Chapter 1- "Wo pehla CALL!"

Raat ke exactly 2 baje the. Pura Kolkata so raha tha, sadkein khali thi, hawa thandi chal rahi thi. Lekin Meher ki aankhon me neend ka naam nahi tha. Woh apne bed par chhat ko dekhte hue bas soch rahi thi — life itni complicated kyu lagti hai?

Tabhi uska phone achanak vibrate hua.

Screen par ek unknown number flash ho raha tha.

Meher ne bhauyen sikodi. Itni raat ko kaun call karega? Kuch seconds ke liye usne ignore karne ka socha… par phir curiosity jeet gayi.

Usne dheere se call receive kiya.

“Hello…?” uski awaaz halki si kaamp rahi thi.

Kuch pal ke liye complete silence tha. Sirf uski saansein sunai de rahi thi.

Phir ek ladke ki awaaz aayi — deep, calm, aur ajeeb tarah se familiar.

“Tum abhi bhi nahi soyi ho…”

Meher ka dil ekdum se tez dhadakne laga.

“Excuse me? Kaun bol raha hai?” usne thoda strong banne ki koshish ki.

Ladka halki si hansi ke saath bola, “Kal raat bhi tum 2:15 tak jaag rahi thi… aur usse pehle wali raat 3 baje tak.”

Meher ka gala sookh gaya.

Yeh koi random guess nahi ho sakta tha.

“Tum mujhe jaante ho?” usne dheere se poocha.

“Utna jitna tum khud ko bhi nahi jaanti,” usne bina delay ke jawab diya.

Meher ne turant call cut kar diya.

“Yeh koi prank hoga…” usne khud se kaha, par uska dil maan nahi raha tha.

Woh raat usne mushkil se nikali. Har chhoti si awaaz par uska dhyaan ja raha tha. Usse lag raha tha jaise koi usse dekh raha ho.

Next day, usne us call ko ignore karne ki koshish ki. Lekin dimaag me wahi awaaz ghoom rahi thi.

Aur phir…

Raat ke 2 baje.

Phone phir vibrate hua.

Wahi unknown number.

Is baar Meher ne bina soche call uthaya.

“Tum phir se…” usne gusse aur darr ke beech kaha.

“Main hamesha aata hoon,” ladke ne shaant awaaz me kaha.

“Tum chahte kya ho?” Meher almost frustrate hue boli.

“Main tumhe warn karna chahta hoon,” usne kaha.

Meher thodi der ke liye chup ho gayi.

“Kal 11:07 AM par tumhe ek call aayega. Usse ignore mat karna. Woh tumhari life change karega.”

Meher ne aankhen band kar li.

“Why should I trust you?”

“Kyuki ab tak maine jo bhi kaha hai… sab sahi tha.”

Uske paas jawab nahi tha.

Call cut ho gaya.

Next morning, Meher ne apne aap ko busy rakhne ki puri koshish ki. Par uska dhyaan baar baar phone par ja raha tha.

Aur phir…

Exactly 11:07 AM.

Uska phone baja.

Unknown number nahi… ek official number tha.

“Hello, are you Meher? This is regarding your job application…”

Uska dil thand pad gaya.

Woh slowly bed par baith gayi.

“Yeh… sach kaise ho sakta hai…?”

Us raat…

2 baje…

Phone phir baja.

Meher ne is baar bina dare call uthaya.

“Tum kaun ho?” usne seedha poocha.

Dusri taraf se ek halki si hansi sunai di.

“Main tumhara future hoon…”

Ek second ke liye silence raha.

“...aur shayad tumhara pyaar bhi.”

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