Usne Mujhe Kabhi Dekha Hi Nahi
Chapter 1: Last Bench Ka Ladka
Classroom me sab usual tha.
Teacher board pe likh rahe the, kuch students has rahe the, aur kuch chupke se phone dekh rahe the.
Aur hamesha ki tarah,
Ayaan last bench par chup chap baitha tha.
Uske haath me pen tha,
lekin wo likh nahi raha tha.
Uski nazar sirf ek jagah thi.
Arohi.
Second row me window ke paas baithi hui Arohi, apne baal ka ek strand kaan ke piche karte hue notebook me kuch likh rahi thi.
Ayaan usse roz dekhta tha.
Shayad jitna wo apne aap ko nahi dekhta tha,
usse zyada Arohi ko dekhta tha.
Lekin problem ek hi thi.
Arohi ne usse kabhi notice hi nahi kiya.
Na uski taraf dekha.
Na kabhi properly baat ki.
Na kabhi uska naam pyaar se liya.
Aur phir bhi…
Ayaan ka dil usi ke naam se dhadakta tha.
"Ayaan!"
Teacher ki tez awaaz ne uska dhyaan tod diya.
"Board pe kya likha hai? Batao."
Puri class hansne lagi.
Ayaan jaldi se khada hua.
Usne board ki taraf dekha… phir neeche.
"Sorry sir…"
Class me aur hasi gunj uthi.
Arohi ne bhi halka sa mudkar dekha.
Bas 2 second ke liye.
Lekin Ayaan ke liye wo 2 second…
poori duniya ke barabar the.
Usne pehli baar mehsoos kiya—
Agar wo bas ek baar muskura de,
to shayad main duniya ka sabse khush insaan ban jaunga.
Lunch break hua.
Sab students groups me nikal gaye.
Koi canteen gaya,
koi corridor me ghoomne,
koi reels banane.
Lekin Ayaan…
Wo apni seat par hi baitha raha.
Uske bag ke andar ek chhota sa folded paper tha.
Ek letter.
Arohi ke liye.
Usne kal raat bhar jagkar likha tha.
Simple words me.
Kuch fancy nahi.
Bas dil ki baat.
"Mujhe tum achhi lagti ho…"
Itna likhne me bhi uske haath kaanp rahe the.
Usne letter nikala,
thoda dekha,
phir dobara bag me rakh diya.
"Pagal hai kya Ayaan…"
usne dheere se khud se kaha.
"Wo hans degi…"
Tabhi class ke bahar se hasi ki awaaz aayi.
Ayaan ne dheere se door ki taraf dekha.
Arohi apni friends ke saath khadi thi.
Aur uske paas ek ladka bhi tha.
Rishav.
School ka popular boy.
Stylish. Confident. Sabka favourite.
Arohi usse baat karte hue has rahi thi.
Wo hasi…
jo Ayaan ne kabhi apne liye imagine ki thi.
Us waqt Ayaan ke dil me ajeeb sa dard hua.
Chhota sa.
Lekin gehra.
Usne aankhen hata li.
Aur pehli baar usne khud se ek sawal poocha—
Kya mere jaise ladke ko
uske jaisi ladki se pyaar karne ka haq bhi hai?
School khatam hone ke baad tez barish shuru ho gayi.
Sab students jaldi jaldi nikal rahe the.
Ayaan apna bag leke gate ki taraf badh raha tha,
tabhi usne dekha…
Arohi akeli khadi thi.
Uske paas umbrella nahi tha.
Ayaan ke haath me umbrella tha.
Uska dil zor se dhadakne laga.
Ye chance tha.
Shayad zindagi ka pehla chance.
Wo dheere dheere uski taraf badha.
Har step ke saath uska confidence kam ho raha tha.
"Bol de…"
"Bas simple bol…"
"Sirf umbrella offer kar…"
Wo uske paas pahunch gaya.
Arohi ne uski taraf dekha.
Pehli baar itna paas se.
Ayaan ka gala sookh gaya.
"Wo… tum… agar chaho to…"
Arohi kuch bolti usse pehle hi,
peeche se ek bike rukti hai.
Rishav.
Helmet hata kar wo muskuraaya.
"Sorry late ho gaya. Baitho."
Arohi turant uski bike pe baith gayi.
Jaane se pehle usne bas ek baar Ayaan ki taraf dekha…
Aur boli:
"Thanks… but no need."
Bike barish me door chali gayi.
Ayaan wahi khada reh gaya.
Haath me umbrella.
Dil me khamoshi.
Aankhon me wo ehsaas…
jo shabdon me kabhi likha nahi ja sakta.
Usne dheere se bag khola.
Andar se wo folded letter nikala.
Kuch seconds tak use dekhta raha.
Phir usne use zor se muthi me bandh liya.
Barish aur tez ho gayi.
Aur us din…
Ayaan pehli baar sach me toot gaya.
Chapter 1 End
Lekin Ayaan nahi jaanta tha…
Agla din uski zindagi ka sabse bada shock lekar aane wala tha.
Kyuki next morning…
Arohi uske paas khud chal kar aayegi.
Aur bolegi:
"Mujhe tumse ek zaroori baat karni hai…
Second chapter ke liye wait karna"