Paanch Papers, Ek Dosti... Aur Kuch Zyada
Paanch din, paanch papers. Har subah wohi excitement — centre pahunchne ka, seat pe baithne ka, aur Aaru ko dhoondhne ka. Pehle din sirf nazrein milti thi, doosre din baat hui, teesre din hum dono break mein cycle stand ke paas baith gaye the. Chai pi, last-minute questions discuss kiye, aur hasi-mazaak kiya.
Har exam ke baad hum bahar milte. Kabhi woh apni cycle pe aati, main paas khadi hoti, aur hum baatein karte-karte school gate tak chalte. Kabhi main uske saath thodi door tak chali jaati, phir mummy ka phone aata aur wapas lautna padta. Par har din kuch naya hota — ek joke, ek secret share, ek chhoti si compliment.
Aaru bilkul alag thi. Woh kabhi drama nahi karti thi. Paper tough lage toh bolti, "Arre chhod, next attempt mein dekh lenge life mein." Nervous hone pe haath pakad leti aur kehti, "Breathe, Ruma. Tu kar legi." Uske haath thande hote the, par touch mein confidence hota tha. Main uske bracelet ko chhuti, woh hans deti.
Paanchwa paper — Social Science — khatam hone ke baad hall se nikalte waqt maine socha, aaj last day hai. Boards khatam. Ab kya? Kya yeh sirf exam-time wali dosti thi?
Bahar cycle stand pe woh wait kar rahi thi. Aaj hoodie nahi pehni thi — simple black t-shirt, short hair thoda gel kiye hue, jeans aur sneakers. Mujhe dekhte hi boli, "Chal, aaj celebrate karte hain. Ice cream?"
Hum dono paas ke chhote se ice cream wale ke paas gaye. Main chocolate, woh vanilla with chocolate sauce. Bench pe baith gaye, school ke bahar wali sadak pe. Hawa thandi thi, shaam ho rahi thi.
"Boards khatam," maine bola, thoda sa udaas.
"Haan," usne kaha, spoon muh mein daalte hue. "Ab freedom. No more ratta maarna."
"Par... hum?" maine poocha, aankhein neeche kiye.
Woh ruk gayi. Mujhe dekha. "Hum kya?"
"Tumhare saath itna time spend kiya... baatein ki... ab kya? Phone number toh exchange kiya nahi ab tak."
Usne hans di. "Arre stupid. Number toh dena hi tha." Usne phone nikala, mera number save kiya — "Ruma Crush" likha (main laal ho gayi). Phir bola, "Aur haan, yeh sirf exam wali dosti nahi hai mere liye."
Dil zor se dhadka. "Matlab?"
"Matlab... tu mujhe pasand hai, Ruma. Bahut. Pehle din se jab tu mujhe ghoor rahi thi, tab se. Par main wait kar rahi thi ki tu khud bole."
Main shocked. "Par... main bhi... matlab, mujhe bhi tu bahut achhi lagti hai. Zyada se zyada. Har din tujhe dekhne ka mann karta tha. Teri smile, teri baatein, tera confident hona... sab."
Woh muskuraayi, par is baar thodi sharmili. "Toh phir... dosti se zyada?"
Main haan mein sir hila diya. "Haan. Shayad pyar."
Usne mera haath pakda. "Shayad nahi. Sach mein."
Hum dono chup ho gaye. Ice cream pighal raha tha, par humein farak nahi pada. Bas haath mein haath, aur woh feeling jo exams ke pressure se badi thi.
Us din se baatein phone pe shuru hui — late night texts, good morning memes, voice notes jismein woh gaane gaati thi (bilkul out of tune, par cute). Kabhi woh cycle pe mujhe pick karti, hum Bārāsat ki galiyon mein ghoomte. Kabhi main uske ghar ke paas milti, aur hum chhupke se baith ke baatein karte.
Dosti gehri ho gayi thi. Par uske andar pyar tha — woh pyar jo dheere-dheere, naturally grow kar raha tha. Aaru ki tarah — simple, honest, no drama.
Aur main jaanti thi, yeh shuruaat thi kuch bade aur khoobsurat ki.