Chapter 1
Delhi ki shaam mein—
Apni khushboo hoti hai.
Mitti mein perfume, hawa mein pollution aur road side mein bhune chane ki halki si meethi garmi.
Yeh meri duniya thi.
Middle-class hawa.
Familiar, sasti, lekin apni.
Par aaj raat, hawa meri taraf nahi thi.
Main ek bade se banquet hall ke kone mein khada tha.
Marble floor chamak raha tha, chandelier ki roshini meri aankhon mein chubh rahi thi.
Mera man nahi tha,
Magar ek dost khinch laaya tha.
Mera plain shirt aur ghise hue shoes—
Meri class expose kar rahe the, aur keh rahe the—
Tu idhar ka nahi hai, Shashank!
Fir maine usse dekha.
Woh sirf khoobsurat nahi thi.
Woh untouchable thi like a goddess.
Black dress mein, wine glass ke saath.
Party mein, duniya ki boriyat dekhte hue.
Uski aankhen— cold, arrogant.
Uski hansi— tez, talwaar jaisi.
Aur phir bhi,, main usko ghurta raha.
Achanak, usne mujhe aur meri aankhein pakad li.
Hamari aankhen mili,
Aur woh muskaan— nahi, smirk diya.
Jaise main chori karte hue pakda gaya hu.
Mera dimaag chillane laga—
Mat jaa. Uske paas mat jaa.
Par main chala gaya.
Har kadam ke saath zameen patli lag rahi thi.
Woh hil bhi nahi thi, jaise yeh uska area tha aur main koi ghuspaithiya.
Aur jab main uske samne khada hua toh mere shabd gale par atak gaye.
Aur phir nikal gaya— “Lagta hai aap yahan ki nahi ho.”
Uski bhaun uth gayi.
Uske hoth ek cruel si smile mein tedhe hue.
Uski khamoshi, gaali se bhi bhaari thi.
Phir bhi mujhe kuch dar nahi laga.
Uske andar mujhe kuch aur jhukne, aur tootne ki feel de raha tha. Maybe ego, or arrogance.
Phir usne bola—
“Tu zyada chhota hai aise baatein karne ke liye.”
Mere muh se nikal gaya—
“Aur aap zyada badi ho aise care karne ke liye.”
Uski aankhen chamki. Shock. Shayad kuch aur bhi.
Aur tab, woh hasi. Ek kadwi, tez hansi.
“Tere paas zubaan hai na, bacche?” usne dheere se kaha. “Dhyan rakh. Zubaan kaati bhi jaati hai.”
Aur bina rukhe, chalti bani.
Mere dil ko jala ke.
