Railway Platform Prema

Vijayawada railway station lo midnight announcements echo avuthunnayi. Train three hours late. Kavya bench meeda novel open chesi kurchundi, kani page okati kuda chadavaledu.

"Seat free aa?" ani oka voice.

Aame chusindi. Neatly dressed, tired eyes unna man. "Free."

Athani peru Sandeep. Same train. Same delay. First lo common complaints. Tarvatha chai. Tarvatha stories.

Sandeep divorce process lo unnadu. Kavya engagement cancel chesindi. Iddaru life lo broken labels tho travel chesthunnaru.

"People always ask what went wrong," ani Kavya cheppindi. "Kani evaru what did you survive ani adagaaru."

Sandeep aame ni silent ga chusadu. "What did you survive?"

Aa question Kavya ni touch chesindi. Aame first time oka stranger mundu honest ga matladindi. Expectations, pressure, loneliness. Sandeep interrupt cheyyaledu.

Train inka late. Platform almost empty. Vaallu walk chesthu coffee teesukunnaru. Athani presence lo Kavya ki judgement ledu.

"Manam malli kalustama?" ani Sandeep adigadu.

"Train start ayyaka kuda ee conversation gurthunte, yes," ani aame cheppindi.

Morning train vachindi. Vaallu different coaches. Kani before leaving, Sandeep tana number paper meeda rasadu.

"Pressure ledu," ani annadu.

Kavya paper fold chesi bag lo petti, "Pressure unte teesukonu," ani navvindi.

Konni journeys destination kosam kaadu. Manalni manam malli nammadam kosam.