Raat.
Ghar shaant tha.
Main apne room mein bed par baithi thi jab suddenly—
Knock.
Door thoda sa khulta hai.
Ammi door par khadi hoti hain.
"Aek baat puchun?"
Main casual act karne ki koshish karti hoon.
"Haan pucho."
Ammi seedha meri taraf dekhte hue bolti hain—
"Tere aur us ladke ke beech kuch aur hai kya?"
Mera heart ek second ke liye ruk jata hai.
Main turant defensive ho jaati hoon.
"Nahi! Bilkul nahi. Woh mera dost bhi nahi hai."
Ammi bas mujhe dekh rahi hoti hain.
Observe kar rahi hoti hain.
"Hmmm…"
Thoda pause.
"Pata hai mujhe kyun laga?"
Main chup.
Ammi dheere bolti hain—
"Kyuki usne tumhare mukka marne ke baad zara si bhi unchi awaaz mein baat nahi ki."
Pause.
"Na gussa hua."
"Ulta mujhe bola ke main tumhe daantu nahi."
Main kuch nahi bol paati.
Ammi phir bolti hain—
"Agar koi normal ladka hota… uska ego hurt ho chuka hota."
"Shayad tumse baat bhi band kar deta."
Phir woh thoda soch kar bolti hain—
"Aur yeh ladka?"
"Kapde bhi silwane de gaya."
"Respect se baat bhi ki."
Main nazar jhuka leti hoon.
Ammi half suspicious, half thoughtful tone mein—
"Pata nahi… daal mein kuch kaala hai."
Phir woh quietly room se nikal jaati hain.
Door band.
Room silent.
---
Main bed par baithi rehti hoon.
Aur pehli baar…
Main yeh nahi soch rahi hoti—
"Woh mujh par line maar raha hai kya?"
Main yeh soch rahi hoti hoon—
"Usne ego kyun nahi liya?"
Main phone uthati hoon.
Call.
Woh almost instantly pick karta hai.
"Hello?"
Main seedha bol deti hoon—
"Mama ko shak ho raha hai mujhpe."
Dusri side se bina pause—
"Toh achhi baat hai. Rishta lekar aa jaata hoon."
Main freeze.
Phir woh casually bol deta hai—
"To be honest… I love you."
Silence.
Mera dimaag blast.
"Kya pagal ho gaye ho?!"
"Main tumhe abhi tak dost bhi properly nahi maanti aur tum yahan I love you bol rahe ho?!"
Woh deep breath leta hai.
"Theek hai."
Pause.
"Phir engagement kar lete hain."
Main almost choke kar jaati hoon.
"WHAT?!"
Woh fast bolne lagta hai. Nervous.
"Sunno pehle."
"Agar engagement ho jaati hai toh tum mujhse openly baat kar sakti ho."
"Aunty ko shak nahi hoga."
"Ghar wale rok nahi paayenge."
"Tum kahogi fiancé se baat kar rahi ho. Simple."
Main stunned.
Woh rukta nahi.
"Aur agar ek din tumhe lage main pasand nahi…"
"Engagement tod dena."
"Main blame le lunga."
"Bol dena meri galti thi."
Meri awaaz thodi soft ho jaati hai, lekin gussa abhi bhi hai.
"Tum samajh bhi rahe ho kya bol rahe ho?"
Woh nervous laugh karta hai.
"Main controlling nahi hoon."
"Tumhe meri permission ki zarurat nahi."
"Par society mein log aise hi sochte hain."
"Agar koi puche toh main keh dunga haan maine permission di hai. Bas tum par pressure kam hoga."
Silence.
Woh phir explain karne lagta hai.
Almost breathless.
"Fake engagement sirf naam ka hoga."
"Just to talk."
"Tum Muslim ho… ghar wale allow nahi karenge kisi ladke se casually baat karna."
"Engagement hogi toh freedom mil jayegi."
"Agar koi puche toh bol dena fiancé hai."
"Simple."
Uski awaaz thodi nervous ho jaati hai.
"I'm not controlling you…"
"Tumhe meri permission ki zarurat nahi…"
"Bas society ko handle karne ke liye—"
Main suddenly usse cut karti hoon.
"Are you serious right now?"
Silence.
Main dheere bolti hoon.
"Jhooth bol ke freedom nahi milti."
Pause.
"Aur agar tum mujhse sach mein pyaar karte ho na… toh fake engagement ka idea nahi dete."
Woh immediately bolta hai—
"No! Mujhe tumse pyaar nahi hai—"
Pause.
Phir awaaz soft ho jaati hai.
"Mujhe bas tumse baat karni hai."
"Agar tumhare Ammi Papa ne mana kar diya toh?"
Main slowly saans leti hoon.
Mera tone calm ho jata hai.
Par firm.
"No."
"Hum baat nahi kar sakte."
Dusri side silent.
Main dheere bolti hoon—
"If you love me… toh baat karoge toh pyaar aur gehra hoga."
"Aur agar sirf baat karne ke liye fake engagement chahiye…"
"Toh woh pyaar nahi… darr hai."
Woh kuch nahi bolta.
"Mummy already doubt kar rahi hain."
"Main unka trust tod ke shuru nahi kar sakti."
Meri awaaz thodi shake karti hai.
Lekin main strong rehti hoon.
"Thank you for thinking about my freedom."
"But freedom jhooth se nahi aati."
Pause.
"And please…"
"Apni life ruk mat dena."
"Tumhari life mein koi aur aayegi."
"Shayad tum usse pyaar karoge."
"Shayad woh tumhe karegi."
"That's okay."
Dusri side se almost whisper aata hai—
"Mujhe nahi lagta koi tumhe replace kar sakta hai."
Silence.
Phir woh dheere bolta hai—
"But it's okay."
"Tum Muslim ho."
"Tum ghar walon ke against nahi jaogi."
"I respect that."
Long pause.
Phir woh finally bolta hai—
"Agar main tumhe bhool nahi paya…"
"Toh ek din seedha tumhare ghar rishta lekar aaunga."