Bin Tere

Chapter 20

Summer vacations khatam hone ke baad Maham aur baki sab hi ka routine pehle ki tarah hogaya. Subha school mai sadna, ane wale semi-finals ki tayari aur dhair sari tension.

Pr kise pata tha ki agae ane wale waqt in dostu ke liye ek naya imtihaan teh kr chuka tha.

"Kya yaar Maham aaj phir ane mai tumko itni dair kaise hogayi!?" Zoya Shikayati andaaz se sawal karti hai. Maham ek baar Ali ki taraf dekhti hai aur phir Zoya se kehti hai, "Dair mujhe sirf Ali ki wajah se howi hai. Narazgi usse ja kr dikhao!" Zoya sawali nazaru se Maham ko dekhti hai aur Ali hairan hojata hai ki abhi usne jo suna woh kya sach tha.

"Uncle mujhe aaj kal drop nahi kr sakte tu Fariha Aunty ki zid thi ki jab tak Uncle apni Car sahi na krwale, Ali hi mujhe pick and drop kare." Maham muskura kr safai se jhoot bolte howe Zoya ki misunderstanding clear krti hai.

Ali us duran sar hilate howe yeh sochta hai, 'Maham jhoot bolne mai Graduation kr rahi hai kya!? Aur itna jhoot sehat ke liye hanikarak ho sakta hai. Mai kya karoga is ladki ka.'

"Hey dostu, yeh batao projects submit kr diye tum sab ne?" Abdullah najane kaha se aakr sawal krta hai. "Abdullah! Tumne abhi tak project complete nahi kiya!? Koi itna bhi laparwah ho sakta hai kya!?" Zoya hairani se sawal krti hai.

"Fikr na karo humara project complete hai aur aaj Insha Allah hum submit bhi kar dege." Ayisha jo Abdullah ko pareshaani mai dekh kr aakae Abdullah ki side lete howe kehti hai. Aur jo usne kaha tha woh sach bhi tha.

Ayisha ne baki bacha howa sara project khud complete kr liya tha. Aur woh Abdullah ko is bare mai batana bhul gayi thi.  Abdullah fikr se Ayisha ki taraf dekhta hai. Ayisha muskura kr usku tassali deti hai aur Abdullah phir muskura kr shukriya ka izhaar krta hai.

Yeh dekh Zoya ko kuch accha na lagta hai. Uski dost aur jisko woh pasand krti hai, ankho hi ankho mai najane kya baat kr rahe hai. Zoya ko jalan ka ehsaas hota hai. Tabhi puri Class ke samne Haider aake Zoya ka haath pakadh ta hai aur class se bahar le jata hai. Ab yeh dekh Ayisha ko jalan hoti hai aur buhut bura lagta hai.

Abdullah, Haider aur Zoya ke peche jata hai aur yeh sara scene dekh Maham ke saath saath pura class hairat mai kho sa jata hai.

***

Haider, Zoya ka haath pakde corridor se hote howe neche ground ki taraf le jaraha hota hai ki tabhi peche se Abdullah aakr Zoya ka dusra haath thamte howe dono ko rukh deta hai.

Abdullah kafi gusse mai hota hai aur Haider se sawal krta hai, "Yeh kya harkat thi!? Kaha le jarahe the tum isko!?" Abdullah ko is tarah Zoya pehli baar dekh rahi thi aur Haider bhi. Haider muskura kr kehta hai, "Tumse kya matlab. Yeh meri dost hai aur project partner bhi. Mai isse project ke silsile mai baat krne keliye le jaraha tha."

"Project submit ho chuka hai tu ab koun si baat krni hai tumko!? Aur agar krni hai bhi tu project ki baat class mai bhi ho sakti hai." Abdullah gusse se kehta. "Project ek excuse tha. Mujhe Zoyi se kuch personal baat krni hai so now will you please excuse us!? Haider gussa daba kr kehta hai.

Haider ke muh se Zoyi naam sun kr Abdullah aag bagula hojata hai. Abdullah, Haider ka collar pakadh kr kehta hai, "Zoya ko sirf mai Zoyi kehna ka haq rakhta ho! Tumhari himmat kaise-" "Ab bas bhi karo tum dono ladhna! Abdullah! Choro Haider ka collar isi waqt! Haider tum bhi!" Abdullah ki baat beech se cut krte howe Zoya gusse se kehti hai aur Zoya ki Ankhe aansu se bhari howi thi. Yeh keh kr Zoya waha se chali jati hai.

Abdullah aur Haider, Zoya ke jane ke baad ek baar ek dusre ko gusse  se dekhte hai aur phir Abdullah bhi waha se chala jata hai. Haider waha tanha khare muskurata hai najane kya soch kr aur haath jabe mai dal kr waha se phir chala jata hai.