Priya aur Aisha — teen saal se bestfriends thi.
Ek hi hostel room, ek hi playlist, ek hi dard.
Dono kehti thi — "Tu nahi toh kuch nahi."

College khatam hua. Priya Delhi chali gayi — badi company, bada package.
Aisha wahi rahi — chhote se sheher mein, chhoti si job, bade se sapne.
Shuruaat mein roz baat hoti thi. Phir weekly hue. Phir sirf Instagram stories pe heart aane lage.
Priya busy thi. Nayi city, nayi girls, nayi brunch plans.
Aisha wait karti rahi.

Ek din Aisha ka breakup hua. Wahi banda — jiske baare mein Aisha ne Priya ko sab kuch bataya tha. Har baat. Har raat.
Tooti hui Aisha ne Priya ko call kiya — pehli baar do saal mein.
Teen baar ring hui.
Priya ne uthaya.
"Haan babe, bol! Sab theek?"
Aisha ne rote hue sab kuch bataya. Priya ne suna. Beech mein notification aayi hogi shayad — kyunki Priya boli —
"Aww yaar, tu strong hai. Tu handle kar legi. Main thodi busy hoon abhi, baad mein baat karte hain okay?"
Call cut ho gayi.
Aisha screen ko dekhti rahi.
Aansu rok liye usne. Bahut practice jo thi.
Bas ek kaam kiya — Priya ka contact khola. Naam badla.
"Priya — Sirf Timepass."

Hafte baad Priya ka message aaya —
"Yaar woh red dress yaad hai teri? Kahan se li thi? Meri friend ko chahiye."
Aisha ne message padha. Typing indicator aaya. Phir chali gayi.
Reply nahi kiya.

Woh raat Aisha ne apne purane messages scroll kiye. Teen saal ki baatein. Raaton ko ki hui calls. Ek doosre ke liye roye the kabhi.
Sab tha — par kuch bhi real nahi tha.
Usne diary mein likha —
"Humne ek doosre ko 'bestfriend' bola — par shayad woh sirf ek comfortable habit thi.
Jab habit ki zaroorat nahi rahi — rishta bhi nahi raha.
Maine socha tha yeh dosti thi.
Yeh sirf time tha — jab dono ke paas koi aur nahi tha."