Next morning Riya jaldi uth gayi. Normally woh school ke liye itni excited nahi hoti thi, lekin aaj kuch different tha.
Uske mind mein kal raat ki train journey baar-बार aa rahi thi.
"Shayad woh dream tha… lekin usne mujhe bahut kuch sikhaya," Riya ne socha.
Usne mirror mein apne aap ko dekha aur deep breath li.
"Aaj main darungi nahi," usne khud se kaha.
School pahunchne par pura environment energetic tha. Aaj Inter-School Talent Competition tha, isliye hall decoration se bhara hua tha aur bahut saare students practice kar rahe the.
Riya ki best friend Neha uske paas aayi.
"Riya, tum participate kar rahi ho na?" Neha ne pucha.
Kal tak Riya sure nahi thi. Lekin aaj uska answer clear tha.
"Haan," Riya ne confident smile ke saath kaha.
Neha thodi surprised hui.
"Sach? Tum toh kal nervous thi," usne kaha.
Riya halka sa muskura di.
"Ab nahi," usne jawab diya.
Competition start ho gaya.
Students ek-ek karke stage par apni performances de rahe the. Kisi ne singing ki, kisi ne dance, aur kisi ne poetry.
Jaise-jaise Riya ka turn paas aata gaya, uska heart thoda fast beat karne laga.
Lekin is baar woh fear ko control kar rahi thi.
Usse old man ki baat yaad aayi:
"Future choose nahi kiya jaata… future banaya jaata hai."
Finally announcer ne kaha,
"Next participant… Riya Sharma."
Hall mein claps hui.
Riya dheere-dheere stage ki taraf chalne lagi.
Uske steps pehle thode nervous the, lekin jaise hi woh stage par pahunchi, usne audience ki taraf dekha aur deep breath li.
Usne apni speech start ki.
"Good morning everyone… aaj main ek simple topic par baat karna chahti hoon — choices."
Audience quietly sun rahi thi.
Riya ne apni speech mein bataya ki life mein chhote-chhote decisions kitne important hote hain.
Kabhi-kabhi fear hume rok deta hai, lekin agar hum courage choose karein, toh hum apni life change kar sakte hain.
Jaise-jaise woh bol rahi thi, uska confidence badhta ja raha tha.
Speech khatam hote hi hall mein loud claps gunj uthi.
Riya ke face par ek bright smile aa gayi.
Us moment mein usse feel hua ki usne apne fear ko defeat kar diya hai.
Competition khatam hone ke baad judges results announce karne lage.
"Third place…"
"Second place…"
Riya ka heart fast beat kar raha tha.
"First place goes to… Riya Sharma!"
Hall mein zor-zor se clapping hone lagi.
Riya shock aur happiness ke mix feeling mein stage par gayi aur trophy receive ki.
Us moment mein usse kal raat ki train yaad aa gayi.
Agar woh journey nahi hoti, toh shayad woh aaj stage par khadi hi nahi hoti.
Competition ke baad Riya school se ghar ja rahi thi.
Woh same railway station ke paas se guzri jahan se woh kal raat train mein chadhi thi.
Riya thodi der ke liye ruk gayi.
Station bilkul normal lag raha tha.
Na koi strange train.
Na koi mysterious old man.
Lekin platform par khadi Riya ko ek ajeeb si feeling aayi.
Jaise kisi ne door se quietly smile ki ho.
Usne aasman ki taraf dekha aur halki si smile ki.
"Thank you," usne slowly kaha.
Shayad woh train real thi.
Shayad woh sirf ek dream tha.
Lekin ek baat clear thi.
Us journey ne Riya ko ek important lesson diya tha —
Life mein success un logon ko milti hai jo fear ke bawajood try karte hain.
Riya apne ghar ki taraf chal padi.
Ab uske mind mein koi confusion nahi tha.
Usse pata tha ki future kya hoga, ye koi train decide nahi karegi.
Uske decisions karenge.
Aur us din se Riya ne ek promise kiya —
Woh apne dreams ke liye hamesha courage choose karegi।