"Mom, seriously? Third floor?"

Aanya ne apna suitcase seedhiyon par ghaseette hue kaha.

"Lift next month lag jayegi," uski mom ne hansi rok kar jawab diya.

Aanya ne aankhein ghumayi.

"Sab log yahi bolte hain."

Finally wo apne naye apartment ke saamne pahunch gayi.

Flat No. 304.

Usne door unlock kiya aur andar chali gayi.

Nayi city.

Naya college.

Nayi life.

Sab kuch naya tha.

Lekin use bilkul andaza nahi tha ki uske saamne wale flat mein rehne wala ladka uski poori zindagi ulat-pulat karne wala tha.

Shaam ko Aanya balcony mein coffee lekar khadi thi.

Tabhi saamne wali balcony ka door khula.

Ek ladka bahar aaya.

Black t-shirt.

Messy hair.

Headphones gale mein.

Aur haath mein guitar.

Usne Aanya ki taraf dekha.

Aanya ne turant nazar hata li.

Lekin der ho chuki thi.

Ladka dekh chuka tha.

"Kya tum new ho yahan?"

Usne balcony se pucha.

Aanya ne casual banne ki koshish ki.

"Haan."

"Main Kabir."

"Theek hai."

Kabir hans pada.

"Bas theek hai?"

"Tumne naam bataya. Maine sun liya."

Kabir ne balcony ki railing par jhukte hue kaha,

"Tum hamesha itni rude ho ya aaj special occasion hai?"

Aanya ne coffee sip ki.

"Tum hamesha itna bolte ho ya aaj special occasion hai?"

Do second ki khamoshi.

Phir dono ek saath hans pade.

Us raat Aanya ko baar-baar Kabir yaad aa raha tha.

Aur ajeeb baat ye thi...

Uska chehra yaad karke use smile aa rahi thi.

Next Morning ☀️

College ke pehle din Aanya late ho gayi.

Wo bhaagte hue apartment se nikli.

Aur seedha kisi se takra gayi.

"OW!"

Uski books zameen par gir gayi.

"Sorry!"

Ek familiar awaaz sunai di.

Kabir.

"Tum?"

Aanya ne kaha.

"Tum?"

Kabir ne bhi repeat kiya.

"Wait..."

Aanya ki aankhein badi ho gayi.

"Tum bhi St. Xavier's mein ho?"

"Haan."

Kabir muskuraaya.

"Looks like tum mujhse bach nahi sakti."

College Days ❤️

Agle kuch hafton mein dono kaafi close ho gaye.

Classes.

Cafeteria.

Library.

Late-night chats.

Sab saath hone laga.

Ek raat 1 baje.

Aanya padh rahi thi.

Tabhi phone vibrate hua.

📱 Kabir: Balcony. Now.

Aanya balcony mein gayi.

Kabir saamne khada tha.

Haath mein ice cream.

"Raat ke 1 baje?"

Aanya ne pucha.

"Heartbreak emergency."

"Kya hua?"

"Mom ne mera favourite cake finish kar diya."

Aanya itni zor se hansi ki uski aankhon mein aansu aa gaye.

Kabir use dekhta raha.

Bas dekhta raha.

"Tum haste hue zyada achhi lagti ho."

Aanya ki hansi ruk gayi.

Dil ki dhadkan thodi badh gayi.

Pehli baar.

Kuch alag sa feel hua.

Aur us raat...

Dono 3 baje tak balcony mein baith kar baatein karte rahe.

Chaand ke neeche.

Ek dusre ke saamne.

Jaise duniya mein aur koi ho hi na.

To Be Continued... ❤️🔥