📘 CHAPTER 16 – “The Girl Who Knew Too Much”
Next day school pohachte hi Ishu ko pata chal gaya ki aaj ka din normal nahi hone wala.
Kal raat ka anonymous message uske dimaag me baar-baar echo ho raha tha:
“You’re getting too close to the truth.”
Ishu ne Dipti ko message kiya,
“Meet me near library staircase. Urgent.”
Dipti daudti hui pahunch gayi, haath me sandwich pakadke.
“Subah-subah kya emergency hai? Mere stomach ko shock mat de!” Dipti ne complain kiya.
Ishu ne pocket se woh symbol wala paper nikala.
Dipti: “Oh God… fir se S.M.”
Ishu ke honton se bas ek line nikli,
“Dipti… mujhe lagta hai koi hume dekh raha hai.”
Aur tabhi…
piche se kisi ki footsteps sunai di.
Dono ek second me turn hui—
but koi nahi.
🎭 Scene: Sohail’s Unexpected Arrival
Jab woh dono upar ja rahi thi, Sohail unke saamne aa gaya, bilkul suddenly.
“Tum dono yaha kya kar rahi ho?”
Uska tone ajeeb sa serious tha.
Dipti seedha defend mode me,
“Kya matlab? Library me padhna mana hai kya?”
Sohail ne Ishu ki aankhon me directly dekha,
“Tum theek ho na? Kal raat online nahi thi… I was trying to text.”
Dipti ne aankh utha kar Ishu ko tease kiya,
“Ohhh someone is worried.”
Ishu ke cheeks warm ho gaye.
But usne bas haan me sir hila diya.
❤️ Love + Jealousy spark again
Alina neeche corridor se chadhti hui aayi.
“Sohail! I need your help again—”
Phir usne Ishu aur Dipti ko dekha.
Ek awkward silence.
“Actually… Sohail, tumne kal ke notes wapas nahi kiye.”
Uska tone ‘normal’ tha, par uski eyes Ishu par hi tikki thi.
Dipti whisper:
“Alina jealous mode ON.”
Sohail quickly bola,
“Abhi de deta hoon. But first— Ishu, tum sath chalogi? Mujhe tumse baat karni hai.”
Alina ka face stiff ho gaya.
Ishu shock.
Dipti excited.
“Wait… mujhse?” Ishu ne poocha.
Sohail:
“Haan. It’s important.”
Alina ne forced smile diya,
“Okay… I’ll wait.”
But clearly woh irritated thi.
🔍 Mystery Turns Darker
Sohail ne Ishu ko school ground ke side corner me le gaya — jaha usually koi nahi hota.
“Look, mujhe poochna tha… tum kuch investigate kar rahi ho na?”
Uski voice calm nahi thi — slightly tense.
Ishu ne heart-beat fast feel kiya,
“K-kyu? Tum aisa kyun pooch rahe ho?”
Sohail ne ek deep breath li.
“Kyunki… mujhe pata chala hai ki tumhare paas wo symbol wala paper hai.”
Ishu ka dil literally ruk gaya.
“Tumhe kaise pata?”
Sohail kuch bolta, usse pehle…
THUD!
Unke paas se ek diary ka old torn page hawa me girta hua aaya — jaise upar se kisi ne chhoda ho.
Dono ne shock me use uthaya.
Page ke corner par likha hua tha:
“Don’t trust the one you’re closest to.”
Neeche initials — again S.M.
Is baar ink thodi fresh lag rahi thi.
Sohail ka face suddenly pale hogaya.
Ishu notice kar rahi thi…
This time, he looked scared. Genuinely scared.
“Yeh… yeh koi mazaak nahi hai,” Sohail ne slowly bola.
🎭 A Suspicious Presence
Dipti waha bhaagte hue aayi,
“Ishu! Alina ko kisi ne teacher’s room ke piche crying mode me dekha. She looked scared.”
Ishu aur Sohail dono shock.
“Crying? Why?” Ishu ne poocha.
Dipti ne shoulders raise kiye,
“Kisiko nahi pata. But… mujhe kuch weird feel hua. Jaise wo kuch chhupa rahi ho.”
Ishu ke dimaag me instantly last message flash hua:
“You cannot trust everyone.”
Ishu ne Sohail ki taraf dekha.
Sohail ne uski taraf.
Un dono ke beech ek silent realization pass hua:
Mystery sirf diary tak limited nahi rahi.
Ab real people involved hain.
Aur danger unke aur close aa raha hai.
❤️ Love Tension Moment (Soft, Teen-safe)
Jab Dipti aage nikal gayi, Ishu ruk gayi.
Sohail bhi ruk gaya.
“Ishu…”
Uski voice soft ho gayi.
“Main seriously worried hoon for you. Mujhe pata hai tum mujhpar trust karti ho… right?”
Ishu ne uski aankhon me dekha.
Uski aankhon me woh same warmth aur fear mix tha.
“I… I want to,” Ishu ne slowly kaha,
“Par S.M. notes…”
Sohail ne gentle tone me kaha,
“Please… ek baar mujhpar trust kar lo.”
Ishu ka dil halki si dhadak ke ruk sa jata hai.
But uske dimaag me ek question chain se rotate ho raha tha:
If Sohail didn’t write those messages…
to kaun kar raha hai?
Aur kyun woh initials S.M. use kar raha hai?
📌 END HOOK (Strong)
Bell ring hui.
Sohail class ki taraf jaate hue ruk gaya,
“Ishu, after school… I need to show you something.”
“Show me… what?”
Sohail ne halki si smile di,
“Something that might solve the mystery.”
Ishu ke bolne se pehle hi Dipti wapas aa gayi.
But…
Unhe pata nahi tha—
Unke peeche third floor ke window se koi unhe dekh raha tha.
Aur uske haath me wohi symbol tha —
triangle inside circle.
Chapter end...