Aaj ka din thoda hectic tha, kyunki Maira, Haroon, aur Summayya apne project par kaam kar rahe thay. Yeh project unke mid-term ka ek important part tha, lekin Haroon apne usual teasing mode mein tha. Maira ko yeh sab mazaq samajh nahi aa raha tha, lekin wo chup thi, jaise hamesha.
"Maira, tum kabhi kuch kyun nahi bolti?" Haroon ne teasing tone mein kaha, "Tumhare saath kaam karna aisa hai jaise kisi robot ke saath kaam karna ho."
Maira ne sirf apni notebook pe focus karte hue kuch nahi kaha. Uski aankhon mein thoda irritation tha, lekin wo hamesha se aise hi thi—quiet aur composed.
Summayya, jo apni doston ko defend karne mein hamesha aage hoti thi, ne turant bola, "Haroon, tum kyun hamesha Maira ko chhedte ho? Usay waise hi kaam karne do, jaise wo karti hai."
Haroon ne hans kar kaha, "Aray, main sirf mazak kar raha hoon. Waise Maira se zyada serious student maine aaj tak nahi dekha."
Summayya ne sirf aankhen ghoomate hue kaha, "Haroon, tum bohot annoying ho kabhi kabhi."
Maira chup thi, lekin andar se thoda disturbed mehsoos kar rahi thi. Wo hamesha se reserved thi, lekin Haroon ka chhedna usay aksar uncomfortable kar deta tha. Haroon phir bhi apne mazak mein lag raha tha, lekin tabhi kuch ajeeb hua.
Waleed, jo class ke corner mein apne doston Maaz aur Anas ke saath baitha tha, achanak apni seat se khada hua aur bina kuch kahe class se bahar nikal gaya. Uska chehra thoda tense lag raha tha, aur uska tall, fit body structure as usual impressive lag raha tha. Black shirt us par bilkul suit kar raha tha, aur uska confident andaz Maira ki aankhon ke kone mein chhup gaya.
Maira ki aankhon ne Waleed ke peeche usay dekhte hue ek pal ke liye follow kiya, jab tak wo class ke door ke bahar nahi chala gaya.
Maaz aur Anas ne ek dosre ki taraf dekha, dono ko andaza ho gaya ke Waleed kuch pareshan hai. Anas ne dheere se Maaz ke kaan mein kaha, "Chal, dekhte hain usay kya hua hai."
Dono apni jagah se utkar Waleed ke peeche chale gaye, aur class ek dum se thodi awkward ho gayi. Haroon ne Waleed ke jaane ke baad apne usual tone mein kaha, "Yeh Waleed bhi ajeeb hai. Kabhi bhi itne attitude ke saath nikal jata hai, jaise yeh duniya uske liye banayi gayi ho."
Maira ne subconsciously Waleed ka defense lete hue kaha, "Nahi, Waleed waise nahi hai. Shayed usay kuch personal issue ho."
Haroon ne thoda sarcastically jawab diya, "Tumhein kabse Waleed ke baare mein itna pata chalne laga? Tum waise toh kabhi zyada baat nahi karti, lekin ab tum uska defense kar rahi ho?"
Maira ne sharmindagi se apni notebook ki taraf dekha aur chup ho gayi. Usay andaza nahi tha ke usne Waleed ke liye bol diya, lekin uska defense natural tha.
Haroon ne ye baat sun kar gusse se apne notes uthaye aur thoda naaraaz hote hue class se nikal gaya. "Main nahi dekh sakta ke tum log Waleed jaise bande ka defense karte ho. Mujhe is project se ab koi lena dena nahi."
Haroon ke jaane ke baad, Maira ne thoda apne aap ko sambhala. Summayya ne phir se teasing tone mein kaha, "Lagta hai, Maira, tumhare dil mein Waleed ke liye kuch special hai. Tumne kabhi pehle kisi ke liye aise nahi bola."
Maira ne hansi ko control karte hue kaha, "Nahi, aisi koi baat nahi hai. Bas, wo bhi human being hai, is liye maine kuch keh diya."
Summayya ne phir bhi teasing tone mein kaha, "Haan, haan, human being. Tum toh waise bhi Waleed ko notice karti rehti ho. Lekin chhodo, mujhe dekhna hai ke Haroon ka kya reaction hoga."
Dono larkiyan hansne lagi, lekin Maira ke dil mein thoda ajeeb sa ehsaas tha. Kya wo waqai Waleed ko notice kar rahi thi, ya yeh sab uske doston ka mazak tha? Wo khud bhi sure nahi thi.
Us din jab Nain apne routine ke kaam mein busy thi, uske bhai Qaim aur bare bhai Awais university aaye thay use lene ke liye. Wo dono Khushab wapas jaane wale thay, aur Nain ko bhi saath le jaana tha. Nain ko jab apne bhaiyon ka message mila, toh wo unse milne ke liye university ke gate ke paas aayi.
Qaim ne door se Nain ko dekha aur haath hilaaya, "Nain! Yahan aao. Hum tumhein lene aaye hain."
Nain ne muskurate hue apne bhaiyon ki taraf chalte hue unka welcome kiya. "Aap log yahan kaise aaye? Mujhe toh laga tha ke aap Khushab direct ja rahe ho."
Awais, jo hamesha se thoda serious aur composed tha, ne dheere se jawab diya, "Humne socha tumhein saath le jaayein. Waise bhi tum akeli travel karogi toh fikar rahegi."
Nain ne halka sa smile diya aur apne bhaiyon ke saath chalte hue cafeteria ki taraf gaya, jahan uski dosti bhi thi. Us waqt Summayya unse milne aayi thi, aur jab uski nazar Awais par pari, toh dono aik pal ke liye ruk gaye.
Awais ne Summayya ko dekh kar ek pal ke liye chup raha, lekin phir dheere se muskurate hue uska salam le liya, "Assalam-o-Alaikum."
Summayya, jo hamesha confident aur bold thi, is baar thoda chup si ho gayi thi. Usne halki si smile ke saath jawab diya, "Wa-Alaikum Assalam." Dono ke darmiyan ek ajeeb si khamoshi chha gayi thi, lekin phir Awais ne apni pocket se phone nikal kar Summayya ko dekhte hue kaha, "Kya hum contacts exchange kar sakte hain?"
Summayya thodi surprised thi, lekin usne dheere se haan mein sir hila diya aur apna number de diya. Dono ne ek dusre ki taraf dheere se muskurate hue phone numbers exchange kiye. Yeh unka pehla official interaction tha, lekin dono ke dilon mein kuch chal raha tha jo abhi unhein khud bhi samajh nahi aaya tha.
Jab Summayya wapis doston ke paas gayi, toh Naurez aur Shehreen dono impressed thi. Naurez ne hansi dabate hue kaha, "Wah Summayya! Tum toh waise bohot bold ho gayi ho! Awais bhai se number exchange? Yeh toh naya twist hai."
Shehreen ne bhi thoda mazaak karte hue kaha, "Haan, waise tumhara confidence toh dekhne laayak tha. Humein laga tha tum thodi aur awkward hogi."
Nain, jo ab tak chup thi, ne muskurate hue apni dost ki taraf dekha aur kaha, "Tum waise bold ho gayi ho, Summayya. Main toh impressed ho gayi hoon!"
Summayya ne hans kar kaha, "Aray, kuch nahi tha. Awais waise hi achay insaan lagte hain, toh socha contact karne mein kya harj hai."