Summer vacations khatam hone ke baad Maham aur baki sab hi ka routine pehle ki tarah hogaya. Subha school mai sadna, ane wale semi-finals ki tayari aur dhair sari tension.

Pr kise pata tha ki agae ane wale waqt in dostu ke liye ek naya imtihaan teh kr chuka tha.

"Kya yaar Maham aaj phir ane mai tumko itni dair kaise hogayi!?" Zoya Shikayati andaaz se sawal karti hai. Maham ek baar Ali ki taraf dekhti hai aur phir Zoya se kehti hai, "Dair mujhe sirf Ali ki wajah se howi hai. Narazgi usse ja kr dikhao!" Zoya sawali nazaru se Maham ko dekhti hai aur Ali hairan hojata hai ki abhi usne jo suna woh kya sach tha.

"Uncle mujhe aaj kal drop nahi kr sakte tu Fariha Aunty ki zid thi ki jab tak Uncle apni Car sahi na krwale, Ali hi mujhe pick and drop kare." Maham muskura kr safai se jhoot bolte howe Zoya ki misunderstanding clear krti hai.

Ali us duran sar hilate howe yeh sochta hai, 'Maham jhoot bolne mai Graduation kr rahi hai kya!? Aur itna jhoot sehat ke liye hanikarak ho sakta hai. Mai kya karoga is ladki ka.'

"Hey dostu, yeh batao projects submit kr diye tum sab ne?" Abdullah najane kaha se aakr sawal krta hai. "Abdullah! Tumne abhi tak project complete nahi kiya!? Koi itna bhi laparwah ho sakta hai kya!?" Zoya hairani se sawal krti hai.

"Fikr na karo humara project complete hai aur aaj Insha Allah hum submit bhi kar dege." Ayisha jo Abdullah ko pareshaani mai dekh kr aakae Abdullah ki side lete howe kehti hai. Aur jo usne kaha tha woh sach bhi tha.

Ayisha ne baki bacha howa sara project khud complete kr liya tha. Aur woh Abdullah ko is bare mai batana bhul gayi thi.  Abdullah fikr se Ayisha ki taraf dekhta hai. Ayisha muskura kr usku tassali deti hai aur Abdullah phir muskura kr shukriya ka izhaar krta hai.

Yeh dekh Zoya ko kuch accha na lagta hai. Uski dost aur jisko woh pasand krti hai, ankho hi ankho mai najane kya baat kr rahe hai. Zoya ko jalan ka ehsaas hota hai. Tabhi puri Class ke samne Haider aake Zoya ka haath pakadh ta hai aur class se bahar le jata hai. Ab yeh dekh Ayisha ko jalan hoti hai aur buhut bura lagta hai.

Abdullah, Haider aur Zoya ke peche jata hai aur yeh sara scene dekh Maham ke saath saath pura class hairat mai kho sa jata hai.

***

Haider, Zoya ka haath pakde corridor se hote howe neche ground ki taraf le jaraha hota hai ki tabhi peche se Abdullah aakr Zoya ka dusra haath thamte howe dono ko rukh deta hai.

Abdullah kafi gusse mai hota hai aur Haider se sawal krta hai, "Yeh kya harkat thi!? Kaha le jarahe the tum isko!?" Abdullah ko is tarah Zoya pehli baar dekh rahi thi aur Haider bhi. Haider muskura kr kehta hai, "Tumse kya matlab. Yeh meri dost hai aur project partner bhi. Mai isse project ke silsile mai baat krne keliye le jaraha tha."

"Project submit ho chuka hai tu ab koun si baat krni hai tumko!? Aur agar krni hai bhi tu project ki baat class mai bhi ho sakti hai." Abdullah gusse se kehta. "Project ek excuse tha. Mujhe Zoyi se kuch personal baat krni hai so now will you please excuse us!? Haider gussa daba kr kehta hai.

Haider ke muh se Zoyi naam sun kr Abdullah aag bagula hojata hai. Abdullah, Haider ka collar pakadh kr kehta hai, "Zoya ko sirf mai Zoyi kehna ka haq rakhta ho! Tumhari himmat kaise-" "Ab bas bhi karo tum dono ladhna! Abdullah! Choro Haider ka collar isi waqt! Haider tum bhi!" Abdullah ki baat beech se cut krte howe Zoya gusse se kehti hai aur Zoya ki Ankhe aansu se bhari howi thi. Yeh keh kr Zoya waha se chali jati hai.

Abdullah aur Haider, Zoya ke jane ke baad ek baar ek dusre ko gusse  se dekhte hai aur phir Abdullah bhi waha se chala jata hai. Haider waha tanha khare muskurata hai najane kya soch kr aur haath jabe mai dal kr waha se phir chala jata hai.

Pura waqt Class ka muhal kafi garam bana rehta hai. Zoya kisi se nahi baat kr rahi hoti hai aur Ayisha bhi khamosh hoti hai. Class khatam hote hi Abdullah furan waha se chala jata hai aur Haider najane kin sochu mai gum window se bahar ki taraf dekh raha hota hai.

***

Car mai baith kr Maham, Ali se kehti hai, "Aapko nahi lagta, hum ko wahi rukh kr matter solve krna chahiye?" Ali, Maham ki taraf dekh kr kehta hai, "Mujhe lagta hai ki yeh unka personal matter hai aur humai beech mai nahi bolna chahiye."

"Hmm...sahi keh rahe hai pr mujhe tuhri fikr hai unki..." Maham fikr se sochte howe kehti hai. Ali, Maham ko muskura kr dekhta hai aur uske sar pr haath pehrthe howe kehta hai, "Sab thik hojaye ga. Fikr na karo." Maham Ali ko phir muskura kr dekhti hai aur ha mai sar hilati hai.

"Cough* Cough* agar aap logo ki flirting ho gayi ho tu chala jaye!?" Peche baitha Ayaan muskurate howe kehta hai. Ali furun Car start kr deta hai aur Maham jo tamatar ki tarha laal hochuki thi Car ki window se bahar dekhne lagti hai.

'Najane yeh kab aur kaha se agaya.' Ali aur Maham ek saath sochte hai.

***

Abdullah apne kamre mai idhar se udhar chakkar lagte bari hi pareshaani mai soch raha hota hai.

'Yeh maine kya kr diya!? Najane Zoyi kya soch rahi hogi. Mujhe yu jazbaati hokr unke peche nahi jana chahiye tha. Pr mai krta bhi kya. Haider ko Zoya ke saath dekh mujhe buhut gussa ata hai aur us Haider ki himmat kaisi howi meri Zoyi ko Zoyi kehne ki!! Uff ab Zoyi mujhse naraaz hai. Mai kya karo aur kaise manao ga usku. Ladkiya kab kya sochti hai aur kaise maanti hai mujhe is bare mai koi Ilm nahi aur nahi andaza hai. Aur Zoyi baki ladkiyu se zyada gussail-'

Abdullah socho mai gum tha ki tabhi darwaza khol kr uski choti behan andar ati hai aur kehti hai, "Bhai! Ammi kabse se aapko awaaze de rahi hai pr aapko Zoyi di ke khayaalu se hi fursat nahi."

"Ha, pr mai kya karo Zoyi kafi naraaz ha-ek minute tum yaha kya kr rahi ho Humda aur maine kitni baar tumse kaha hai mere kamre mai dakhil hone se pehle knock kar liya karo!" Abdullah bekhayali mai pehle Zoya ke bare mai baat krta hai phir dhiaan ane pr Humda ko dhat te howe kehta hai.

"Maine knock kiya tha pr aap ne suna hi nahi. Aur kyu pareshaan hai aap? Zoya di ko naraaz krna aap ka roz ka mamool hai aur phir Zoyi di aap se naraaz zyada dair tak rahi nahi sakti." Humda apne bhai ke paas baith kr kehti hai.

"Mujhe nahi lagta ki woh izbaar mujhe mauf kare gi..." Abdullah fikr krte howe kehta hai. "Fikr na kare bhai. Aapki behan hai na aapka saath pura degi. Pr pehle yeh bataye aapne kiya kya hai?" Humda sawal krti hai.

"Maine...jhakdha kiya Haider se...aur kafi gusse mai baat bhi ki. Yahi nahi Zoya ko rolaya aur ignore bhi kiya...mai tu gaya." Abdullah batata hai aur Humda yeh baat sun kr hairan hoti hai. Humda ka muh khula ka khula reh jata hai aur ankhe bari bari kr Abdullah ko dekh rahi hoti hai, us hi hairat Humda kehti hai, "Bhai, wakahi mai? Aapne jhakda aur gussa kiya!? Aur rulaya aur ignore bhi!?"

Abdullah ke zehan mai khayal ata hai 'Mai yeh sab baate isse kyu kr raha ho!? Uff! Mera zehan wakahi sun padhgaya hai us hadse ki wajah se.'

Ali phir Humda ko muskura kr dekhta hai aur bare hi pyaar se sawal krta hai, "Humda, Homework kiya kya?" Humda nahi mai sar hilati hai aur phir Abdullah muskurate howe pr gusse mai kehta hai, "Tu yaha bakwas kr apna waqt zaya na karo aur chup chap apne kamre mai ja kr Homework complete karo! Samjhi. Nahi tu mai tumhari Shikayat teacher aur Ammi se karoga!" Yeh sun kr Humda muh banati hai aur kamre se chali jati hai aur Abdullah phir socho mai gum ho jata hai.

***

Isa apne room mai baitha gift box mai rakhai bracelet ko nihar raha hota hai. Wahi bracelet jisko us din market mai Maham ne pasand kiya tha. Isa ne us hi din woh bracelet kharid liya tha, Maham ke liye.

Isa bracelet ko dekh kr muskura raha hota hai, Maham ke bare mai sochte howe ki tabhi peche se awaaz ati hai. "Ohoo~ Bhai kya yeh bracelet aap mere liye laye hai!? Aww thankyou!" Urwa woh bracelet utha te howe kehti hai.

Isa turant woh bracelet Urwa se cheen ta hai aur kehta hai, "Tum kabse itni acchi hogayi ki mai tumhare liye aapne paise zaya karo!?" Isa ki baat sun kr Urwa muh banati hai aur sawal krti hai. "Phir woh koun khush naseeb hai jiske liye itna keemti tohfa kharida gaya hai!?"

Isa, Maham ka naam dil mai sochta hai aur muskurata hai, phir Urwa se kehta hai, "Ha, hai koi khush naseeb, khubsurat pr mai abhi tumko is bare mai kuch nahi bata sakta ho." "Bhai! Agar aapne mujhe nahi bataya tu mai Ammi, Abbu ko batado gi!" Urwa dhamki dete howe kehti hai.

"Ammi, Abu ko batane ki koi zarurat nahi! Warna mai kabhi baat nahi karoga tum se!" Isa gussa krte kehta hai. "Accha thik hai na. Ab batade mujhe! Shayad mai kuch madad kr sako aapki." Urwa zid krte howe kehti hai.

"Mujhe tumhari madad ki zarurat nahi. Kyu ki jisko mai pasand krta ho, woh meri kabhi nahi ho sakti." Isa, Urwa ko samjhate howe kehta hai. Pr Urwa dil mai than leti hai ki woh pata laga kr rahegi, ki koun hai woh.

***

Dusre din, school mai wahi muhul bana howa tha. Zoya kisi se bhi baat nahi kr rahi thi aur Ayisha bhi khamoshi se apne kamo mai lagi howi thi. Haider aur Abdullah ek dusre ko ghur rahe the aur Maham yani mai, apne dostu ko jhakda krte, naraaz dekh udas aur fikr man ho rahi thi.

Ayisha, Haider ko nazar andaaz kr rahi thi aur Haider samajh raha tha ki Abdullah ki wajah se Ayisha usku nazar andaaz kr rahi hai. Ayisha aur Abdullah ko araam se baat aur hasi mazak krte dekh, Zoya samajh rahi thi ki Abdullah ko uski koi parwah nahi, ki woh naraaz hai ki nahi. Aur Abdullah, Zoya aur Haider ko dekh jalan ka ehsaas mehsoos kr raha hota pr kr kuch nahi sakta. Kal ki galti ko duhra kr woh Zoya ko aur zyada naraaz nahi kr sakta tha.

Maham fikr se Ali ko dekhti hai aur Ali bhi fikr man tha. Aisa kya kiya jaye ki Dostu ke beech hoyi galat fehmiya aur naraazgi dur kr sake, ki tabhi Isa class mai dakhil hota hai. Maham ko dekh Isa ek bari smile deta hai aur Maham ke paas ata hai aur usse hasi mazak krna shuru kr deta hai. Ab sare dostu ki tawajjah Maham, Isa aur Ali pr thi. Ali dono ko yuh hasi mazak aur batae karta dekh andar hi andar Aag bagula ho raha tha. Aur uske dost jo acchi tarah se jante the, Isa aur Ali ke ehsasat ko.

Zoya aur Ayisha dono ek saath Maham ke paas ajati hai yeh soch kr ki agae ane wale tuhfaan ko woh rukh sake pr Abdullah woh aake Isa se keh deta hai, "Yaar, kaha the tum Summer vacations mai. Pata hai hum sabne mil kr itna maza kiya aur Maham ki Birthday bhi celebrate ki. Hum sab Amusement park bhi gaye pr sabse accha tuhfa Ali ne diya hai, Maham ko."

Tuhfe ka naam sunte hi Maham laal hojati hai aur Isa ko chubhan ka ehsaas hota hai, Maham ko yuh blush krta dekh kr. Isa apne ehsaas ko andar daba kr sawal krta hai, "Ohoo~ aur kis tarah ka tuhfa, kya mai jaan sakta ho?" Zoya, Abdullah ko dekh dar hilati hai aur phir muskura kr Maham kr haath dikhati hai. Maham, Ali ka diya bracelet pehni howi thi. Aur bracelet, Isa ke bracelet se kafi khubsurat aur nazuk hota hai yeh dekh Isa ko tuhra dukh hota hai bina zahir kiye, Maham ke bracelet ki tarif karta hai. Aur phir kuch bahana bana kr class se chala jata hai.

Zoya aur Ayisha dono ko ehsaas hojata hai ki Isa khush nahi tha pr woh dono khamosh rehti hai. Isa corridor mai chalte howe apne jabe mai haath dalta hai aur woh bracelet bhar nikalta hai jo usne Maham ko dena ka socha tha. Bracelet ko dene keliye hi woh Maham ke class mai gaya tha. Maham ke haath me Ali ka diya howa bracelet woh sochta hai ki zyada accha lag raha tha phir Isa, bracelet wapis jabe mai rakh leta hai.

***

Ghar ane ke baad Isa, bracelet apni choti behan ko de deta hai. Urwa woh bracelet dekh hairat karti hai aur sawal krti hai, "Kya howa bhai? Kal tak jis bracelet ke liye aap mujhse naraaz ho rahe the, aaj aap wahi bracelet mujhe kyu de rahe hai?"

Isa muskurata hai aur sofe pr baith kr T.V on kr football match dekhne lag jata hai. Urwa muh banati hai pr saath hi fikr bhi krte howe sawal phir krti hai, "Bhai! Mujhe nazar andaaz na kare! Bataye kya baat hai? Kya usne lene se inkaar kr diya?"

Isa, Urwa ki fikr dekh uski taraf dekhta hai aur muskura kr kehta hai, "Kabhi kisi ne tumhare Handsome bhai ko inkaar kiya hai? Nahi na. Tu phir woh kaise kr sakti thi. Bracelet dena ka khyal mai apne zehain se nikal diya hai, kyu uske haathu mai pehle se hi khubsurat sa ek bracelet jo mujud tha."

"Bhai, pr aap ne kitne pyaar se woh bracelet liya tha. Kya howa agar uske paas bracelet hai. Aap ka bracelet uske liye zarur ahemiyat rakhta agar aap usku dete." Urwa kehti hai pr Isa muskurata hai aur kuch na kehta hai.

'Ahmiyat mere tuhfu ki nahi, Ali ki tuhfu ki hai, Uske keliye mai sirf ek accha dost aur Ali...' 

"Bhai aap bata kyu nahi dete woh koun hai!?" Urwa zid krte howe kehti hai, isse pehle Isa kuch kehta Urwa ka phone ring krne lagta hai. Urea phone utha tehi kehti hai, "Kya howa matchar? Kyu call kiya hai!?"

Dusri taraf se jawab ata hai, "Bandariya kaha ho!? Bhul gayi aaj ka plan kya!?"

Urwa muh banati hai aur kehti hai, "Ha, Ha yaad tha mujhe. Bas arahi ho. Ab rukho phone." Aur yeh keh kr Urwa phone cut kr deti hai. Paas mai baitha Isa jo sari baat sun chuka tha haste howe kehta hai, "Tum dono kah band karo ge ladhna aur kab bade hoge? Waise Urwa, bandariya naam tum pr buhut suit krta hai."

Urwa apna mazak sun kr chir jati hai aur samne rakha cushion utha kr Isa ko mar ti hai, yeh kehte howe, "Accha ab aap bhi mujhe tang kare ge bhaiya!?" "Ab tum hai dair nahi ho rahi?" Isa apne aapko bachate howe kehta hai. "Aare ha! Accha thik hai bhai, mai chalti ho. Allah hafiz!" Aur yeh keh kr Urwa apna school bag leti hai aur chali jati hai.

Car uske Ghar ke agae khari howi thi. Urwa Car ki front wali seat pr baithne ka rahi hoti hai ki tabhi dekhti hai waha pr aur koi nahi Maham baithi howi hoti hai. Maham, Urwa ke baith jane ke baad kehti hai, "Kaisi ho, Urwa?" Urwa jhoti muskurahat chehre pr saja kr kehti hai, "Mai thik ho aur asp batae? Aap bhi kya hum logo ke saath study session mai jarahi hai?"

Maham haste howe jawab deti hai, "Aare nahi, mai Ayisha ki taraf ja rahi thi tu Ayaan ne mujhse ka ki woh drop kr dega, tum logo ka study session bhi usi road pr hai. Aur Alhamdullilah! Mai bilkul thik ho!" Urwa sar hilati hai aur kehti hai, "Oh accha. Waise aapka bracelet tu buhut pyara hai!" Urwa, Maham ka bracelet dekhte howe kehti hai.

Maham apna haath agae kr usku acche se apna bracelet dikhati hai, ek bari si smile ke saath. Tabhi Car chala te howe Ayaan kehta hai, "Yeh bracelet bhai ne Maha ko birthday gift ke taur pr diya hai. Khubsurat hai na!?" Urwa khamoshi se sar hilati hai aur kehti hai, "Ha, buhut khubsurat hai."

Maham ko Ayisha ki taraf drop krne ke baad, Ayaan aur Urwa study session ke liye chale jate hai. Pure waqt woh bracelet Urwa ke zehain mai rehta hai, pura waqt Urwa socho mai gum rehti hai aur study bhi thik se nahi kr pati hai. Study session khatam hone ke baad Ayaan, Urwa ko ghar drop kr deta hai. Urwa jab apne ghar mai dakhil hoti hai, tu dekhti hai ki Isa ghar pr nahi hota hai.

Urwa apne kamre mai chali jati hai. Fresh hone ke baad Urwa study krne ke liye jab chair pr baithti hai tu dekhti hai desk pr Isa ka bracelet rakha howa hota hai. Bracelet dekh Urwa jam si jati hai. Urwa ko ab sab samajh mai agaya hota hai.

Isa jis ladki se Muhabbat krta hai, aur jiske liye yeh bracelet laya tha pr uske haathu mai kisi aur ka bracelet dekh na de saka hota hai, woh ladki aur koi nahi 'Maham' thi. Isa, Maham ko pasand krta hai. Uska bhai, Maham ko pasand krta hai.

********
***********