𝙞𝙩𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙖𝙣 ~ ek aahista mohabbat

the university gates opened into their usual chaos.

students poured out in groups, voices layered over each other; complaints about lectures, laughter over inside jokes, hurried plans for tea stalls and late evenings. a few stood near the gate taking pictures, pretending the day hadn't drained them.

Shreya walked out alone.

her bag hung from one shoulder, light but familiar. she moved at her own pace, neither slow nor hurried, eyes briefly scanning the crowd without really searching for anyone. she had learned to blend into noise without becoming part of it.

the physics department building stood behind her - tall, grey, quiet in comparison to the rest of the campus. she paused for a moment, adjusting the strap of her bag, and looked back.

it wasn't an attachment.

just acknowledgement.

this place asked questions she liked answering.

it didn't ask her to explain herself.

she turned away and stepped outside the gate.

the road was busy. autos lined up unevenly, drivers calling out destinations. Shreya chose one, gave the address softly, and settled into the seat. the city passed by in fragments - shop lights, moving silhouettes, the blur of trees and concrete.

she rested her head against the side, eyes half-closed.

not tired.

yet tired.

the home greeted her with a different kind of noise.

the television was on, volume higher than necessary. before Shreya could even place her bag down properly, her mother's voice reached her.

"itni der kyun ho gayi? padhai kar rahi ho ya wakt barbaad?"

Shreya didn't reply, bent down, removed her shoes slowly, placing them neatly beside the rack.

"har roz ka ho gaya hai" her mother continued, irritation sharpening, "subah jaati ho, shaam ko aati ho, ghar ka koi kaam, koi zimmedaari yaad hi nahi"

Shreya straightened up. her face remained calm, controlled. years of practice had taught her that responding only added fuel.

"itni padhai ka kya matlab jab zindagi ka koi direction hi na ho," her mother said, almost to herself.

"bas kijiye," a voice cut in, steady and composed.

Sadaf stood near the hallway, eyes firm but kind. "abhi aayi hai woh, baat baad mein bhi ho sakti hai."

her mother turned sharply, "tum hamesha iski tarafdaari karti ho"

Sadaf didn't look away, "aur aap hamesha bina sune faisla kar leti hain"

"dono milkar mujhe hi galat sabit kar dete ho," her mother muttered, turning away toward her room.

the sound of the door closing was louder than it needed to be.

Sadaf exhaled and looked at Shreya. "tum theek ho?"

Shreya nodded once, no complaints, no explanation, "haan."

for a moment, neither of them spoke. then she looked at Sadaf and smiled, "thank you" she said quietly.

Sadaf squeezed her arm. "jao, araam karo"

Shreya walked to her room, closing the door behind her gently. she leaned against it for a second, eyes shut.

no tears came.

no anger rose.

being silent, once again, felt like the safest place to stand.

always.

━━━━ ✶ ━━━━

night arrived slowly in another part of the city.

the office lights dimmed one by one as employees packed up, chairs scraping softly against the floor, bags slung over tired shoulders. footsteps echoed briefly and then disappeared.

Daya stood alone near the window.

it stretched from floor to ceiling, turning the city into a moving canvas. lights flickered on below, cars forming thin glowing lines on the roads. the city breathed - restless, endless.

architecture had taught him this - space mattered. silence mattered. not everything needed filling.

his p.a knocked lightly before entering. "sir, it's getting late. everyone's left."

Daya nodded. "you should leave too."

"goodnight, sir."

"night."

the door closed. silence returned - familiar, welcome.

he loosened his tie. thoughts drifted, as they often did at night. not regrets - reflections. he says in his mind,

< zindagi kabhi shor se nahi samajh aati,

aksar khamoshi hi jawaab hoti hai >

━━━━ ✶ ━━━━

Mrs. Malhotra lay propped against the pillows in her bedroom, the lamp beside her casting a warm yellow glow. medicines were placed neatly on the bedside table.

Tasha sat beside her on the bed, watching her mother closely.

"aunty, medicines time pe lena," Abhiheet said gently. "aur khana skip nahi kar'na"

"haan beta" she replied tiredly.

Tasha leaned forward, "aap pareshaan lag rahi ho. tabiyat theek hai na?"

Mrs. Malhotra sighed. "tabiyat toh theek hai. bas... dil thoda bhaari hai."

Abhijeet: "Daya?"

she didn't deny it. "tum dono jaante ho. shaadi ki umar nikalti ja rahi hai, aur woh hai ki bilkul parwah hi nahi kar raha"

Abhijeet chuckled. "aunty hold him by his ear and get him married"

"tum dost ho uske," she looked at him pointedly, "tum hi kuch samjhaaya karo."

Tasha added softly, "aap hi Bhai ko samjhaayiye na maa ke khaatir shaadi kar le. jis wajah se shaadi nahi kar rahe, uss baat ko kitna arsa ho chuka hai... lekin woh hai ki dil pe lagaye baithe hain."

"aisa nahi hai. woh bas har cheez sukoon se sambhaalna chahta hai. isi baat ka darr hai."

she paused, and continued,

"ek se ek ladki dikhai maine. lekin woh har baar mana kar deta hai... jaise shaadi na karne ki kasam kha rakhi ho"

her eyes glistened, "kabhi kabhi sochti hu... kya woh aise hi tanha reh jaayega.."

Abhijeet: "kyu nahi karega wo shaadi? zarur karega aur hum sab karwaynge uski shaadi; lekin filhal aap apna khayal rakhiye"

━━━━ ✶ ━━━━

downstairs, Daya walked beside Abhijeet toward the exit.

"yaar," Abhijeet began again, not letting it go. "tum shaadi kyun nahi kar le'te? aunty ko itni taqleef kyu de rahe ho?"

Daya exhaled. "achha tum ghar jaao, bhaabi intezaar kar rahi ho'gi; mai bhi thaka hua hu"

Abhijeet breathed, "waise," he said, stopping, "tumhara dil nahi karta koi tumhara intezaar karne wala ho?"

Daya frowned, then grabbed his shoulder lightly. "aao, tumhe bahar chhod aata hu."

outside, Abhijeet didn't stop.

Daya smirked. "meri parwah chhoro aur ghar jao, biwi ka khayal rakho"

Abhijeet laughed bitterly, "kar lo mazaak lekin soch ke dekho..itni mehnat, itni daulat, kis ke liye? rishtedaaron ko de'na hai ya kisi trust ko?"

Daya nodded. "hmm.. toh tum khud ghar jaaoge ya guards se kahu tumhe bahar tak phek kar aay?"

Abhijeet rolled his eyes. "jo karna hai karo. par kam se kam soch toh lo."

━━━━ ✶ ━━━━

"toh aapne puri team bana di mere khilaaf," Daya said, controlling his laugh.

"phir bhi ek tumhare aage hum sab haar chuke hain" she replied, slightly annoyed.

she looks away, "tumhe apni koi fikar hai? apne tanhai, apne khamoshi ki? jis larki ko dikhai thi kuch din pehle, itni achhi thi lekin tumne bina dekhe hi mana kar diya aur aaj sagai ho gayi aur kal se baaki ke functions."

"kya bachpana hai ye Maa?"

"kya matlab bachpana? you're getting old but not ready to get married. koi larki tumhe pasand aati hi nahi"

"actually uss angle se kabhi na socha na dekha.. par yakeen rakhein.. agar koi achhi lagi to bataa dunga aapko aur shaadi bhi karlunga"

her eyes widened, "sach? to phir wada karo"

he sat beside her, kissed her forehead, "pakka wada, happy?"

for the first time that night, she smiled.

━━━━ ✶ ━━━━

somewhere else, Shreya lay awake, staring at the ceiling.

somewhere else, Daya stood by a window, looking up at the open sky.

they didn't know each other yet.

but both were quietly standing at the edge of something that didn't rush.

something that would arrive aahista.