Maira apni department se bohot tang thi. CS (Computer Science) department mein larke hamesha shor machate rehte thay, har waqt mazaak aur hasna. Wo apni group ki sirf do ya teen doston ke alawa kisi se zyada baat nahi karti thi, lekin CS ke boys ka andaz usay bilkul pasand nahi aata tha. Har waqt unka shor aur faltu guftagu usay irritate karti thi.
Aj ka din bhi kuch alag nahi tha. Jab unke teacher ne class mein presentation ke liye groups banaye, toh Maira ka naam ek aise group mein aya jo thoda unexpected tha. Uske group mein Summayya, Mehak, Haroon, aur Abdul Rehman thay. Summayya se toh uska waise hi acha rishta tha, lekin Mehak aur Haroon thoda ajeeb lagte thay. Abdul Rehman zyada baat nahi karta tha, lekin Haroon ka teasing nature usay irritate karta tha. Haroon aksar group discussions mein Maira ko chhedta tha, kyunke Maira kaafi silent rehti thi.
Teacher ne class ke samne bola, "Yeh group presentation ke liye tum log aapas mein kaam karo, aur presentation ki theme tum sabko collectively tay karni hai."
Haroon ne apne usual teasing andaz mein kaha, "Maira, tum kuch bolo gi ya hamesha ki tarah chup raho gi?" Uska tone halka sa mazakia tha, lekin Maira ko thoda tang kar raha tha.
Maira ne sirf uski taraf ghoor kar dekha, lekin zyada kuch nahi kaha. Usay Haroon ke is nature se ghussa aata tha.
Summayya ne thoda defend karte hue kaha, "Haroon, tum hamesha Maira ko tease kyun karte ho? Agar wo chup rehti hai toh iska matlab yeh nahi ke tumhara mazak bardasht kare."
Haroon ne hans kar jawab diya, "Aray, main toh sirf mazak kar raha hoon. Lekin yeh hamesha itni serious kyun hoti hai?"
Summayya ne thoda strict tone mein kaha, "Chup rehti hai toh rehnay do. Tum apna kaam karo, mazak mein waqt zaya mat karo."
Maira ne is conversation ko chup chap dekha. Usay khud defend karne ki zaroorat mehsoos nahi hui, kyunki Summayya ne uske liye already jawab de diya tha.
Baad mein jab group discussion khatam hua, Summayya ne Maira ko thoda daanta, "Yaar, Maira, tum apne liye kabhi khud kyun nahi bolti? Haroon tumhe chhedta hai aur tum kuch nahi kehti. Usay toh bilkul mana karna chahiye."
Maira ne thoda haath utha kar kaha, "Mujhe uske mazak ki parwaah nahi hai. Lekin yeh group waali activities waise hi ajeeb lagti hain."
Summayya ne thoda thaka hua sigh maar kar kaha, "Phir bhi, tumhe apne liye stand lena chahiye. Sab ko pata hona chahiye ke tum mazahiya baaton mein nahi aati. Waise Haroon bura nahi hai, lekin uska chhedna kabhi kabhi zyada ho jata hai."
Maira ne sirf haan mein sir hilaya aur chup rahi. Usay Haroon waise toh thoda interesting lagta tha, lekin wo uski teasing nature ko bardasht nahi kar sakti thi. Har baar wo kuch na kuch aisa keh jata tha jo usay tang kar deta tha. Dusri taraf, Mehak bhi kuch kam nahi thi. Uski nature thodi rude thi aur wo aksar Maira ko ignore karti thi ya koi sarcastic baat keh deti thi.
Aik din, Mehak ne Maira se presentation ke assignment ka plan discuss karte hue kaha, "Tum bas apni slides banane ka kaam kar lo. Zyada baat mat karo, yeh tumhare liye asaan rahega."
Maira ne Mehak ki is baat ko bardasht kiya, lekin andar se usay bura laga. Mehak hamesha aise baatein karti thi jo usay awkward feel karati thi.
Us din ka group discussion khatam hota hi, Maira ne Summayya se kaha, "Chalo, canteen chalte hain. Mujhe thoda break chahiye in sab se."
Summayya ne hansi ke saath haan kar di, "Haan, chalo, wahan jaake thoda relax karte hain."
Dono canteen gayi aur wahan pe chips aur chai ka order diya. Jab wo table par baithi, Summayya ne thoda concerned tone mein kaha, "Maira, tum waqai zyada stress le rahi ho. Haroon aur Mehak ke baat ko personally mat lo. Tum apna kaam karo, bas."
Maira ne thoda depressed andaz mein kaha, "Mujhe pata hai, lekin kabhi kabhi bardasht karna mushkil hota hai. Haroon ka teasing andaz irritate karta hai, aur Mehak ki rude remarks sab se zyada tang karti hain."
Summayya ne sympathetically haath Maira ke shoulder par rakha, "I know, yaar. Lekin tumhare andar strength hai. Tum apna kaam perfect karti ho, baqi logon ki parwah mat karo."
Maira ne ek thandi si smile di aur kaha, "Chalo, canteen ke baad hum library se bags utha lete hain, phir lab ke lectures ke liye chalenge."
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Chai aur snacks khatam karne ke baad, Maira aur Summayya canteen se library gayi, jahan unke bags rakhe huye thay. Wahan se bags utha ke wo dono lab ke lectures ke liye chal di. Jab wo university ke stairs se upar ja rahi thi, Maira ne achanak ek heavy bike ki awaz suni.
Maira ka dil foran tez dhadakne laga, kyunki wo heavy bikes ki shauqeen thi. Usne turant morh kar dekha.
Wahan saamne, ek larka tha—lamba, fit, aur helmet pehna hua. Wo heavy bike par style se baitha tha, jaise koi professional rider ho. Uski posture aur bike ka stance aise tha, jaise wo bas Maira ki taraf hi dekh raha ho.
Maira ki aankhon ne us larke ko dhundh kar dekha, aur wo bilkul ek moment ke liye jam gayi. Uska dil tez tez dhadakne laga, aur ek ajeeb si feeling uske andar se uthne lagi. Bike ka sound, us larke ka style, aur uska morh kar dekhna—sab kuch ek dream sequence lag raha tha.
Us larke ne helmet ke andar se ek halki si nazar Maira par daali, jaise wo usay notice kar raha ho. Maira ke liye wo moment thoda surreal tha. Uska dil keh raha tha ke wo aur us larka dono iss lamhe mein kuch connect kar rahe hain.
Maira ke pair wahan thame gaye, aur usay apni jagah se hile bagair sirf us larke ko dekhna tha. Lekin wo moment sirf aik second ka tha, aur us larke ne phir apni bike ko thoda aage badha diya.
Maira ka dil ab bhi zor zor se dhadak raha tha. Usay laga ke shayad us larke ne jaan bujh kar uski taraf dekha ho. Summayya, jo Maira ke saath hi chal rahi thi, ne Maira ka unusual reaction notice kiya aur poocha, "Kya hua? Tum achanak se kyun ruk gayi?"