Classroom ka darwaza band ho chuka tha.
Bahaar se latch ki awaaz aayi, jaise kisi ne jaan-bujhkar un dono ko andar lock kar diya ho. Sana ka saans atak gaya. Aliyar ne instinctively uska haath aur tight pakad liya.
"Rayan!" Aliyar ne zor se awaaz lagayi. "Ye bachpana band kar."
Koi jawaab nahi aaya. Sirf corridor me ghoonjti hui khamoshi.
Sana ne darwaze ki taraf badhkar zor se dhakka diya, par wo khula nahi. Purani building thi, par tala naya lag raha tha. Kisi ne pehle se plan karke sab kiya tha.
"Wo humein akela chhodna chahta tha," Sana ne dheere se kaha. "Taaki main soch sakun."
Aliyar ne uski taraf dekha. "Aur taaki wo pressure bana sake."
Sana ne Aliyar ka haath chhoda aur classroom ke andar chalne lagi. Uski nazar blackboard par likhe us naam par phir se padi—Aliyar Khan. Ab wo sirf ek naam nahi tha, balki ek poori kahani ban chuka tha.
"Tumne mujhe poora sach kyun nahi bataya?" Sana ne poocha, bina mud ke.
Aliyar ne kuch seconds socha. Phir kaha,
"Kyuki mujhe darr tha. Agar tumne mujhe us galti ke saath dekha hota, to shayad tum bhi mujhe wahi samajhti jo baaki sab ne samjha."
Sana ne mud kar dekha. "Tumne galti ki thi. Par tum bhaage nahi. Tum chup rahe."
"Chup rehna aasaan tha," Aliyar ne kaha. "Bolna sabse mushkil."
Sana ne khidki ke paas jaakar neeche dekha. Building ke bahar koi nahi tha. Sirf hawa aur kuch sookhe patte.
Uska phone vibrate hua.
RAYAN:
"Tum decide kar chuki ho?"
Sana ne reply nahi kiya.
Aliyar ne poocha, "Wo kya chahta hai, tum jaanti ho na?"
"Haan," Sana ne kaha. "Wo chahta hai main tumse door ho jaun. Aur shayad… uske saath rahun."
Aliyar ke chehre par dard saaf dikha, par usne kuch nahi kaha.
Sana ne gehri saans li. "Par use lagta hai choice sirf do logon ke beech hoti hai. Wo bhool gaya—choice meri hai."
Aliyar ne uski taraf dekha.
Sana ne phone uthaya aur type kiya.
Sana:
"Main tumhari game ka hissa nahi hoon."
Message send hote hi turant reply aaya.
RAYAN:
"Phir tum dono ke liye cheezein mushkil ho jayengi."
Usi waqt building ke bahar police siren ki halki si awaaz aayi. Door nahi, par paas bhi nahi. Jaise koi aa raha ho.
Aliyar ne Sana ki taraf dekha, surprise ke saath.
"Tumne kisi ko call kiya?"
Sana ne sir hila diya. "Maine apni Maa ko location bheji thi. Kal raat hi. Agar main time par ghar na pahunchun."
Aliyar ek pal ke liye chup raha. Phir dheere se bola,
"Tumne sab plan kar liya."
"Main darr ke saath jeena nahi chahti," Sana ne kaha. "Na tumhare past se, na Rayan ke threat se."
Darwaze ke bahar achanak kadmon ki awaaz aayi. Phir taale ke khulne ki.
Rayan saamne khada tha. Uske chehre par wo usual confident smile nahi thi.
"Tumne police ko involve kar diya?" usne Sana se poocha.
Sana ne seedha jawab diya. "Haan."
Rayan ne Aliyar ki taraf dekha. "Lagta hai is baar tum jeet gaye."
Aliyar ne shaanti se kaha, "Ye jeet nahi hai. Ye bas end hai."
Door se siren aur paas aa gayi.
Rayan ne ek kadam peeche liya. "Game khatam nahi hoti, Sana. Kabhi bhi."
"Par aaj tum haar gaye," Sana ne kaha.
Rayan ne kuch kehna chaha, par tabhi corridor me awaazein badh gayi. Teachers aur guards aa chuke the. Rayan bina peeche dekhe nikal gaya.
Classroom phir se khaali ho gaya.
Aliyar ne Sana ki taraf dekha. "Tum safe ho?"
Sana ne halka sa smile kiya. "Ab haan."
"Tum mujhse naraaz ho?" Aliyar ne dheere se poocha.
Sana ne uske saamne khade hokar kaha,
"Main tumse naraaz nahi hoon. Main tumhare saath hoon."
Aliyar ki aankhon me pehli baar halka sa sukoon dikha.
Bahaar nikalte waqt Sana ne ek baat mehsoos ki—
raaz ab bhi poori tarah khatam nahi hue the.
Par is baar wo akeli nahi thi.
Aur shayad…
ye kahani ab sirf darr ki nahi,
bharose ki bhi hone wali thi.