Meri kahani shuru hoti hai us din se jab maine college join kiya. Naam mera Aarav hai. Main un ladkon mein se tha jo apni duniya mein khush rehte hain—zyada show-off nahi, zyada baatein nahi. Mujhe lagta tha ki college life sirf classes, library aur thoda canteen tak limited rahegi. Dosti toh theek hai, lekin pyaar-vyaar mere bas ki baat nahi thi… ya shayad main sochta aisa tha.

Library mera favourite jagah thi. Corner table par headphones laga ke apni duniya bana leta tha. Ek din main ek purane shelf se ek philosophy ki book nikal raha tha. Jaise hi haath aage badhaya, ek aur haath uss book par aa gaya. Main palat kar dekhta hoon, aur saamne ek ladki khadi thi. Simple jeans, ek oversized kurti, messy bun, aur haath mein ek diary. Pehli nazar mein woh ladki alag lagi. Koi extra effort nahi, koi dikhawa nahi. Lekin uski aankhon mein ek ajeeb si curiosity thi, jaise duniya ko thoda aur gehra samajhna chahti ho.

Main thoda awkward ho gaya, “Tum le lo. Main baad mein le lunga.”

Usne diary band karke halka sa smile kiya aur bola, “Ya phir dono padh lete hain. Sharing bhi toh ek option hai, right?”

Bas, uss ek line ne ice break kar diya. Mujhe laga jaise woh ek simple ladki hai jo har cheez ko easy bana deti hai. Uska naam tha Meera.

Shuru mein bas casual hi tha—kabhi notes exchange karna, kabhi canteen mein ek hi table share karna. Lekin dheere-dheere woh choti-choti interactions mere din ka best part ban gaye. Meera debate club ki member thi, aur mujhe thoda-thoda bolne ka interest tha. Club ke sessions ke baad hum argue karte—main calm aur composed, woh energetic aur thodi ziddi. Lekin arguments ke baad bhi hum ek dusre ki respect karte.

Ek baar usne hansi mein kaha, “Tum apne point pe kabhi chillate nahi ho. Tumhare andar patience ka overdose hai.”

Main bhi muskuraya, “Aur tumhare andar energy ka. Balance banta hai na.”

Usne ekdum dil se hans diya, aur mujhe pehli baar feel hua ki shayad main uske liye important ban raha hoon.

Din badhte gaye. Ab routine ban gaya tha library se hostel tak saath chalna. Kabhi-kabhi Meera apni diary se kuch poems ya thoughts sunati. Uske words raw hote, emotions se bhare. Main headphones usse share karta aur apne favourite punjabi songs sunata. Dheere-dheere mujhe samajh aaya ki woh sirf ek classmate nahi, balki meri zindagi ka ek hissa ban rahi thi.

Ek shaam hum dono library ke bahar bench par baithe the. Hawa halki si or thandi chlri thi . Meera diary band karke poochhti hai, “Tumhe lagta hai ki kabhi hum apni kahaniyan likh kar kisi ko suna paayenge?”

Main thoda soch ke bola, “Kyun nahi? Shayad yeh kahani kisi aur ke liye inspiration ban jaaye.”

Woh kuch seconds tak mujhe dekhti rahi. Uski aankhon mein woh sparkle thi jo mujhe samajh nahi aayi—sirf mehsoos hui. Mujhe laga jaise zindagi khud keh rahi ho, *“Aarav, yeh ladki tumhari kahani ka important chapter banne wali hai.”*

Us waqt tak hum dono ke beech pyaar ka label nahi tha. Bas ek comfort zone tha, ek connection jo natural lagta tha. Kabhi sandwich share karna, kabhi hostel tak walk, kabhi bina reason ke ek dusre ke saath hasna. Main realize nahi kar paya ki kab woh “sirf dosti” mere dil mein kuch aur ban rahi thi.

Aur shayad usse bhi yeh feel ho raha tha.

Yeh thi meri kahani ki shuruwaat. Ek simple si mulaqat, ek casual si dosti, jo dheere-dheere mere dil ki sabse khaas jagah lene lagi.