Wo ladki kabhi zyada maangti nahi thi.
Na attention,
na affection,
na reassurance.
Log kehte the—
"Kitni independent hai."
"Kitni understanding hai."
"Kitni mature hai."
Par kisi ne ye nahi poocha
ki wo ladki maang kyun nahi paati.
Wo bachpan se hi aisi thi—
jo mil jaaye, usme khush rehna seekh gayi.
Jo na mile, usse ignore karna seekh gayi.
Usne kabhi zyada sawal nahi kiye.
Kabhi zyada demand nahi rakhi.
Kabhi kisi ko uncomfortable nahi kiya.
Aur dheere-dheere
ye habit nahi,
uski identity ban gayi.
The Girl Who Never Asked.
School mein jab sab bachche chhoti-chhoti cheezon ke liye teachers se poochte the—
extra time,
second chance,
favour—
wo chup rehti thi.
Usse lagta tha
agar wo bolegi
to shayad problem lagegi.
Friends ke group mein bhi
wo hamesha giver thi.
Plans adjust kar leti.
Apni choice peeche rakh leti.
Agar koi uski baat kaat deta,
wo complete karne ki koshish nahi karti.
Bas smile karke chup ho jaati.
Kyuki usse lagta tha—
"It's okay."
Par har "it's okay" ke saath
usne thoda-thoda
khud ko chhod diya.
Wo ladki jo kabhi nahi poochti thi,
andar se bahut kuch chahti thi.
Bas use ye nahi pata tha
ki chahna allowed hai.
Usse lagta tha
ki pyaar earn karna padta hai.
Respect deserve karna padta hai.
Care tabhi milti hai
jab tum easy ho.
To wo easy ban gayi.
Zyada bolne wali nahi.
Zyada emotional nahi.
Zyada needy bilkul nahi.
Aur duniya ne use pasand kiya—
jab tak wo convenient rahi.
Uski loneliness loud nahi thi.
Wo kisi ko call karke rone wali ladki nahi thi.
Wo bas raat ko late sochti thi—
aur subah phir normal ban jaati thi.
Wo kabhi kisi se ye nahi poochti—
"Tum mere liye rukoge?"
"Tum mujhe choose karoge?"
"Tumhe meri zarurat hai?"
Kyuki use dar tha
agar jawab no hua,
to wo toot jaayegi.
Isliye usne poochna hi chhod diya.
Web-novel ki heroine bhi aisi hi hai.
Strong dikhti hai,
par asal mein cautious hoti hai.
Wo har situation ko pehle observe karti hai.
Har insaan ko pehle samajhti hai.
Aur phir decide karti hai
kitna dikhana hai,
kitna chhupana hai.
Wo apni feelings ko words nahi deti.
Bas unhe manage karti hai.
Uske relationships mein bhi
ye pattern repeat hota hai.
Wo hamesha zyada deti hai.
Zyada samajhti hai.
Zyada wait karti hai.
Par jab baari aati hai
ki wo kuch maange—
time, effort, clarity—
wo ruk jaati hai.
Use lagta hai
agar usne pooch liya
to shayad saamne wala uncomfortable ho jaayega.
Aur agar uncomfortable ho gaya
to shayad chala jaayega.
Isliye wo chup rehti hai.
The Girl Who Never Asked
isliye nahi maangti
kyunki use chahiye nahi.
Wo isliye nahi maangti
kyunki use lagta hai
wo deserve nahi karti.
Ye belief usne kab choose kiya,
use khud bhi yaad nahi.
Shayad tab
jab uski needs ko ignore kar diya gaya.
Shayad tab
jab use bola gaya—
"Abhi nahi."
"Baad mein."
"Tu samajhdaar hai."
Samajhdaar hona
uska sabse bada curse ban gaya.
Ek din heroine notice karti hai
ki wo thak chuki hai.
Physically nahi—
emotionally.
Wo realize karti hai
ki wo hamesha dusron ke liye jagah banati rahi,
par kisi ne uske liye space nahi banayi.
Aur sabse dardnaak baat—
usne khud bhi nahi.
Reflection ke ek silent moment mein
wo khud se poochti hai—
"Agar main pooch loon, to kya hoga?"
Ye sawaal usse dara deta hai.
Kyuki poochna
risk hota hai.
Rejection ka.
Disappointment ka.
Loss ka.
Par poochna
honest bhi hota hai.
Is web-novel ka turning point
ek chhoti si situation se aata hai.
Koi dramatic fight nahi.
Koi breakdown nahi.
Bas ek moment
jahan heroine kuch chahte hue bhi
chup reh jaati hai.
Aur us silence ke baad
wo feel karti hai
ki usne phir se
khud ko ignore kar diya.
Us raat
wo pehli baar
apni kahani ko naam deti hai—
"Main wo ladki hoon
jo kabhi nahi poochti."
Aur ye acceptance
use weak nahi banata—
ye use aware banata hai.
Awareness ke saath
ek naya thought aata hai—
"Agar main poochna seekh jaaun to?"
Wo decide karti hai
ki wo turant loud nahi hogi.
Demanding nahi hogi.
Dramatic nahi hogi.
Wo bas honest hogi.
Next time jab usse kuch chahiye hota hai—
wo dheere se bolti hai.
Uski awaaz kaanpti hai.
Uska dil tez dhadakta hai.
Par wo bolti hai.
Aur duniya khatam nahi hoti.
Kuch log ruk jaate hain.
Kuch log uncomfortable ho jaate hain.
Kuch log chala bhi jaate hain.
Par heroine ko ek nayi cheez milti hai—
self-respect.
Wo samajh jaati hai
ki jo log sirf uski silence se comfortable the,
wo uski honesty ke saath kabhi nahi tikte.
Aur jo log poochne par bhi ruk jaate hain—
wo real hote hain.
The Girl Who Never Asked
ab dheere-dheere
sawal poochna seekh rahi hai.
Wo poochti hai—
"Tum kya feel karte ho?"
"Tum mujhse kya chahte ho?"
"Aur main kya chahti hoon?"
Ye questions usse scary lagte hain,
par liberating bhi.
Last part mein heroine
apne past ko blame nahi karti.
Wo samajhti hai
ki silence uska survival tha.
Par ab wo sirf survive nahi—
jeena chahti hai.
Chapter ka end
ek soft realization pe hota hai:
Jo ladki kabhi nahi poochti thi,
wo kamzor nahi thi.
Wo bas dar se bhari hui thi.
Aur jab dar dheere-dheere
awareness mein badalne lagta hai,
to poochna possible ho jaata hai.
Kahani yahin khatam nahi hoti.
Kyuki jab ek ladki poochna seekh leti hai,
to wo sirf jawab nahi paati—
wo apni jagah paati hai.
Verity of Ash ✨