Mohabbat se Nafrat: The Beginning (Part 1)

Maine uska haath pakda. "Chill. Indoor le aate hain pehle."

Hum dono balcony se plants utha ke andar le gaye. Do baar aaye gaye. Teesri baar jab main wapas aaya, toh woh already balcony mein thi, baarish mein bheegi hui.

"Avani! Paagal ho gayi ho? Bheeg jaogi!"

She laughed. "Ishaan, baarish mein bheegna kitna achha lagta hai! Kerala mein toh roz hota hoga na?"

Main uske paas gaya. Uske baal geele ho gaye the. Mera bhi shirt poora gila tha. Hum dono has rahe the.

And then, silence.

Woh moment. Baarish ki awaaz. Distant thunder. Aur hum dono, ek doosre ki aankhon mein dekh rahe the.

"Mujhe..." usne shuru kiya.

"Kya?"

"Mujhe aap bahut pasand aane lage hain, Ishaan."

Mera dil zor-zor se dhadak raha tha. Maine uska chehra apne haathon mein liya. Itna natural laga. Itna right.

"Avani, main..."

"Shh..." she whispered.

Maine dheere se uske baal peeche kiye. Uske gaal pe ek boond tapki. Maine woh boond hatai - apni ungli se, phir apne hothon se uske gaal pe.

Usne aankhen band ki.

Maine uske forehead pe kiss kiya. Phir eyes pe. Phir... uske hothon pe.

Pehla kiss. Soft. Gentle. Geele hoth, baarish ki boondein, aur woh warmth. Maine usse apni baahon mein liya. Woh chhoti si, comfortable hug. Usne apne haath mere peeth pe rakhe, aur hum dono wahan balcony mein khade rahe, baarish ki awaaz mein.

"Ishaan," she whispered, mere kaan mein, "Yeh perfect hai."

"Hmm," maine kaha, usse aur tight hug karte hue.

Woh 10 minute the, ya 10 ghante, pata nahi. Par jab hum alag hue, toh hum dono sharma rahe the jaise pehli baar mil rahe ho.

"Ajji ne dekh liya toh?" maine pucha, nervously.

"Pagal! Ajji so rahi hain. Aur waise bhi, unhe toh tum pasand ho," she smiled.

Woh din. Woh kiss. Woh hug. Main us raat Vikram se bhi nahi mila seedha so gaya, itne khushi mein dooba hua tha.

---

Chapter 5: NGO Ka Saya

Ek hafte baad. Plantation drive ka follow-up meeting. NGO Hasiru India ka.

Main aur Avani saath gaye. Wahan maine notice kiya ek ladka - Raghav. Volunteer coordinator. Usne Avani ko dekha, aur uski aankhon mein kuch ajeeb tha.

"Avani, tum yahan?" Raghav ne pucha, ignoring me completely.

"Ha, Ishaan ke saath aayi hoon," she said, holding my hand.

Raghav ka chehra badal gaya. Usne mujhe upar se neeche dekha. "Oh, aap hi hain woh... plant expert."

"Enthusiast," maine politely kaha.

Meeting ke baad, Raghav ne mujhe corner mein roka. "Dekho, Ishaan. Avani aur main college se jaante hain. Tum new ho. Samajh raha hai na?"

"Kya samajhna chahiye?"

"Ki yeh NGO mera area hai. Aur Avani... woh meri friend hai. Close friend."

Maine kuch nahi kaha. Par woh jealousy, woh aggression - mujhe uncomfortable laga.

Ghar jaake maine Avani se pucha, "Raghav kaun hai?"

"Arre, ek purana friend. Thoda possessive hai. Ignore karo."

Par ignore karna mushkil tha. Agle hafte, Raghav ne mujhe WhatsApp pe message kiya. Fake accusations. Ke main funds mishandle kar raha hoon. Ke main NGO ke plants bech raha hoon market mein.

Bakwaas. Sab jhooth.

Maine ignore kiya. Par woh jhooth ek din reality ban gaya.

---

Chapter 6: Raat Ka Andhera

Ek Tuesday ki raat. Police.

Mere flat pe knock. Vikram ne darwaza khola. "Ishaan? Kya hua?"

"Ishaan ko arrest karna hai," inspector ne kaha. "NGO ke against fraud complaint hai. Corruption charges. Funds embezzlement."

Main shock mein tha. "Kya? Main... main kuch nahi kiya!"

"Chaliye station."

Vikram ne Avani ko phone kiya. Woh 15 minute mein pahunchi, Ajji ko ghar pe chhod ke. Meri aankhon mein aansu nahi the, par uske chehre pe tha. Woh ro rahi thi.

"Ishaan! Yeh kya ho raha hai?" she cried.

"Jhooth hai Avani. Sab jhooth. Raghav ne kiya hai. I know it."

Police ne mujhe le jaana hi tha. Woh raat jail mein tha. Ek chhoti si cell. Gandi. Aur main... main toot raha tha.

Par subah, bail mil gayi. Kaun leke aaya? Avani. Aur uske saath ek aur ladki.

Samiksha.

---

Chapter 7: Samiksha - The Defender

Samiksha. 28 saal ki. Criminal lawyer. Sharp features, intelligent eyes, aur woh confidence jo courtroom mein jeet dilati hai.

"Mr. Ishaan," she said, extending her hand, "I'm Samiksha Rao. Avani's friend from college. I'm taking your case."

Main confused tha. "Par... paise?"

"Avani ne already retainer de diya. And honestly, this case interests me. NGO corruption mein false accusations - I've seen this pattern."

Jail se nikal ke, hum teeno coffee pe mile. Avani ne bataya, "Samiksha best hai. Usne already 3 false cases jeete hain."

Samiksha ne files dekhi. "Raghav Verma. Hasiru India ka volunteer. Usne complaint ki hai. Ke tumne funds steal kiye, plants bech diye, aur accounts manipulate kiye."

"Yeh sab jhooth hai," maine kaha.

"I know. But proof chahiye. Tumhari banking history, NGO ke saath tumhare transactions - sab clean hai. Par Raghav ne kuch documents submit kiye hain. Forged lagte hain. I need time."

Agle do hafte, Samiksha roz mere saath thi. Office mein, ghar pe, court mein. Woh professional thi, par uska dedication... it was something else.

"Ishaan," ek din usne kaha, "Tumhari innocence ke liye main kuch bhi karungi. I hate injustice."

Maine usse dekha. Woh sincere thi. Aur uski mehnat... court ne bail extend ki, aur finally, hearing date aayi.

---

Chapter 8: Courtroom Jeet

Courtroom. Avani first row mein. Ajji bhi aayi thi, wheelchair pe.

Samiksha ne prosecution ki har argument kaat di. Raghav ne jo documents diye the, Samiksha ne unke forensic expert se prove karaya ke woh forged hain. Raghav ke phone records se pata chala ke usne kisi ko paise diye the fake documents banwane ke liye.

"Your Honor," Samiksha ne kaha, final argument mein, "Ishaan Nair is not just innocent. He is a victim of jealousy and conspiracy. The real criminal is sitting in the gallery - Raghav Verma."

Judge ne verdict diya. Not guilty. Sab charges dropped. Raghav ko arrest warrant.