Amar Bail

Part 13

~Past

"Main walk ke liye ja raha hoon. Chalo gi mere sath?" Woh shaam ke waqt hasb e mamil ki tarah walk ke liye nikal raha tha jab usne lawn mein ek konay mein Alizeh ko Christy ke sath dekha. Chand lamhe woh khara usay dekhta raha phir uski taraf barh aaya. Qadmon ki chaap par Alizeh ne sar utha kar dekha aur Umer ko dekh kar usne sar jhuka liya. Woh uske chehre ko dekh kar andaza laga chuka tha ke woh saari dopeher roti rahi hogi. Usay be ikhtiyar taras aaya.

"Kya ho raha hai Alizeh?" Usne bade dostana andaaz mein usay mukhatib kiya.

Alizeh ne koi jawab nahi diya. Sar jhukaaye woh isi tarah ghaas par baithi hui Christy ke balon mein ungliyan pherti rahi thi. "Mujh se kya narazi hai yaar?" Woh be takallufi se kehta hua khud bhi uske paas ghaas par baith gaya. Woh ab bhi usi tarah khamosh aur uski taraf dekhne se gurezan thi.

"Main walk ke liye ja raha hoon. Chalo gi mere sath?" Ek baar phir usne bade dostana andaaz mein kaha. Alizeh ne kuch hairan ho kar sar uthaya. Usne pehle kabhi usay sath chalne ki offer nahi ki thi. Phir aaj kyun?

"Nahi." Uske yak lafzi jawab ne Umer ko mayoos nahi kiya.

"Magar Granny keh rahi thi ke main tumhe sath le jaoon."

"Kyun?" Woh hairan hui.

"Yeh to pata nahi magar andar se nikalte hue unhone mujh se kaha ke Alizeh bahar lawn mein baithi hai, usay sath le jao. Ek dehr ghanta walk karegi to theek ho jayegi."

"Yeh unhone kaha?" Usne be yaqini se poocha.

"Haan, unhone hi kaha magar ab tum jana nahi chahti to main unse ja kar keh deta hoon." Woh uth kar khara ho gaya.

"Nahi, theek hai. Main chalti hoon."

Woh ek lamhay ki hichkichahat ke baad yak dum uth kar khari ho gayi. "That's great!" Woh beikhteyar muskuraya.

Sath chalte chalte dono gate se bahar aa gaye. Footpath par aate hi usne Alizeh ko mukhatib kiya.

"Tum roti rahi ho?" Woh thathki, usay Umer se aise kisi sawal ki tawaqo nahi thi.

"Nahi." Chand lamhon baad usne kaha. Umer ne ek nazar khamoshi se usay dekha. Woh samne sarak par dekh rahi thi. Usne Alizeh ke jawab par koi tabsira nahi kiya.

Chand lamhe usi tarah khamoshi se chalte rehne ke baad usne Alizeh se poocha,

"Kabhi walk ke liye aati ho?"

"Nahi."

"Kyun?"

"Mujhe accha nahi lagta."

"Tum pehli larki ho jiske munh se main yeh sun raha hoon," usne khaasi be-takallufi se kaha. Is baar Alizeh khamosh rahi.

"Thori bohot exercise to zaroori hoti hai. Banda fit rehta hai," usne ek baar phir baat ka silsila jorne ki koshish ki. Woh ek baar phir khamosh rahi. "Exercise to kisi ko buri nahi lagti," Umer ne himmat nahi haari. Uski khamoshi hanuuz qaim thi.

"Mujhe to acha lagta hai jogging karna, walk ke liye jana, hafte mein do teen dafa gym jana."

Alizeh ne is baat par bhi koi tabsira nahi kiya. Woh kuch der uske jawab ka muntazir raha, phir jaise tang aa gaya.

"Kya sirf main hi bolta rahoon ga, tum kuch nahi kaho gi?"

Alizeh ne sirf gardan mod kar usay dekha.

"Aap khud baatein kar rahe hain. Main ne to nahi kaha," usne kuch khafgi se Umer ko jawab diya.

"Main is liye baatein kar raha hoon kyun ke yaar mera dil chah raha tha aap se baatein karne ko."

"Main is liye baatein nahi kar rahi kyun ke mera dil nahi chah raha aap se baatein karne ko." Umer uske jawab par be-ikhtiyar hans para.