights ke neeche bheegi sadkein chamak rahi thi, jaise kisi ne shehar ke dard ko polish kar diya ho. Aarav apni bike dheere chala raha tha bina kisi jaldi ke. Uske liye raat hamesha zyada honest hoti thidin ke shor se door, jab khayal bina dare bahar aa jate the Helmet ke andar uski saansein bhari hui thi Aaj bhi wahi khayal, wahi yaadein Teen saal ho gaye the is shehar me aaye hue, par shehar abhi tak uska nahi hua tha Log milte the, baatein hoti thi, par connections woh kahin kho sa gaya tha Bike usne ek purani si library ke paas roki Yeh jagah uski aadat ban chuki thi Raat ke 11 baje ke baad yahan almost koi nahi aata Library band hoti par saamne wali chai ki tapri khuli rehti Aarav helmet utar kar bench par baith gaya. Chai ka cup haath me lete hi thodi garmi mehsoos hui sirf haath me nahi, andar tak Tabhi usne use dekha.
Woh ladki library ke gate ke paas khadi thi. Haath me ek purana notebook, kandhe par jhoola sa bag. Baal khule hue, jaise hawa se baat kar rahe ho. Woh idhar-udhar dekh rahi thi, jaise kisi ka intezaar ho… ya shayad kisi cheez se bhaag rahi ho.
Aarav ki nazar bas ek second ke liye ruki thi, par us ek second me kuch ajeeb sa hua. Dil ne jaise ek halki si thokar maari.
"Pagal hai kya?" usne khud se kaha, chai ka ek ghoont lete hue.
Lekin phir bhi, nazar wapas usi taraf chali gayi.
Ladki ne dheere se library ke band darwaaze ko touch kiya, jaise yaadon ko choo rahi ho. Phir usne gehri saans li aur mud kar chalne lagi. Par do kadam chal kar ruki. Uski aankhen seedha Aarav par aa kar tik gayi.
Waqt jaise thoda slow ho gaya.
Aarav ne turant nazar hata li. Usse ajeeb lagta tha, bina wajah kisi ko ghoorna. Par uske andar ek curiosity jaag chuki thi. Jab usne dobara dekha, ladki abhi bhi wahin khadi thi. Is baar woh halki si muskurayi.
Bas itni si muskurahat… par Aarav ke liye kaafi thi.
Woh ladki dheere-dheere uski taraf aayi. Kadam confident the, par aankhon me kuch tha—jaise kuch kehna chahti ho, par shabd nahi mil rahe.
"Excuse me," uski awaaz soft thi, par clear. "Yahan paas me koi hostel hai kya?"
Aarav ne ek pal socha. "Haan, hai. Do gali aage, left le kar. Girls hostel hai."
"Thanks," woh muskurayi. Phir ruki. "Par… tum sure ho? Main pehli baar aayi hoon yahan."
"Main chhod deta hoon," Aarav ne bina soche keh diya.
Woh thoda surprise hui. "It's okay, main—"
"Raat ka time hai," Aarav ne calmly kaha. "Aur yeh area thoda confusing hai."
Kuch seconds ki khamoshi ke baad woh maan gayi Theek hai By the way main Siya Aarav usne haath aage badhaya.
Haath milte hi usse ek ajeeb si feeling hui. Jaise pehle bhi kabhi par usne turant khud ko roka Dimaag kabhi-kabhi zyada hi stories bana leta hai Bike dheere chal rahi thi Siya peeche baithi thi thoda sa distance maintain karte hue Par uski presence Aarav ko clearly mehsoos ho rahi thi Tum student ho Aarav ne silence todne ke liye poocha HaanLiterature Siya ne kaha Tum ArchitectureTabhi itni buildings ko ghur rahe the Siya hans Aarav bhi muskurayaTumhein kaise pata
Tumhari aankhon se usne simple tone me kaha
Aarav ne kuch nahi bola. Shayad isliye kyunki uske paas bolne ke liye kuch tha hi nahi.
Hostel gate aa gaya. Siya utar gayi. Guard ne register me entry karwai. Siya ne Aarav ki taraf dekha.
"Thanks," usne kaha. "Aaj ke liye… aur shayad is shehar ke liye bhi."
"Shayad?" Aarav ne poocha.
"Main yahan rehne aayi hoon," Siya ne dheere se kaha. "Par kuch cheezein hoti hain… jinse bhaag ke aana padta hai."
Aarav ne uski aankhon me dekha. Wahan muskurahat thi, par uske peeche ek kahani chhupi hui thi.
"Kabhi chai pe kahani sunana," Aarav ne casually kaha.
Siya thoda ruki, phir boli, "Agar tum sach me sunna chahte ho… toh main zaroor sunaungi."
Gate band ho gaya. Siya andar chali gayi.
Aarav bike par baith kar wahi khada raha. Dil thoda sa heavy lag raha tha, par ajeeb tareeke se halka bhi. Jaise kuch shuru hua ho… bina bataye.
Raat aur gehri ho chuki thi.
Aur shehar ne ek nayi kahani likhni shuru kar di thi.