Wo Pehli Nazar..!!
School ki ghanti jab bajti hai na,
toh lagta hai jaise zindagi phir se shuru ho rahi ho.
Main roz ki tarah apni class ki taraf badh rahi thi—
bag kandhe par, dupatta sambhalte hue,
aur dimaag me wahi purani baatein.
Exams, ghar ki expectations, aur ek future jo mujhe samajh hi nahi aata tha.
Tab maine use dekha.
Wo school ke corridor ke end me khada tha,
notice board ke paas.
Safed shirt, kaali pants,
aur aankhon me ajeeb si shaanti…
jaise use kisi cheez ki jaldi hi na ho.
Pata nahi kyun,
meri nazar wahan se hat hi nahi paayi.
"Hey! Dekh kar chala kar!"
Ek tez awaaz ke saath meri file neeche gir gayi.
Main kisi se takra gayi thi.
"Sorry… mujhe—"
main jhuk kar file uthane lagi,
par usne pehle hi meri file utha li.
"Koi baat nahi,"
uski awaaz halki thi,
bilkul waise jaise baarish ke baad hawa hoti hai.
Maine pehli baar uski aankhon me dekha.
Sach kahun toh,
us pal kuch khaas nahi hua—
na dil tez dhadka,
na filmy music baja.
Par phir bhi…
kuch toh tha
jo mujhe wahan rok raha tha.
"Tum 11th science?"
usne file meri taraf badhate hue poochha.
"Haan,"
maine sirf itna hi kaha.
"Main bhi,"
wo muskuraaya.
"New admission ho kya?"
Maine haan me sir hila diya.
Wo ek kadam peeche hata,
jaise zyada paas aana galat ho.
Aur shayad wahi baat mujhe achhi lagi.
Class ki bell dobara baji,
aur hum dono apni-apni class ki taraf chal pade.
Par jaate-jaate,
mujhe laga jaise usne mudhkar dobara dekha.
Ya shayad…
ye sirf mera khayal tha.
Lunch break me,
meri dost madeeha bina saans liye bol rahi thi.
"Sun na, new ladka dekha?
Science block me?
Pure school me uski hi baat ho rahi hai!"
Maine casual rehne ki koshish ki.
"Kaun?"
"Arey wahi—
shaant sa, zyada bolta nahi.
Naam shayad Ali hai."
Uska naam sunte hi,
mera haath ruk gaya.
Ali..
Naam jaise kisi purani kahani ka hissa ho.
Maine khud se poochha—
itna asar kyun ho raha hai?
"Tu theek hai?"
Madeeha ne poochha.
"Haan… bas headache,"
maine jhooth bol diya.
Sach ye tha ki,
mera dimaag baar-baar us corridor me laut ja raha tha.
School chhutti ke baad,
main gate ke paas bus ka intezaar kar rahi thi.
Dhoop halki ho chuki thi,
aur students ki awaazon se gate bhar gaya tha.
Tab maine use phir dekha.
Wo apni scooty ke paas khada tha.
Mujhe dekh kar ek pal ko ruka,
phir dheere se bola,
"Tumhari file…
subah wali…
ek page reh gaya tha."
Usne meri taraf ek kagaz badhaya.
Maine haath badhaya,
aur hamari ungliyan halki si chhoo gayi.
Bas ek second.
Par mere liye,
wo second kaafi tha.
"Thank you,"
maine kaha.
"Waise… tumhara naam?"
usne poochha.
Main bolne hi wali thi,
par tabhi meri bus aa gayi.
Horn ki awaaz ke saath,
main thoda ghabra gayi.
"Kal bataungi,"
itna keh kar main bus me chadh gayi.
Seat par baith kar,
maine khidki se baahar dekha.
Wo wahin khada tha,
meri taraf dekhte hue.
Bus aage badh gayi.
Aur us ek pal me,
mujhe ye bilkul nahi pata tha
ki jis ladke ka naam main kal batane wali thi…
wo naam,
meri zindagi ka sabse mushkil sach banne wala tha.