Chapter 2: Baaton Ka Silsila Aur Woh Pehli Call

Us din ke baad se, dono ke beech baaton ka silsila jaise ek khoobsurat raah par nikal pada tha. Shuruat mein Vinu jo sirf 'hmm' ya 'achha' likh kar formality poori karta tha, ab woh khud se message karne laga tha. Unki baatein ab sirf 'naam aur jagah' jaise buniyaadi sawalon tak nahi rahi thin, balki unme ek-doosre ki zindagi ko janne ki utsukta jhalakne lagi thi.

Dono ke beech ab mazaak-masti aur kheecha-taani aam baat ho gayi thi. Jab bhi waqt milta, dono phone pakad kar baith jaate. Vinu apne ghar se door rehkar padhai karta tha, jis wajah se uske paas waqt thoda kam hota tha, lekin phir bhi woh Shrii ke liye samay nikaal hi leta tha. Shrii bhi hamesha is koshish mein rehti ki apni baaton se Vinu ke chehre par ek muskaan la sake, uski thakaan mita sake.

Abhi tak Shrii aur Vinu ki dosti sirf chats tak hi simat thi, unhone kabhi ek-doosre ki awaaz nahi suni thi. Phir ek din, Vinu ne achanak Shrii ko voice call karne ko kaha. Woh message padhte hi Shrii ke haath jaise thithak gaye. Uska dil zor-zor se dhadakne laga, aur darr ke maare uske haath-pair thande pad gaye. Pehle toh usne ghabrahat mein saaf mana kar diya, par jab phone rakh kar thoda socha, toh dil ke kisi kone se aawaaz aayi ki ek baar baat kar lene mein koi burai nahi hai.

Shaam ke kareeb 4:30 baje, Vinu ne usi app par Shrii ko call kiya. Shrii ne darte-darte call receive kiya. Lekin jo Shrii call uthane se pehle darr aur ghabrahat se kaamp rahi thi, call connect hote hi woh ekdam se comfortable ho gayi. Vinu ki aawaaz mein ek aisa apnapan tha ki Shrii ka saara darr pal bhar mein gayab ho gaya. Uski hassi sunkar Shrii ke andar ek ajeeb si khushi daud gayi. Dono aise baat karne lage jaise barson purane dost hon, jinki aawaaz ek-doosre ke liye bilkul anjaan nahi thi.

Baaton-baaton mein Shrii ne call par hi Vinu ko apne do sabse acche doston se milwaya aur unki baat karwayi. Usne bataya ki kaise woh school ke dino se hamesha sath rahe hain. Isi tarah haste-muskurate unki baat lagbhag ek ghante tak chalti rahi. Woh ek ghanta kab beet gaya, dono mein se kisi ko pata hi nahi chala. Shrii ke liye yeh pehli baar tha jab usne kisi ladke se is tarah khul kar, bina kisi jhijhak ke itni friendly baat ki thi.

Kyunki dono alag-alag shehron se talluq rakhte the, isliye unki bhasha aur rehne ke tareeqon mein thoda farq tha. Baaton ke dauran unki local chizon par bhi thodi chulbuli behas hui, jaise:

Vinu ne bade chaav se kaha, "Tumhe pata hai, yahan humare shehar mein panipuri bahut achhi milti hai. Mujhe toh bahut pasand hai!"

Shrii ne turant muskura kar jawab diya, "Haan, humare yahan pe bhi gupchup bahut achha milta hai."

Vinu thoda heraan hua, "Gupchup? Yeh kya hota hai?"

Shrii ne haste huye kaha, "Buddhū! Humare yahan panipuri ko hi gupchup kehte hain."

Vinu khilkhila kar hass pada, "Achha! Bahut funny aur cute naam hai yeh toh!"

Call katne ke baad bhi Shrii ke chehre se woh muskurahat hatne ka naam nahi le rahi thi. Usne ek gehri saans li aur phone ko bade pyaar se apne seene se laga liya. Jo ladka chats par itna shaant aur chup-chup rehta tha, woh call par itna khul kar baat karega, yeh usne khwab mein bhi nahi socha tha. 'Gupchup' aur 'panipuri' ki is chhoti si nok-jhook ne unke beech ki bhasha ki doori ko jaise pal bhar mein mita diya tha. Phone ko dekhte huye Shrii ko andar se mehsoos ho raha tha ki shayad… uski aam si zindagi mein ek bahut pyaara aur khoobsurat badlav aane wala hai.

Par kehte hain na, jab zindagi zaroorat se zyada khoobsurat lagne lage, toh darr lagne lagta hai. Shrii ke dil mein ek taraf jahan khushi ke diye jal rahe the, wahin ek chota sa darr ka kona bhi tha. Woh ladka jo uske liye kal tak anjaan tha, aaj uski aawaaz Shrii ke sukoon ka sabab ban gayi thi.

Par kya yeh badlav sach mein itna hi masoom tha?

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