Part.2. Baaton ki Aadat
Us raat ke baad sab kuch dheere dheere change hone laga.
Pehle hamari baat sirf kabhi-kabhi hoti thi,
lekin ab almost roz baat hone lagi thi.
Subah uthte hi main sabse pehle phone check karta tha.
Aur aksar uska message already aaya hota tha.
"Good morning."
Simple sa message hota tha…
lekin pata nahi kyun us message ko dekhkar mera din thoda accha start ho jata tha.
Main bhi turant reply karta.
"Good morning."
Phir dheere-dheere baat start ho jati.
Kabhi uski college ki baatein, kabhi meri daily routine, kabhi random memes… kabhi-kabhi to bas faltu ki baatein hi chalti rehti.
Lekin pata nahi kyun… mujhe uski har baat interesting lagne lagi thi.
Ek din usne message kiya—
"Tum itni late tak online kyun rehte ho?"
Maine reply kiya—
"Neend nahi aati."
Usne turant reply kiya—
"Ya phir kisi se baat karte ho?"
Maine mazak me likh diya—
"Abhi to tumse hi kar raha hu."
Uske baad kuch seconds tak reply nahi aaya.
Mujhe laga shayad mazak thoda zyada ho gaya.
Lekin phir uska message aaya.
"Accha ji…"
Saath me ek smiling emoji bhi thi.
Us choti si baat par mujhe pata nahi kyun ajeeb si khushi hui.
Uske baad hamari chatting aur zyada frequent hone lagi.
Kabhi-kabhi to raat ke 2 ya 3 baje tak chat chalti rehti.
Kabhi ham serious baatein karte.
Kabhi life ke goals ke baare me discuss karte.
Kabhi apne past ke baare me.
Ek din usne mujhse poocha—
"Tumhare kitne friends hain?"
Maine reply kiya—
"Bahut kam."
Usne poocha—
"Girlfriend?"
Maine turant reply kiya—
"Nahi."
Phir maine bhi mazak me pooch liya—
"Tumhara boyfriend?"
Uska reply thoda late aaya.
"Tha…"
Maine poocha—
"Tha?"
Usne likha—
"Ab nahi hai."
Uske baad kuch seconds tak main screen ko dekhta raha.
Mujhe nahi pata tha kya reply karu.
Lekin phir maine simple sa message bhej diya—
"Oh."
Usne phir likha—
"Long story hai."
Main samajh gaya ki shayad wo abhi us baare me baat nahi karna chahti.
Isliye maine topic change kar diya.
Lekin us din ke baad mujhe ek cheez feel hone lagi thi.
Hamari baat ab sirf normal chat nahi rahi thi.
Ham ek dusre ki daily life ka part banne lage the.
Agar ek din uska message late aata…
to main baar-baar phone check karta.
Aur agar main late reply karta…
to wo bhi pooch leti—
"Kaha busy ho?"
Us waqt mujhe ye sab cute lagta tha.
Lekin sach ye tha…
main dheere-dheere us baat-cheet ka
addicted ho raha tha.
Ek raat hamari chat chal rahi thi.
Time lagbhag 1:30 AM ka tha.
Usne achanak message bheja—
"Ek baat puchu?"
Maine reply kiya—
"Pucho."
Usne likha—
"Tum mujhe itna time kyun dete ho?"
Uska message dekhkar main kuch seconds ke liye ruk gaya.
Sach kahu to mujhe khud bhi iska exact answer nahi pata tha.
Lekin phir maine type kiya—
"Pata nahi… bas accha lagta hai."
Usne reply kiya—
"Sach?"
Maine likha—
"Haan."
Phir kuch seconds tak chat me silence tha.
Aur phir uska message aaya—
"Tum ache ho."
Us choti si line ko padhkar mujhe pata nahi kyun bahut accha feel hua.
Lekin mujhe us waqt bilkul idea nahi tha…
ki ye sab jo ho raha hai…
ye sirf ek normal friendship nahi thi.
Aur shayad mujhe tabhi thoda sambhal jana chahiye tha.
Kyuki kabhi-kabhi…
hum kisi insaan ke itne close ho jate hain…
ki jab wo insaan door jata hai…
to sirf distance nahi badhta…
balki life ka ek part hi khali ho jata hai.
Aur mujhe abhi tak ye pata nahi tha…
ki meri story me bhi ek aisa moment aane wala hai…
jab sab kuch change ho jayega.
Aur shayad wahi moment meri life ki sabse badi mistake banne wala tha.
To be continued…