Nidhi ne ghar ka darwaza andar se band kiya aur peeth deewar se tika kar wahin baith gayi. Uska dil abhi bhi seene se bahar aane ko betaab tha. Rishi ka wo chehra, wo thodi ghabraayi hui awaaz—
"Mujhe aapse kuch kahna hai"—
uske kaanon mein baar-baar goonj raha tha. Ek pal ke liye uske dil ne kaha, "Kaash ruk jati," lekin agle hi pal uski aakhon mein gussa aur darr dono utar aaye.
Kashmakash (The Inner Conflict)
Nidhi kamre mein idhar-udhar tahalne lagi. Uska mann do hisson mein bat gaya tha:
Dil ki Pukaar: "Wo kitni himmat karke aaya tha. Shayad wo maafi maangna chahta ho? Shayad wo sach mein badal gaya ho?"
Dimaag ka Tark: "Nahi Nidhi, pagal mat bano. Usne hamesha tumhe ek trophy ki tarah dekha. Usne bina baat kiye poore gaon mein tumhara naam apne saath jod diya sirf apne doston mein 'hero' banne ke liye. Aaj jo log tumhe dekh kar muskuraate hain ya uske naam se chidhate hain, uska zimmedar wahi toh hai."
"Sahi kiya ya Galat?"
Nidhi ne khud se sawal kiya, "Maine usey bhaga kar sahi kiya?" Phir use Sachin ki maujoodgi yaad aayi. Usne socha, "Agar main wahan khadi ho jati, toh Sachin kal poore gaon mein dhindora peet deta ki Nidhi toh Rishi se ghanto baatein kar rahi thi. Pehle hi itni badnaami ho chuki hai, ab aur nahi sahi jati."
Usne aaine (mirror) mein khud ko dekha aur khud se vaada kiya:
"Main usse baat nahi karungi. Chahe ye dil kitna bhi tadpe, use kabhi pata nahi chalne dungi ki main usse pyaar karti hun. Usne meri izzat ki parwah nahi ki, toh main uske jazbaaton ki parwah kyun karun?"
Ek Khamosh Faisla
Nidhi ne gehri saans li aur apni kitabein utha li, magar akshar dundhle ho rahe the. Use yaad aa raha tha wo waqt jab Rishi ne pehli baar use dekha tha. Par ab wo waqt beet chuka tha. Usne tai kar liya tha ki pyaar apni jagah hai aur swabhimaan (self-respect) apni jagah.
Rishi ko lagta tha ki ek baar izhaar karne se sab thik ho jayega, lekin Nidhi ke liye ye sirf ek 'propose' ka sawal nahi tha, ye uske bikhre hue samman ko sametne ki ladayi thi.
● "Kya Nidhi ka swabhimaan uski mohabbat par bhari pad jayega, ya dil ki pukaar saari deewarein tod degi?"