Subah ki halki dhoop khidki se andar aa rahi thi. Shehar abhi poori tarah jaaga nahi tha, lekin ek nayi kahani apni shuruaat karne wali thi.
Riya ne apna bag uthaya aur aaine ke saamne khadi ho gayi. Naye school ka pehla din tha. Uske chehre par halki si ghabrahat thi, par aankhon me ek chhoti si umeed bhi. Naye log, nayi jagah… aur shayad naye rishte.
"Jaldi karo beta, late ho jaogi," uski maa ne pyaar se awaaz lagayi।
Riya ne ek gehri saans li aur ghar se nikal gayi।
School ka gate dekhte hi uska dil tez dhadakne laga. Andar bahut saare bachche the—koi hans raha tha, koi baat kar raha tha, aur koi uski tarah chup-chaap khada tha.
Classroom me enter karte hi usne dekha sab apni jagah dhundh rahe the. Riya dheere se last bench par jaakar baith gayi. Wo kisi se baat karne se bachna chahti thi।
Tabhi achanak ek ladka uske saamne aakar ruk gaya।
"Yahan koi baitha hai?" usne poocha।
Riya ne halki si awaaz me kaha, "Nahi…"
"Perfect!" wo turant uske paas baith gaya. "Main Aman hoon."
Riya ne thoda ruk kar jawab diya, "Riya…"
Aman ne uski taraf dekhkar muskuraate hue kaha,
"Tum thodi shy ho, na?"
Riya ne kuch nahi kaha, bas halka sa sir hila diya।
Aman hansa, "Koi baat nahi, main zyada bolta hoon. Tum bas sun lena."
Riya ke chehre par halki si muskaan aa gayi।
Teacher class me aayi aur padhai shuru ho gayi, par Aman beech-beech me chhoti-chhoti baatein karta raha. Kabhi pen maangta, kabhi book share karta। Dheere-dheere Riya ko uski baatein ajeeb nahi, achhi lagne lagi।
Lunch break hua to Aman ne apna tiffin khola aur bina soche Riya ki taraf badha diya।
"Lo, try karo. Mummy ne banaya hai."
Riya ne pehle mana karna chaha, par phir ek bite le li।
"Kaisa hai?" Aman ne excited hokar poocha।
"Achha hai…" Riya ne dheere se kaha।
"Bas achha? Amazing nahi?" Aman ne mazaak me kaha।
Riya halka sa hansi—aur shayad wahi pal tha jab uski ghabrahat thodi kam ho gayi।
School ke aangan me ek bada neem ka ped tha. Lunch ke baad Aman Riya ko wahan le gaya।
"Yeh meri favourite jagah hai," Aman ne kaha, "yahan baithkar sab problems chhoti lagti hain।"
Riya ne ped ki thandi chhaya me baithte hue aas-paas dekha। Hawa halki si chal rahi thi, aur patton ki awaaz ek ajeeb si shaanti de rahi thi।
"Tumhari favourite cheez kya hai?" Aman ne poocha।
Riya ne thoda socha, phir kaha,
"Shanti… aur achhe log।"
Aman muskuraaya,
"Toh phir tumhari favourite list me main bhi aa sakta hoon?"
Riya ne uski taraf dekha… aur pehli baar bina jhijhak ke muskura di।
"Shayad…" usne kaha।
Us din ke baad, wo neem ka ped sirf ek jagah nahi raha—wo unki dosti ka pehla gawah ban gaya।
Dono ko shayad abhi tak ye nahi pata tha ki ye ek simple si mulaqat nahi, balki ek aisi dosti ki shuruaat hai jo waqt ke saath aur gehri hoti jayegi।