[Greenwood]

Update 32



Reyansh ki meeting expected time se pehle khatam ho gayi thi. Woh office se nikalne hi wala tha ki phone par Jheel ka message aaya.
Jheel: “Aaj tum busy ho?”
Reyansh ne turant reply kiya.
Reyansh: “Depends. Kaam poochh raha hai ya koi mujhe coffee pilana chahta hai?”
Jheel: “Tumhe har baat mein coffee kyun chahiye?”
Reyansh: “Kyunki tumne abhi tak pichhli coffee ka badla nahi diya.”
Jheel: “Mujhe laga tum bhool gaye.”
Reyansh: “Main dessert ka hisaab bhi rakhta hoon.”
Kuch seconds baad Jheel ka message aaya.
Jheel: “Theek hai. Aaj shaam mere saath chaloge?”
Reyansh ne screen dekhi.
Is baar usne mazaak karne se pehle socha.
Reyansh: “Kahan?”
Jheel: “Surprise.”
Reyansh: “Tum mujhe kidnap toh nahi kar rahi?”
Jheel: “Agar kar rahi hoti toh location nahi poochhne deti.”
Reyansh hans pada.
Reyansh: “Seven baje lobby mein.”
Jheel: “Done.”
Usne phone pocket mein rakha aur lift ki taraf badh gaya.
Pichhle kuch hafton mein usne kai logon ke saath waqt bitaya tha. Aarohi ke saath uski conversations interesting thi, Arshad ke saath har mulaqat mein mazaak tha, aur office mein apni jagah bani hui thi.
Lekin Jheel ke message ka intezaar karna alag tha.
Usmein koi badi baat nahi thi. Bas ek chhota sa invitation.
Phir bhi Reyansh ne apne baaki kaam jaldi nipta diye.


Shaam7:05 PM | Surprise
Jheel lobby mein khadi thi.
Usne dusty-pink kurti ke saath white trousers pehne the. Baal khule the, kaanon mein chhote silver earrings the aur haath mein ek chhota sa sling bag.
Reyansh uske paas aaya toh uski nazar ek pal ko Jheel par thehar gayi.
“Tum aaj kahin jaane ke liye taiyaar hui ho ya mujhe impress karne ke liye?”
Jheel ne use dekha.
“Tumhare paas har waqt itna confidence kahan se aata hai?”
“Natural talent.”
“Tumhara talent thoda kam ho sakta hai?”
“Tum try karke dekh lo.”
Jheel hans padi.
“Chalo.”
“Ab bataogi bhi ki jaana kahan hai?”
“Ek art market hai. Wahan kuch handmade cheezein aur paintings hoti hain. Mere course ki ek friend ne bataya tha.”
“Tumhe art pasand hai?”
“Bahut zyada samajh nahi aata. Lekin dekhna achha lagta hai.”
Reyansh ne gaadi ki chaabi ghumayi.
“Perfect. Mujhe bhi art ke baare mein zyada nahi pata. Hum dono milkar galat opinions denge.”
Jheel hans padi.
“Tumhare opinions toh bina art ke bhi galat hote hain.”
“Madam, aaj tum bahut bold ho rahi ho.”
“Tumhari company ka asar hai.”
Reyansh ne uski taraf dekha.
Jheel ko apne hi lafz ka ehsaas hua. Usne turant gaadi ki taraf rukh kar liya.
Reyansh muskurata hua uske peeche chal diya.


Market chhota tha, lekin har taraf rang the.
Ek stall par handmade jewellery thi, doosre par paintings aur teesre par ceramic mugs. Kahin log tasveerein le rahe the, toh kahin ek artist apni painting par aakhri brush strokes laga raha tha.
Jheel ek painting ke saamne ruk gayi.
Usmein ek khidki bani thi. Khidki ke bahar baarish thi aur andar ek chhoti si table par jalti hui lamp rakhi thi.
“Tumhe yeh pasand aayi?” Reyansh ne poochha.
Jheel ne sir hilaya.
“Pata nahi kyun. Ismein sab kuch itna shaant lag raha hai.”
Reyansh ne painting dekhi.
“Baarish ho rahi hai, phir bhi shaant?”
“Baarish ka matlab hamesha pareshani nahi hota.”
Reyansh ne uski taraf dekha.
Jheel ko uski nazar mehsoos hui.
“Kya?”
“Kuch nahi. Tumhari baat achhi thi.”
“Tum mazaak nahi udaoge?”
“Har achhi baat par mazaak udaana zaroori hai?”
Jheel muskurayi.
Woh aage badhne lagi, lekin kuch kadam baad ek stall par ruk gayi. Wahan chhote handmade bookmarks the. Ek bookmark par neele aur safed rang se aasman banaya gaya tha.
Jheel ne use haath mein uthaya.
“Yeh kitna achha hai.”
“Kitab padhne ke liye ya kitab ko sundar banane ke liye?” Reyansh ne poochha.
“Dono ke liye.”
“Tum khareedogi?”
Jheel ne price tag dekha aur bookmark wapas rakh diya.
“Nahi. Bas dekh rahi thi.”
Reyansh ne kuch nahi kaha.
Woh dono market ke aakhri hisse tak gaye, jahan ek chhota sa food counter tha. Jheel ne lemonade li aur Reyansh ne coffee.
Wapas aate waqt Reyansh ne wahi neela bookmark khareed liya.
Jheel ko pata nahi chala.
Parking ke paas pahunchkar usne bookmark uski taraf badha diya.
Jheel ne hairani se dekha.
“Yeh mere liye?”
“Tumhe pasand aaya tha.”
“Lekin maine toh khareeda nahi.”
“Notice kiya tha.”
Jheel kuch pal chup rahi.
“Tum itni chhoti-chhoti baatein yaad rakhte ho?”
Reyansh ne kandhe uchkaye.
“Jab koi cheez important lage toh yaad reh jaati hai.”
Jheel ne bookmark apne haath mein liya.
Uske chehre par muskurahat aayi, lekin is baar woh pehle jaisi halki muskurahat nahi thi.
“Thank you, Reyansh.”
“Welcome.”
Jheel ne bookmark bag mein rakh liya.
Woh gift mehenga nahi tha. Na usmein koi badi romantic baat likhi thi.
Lekin Jheel ko laga ki Reyansh ne uski baat sirf suni nahi thi. Usne use yaad bhi rakha tha.
Aur kabhi-kabhi kisi ka yaad rakhna hi dil ko chhoo jaata hai.


Ghar lautte waqt traffic zyada tha.
Gaadi ek signal par ruki toh Jheel ne khidki ke bahar dekhte hue poochha, “Reyansh, tum hamesha akele ghoomne chale jaate ho?”
“Har baar nahi.”
“Lekin tumhe akele rehna pasand hai?”
Reyansh ne kuch pal socha.
“Pasand hai. Lekin iska matlab yeh nahi ki mujhe har waqt akele rehna hai.”
Jheel ne uski taraf dekha.
“Tumhare dost hain, family hai. Phir bhi?”
“Haan. Dost aur family apni jagah hain. Aur kabhi-kabhi kisi ke saath waqt bitana bhi achha lagta hai.”
“Jaise aaj?”
Reyansh ne uski taraf dekha.
“Bilkul jaise aaj.”
Jheel ki nazar uski nazar se mili.
Woh kuch kehna chahti thi, lekin shabd nahi mile.
Signal green ho gaya.
Reyansh ne gaadi aage badha di.
Kuch minute baad Jheel ne dheere se kaha, “Mujhe bhi tumhare saath achha lagta hai.”
Reyansh ne uski baat suni.
“Yeh toh tum pehle bhi keh chuki ho.”
“Tum har baar yaad dilaoge?”
“Jab tak tum dobara nahi kehti.”
Jheel hans padi.
“Tum impossible ho.”
“Lekin tumhare saath hoon.”
Jheel ne khidki ke bahar dekhna shuru kar diya, lekin uske chehre par muskurahat bani rahi.
Usne pehli baar apne dil ki baat ko sirf ek friendly compliment samajhkar taalne ki koshish nahi ki.
Uske liye Reyansh ab ek aisa insaan ban raha tha jiske saath woh apni khushi baantna chahti thi.
Aur shayad apni udaasi bhi.


Building pahunchkar Reyansh ne gaadi park ki.
Dono lift se apni floor par aaye.
Jheel ne apna bag sambhala aur darwaaza kholne lagi, phir ruk gayi.
“Reyansh?”
“Haan?”
“Agli baar tumhe mujhe invite karne ka wait nahi karna padega.”
Reyansh ne use dekha.
“Matlab?”
Jheel ke gaal laal hone lage, lekin is baar usne nazar nahi churayi.
“Matlab… tum jab chaho poochh sakte ho. Agar main free hui toh aa jaungi.”
Reyansh ki muskurahat dheere-dheere badhi.
“Achha. Toh ab invitation system mutual ho gaya?”
“Bilkul.”
“Terms and conditions bhi hain?”
“Haan.”
“Batao.”
Jheel ne ungli uthayi.
“Pehli baat, har baar tum hi jagah decide nahi karoge.”
“Accepted.”
“Doosri baat, tum meri choice ka mazaak nahi udaoge.”
“Yeh difficult hai.”
“Reyansh!”
“Achha baba, accepted.”
Jheel hans padi.
“Teesri baat…”
Woh ruk gayi.
Reyansh uski taraf dekh raha tha.
“Teesri baat?”
Jheel ne uski aankhon mein dekha.
“Tum mere saath aise hi rehna.”
Reyansh ki muskurahat halki pad gayi. Usne us baat ko mazaak mein nahi badla.
“Kaisa?”
“Jaise abhi ho. Bina mujhe badalne ki koshish kiye. Bina mujhe kam samjhe.”
Reyansh ne dheere se kaha, “Main tumhe badalna nahi chahta, Jheel.”
Woh kuch pal chup raha.
“Main bas tumhe aur achhe se jaan-na chahta hoon.”
Jheel ki aankhon mein ek narmi aa gayi.
“Main bhi.”
Dono kuch der ek doosre ko dekhte rahe.
Phir Jheel ne darwaaza khola.
“Good night.”
“Good night.”
Is baar Jheel andar jaane ke baad turant darwaaza band nahi kar paayi. Usne ek baar peeche mudkar Reyansh ko dekha.
Woh apne flat ki taraf ja raha tha.
Jheel muskura di.
Phir usne darwaaza band kiya aur bag se bookmark nikaal kar apni kitaab mein rakh diya.


Reyansh apne flat mein aakar sofa par baith gaya.
Usne phone uthaya. Jheel ki chat kholi.
Woh use message karna chahta tha.
Kuch aisa jo uske dil mein chal raha tha, lekin jise abhi tak usne lafzon mein nahi kaha tha.
Usne likha:
“Aaj tum bahut achhi lag rahi thi.”
Phir ruk gaya.
Message delete kar diya.
Dobara likha:
“Aaj ka din achha tha.”
Yeh message usne bhej diya.
Jheel ka reply aaya.
“Mujhe bhi.”
Kuch seconds baad ek aur message aaya.
“Aur bookmark ke liye thank you. Main ise apni favourite book mein rakhungi.”
Reyansh ne reply kiya:
“Phir mujhe tumhari favourite book bhi jaan-ni padegi.”
Jheel:
“Kyun?”
Reyansh:
“Taaki agli baar tumhe uske baare mein baat karte hue sun sakun.”
Jheel phone ko dekhti rahi.
Uske chehre par muskurahat thi, lekin is baar uske dil mein ek nayi si ghabrahat bhi thi.
Woh Reyansh ko pasand karne lagi thi.
Sirf isliye nahi ki woh uski madad karta tha, ya uski baatein sunta tha.
Balki isliye ki uske saath woh apne aap ko chhupane ki koshish nahi karti thi.
Usne reply likha:
“Kabhi-kabhi tum bahut sweet ho jaate ho.”
Reyansh ka jawab aaya:
“Kisi ko toh hona padega.”
Jheel hans padi.
Phir usne phone side mein rakh diya.
Us raat usne apni notebook mein course ke notes nahi likhe.
Usne bas ek line likhi:
“Mujhe lagta hai, main Reyansh ko sirf apna dost nahi samajhti.”
Woh line likhne ke baad kaafi der tak use dekhti rahi.
Phir notebook band kar di.


Agli subah Reyansh ko Jheel ka message mila.
Jheel: “Good morning. Sunday ko tum free ho? Is baar main plan banaungi.”
Reyansh ne muskurate hue jawab diya.
Reyansh: “Tum plan banao. Main aa jaunga.”
Jheel: “Pakka?”
Reyansh: “Pakka.”
Jheel ne phone rakh diya.
Ab woh usse milne ke liye sirf mauka nahi dhoondh rahi thi.
Woh khud mauke bana rahi thi.
Aur Reyansh bhi uske har invitation ko sirf padosi ki taraf se aayi hui ek friendly request samajhkar accept nahi kar raha tha.
Dono ke beech abhi tak pyaar ka izhaar nahi hua tha.
Lekin ek baat badal chuki thi.
Ab mulaqat ka intezaar sirf Jheel nahi kar rahi thi. Reyansh bhi kar raha tha.