Present Mein Ajnabi, Future Mein Humsafar

Aasmaan par kaale badal ghir aaye the, aur bahar musaldaar baarish ho rahi thi. Main khidki ke paas khada chai ki chuski le raha tha, tabhi Aanya peeche se aai aur usne meri kamar ke gird apne haath lapet diye. Usne apna sar mere kandhe par tika diya.

Maine uska haath pakada, khidki par girri paani ki boondon ko dekha aur muskurakar kaha—"Pata hai Aanya, jab bhi yeh baarish hoti hai na, mujhe humari pehli mulaqaat yaad aa jaati hai..."

Yeh kuch saal pehle ki baat hai. Main apni purani scooter se ghar laut raha tha ki achanak tez baarish shuru ho gayi. Maine scooter ko ek chote se chai ke tapri ke tin ke chhappar ke neeche khada kiya. Usi waqt, ek ladki scooty rok kar chhappar ke doosre kone mein aa khadi hui. Usne apna helmet utara, apne geele baalon ko peeche kiya aur ek lambi saans li.

Woh Aanya thi.

Main use chori-chori dekh raha tha. Hum dono ek hi mohalle mein rehte the, lekin phir bhi ek doosre ke liye bilkul ajnabi the. Main ek local courier company mein delivery manager tha—har mahine ke hisaab-kitaab mein uljha hua, aur woh ek bank mein cashier thi—shaant aur apni hi duniya mein rehne wali.

Tapri wale ke paas sirf ek hi cup chai bachi thi. Maine bina kuch soche woh cup Aanya ko de diya. Usne muskura kar 'Thank you' kaha aur apna naam bataya. Maine bhi apna naam bataya—'Rishabh'. Bas, wahan se humari ek choti si pehchaan shuru hui.

Agle kuch mahino tak hum market ya colony ke mod par aamne-saamne aate rahe. Bas ek formal muskaan hoti thi. Hum tab tak ek doosre ke liye bilkul ajnabi the.

Lekin phir ek shaam, aisi musaldaar baarish hui jisne humari zindagi badal di.

Aanya sadak par phans gayi thi, uski scooty start nahi ho rahi thi. Maine dekha ki woh poori bheeg chuki hai. Main chhatta lekar uske paas gaya aur kaha, "Mera ghar paas hi hai, jab tak baarish rukti nahi, wahan chalte hain." Usne meri aankhon mein dekha aur bina kisi darr ke haan kar di.

Jaise hi hum mere chote se flat mein aaye, maine darwaza band kar diya. Bahar toofan aur bijli ki garaj thi, aur andar ek ajeeb sa sannaata. Aanya ke kapde geele the, uske baalon se paani ki boondein uski gardan par dhal rahi thi. Maine use ek towel diya aur hum dono balcony ke paas khade hokar garam chai peene lage.

Thand aur baarish ki seel ne mahaul mein ek ajeeb si garmahat ghol di thi.

"Tum hamesha sabka itna khayal rakhte ho?" Aanya ne meri taraf dekh kar behad narmi se poocha.

Maine uski aankhon mein dekha. Uski thartharati hui paalkein aur geele baal mere andar ek gahra junoon jaga rahe the. Maine ek kadam aage badhaya aur kaha, "Main sirf unka khayal rakhta hoon jo dil ke paas hote hain."

Maine aahista se apna haath uski kamar par rakha. Aanya ke jism mein ek lehar daud gayi. Usne bina kisi jhijhak ke apne haath meri gardan mein daal diye aur mujhe apne paas kheench liya.

Woh humara pehla aur behad junooni hug tha. Uski garmahat aur uski saansein meri hiq par mehsoos ho rahi thi. Maine Aanya ka chehra apne haathon mein thama aur uske thartharate honthon par jhuk gaya. Unka woh pehla kiss behad intense aur jazbaati tha. Aanya ne mere baalon mein apni ungliyan uljha li aur poori tarah mere aagosh mein samā gayi.

Bahar ki baarish ke beech, humara woh milan kisi toofan se kam nahi tha. Maine Aanya ko apni baahon mein uthaya aur bedroom ki taraf badh gaya.

Bed par litate hi Aanya ki saansein tez ho chuki thi. Maine aahista-aahista uske geele kapdon ko uske jism se juda kiya. Meri har ek touch ke sath uski saansein aur behak rahi thi. Mere lips uski gardan, uske shoulders aur kamar par badhte gaye, jisse uske andar ek mardana junooni lehar daudne lagi.

Us raat, humari saansein, humari dhadkanein aur humara sparsh ek doosre mein poori tarah ghul gaya. Wahan koi darr nahi tha—sirf ek doosre ko paane ki behad gehri chahat thi. Us raat hum dono ne ek doosre ki rooh aur jism ko apna bana liya.

Us raat ke baad, humara rishta ek nayi disha mein badh gaya. Hum ek doosre ke sath ek gahre relationship mein aa gaye. Hum shaam ko milte, apne sapno aur dardo ko baant te.

Kuch saalon ke haseen safar aur ghar walon ki sehmati ke baad, humne shaadi kar li.

Kahaani khatam karte hue maine Aanya ko aur zorkar apne seene se lagaya aur uske kaan mein kaha—"Dekho Aanya, jo ek din chai ki tapri par mere liye Present mein Ajnabi the, aaj wohi meri zindagi ka sabse khoobsoorat Future mein Humsafar ban kar mere paas hai."

Aanya ne muskura kar mere lips par ek halki kiss ki aur boli, "Aur yeh Ajnabi ab hamesha ke liye tumhara hi rahega, Rishabh."

Khidki ke bahar baarish waisi hi ho rahi thi, lekin aaj humare ghar mein sirf suraksha, sukoon aur ek kabhi na khatam hone wala pyar tha.