प्यार का सफर

"Ruhan, suno," Ruhi ne pukara. Uski awaaz mein sahaj dikhne ki koshish thi, par uski ungliyan ghabrahat mein apne dupatta ke kone se khel rahi thin.

"Boliye madam," Ruhan ne ek bhau uthakar jawab diya. Woh ab use achhe se samajhne laga tha aur jaanta tha ki woh kyun baat taal rahi hai.

"Umm… Ruhan, kya tum meri madad kar sakte ho? Woh upar wali shelf se kitab nikal do," usne bookshelf ki taraf ishara karte hue kaha.

Ruhan bina kuch bole wahan pahunch gaya. Par kitab nikalne ke bajaye, uske chehre par ek shararati muskaan aa gayi. Ek jhatke mein usne Ruhi ko kamar se pakda aur use upar shelf ki taraf utha diya.

“Ruhan!” woh hairaan hokar hakki-bakki reh gayi.

Unke chehre itne kareeb the ki uski aankhen phati ki phati reh gayin. Ruhan ki saans uske gaalon ko chhu rahi thi, aur Ruhi ka dil zoron se dhadakne laga. Kitab toh kab ki bhool chuki thi. Ruhan ne dheere se use neeche utara, par uska haath ab bhi uski kamar par tha.

"Ruhi," usne dheemi awaaz mein uski aankhon mein dekhte hue kaha, "tum mujhe kyun taal rahi ho?"

Jaise kisi jaadu ke asar mein, woh badbadayi, “Woh log party mein jana chahte the…”

Ruhan ke chehre ke haav-bhav turant badal gaye. Woh peeche hata aur muskura kar uska haath chhod diya. Ruhi ne do baar aankhen jhapki—Oh no. Woh samajh gaya tha.

Bina ek shabd kahe, Ruhan mud gaya aur bedroom ke darwaze ki taraf badh gaya.

"Ruhan, suno—please, rukh jao," Ruhi ne ghabrate hue uska haath pakadne ki koshish ki.

Par woh nahi ruka. Aakhir mein, usne use zor se peeche kheench liya—aur usse taqat ka andaza galat ho gaya.

Woh dono sofa par gir pade, aur Ruhi ke darr ke maare hosh ud gaye jab woh seedhe uske upar aa gira.

Aur unke hont mil gaye. Bas ek pal ke liye.

Ruhi jam gayi, uski aankhen hairani se feli hui thin. Woh uska pehla kiss tha.

Usne ek jhatke mein use dhakka diya aur uth baithi, apni ungliyon se honton ko chhoo rahi thi. "Ye apne kya kiya…" woh dheemi awaaz mein boli, uska dil dhadak raha tha.

Ruhan abhi bhi uske paas baitha tha, bilkul chup. Par uske zehen mein toh tufan macha tha.

Bhagwan… kitna achha tha woh. Uske naram hont… main jaanta hoon sirf ek chhota sa kiss tha, par woh jaadui tha. Kash woh ek minute aur wahan reh jati… hayee.

“Ruhan, kaha kho gaye?” Ruhi ki awaaz ne uske khayalon ko toda aur usne Ruhan ke chehre ke samne haath hilaya.

Woh jhatke se hosh mein aaya aur ghabra kar nazar ghuma li.

“I’m sorry. Mujhe chillana nahi chahiye tha,” Ruhi ne dheere se kaha. “Meri galti thi ki maine tumhe kheench liya.”

Ruhan ne gale ko saaf kiya, dhyan bhatkane ki koshish karte hue. “Umm, Ruhi… kya tum mujhe bata sakti ho ki kaha gaye woh log, taaki main driver ko bhej kar party ke baad unhe pick karwa sakun?”

“Woh Mr. Rathore ke yahan gaye hain,” usne nazrein churakar kaha. “Nisha ka aaj 21st birthday hai. Preeti aur Sifra use wish karna chahti thin. Please… gussa mat ho.”

Ruhan ne dheere se badbadaya, “Kash mujhe woh jaadui kiss phir mil jaye, toh tum jo kahogi main maan jaunga, queen.”

Ruhi ne aankhen sikod li. “Tumne abhi kya kaha?”

“Kuch nahi.” Woh jhatke se doosri taraf mud gaya.

“Kuch nahi hi hona chahiye.” Usne apne haath baandh liye.

Par jab usne chori-chhipe uski taraf dekha, toh usne Ruhan ke gaalon par halki laali dekhi—aur uske honton par ek muskaan ki jhalak.

Aur apni shaadi ke baad pehli baar, Ruhi ke honton par bhi ek halki si muskaan aa gayi.