Mulazim-E-Al-Wadood

Chapter 29

Zayn apne sofay par baitha tha, laptop samne khula hua tha, magar uska zehan kahin aur bhatak raha tha. Raat ke gyarah baj chuke the, aur kamre ki khamoshi uske khayalat ko aur gehra karti ja rahi thi. Woh piche tek lagaye chhat ki taraf dekhta raha, sochta raha kyun Muskan hone ya naa hone se use itna fark pad raha tha.

Kitni koshish kar ke bhi woh uski yaad ko apne zehan se nikal nahi saka. Yeh sab deewanapan lagta tha. Usne use zehen se nikal ne ke liye kaam par dhyan dene ka faisla kiya.

Usne apna phone uthaya, niyat sirf kuch emails dekhne ki thi, magar uski ungli be-ikhtiyar uske contacts mein Muskan ke naam par ruk gayi. Uska dil tez dhadakne laga jab usne us naam ko dekha, aur uske zehan mein sau sawal daudne lage. Woh is waqt kya kar rahi hogi? Shayed kitaab parh rahi hogi... ya shayed so rahi hogi?

Uske andar ek ajeeb bechaini thi, aur is bechaini mein usne bina soche call ka button daba diya.

Phone ki ghanti ek martaba baji thi ke Zayn ke hosh udd gaye. Ghabrahat mein usne foran call kaat di aur phone ko aise sofa par phenk diya jaise woh jal raha ho.

"Well done, Zayn," usne apne aap se dheemi awaaz mein kaha. "Wah, bohot aqalmandi dikhayi. Kya kehne wala tha? 'Muskan, raat ke gyarah bajay main bas tumhare baare mein soch raha tha, ek deewane ki tarah?"

Zayn ne ghabrahat mein apne baalon mein haath phera. "Agar usne dekh liya toh? Kya soch rahi hogi? Main soch kya raha tha!"

Woh abhi khud ko yeh tasalli de raha tha ke shayad usne nahi dekha hoga, ke achanak uska phone bajne laga. Uski aankhen phail gayi. Muskan call kar rahi thi.

"Wah, kamal kar diya," usne apne aap se kaha, gehra saans lete hue call uthayi. "Hello?"

"Zayn?" Muskan ki awaaz uske kaanon mein goonj uthi, narm aur halki si shugoofa bhari. "Tumne mujhe call kiya tha?"

"Uh, nahi-mera matlab hai, haan-lekin asal mein nahi. Woh... galti se hogaya," usne haklata hua jawab diya, haath apni gardan ke peechay le ja kar malte hue.

"Oh..." Muskan kuch der ke liye khamosh rahi. Phir halki si jhijhak ke saath poocha, "Toh koi baat nahi thi?"

"Nahi," Zayn ne usi naram lekin bechain lehje mein kaha.

Dono ke darmiyan kuch lamhoon ke liye sirf khamoshi thi. Woh khamoshi har lamha gehri hoti ja rahi thi.

"Main... phone rakhti hoon," Muskan ne aakhir kaha, uski awaaz dheemi thi.

"Kyun?" Zayn ne foran poocha, lafz uske labon se nikal gaya isse pehle ke woh rok pata.

"Kya?" Muskan ki awaaz mein hairani thi.

"Mera matlab hai, haan. Agar tum chahti ho toh," Zayn ne jaldi se jawab diya, apni awaaz mein beparwahi lane ki koshish karte hue, magar uska dil abhi bhi tez dhadak raha tha.

"Zayn, tum theek ho?" Muskan ki awaaz aur bhi narm ho gayi thi.

"H-haan," usne jawab diya, magar uska gala sukh raha tha. Usne apna gala saaf kiya aur phir kaha, "Haan, main theek hoon."

"Hmm..." Muskan ne dheemi si sochti hui awaaz nikali. "Waise, tum ab tak jaag kyun jaag rahe ho? Kya kal office nahi jaana, Mr. Self Obsessed?"

"Main bhi yahi sawal tumse kar sakta hoon,"
Tum kyun jaag rahi ho?"

"Main?" Muskan ne aam se lehje mein kaha. "Parh rahi thi. Sab ke paas tumhari tarah dus log nahi hote kaam karne ke liye."

"Excuse Me?"
"Tumhein andaza bhi hai main din bhar kitna kaam karta hoon? Sirf kursi par baith kar smart dikhna mera kaam nahi hai."

"Oh, toh tum smart dikhte ho?" Muskan ne mazaaq karte hue kaha, hansi dabate. "Acha maloom hua. Tumhari accomplishments ki list mein yeh bhi shamil kar leti hoon."

"Haan kar sakti ho waise."

Kuch lamhon ke liye phir khamoshi chha gayi. Dono apni jagah par tasalli mein the.

"Toh," Muskan ne aakhir khamoshi todte hue kaha, "agar tumhara phone mujhe phir 'galti se' call kare, toh is baar kuch kehne ke liye tayyar rehna."

"Phir se?" Zayn ne halka sa muskara kar poocha. "Toh tum agle 'haadse' ki umeed kar rahi ho?"

"Umeed nahi," Muskan ne hansi dabate jawab diya. "Lekin tumhare saath kuch bhi mumkin hai."

Zayn ne apne bistar par let kar muskura raha tha. "Noted. Agli baar, ek chhoti speech tayar rakhoonga."

"Achha hai," Muskan ne kaha. "Filhal ke liye so jao. Warna tumhara staff kal complain karega ke unka boss aur zyada chirchira lag raha hai."

"Main chirchira nahi hoon!"

"Hmm, behas ki guzarish ho sakti hai," Muskan ne mazaaq mein kaha. "Allah Hafiz." Kehte hue usne call kaat diya.

"Main-" Zayn ne kuch kehne ki koshish ki, magar call kat chuka tha.

Call khatam hone ke baad, Zayn ne phone ko dekha aur apne sar hilate hue muskara diya. Usne uski poori raat ulat kar rakh di thi-aur ajeeb baat yeh thi, usse bilkul bura nahi laga.