The Daily Ritual

The Daily Ritual

Delhi ki yellow line, subah ke 9 baje ka rush. Aryan apne laptop bag ko gale se laga kar khada tha, jaise wo koi shield ho. Uski nazrein door par thi, kyunki use pata tha ki Rajiv Chowk par wahi aayegi—Meera. Aryan ek ‘Main Character Syndrome’ ka mareez tha. Uske dimaag mein background mein Arijit Singh ke gaane chal rahe hote the jab bhi wo Meera ko dekhta.

Meera, jo ek freelance graphic designer thi, wo apni badi si tote bag liye andar aayi. Uski aankhein hamesha thodi suspicious rehti thi. Wo metro mein enter karte hi scanning karti thi—not for cute boys, but for that one elusive charging port jo kabhi khali nahi milta tha. Aryan ne usse nazar churayi aur socha, "Dekho, kitni sharmili hai, mujhse nazar milate hi neeche dekh liya." Meera ne socha, "Ye ladka phir wahi khada hai, pakka mere bag mein mera power bank churaane ka plan bana raha hai."

The Imaginary Romance

Aryan ne apne dimaag mein shaadi ke card print kar liye the. Usne imagine kiya ki wo dono Huda City Centre par utrenge, ek coffee shop mein jayenge, aur wo usse puchega, "Tumhara favorite font kaunsa hai?"

Wahi dusri taraf, Meera apni detective mode mein thi. Usko laga Aryan use follow kar raha hai. Jab Aryan ne galti se uski taraf dekh kar smile pass ki (kyunki use laga Meera usse dekh rahi hai), toh Meera ka reaction tha—ek gehri ghoor. Meera ne socha, "Itna creepy smile kyun kar raha hai ye? Isse pakka mere phone ka charger churaana hai."

The Missing Charge

Dono ka phone 5% par atka hua tha. Aryan ko internship ki mail bhejni thi, aur Meera ko ek urgent design file submit karni thi. Jaise hi metro mein ek seat khali hui aur uske upar wala charging port dikha, dono ne ek saath sprint maari.

"Excuse me, main yahan pehle aaya tha!" Aryan ne claim kiya. "Tumhe dikh nahi raha, mera phone dead hone wala hai?" Meera ne tevar dikhaye.

Lekin jab wo dono wahan pahunche, toh dekha ki wahan ek school uniform mein bacha baitha tha, jo bade aaram se apna tab charge kar raha tha aur cartoon dekh raha tha. Dono ke chehre utar gaye. Dono ka phone ‘Shutting Down’ mode mein chala gaya.

The Face-Off

Agle din, wahi time, wahi metro. Charging port khali tha. Aryan aur Meera dono ek saath jump maare, aur dono ne ek dusre ka haath rok liya.

"Tum phir se wahi kar rahe ho!" Meera chillayi. "Tumhe sharam nahi aati? Roz yahan khade hokar mera charger churaane ka wait karte ho?" Aryan shock mein tha. "Charger churaana? Main toh bas tumse baat karne ka mauka dhoondh raha tha! Mujhe laga tum mujhe notice kar rahi ho!"

Meera ki aankhein badi ho gayi. "Wait, tum mujhe stalking nahi kar rahe the?" "Stalking? Main toh tumhare liye future plans bana raha tha!" Aryan ne thoda embarrassed hokar kaha.

The Reality Check

Tabhi wahi pichle din wala school ka bacha aaya aur apna charger nikaal kar port mein laga diya. Woh bade swaag se bola, "Bhaiya, Didi, yahan roz meri class hoti hai, side ho jao."

Dono ek dusre ko dekhte reh gaye. Aryan ka 'Main Character' bubble ek hi jhatke mein foot gaya. Meera ne zor se hasna shuru kar diya, aur thodi der mein Aryan bhi apni awkwardness bhul kar hasne laga.

"Main kitna bada idiot hoon, right?" Aryan ne poocha. "Thoda sa," Meera ne muskura kar kaha. "Par at least tumne mere bag se power bank nahi churaya."

Dono ne ek dusre ko apna portable charger offer kiya. Romance toh nahi hua, par Delhi metro ki bheed mein ab unhe ek dusre mein ek acha dost mil gaya tha—jo atleast charging port ke liye nahi, balki ek dusre ki paagalpanti share karne ke liye tha.

Khatam