"Subah ki roshni ne kamre ko roshan to kar diya, magar mere dil ke andheron ko aur gehra bana diya. Kal raat jo lafz diary me likhe the, wo abhi bhi meri aankhon ke samne ghoom rahe the… '
"Roz ki tarah main ne khud ko sambhala aur ghar se nikal padi. Bahar ka manzar chamak raha tha, lekin andar se main toot chuki thi.
Gate par hi Inchal mil gayi, hamesha ki tarah hasi mazak karte hue. Uski baaton me wo masoomiyat thi jo dosti ko mazboot banati hai… par mujhe ye kab maloom tha ke yehi dosti ek din meri rooh ke zakhm banegi.
Class me pahunchi to ek naya chehra samne aaya — Muqeeb. Uski baatein aam thi, lekin uski nigah me kuch alag tha. Shayad ek nayi kahani likhne ja rahi thi kismat… aur main usi ki likhi lakeer par chalne wali thi."
"Class ka mahaul hamesha ki tarah shor sharabe se bhara tha, par aaj sab ki nigah ek naye chehre par tik gayi thi — Muqeeb.
Uski aankhen gehri jheelon ki tarah thi, aur uske alfaaz itne gehre ke jaise har lafz dil ke andar utar jaye. Uska chehra itna khubsurat tha ke nazar hataana mushkil ho raha tha
Meri rooh ka halat ajib tha… ek taraf wo shaks jise main chahne lagi thi, aur doosri taraf wo jo pehli mulaqat se hi meri kahani ke raaston me likha jaa chuka tha."
"Dhoop tez thi, par mahaul aur bhi zyada garam lag raha tha.
Mubeen ne Muqeeb ko nigahen se challenge kiya, jaise har lafz aur har qadam pe jaan ka panga lena chahta ho.
'Tum samajhte ho sab kuch asaan hai, Muqeeb?' Mubeen ki awaz thodi tez, thodi kaanp rahi thi.
Muqeeb ne shant aur gehri nigah me dekha, uski baaton me wazan aur har lafz me sakoon tha, jo Mubeen ko aur bhi zyada chubhta raha.
'Main sirf sach bolta hoon… aur sach ka samna har kisi ko karna padta hai,' Muqeeb ne dheere se kaha.
Meri dhadkan tez ho gayi, aankhon me nami thi… dono ke beech ka mahaul itna intense tha ke main bas wahan khadi reh gayi, kuch keh na pa rahi.
Aur mujhe pata tha… ye ladaai sirf lafzon ki nahi, dilon ke raaz aur jazbat ki bhi hai."
"Muqeeb ne dheere se kadam badhaye, par ek nazar Inha par daal di.
Wo nazar aisi thi jaise dil ke sab raaz ek pal me samne aa gaye ho… jaise wo keh raha ho: 'Tum samajh nahi paogi, par main hamesha yahi rahunga.'
Mubeen ne wo nazar dekhi, aur andar se kuch jal utha. Jealousy ki ek tez lehar uske dil me daud gayi.
'Tum…' Mubeen ne dheere se kaha, par Muqeeb ne sirf muskurate hue mukh mod liya.
Chalte chalte Muqeeb ne piche mur kar kaha:
'Zindagi me kabhi kisi ko bhoolna mushkil hota hai, aur kuch pal hamesha yaad reh jaate hain… shayad tum bhi samajh jaoge, Inha.'
Aur phir wo chala gaya, jaise koi rukh na paaye… aur uski gayi hui parchai meri dhadkan me ghus gayi.
Mubeen ki aankhen jal rahi thi… aur meri rooh ek ajeeb si khamoshi me kho gayi."
To be continued...