Yesterday, 10:45 PM
Chapter 1
Subah ke das baje college ki building ke saamne wale gate pe bheed lagi hui thi. Naye session ka pehla hafte ka din tha. Sab log apne-apne groups mein khade baatein kar rahe the. Kuch ladkiyan has rahi thin, kuch ladke cricket ki baat kar rahe the. Normal sa mahaul tha… lekin Faizan Khan ke liye yeh normal kabhi nahi hota tha.
Faizan 21 saal ka tha. Average height, thoda sa slim, saaf-suthra chehra. Padhai mein theek-thaak, ghar pe beta number one. Uski zindagi ka sabse bada darr aaj bhi usi gate ke paas khada tha.
Rahul Joshi.
Faizan ne jaise hi cycle se utarte hue nazar uthayi, uska dil ek second ke liye ruk sa gaya. Rahul thodi door, wall se takra ke khada tha. Kaale rang ki simple t-shirt jo uske sine aur baazuon pe tight khichi hui thi, neeche dark jeans. Skin uski kaali-kaluti, lekin saaf. Height 5’11 ke kareeb, body bilkul gym wali — chaudi chhati, moti gardan, aur woh muskuraahat… woh wahi gandi si, aankhon se neeche dekhne wali muskuraahat jo Faizan ko hamesha yaad rehti thi.
Rahul ne usse dekh liya.
Usne cigarette ka last kash liya aur zameen pe bujha diya. Phir seedha Faizan ki taraf chal diya. Uske peeche do-teen uske hi type ke ladke the, lekin asli dar toh sirf Rahul ka tha.
“Arre waah… saala aaj time pe aa gaya?” Rahul ne aawaz di. Aawaz mein wohi thappad jaisa taana tha.
Faizan ne sir jhukaya aur bag tight pakad liya. “Haan… aa gaya.”
Rahul ne aake uske bag ka strap pakad liya aur zor se kheench diya. Faizan ka balance bigad gaya. Woh ek kadam peeche hat gaya.
“Bag toh dekh ke bol, madarchod.” Rahul ne dheemi lekin saaf sunai dene wali awaaz mein kaha. Aas-paas kuch students ne nazar uthayi, lekin kisi ne kuch nahi bola. Yeh roz ka scene tha. Rahul college ka unofficial raja tha. Low class basti se aata tha, lekin body aur himmat dono aisi thi ki bade ghar ke ladke bhi usse nazar nahi mila paate the.
Rahul ne Faizan ke kandhe pe haath rakha aur zor se dabaya. “Sun, aaj tera last period free hai na? Mere liye canteen se samosa aur cold drink leke aana. Paise tere.”
Faizan ne halka sa sir hilaya. “Theek hai.”
“Theek hai nahi… ‘Ji Rahul bhai’ bol.”
Faizan ke hothon ne thodi der resistance ki, phir usne dheemi awaaz mein kaha, “Ji Rahul bhai.”
Rahul hans diya. Usne Faizan ke gaal pe ek halka sa thappad maara — itna zor nahi ki mark aaye, lekin itna zor ki Faizan ki aankhen jhuk jayein.
“Saala… teri Ammi ne tujhe itna darpok bana ke rakha hai. Kabhi socha hai usse bataaye ki yahan kya hota hai? Nahi na? Kyunki tu jaanta hai… agar boli na, toh main tera jo banta hai woh karunga.”
Faizan chup raha. Uske andar kuch toota, lekin bahar se kuch nahi dikha. Yeh uski aadat ban chuki thi. Ghar pe kabhi shikayat nahi ki. Na Abbu se, na Ammi se, na kisi teacher se. Kyunki Rahul ne pehle din hi clear kar diya tha — “Agar ratti bhar bhi kisi ne suna, toh tera college yahin khatam.”
Poora din Faizan ne silent mode mein nikaala. Classes, notes, canteen ka kaam… sab kiya. Rahul beech-beech mein aata, kuch taana maarta, kabhi bag se notebook nikaal ke phenk deta, kabhi uske phone mein se photo dekhne ki koshish karta. Faizan sehta raha.
Shaam ke paune chaar baje jab last bell baji, Faizan ne cycle nikali. Uski peeth pe bojh sirf bag ka nahi tha. Dil pe bhi tha.
Ghar pahunchte hi usne gate pe cycle khadi ki. Khan sahab ka ghar thoda sa bada tha. Do floor, saaf-suthri paint, bahar chhota sa garden. Yusuf Khan shehar ke kaafi jaane-maane businessman the. Construction aur supply ka kaam. Paise ki kami nahi thi, lekin ghar ka mahaul abhi bhi purana aur simple tha.
Faizan ne jootey utaare aur andar gaya. “Ammi… main aa gaya.”
Kitchen se awaaz aayi, “Aa jao beta… haath-mooh dho lo. Chai nikaalti hoon.”
Faizan ne bathroom mein jaake chehra dhoya. Jab woh baahar aaya to living room mein Nadia Khan khadi thin.
Aur wahi… Faizan ke liye duniya ki sabse soft aur strong tasveer.
Nadia 44 saal ki thin, lekin dekhne wale unhe 36-37 se zyada nahi kehte the. Height average se thodi zyada, body bilkul film wali — 39-28-39 ka figure jo salwar-suit ke neeche bhi chhup nahi paata tha. Aaj unhone halka gulabi color ka cotton salwar-suit pehna hua tha. Kameez knee se thodi upar tak, sleeves full, lekin sine ki golai aur kamar ki patli line saaf nazar aa rahi thi. Dupatta unhone gardan mein loosely daal rakha tha. Baal kaale, seedhe, thode se open. Chehra… saaf, gol-matol, badi badi aankhen, aur hoth jo hamesha thodi si seri rehte the.
Woh kitchen se chai ka tray leke aa rahi thin. Jab unhone Faizan ko dekha to chehre pe wohi mamta wali muskuraahat aa gayi jo Faizan ko bachpan se milti aa rahi thi.
“Aaj thakke dikh rahe ho,” Nadia ne kaha. Unki awaaz mein woh ghar wali garmi thi. “Rahul wale ladke ne phir kisi baat pe pareshan kiya kya?”
Faizan ka dil zor se dhadka. Usne jaldi se jhooth bola, “Nahi Ammi… aaj normal tha. Bas project ka kaam zyada hai.”
Nadia ne uske baal hawa mein sehte hue kaha, “Tum itna chhupaate ho mujhse. Kabhi-kabhi lagta hai jaise koi baat ho tumhare dil mein… lekin bolte nahi.”
Faizan ne sirf muskuraane ki koshish ki. “Kuch nahi Ammi. Aap tension mat lo.”
Nadia baith gayi. Unhone apne liye bhi chai li. Faizan unhe dekh raha tha. Usse hamesha se lagta tha ki uski Ammi kisi normal ghar wali se alag hain. Unmein ek alag si shaan thi… aur ek alag si narmi. Bahar jab woh burkha pehenti thin to poori tarah se cover ho jati thin, lekin ghar mein unka yeh simple salwar-suit wala roop Faizan ko ajeeb sa sukoon deta tha.
“Abbu aaj late aayenge,” Nadia ne bataya. “Site pe koi meeting hai. Tumhari pasand ke parantha bana doon kya raat ke liye?”
Faizan ne haan mein sir hilaya. Baatein chalti rahi. Normal si, ghar wali baatein. Lekin Faizan ke dimaag mein baar-baar Rahul ki woh awaaz ghum rahi thi — “Teri Ammi ne tujhe itna darpok bana ke rakha hai…”
Usne chai ka last ghoont liya aur andar room mein chala gaya. Darwaza band karke bed pe let gaya. Ceiling ki taraf dekhte hue usne socha… kaash woh kabhi himmat kar ke sab bata de. Lekin jaise hi yeh sochta, Rahul ka chehra aa jata. Woh kaali aankhen, woh muskuraahat, aur woh dhamki.
Faizan ne aankhen band kar li.
Aaj sirf ek normal din tha.
Kal phir wahi college hoga.
Wahi Rahul hoga.
Aur shayad… kuch aur bhi.
Usne tab tak nahi jaana tha ki uski zindagi ka asli khatra abhi shuru bhi nahi hua tha.
Aur woh khatra uski Ammi ke bina nahi aayega.
Chapter 1 End
Subah ke das baje college ki building ke saamne wale gate pe bheed lagi hui thi. Naye session ka pehla hafte ka din tha. Sab log apne-apne groups mein khade baatein kar rahe the. Kuch ladkiyan has rahi thin, kuch ladke cricket ki baat kar rahe the. Normal sa mahaul tha… lekin Faizan Khan ke liye yeh normal kabhi nahi hota tha.
Faizan 21 saal ka tha. Average height, thoda sa slim, saaf-suthra chehra. Padhai mein theek-thaak, ghar pe beta number one. Uski zindagi ka sabse bada darr aaj bhi usi gate ke paas khada tha.
Rahul Joshi.
Faizan ne jaise hi cycle se utarte hue nazar uthayi, uska dil ek second ke liye ruk sa gaya. Rahul thodi door, wall se takra ke khada tha. Kaale rang ki simple t-shirt jo uske sine aur baazuon pe tight khichi hui thi, neeche dark jeans. Skin uski kaali-kaluti, lekin saaf. Height 5’11 ke kareeb, body bilkul gym wali — chaudi chhati, moti gardan, aur woh muskuraahat… woh wahi gandi si, aankhon se neeche dekhne wali muskuraahat jo Faizan ko hamesha yaad rehti thi.
Rahul ne usse dekh liya.
Usne cigarette ka last kash liya aur zameen pe bujha diya. Phir seedha Faizan ki taraf chal diya. Uske peeche do-teen uske hi type ke ladke the, lekin asli dar toh sirf Rahul ka tha.
“Arre waah… saala aaj time pe aa gaya?” Rahul ne aawaz di. Aawaz mein wohi thappad jaisa taana tha.
Faizan ne sir jhukaya aur bag tight pakad liya. “Haan… aa gaya.”
Rahul ne aake uske bag ka strap pakad liya aur zor se kheench diya. Faizan ka balance bigad gaya. Woh ek kadam peeche hat gaya.
“Bag toh dekh ke bol, madarchod.” Rahul ne dheemi lekin saaf sunai dene wali awaaz mein kaha. Aas-paas kuch students ne nazar uthayi, lekin kisi ne kuch nahi bola. Yeh roz ka scene tha. Rahul college ka unofficial raja tha. Low class basti se aata tha, lekin body aur himmat dono aisi thi ki bade ghar ke ladke bhi usse nazar nahi mila paate the.
Rahul ne Faizan ke kandhe pe haath rakha aur zor se dabaya. “Sun, aaj tera last period free hai na? Mere liye canteen se samosa aur cold drink leke aana. Paise tere.”
Faizan ne halka sa sir hilaya. “Theek hai.”
“Theek hai nahi… ‘Ji Rahul bhai’ bol.”
Faizan ke hothon ne thodi der resistance ki, phir usne dheemi awaaz mein kaha, “Ji Rahul bhai.”
Rahul hans diya. Usne Faizan ke gaal pe ek halka sa thappad maara — itna zor nahi ki mark aaye, lekin itna zor ki Faizan ki aankhen jhuk jayein.
“Saala… teri Ammi ne tujhe itna darpok bana ke rakha hai. Kabhi socha hai usse bataaye ki yahan kya hota hai? Nahi na? Kyunki tu jaanta hai… agar boli na, toh main tera jo banta hai woh karunga.”
Faizan chup raha. Uske andar kuch toota, lekin bahar se kuch nahi dikha. Yeh uski aadat ban chuki thi. Ghar pe kabhi shikayat nahi ki. Na Abbu se, na Ammi se, na kisi teacher se. Kyunki Rahul ne pehle din hi clear kar diya tha — “Agar ratti bhar bhi kisi ne suna, toh tera college yahin khatam.”
Poora din Faizan ne silent mode mein nikaala. Classes, notes, canteen ka kaam… sab kiya. Rahul beech-beech mein aata, kuch taana maarta, kabhi bag se notebook nikaal ke phenk deta, kabhi uske phone mein se photo dekhne ki koshish karta. Faizan sehta raha.
Shaam ke paune chaar baje jab last bell baji, Faizan ne cycle nikali. Uski peeth pe bojh sirf bag ka nahi tha. Dil pe bhi tha.
Ghar pahunchte hi usne gate pe cycle khadi ki. Khan sahab ka ghar thoda sa bada tha. Do floor, saaf-suthri paint, bahar chhota sa garden. Yusuf Khan shehar ke kaafi jaane-maane businessman the. Construction aur supply ka kaam. Paise ki kami nahi thi, lekin ghar ka mahaul abhi bhi purana aur simple tha.
Faizan ne jootey utaare aur andar gaya. “Ammi… main aa gaya.”
Kitchen se awaaz aayi, “Aa jao beta… haath-mooh dho lo. Chai nikaalti hoon.”
Faizan ne bathroom mein jaake chehra dhoya. Jab woh baahar aaya to living room mein Nadia Khan khadi thin.
Aur wahi… Faizan ke liye duniya ki sabse soft aur strong tasveer.
Nadia 44 saal ki thin, lekin dekhne wale unhe 36-37 se zyada nahi kehte the. Height average se thodi zyada, body bilkul film wali — 39-28-39 ka figure jo salwar-suit ke neeche bhi chhup nahi paata tha. Aaj unhone halka gulabi color ka cotton salwar-suit pehna hua tha. Kameez knee se thodi upar tak, sleeves full, lekin sine ki golai aur kamar ki patli line saaf nazar aa rahi thi. Dupatta unhone gardan mein loosely daal rakha tha. Baal kaale, seedhe, thode se open. Chehra… saaf, gol-matol, badi badi aankhen, aur hoth jo hamesha thodi si seri rehte the.
Woh kitchen se chai ka tray leke aa rahi thin. Jab unhone Faizan ko dekha to chehre pe wohi mamta wali muskuraahat aa gayi jo Faizan ko bachpan se milti aa rahi thi.
“Aaj thakke dikh rahe ho,” Nadia ne kaha. Unki awaaz mein woh ghar wali garmi thi. “Rahul wale ladke ne phir kisi baat pe pareshan kiya kya?”
Faizan ka dil zor se dhadka. Usne jaldi se jhooth bola, “Nahi Ammi… aaj normal tha. Bas project ka kaam zyada hai.”
Nadia ne uske baal hawa mein sehte hue kaha, “Tum itna chhupaate ho mujhse. Kabhi-kabhi lagta hai jaise koi baat ho tumhare dil mein… lekin bolte nahi.”
Faizan ne sirf muskuraane ki koshish ki. “Kuch nahi Ammi. Aap tension mat lo.”
Nadia baith gayi. Unhone apne liye bhi chai li. Faizan unhe dekh raha tha. Usse hamesha se lagta tha ki uski Ammi kisi normal ghar wali se alag hain. Unmein ek alag si shaan thi… aur ek alag si narmi. Bahar jab woh burkha pehenti thin to poori tarah se cover ho jati thin, lekin ghar mein unka yeh simple salwar-suit wala roop Faizan ko ajeeb sa sukoon deta tha.
“Abbu aaj late aayenge,” Nadia ne bataya. “Site pe koi meeting hai. Tumhari pasand ke parantha bana doon kya raat ke liye?”
Faizan ne haan mein sir hilaya. Baatein chalti rahi. Normal si, ghar wali baatein. Lekin Faizan ke dimaag mein baar-baar Rahul ki woh awaaz ghum rahi thi — “Teri Ammi ne tujhe itna darpok bana ke rakha hai…”
Usne chai ka last ghoont liya aur andar room mein chala gaya. Darwaza band karke bed pe let gaya. Ceiling ki taraf dekhte hue usne socha… kaash woh kabhi himmat kar ke sab bata de. Lekin jaise hi yeh sochta, Rahul ka chehra aa jata. Woh kaali aankhen, woh muskuraahat, aur woh dhamki.
Faizan ne aankhen band kar li.
Aaj sirf ek normal din tha.
Kal phir wahi college hoga.
Wahi Rahul hoga.
Aur shayad… kuch aur bhi.
Usne tab tak nahi jaana tha ki uski zindagi ka asli khatra abhi shuru bhi nahi hua tha.
Aur woh khatra uski Ammi ke bina nahi aayega.
Chapter 1 End
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