Agla din Sana ke liye normal nahi tha.
Raat ka message uske dimaag se ja hi nahi raha tha.
"Tumhe Aliyar se door rehna chahiye."
School gate ke andar jaate hi uski nazar last bench par chali gayi.
Aliyar wahan tha.
Wahi khamoshi. Wahi jhuki hui nazar.
Par aaj kuch alag tha.
Wo likh nahi raha tha.
Bas saamne dekh raha tha.
Class ke beech-beech me Sana ko lagta raha jaise Aliyar use dekh raha ho.
Par jab bhi wo peeche mudti, wo nazar hata leta.
Jaise kuch kehna chahta ho…
par keh nahi pa raha ho.
Lunch break me Sana canteen nahi gayi.
Wo seedha library chali gayi.
Use pata tha—
Aliyar wahan hoga.
Aur wo tha bhi.
Wahi corner table.
Wahi notebook.
Wahi silence.
Sana dheere-dheere uske paas jaakar khadi ho gayi.
"Kal raat mujhe message aaya tha," usne seedha kaha.
Aliyar ka pen ruk gaya.
"Kaisa message?"
Uski awaaz normal lag rahi thi, par uski fingers thodi tight ho gayi thi.
"Likha tha… tumse door rehne ko."
Aliyar ne dheere se notebook band ki.
Usne Sana ki taraf dekha.
Is baar uski aankhon me sirf surprise nahi tha.
Dar bhi tha.
"Mujhse door rehna hi better hai," usne kaha.
Sana thodi shocked reh gayi.
"Better kyun?"
Aliyar khada ho gaya.
Chair peeche sark gayi.
"Tumhe reason jaanna zaroori nahi hai," usne kaha.
Aur wo jaane laga.
Sana ne bina soche uska haath pakad li.
Aliyar freeze ho gaya.
Library bilkul shaant thi.
Sana ka haath uske wrist par tha.
Usne mehsoos kiya—
Aliyar ka dil bahut tez dhadak raha tha.
"Tum hamesha sabse door bhaagte rahoge?" Sana ne dheere se kaha.
"Ya kabhi kisi ko samajhne ka mauka doge?"
Aliyar ne apna haath dheere se chhuda li.
"Samajhna har kisi ke bas ki baat nahi hoti," usne kaha.
Us din ke baad dono ke beech ek ajeeb si closeness aa gayi.
Wo zyada baat nahi karte the,
par silence awkward nahi lagta tha.
Group project ke liye un dono ko ek hi team me assign kar diya gaya.
"Lagta hai destiny bhi hume force kar rahi hai," Sana ne halka sa muskura kar kaha.
Aliyar ne kuch nahi bola.
Par uske lips ke corner par ek almost-smile thi.
School ke baad project ke liye rukna pada.
Class khaali thi.
Shaam ki roshni windows se andar aa rahi thi.
Aliyar calmly explain kar raha tha.
Sana use dekh rahi thi.
"Tum jab bolte ho na," Sana ne kaha,
"tum bilkul different lagte ho."
Aliyar ruk gaya.
"Different kaise?"
"Jaise tum sab kuch jaante ho…
par chup rehna choose karte ho."
Aliyar ne window ki taraf dekha.
"Kuch sach bol dene se zyada dangerous hote hain."
Sana ne uski taraf dekha.
"Par sach chhupane se bhi dard hota hai."
Dono ke beech silence aa gaya.
Is baar wo silence heavy tha.
Achaanak corridor me kisi ke chalne ki awaaz aayi.
Aliyar turant alert ho gaya.
"Tumhe abhi jaana chahiye," usne kaha.
"Ky—"
Sana poora pooch bhi nahi paayi.
Aliyar already door ki taraf badh chuka tha.
Shaam ko ghar jaakar Sana ne phone check kiya.
Ek aur message.
"Warning samajh nahi aa rahi hai kya?"
Sana ka gussa badh gaya.
Usne reply kiya—
"Tum kaun ho?"
Reply turant aaya.
"Jo Aliyar ka sach jaanta hai."
Sana ka dil zor se dhadak utha.
Next day school me Aliyar absent tha.
Last bench khaali thi.
Lunch break me Sana washroom ke paas se guzar rahi thi,
jab uski nazar staircase ke neeche padi.
Aliyar wahan baitha tha.
Head knees par jhuka hua.
"Tum theek ho?" Sana ne poocha.
Aliyar ne upar dekha.
Uski aankhon me thakaan thi…
aur guilt.
"Tumhe mujhse baat nahi karni chahiye," usne kaha.
"Ab late ho chuka hai," Sana ne softly kaha.
"Main already care karne lagi hoon."
Aliyar ne Sana ki taraf dekha.
Is baar usne nazar nahi hatayi.
"Tumhe idea bhi nahi hai," usne dheere se kaha,
"tum kis cheez ke beech aa rahi ho."
Sana ne uska haath pakad li.
"To phir mujhe sach batao."
Aliyar kuch bolta,
uske pehle bell baj gayi.
Aur usi moment Sana ko apne bag me kuch heavy sa mehsoos hua.
Ghar jaakar usne bag khola.
Ek phone.
Uska nahi tha.
Black cover.
Cracked screen.
Lock screen par ek hi naam likha tha—
Aliyar
Sana ki saans atak gayi.
Uske dimaag me sirf ek sawal tha—
Aliyar ka phone Sana ke bag me kaise aaya?