"...ab lena padega."
Vaishnavi ke words hawa me latak gaye.
Sumit usse dekh raha tha—serious.
Aarav… bilkul chup.
Ek second ke liye laga jaise time freeze ho gaya ho.
"Good," Sumit ne dheere se kaha. "Kyuki ab aur delay nahi ho sakta."
Vaishnavi ne kuch nahi kaha.
Usne bas apni nazar Aarav par tikayi.
Kuch bolo… please
.
Par Aarav ne sirf usse dekha.
Same calm face. Same unreadable expression.
Jaise usse farak hi nahi padta.
Aur wahi sabse zyada hurt karta tha.
"Vaishu!"
Naina ki awaaz ne us moment ko tod diya.
"Tu ready hai na? Late ho raha hai!"
Vaishnavi ne aankhein band ki ek second ke liye…
phir dheere se peeche hatti.
"Hmm… aa rahi hoon."
Usne Aarav ki taraf last baar dekha.
Rok lo… bas ek baar.
Par wo nahi bola.
Vaishnavi chal di.
Same Evening –
Room me aake Vaishnavi seedha bed pe baith gayi.
Dim light me sab kuch thoda heavy lag raha tha.
Naina almirah khol ke clothes nikal rahi thi.
"Okay listen—tu ye green wala dress pehen."
Vaishnavi ne thoda confused hoke dekha.
"Ye thoda… zyada nahi hai?"
"Night out hai, boring nahi lagegi tu. Aur waise bhi—"
Naina rukti hai, usse dekhte hue smirk karti hai.
"—kuch log waha honge."
Vaishnavi ne aankhein narrow ki.
"Don't start."
"Main start nahi kar rahi… situation already start ho chuki hai."
👉 Silence
Vaishnavi ne dress haath me liya.
Deep green. Slightly flowy. Simple… par noticeable.
"Permission ka kya?" usne dheere se pucha.
Naina instantly:
"Already handled."
"What?"
"Haan madam, main aunty se baat kar chuki hoon. Maine bola main bhi hoon, night stay bhi safe hai, location bhi bata di."
Vaishnavi shock.
"Tu serious hai?"
"Obviously. Tu nahi aati na to main khud kheech ke le aati."
Vaishnavi halka sa hasti hai.
"Pagal hai tu."
"Certified."
Usne Vaishnavi ko mirror ke saamne khada kiya.
"Now get ready."
Getting Ready
Vaishnavi mirror ke saamne khadi thi.
Usne dress pehna.
Hair open rakhe—slight waves.
Light makeup—just enough.
Wo khud ko dekh rahi thi.
Par uske dimaag me sirf ek hi chehra tha.
Aarav.
"Kya wo notice karega?"
Usne turant apne aap ko rok diya.
"Mujhe farak nahi padta…"
Par padta tha.
Party Location
Night drive.
Car ke bahar city lights blur ho rahe the.
Music low volume pe chal raha tha.
"By the way," Naina bolti hai,
"party kiski hai pata hai?"
Vaishnavi ne sir hilaaya.
"Nahi."
"Raghav ki. Uska birthday hai. Aur uske farmhouse pe hai sab."
"Farmhouse?"
"Yup. Full night plan hai. Games, music, stay… everything."
Vaishnavi ne window ke bahar dekha.
"Shayad aaj sab clear ho jaye…"
Party Entry
Farmhouse lights door se hi visible thi.
Music loud.
Log already waha.
Jaise hi wo enter karti hai—
"VAISHNAVI!"
Kuch log usse greet karte hain.
"Finally!"
"Late ho gaye tum log!"
Vaishnavi thoda smile karti hai.
Tabhi uski nazar us par padti hai.
Aarav.
Black shirt. Hands in pockets. Calm.
Aur… Rhea uske paas.
Vaishnavi ka heart halka sa drop hota hai.
Naina whisper karti hai:
"Dekha? Maine bola tha na."
Vaishnavi:
"Hmm...
Rhea Factor
Rhea kuch bol rahi thi Aarav ko.
Aarav sun raha tha.
Phir usne halka sa smile kiya.
Vaishnavi ne ye dekha.
"Wo uske saath comfortable hai…"
Naina irritate ho gayi.
"Mujhe samajh nahi aata ye ladki har jagah kaise aa jati hai."
Aarav ne unki taraf dekha.
"Relax Naina. She's invited."
Vaishnavi freeze.
"Usse defend kar raha hai?"
Sumit Entry
"Finally."
Sumit unke paas aaya.
Uski nazar seedha Vaishnavi pe ruki.
"Tum aayi… good."
Vaishnavi:
"Credit Naina ko."
Sumit hassa.
"Obviously."
Party Build-Up
Music louder.
Log dance floor pe.
Lights dim-bright flash.
Sumit ne haath badhaya.
"Dance?"
Vaishnavi ne ek second hesitate kiya.
Phir—
"Okay."
Dance Scene
Wo dono dance kar rahe the.
Light. Casual. Comfortable.
Vaishnavi thoda relax feel kar rahi thi.
Door se Aarav dekh raha tha.
Uska expression same.
Par uski grip glass pe tight hoti ja rahi thi..
Drink Moment
Rhea:
"Tum drink loge?"
Aarav usually mana karta.
Aaj—
"Haan."
Vaishnavi ne ye dekha.
Shock.
"Ye kab se…"
Usne ek step aage badhaya…
phir ruk gayi.
"Mujhe kyun farak pad raha hai?"
Truth & Dare
"Guys! Truth & Dare!"
Sab circle me baith gaye.
Bottle spin hui.
Vaishnavi ka heart fast.
Aarav opposite side.
Sumit uske paas.
Tension set.
Ending
Music slow ho gaya.
Lights thodi dim.
Sab excited.
Bottle ghoom rahi thi…
Aur Vaishnavi ne ek baar phir Aarav ki taraf dekha.
Wo already usse dekh raha tha.
Same calm.
Same unreadable.
Par is baar…
kuch aur bhi tha.
Something breaking.
FINAL
"Game abhi shuru hua tha…
par jo khatam hona tha, wo aaj raat decide hoga."
To be continued...