Agla din Raipur ki subah thodi heavy si lagi.
Main ready ho kar mirror ke saamne khadi thi. Kal ka incident baar-baar dimaag mein aa raha tha.
"Why am I even thinking about him?" maine apne reflection ko dekha.
Simple light blue kurti pehni thi. Hair neatly tied. Main flashy type nahi thi… aur honestly mujhe dikkat bhi nahi thi.
Par ek baat kal se irritate kar rahi thi —
Uska tone.
Uska confidence.
Aur sabse zyada… uska mujhe lightly lena.
Papa ne breakfast table par kaha,
"Second day hai. Aaj comfortable feel hoga."
Main sirf smile kar deti hoon.
"Hmm."
Andar se main decide kar chuki thi —
Aaj agar woh mila… toh main bilkul reaction nahi dungi.
Lotus Valley College ka campus aaj thoda zyada crowded lag raha tha.
Main class ki taraf ja rahi thi tabhi corridor ke dusre end par mujhe woh dikha.
Gaurav (Garv).
Black nahi, aaj white shirt mein tha. Hands in pocket. Around 3 log uske saath.
Usne mujhe dekha.
Main bhi uski direction mein dekh rahi thi… par next second maine seedha nazar hata li.
Bilkul ignore.
Jaise main usse jaanti hi nahi.
Usne thoda ruk kar mujhe dekha… par main bina expression ke aage badh gayi.
Dil andar se thoda fast ho raha tha… par face calm.
"Good, Aaru," maine khud se kaha. "No reaction."
Class ke baad notice board ke paas crowd tha.
Main bhi dekhne gayi.
"Freshers ke liye group project announce hua hai," kisi ne bola.
Main list dekhne lagi.
Group 7 –
Aradhana
Riya
Kabir
Gaurav
Mera heart literally ek second ke liye ruk gaya.
"Seriously?" maine dheere se kaha.
Tabhi peeche se awaaz aayi,
"Coincidence interesting ho raha hai."
Main mudti hoon.
Woh wahi khada tha.
"Lagta hai tumhari takraar ab official ho gayi," usne halka sa smile karte hue kaha.
Maine list ki taraf dekha.
"Project hai. Bas project."
"Of course. Main bhi yahi keh raha hoon."
Uska tone casual tha. Jaise kal ka sab kuch normal ho.
Par main normal feel nahi kar rahi thi.
"Meeting kab rakhen?" usne poocha.
"Jab sab free ho."
"Main free hoon 4 baje."
"Mujhe ghar jaldi jana hota hai."
"Ky?"
"Tumhe explain karna zaroori nahi."
Ek second ke liye silence.
Usne mujhe dekha… thoda serious expression ke saath.
"Fine. 2 baje library?"
Main sirf head nod karti hoon.
No extra word.
2 baje library.
Main already table par baithi thi jab woh aaya.
Usne chair pull ki aur opposite baith gaya.
Aaj woh usual confident mode mein nahi lag raha tha.
"Topic simple hai," usne file kholte hue kaha.
"College Culture and Youth Impact."
"Hmm," maine pen nikala.
Hum dono kaam discuss karne lage. Conversation strictly project tak limited thi.
Riya aur Kabir late the.
Ek awkward silence aaya.
"Tum usually itni chup rehti ho?" usne casually poocha.
"Main unnecessary baatein nahi karti."
"Kal toh kaafi unnecessary baatein kar rahi thi."
Maine uski taraf dekha.
"Kal aapne start ki thi."
Woh halka sa hansa.
"Fair point."
Phir woh suddenly serious ho gaya.
"Tum mujhe avoid kar rahi ho?"
Mera pen ruk gaya.
"Main sabko equal treat karti hoon."
"Really? Kal tak toh tumhe problem thi."
"Ab nahi hai."
Usne mujhe thoda gaur se dekha.
Jaise analyse kar raha ho.
"Interesting," usne phir wahi word bola.
"Mujhe interesting mat bolo."
"Kyu?"
"Bas pasand nahi."
Woh kuch second chup raha.
Phir dheere se bola,
"Tum different ho."
Maine turant reply diya,
"Main normal hoon."
"Normal log mujhe ignore nahi karte."
Is baar maine uski aankhon mein directly dekha.
"Main normal hi hoon. Shayad aapko aadat nahi hai ignore hone ki."
Woh ek second ke liye bilkul silent ho gaya.
Phir uske lips par halki si smile aayi.
"Challenge de rahi ho?"
"Main kisi ko challenge nahi deti."
"Par de diya."
Library ke corner mein sirf page flip hone ki awaaz aa rahi thi.
Atmosphere weird sa ho gaya tha.
Uska ego hurt hua tha?
Ya woh bas game enjoy kar raha tha?
Mujhe samajh nahi aa raha tha.
Riya aur Kabir aa gaye.
Discussion normal ho gaya.
Par jab sab jaane lage…
Woh mere saath library se bahar nikla.
"Tum Raipur mein hi rehti ho?"
"Haan."
"Kaunsa area?"
"Mujhe details share karna pasand nahi."
Woh ruk gaya.
"Relax. Main kidnapper nahi hoon."
"Main assume nahi kar rahi."
"Phir?"
"Bas safe rehna achha hota hai."
Is baar usne thoda serious expression diya.
"Good."
Phir casually bola,
"Waise tumhari problem kya hai mere saath?"
Maine seedha jawab diya,
"Problem nahi hai. Bas mujhe ignore hona pasand nahi."
Woh thoda surprise hua.
"Main ignore kar raha tha?"
"Kal canteen mein."
Woh 2 second sochta hai.
"Main bas normal behave kar raha tha."
"Main bhi."
Silence.
Phir woh halki si hansi ke saath bola,
"Toh ab kya plan hai? Cold war?"
"Mujhe wars pasand nahi."
"Toh?"
"Project complete karo. Bas."
Usne head tilt kiya.
"Tumhare saath simple rehna mushkil hai."
"Try mat kijiye."
Woh hansa.
"Dekhte hain."
Ghar aakar main balcony mein khadi thi.
Aaj ka din heavy tha.
Main confuse thi.
Kya main overreact kar rahi hoon?
Ya woh intentionally provoke karta hai?
Par ek baat clear thi —
Usko aadat thi attention ki.
Aur maine usko woh nahi diya.
Mere phone par unknown number se message aaya.
"Project ke points bhej dena."
Main freeze ho gayi.
Number save nahi tha.
Par mujhe pata tha.
"Kaise mila number?" maine reply kiya.
"Group list."
Short.
Main 5 minute tak reply nahi karti.
Phir sirf document bhej deti hoon.
Uska message aata hai:
"Good work."
Bas do words.
Par pata nahi kyun…
Dil thoda soft feel karta hai.
Main turant khud ko control karti hoon.
"No Aaru. Slow down."
Par shayad game start ho chuka tha.
Ignore ka game.
Ego ka game.
Aur shayad… feelings ka bhi.
-------End Hook Line-------
"Us raat mujhe samajh nahi aaya… ki main usse avoid kar rahi thi, ya dheere dheere uski aadat banne lagi thi."