📘 Chapter 26 – Ek Nayi Shuruaat
Agla din school ke liye usual hi laga, par Radhika aur Aarav dono ke liye kuch alag excitement thi. Dono jaante the ki shaam ko 4 baje library me milna hai—project practice ke liye… aur thodi baat-cheet ke liye bhi.
Radhika subah hi tayyar hote waqt soch rahi thi,
“Bas normal baat hogi. Sab theek raha toh humara equation fir stable ho jayega.”
Usne apna backpack shoulder pe daala aur school ki taraf nikal gayi.
School ke corridors me aaj thodi extra hustle thi kyunki annual fest ke posters lag rahe the. Students groups me loud gossip kar rahe the ki kaun dance karega, kaun speeches, kaun skit.
Radhika classroom me enter hui toh Kritika seedha uske paas aayi.
“Madam! Kal ka scene?”
“Kaunsa scene?” Radhika ne straight face banate hue kaha.
“Don’t act! Aarav ke sath lunch, fir project, fir ajeeb si positive energy… something is cooking.”
Radhika ne notebook desk par rakhte hue kaha,
“Kritika, kuch bhi nahi cooking. Hum bas baat clear kar rahe hain.”
Kritika aankhon me spark le kar boli,
“Haan haan, clarity ka masala sabse tasty hota hai.”
Radhika ne uske haath pe halke se thappka diya, “Stop it.”
Par wo khud bhi halka sa blush avoid nahi kar paayi.
📌 Classroom Moments
Aarav thodi der baad room me aaya. Aaj wo normal hi lag raha tha, lekin aankhon me ek calm sa confidence tha jaise usne apne mind me sab set kar liya ho. Radhika ne usko ek chhota sa nod diya. Aarav ne bhi return me friendly sa gesture diya.
Kritika ne dono ko dekh kar apne breath me bola,
“Oh god… yeh log bilkul filmy slow motion me chal rahe hain.”
Class shuru ho gaya. Teacher ne chapter explain kiya, phir board par kuch long answers likhaye. Par sabse funny part tab hua jab teacher ne group activity announce kari.
“Students! Pair up with someone you are comfortable discussing with.”
Puri class me shor mach gaya. Radhika ne casually Kritika ki taraf dekha, par tab tak Aarav uske desk ke paas aa chuka tha.
“Partner?” Aarav ne simply pucha.
Is baar awkwardness bilkul nahi thi.
Radhika ne haan me sir hila diya. Kritika piche se slow clap karne lagi.
“Waah waah, progress!”
Activity me dono normally discuss kar rahe the. Notes exchange, points highlight, small disagreements—sab kuch ekdum smooth chal raha tha.
Ek moment aaya jab Aarav ne casually poocha,
“Waise kal ke liye nervous toh nahi ho? Library wali meeting?”
Radhika smile dabaate hue boli,
“Nervous kyu? It’s just a project practice.”
Aarav ne softly reply diya,
“Haan… bas pooch raha tha.”
Us conversation me ek chhota sa comfort build ho raha tha, jisme dono silently enjoy kar rahe the.
📌 Recess – Ek Chhoti si Takkar
Lunch time me Radhika canteen ki line me khadi thi. Tabhi piche se koi student—Anshul—us se halka sa takraa gaya.
“Sorry sorry!”
Aarav thoda door se dekh raha tha. Wo turant waha nahi aaya, bas observe kiya ki Radhika theek hai ya nahi.
Radhika ne Anshul ko smile kar ke bola,
“It’s fine.”
Par Kritika turant Aarav ke paas aa kar boli,
“Ye lo… tumhare dost ko koi aur touch kare, aur tum hero banne ka chance miss kar do? Sharam!”
Aarav ne annoyed expression diya,
“Kritika! Kuch bhi bol deti ho.”
Par fir bhi usne doorway se Radhika ko ek baar check kiya—she was fine.
Ye small gestures hi unke beech ki comfort ko dikhate the.
📌 School After Hours – Library Meeting
Shaam 4 baje ka time aate hi library ka environment ekdum silent tha. Rows of books, wooden tables, soft light—perfect place for focused work.
Radhika pehle pohonch gayi. Usne apna file nikala aur notes arrange karne lagi. Uska heart beats slightly faster feel kar raha tha—normal nervousness, bas ek healthy si.
Aarav thodi der baad aaya.
“Sorry, thoda late ho gaya.”
Radhika ne casual tone me kaha,
“It’s okay, main bhi abhi aayi hoon.”
Dono ek hi table par baith gaye. Unhone project slides khol kar practice start ki. Aarav explain karta, Radhika points likhti. Beech-beech me dono ek dusre ki mistakes lightly correct karte, bina offend hue.
25–30 minutes baad Aarav ne pen side me rakh diya.
“Radhika… main tumse ek baat karna chahta tha. Normal si.”
Radhika slightly straight baith gayi.
“Hmm, bolo.”
Aarav ne deep breath li.
“Main bas yeh kehna chahta hoon ki… jo kuch bhi past me misunderstanding hui, wo ab main force nahi karna chahta. Tum jo comfortable ho, wohi pace theek hai. Aur mujhe humari dosti value karti hai. If that’s all you are ready for right now, I’m perfectly okay.”
Radhika ko expected nahi tha ki wo itni maturity se bolega. She genuinely felt lighter.
“Aarav… thank you. Mujhe bhi humari baat-cheet, humara teamwork… yeh sab pasand hai. Par mujhe cheezon ko slowly samajhna hota hai. Agar hum is version me theek hain, toh mujhe koi problem nahi.”
Aarav ne sahi meaning me smile kiya.
“Good. Fir hum clear hain.”
Radhika ne relief se ek line boli,
“Haan… finally clear.”
Library ke lights thodi dim ho rahi thi, matlab closing time near tha. Dono ne apne bags pack kiye.
Bahaar nikalte waqt thandi hawa chal rahi thi, campus almost empty tha.
Aarav ne casually poocha,
“Kal bhi project practice karein? Last slides reh gayi hain.”
Radhika ne shoulder bag adjust karte hue kaha,
“Kar sakte hain. Same time?”
“Same time,” Aarav ne confirm kiya.
Dono opposite directions me chale gaye.
Radhika ke steps aaj unusually light the.
Usne apne mind me kaha,
“Finally… everything feels normal again.”
Dusri taraf Aarav soch raha tha,
“Jo pace sahi ho, wahi theek raha. Bas dosti stable rahe—that’s enough.”
Agle din ke liye dono ke paas clarity thi, aur ek nayi shuruaat ka halka sa confidence bhi..
Chapter end here...!!