Ego and Heart

Episode 5

Scene 1

Anaya ghar pohachti hai, lekin uska mood bilkul acha nahi hota. Dil mein ajeeb si bechaini thi, jaise kuch adhura reh gaya ho. Upar se jaise hi usne darwaza khola, chachi ki tez awaaz ne uska dimaag aur garam kar diya.

Chachi (gusse se): “Aaj kahan reh gayi thi maharani? Itni der laga di ghar aane mein?”

Anaya ka dil chaha tha ke aaj toh chachi ko ache se suna de, lekin phir usne apne aap ko rok liya. Dil mein ek ajeeb sa darr tha, jo hamesha usko chup rehne pe majboor kar deta. Usne dheemi awaaz mein kaha,

Anaya: “Woh… bus miss ho gayi thi.”

Ye sunte hi chachi aur gusse mein agayi.

Chachi (taana dete hue): “Phir tum jaldi chal nahi sakti thi jo bus miss ho gayi? Har roz koi na koi bahaana bana leti ho! Agli baar aisa hua na, toh ghar mein ghusne nahi doongi, samjhi tum?”

Anaya ne apni mutthi kas li, gusse ko andar daba liya. Dil hi dil mein barbarane lagi, “Haan haan, Mujhe ghar se nikal diya toh khana kaun banayega? Mera kaam toh waise bhi sirf chulha chauka karna hai!” Lekin zubaan se kuch nahi bola.

Yehi barbarate hue wo kitchen mein chali gayi aur khana banane lagi. Chachi bhi usko ghoorti hui apne kamre mein chali gayi, jaise koi raani ho aur Anaya sirf ek naukrani.

Scene 2

Aarav apne kamre mein tha, lekin uska dimaag ab bhi din ke waqiyat mein uljha hua tha. Uska room modern aur sophisticated tha—ek bada, neatly arranged bed, side table par ek expensive watch, aur saamne ek glass window jisme se poore sheher ki raat chamak rahi thi.

Aaj wo bus stop nahi pohonch paya tha. Meeting zaroori thi, ek aisi deal jo business ke liye bohot important thi. Lekin phir bhi, uske dimaag ke ek kone mein yeh soch baar baar aa rahi thi—Anaya ne uska intezaar kiya hoga? Ya phir bina sochay samajhay bus mein chali gayi hogi? usk dil mein ek ajeeb si chubhan ho rahi thi ki uska plan ek din ke liye delay ho gaya.

Tabhi darwaza khula aur uske parents andar aaye.

Aarav ki maa (naram awaaz mein): “Beta, tum abhi tak jaag rahe ho?”

Aarav ne jhat se apna phone side par rakha aur ek halka sa smile diya. “Haan maa, bas kuch kaam soch raha tha.”

Aarav ke father (serious tone mein): “Meeting kaise rahi?”

Aarav ne relaxed hone ki koshish ki aur bola, “Meeting achi thi. Jo deal finalize karni thi, wo ho gayi.”

Uski maa uske paas sofa par baith gayi aur pyar se uske baal sahlaane lagi. “Tum har waqt kaam mein itne lage rehte ho. Kabhi apne liye bhi time nikala karo.”

Aarav halka sa muskura diya, “Maa, yeh sab apke liye hi toh kar raha hoon.”

Uske father ne ek garv bhari nazar Aarav par daali, “Yehi soch honi chahiye. Business pe poora focus rakhna zaroori hai.”

Aarav sirf sir hila kar reh gaya. Unko nahi pata tha ki business ke saath saath wo ek aur kaam bhi kar raha tha—apna badla lene ka.

Jab uske parents room se chale gaye, toh Aarav ne phir se phone uthaya, Anaya ka naam dimaag mein ghoom raha tha. Phir ek halki si muskurahat uske chehre par aayi.

“Koi baat nahi Anaya, ek din ka delay bas ek aur interesting twist dega.”

Usne light off ki aur aankhein band kar li. Agla din naye iradon ke saath shuru hone wala tha.

Scene 3

Anaya subha uth kar bhi wahi udaasi apne andar mehsoos kar rahi thi. Kal ka din uske zehan se ja hi nahi raha tha. Dil ab bhi ek hi sawaal kar raha tha—“Wo kyun nahi aya?” Aur dimagh har baar usko shutup call de deta—“Is se kya farq padta hai?”

Lekin farq toh pad raha tha…

Jaise taise uthi, chachi chacha ka nashta banaya, lekin aaj ek bhi kaam dil se nahi kiya. Har cheez bas machine ki tarah karti gayi. Jab sheeshe ke samne aayi toh khud ko dekha. Bujhi bujhi si Anaya. Aaj na kajal lagaya, na lipstick, na koi extra effort kiya. Sirf ek simple si ponytail aur dupatta sir par theek se rakh liya.

Office pohanchi toh bhi man nahi laga. Kaam kar rahi thi, lekin har thodi der baad dil phir wahi sawaal karta—“Wo kyun nahi aya?” Aur dimagh phir dant deta—“Chup hoja!”

Yeh dil aur dimagh ki jung poora din chali.

Office time khatam hua toh woh apne bejaan kadam uthate hue bus stop ki taraf barh gayi. Jaise hi bus stop pohchi, samne Aarav ko dekh kar uska dil zor se dhadka.

Ek second ke liye toh wo ruki, phir andar hi andar barbaaraayi—“Yeh aaj kahan se aa gaya?”

Uska mann kiya ke jaldi se apni shakl check kare. Mobile nikala, camera khola aur apne aap ko dekha—thaka hua chehra, bina makeup, halka sa rough look. Jaldi se apni ponytail theek ki, dupatta adjust kiya, haath se halka sa chehra smooth kiya, aur tab tak Aarav kareeb aa chuka tha.

Wo samne khada, apni usual muskurahat ke saath…

“Hello,” Aarav ne casually kaha.

Anaya ne ek second ke liye uski taraf dekha, phir jaldi se aankhein hata lein. Dil ab bhi zor zor se dhadak raha tha…

Scene 4

Aarav ne Anaya ko khamosh dekh kar phir se bola, “Shayad aap naraz hain?”

Anaya ne apne jazbat ko control karte hue uski taraf dekha aur befiqri se jawab diya, “Nahi toh, main aap se kyun naraz hone lagi?”

Aarav ne halki muskurahat ke saath kaha, “Wo… main kal nahi aa saka na. Shayad aapne mera intezaar kiya ho.”

Anaya ne halka sa brow uthaya, jaise yeh baat uske liye maayne hi nahi rakhti. Phir ek beparwah hansi ke saath boli, “Aapko koi khush fehmi ho gayi hai. Main kisi ka intezaar nahi karti. Main apni bus kabhi kisi ke liye miss nahi karti. Aur main aapka intezaar bhala kyun karne lagi?”

Aarav ko uski befiqri phir se gussa dila gayi. Yehi befiqri toh thi jo usse bilkul pasand nahi thi. Usne kabhi kisi larki ko apne liye itna beparwah nahi dekha tha. Hamesha sab uski taraf khud ba khud khinchte chale ate the, magar ye larki… ye baar baar uske ego ko challenge kar rahi thi. Uske plan ka ek hissa tha ke Anaya uske aas paas rahe, uski taraf mayel ho. Par yeh larki toh bina kisi effort ke uske har move ko sideline kar rahi thi.

Lekin Aarav ne apni muskurahat banaye rakhi, uski adaat jo thi sab cheezon ko apne control mein rakhne ki.

“Achi baat hai,” woh casually bola jaise koi farq hi nahi pada.

Phir ek aur chaal chalta hua bola, “Acha, aapko yaad hoga maine aapko coffee ke liye kaha tha? Aaj chalein?”

Anaya ne halki si sochne wali shakal banai, jaise yaad kar rahi ho. Phir utni hi casually boli, “Haan, yaad aya. Aapko mujhe thank you kehna tha na?”

Aarav ne halka sa muskuraya, “Bilkul.”

Anaya ne ek pal socha, phir utni hi beparwahi se boli, “Is area mein ek chhota sa coffee shop hai, kareeb hi hai. Wahan chalein?”

Aarav ne andar hi andar mehsoos kiya ke uska plan ek ek step kaam kar raha hai. Jab tak yeh larki yeh samjhegi ke sab kuch ek casual dosti hai, tab tak wo apna agla move soch chuka hoga.

Usne ek charm bhari smile ke saath kaha, “After you.”