📘 CHAPTER 15 – “Half Truths… Half Feelings”
School ka aaj ka atmosphere thoda strange tha. Sabko lag raha tha ki kuch bada hone wala hai — maybe diary case ka next twist, ya shayad… emotions ka.
Ishu classroom ke last bench par quietly baithi thi. Uska dimaag sirf do cheezon me stuck tha:
1️⃣ S.M. initial again…
2️⃣ Sohail ka behavior jo kal se thoda alag sa tha.
Dipti ne uske bag me se ek chocolate nikaal kar bola,
“Ye le, sugar level boost kar le. Tu bohot overthink karti hai!”
“Dipti, agar S.M. ka matlab Sohail hua to…?”
Ishu ne almost whisper kiya.
Dipti ne drama mode me haath utha diya,
“Agar Sohail involved hota na… to wo tere saamne aise behave nahi karta. Aur waise bhi, diary ki writing uski nahi lagti.”
Ishu thoda relax hui… but completely calm nahi.
🎭 Scene: Alina’s Unexpected Move
Jab lunch break hua, Alina seedha Ishu ke paas aayi.
“Hey Ishu, can we talk?”
Uska tone surprisingly normal tha.
Ishu thodi hesitant par haath me diary notes pakad kar khadi ho gayi.
“Tumhare paas mere liye last period ke notes hain na? Sohail ne bola ki tumhare paas hoga.”
Ishu internally: Sohail ko notes ki zarurat thi? Mujhse khud nahi maang sakta tha kya?
Jealousy ka halka sa spark again.
“Uh… haan, hain,” Ishu ne halka sa cold tone me bola.
Alina ne uski aankhon me dekha,
“Aur haan… Sohail ne kaha ki tum dono ache friends ho. So relax… I’m not ‘interested’ in him.”
Ishu shock.
Dipti corner me khadi hansi daba rahi thi.
But usse bhi zyada shocking baat ye thi:
“Aur tumse ek baat aur — library ke stairs ke neeche jo diary page mila na… uske baare me principal kuch discuss kar rahe the. Tum log careful rehna.”
Ishu: Wait… Alina ko ye sab kaise pata?
Before she could ask, Alina chali gayi.
🔍 Mystery Twist: New Symbol Revealed
Last period ke baad Ishu aur Dipti staff room ke side se ja rahi thi jab unhe floor pe ek tiny folded paper mila.
Dipti ne turant uthaya,
“Bhagwan ki kasam, please ye timetable hojae!”
But jab unfold kiya…
Ek strange symbol bana hua tha:
A triangle.
Uske andar ek circle.
Aur neeche initials — S.M.
Ishu ka heartbeat fast ho gaya.
“Ye kya matlab hua? Kisi secret society jaisa lag raha hai!” Dipti ne bola.
Ishu ne paper ko pocket me rakha.
Tabhi peechhe se Sohail ki voice aayi, soft par serious:
“Kya mila tum dono ko?”
Ishu ne purse clutch kar liya,
“Kuch nahi… bas normal paper.”
Sohail ne uske face ko carefully study kiya,
“Tum mujhse kuch chhupa rahi ho, right?”
Ishu ka throat dry ho gaya.
Uska behavior… uska tone…
Jaise wo truth guess kar sakta ho.
❤️ Love Tension Moment
Sohail hall ke side shade me ruk kar Ishu ke saamne aaya.
“Ishu… you okay na? Tum bohot lost lag rahi ho.”
Uski voice unusually soft thi.
Ishu dekh rahi thi par bol nahi pa rahi thi.
“Look, if something is bothering you… tell me. I’m not your enemy.”
Ishu sirf itna keh paayi,
“Kabhi-kabhi lagta hai… tum kuch chhupa rahe ho.”
Sohail ek second ke liye freeze ho gaya.
Uski aankhon me kuch tha — guilt? pain? ya koi truth?
Phir halka sa smile,
“Kuch cheezein… waqt aane par samajh aati hain.”
Ishu confused.
Sohail ne uski wrist pakad kar halka sa squeeze kiya —
gentle, friendly, caring… nothing romantic.
“Whatever happens, main tumhare side hoon. Okay?”
Ye line sunte hi Ishu ka dil alag hi dhadakne lagaa.
But uske mind me sirf ek thought:
“If he’s on my side… toh S.M. kaun?”
Jab Ishu ghar pahunchi aur symbol wala paper table par rakha…
us symbol ke neeche faint handwriting visible hui:
“You cannot trust everyone.
Specially the one you think you should.”
Neeche initials phir…
S.M.
This time line ke neeche ek smudge jaisa mark tha —
jaise likhne wala jaldi me chhupa raha ho.
Ishu ne shock me phone uthaya…
and usko ek anonymous message aaya:
“You’re getting too close to the truth.”
And ch end.....!!!