Library ke andar ab shaam aur gehri ho chuki thi। Kuch hi students bache the jo chup-chaap books padh rahe the।
Aisha apni diary bag me rakh chuki thi, lekin uska dimaag abhi bhi Arman ki baat par atka hua tha।
"Tumhari kahaniyan kisi din bahut log padhenge."
Yeh sentence uske dimaag me baar-baar ghoom raha tha।
Aisha ne Arman ki taraf dekha।
"Tumhe kaise pata?"
Arman thoda sa muskura diya।
"Kyuki jo maine padha… woh sach lag raha tha. Fake nahi."
Aisha thodi awkward ho gayi।
"Woh bas random thoughts the," usne kaha।
Arman ne sir hilaya।
"Random thoughts nahi the. Woh emotions the."
Aisha kuch seconds tak chup rahi।
Usse samajh nahi aa raha tha kya bole।
Achanak Arman ne pucha,
"Tum writer banna chahti ho na?"
Aisha ne dheere se haan me sir hilaya।
"Haan… lekin yeh bas ek dream hai."
"Dream kyun?" Arman ne turant pucha।
"Reality kyun nahi?"
Aisha thoda hass padi।
"Reality itni easy nahi hoti."
Arman ne library ki ek shelf ki taraf ishara kiya।
"Yahan jitni books hain… sab kisi na kisi ke dream se hi start hui hongi."
Aisha ne us shelf ki taraf dekha।
Wahan hundreds books thi।
Usne dheere se kaha,
"Lekin un writers ko support mila hoga."
Arman ne seedha jawab diya—
"Har kisi ko start me support nahi milta."
Phir usne halka sa smile kiya।
"Lekin ab tumhe mil gaya."
Aisha thodi confused ho gayi।
"Kya matlab?"
Arman ne kaha—
"Matlab… agar tum likhna chahti ho, toh likho. Main tumhari stories padhunga."
Aisha ko samajh nahi aa रहा था हँसे या serious रहे।
"Tum stranger ho," usne कहा।
Arman ne haath aage badhaya।
"Ab nahi."
"Hi. I'm Arman."
Aisha thoda hesitate hui, phir usne bhi haath milaya।
"I'm Aisha."
Dono thoda hass diye।
Us moment me awkwardness thodi kam ho gayi।
Library me bell baji।
Librarian ne announce kiya,
"Library band hone wali hai."
Students dheere-dheere bahar jaane lage।
Aisha aur Arman bhi bahar nikle।
Bahar raat ki thandi hawa chal rahi thi।
Street lights jal chuki thi।
Aisha ne bag thoda tight pakda।
"Thanks for returning the diary," usne kaha।
Arman ne kaha,
"Next time diary mat bhoolna."
Aisha muskura di।
Phir Arman ne pucha—
"Kal library aaogi?"
Aisha ne thoda socha।
Phir usne kaha—
"Shayad."
Arman hans pada।
"Shayad ka matlab usually haan hota hai."
Aisha bhi hass di।
Dono opposite directions me chalne lage।
Lekin Aisha ke dimaag me ab ek nayi feeling thi।
Usse lag raha tha ki uski life me kuch naya start ho raha hai।
Aur Arman bhi ghar jaate waqt soch raha tha—
"Shayad yeh ladki ek din sach me writer banegi."
Usse nahi pata tha…
Ki woh khud bhi Aisha ki kahani ka important part banne wala hai।
Aur ek din…
Aisha apni diary me ek naya letter likhne wali thi।
Ek letter jo kisi unknown future ko nahi…
Arman ko address hoga।
To be continued…