Adultery Beta Dekhta Raha, Chup

[xxxhjbxxx]

Chapter - 15




Tabhi meri nazar aage ki taraf gayi.

Chand.

Woh dheere dheere meri taraf aa raha tha. Haath mein cigarette thi aur uske chehre par wohi purani si muskurahat thi. Jaise woh mujhe dhoondh raha ho.

Mera dil zor se dhadakne laga. Main turant uth khada hua. Nazar neeche kiye hue main jaldi se peeth mod kar chal pada. “Nahi… nahi dekhna usko. Ignore kar. Jaise kuch suna hi nahi.”

“Arre Idris! Ruk toh saale!”

Chand ki awaaz peeche se aayi. Main aur tez chal pada. Pair bhaari lag rahe the lekin main rukna nahi chahta tha.

Lekin usne mujhe pakad liya.

Piche se usne mera haath pakad kar mujhe rok liya. Zor se nahi, lekin itna ki main ruk gaya. Main palat kar uski taraf dekha.

“Kahan bhaag raha hai yaar?” usne kaha, cigarette muh se nikaalte hue. “Main hi toh hoon. Itna darr kyun raha hai?”

Maine koi jawab nahi diya. Nazar uske peeche ki taraf thi. Dil mein ek hi cheez ghoom rahi thi — us din ki woh gandi baat. “Saali ka gaand dekh… mil jaye toh khod ke chhod dun.” Wohi lafz mere kaanon mein goonj rahe the.

“Woh… maths ka paper… thoda tough tha na?” maine dheere se bola. Awaaz mein koi jaan nahi thi. Bas baat aage badhane ke liye kuch bhi bol diya.

Chand ne halka sa hans diya. “Haan yaar, thoda tough tha. Lekin tu toh Akash ke saath padhta tha na? Usne kuch nahi bataya kya?”

Main chup raha. Nazar uske chehre par nahi ja rahi thi.

Phir Chand ne achanak kaha, “Chal yaar… garmi lag rahi hai. Sprite peete hain.”

Maine uski taraf dekha. Thoda hairaan tha lekin kuch nahi bola. Chand ne mera haath pakda aur seedha us taraf chal pada jahan chhoti si dukaan thi.

Dukaan par Chand ne do Sprite ki bottles maangi. Ek mujhe de di. Dusri apne haath mein le li. Main uski taraf ghuma aur thodi der tak usko hi ghurta raha. Uske chehre par, uski aankhon mein, uske honton par.

Phir maine apni bottle kholi aur ek saans mein pi ne laga. Achanak ek zor ka khansi ka jhatka aaya. Main jhuk gaya. Aankhein paani se bhar gayi.

“Arre yaar!” Chand ne turant mera kandha pakda aur peeth par thapkiyan dene laga. “Dheere pi na! Itna jaldi kyun?” Usne apni bottle se thoda paani mere muh mein daala. “Pee le… dheere se.”

Main dheere dheere saans lene laga. Khansi ruk gayi. Chand abhi bhi mere kandhe par haath rakhe hue tha.

“Haan… theek ho gaya,” maine dheere se kaha.

Hum dono usi dukaan ke saamne wale chhote se bench par baith gaye. Chand ne apni cigarette bujha di aur poocha, “college ka scene kaisa chal raha hai? Akash ab aata nahi kya ghar?”

Maine uski taraf dekha. Aaj uski awaaz mein koi tezpan nahi tha. Koi ganda mazak nahi.

“Haan… boards ki taiyari kar raha hai. Ab nahi aata,” maine kaha.

Chand ne sar hilaya. “Achha hai yaar. Tu khud se manage kar lega.”

Phir usne poocha, “Bata na… Akash ke saath padhai ka experience kaisa tha? Woh toh bahut tez tha na samjhaane mein?”

Main thoda ruk gaya lekin phir bola, “Haan… strict tha lekin samjhaata achha tha. Bahut mehnat karta tha. Bas thoda impatient tha kabhi-kabhi.”

Chand ne sir hilaya. “Haan yaar, woh aisa hi hai. Lekin dil ka achha ladka hai.”

Hum dono Sprite khatam karke uth gaye. Ab hum ground ki taraf chal rahe the. Baatein chal rahi thi — college, teachers, kuch random cheezein. Pehle jaisa koi tension nahi tha. Chand ne mujhe ek aur cigarette offer ki, is baar zor se nahi, bas muskurate hue.

“Nahi yaar, main nahi leta,” maine kaha aur pehli baar uske saamne halka sa smile kar diya.

Chand hans pada. “Theek hai yaar. Tu apni marzi se jee. Phir milte hain kabhi?”

Main sir hilaya. “Haan… milte hain.”

Woh apni bike ki taraf chala gaya aur main ghar ki taraf.

Raste bhar dimag mein sirf ek hi baat chal rahi thi — aaj Chand itna normal kyun tha? Itna… nice?

Ghar pahunch kar main seedha apne kamre mein chala gaya. Darwaza andar se lock kiya aur bistar par let gaya. Aankhein band ki.

Aaj ka din baar baar aankhon ke saamne aa raha tha. Chand ka peeth thapthapana, uska paani dena, uski normal baatein, uska “dil ka achha ladka hai” wala comment.

Main soch raha tha — shayad main galat soch raha tha uske baare mein. Shayad woh sirf Akash ke saath ganda mazak karta tha. Shayad asal mein woh itna bura nahi hai.

Lekin phir bhi… us din ki woh gandi baat mere dimag se nahi ja rahi thi.

Main palat kar bistar par let gaya aur chaadar muh par kheench li.