"Raat ne unhe paas la diya tha…
par subah unhe phir alag kar degi."
Subah waise hi hui jaise har raat ke baad hoti hai.
Shaant. Normal. Almost boring.
Par Vaishnavi ke liye sab kuch normal nahi tha.
Usne aankhein kholi…
aur ek second ke liye confuse ho gayi—
wo kahan hai… kya hua tha…
Phir sab yaad aaya.
Terrace.
Aarav.
Wo baatein.
"Mujhe laga… tum rukogi."
Usne turant aankhein band kar li.
Jaise wo memory ko push karna chahti ho.
"Uth gayi?" Naina ki awaaz aayi.
Vaishnavi ne halka sa "hmm" kiya.
"Sab neeche hai. Breakfast kar rahe hain."
"hmm… aa rahi hoon."
Morning After
Vaishnavi jab hall me aayi… sab normal behave kar rahe the.
Kisi ko koi tension nahi.
Kisi ko koi farak nahi.
Jaise kal raat sirf ek normal party thi.
Aur waha…
Aarav.
Same calm. Same unreadable.
Coffee cup haath me. Casual baith ke kisi se baat kar raha tha.
Jaise kuch hua hi nahi.
Vaishnavi ke andar kuch pinch hua.
"Itna easy hai tumhare liye?"
Aarav ne ek second ke liye uski taraf dekha.
Unki aankhein mili.
Phir… usne nazar hata li.
Bas itna.
Aur ye hi sabse zyada hurt karta hai.
Avoidance
"Good morning finally!" Naina ne tease kiya.
"Hmm…"
"Tu theek hai na?"
Vaishnavi ne forced smile diya.
"Perfect."
Naina ne aankhein narrow ki.
"Jhoot bol rahi hai."
Vaishnavi ne ignore kar diya.
Usne breakfast plate li… par uska focus kahin aur tha.
Har second… usse feel ho raha tha koi usse dekh raha hai.
Par jab bhi wo Aarav ki taraf dekhti…
wo already nazar hata chuka hota.
Intentional.
Sumit –
"Walk pe chalogi?"
Vaishnavi ne upar dekha.
Sumit khada tha. Same calm. Same steady.
Ek second ke liye usne Aarav ki taraf dekha.
Phir—
"Okay."
Walk Scene
Farmhouse ke bahar thandi hawa chal rahi thi.
Sunlight soft thi.
Sab kuch peaceful lag raha tha.
Par un dono ke beech… silence heavy tha.
"Decision liya?" Sumit ne finally pucha.
Vaishnavi ruk gayi.
Usne seedha uski aankhon me dekha.
"…haan."
Sumit ne kuch seconds usse dekha.
"Sure?"
Vaishnavi ne deep breath li.
"Utna sure jitna main ho sakti hoon."
Half truth.
Back to Group
Jab wo wapas aaye…
sab log hall me hi the.
Naina, Rhea, Aarav…
sab.
Vaishnavi ne andar aate hi feel kiya—
sab normal hai.
Par wo nahi hai.
"Guys…" usne dheere se bola.
Sabki nazar us par.
"Main… kuch bolna chahti hoon."
Silence
Aarav ne bhi uski taraf dekha.
The Decision
Vaishnavi ne apni fingers tightly hold ki.
"Kal raat… jo bhi hua… uske baad…"
Wo ek second ke liye ruki.
"…maine decide kar liya hai."
Tension peak
Naina confused.
Rhea interested.
Sumit calm.
Aarav… expressionless.
Vaishnavi ne aankhein band ki ek second ke liye…
phir kaha—
"Mujhe stability chahiye."
pause
"Aur Sumit hamesha mere saath raha hai."
Silence.
Sab samajh gaye.
She chose Sumit
Aarav ne uski taraf dekha.
Ek second ke liye… uski aankhon me kuch flicker hua.
Phir—
calm.
"Good choice."
Bas itna.
Aur wo uth ke chala gaya.
Vaishnavi ka heart squeeze hua.
Par usne kuch nahi kaha.
Naina:
"Vaishu… tu serious hai?"
Vaishnavi:
"Yeah."
Rhea smirk.
"Finally clarity."
Sumit ne kuch nahi bola.
Bas quietly usse dekhta raha.
SECRET SCENE
Kuch der baad…
Vaishnavi terrace pe khadi thi.
Sumit aaya.
"Tum sure ho?" usne dheere se pucha.
Vaishnavi ne uski taraf dekha.
"…plan yaad hai na?"
Boom
Sumit halki si smile karta hai.
"Always."
Truth Reveal
Vaishnavi dheere se—
"Usse push karna padega… warna wo kabhi nahi bolega."
Sumit:
"Aur agar phir bhi nahi bola?"
Vaishnavi ki aankhon me halka sa pain aaya…
"…to phir main sach me move on kar jaungi."
Final Line
"Sabko laga decision ho gaya…
par asli game ab shuru hua tha."
To be continued.....