Raat Ki Pyaas

Chapter 1: Shaam Ki Shuruaat

Yeh ek aisi shaam thi jo Abhilash aur Akanksha ke liye kabhi na bhoolne wali banne wali thi. Dono ki shaadi ko do saal ho chuke the, par Akanksha ne kabhi Abhilash ko apne kareeb aane ka mauka nahi diya. Abhilash, ek shareef aur sabr wala insaan, apni pyaas ko dabaye rakhta tha, par ab uska sabr tootne ke kagaar par tha. Uski aankhon mein ek aag si jal rahi thi, ek chahat jo uske andar barsaat ki tarah bars rahi thi.

Aaj raat ghar par ek chhoti si party thi. Akanksha ka dost Bappai bhi aaya hua tha. Teeno living room mein baithe, whisky ke glass haath mein liye, hasi-mazaak kar rahe the. Akanksha, hamesha ki tarah, Bappai ke saamne khul ke baat kar rahi thi, uski awaaz mein ek ajab sa nasha tha. Woh tight black dress mein thi, uski curves har nazar ko apni taraf kheench rahe the. Abhilash chupchaap baitha, glass ko ghoomta hua dekh raha tha, par uski aankhein Akanksha par tiki hui thi.

'Bappai, tu toh bada shaitaan hai, hamesha double meaning baatein karta hai,' Akanksha ne haskar kaha, apne baal peeche karte hue. Uski hansi mein ek teekhapan tha, ek challenge.

'Arre Akanksha, main kya karoon, tu hi toh aisi baatein nikalwa deti hai. Teri yeh adaayein hi aisi hain,' Bappai ne aankh maari aur ek bada sip liya.

Abhilash ka chehra thoda sa garm hone laga. Woh apne aap ko rok nahi paa raha tha. Usne glass ko table par patka aur seedha Akanksha ki taraf dekha. 'Aur main? Main kya karoon, Akanksha? Tu sab ke saath itni khul ke baat karti hai, par mere saath hamesha chup kyun?' Uski awaaz mein gussa aur bechaini saaf jhalak rahi thi.

Akanksha ne ek pal ke liye uski taraf dekha, phir muskurayi. 'Abhilash, tu toh hamesha itna serious ho jata hai. Thoda chill kar na, party ka maza le.'

'Chill? Main do saal se chill hi kar raha hoon, Akanksha. Par ab bas ho gaya. Aaj mujhe tujhse kuch baatein karni hain, aur woh bhi akele,' Abhilash ne kaha, uski aankhon mein ek aag si bhadak rahi thi. Woh utha aur Akanksha ka haath pakad liya.

'Abe, yeh kya drama hai? Main yahan hoon, aur tum dono ladne lage?' Bappai ne haskar kaha, par Abhilash ne uski taraf dekha bhi nahi.

'Bas ek minute, Bappai. Yeh meri biwi hai, aur mujhe usse baat karni hai,' Abhilash ne sakht awaaz mein kaha aur Akanksha ko khinch kar bedroom ki taraf le gaya. Akanksha ne virodh nahi kiya, par uski aankhon mein ek chingaari si thi, jaise woh jaan rahi ho ki aaj raat kuch alag hone wala hai.

Bedroom ka darwaza band hote hi Abhilash ne Akanksha ko diwaar ke sahare dhakel diya. 'Akanksha, main ab aur intezaar nahi kar sakta. Tu samajhti kyun nahi? Main tujhse pyaar karta hoon, aur yeh pyaas mujhe pagal kar rahi hai,' usne kaha, uski saansein teez ho rahi thi.

Akanksha ne uski aankhon mein dekha, ek halki si muskurahat uske hothon par aayi. 'Toh yeh hai tera asli roop, Abhilash? Itna gussa, itni bechaini? Main toh sochti thi tu hamesha shareef hi rahega,' usne taane maarte hue kaha, par uski awaaz mein ek nasha tha.

'Shareef? Main ab shareef nahi raha, Akanksha. Aaj main tujhe apna bana kar hi rahunga. Tu mujhe rok nahi sakti,' Abhilash ne kaha aur uske kareeb aaya, uske chehre ke bilkul paas. Uski garam saansein Akanksha ke chehre par lag rahi thi, aur uski aankhon mein ek tufaan sa uth raha tha.

Akanksha ne apne haath uske seene par rakhe aur halka sa dhakka diya. 'Rok nahi rahi, par yeh yaad rakh, main koi aasan shikaar nahi hoon. Agar tujhe mujhe jeetna hai, toh poori taaqat laga de,' usne kaha, uski awaaz mein ek challenge tha.

Abhilash ne ek pal ke liye uski aankhon mein dekha, phir uske hothon par apne hoth rakh diye. Yeh ek aisa chumban tha jo do saal ki pyaas ko ek pal mein bhadka raha tha. Akanksha ne bhi jawab diya, uske haath uski gardan ke peeche chale gaye. Dono ke jism ek doosre se chipak gaye, aur raat ki garmi ab unke andar bhi bharne lagi thi. Yeh bas shuruaat thi, ek aisi raat ki jo in dono ko hamesha ke liye badal degi.