Mere haath mein cocktail glass tha, lekin uska taste mujhe yaad nahi. Party ke beech mein main ek corner mein khada tha, tabhi meri nazar unpe padi. Ek aurat — na jaane kaun thi, lekin uski presence ne wahin ka wahin jama diya. Woh apne pati ke saath thi, haath mein champagne ka flute, lekin uski aankhein… woh mujhe dekh rahi thi. Lekin woh dekhna aisa nahi tha jaise koi stranger ko dekhta hai. Thoda aur thehra hua, thoda aur sochta hua. Jaise woh kuch poochhna chahti ho, lekin bol nahi sakti.
Maine apni drink table par rakh di aur thoda aur uski taraf badh gaya. Woh akeli nahi thi, lekin mujhe lag raha tha ki uska shohar bilkul dhyan nahi de raha. Business baatein kar raha tha kisi aur se. Uski biwi ka haath pakda hua tha, lekin uski aankhein mujhpar hi thehri huyi.
“Kya main aapko pehle bhi kahi dekha hai?” Maine awaaz nikali. Jaanti thi ki sawaal cliché hai, lekin is scenario mein aur koi option nahi tha.
Woh muskurai. Ek halki si muskaan, jaise koi secret share kar rahi ho. “Shayad,” usne kaha, awaaz mein itni softness thi ki dil ko soona kardi. “Lekin aapko yaad nahi hoga… main aapke office ke paas kisi cafe mein aksar aati hoon.”
Maine gaur kiya — uski ankhein dark brown, baal khule hue, ek simple black dress jo uski body par bilkul fit thi. Lekin sexy hona nahi tha woh. Kuch aur tha — ek depth, ek curiosity jo har baar jab woh dekhti, badhti jaati.
Maine ek step aur aage badhaya. “Aur aap aaj bhi wahi cafe gayi thi?”
Woh thodi si hokar hansi. “Haan, par aaj office mein nahi the aap.”
Tabhi uska pati palta aur humein dekh liya. Ek lamhe ke liye mere dil ki dhadkan ruk gayi. Lekin usne to bas casually dekha, phir se apni conversation mein wapas chala gaya. Jaise koi issue hi nahi.
Lekin woh aurat — uski aankhein abhi bhi mujhpar thi. Uski ungli se champagne glass ka stain pona, jaise ghabrahat chhupa rahi ho. Woh bolna chahti thi, main dekh sakta tha. Lekin time khatam hone wala tha — uska pati use bula raha tha.
“Aapka naam kya hai?” Maine jaldi se pooch liya.
Woh thodi ruki, phir apna glass mund kar rakh di. “Neha… lekin aap aise mat poocho jaise aap kabhi bataane waale ho ke maine apna naam kaisa rakha hai.”
Maine muskaraya. “Neha… aaj raat hume phir milna chahiye?”
Woh apne pati ki taraf dekhti, jo ab screen phone mein uljha hua tha. Phir mujhse. “Mere pati ko pata hai ki main aaj thoda walk par jaane wali hoon,” usne awaaz dheemi kardi. “Explore karne… galiyaan.”
Maine apna card pocket se nikala — business card — aur uske haath mein de diya. “Tab raat 11 baje, hotel lobby ke paas. Wahan ek chhota sa garden hai.”
Usne card le liya, ek baar aur muskaraya, phir apne pati ke saath chali gayi. Main wahin khada raha, cocktail abhi bhi thanda, lekin mere andar ek aag si lag gayi thi. Kuch to ho raha tha, jo galat tha, lekin usi galati ki chahat ne mujhe aur kareeb kheench liya.
Raath gaayi, aur mere man mein ek sawaal baar baar aata raha — kya woh aayegi? Aur agar aayi, toh main usse ab kya kahunga? Kya woh sirf flirt karna chahti hai, ya kuch aur? Uski aankhein jo milne par mud jaati hain, unka jawab toh kuch aur hi deh rahi hain.
Magar uss waqt main soch bhi nahi pa raha tha. Bas ek baat yaad thi — woh walk par aayegi. Aur main wahin hoon, hotel garden mein, 11 baje. Uska wait kar raha hoon. Jaise koi silent promise ho, jo humne aankhon se kiya hai.
Her footsteps? Aayi bhi nahi abhi. Lekin main janta hoon — jis raat ne shuruat aise confusion se hui hai, woh raat ab rukne waali nahi. Kya hoskta hai? Main sochta hoon, aur mere andar ek naya dar aur excitement dono ubhar rahe hain. Forbidden love ka pehla chapter — yahin se shuru hua hai.
Main garden mein khada tha. Hotel ke paas woh chhota sa garden — raat ke 10:55 baje. Hawa thodi thandi thi, aur light bhi kam thi. Sirf ek path-way par halki yellow glow thi, aur kuch peedon ke neeche pade hue patches of shadow. Mere haath mein ek bottle of water tha, lekin main pee nahi raha tha. Bas uske aane ka wait kar raha tha.
Dil ki dhadkan tez thi. Main soch raha tha — kya woh sach mein aayegi? Ya woh sirf ek flirt tha, jo party mein chhod diya? Lekin uski aankhein, woh deep brown aankhein, unmein kuch aur tha. Ek promise thi, ek silence jo bolti thi.
Tabhi, heard footsteps. Soft, hesitant. Main palta. Woh aa rahi thi — Neha. Ek simple white kurti aur jeans mein, baal khule, aur haath mein koi bag nahi. Jaise woh sach mein walk par nikli ho. Lekin uski aankhein — woh yahin thi. Mujhe dekh rahi thi. Thodi door ruki, jaise soch rahi ho ki woh sahi kar rahi hai ya nahi.
Maine muskaraya. “Tum aa gayi.”
Woh halki si muskurai, lekin uski aankhon mein ek ghabrahat thi. “Haan… main aayi. Lekin mujhe nahi pata ki kyun.”
Main uske paas gaya. Ek do feet ka distance. “Kyun aa gayi?” Maine sawaal kiya, lekin awaaz mein koi pressure nahi tha. Bas curiosity.
Woh neeche dekhti, phir upar. “Kyunki tumhare paas woh curiosity tha. Woh sawaal hai, jo koi nahi poochta. Aur tumne pooch diya. Party mein bhi, jab sab kuch normal tha, tumne something different kiya. Jaise tum meri aankhon mein kuch padh rahe the.”
Maine ek step aur aage badhaya. Ab humare beech sirf ek foot ka distance. “Aur tumne kya padha meri aankhon mein?” Maine poochha.
Woh thodi si ruki. Uski saans rukne lagi. “Ki tum bhi wahi chahte ho jo main chahti hoon… lekin nahi bol sakte.”
Main silent ho gaya. Yeh kuch aur tha. Ye sirf flirt nahi tha. Ye ek confession tha, jo humne bina words ke kiya tha. Maine haath badhaya, aur mera haath uske haath se touch hua — accidentally? Ya jaane-bujhke? Lekin woh touch light tha, jaise ek electric shock ho. Woh piche nahi hati. Woh wahi khadi rahi, aur uska haath mera haath pakad leta hai — slowly, hesitantly. Jaise woh dar rahi ho, lekin chahti bhi ho.
“Neha…” Maine kaha, awaaz dheemi. “Tumhara pati kahan hai?”
Woh thoda aur kareeb aayi. “Ghar par. Maine kaha ki main walk par ja rahi hoon. Woh phone mein busy tha. Kabhi notice nahi karta.” Uske labon par ek bitter smile thi. “Lekin main notice karti hoon. Jab woh nahi dekhta, main sochti hoon kaun dekhta hai. Aur aaj tumne dekha.”
Achanak woh ruki. Aur phir bolti hai — “Main janti hoon ye galat hai. Lekin main janti hoon ki ye sahi lagna chahiye. Aur mujhe nahi pata kyun, lekin tumhare saath, mujhe koi galat nahi lagta.”
Main wahin khada tha. Uske words ne mere dil ko chheda. Main apna haath use chhoda aur uska haath apne haath mein liya. “Agar ye galat hai, toh main galat hona chahta hoon,” Maine kaha. “Agar tumhe lagta hai ki ye sahi lagna chahiye, toh humein kuch aur try karna chahiye.”
Woh neeche dekhti. Phir upar. Ghabrahat se uski aankhein bheegi hui. “Lekin kya karna?” Uski awaaz kaanpti.
Maine use aur kareeb kheench liya. Ab humare beech sirf skin ka ek layer tha. Maine uski thodi si maujoodgi mein apna haath rakh diya, uski ungliyon se ungliyaan mila di. Woh hare na na, na mana. Sirf ek silent permission.
Main usse garden ke ek darker corner mein le gaya, jahan ek bench thi, aur koi nahi tha. Peedon ke neeche shadow mein hum baithe. Main uske saamne, woh uski taraf. Aankhen mili. Koi baat nahi. Sirf silence. Lekin woh silence awkward nahi tha — woh bharapoor tha expectation se.
Main uske chehre ko apne haath se touch kiya. Uski cheekh — soft, warm. Woh aankhen band karti hai, apni saans rok leti hai. Phir khul jaati hai. Aur woh mujhe dekh leti hai, is tarah jaise main koi ajnabee nahi, balki koi jo use saalon se jaanta ho.
“Neha…” Maine kaha, awaaz almost whisper. “Main tumhe touch karna chahta hoon.”
Woh jawab nahi deti lekin uska haath mera haath pakad leta hai, aur use apni kurti ke upar rakh deti hai — uske dil ke paas. Main uski dhadkan mehsoos kar sakta hoon. Fast, excited, nervous.
Main slowly apna haath pehle uski kurti ke bahar rakhta hoon, phir uske cloth ke neeche. Uski skin garam, smooth, jaise abhi tak touch nahi hui ho. Woh halki si hahnsti hai, jaise uski body ne pehle kabhi itni attention nahi paayi ho. Main uski neck ko kiss karta hoon, woh apna sar piche jhuka leti hai, aankhen band. Ek sound — ‘hmm’ — uske muh se nikalta hai, jo mujhe aur kareeb le jata hai.
Tension badhti rehti hai. Har touch ke saath woh aur kareeb hoti hai. Main uski kurti ke button slowly kholta hoon, ek ek kar ke. Woh kuch nahi kehti. Sirf saans lekar rokti hai, phir chhodti hai, phir rokti hai. Uski skin par mera haath ghuma — halka, explore karta, jaise koi naya map bana raha ho.
Hum ek dusre mein kho jaate hain. Woh main garden ki bench par with stars above. Koi shabd nahi. Sirf touch, saans, aur ek silence jo sab kuch kehta hai. Jab main uske andar jata hoon, woh ek baar thodi rukti hai, phir relax karti hai, aur uska haath mera haath cheekh se pakad leta hai. Main dheemi, slow movements karta hoon, jaise samay ruka ho. Woh mere kaan mein kuch nahi kehti, lekin uska body language sab kuch bata deta hai — woh yahin hai, abhi, is pal mein, mere saath.
Phir ek point aata hai jab woh apni aankhen band kar leti hai, aur uska saans heavy ho jata hai. Uski body shudder karti hai — ek long, slow wave — aur woh apna chehra mere shoulder mein chhupati hai. Main uski baahon mein hoon, aur hum dono ek saath ek alag duniya mein hain.
Uske baad, main usse apne paas rakhta hoon, aur woh mere sine par sar rakhti hai. Hum kuch nahi bolte. Sirf sannata. Lekin woh sannata bhara hua hai — satisfaction se, pleasure se, aur ek connection se jo shabdon se baahar hai.
Phir, uski phone vibhrti hai — ek message. Woh dekhti hai, aur uska chehra badal jata hai. “Mere pati ka message hai… ‘Kab aa rahi ho?'” Woh uth kar apni kurti thik karti hai. Mera haath chhod deti hai, lekin uski aankhein mujhe bolti hain — ‘Yeh khatam nahi hua.’
Main uth kar uske saamne aata hoon. “Neha, kal…?”
Woh thodi rukti hai, phir apna phone rakhti hai. “Kal shaam, wahi cafe. 6 baje.” Uske labon par ek halki si muskaan, aur woh tur jaati hai.
Main wahin khada hoon, garden mein. Raat ki thandi hawa chal rahi hai. Mere andar ek naya dar hai, ek naya excitement. Jaise ek chapter khatam hua ho, lekin agla page palatne ko taiyar ho. Woh raat abhi khatam nahi hui. Sirf pause hui hai.