Monday morning.

Mumbai ki halki baarish ke baad college campus unusually fresh lag raha tha.

Green trees se paani ki boondein abhi bhi gir rahi thi, corridors mein students ki awaazein goonj rahi thi, aur canteen ke bahar usual bheed lagi hui thi.

Lekin Aarav Malhotra ka attention in sab cheezon par nahi tha.

Uski nazar sirf ek jagah thi.

College gate ke paas.

White kurti, blue jeans, shoulder par bag aur haath mein coffee cup liye Meher Kapoor campus mein enter kar rahi thi.

Aarav ke lips par automatically smile aa gayi.

Kabir ne uski taraf dekha.

“Bhai.”

Aarav ne response nahi diya.

Kabir ne uske saamne fingers snap ki.

“Bhaiiiii.”

Aarav blink karta hai.

“Haan?”

Kabir ne Meher ki taraf dekha, phir Aarav ki taraf.

“Main ek baat bolun?”

“Bol.”

“Tu usse dekhte waqt normal insaan kyun nahi rehta?”

Aarav chuckled.

“Jealous hai?”

“Main? Tujhse? Bilkul nahi.”

Kabir ne dramatic expression banaya.

“Bas mujhe ye samajh nahi aata ki college mein aur bhi log hain.”

Aarav ne casually kaha,

“Haan hain.”

“Phir?”

“Par Meher ek hi hai.”

Kabir ne apna forehead pakad liya.

“Gaya tu.”

Aarav smile karte hue Meher ki taraf badh gaya.

Meher ne jaise hi use dekha, uske face par bhi smile aa gayi.

“Good morning.”

Aarav uske saamne ruk gaya.

“Good morning, Ms. Late.”

Meher ne eyebrows raise ki.

“Main late nahi hoon.”

“Class dus minute pehle start ho chuki hai.”

“Professor bhi late aaye honge.”

“Wah.”

Aarav ne uska coffee cup dekha.

“Ye meri coffee hai?”

Meher ne cup apne chest ke paas kar liya.

“Nahi.”

“Ek sip.”

“No.”

“Meher.”

“No means no.”

Aarav ne uski aankhon mein dekhte hue smile ki.

“Please?”

Meher kuch seconds tak usse dekhti rahi.

Phir cup uski taraf badha diya.

“Sirf ek sip.”

Aarav ne cup liya, ek sip li aur cup wapas kar diya.

“Perfect.”

Meher ne cup dekha.

“Tumne aadhi pee li.”

“Ek sip bola tha. Kitni badi sip thi, ye specify nahi kiya tha.”

Meher ne uske shoulder par halka sa punch kiya.

“Idiot.”

Aarav hansa.

“Tumhara idiot.”

Meher ki smile ek second ke liye aur wide ho gayi.

“Unfortunately.”

“Fortunately.”

Dono ek saath classroom ki taraf chal pade.

Peeche Kabir aur Anaya khade unhe dekh rahe the.

Anaya ne smile karte hue kaha,

“Ye dono kabhi normal baat karenge?”

Kabir ne sir hilaya.

“Impossible.”

---

During the Lecture

Professor board par kuch explain kar rahe the.

Meher notes likh rahi thi.

Aarav?

Woh notes se zyada Meher ko dekh raha tha.

Meher ne bina uski taraf dekhe dheere se kaha,

“Stop staring.”

Aarav ne innocent expression banaya.

“Main toh board dekh raha hoon.”

“Board tumhare left mein hai.”

Aarav ne ek second board ki taraf dekha.

“Achha.”

Meher hansi rokne ki koshish karne lagi.

Professor ki awaaz suddenly un dono ki taraf aayi.

“Mr. Malhotra.”

Aarav seedha ho gaya.

“Yes, sir?”

“Since you seem very interested in something other than my lecture, perhaps you can answer the question.”

Class mein halki hasi goonj gayi.

Aarav ne ek second socha.

Phir confidently answer de diya.

Professor ne nod kiya.

“Correct.”

Meher ne uski taraf dekha.

“Show-off.”

Aarav ne whisper kiya,

“Tumhare saamne toh karna padega.”

Meher ne aankhein ghumayi.

Lekin smile chhupa nahi paayi.

---

After College

Shaam ke waqt campus almost empty ho chuka tha.

Meher stairs par baithi sunset dekh rahi thi.

Aarav uske paas aakar baith gaya.

“Ghar nahi jaana?”

“Thodi der mein.”

“Sab theek?”

Meher ne uski taraf dekha.

“Haan.”

“Sure?”

“Haan, Aarav.”

“Tum jab mera naam aise bolti ho na, tab mujhe lagta hai definitely kuch gadbad hai.”

Meher laughed.

“Tum mujhe itna kaise samajh lete ho?”

Aarav ne shoulders shrug kiye.

“Pata nahi.”

Phir thoda ruk kar bola,

“Shayad kyunki tum important ho.”

Meher chup ho gayi.

Aarav ne uski taraf dekha.

“Too cheesy?”

Meher ne dheere se head shake kiya.

“No.”

“Then?”

“Perfect.”

Kuch seconds tak dono bas saamne sunset dekhte rahe.

Meher ne dheere se apna haath Aarav ke haath par rakh diya.

Aarav ne uski fingers gently hold kar li.

No big promises.

No dramatic words.

Bas dono ek saath the.

Aur us waqt unhe lag raha tha—

ye moment kabhi khatam nahi hoga.

Aarav ne Meher ki taraf dekha.

“Kal milogi?”

Meher hansi.

“Kal bhi?”

“Daily.”

“Bore nahi hoge?”

Aarav ne uska haath thoda squeeze kiya.

“Tumse?”

He smiled.

“Never.”

Meher ne uske shoulder par head rakh diya.

Aur dono sunset ko dekhte rahe.

Unhe kya pata tha…

Kuch kahaniyan khatam hone se pehle itni khoobsurat hoti hain ki baad mein unki yaad hi sabse zyada dard deti hai.