[Greenwood]

Update 40


Shaam ke chaar baj rahe the.
Jheel apne flat mein almari ke saamne khadi thi. Bed par do outfits rakhe hue the. Ek simple kurti aur jeans, doosra ek casual top aur trousers.
Usne pehle outfit ko dekha, phir doosre ko.
“Bookstore hi toh jaana hai,” usne khud se kaha. “Koi fashion show nahi.”
Phir bhi usne doosra outfit uthaya.
Kuch der baad mirror ke saamne khadi hokar baal theek kiye, aankhon mein halka sa kajal lagaya aur lip balm laga liya.
Phone par message aaya.
Reyansh:
Madam, taiyaar hain ya bookstore band hone ka wait kar rahi hain?
Jheel:
Main time par hoon.
Reyansh:
Tumhare time par ya duniya ke time par?
Jheel:
Main aa rahi hoon. Zyada smart mat bano.
Reyansh:
Boyfriend hoon. Thoda smart toh hona padega.
Jheel muskura di.
Usne bag uthaya aur darwaza band karne se pehle ek baar mirror mein khud ko dekha.
“Bas bookstore jaana hai,” usne phir kaha.
Lekin is baar uski muskaan kuch aur keh rahi thi.


Reyansh building lobby ke paas khada phone dekh raha tha.
Aaj usne casual shirt aur jeans pehni thi. Baal usual se thode zyada set the, aur chehre par woh confident expression tha jo Jheel ko dekhte hi shararat mein badal jaata tha.
Jheel lift se bahar aayi.
Reyansh ne phone neeche kiya.
Kuch pal use dekhta raha.
Jheel uske saamne aakar ruk gayi.
“Kya hua?”
“Ek problem hai.”
Jheel ka chehra serious ho gaya. “Kya problem?”
Reyansh ne halka sa sir tedha kiya.
“Tum itni achhi lag rahi ho ki ab mujhe bookstore jaane ka mann nahi kar raha.”
Jheel ne aankhein ghumayi.
“Tumhe toh waise bhi books padhne ka mann nahi karta.”
“Dekho, personal attack mat karo.”
“Sach bol rahi hoon.”
Reyansh uske paas aaya aur dheere se bola, “Achha, toh aaj tum mujhe books padhne ki aadat lagwaogi?”
“Pehle tum ek page bina phone dekhe padh lena. Phir aage sochenge.”
“Ek page?”
“Haan.”
“Tum bahut demanding girlfriend ho.”
Jheel ne uska haath pakad liya.
“Chalo, Mr. Complaining Boyfriend.”
Reyansh ne unke haathon ki taraf dekha, phir uski taraf.
“Yeh toh achha hai.”
“Kya?”
“Tum ab khud mera haath pakadne lagi ho.”
Jheel ne uska haath chhodne ka natak kiya.
Reyansh ne turant uski ungliyan dobara thaam li.
“Arre, mazaak kar raha tha!”
Dono hanste hue parking ki taraf chal diye.


Bookstore zyada bheed-bhaad wala nahi tha.
Andar halki music chal rahi thi. Shelves par novels, biographies, self-help books aur travel guides lagi hui thi. Ek kone mein chhota sa reading area tha, jahan kuch log coffee lekar baithe padh rahe the.
Jheel andar aate hi thodi khush ho gayi.
Uski nazar alag-alag shelves par ghoomne lagi.
Reyansh ne uska chehra dekha.
“Tumhe sach mein yahan aana pasand hai?”
Jheel ne sir hila diya.
“Bahut.”
“Yahan itni saari books hain. Tum decide kaise karti ho ki kaunsi padhni hai?”
“Jo book mujhe apni taraf kheenchti hai.”
Reyansh ne ek shelf se book nikali.
“Yeh mujhe kheench rahi hai.”
Jheel ne cover dekha.
“Yeh toh cooking ki book hai.”
“Tumhare liye research kar raha hoon.”
Jheel ne book uske haath se le li.
“Tumhe cooking seekhne ki zaroorat hai.”
“Main seekh lunga. Lekin tum teacher banogi.”
“Main kyun?”
“Tumhe mere saath rehna hai na? Toh meri training bhi tumhari responsibility hai.”
Jheel ne book shelf par rakh di.
“Tumhare saath rehne ka contract kab sign kiya maine?”
Reyansh ne ek second ke liye uski taraf dekha.
Phir uski muskaan naram ho gayi.
“Abhi toh bas girlfriend-boyfriend ka contract hai.”
Jheel ke gaal gulaabi ho gaye.
“Tum har baat ka kuch aur matlab nikaal lete ho.”
“Main? Bilkul nahi.”
“Jhooth.”
“Proof?”
Jheel ne uski taraf ungli dikhayi.
“Yeh jo tumhare chehre par smile hai na, wahi proof hai.”
Reyansh hans pada.
“Madam, aap mujhe bahut achhe se samajhne lagi hain.”
Jheel ne shelf se ek novel nikali.
“Tumse bachne ke liye zaroori hai.”


Kuch der baad Jheel ek shelf ke saamne ruk gayi.
Usne ek novel uthayi aur pichhle cover par likha description padhne lagi.
Reyansh uske paas aa khada hua.
“Kaunsi hai?”
“Ek relationship story.”
“Happy ending?”
“Abhi nahi pata.”
“Toh phir kyun padhogi?”
Jheel ne use dekha.
“Har kahani sirf ending ke liye thodi padhi jaati hai. Kabhi-kabhi safar bhi achha lagta hai.”
Reyansh kuch pal chup raha.
Phir bola, “Yeh line achhi thi.”
Jheel muskurayi.
“Book ki line hai.”
“Lekin tumne boli.”
Usne novel apne haath mein le li.
“Tum har baat ko compliment mein kyun badal dete ho?”
“Talent hai.”
“Overconfidence hai.”
“Dono mein farq bahut kam hai.”
Jheel hans padi.
Woh reading area ki taraf badhe aur ek table par baith gaye. Jheel novel ke kuch pages padhne lagi, jabki Reyansh saamne baithkar use dekh raha tha.
Kuch der baad Jheel ne nazar uthayi.
“Tum padh kyun nahi rahe?”
“Padh raha hoon.”
“Kya?”
“Tumhare expressions.”
Jheel ne book band kar di.
“Reyansh!”
“Achha, achha. Ab sach mein padhta hoon.”
Usne saamne rakhi ek book kholi.
Do minute baad usne phone nikaal liya.
Jheel ne bina kuch kahe apna haath aage badhaya.
Reyansh ne phone uske haath mein de diya.
“Yeh kya?”
“Phone confiscated.”
“Madam, main adult hoon.”
“Lekin harkatein collegeboy wali hain.”
Reyansh ne kursi par peeche hote hue kaha, “Mujhe apne hi relationship mein freedom nahi mil rahi.”
Jheel ne uski taraf dekha.
“Tumhe freedom bahut pasand hai na?”
Reyansh ki muskaan ek pal ke liye halki pad gayi.
Usne Jheel ki taraf dekha, phir aaraam se kaha, “Haan. Lekin iska matlab yeh nahi ki main har waqt akela rehna chahta hoon.”
Jheel ka expression badal gaya.
Reyansh ne baat ko bhaari nahi banaya. Usne bas saamne rakhi book kholi.
“Kabhi-kabhi achha lagta hai ki koi paas baitha ho. Apni book padh raha ho, aur tum apni. Har waqt baat karna bhi zaroori nahi.”
Jheel ne kuch nahi kaha.
Bas apni kursi thodi uski taraf kar li.
Phir usne novel dobara khol li.
Kuch der dono chupchaap padhte rahe.
Aur is baar Reyansh ne phone nahi nikala.


Bookstore ke andar hi chhota sa café tha.
Dono coffee lekar khidki ke paas wali table par baith gaye.
Jheel apni coffee mein sugar mila rahi thi, jab Reyansh ne poochha, “Ek baat batao.”
“Haan?”
“Tum mujhe pehli baar kab pasand karne lagi thi?”
Jheel ka haath ruk gaya.
“Yeh achanak kya sawaal hai?”
“Boyfriend hoon. Kuch rights toh hain.”
“Tumhe har baat ka answer chahiye?”
“Har baat ka nahi. Bas important baaton ka.”
Jheel kuch der sochti rahi.
“Shayad jab mujhe laga ki tum mere saamne mujhe impress karne ki koshish nahi karte.”
Reyansh ne bhaunhein utha di.
“Main toh tumhe roz impress karta hoon.”
“Woh toh ab karte ho.”
“Pehle nahi karta tha?”
“Pehle tum bas… tum the.”
Reyansh ne coffee ka sip liya.
“Yeh compliment tha ya insult?”
“Tum decide kar lo.”
Woh hans pada.
“Ab meri baari. Tumhe kya lagta hai, main tumhe kab pasand karne laga?”
Jheel ne turant jawab diya, “Jab tumhe pata chala ki main tumhare next-door flat mein rehti hoon.”
“Galat.”
“Jab tumne pehli baar meri help ki?”
“Galat.”
“Jab humne pehli baar saath time spend kiya?”
Reyansh ne sar hila diya.
“Tumhe yaad hai jab tum kisi baat par nervous ho jaati thi aur phir bhi koshish karti thi?”
Jheel ne use dekha.
“Tumhe woh yaad hai?”
“Of course.”
“Lekin woh toh koi badi baat nahi thi.”
“Har important cheez badi nahi hoti, Jheel.”
Uske chehre par ek shaant muskaan aa gayi.
“Tum kabhi-kabhi bahut achhi baat kar lete ho.”
Reyansh ne turant coffee table par rakh di.
“Screenshot le loon? Tumne doosri baar tareef ki hai!”
Jheel hans padi.
“Tumhara kuch nahi ho sakta.”
“Tum ho na. Tum dekh lena.”
Jheel ne uske haath par apna haath rakh diya.
“Dekh lungi.”


Udhar Arshad apne office ke baad ek café mein baitha laptop par kaam kar raha tha.
Uske saamne ek freelance project ka brief khula hua tha. Client ko ek naye lifestyle brand ke liye campaign concept chahiye tha.
Arshad ne do ideas likhe, phir teesra.
Usne pehla draft padha aur khud hi sar hila diya.
“Yeh toh client ko bhi samajh nahi aayega.”
Usne lines delete kar di.
Phir phone uthakar Reyansh ko message bheja.
Arshad:
Proposal ka brief bhej diya. Jab free ho dekh lena.
Kuch hi der mein Reyansh ka reply aa gaya.
Reyansh:
Bhej. Aaj raat dekhunga.
Arshad ne laptop band nahi kiya.
Woh kuch seconds screen ko dekhta raha.
Agency ki job uske liye buri nahi thi, lekin use lagta tha ki woh sirf doosron ke ideas ko polish karte-karte apne ideas ko peeche chhod raha hai.
Freelance kaam shuru karna aasaan nahi tha. Time bhi chahiye tha aur risk bhi tha.
Lekin pehli baar usne sirf sochne ke bajaye kuch karna shuru kiya tha.
Usne document save kiya.
Campaign_Concept_Draft_01
Phir khud se kaha, “Chalo, Arshad miyaan. Dekhte hain tumhare lafzon mein kitna dum hai.”
Usne laptop dobara khol liya.
Is baar woh kaam ke liye baitha tha, sirf waqt guzaarne ke liye nahi.


Bookstore se nikalte waqt Jheel ne ek shelf ke saamne rukkar apni book haath mein pakdi.
“Reyansh, ek photo lein?”
Reyansh ne turant phone nikaal liya.
“Finally! Meri girlfriend ko yaad aaya ki boyfriend ke saath photos bhi leni chahiye.”
“Tum har baat par commentary kyun karte ho?”
“Natural talent.”
Jheel uske paas khadi ho gayi.
Reyansh ne phone upar kiya.
Pehli photo mein Jheel camera ki taraf dekh rahi thi aur Reyansh uski taraf.
Doosri mein dono hans rahe the.
Teesri photo mein Jheel ne jaan-boojhkar funny face banaya.
Reyansh ne phone dekhkar kaha, “Yeh wali delete karo.”
“Nahi!”
“Main ismein ajeeb lag raha hoon.”
“Tum hamesha aise hi lagte ho.”
Reyansh ne use hairani se dekha.
Jheel hansne lagi.
“Achha, sorry!”
“Ab tumhari photos ka bhi badla liya jaayega.”
Usne ek aur photo kheench li, jab Jheel hans rahi thi.
Is baar Jheel ne phone lene ki koshish nahi ki.
Usne photo dekhi aur muskurayi.
“Yeh achhi hai.”
Reyansh ne uski taraf dekha.
“Haan. Yeh wali rehne dete hain.”
Bookstore ke bahar aakar dono kuch der khade rahe.
Jheel ne apni book bag mein rakhi.
“Thank you. Aaj achha laga.”
Reyansh ne kaha, “Mujhe bhi.”
“Sach?”
“Jheel, agar mujhe achha nahi lagta toh main tumhe batata.”
Usne ek pal rukkar kaha, “Main chahta hoon ki hum dono ek-doosre ke saath apni pasand ki cheezein share karein. Sirf isliye nahi ki saamne wala khush ho jaaye. Balki isliye ki hum ek-doosre ki duniya ko thoda aur samajh sakein.”
Jheel ne uska haath pakad liya.
“Phir agle weekend meri choice.”
“Done.”
“Is baar main decide karungi ki kahaan jaana hai.”
“Done.”
“Aur tum complain nahi karoge.”
Reyansh ne sochne ka natak kiya.
“Is condition par ek clause add karna padega.”
“Kya?”
“Har date ke end mein ek hug compulsory.”
Jheel ne muskurakar kaha, “Yeh clause pehle se approved hai.”
Reyansh ne use dekha.
“Achha?”
“Haan.”
“Phir toh contract kaafi achha hai.”
Jheel hans padi aur uske kareeb aakar use gale laga liya.
Sadak par log apni-apni manzil ki taraf ja rahe the. Gaadiyon ki awaaz, dukaanon ki roshni aur shehar ki roz ki bhaag-daud unke aas-paas thi.
Lekin us chhote se hug mein dono ko kuch der ke liye kahin aur jaane ki zaroorat nahi thi.


Raat ko apne flat mein lautkar Reyansh ne bookstore wali photos dekhin.
Ek photo par uski nazar ruk gayi.
Jheel hans rahi thi. Uski aankhon mein woh khulapan tha jo Reyansh ko uske saath waqt bitaate hue dheere-dheere dikhne laga tha.
Usne photo Jheel ko bhej di.
Reyansh:
Yeh meri favourite hai.
Jheel:
Ismein main hans rahi hoon.
Reyansh:
Exactly.
Jheel:
Tumhe meri hansi itni pasand hai?
Reyansh:
Tumhari hansi, tumhari baatein, tumhara mujhe daantna…
Jheel:
Aur?
Reyansh:
Tumhara mujhe hug karna.
Jheel ne message padha aur muskura di.
Jheel:
Tumhari list bahut lambi hai.
Reyansh:
Abhi toh shuru ki hai.
Jheel:
Good night, naughty boy.
Reyansh:
Good night, pretty girl. Kal milte hain?
Jheel:
Kal bhi?
Reyansh:
Problem?
Jheel:
Nahi. Bas pooch rahi thi.
Reyansh:
Toh phir kal bhi.
Jheel ne ek heart bheja.
Reyansh ne phone side mein rakha aur sofa par aaraam se baith gaya.
Kuch hi pal baad phone phir vibrate hua.
Wahi unknown number.
Unknown Number:
Kabhi socha hai, kuch log zindagi mein aakar humein badal dete hain?
Reyansh ne message padha.
Usne kuch der socha, phir jawab diya.
Reyansh:
Haan. Lekin har badlaav bura nahi hota.
Is baar reply jaldi aaya.
Unknown Number:
Aur har achha lagne wala badlaav hamesha rehta bhi nahi.
Reyansh ki ungliyan screen par ruk gayin.
Usne reply type kiya, phir mita diya.
Dobara type kiya.
Reyansh:
Aap kehna kya chahti hain?
Message deliver ho gaya.
Kuch seconds.
Ek minute.
Phir paanch minute.
Koi jawab nahi aaya.
Reyansh ne phone lock kar diya.
Woh aaj apni khushi ko kisi anjaan sawaal ke hawale nahi karna chahta tha.
Usne Jheel ki bheji hui heart emoji dobara dekhi.
Aur uske chehre par halki si muskaan laut aayi.