Ego and Heart

Episode 4

Scene 1

Raat ka sannata har taraf chhaya hua tha. Anaya apne chhote se kamre mein bed par lete hue soch mein doobi thi. Uska kamra ek typical middle-class bedroom tha—ek side par ek chhoti si almirah, jisme sirf zaroori kapde the, ek kona jahan usne apni kuch kitaabein aur ek purani diary sambhal kar rakhi thi. Diwaron par kuch purane posters lage the, jo waqt ke saath halka sa utar chuke the. Ek corner mein ek table fan chal raha tha, jo thodi si awaz kar raha tha, lekin Anaya us awaz ko mehsoos bhi nahi kar rahi thi.

Uski aankhein chhat par tikki hui thi, lekin uska dimagh kisi aur hi soch mein uljha tha.

“Mujhe is ladke ke baare mein itna kyun sochna pad raha hai?”

Usne karwat li aur apna takiya zor se pakad liya.

“Kya bas is liye kyunki kisi ne pehli baar mujhse tameez aur izzat se baat ki? Koi aise mila jo mujhe sirf ek zimmedari nahi samajhta?”

Uska dil dukh se bhar gaya. Bachpan se le kar aaj tak, uske chacha aur chachi ki baatein sirf tanon se bhari hoti thi. Usko kabhi bhi ghar ka ek hissa mehsoos hi nahi hone diya gaya. Dost bhi zyada nahi the, aur jo the, wo bas formal baat karne wale log the.

Magar Aarav…

Uski baatein, uska muskurana, wo mazak urane ka tareeqa—sab Anaya ke andar ek ajeeb si halchal paida kar raha tha.

“Nahi, ye bas ek chhoti si mulaqat thi. Yeh sochne laayak bhi nahi hai.”

Usne apni aankhein band karlein, lekin uska dil nahi maanta tha. Uska chehra ab bhi uske zehen mein ghoom raha tha.

Thodi dair aur ladhne ke baad, uski soch dheere dheere dhundhli hone lagi… Aur phir neend ne use apni godh mein le liya.

Scene 2

Pata nahi aaj Anaya ko kya ho raha tha. Subah se woh apne aap ko sheeshe mein dekh dekh kar sharma rahi thi. Aaj usne apne upar zyada dihaan diya tha—jo kaam woh kabhi nahi karti thi. Apni usual boring ponytail ki jagah usne baalon ko halka sa khula chhoda, kajal bhi thoda gehra lagaya aur halki si lipstick bhi.

“Yeh main kya kar rahi hoon?”

Woh apni sochon ko jhatakti hui ghar se nikal gayi. Jaise hamesha, nashta toh uske naseeb mein nahi tha. Sirf chacha-chachi ke liye nashta bana kar nikal gayi, jaise har din karti thi.

Office pohanchne ke baad, usne apni routine ki tarah coffee machine se ek cup cappuccino nikala aur apni table par jaakar beth gayi. Kaam shuru karna chahti thi, magar dil kisi aur fikr mein uljha tha. Har sip ke saath ek hi chehra samne aata raha—Aarav ka.

“Ye kya ho raha hai mujhe? Bas do baar mili hoon us se.”

Dil bechain ho raha tha, kaam mein bilkul bhi mann nahi lag raha tha. Har dafa screen dekhne ki jagah kisi aur soch mein kho jaati. Sara di aise hi guzar hagaya. Jaise hi office ka waqt khatam hone wala tha,Wo washroom chali gayi, Wahan jaakar ek gehri saans li, apne aap ko sheeshe mein dekha. Achaanak usne lipstick ka halka sa touch-up kiya—pehli baar bina kisi wajah ke. Phir ek gehri nazar apni reflection par daali.

Kya woh sach mein kisi se milne ke liye tayar ho rahi thi?

Anaya bina kisi deri ke bus stop ki taraf nikal gayi. Aaj woh bas time par pahunchna chahti thi.

Bus stop par aaj ek ajeeb si bechaini thi. Aarav aayega, ye soch kar usne apni nazar idhar udhar daudai. Magar intezaar lamba hota gaya… Aarav nahi aaya.

Uski pehli bus aayi, Ek ek karke bus stop se log jaane lage, bus aayi… lekin Anaya khadi rahi. Bus ke darwaze khule rahe, driver ne awaaz bhi di, par uske pair ruke rahe.“Shayad traffic mein phas gaya ho,” usne apne dil ko tasalli di. Aaj traffic bhi zaroorat se zyada tha.

Bus chal padi, magar woh wahin khadi rahi. Dil tasalli de raha tha ke “Bas, abhi aata hoga.”

Phir dusri bus bhi aagayi… Magar Aarav nahi aaya.

Is baar bus miss karna afford nahi kar sakti thi. Agar der hoti toh ghar jaakar chachi usse kacha chaba jati. Majbooran, woh bus mein chadh gayi.

Lekin jaise hi apni seat par baithi, ek ajeeb si udaasi uske dil par cha gayi.

“Kyun nahi aaya?”

Ek teekhi chhuri jaise dil ke kisi kone mein chali gayi.

Lekin foran hi apne aap ko jhatka diya. “Bas Anaya, sapne dekhna band karo. Bare aadmi aise hi hote hain.”

Usne khud ko samjhane ki koshish ki… Magar ek halka sa dukh uske chehre par chhup nahi sakha.

Scene 3 – Aarav’s Side of the Story

Aarav apne office ki glass window se bahar dekh raha tha. Sheher ki rush bhari sadkein neeche chal rahi thi, magar uska dimaag sirf ek jagah tha—bus stop.

Uski meeting 5:30 par set thi, lekin woh chahta tha ke yeh jaldi nipat jaye taake woh apne plan ka agla step le sake. Bus stop par Anaya se milna sirf ek tasaduf nahi tha, yeh sab plan ka hissa tha.

Aarav ne apne assistant ko bula kar kaha, “Client ko bolo ke meeting sharp 5:30 pe shuru ho. Mujhe late nahi karna.”

Assistant ne haan mein sir hilaya aur chala gaya. Aarav apne desk par wapas aaya, apna expensive watch dekha, aur ek halki muskurahat uske chehre par aayi.

“Woh samajhti hai ke yeh sab ek coincidence hai…”

Usne coffee ka sip liya, apne chair pe relax hote hue socha, “Par Anaya… tumhe andaza bhi nahi ke tum ek khel ka hissa ban chuki ho.”

Meeting time par shuru hui. Clients aaye, presentation perfect chal rahi thi, lekin uske dimaag ka ek hissa ab bhi us waqt ka intezaar kar raha tha jab woh bus stop par hoga.

Jab clock ne 5:50 dikhaya, uska sabr khatam ho raha tha. Woh jaanta tha agar jaldi na ki, toh Anaya chali jaayegi.

Magar tabhi ek client ne ek important contract clause par discussion chhed diya.

Aarav ne andar hi andar ek deep breath li. Yeh meeting uske liye zaroori thi.

Usne apni wajah pe ek confident expression rakha, jaise koi farq nahi pad raha ho, magar andar se irritation badh rahi thi.

6 baj gaye.

6:10…

“Damn it.” Usne andar hi andar socha.

Meeting ab bhi chal rahi thi. Uska waqt nikal raha tha.

Lekin woh utne arse se business sambhal raha tha, usne kabhi apne plans ko fail hone nahi diya.

Jab meeting 6:20 par khatam hui, usne apne assistant ko dekha aur kaha, “Gaadi nikalwao.”

Woh jaldi se office building se nikal kar apni black SUV ki taraf badha. Car me baithte hi driver se bola, “Bus stop chalo. Tez chalao.”

Magar jab gaadi bus stop par pohnchi… wo jagah khali thi.

Usne ek nazar road par daali, shayad kahin Anaya dikh jaaye. Magar nahi. Woh ja chuki thi.

Aarav ne apni fingers se steering wheel pe halki tap ki, ek chhoti si muskurahat uske chehre pe aayi.

“Koi baat nahi, Anaya. Ab tak tum soch rahi hogi ke maine tumse jhoot bola. Ke main aaya hi nahi. Yeh sab bas ek game ka hissa hai…”

Usne apne sunglasses pehene, gaadi ka sheesha upar kiya aur calm tone mein bola—“Chalo ghar.”