Shaam ka waqt tha. Library ke bahar halki si thandi hawa chal rahi thi. Aisha jaldi-jaldi library ke andar gayi. Uska dil itna tez dhadak raha tha jaise koi race chal rahi ho.
Uske dimaag me bas ek hi baat ghoom rahi thi.
"Diary milni chahiye… warna sab khatam."
Woh seedha us table ki taraf gayi jahan kal woh aur Sana baithi thi.
Lekin table bilkul khaali tha।
Diary wahan nahi thi।
Aisha ne jaldi se aas-paas dekha। Kuch students abhi bhi books padh rahe the। Library me bilkul shanti thi।
Aisha librarian ke paas gayi।
"Excuse me… yahan ek black diary reh gayi thi. Aapne dekhi?" usne ghabra kar pucha।
Librarian ne thoda socha।
"Black diary? Shayad kisi student ne uthayi hogi. Aaj ek ladka yahan baitha tha… usne kuch uthaya tha table se।"
Aisha ka dil aur tez dhadakne laga।
"Kaun ladka?"
Librarian ne kandhe uchka diye।
"Pata nahi. Shayad school ka hi student tha।"
Aisha thodi der wahin khadi rahi।
Usse samajh nahi aa raha tha kya kare।
Agar kisi ne diary padh li…
Toh uske saare letters sabko pata chal jayenge।
Usne dheere se khud se kaha,
"Please… kisi ne mat padhna।"
Usi waqt library ke dusre corner me ek ladka khada tha।
Wahi ladka jo kal bhi wahan tha।
Arman।
Uske haath me wahi black diary thi।
Arman door se Aisha ko dekh raha tha।
Usse samajh aa gaya tha ki diary isi ladki ki hai।
Usne kal raat kuch letters padhe the।
Aur un letters ne usse sochne par majboor kar diya tha।
Itne honest words usne pehle kabhi nahi padhe the।
Aaj jab usne Aisha ko ghabra kar diary dhoondte dekha… toh usse thoda guilty feel hua।
Arman dheere-dheere Aisha ki taraf chalne laga।
Aisha ab bhi table ke paas khadi thi।
Tabhi kisi ki awaaz aayi।
"Excuse me…"
Aisha ne mud kar dekha।
Wahi ladka uske saamne khada tha।
Uske haath me diary thi।
Aisha ki aankhen ekदम बड़ी हो गईं।
"Yeh… meri diary hai!" Aisha almost chilla padi।
Arman ne diary aage badha di।
"Shayad tum kal library me bhool gayi thi।"
Aisha ne jaldi se diary le li।
Usne turant diary kholi aur pages check kiye।
Sab letters wahan the।
Usne relief ki saans li।
"Thank you…" Aisha ne dheere se kaha।
Arman thoda awkward feel kar raha tha।
Usse pata tha ki usne diary ke kuch pages padh liye the।
Aisha diary ko apne bag me rakhne lagi।
Tabhi Arman ne dheere se kaha—
"Waise… tum achha likhti ho।"
Aisha ruk gayi।
Uska dil ek second ke liye ruk sa gaya।
Usne slowly Arman ki taraf dekha।
"Tumne… diary padhi?"
Arman thoda nervous ho gaya।
"Sirf… thoda sa।"
Aisha ka chehra ekदम serious ho gaya।
Woh diary ko aur tight pakad kar khadi ho gayi।
"Woh personal letters hain," Aisha ne slowly kaha।
Arman ne turant kaha—
"I know. Aur main sorry bolna chahta hoon. Mujhe nahi padhna chahiye tha।"
Kuch seconds tak dono chup रहे।
Library me sirf pages palatne ki awaaz aa rahi thi।
Phir Arman ne halka sa smile kiya।
"Lekin ek baat sach hai…"
Aisha ne confused hokar pucha—
"Kya?"
Arman ne kaha—
"Tumhari kahaniyan kisi din bahut log padhenge।"
Aisha ne kuch nahi kaha।
Lekin uske dil me ek अजीब सा एहसास हुआ।
Zindagi me pehli baar…
किसी अजनबी ने उसके dream पर विश्वास किया था।
Lekin Aisha ko bilkul nahi पता था…
कि यही लड़का उसकी life की सबसे बड़ी कहानी बनने वाला था।
To be continued…