Agle din…
University ka mahaul normal tha, lekin Haya ke liye sab kuch badla hua lag raha tha.
Woh class mein baithi thi, lekin uska dhyaan sirf ek hi cheez par tha —
Sameer.
Kal ka lamha baar baar uske zehan mein aa raha tha…
uska concern, uski awaaz, uski nazar…
"HELLOOO?" Aliza ne uske saamne haath hilaya.
Haya hosh mein aayi,
"Haan… kya hua?"
Aliza ne aankhein tang karke dekha,
"Ab toh confirm hai… tum gayi kaam se 😏"
Haya sharma gayi,
"Aisa kuch nahi hai…"
Aliza hansi,
"Achha? Phir Sameer ka naam sunte hi tumhari heartbeat fast kyun ho jaati hai?"
Haya chup ho gayi.
Is baar usne mana bhi nahi kiya…
Class ke baad group meeting thi.
Haya thodi nervous thi… bina wajah.
Canteen ke ek corner mein sab mil gaye.
Sana already wahan baithi thi.
Aaj uska attitude thoda alag tha — zyada cold.
"Finally…" usne seedha kaha.
Aliza ne dheere se Haya ke kaan mein kaha,
"Aaj toh madam full mood mein hain 👀"
Sameer bhi aa gaya.
Jaise hi woh baitha, Sana ne seedha topic shuru kiya:
"Sameer, mujhe lagta hai ke project ka presentation main aur tum handle karein."
Haya ne halki si nazar uthayi.
Sameer ne calmly poocha,
"Baaki log?"
Sana ne seedha jawab diya,
"Unka part alag hai. Presentation important hota hai… aur sab handle nahi kar paate."
Yeh baat seedha Haya par target thi.
Haya ne kuch nahi kaha… lekin uska dil halka sa toot gaya.
Sameer ne thoda serious hoke kaha,
"Presentation sabka right hai."
Sana ne thoda sharp tone mein kaha,
"Main sirf best ke liye keh rahi hoon."
Haya ne dheere se kaha,
"It's okay… main back-end work kar lungi."
Uski awaaz bohot halki thi… lekin usmein dard chhupa hua tha.
Sameer ne foran uski taraf dekha.
"Aap kyun peeche hat rahi hain?"
Haya ne nazar jhuka li,
"Main comfortable hoon…"
Sameer ne thoda firm tone mein kaha,
"Lekin main nahi hoon."
Sab chup ho gaye.
Sana ka expression change ho gaya,
"Oh wow… ab tum decide karoge kaun kya karega?"
Sameer ne seedha jawab diya,
"Nahi… lekin main yeh zaroor decide karunga ke kisi ko underestimate na kiya jaye."
Haya ne pehli baar Sameer ko is tarah dekha…
Protective.
Uska dil ajeeb si khushi aur darr dono se bhar gaya.
Sana ne thandi muskurahat ke saath kaha,
"Fine. Dekhte hain."
Lekin uski aankhon mein clearly jalan thi.
Meeting ke baad…
Haya bahar nikal rahi thi jab Sameer ne usse awaaz di:
"Haya…"
Pehli baar usne uska naam liya.
Haya ruk gayi.
Dil zor se dhadak raha tha.
"Ji…?"
Sameer uske paas aaya,
"Aap har baar khud ko kyun peeche kar leti hain?"
Haya ne dheere se kaha,
"Main bas… unnecessary attention nahi chahti."
Sameer ne seedha uski aankhon mein dekha,
"Aap deserve karti hain."
Yeh simple sa jumla…
Lekin Haya ke liye bohot bada tha.
Uski aankhon mein halki si nami aa gayi.
Dusri taraf…
Sana door khadi yeh sab dekh rahi thi.
Usne apna phone nikala aur kisi ko message kiya:
"Mujhe help chahiye… aur jaldi."
Raat ko…
Haya ne diary likhi:
"Aaj kisi ne meri taraf se bol diya… bina mere kehne ke. Kya yeh care hai… ya kuch aur?"
Sameer apne room mein tha.
Faizan ne call kiya,
"Bhai, tum toh hero ban gaye aaj 😄"
Sameer ne halki si smile di,
"Maine bas sahi kiya."
Faizan ne tease karte hue kaha,
"Ya phir kisi ke liye special feel karte ho?"
Sameer chup ho gaya…
Phir dheere se bola,
"Shayad…"
Ab kahani aur interesting ho rahi thi…
Ek taraf khamosh mohabbat…
Aur dusri taraf chhupi hui jalan.
To Be Continued…