Sana ko raat bhar neend nahi aayi.
Phone side table par pada tha, screen band, par us unknown number ke messages uske dimaag me baar-baar flash ho rahe the. Har baar jab aankhen band karti, wahi line yaad aati—
"Kuch raaz chup rehne ke liye nahi hote."
Subah school jaate waqt uska mann heavy tha. Uniform pehente hue bhi uska dhyaan kahin aur tha. Aaj usse Aliyar se baat karni thi. Direct. Bina ghoom-phir ke.
Classroom me ghuste hi uski nazar last bench par gayi.
Aliyar apni usual jagah par baitha tha. Headphones nahi, book bhi nahi. Sirf window se baahar dekh raha tha.
Sana ne mehsoos kiya—
jaise wo kisi ka intezaar kar raha ho.
First period khatam hua to Sana ne khud ko rok nahi paayi. Bell baji aur students uthne lage. Sana dheere-dheere last bench ki taraf badhi.
"Aliyar," usne dheemi awaaz me kaha.
Aliyar ne turant upar dekha. Jaise wo isi awaaz ka wait kar raha tha.
"Haan?"
Uski awaaz shaant thi, par aankhon me tension thi.
"Break me… baat kar sakte hain?" Sana ne poocha.
Aliyar kuch seconds chup raha. Phir bas itna bola,
"Library."
Lunch break me library almost khaali thi. Sirf do-teen students aur ek librarian. Aliyar corner table par baith chuka tha. Sana saamne wali chair par baith gayi.
Kuch pal tak dono chup rahe.
Phir Sana ne kaha,
"Mujhe messages aa rahe hain."
Aliyar ki fingers table par ruk gayi.
"Kaise messages?" usne poocha, par awaaz thodi heavy thi.
"Unknown number se. Tumhare baare me," Sana ne seedha jawab diya. "Aur… mere baare me bhi."
Aliyar ne dheere se saans li. Jaise kisi decision par pahunch raha ho.
"Tum darr rahi ho?" usne poocha.
Sana ne sach bola.
"Haan. Par sirf isliye nahi. Mujhe lagta hai koi hum dono ko dekh raha hai."
Aliyar ne aankhen band ki. Sirf ek pal ke liye.
"Isliye maine tumse door rehne ki koshish ki," usne kaha. "Par tum… tum door nahi gayi."
Sana ka dil zor se dhadka.
"Tumne kab kaha mujhe door jaane ke liye?"
Aliyar ne uski taraf dekha.
"Main khud door raha."
Silence phir se beech me aa gayi.
"Aliyar," Sana ne dheere se kaha, "tum hamesha itne chup kyun rehte ho?"
Aliyar ne khidki ki taraf dekha.
"Kyuki jab main bolta hoon, cheezein bigad jaati hain."
"Ye kaunsa logic hua?" Sana ke lips par halki si smile aa gayi.
Aliyar ne bhi pehli baar halka sa smile kiya.
"Tum samajhne wali ho."
Us pal library ka environment alag lag raha tha. Shaant, par heavy. Jaise kuch bada bol diya gaya ho bina shabdon ke.
Bell baji. Students bahar jaane lage.
Aliyar khada hua.
"Tum ghar jaate waqt careful rehna."
Sana ne eyebrow raise ki.
"Tum mujhe warning de rahe ho?"
"Nahi," Aliyar ne kaha. "Sach bata raha hoon."
School chhootne ke baad Sana gate ki taraf ja rahi thi jab uska phone vibrate hua.
Unknown number.
"Tumne usse baat kar li."
Sana ke pair wahi jam gaye.
Message phir aaya.
"Ab game shuru hoga."
Sana ne turant peeche mud kar dekha. School gate ke bahar bheed thi. Parents, autos, students—par koi bhi unusual nahi.
Usne Aliyar ko dhoondha.
Wo thoda door khada tha, kisi se baat nahi kar raha tha. Bas Sana ki taraf dekh raha tha.
Sana ne phone uski taraf uthaya.
Aliyar ne uski screen dekhi.
Uski aankhon ka rang badal gaya.
"Number dikhao," usne kaha.
Sana ne phone uske haath me de diya.
Aliyar ne number dekha.
Uske chehre se saari shaanti gayab ho gayi.
"Tum is number ko block mat karna," usne kaha.
"Kyun?" Sana ne ghabra kar poocha.
"Kyuki…" Aliyar ne dheere se kaha,
"…ye number mujhe pehle bhi messages bhej chuka hai."
Sana ka dil jaise ruk sa gaya.
"Tumhe?" usne almost whisper me poocha.
Aliyar ne haan me sir hilaya.
"Bahut pehle."
"Kaun hai ye?" Sana ne poocha.
Aliyar ne road ki taraf dekha, phir Sana ki aankhon me.
"Wahi jo chahta hai ki main kabhi chup na rahun."
Aur us pal Sana ko mehsoos hua—
Aliyar ki khamoshi sirf aadat nahi thi.
Wo kisi cheez se bach raha tha.
Aur shayad…
ab Sana bhi us khamoshi ka hissa ban chuki thi.