Do din baad.
Aarav apna WhatsApp scroll kar raha tha jab ek unknown number se message aaya:
"200₹ UPI ya cash?"
Aarav ne turant guess kar liya.
"Cash. Interest ke saath."
Reply aaya: "Interest? Seriously?"
"Haan, ek coffee."
Typing… stop… typing…
"Fine. Ek coffee."
Aur bas, wahi se daily chats start ho gayi.
Pehle basic:
"Kaam kya karti ho?" "Freelance designer." "Tum?" "Startup mein hu, matlab struggle kar raha hu."
Phir dheere dheere conversations deep hone lage.
"Tum itni tired kyun lag rahi thi us din?" "Life."
Aarav samajh gaya—yeh ladki simple nahi hai.
Ek raat 2 baje message aaya:
"Tum soye nahi?"
"Nahi. Tum?"
"Sleep doesn't come easily."
Pause.
Phir Ananya ne ek line likhi: "Kabhi kabhi lagta hai kisi ko farak hi nahi padta."
Aarav normally deep talks avoid karta tha.
Par usne likha: "Mujhe padta hai."
Seen.
No reply.
5 minutes… 10 minutes…
Phir ek message: "Don't say things you don't mean."
Aarav ne phone side rakha… phir uthaya… aur likha:
"Main bolta hi nahi agar mean nahi karta."
Us raat ke baad… sab kuch change hone laga.