Library ka atmosphere us din bhi usual tha।
Badi shelves, purani books ki smell, aur bilkul shanti।
Aisha aur Arman ek hi table par baith kar apna homework kar rahe the।
Kabhi-kabhi dono ek dusre se baat bhi kar लेते थे।
Aisha ko ab library aana aur bhi achha lagne laga tha।
Kyuki yahan woh sirf books nahi padhti thi…
Yahan woh apne sapno ke kareeb mehsoos karti thi।
Aur shayad…
Arman ki wajah se bhi।
Aisha apni notebook me kuch likh rahi thi।
Woh actually ek naya letter likh rahi thi।
Usne page ke upar likha:
"Dear Future…"
Phir usne likhna start kiya।
"Aaj mujhe lag raha hai ki shayad meri life change ho rahi hai."
"Library me ek ladka mila hai jo kehta hai ki main achha likhti hoon."
"Pata nahi woh serious hai ya bas polite."
Aisha thoda muskura di।
Usne pen table par rakh diya।
Tabhi librarian ne announce kiya—
"Main thodi der ke liye bahar ja raha hoon. Please silence maintain karein."
Us waqt Aisha ko yaad aaya ki Sana ne usse phone par message kiya tha।
"Main abhi aati hoon," Aisha ne Arman se kaha।
"Okay," Arman ne jawab diya।
Aisha table se uth kar library ke bahar chali gayi।
Arman akela table par baitha tha।
Uski nazar accidentally Aisha ki notebook par pad gayi।
Page half open tha।
Us par likha tha:
"Library me ek ladka mila hai…"
Arman thoda curious ho gaya।
Usne socha—
"Shayad yeh kisi story ka part hoga।"
Usne page thoda aur padha।
"Kabhi-kabhi mujhe lagta hai ki woh ladka mujhe samajh sakta hai."
"Lekin mujhe darr bhi lagta hai."
"Kyuki agar main apne sapno me fail ho gayi… toh shayad woh bhi disappointed hoga."
Arman ruk gaya।
Usne realize kiya—
Yeh story nahi thi।
Yeh real feelings thi।
Aur shayad…
Yeh letter usi ke baare me tha।
Arman thoda confused ho gaya।
Usse samajh nahi aa raha tha kya kare।
Tabhi Aisha wapas aa गई।
Usne dekha Arman notebook ki तरफ देख रहा था।
Aisha ka dil ekदम तेज धड़कने लगा।
"Tum… kya kar rahe ho?" usne ghabra कर पूछा।
Arman thoda awkward ho गया।
"Main bas…"
Aisha ne jaldi se notebook band कर दी।
Uska चेहरा serious हो गया।
"Woh personal tha," Aisha ने धीरे से कहा।
Arman ne turant kaha—
"I'm sorry. Mujhe nahi padhna chahiye tha."
Kuch seconds tak dono chup रहे।
Library me sirf clock ki tick-tick sunai de rahi thi।
Aisha thodi hurt feel kar रही थी।
Aur Arman guilty।
Phir Arman ne dheere se kaha—
"Waise… agar woh letter mere baare me tha…"
Aisha ne turant uski taraf dekha।
"…toh main disappointed nahi hoonga," Arman ne softly kaha।
Aisha kuch bol nahi paayi।
Us moment me dono ke beech ek awkward silence aa gaya।
Aur Aisha ko samajh nahi aa रहा था…
Ki usse gussa hona chahiye… ya sharmाना चाहिए।
Lekin ek baat clear thi।
Ab unki friendship pehle jaisi simple nahi rehne wali thi।
To be continued…