MUSHAF (by Nimra Ahmed)

Chapter 3.4

woh bahut bojhal si thi. woh buss stop pe pahunch ke akeli baithi suji bhi aankhon se dur road pe jaane kya talaash kar rahi thi, jahan, nili subah ke parinde ud rahe the, raat bhar ke rone ke baais us ke sir mein dard tha aur upar se woh siyah faam ladki bhi nahi aayi thi.

jane aaj woh kidhar reh gayi thi? abhi tak kyun nah aayi thi? sirf is liye mehmil aaj 15 minute pehle hi aagai thi, taake das ke bajaye 25 minute uske sath mil jaye, magar yeh toh usey maloom bhi nah tha ke woh aati kab thi. usey toh yeh bhi maloom nah tha ke woh uska intzaar kyun kar rahi thi. halaanke koi baat aisi nah thi, jise woh uske sath share kar sakti. kisi masle ka hal le sakti ya uske sath baith kar ro sakti. nahi, us ke paas batane ko kuch bhi toh nahi tha, phir bhi usey uska intzaar tha. woh baar baar kalayi pe bandhi wrist watch dekhti. lamhe bit te ja rahe the, 25 minute khatam ho gaye, magar us siyah faam ladki ka dur dur tak koi naam o nishaan nah tha.

buss ka horn baja toh woh shakta qadmon se uth kar chal di. Wo bench khaali reh gaya. subah ke parinde apne safar ko nikal gaye aur neelahat bhara ufaq sunehri kirno se bhigne laga.

woh bohat udaas si bus mein sawaar hui thi. Saara rasta khamosh si gardan mode khidki se bahar dekhti rahi. Us ki lambi suraahi manind sunehri gardan, unchi ponytail ke bais peeche se bhi jhalakti thi aur usay aur mumtaz bana deti thi .

buas ke rukne se thodi der pehle usne bag mein se pocket mirror nikaal kar dekha aur phir kuch soch kar moti sooji aankhon ko chhupane ko gehra kajal daal liya tha.

"mehmil! tum itna kajal mat dala karo. mind mat karna, magar tumhari eyes bilkul golden colour ki hain aur kajal mein bilkul billi ki tarah lagti hain. you know, cat women." nadia usey dekh kar hans kar boli thi. "Aur mujhe billiyan bilkul pasand nahi.

"khao gi?" Usne haath mein pakda chips ka packet badhaya.

mehmil ne aik khamosh nigah us par daali aur "no thanks" keh kar sir jukaye apni kitaab pe kuch likhne lagi. sir jhukane se uski unchi ponytail mazeed uth jaati aur bhoore baal gardan pe girte dikhayi denr lagte.

"My pleasure" nadia ne shaane uchakka kar packet wapas le liya.

woh khamoshi se sir jukaye kuch likhti rahi. woh library mein nadia ko kal taayi amma ke jawab wali baat batane aayi thi, magar uska tanz sun kar dil aik dam toot sa gaya tha. buss chutki bajate usne mehmil ki khubsurat, badami, sunehri aankhon ko billi se mushaba qarar de diya tha, shayad is liye ke aam si soorat ki nadia jab mehmil ke sath chal rahi hoti toh bohot se sir murr kar hamesha chahat bhari nigahon se mehmil ko hi dekhte the. daraaz qad, smart, lambi gardan aur unchi brown ponytail wali ladki, jis ki sunehri ankhein dhoop mein aur bhi zyada chamakti thi, pure college mein popular thi. aise mein jab woh kajal daal kar mazeed khubsurat dikhti toh nadia se kabhi kabhar bardasht nah hota aur woh kuch aisa zaroor keh deti, jo mehmil ka dil tod deta tha.

ab bhi woh nadia, apni best friend ke paas rone aayi thi magar nadia ke paas uske dukh sunne ki fursat nah thi. woh musalsal apne notes mein magan thi aur jab zara der ke liye free hui toh uska dil kuch aise tuta ke woh phir kuch keh hi nah saki.

"haan tum kuch bata rahi thi." woh chips ka packet kitaab ki upar kiye musalsal chips nikaal kar qutar rahi thi.

"Taayi amma ki baat thi shayad....."

"Nahi. koi baat nahi thi. "

"acha. mujhe laga "

"Tumhe ghalat laga. mein chalti hon. Zara se kuch kaam hai."  woh masruf si kitaabe uthaye bahar nikal aayi .

aglay do roz yuhi guzre. pareshani, mayoosi, na umeedi aur dukh, woh har tarah ki overthinking me ghiri hui thi. yun lagta tha, jaise duniya se rang hi khatam ho gaye ho. sab kuch pheeka pheeka sa tha aur dil ka baagh weraan, ujda hua.