Raat ke 2 baje the. Baarish halki-halki gir rahi thi aur streetlight ke neeche Aman akela khada tha. Phone screen blank thi. No missed calls. No messages.
Usne halka sa muskura ke bola, "Funny hai na… galtiyan tab yaad aati hain jab sab khatam ho chuka hota hai."
Aman hamesha kehta tha, "Life mein risk lena chahiye."
Par problem ye thi ki woh risk lene ke naam pe logon ko lightly lene laga tha.
College ke time Riya uski best friend thi. Har exam ke pehle notes, har low phase mein support. Riya bolti thi,
"Bas ek cheez yaad rakhna Aman—log permanent nahi hote, respect permanent hoti hai."
Aman hamesha has ke taal deta, "Arre chill yaar."
Phir ek din, Aman ko laga Riya overreact kar rahi hai. Busy hoon, calls later, replies kal…
Kal kab aaya, use pata hi nahi chala.
Job milte hi Aman aur zyada confident ho gaya. Parties, new circle, new dreams. Purane log background noise ban gaye.
Uski maa roz kehti,
"Beta, thoda ruk ke bhi jeeya kar. Sab bhaag-daud mein hi nahi hota."
Aman ke paas same reply hota, "Bas thoda time aur."
Time aaya… par Aman ke favour mein nahi.
Ek raat call aayi. Unknown number.
Dusri taraf se awaaz kaanp rahi thi,
"Aman… Riya accident mein—"
Sentence complete hone se pehle hi duniya mute ho gayi.
Hospital ke corridor mein white lights zyada bright thi. Doctor ke words seedhe dil mein lage—"We're sorry."
Aman wahin floor pe baith gaya.
Usse yaad aaya last message jo Riya ne bheja tha:
"Kabhi baat karni ho, main hoon."
Seen. No reply.
Wahin use samajh aaya—
Galti ek baar hoti hai, par ignore roz hota hai.
Aman ne khud se wada kiya: "Ab kisi ko lightly nahi loonga."
Usne maa ke saath time spend karna shuru kiya. Purane doston se maafi maangi. Life thodi slow, par zyada real lagne lagi.
Saalo baad, Aman ek NGO ke saath kaam karne laga—accident victims ke liye.
Log bolte,
"Tu itna involved kyun rehta hai?"
Aman bas bolta, "Kuch galtiyan sudhari nahi ja sakti, bas balance ki ja sakti hain."
Aaj raat phir baarish ho rahi thi.
Same streetlight. Same jagah.
Aman ne apni pocket se phone nikala. Screen on hui.
Ek notification pop up hua—
WhatsApp – Riya:
"Kabhi baat karni ho, main hoon."
Aman froze.
Haath kaanpne lage.
Profile photo blank thi. Last seen—just now.
Usne dheere se screen tap ki…
Chat open hui.
Message likha tha—
"Galtiyan yaad rakhna, Aman. Kyunki kuch second chances sirf yaadon mein milte hain."
Streetlight ek second ke liye flicker hui.
Phone screen black.
Aur Aman pehli baar samjha—
Life ki sabse badi galti ye nahi hoti ki hum galat decision lete hain…
Balki ye hoti hai ki jab mauka hota hai, tab hum reply nahi karte.