Subah ka school Sana ke liye kabhi itna bhaari nahi laga tha.
Assembly ground me sab apni-apni jagah khade the, par Sana ka dhyaan sirf ek jagah tha—last row. Aliyar wahan khada tha, usual se zyada shaant. Uski aankhen baar-baar crowd ko scan kar rahi thi, jaise wo kisi cheez ka intezaar kar raha ho. Ya kisi se bach raha ho.
Message wali baat dono ne dubara discuss nahi ki.
Par dono jaante the—kal jo hone wala hai, wo normal nahi hoga.
Classes khatam hui to Sana ne apna bag slow motion me pack kiya. Uske haath thode kaanp rahe the. Dil keh raha tha peeche reh jaaye, par dimaag keh raha tha—agar aaj nahi gayi, to shayad kabhi sach nahi milega.
Aliyar classroom ke bahar khada tha.
"Ready?" usne poocha.
Sana ne haan me sir hila diya.
Wo dono school campus se bahar nikle. Aliyar ne auto roka, par address school ke paas ka nahi tha. Thoda purana area. Jahan road thodi tooti hui thi, aur buildings bhi.
"Yahan kyun?" Sana ne poocha.
Aliyar ne jawab nahi diya.
Auto ek abandoned school building ke paas ruk gaya. Board ab bhi laga tha, par letters aadhe gir chuke the. Gate par taala tha, par ek side se khula hua.
Sana ka dil baith gaya.
"Yahin?" usne dheere se kaha.
Aliyar ne gate ko dhakka diya. "Haan."
Andar ghuste hi hawa alag lag rahi thi. Jaise jagah ne purani baatein sambhaal ke rakhi ho. Corridor khaali the, paint ukhda hua, aur floor par purani notebooks ke page bikhre hue.
"Ye jagah…" Sana ne kaha, "tumhara old school?"
Aliyar ne sir hila diya.
"Yahin se sab shuru hua tha," usne kaha. "Aur yahin khatam bhi hona chahiye."
Wo ek classroom ke saamne ruk gaye. Door adha khula hua tha. Andar bench-desk toote hue the, par blackboard ab bhi intact tha. Us par chalk se likha hua tha—
A. Khan
Sana ne Aliyar ki taraf dekha.
"Ye tumhara…"
"Naam," Aliyar ne baat poori ki. "Poora naam."
Sana ko kal raat wala message yaad aa gaya.
"Aliyar Khan," usne dheere se repeat kiya.
Aliyar ki aankhen band ho gayi.
"Is naam se mujhe yahan sab jaante the," usne kaha. "Aur isi naam se kisi ne meri zindagi barbad kar di."
Sana ne poocha, "Kaun?"
Aliyar ne blackboard ki taraf dekha. "Mera best friend."
Silence.
"Uska naam Rayan tha," Aliyar ne aage kaha. "Hum saath baithe, saath jeete jaise. Par jab ek galat ilzaam laga… sab kuch badal gaya."
Sana ka dil tight ho gaya. "Ilzaam?"
Aliyar ne fist tight kar li. "Cheating ka. Ek exam me. Saboot fake the, par principal ne sirf ek naam suna—Aliyar Khan."
"Rayan ne kya kiya?" Sana ne poocha.
Aliyar ne bitter smile di. "Usne kuch nahi kaha."
"Us din ke baad main yahan se nikal gaya," Aliyar ne kaha. "Naam chhod diya. Logon se bhi."
Sana samajh chuki thi. "Aur jo message bhej raha hai…"
"Wahi hai," Aliyar ne seedha kaha. "Rayan."
Sana ka saans ruk gaya.
"Par wo tumse kyun contact kar raha hai?" usne poocha.
Aliyar ne Sana ki taraf dekha. "Kyuki tum meri weakness ho."
Usi waqt corridor me kadmon ki awaaz aayi.
Dono freeze ho gaye.
Ek shadow doorway par dikhi. Dheere-dheere ek ladka andar aaya. School uniform nahi, par aankhen pehchaan wali. Cold. Sharp.
"Kaafi time laga," usne kaha. "Tum dono ko yahan laane me."
Sana ka dil zor se dhadakne laga.
"Rayan," Aliyar ne naam liya.
Rayan muskuraaya. "Naam yaad hai. Acchi baat hai."
"Tum chahte kya ho?" Aliyar ne poocha.
"Sach," Rayan ne jawab diya. "Wo sach jo tumne Sana se nahi kaha."
Sana ne dono ke beech dekha. "Kya sach?"
Rayan ne Sana ki taraf dekha. "Tumhe pata hai Aliyar ne school kyun chhoda tha?"
Aliyar ne chillaya, "Bas karo."
Par Rayan nahi ruka.
"Cheating ka ilzaam fake tha," usne kaha. "Par exam paper asli tha."
Sana ne Aliyar ki taraf dekha. "Iska matlab?"
Rayan ne dheere se kaha, "Paper Aliyar ne hi churaya tha."
Aliyar ki aankhen widen ho gayi.
"Tum jhoot bol rahe ho," Sana ne kaha.
Rayan ne pocket se ek purana phone nikala. "Proof chahiye?"
Aliyar ne ek kadam aage badh kar kaha, "Ye us waqt ka hai. Jab main bewakoof tha."
Sana confused thi. "Aliyar…?"
Aliyar ne aankhen neeche jhuka li. "Maine paper liya tha. Par cheat nahi kiya. Rayan ko diya tha, taaki wo pass ho jaaye."
Rayan hans diya. "Aur jab pakde gaye, to naam sirf tumhara gaya."
Sana ko sach samajh aane laga.
"Tum ab kya chahte ho?" Sana ne poocha.
Rayan ne uski taraf dekha. "Aliyar ka sach sabke saamne. Aur tum…"
Usne pause liya.
"Tum meri ho jao."
Aliyar ne gusse me kaha, "Door reh usse."
Rayan ne muskurate hue kaha, "Game shuru ho chuka hai, Aliyar Khan."
Sana ka phone vibrate hua.
Unknown number nahi tha.
Saved contact.
RAYAN
Message sirf ek line ka tha—
"Choose wisely."
Sana ne phone band kiya. Uske saamne do log the. Ek past ka bojh. Ek present ka bharosa.
Aur use laga—
ye choice sirf pyaar ki nahi,
zindagi ki hone wali hai.
Sana ne dono ki taraf dekha.
Ek taraf Rayan—jiski aankhon me sach ke saath saath zehar bhi tha.
Doosri taraf Aliyar—jiski khamoshi me galti thi, par niyat nahi.
Usne phone haath me pakad kar ek kadam aage badhaya.
"Main apna decision abhi nahi bataungi," Sana ne kaha.
Rayan muskuraaya.
Aliyar ka chehra feeka pad gaya.
Usi pal Sana ke phone par ek aur message aaya.
RAYAN:
"Tumne der kar di."
School building ke bahar kisi cheez ke tootne ki awaaz aayi.
Aliyar ne Sana ka haath pakad li.
"Yahan se abhi nikalna hoga."
Par jab Sana ne peeche mud kar dekha—
classroom ka darwaza already band ho chuka tha.
Aur andar sirf ek awaaz ghoonj rahi thi—
"Choices hamesha escape nahi hoti."