Coaching ka lunch break tha.
Mai apni usual jagah par baitha tha—
ek kone mein… book ke saath.
Baaki sab groups mein baat kar rahe the,
hans rahe the…
Aur mai—
apni hi duniya mein.
Tabhi ek awaaz aayi—
"Tum hamesha itna serious rehte ho kya?"
Maine upar dekha…
Ek ladki khadi thi.
Simple look…
haath mein notes…
aur face par halki si smile.
"Uh… haan… matlab… padhai…"
Mai thoda awkward ho gaya.
Woh hans padi—
"Relax… NEET hi dena hai, war nahi ladni."
Maine bhi halka sa smile kar diya.
"Tum?"
"Ananya."
"Main Aarav…"
Ananya uske paas baith gayi.
"Tumhare marks kaafi improve hue hain na? 528?"
Aarav shock—
"Tumhe kaise pata?"
"Coaching mein news fast spread hoti hai 😄"
Thodi der dono chup rahe…
Phir Ananya ne uski copy uthayi—
"Tum Physics kaise padhte ho?"
Aarav ne explain karna start kiya…
Aur dheere-dheere woh awkward silence ek normal conversation mein change ho gaya.
Us din ke baad…
Kabhi library mein…
kabhi doubt session mein…
kabhi break ke time…
Dono mil jaate.
Ananya ek cheez mein strong thi—
Biology
Aur mai—
Physics & Chemistry
Humdono ek dusre ko help karne lage.
"Ye line NCERT ki direct hai, yaad kar lo,"
Ananya bolti.
"Is question ka shortcut hai,"
Mai samjhata.
Par dheere-dheere…
Kuch aur bhi change ho raha tha.
Mai jo pehle akela feel karta tha…
Ab itna tanha nahi lagta tha.
Ek din Ananya ne mujhse poocha—
"Tum itna push kyun kar rahe ho khud ko?"
Maine thoda socha…
Aur bola—
"Kyuki mujhe apni life change karni hai."
Ananya ne sir hilaaya—
"Same."
Us moment mein dono samajh gaye—
Yeh sirf padhai nahi hai…
yeh unka shared dream hai.
Par mere dimaag mein ek clear line thi—
"Distraction nahi… direction."
Maine khud se kaha—
"Yeh feeling achhi hai…
par mera focus abhi bhi ek hi hai—NEET."
Raat ko diary mein maine likha—
"Aaj pehli baar safar thoda halka laga…"
Aur last mein ek chhoti si line add ki—
"Shayad… yeh journey ab itni akeli nahi rahi."
"Har strong journey mein ek unexpected entry zaroor hoti hai…
jo kahani ka direction nahi,
uski depth badal deti hai."
"Kabhi-kabhi safar mein koi mil jata hai…
jo raasta nahi badalta,
par chalna aasaan kar deta hai."
"Aarav ne kabhi expect nahi kiya tha ki uski itni tough journey mein koi aayega…
par jab Ananya aayi,
toh usne uska raasta nahi badla…
bas uske safar ko thoda aasaan bana diya."
"Aarav ki life mein Ananya ki entry unexpected thi,
par uska impact powerful tha…
kyunki woh distraction nahi bani,
woh uski strength ban gayi."