Subah ke pehle pehar mein Pune ke ek sundar se ghar ke andar se awaaz aayi —

"Uth jaa nalayak! Tere baap ghar ke kaam karne ke liye paida hua tha kya?!"

Anvi ne aankh kholi, jaise neend se nahi, ek aur zulm se jagi ho. Uski maa ki nafrat uske liye roz ka naya zakham ban chuki thi.

Baal theek se nahi bante, toh taane milte. Roti gol nahi hoti, toh thappad bhi kabhi kabhi.

Papa ke marne ke baad, maa ke dil mein ek hi baat bas gayi thi —

"Isi ladki ki wajah se mera sab kuch chhin gaya."

Anvi ab sirf ek bojh thi, ek wajah thi har gusse, har aansu ki.

Jabki uski chhoti behen Ritika, sixth standard ki topper, maa ki nazar mein perfect thi.

Ritika ko naya bag milta, nayi dress, pyaar bhare lafz.

Aur Anvi? Sirf taane aur thakaan.

Ek din college admission ka waqt aaya. Anvi ne maa se kaha —

"College jaana hai..."

Jawab aaya —

"Mere paas ek paisa nahi hai tere liye."

Scholarship bhi nahi mili.

Par Anvi ne haar nahi maani.

Usne chhupke se ek college form bhara Bengaluru ke liye — admission ho gaya, par paisa chahiye tha.

Maa ne fir kaha —

"Nayi nautanki shuru mat kar."

Anvi chup chaap gayi, bag pack kiya.

Raat bhar diary mein kuch likha —

"Main bhi jeena chahti hoon, par apne liye."

Subah jab Ritika school se aayi, maa uska bag dekh kar pyaar barsa rahi thi.

Wahi maa jo Anvi se aankh milane se bhi katrati thi.

Anvi ne bas itna kaha:

"Maa, Bengaluru ja rahi hoon. Apne paise se. Mera naya college wahan hai. Bye."

Maa ne kuch nahi kaha.

Na pucha kaise jaogi, na kaha khayal rakhna.

Ritika bhi ab Anvi se door rehti thi.

Behen thi, par maa ka rang usmein bhi ghul chuka tha.

Aur Anvi chal padi — ek sheher se dusre sheher, ek nafrat bhare ghar se ek nayi zindagi ki taraf.Bengaluru ke ek chhote se, sundar se 2BHK flat ke bahar Anvi ne finally car roki.

Hath mein ek bag tha, dil mein thodi si umeed — aur aankhon ke kone mein chhupi thakan.

Usne doorbell bajayi.

"Ting-tong!"

Darwaza khula. Ek ladki saamne khadi thi — soft smile ke saath, kaale frill top mein, curly baalon ke saath ek simplicity uske chehre par.

"Andar aao," usne kaha pyaar bhari muskurahat ke saath.

"Thank you..." Anvi ne halka sa smile diya.

"Main Karia hoon. Aur tum?"

"Anvi..."

"Accha suno Anvi, sirf roommates nahi, dosti bhi karte hain na?"

Anvi ke chehre par pehli baar ek halka sa noor aaya.

"Sure."

"Chalo, ghar dikhaati hoon tumhe. Yeh tumhara room. Aur haan, dinner bhi ready hai!"

"Hmm… chalo."

Ghar chhota tha, par cozy. Ek chhoti balcony jahan hawa chalti thi, aur ek dining table jahan do plates saj chuki thi.

Wo dono dinner karte hain — thodi si awkward silence, par sukoon bhi tha.

"Chalo ab so jaate hain, kal college bhi toh hai," Karia boli.

"Haan... ek college, ek hi course... maza aayega," Anvi ne muskurate hue kaha.

"Good night Anvi."

"Good night Karia."

Light band ho jaati hai.

Room mein andhera, par Anvi ki aankhon mein ek toofan.Achanak hi uska saans tez ho jaata hai. Pura sharir paseene se bheeg jaata hai.

Anvi ki aankhon ke saamne woh raat phir se jeevit ho jaati hai...

> Maa cheekh rahi thi —

"Tujhe paida karke sab barbaad kar diya maine!"

Uske haath mein belan tha.

Anvi ne dar ke maare chhupne ki koshish ki — par koi nahi tha jo bachata.

Papa aaye the us din —

Unhone pehli baar Anvi ko kaha tha:

"Tu yahaan safe nahi hai, beta. Mujhe teri chinta hoti hai..."

Lekin phir... ek accident.

Brakes fail... papa ki death...

Maa ka dard nafrat ban gaya.

Ritika… jo hamesha uska haath pakadti thi…

Achanak ek din keh gayi —

"Mujhe tu achhi nahi lagti, tu mujhe sabse door kar rahi hai..."

Papa... mat jao... please!"

Anvi cheekhti hai neend mein.

Karia uth jaati hai, light jalati hai.

"Anvi? Anvi... sab thik hai?"

Anvi ka chehra safed pad chuka hota hai. Uska saans ab bhi tez hai, aankhon mein aansu.

Karia paas jaati hai —

"Shhh... I’m here. Tum safe ho ab. Jo kuch bhi tha... wo sab peechhe chhut gaya. Yahaan sirf tum, main aur tumhara naya jeevan hai."

Anvi pehli baar kisi ke saamne roti hai…

Chhupke se Karia ke kandhe par