📚 3 Din Pehle – Mock Test Day
Coaching institute ka hall silent tha.
Wall clock 9:00 AM dikha raha tha.
CA Foundation Mock Test – Accounts + Law.
Manish ne pen tight pakda hua tha.
Pichhle 2 mahine se wo roz 12–14 ghante padh raha tha.
Usne khud se kaha:
"Is baar sabko proof de dunga."
Paper distribute hua.
Pehla question… easy.
Dusra… manageable.
Teesra…
Blank.
Uska mind suddenly freeze ho gaya.
Formula yaad tha… par steps mix ho rahe the.
Time tick kar raha tha.
Clock ki awaaz unusually loud lag rahi thi.
Usne pani piya.
Deep breath li.
"Focus Manish… focus."
Lekin jitna wo control karne ki koshish karta… utna hi panic badhta.
3 ghante baad jab paper collect hua… usse pata tha.
Paper kharab gaya hai.
Class ke bahar students discuss kar rahe the.
"Paper to easy tha yaar."
"Section B to direct tha."
Kisi ne pucha:
"Manish, tera kaisa gaya?"
Wo bas itna bola:
"Thik tha."
Par andar se wo jaanta tha — thik nahi tha.
📢 Result Day
Notice board ke saamne bheed.
Manish ne list dekhi.
Naam search kiya.
Pass list me nahi.
Fail list me…
Manish Patidar – FAIL.
Uska dimaag ek second ke liye numb ho gaya.
Background ki awaaz dheere dheere fade hone lagi.
Kisi ne peeche se halka sa bola:
"Topper banna tha na?"
Dusra hansa.
"14 ghante padhne wale ka result dekh lo."
Wo lines uske kaan me gunjti rahi.
🏠 Ghar – Shaam
Papa ne report dekhi.
"Ye hai tera hard work?"
Unki awaaz me disappointment clear tha.
"Humne kab mana kiya tha itna pressure lene ko? Ab dekh lo result."
Chacha ji ka phone.
Speaker on.
"Arre bhai sahab, sab bolta tha aapka beta CA karega… ab kya hua?"
Halka sa background laughter.
Maa ne bas itna bola:
"Pados ke Gupta ji ka beta pass ho gaya."
Comparison.
Har Indian ghar ka classic weapon.
Manish chup.
Room me chala gaya.
🌙 Raat – 11:57 PM
Table par books khuli thi.
Par aaj pages dhundhle lag rahe the.
Uska dimaag sirf negative lines repeat kar raha tha:
"Tu nahi kar sakta."
"Sab ke bas ki baat nahi hoti."
"Fail ho gaya."
Aankhon me aansu aa gaye.
Usse laga jaise sab khatam ho gaya.
Wo ghar se bahar nikal gaya bina bataye.
Thandi hawa chal rahi thi.
Sadak almost khaali thi.
Uska mind dark thoughts ki taraf ja raha tha.
Tabhi peeche se ek awaaz aayi—
"MANISH!"
Wo ruk gaya.
Shivani.
Coaching ki ladki.
Wo clearly tension me thi.
"Tum pagal ho kya?" usne almost daantte hue kaha.
Manish ne aankhen chura li.
"Sab khatam ho gaya…"
Shivani seedha uske saamne khadi ho gayi.
"Kya khatam? Ek attempt fail hua hai. Zindagi nahi."
Manish ki awaaz toot gayi.
"Relatives has rahe hain… ghar wale disappointed hain… sab compare karte rehte hain…"
Shivani ne dheere se kaha:
"Logon ka kaam hai bolna. Tumhara kaam hai prove karna — lekin unke liye nahi… khud ke liye."
Silence.
Phir usne ek line boli jo seedha uske dil me lagi—
"Fail result hota hai… insaan nahi."
Manish ke aansu ruk nahi rahe the.
Shivani ne softly kaha:
"Main bhi pehle attempt me fail hui thi."
Manish ne shock se dekha.
"Sach?"
"Haan. Aur mere ghar wale bhi same negative questions puchte the."
Wo halki si smile ki.
"Par agar us din maine give up kar diya hota… to aaj main yahan khadi nahi hoti."
Hawa thodi normal lagne lagi.
"Promise karo… aaj koi stupid decision nahi loge."
Manish ne dheere se sir hila diya.
🏠 Ghar Wapas
Papa ne pucha:
"Kahan gaya tha?"
Tone still strict.
Manish ne pehli baar seedha jawab diya:
"Thoda sochne."
Papa bole:
"Ab kya karega?"
Room silent.
Manish ne deep breath li.
"Dobara attempt dunga."
Papa ne sarcastic hansi di.
"Confidence dekho…"
Par is baar Manish ki aankhon me darr kam tha.
Wo apne room me chala gaya.
🌙 2:26 AM
Room me sirf table lamp jal raha tha.
Manish ne mirror me dekha.
Aaj uska reflection weak lag raha tha…
par aankhon me ek choti si spark thi.
Phone vibrate hua.
Shivani ka message:
"Kal 6 AM library. Start fresh. No drama."
Manish ne books kholi.
Is baar koi shortcut nahi.
Koi magic nahi.
Sirf mehnat.
Usne diary drawer se nikali…
(jo usne kuch din pehle side me rakh di thi)
Wo soch raha tha use phenk de.
Jaise hi usne drawer band kiya…
Diary khud halki si khul gayi.
Ek nayi line slowly appear hui—
"Pain accepted."
Uska saans ruk gaya.
Neeche ek aur line likhi—
"Ready for the real test?"
Room ki light ek second ke liye flicker hui.
Mirror me reflection ek second late move hua.
Manish ne dheere se fusa fusa kar kaha:
"Game shuru."
Diary ka page band hua.
Fir achanak esa huva ki
Diary ka page dheere se khul gaya.
Manish ne use chhuna bhi nahi tha.
Safed page par dheere dheere shabd ubharne lage—
"Tum toot gaye… isliye ab tum perfect ho."
Uska heartbeat slow ho gaya.
Neeche ek aur line likhi—
"Kal subah 6 baje library mat jana… agar Shivani ko zinda dekhna chahte ho."
Manish ka khoon jam gaya.
Room ki light ek second ke liye band hui… phir jal gayi.
Mirror me uska reflection muskura raha tha.
Par Manish nahi
Ab manish kya subah library nahi jayegaaa...🥺