Between Distances: An Unspoken Tale of Love - II

Between Distances: 

An Unspoken Tale of Love : II

Baarish ki geeli sadoon par chal raha tha Vivaan, jab uski nazar ek parichit chehre par ja ruki. Radhika. Haathon me ek chhota puppy, aankhon me wohi namkeen dukh jo us din lake ke paas tha.

Vivaan (softly): "Tumne mujhe dhoondha?"

Radhika ne halka sa muskuraya, jaise koi raaz chhupa rahi ho.

Radhika: "Nahi… bas yeh puppy road pe mila, aur mujhe laga ki tum madad karoge."

Vivaan ne puppy ke geele balon ko chooa. Yeh chhoti si jaan bhi jaise koi kahani sunane aayi thi.

Radhika: "Pata nahi, par aaj mujhe tumse milne ka man ho raha tha. Shayad aadat pad gayi hai."

Vivaan bhi muskuraya, "Aadat toh mujhe bhi pad gayi hai."

Baarish ki boondein gir rahi thi, aur dono ke beech ek aisi khamoshi thi jo sirf mohabbat samajh sakti thi.

Us din ke baad, dono roz milne lage. Lake ke paas baithna, chai peena, baatein karna, aur har lamha ek nayi yaadon me badal jana.

Ek din Vivaan ne pucha, "Radhika, tumhare sapne kya hain?"

Radhika ne halki si thandi aah bhari, "Bas ek aisi jagah jaha main bina kisi darr ke jee sakun… jaha kisi ki expectations puri na karni pade."

Vivaan ne dheere se pucha, "Aur pyaar?"

Radhika ki aankhon me ek bechaini thi, "Pyaar to sab chahte hain, par har kisi ko milta thodi hai?"

Vivaan ne uske dukh ko mehsoos kiya. Shayad pyaar se uska bharosa uth chuka tha. Par Vivaan ka dil ab uske liye kuch aur mehsoos karne laga tha.

Ek raat, jab dono lake ke paas baithe the, Vivaan ne kaha, "Mujhe lagta hai… kuch cheezein sirf ek baar hoti hain, par wo kabhi khatam nahi hoti."

Radhika ne curious hoke pucha, "Kaisi cheezein?"

Vivaan ne uski aankhon me dekha, "Jaise sachcha pyaar."

Halki hawa, chandni raat, aur ek aisi khamoshi jo sab kuch keh rahi thi.

Lekin phir, bina kisi wajah ke Radhika ne Vivaan se milna band kar diya. Koi call nahi, koi message nahi. Vivaan har shaam lake ke paas jaata, par Radhika nahi aayi.

Ek din chai ki dukan me uski cup ke neeche ek chitthi mili—

"Kuch baatein adhuri reh jayein, to behtar hota hai…"

Vivaan ke haath kaanp gaye. Usne aas paas dekha, shayad Radhika wapas aayegi…

Par wo nahi aayi.

Radhika ke bina Vivaan ki duniya ek ajeeb andheron me dub gayi. Har din wahi lake, wahi chai ki dukaan, wahi jagah… lekin ab wo akela tha.

Ek raat jab Vivaan baarish me chal raha tha, ek purani diary uske ghar ke samne mili. Us diary ka pehla panna—

"Agar main chali jaun, to samajhna ki wapas aane ke liye gaya hoon…"

Vivaan ki neend udd gayi. Kya Radhika kisi musibat me thi? Kya usne khud ko khoya tha? Kya Vivaan ab tak ek aisi kahani jee raha tha jo sirf ek wahem thi?

To be continued...