Chapter 1 – Jab Pehli Baar Pyaar Ka Ehsaas Hua

First crush · School romance

Jab main is duniya mein aaya, tab poore Bharat mein jashn ka mahaul tha.

Har gali-mohalle ki sadkein saaf ki ja rahi thi. Imaratein sajayi ja rahi thi. Tirange lagaye ja rahe the. Har taraf azaadi ke 50 saal poore hone ki khushi thi.

Aur isi jashn ke beech, 14 August 1997 ko, ek chhote se shehar ke middle-class parivaar mein mera janam hua.

Mera naam hai Aaryan.

Bachpan se hi main thoda introvert raha hoon. Zyada baat karna kabhi meri aadat nahi thi. Haan, sports kaafi pasand the—school mein shayad hi koi aisa sport tha jo maine try na kiya ho.

Lekin mujhe kya pata tha ki meri zindagi ka sabse bada game ground par nahi, balki ek classroom mein shuru hone wala hai.

 2013

School ke almost saare ladke ek rally ke liye gaye the. Main tabiyat kharab hone ki wajah se school mein hi ruk gaya tha.

Classroom mein ladkiyan baithi thi aur main unhi ke beech akela tha.

Main chupchaap apni seat par baitha hua tha ki tabhi kisi ne Sneha se poocha—

“Tum class mein sabse zyada kise like karti ho?”

 Sneha ne bina zyada soche jawab diya—

 “Mujhe Aaryan pasand hai.” 

Aur haan…

Apna naam batana to main bhool hi gaya. 

Main hi woh Aaryan hoon.

Jiske baare mein Sneha baat kar rahi thi. 

Us ek sentence ne mere liye us din ko bilkul alag bana diya.

Uske baad na jaane kab hum dono ek-doosre ke thode aur close aa gaye. Pehle sirf baatein hoti thi, phir dosti hui… aur dheere-dheere Sneha meri life ka ek important part ban gayi.

Lekin tab tak mujhe khud nahi pata tha ki ye dosti ek din mujhe pyaar tak le jayegi.

 

 Present

 

Aaj bhi main hamesha ki tarah school pahucha, bas thoda late ho gaya tha. 

Classroom mein enter karte hi pata chala—

Aaj Physics ka surprise test hai.

Main jaldi se ek khaali bench dhoondhne laga.

Tabhi peeche se ek awaaz aayi—

“Aaryan!”

 

Main palta. 

Sneha mujhe dekh rahi thi.

Usne apne bagal wali seat ki taraf ishara kiya. 

Sneha: “Yahan mere bagal mein baith jao.” 

Me: “Okay.”

 

Main uske paas jaakar baith gaya.

 Class ke kuch classmates shayad soch rahe honge ki main topper Sneha ke paas baithkar cheating karne wala hoon.

Lekin sach ye tha ki mujhe khud nahi pata tha ki main wahan Physics ka test dene baitha hoon ya apni zindagi ka koi aur test.

Main studies mein bura nahi tha.

Lekin aaj problem Physics nahi thi.

Problem mere saamne baithi Sneha thi.

Jaise hi woh mere paas baithi, mere andar kuch ajeeb sa hone laga.

Dil ki dhadkanein achanak tez ho gayi.

Pair jaise zameen par the hi nahi.

Teacher questions distribute kar rahe the, lekin mera focus paper par nahi tha.

Mera dhyaan baar-baar Sneha ki taraf ja raha tha.

Uske baal baar-baar uske chehre par aa rahe the. Woh unhe apne kaan ke peeche kar rahi thi aur main bas use dekhe ja raha tha.

Mujhe samajh hi nahi aa raha tha ki mere saath ho kya raha hai.

Bas itna samajh aa raha tha ki—

Sneha ab mere liye sirf meri best friend nahi rahi thi.

Uske paas baithna mujhe achha lag raha tha. 

Uski ek chhoti si smile mera mood badal deti thi.

Uski awaaz sunte hi pata nahi kyun dil thoda aur tez dhadakne lagta tha.

Aur us din, Physics ke us surprise test ke beech…

Mujhe pehli baar apne dil ka answer mil gaya.

I think… I am in love with her.

Bas ek problem thi.

Mujhe nahi pata tha ki Sneha mere baare mein kya feel karti hai.

Aur shayad isi wajah se…

meri love story ki shuruaat abhi sirf meri taraf se hui thi.