Yasha poori raat so nahi paayi.
Wo photo…
uski aankhon ke saamne baar-baar aa rahi thi.
Balcony.
Uska khud ka chehra.
Aur wo angle… neeche se.
"Ye possible hi nahi hai…"
usne khud se kaha, par dil maanta hi nahi tha.
Subah hote hi usne sabse pehle curtains band kiye.
Aaj pehli baar usse apna hi ghar unsafe lag raha tha.
Jaise koi uski har saans pe nazar rakhe ho.
Phone uthaya to dekha —
Unknown number se fir message.
"Good morning, Yasha."
Uska dil zor se dhadak gaya.
Usne reply nahi kiya.
Do minute baad dusra message aaya—
"Tumne Kush ko chhod kar sahi decision liya."
Ab Yasha ka patience khatam ho raha tha.
"Tum kaun ho?
Aur mujhe stalk kyun kar rahe ho?"
usne gusse me type kiya.
Typing dikhi…
kaafi der tak.
Fir reply aaya—
"Main stalker nahi hoon.
Main warning hoon."
Warning?
Yasha ka haath kaanp gaya.
Usne turant call kiya.
Is baar call lag gayi.
Ring…
Ring…
Call uth gayi.
Saamne se ek male voice aayi —
calm, gehri… par kahin na kahin familiar.
"Tum finally call karogi, mujhe pata tha,"
usne kaha.
Yasha ka gala sookh gaya.
"Tum mujhe jaante ho?"
usne dheere se pucha.
"Main tumhe tumse zyada jaanta hoon,"
wo bola.
Yasha gusse me aa gayi.
"Straight bolo.
Tum Kush ke friend ho?"
Doosri taraf halki si hansi aayi.
"Friend?"
"Naah… Kush kisi ka friend nahi hota."
Yasha ke dimaag me kuch click hua.
"Kush ne tumhe mere peeche lagaya hai?"
Call ke doosre side pe thodi der ke liye silence chha gaya.
Fir usne kaha—
"Tumhe sach chahiye ya comfort?"
Yasha ki aankhon me aansu bhar aaye.
"Sach,"
usne bina soche kaha.
"Phir suno,"
wo bola,
"Kush tumse pyaar nahi karta tha.
Wo tumhe control karna chahta tha."
"Jhoot hai…"
Yasha ki awaaz kaanp rahi thi,
"wo mujhe pasand karta tha."
"Pasand aur respect me farq hota hai, Yasha,"
usne calmly kaha.
"Tumhe yaad hai jab usne tumhari family ke baare me bola tha?"
Yasha chup ho gayi.
"Wo sirf shuruaat thi,"
wo bola.
"Agar tum uske saath reh jaati…
to next target tum khud hoti."
Yasha ke haath se phone dheere se neeche gir gaya.
Aankhon se aansu behne lage.
"Tum ye sab kaise jaante ho?"
usne roti hui awaaz me pucha.
"Kyuki main bhi kabhi Kush ki zindagi ka hissa tha,"
usne kaha.
"Naam important nahi…
bas itna samajh lo —
main tumhe bachana chahta hoon."
Call achanak cut ho gayi.
Yasha ne turant call back kiya —
switched off.
Wo floor pe baith kar rone lagi.
Dil bilkul toot chuka tha.
Tabhi phone ki screen fir chamki.
Anuvardhan calling…
Yasha ne phone uthaya nahi.
Bas screen ko dekhti rahi.
Uske dimaag me ek hi baat ghoom rahi thi—
"Jisne mujhe kabhi dard nahi diya…
aaj sabse zyada uski yaad aa rahi hai."
Call miss ho gayi.
Aur Yasha ko ye bilkul bhi nahi pata tha ki
Anuvardhan us raat pehli baar use bachane ke liye wapas aa raha tha…
Thodi der baad WhatsApp pe notification aayi.
Unknown number sent a document.
File ka naam tha—
"KUSH – REAL FACE"
Yasha ka dil zor se dhadakne laga.
Usne aankhen band ki…
aur file open kar di.
Document ke first page pe likha tha—
"Yasha, agar tum ye padh rahi ho,
to samajh jao —
tum ab safe nahi ho."
Neeche screenshots the.
Chats.
Voice notes.
Aur ek photo…
Photo me Kush kisi aur ladki ke saath tha.
Same smile.
Same words.
Same promises.
Yasha ke liye ye sab bardasht karna mushkil ho gaya.
Usne phone side me rakh diya
aur chup-chap floor pe baith kar rone lagi.
Par tabhi ek aur message aaya—
"Agar zinda rehna chahti ho,
to aaj raat 9 baje
apna phone off mat karna."
Neeche likha tha—
"Because tonight…
Kush khud tumse baat karega."
Yasha ka chehra bilkul safed pad gaya.
"Ye sab kya ho raha hai meri zindagi me…"
usne khud se kaha.
Raat hone wali thi.
Aur Yasha ko pata tha —
aaj ke baad kuch bhi pehle jaisa nahi rahega...