Main hamesha se ek padhai wali ladki thi, jo apni kitaabon mein khoi rehti thi. Mere ghar walon kaafi accha status tha, aur unhone mujhe hamesha excellence ke liye hi groom kiya tha. Mummy-papa, dono principals the, aur unka hamesha yeh expect tha ki main har cheez mein best karun. Unki high standards ki wajah se, meri zindagi mein distractions ki jagah nahi thi. Par jab main apni study table par baithi thi, toh books ka weight itna zyada lagne laga tha. CTET exam paas hi tha, aur mera dimaag formulas aur equations mein dooba hua tha.
Mujhe thoda break chahiye tha, kuch aisa jo mujhe is monotonous routine se nikaale. Maine apna phone uthaya aur social media par chali gayi, taaki apne aapko duniya se thoda door kar saku.
Aur tab mujhe woh message dikha— *uska* message.
Hamari duniya bilkul alag thi. Main, jo padhayi mein ghiri rehti thi, aur woh, jo doston ke saath time guzaarta tha aur masti karta tha. Uski reputation thi: ek aisa ladka jo school ki chinta nahi karta tha, bas apni life jeeta tha. Woh apni zimmedariyan khud uthata tha. Usne zindagi se wo sab seekha jo koi bhi teenager nahi seekhna chahta. Fir bhi, kuch tha usme, ek alag si kismat, jo usse sabse alag banata tha. Hamari milne-julne ki kahani sirf thodi si thi—chupke se ek-do baar eye contact aur bas.
Mujhe kabhi nahi laga tha ki woh mujhe message karega. Par ab, yeh message tha—jisme likha tha, "Hey, what's up?" Yeh bilkul casual tha, simple, lekin mujhe laga yeh koi badi baat hai. Aaj raat yeh kyun? Kyun abhi? Kyun main?
Main phone ki screen ko dekh rahi thi, aur mera dil apne aap tez dhadak raha tha. Yeh *woh* tha, jo mujhse kabhi zyada baat nahi karta tha. Aur ab, usne pehla kadam uthaya tha.
Hamari baat shuru hui, ekdum awkward tareeke se, jaise hum dono apni-alag duniyaon se ek dusre se baat kar rahe ho. Main koshish kar rahi thi ki jawab thode measured ho, lekin kuch toh tha uske words mein—ek warmth, ek subtle charm jo mujhe apne andar kheench raha tha.
Jaise-jaise raat guzar rahi thi, dono ke beech ki doori kam hoti ja rahi thi. Maine apni duniya ke baare mein thoda sa bataya, aur usne apni—ek aisi zindagi jo kaafi chaotic thi, par woh freedom thi jo main kabhi nahi samajh paayi thi.
Main apne exams, apne future, apni responsibilities sab bhool gayi thi. Yeh baat cheet thodi real lag rahi thi, jaise koi saans lene ka moka mil gaya ho. Lekin ek hissa mujhe yeh yaad dilata tha ki yeh sirf ek distraction hai, ki mere paas is waqt ke liye time nahi hai.
Lekin doosra hissa—jo apni zindagi mein thoda connection chahta tha, jo kisi aur cheez ki talash mein tha—wo sab warnings ignore kar raha tha.
Aur phir, yeh safar shuru ho gaya.