Ritika ka dimaag ghoom raha tha jab usne flower shop se bahar nikaala, haath mein ek bouquet of roses pakad rakha tha.
Dev ki maujoodgi uske aas-paas thi, jaise phoolon ki khushboo. Usne kabhi aisa koi nahi dekha tha, aur unke chhote se mulaqat ki tezi ne usse excited aur bewildered dono kar diya.
Jab wo bheed bhari galiyon se chalti rahi, uska dil Dev ke har khayal par tez dhadak raha tha. Wo apne aam mardon se bilkul alag tha—confident, compelling, aur undeniably attractive.
Uski aankhein ab tak uski yaad mein thi, aur uske hothon ka muskurana uske dil ko chhoo gaya. Pehli baar usne kuch mehsoos kiya—curiosity, desire, shayad hope.
“Ritika! Kahan thi tum?” uski dost Neha ki awaaz uski khayalon ko todti hai. Neha uski taraf aayi, haath mein shopping bags uthaye hue.
“Bas kuch phool lene gayi thi,” Ritika uske chehre par muskurahat lekar kahte hue bolti hai jab wo bouquet dikhati hai.
“Wow, yeh toh bahut khubsurat hain! Kahan se liye?” Neha ki aankhein prashansha se chamak gayi.
“Ek naya shop hai. Wahan mujhe ek… anjaana mila,” Ritika ke dil mein Dev ka khayal aata hai.
“Anjaana? Kaisa?” Neha ne sawal kiya, uski curiosity badh gayi.
Ritika kuch der liye sochti hai, yeh samjhne mein ki wo Dev ke liye kya keh sakti hai. “Woh… bas aise hi, bahut charming hai. Thoda alag.”
Neha ne ek bhavna se bhari aankh se dekha. “Kya tumhe usse phir se milne ka mann hai?”
Ritika laal hoti hai, Dev ki soch uski dimaag mein chha jaati hai. “Nahi pata, shayad… Lekin usne mujhe coffee peene ke liye kaha.”
“Coffee?” Neha ka awaz excitement se bhara tha. “Tumhe usse milna chahiye! Yeh mauka mat chhodo.”
Ritika hansi, Neha ki umang ko thoda ignore karte hue. “Lekin main usse achhe se nahi jaanti.”
“Jo bhi ho, yeh toh ek chance hai. Kabhi kabhi aise mauke milte hain!” Neha ne kaha, Ritika ke kandhe par thapthapate hue. “Tumhe pehle se sochne ki zarurat nahi hai. Bas kuchh kar lo.”
Jab wo market se guzar rahi thi, Ritika us idea ko nahi bhula sakti thi ki wo Dev se phir se mile. Uska dekha, uski baatein—sab kuch intense aur thrilling tha. Lekin kya yeh sirf ek chhoti si pal thi? Usne kabhi aise kaam mein jaldi nahi ki, lekin uska dil use ek leap lene ka keh raha tha.
Shaam ko, jab Ritika apne balcony par baithi, chai pee rahi thi aur sunset ko dekh rahi thi, usne apne phone ko nikala aur social media khola. Ek message notification aaya—Dev Singh.
Uska dil tezi se dhadakne laga jab usne message khola.
Dev: Hey, yeh Dev hai flower shop se. Main tumhare baare mein sochta raha. Kya tum abhi bhi wo coffee grab karna chahti ho?
Ritika ka dil tezi se dhadakne laga, usse excitement aur nerves dono mehsoos hote hue. Yeh uska mauka tha ki wo usse achhe se jaane. Usne gehri saans li aur reply kiya.
Ritika: Hi, Dev! Mujhe khushi hogi. Tumhe kab sochna hai?
Dev: Kal dopahar kaise? Mere paas ek bahut accha café hai.
Ritika: Perfect! Kya samay hai?
Dev: 4 PM? Main tumhe wahin milunga.
Ritika ne apna phone rakha, giddy mix of anticipation aur anxiety mehsoos karte hue. Usne Dev se milne ka vichar kiya, aur is soch ne uske dil ko garmi se bhar diya.
Agla din aaya, aur Ritika ne ghanton tak tayyari ki. Usne ek halka, flowy dress pehna jo uski curves ko highlight karta tha par classy rakhta tha.
Uske baalon ki lehrein uske kandhon par gir rahi thi, aur usne minimal makeup kiya, apni natural beauty ko chamkane diya.
Jab wo café ki taraf ja rahi thi, uska dil har kadam par tezi se dhadak raha tha. Kya wo pehle se wahan hote? Kya wo baat karenge?
Jab wo café mein pahunchi, wahan bahut saare log the, lekin uski aankhein usse talash rahi thi. Aur phir usne usse dekha—Dev ek kone wale table par baitha tha, uski confident posture aur magnetic presence uski taraf kheench rahi thi.
Usne upar dekha aur unki aankhein mil gayi, unke beech ek spark jal uthi.
“Hey, tum aa gayi!” Dev ne charming smile ke saath kaha jab wo khud ko baithne lagi.
“Hi,” Ritika ne kaha, uski awaz thodi shaky thi jab wo uske saamne baithi.
Dev ne aage badhte hue, uski aankhein na chhodte hue bola, “Tum bahut khoobsurat lag rahi ho.”
Ritika ke gaal laal ho gaye, aur wo muskurane lagi. “Thank you. Tum bhi accha lag rahe ho.”
Unka conversation asaani se chal raha tha, pehli nervousness chhuti ja rahi thi jab wo sab kuch—life, dreams, aur unke favourite places ke baare mein baat kar rahe the.
Dev ka charm intoxicating tha, aur Ritika ko hansi aa rahi thi usne kabhi nahi socha tha. Wo charismatic, engaging, aur wo usse ek aise tareeke se pasand kar rahi thi jise usne kabhi nahi mehsoos kiya tha.
“Tum kya karti ho?” Dev ne pucha, thoda peeche hote hue, ek playful smirk unke hothon par.
“Main ek interior designer hoon,” Ritika ne jawab diya, uski aankhein chamak gayi. “Mujhe logon ke liye khoobsurat spaces banana pasand hai. Aur tum?”
“Main real estate mein business chala raha hoon,” usne jawab diya, uski awaaz confident lekin casual thi. “Yeh mujhe busy rakhta hai, par mujhe yeh pasand hai.”
“Mujhe sirf yeh sochne par majboor karta hai,” Ritika ne kaha, uski awaaz mein prashansha thi. “Yeh bahut challenging lagta hai.”
Dev ne muskuraya, aur kuch samay ke liye, unke beech ka mahol badal gaya. “Challenging accha ho sakta hai. Yeh life ko interesting rakhta hai.”
Baat-cheet asaani se chal rahi thi, lekin jab dopahar ka suraj dhalne laga, café par ek garam glow chha gaya, Ritika ne mahsoos kiya ki hawa mein ek badlav aa raha hai.
Dev jis tarah se uski taraf dekh raha tha, jis tarah se uski ungliyan uski ungliyon ko chhu rahi thi jab wo apne coffee ke liye badha raha tha—unke beech ek nafrat bhara tension badh raha tha.
“Tum kya soch rahi ho?” Dev ne kaha, uski awaaz ghatkar, uski aankhein uski aankhon mein ghus gayi, ek smirk uske hothon par tha.
“Main bas… yeh soch rahi thi ki yeh kitna accha hai,” usne halki si aawaz mein kaha.
“Accha? Ya usse zyada accha?” usne probe kiya, uski dark aankhein uski aankhon ko talash karte hue.
Ritika ne mushkil se saans li, uski gaze ke neeche usne apne aapko exposed mehsoos kiya. “Shayad usse zyada accha,” usne sukoon se mana kiya.
Dev ne aur kareeb aakar, unke beech ki doori ko kam kar diya, apni awaaz ko khud se ghata kar diya. “Main chahta hoon ki main tumhe achhe se jaane, Ritika. Tum mujhe pasand ho.”
Uska dil tezi se dhadak gaya uski baaton par. Unke beech ka attraction sab jagah mehsoos ho raha tha, aur wo sirf kareeb hone ka
