Episode 5: Scars You Can’t See

Aaj ka din unusual quiet tha.

Classroom mein sab kuch normal chal raha tha… lekin Aarav ke liye sab kuch off feel ho raha tha.

Uski nazar baar baar empty seat par ja rahi thi.

Miyu absent thi.

Kal jo hua… uske baad yeh expected tha.

Lekin phir bhi… Aarav ke andar ek ajeeb sa guilt tha.

“Focus, Aarav,” teacher ki awaaz aati hai.

Woh jhatka kha kar seedha ho jata hai.

“…Sorry, ma’am.”

Lekin uska dimaag ab bhi wahi atka hua tha.

---

⏱️ After School

Aarav directly ghar nahi jata.

Woh bina soche samjhe Miyu ke ghar ke area ki taraf chal padta hai.

Usse pata nahi kyun… par woh bas usse dekhna chahta tha.

Confirm karna chahta tha… ki woh theek hai.

Halka sa badal chhaya hua tha… hawa bhi thodi thandi thi.

Aarav ek corner par rukta hai.

Aur tabhi—

Usse ek awaaz sunai deti hai.

Halka sa… jaise koi ro raha ho.

Woh dheere dheere us awaaz ki taraf badhta hai.

---

🌳 Park Scene

Ek chhota sa park hota hai… almost empty.

Waha ek bench par koi baitha hota hai.

Miyu.

Uska face neeche jhuka hua hota hai… aur uski shoulders halki si shake kar rahi hoti hain.

Woh ro rahi thi.

Aarav ek second ke liye freeze ho jata hai.

Usne kabhi Miyu ko aise nahi dekha tha.

Hamesha smile karne wali… cheerful… strong.

Aur aaj—

Bilkul toot chuki thi.

“Aur main… usse aise hi chhod diya,” Aarav dheere se bolta hai.

Woh uske paas jaata hai.

“Miyu…”

Miyu turant apna face wipe karti hai… jaise kuch hua hi nahi.

“Tum yahan kya kar rahe ho?” woh normal banne ki koshish karti hai.

Aarav uske paas baith jata hai.

“…Tum theek nahi ho.”

“Main theek hoon,” Miyu jaldi se bolti hai.

Aarav sir hilata hai.

“Nahi ho.”

Miyu kuch seconds tak chup rehti hai.

Phir dheere se bolti hai—

“Tumhe kya farq padta hai?”

Yeh line seedha Aarav ke dil par lagti hai.

“…Padta hai,” woh softly bolta hai.

Miyu uski taraf dekhti hai.

Uski aankhon mein tears ab bhi the.

“Sab log same hote hain,” woh dheere se bolti hai.

“Pehle close aate hain… phir chale jaate hain.”

Aarav confused ho jata hai.

“Matlab?”

Miyu halki si hasti hai… lekin woh smile bilkul broken thi.

“Japan mein… meri mom thi.”

Woh rukti hai… jaise words dhoond rahi ho.

“Dad already chhod chuke the hume… aur phir…”

Uski awaaz dheere se toot jati hai.

“Mom bhi chali gayi.”

Aarav ka expression change ho jata hai.

Miyu aage bolti hai—

“Uske baad… main relatives ke saath shift ho gayi.”

“Sab log bolte the strong bano… move on karo…”

Woh aankhen band karti hai.

“Par koi nahi samjha… ki main already kitni lonely ho chuki thi.”

Silence chha jata hai.

Halka sa hawa ka jhonka aata hai.

Aarav dheere se bolta hai—

“Isliye tum… itni smile karti ho?”

Miyu uski taraf dekhti hai.

“…Haan.”

“Kyuki agar main smile nahi karungi… toh shayad main toot jaungi.”

Aarav kuch nahi bol pata.

Uske paas words nahi the.

Lekin uska dil… bahut heavy ho chuka tha.

---

🤍 A Soft Moment

Aarav dheere se apna haath aage badhata hai…

Aur Miyu ke haath par rakh deta hai.

Miyu thoda sa surprise hoti hai.

“…Tum akeli nahi ho,” Aarav softly bolta hai.

Yeh simple words the.

Lekin unka weight bahut zyada tha.

Miyu ki aankhon se phir se tears girte hain…

Lekin is baar—

Unme thoda sa relief bhi tha.

---

🌅 Ending Scene

Sunset ho raha hota hai.

Orange light un dono par gir rahi hoti hai.

Miyu dheere se bolti hai—

“Thanks… Aarav.”

Aarav sirf sir hilata hai.

Aur us moment mein—

Unke beech kuch aur strong ho jata hai.

Kuch jo words se explain nahi ho sakta.

---

✨ Har smile ke peeche ek kahani hoti hai… aur har kahani mein kuch aise scars hote hain jo kabhi dikhte nahi.

To be continued… 💫

Next episode kal aayega ❤️ Vote aur comment zaroor karna!

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***