chapter 13

Exhibition se pehle din, mere office mein sab exhibition ki preparation mei busy the. Mai exhibition mei nahi ja rahi thi isliye mai half day se hi ghar wapas aa gayi. Half day ki wajah se mera mood acha tha th maine raste mei shop se hi snacks ke liye shopping kar li.

Ghar ayi th kewal bua ji hi ghar par thi. Wh hall mei tv dekh rahi thi. Maine unko shopping bag dikhate hue boli, "bua ji aj bread roll khane ka man hai."

Wh haste hue boli, "wh dono bi ane wale hoge. La mujshe de. Tu hath muh dhokar aram se tv dekh."

Mai muskurate hue boli, "daily th hum apke hath ka khate hai. Aj mai banaugi. Ap aram se baitho."

Wh chinta karte hue boli, "par abhi th tu thak kar ayi hai. Tu aram kar weekend par kuch bana lena."

Maine kaha, "nahi.... Aj mai hi banaugi."

"Thik hai... Tu phele change th kar le. Itne mai preparation karti hu." Wh akir mei thak kar boli.

Mai jaldi apne room mei gayi aur change karke aur fresh hokar kitchen mei chali gayi.

Bua ji aur maine milkar bread roll banaye. Ready hone ke bad maine group mei pic bheji th Maya ne call ki.

Mai janti thi wh jarur call karegi. Jaise hi maine reply button click kiya aur call speaker par dali uski dusri taraf se awaz ayi, "kya bat bread roll bana kar khaye ja rahe hai aur hamare bare mei koi soch hi nahi raha."

Bua ji shook her head with smile. I laughed, "tere bare mei soch kar hi pic dali hai."

I know wh muh bana rahi hogi, "pata hai tere se aur umid bi kya ki ja sakti hai."

Mai jor jor se hasne lagi, "aa ja tu yaha. Tere ko apne hatho se khilaungi."

Wh muskurate hue boli, "I love you but abhi semester start hua hai. Semester finish hone ke bad ati hu. Tab sab milkar khub enjoy karege."

"Ok...."

Mummy boli, "tu kab aa rahi hai yaha?"

Mai sochte hue boli, "is month ki paid off leave finish ho gayi hai. Next month aaugi."

"Hmm.."

"Lo bua ji se bat karo." Maine speaker off karke bua ji ko phone de diya.

Bua ji phone lekar hall mei chali gayi aur maine kitchen clean kar di. Ab kavita aur Raman ka wait karna tha jisse unke ane ke baad tea ke sath bread roll ka maja le.

Mai hall mei ayi th bua ji ki mummy se bat finish ho gayi aur woh mere se boli, "nisha, un dono ke ane mei time hai. Tu itne jakar Vedika ke ghar de aa."

Bua ji ne mujshe ek tiffin mei breadroll rakh kar de diye. Aur mai Vedika ke ghar gayi th aunty, bhabhi aur Vedika hall mei tv dekh rahe the.

Maine muskurate hue bola, "aunty, bua ji ne yeh tiffin apke liye diya hai."

Vedika tiffin lete hue curiosity se boli, "kya hai isme di?"

"Bread roll banaye hai aj hamne wahi hai."

"Wow.... Mai tea banane hi ja rahi thi. Aa baith... Tumhare liye bi bana deti hu." Bhabhi uthe hue boli.

"It's ok bhabhi... Next time.... Bua ji bi bana rahi hai... Kavita aur Raman bi ane wale hai." Mai baat talte hue boli.

Aunty boli, "koi nahi... Wese bi tu kam hi ati hai... Thodi der yaha bi baith ja."

Vedika mera hath khichte hue boli, "ha di, aao na."

Mai na chahte hue bi baith gayi, "ok..."

Woh log saas bahu drama dekh rahe the. Jisme mujshe koi dilchaspi nahi. Bhabhi kitchen mei tea banane chali gayi.

Vedika boli, "di, apko kon sa serial pasand hai."

Mai haste hue boli, "mera aisa kuch nahi hai. Kuch bi dekh leti hu."

Aunty haste hue boli, "ek hamari Vedika hai isko th pata nahi fashion show mai kya maja ata hai."

Vedika muh banate hue boli, "apke in over drama serial se th better hai.... Kyu di?"

Woh dono meri taraf dekhne lage. Mai kya bolu ab? Please mujshe apne arugement mei khicho. Bhabhi bi tea lekar aa gayi.

Woh meri taraf haste hue boli, "kyu nisha? Kya kehna hai tumhara?"

Mai bhabhi ka matlab samajh gayi aur muskurate hue boli, "apni apni pasand hai. Mujshe toh dono hi pasand hai." Kaun sa mujshe in dono ke sath daily daily baithna hai.

Bhabhi hasne lagi aur aunty aur Vedika ke face par bi satification tha. Iska matlab mera jhooth bolna galat nahi tha. Agar mera bas chale th mai movie dekhu. Serial mei kon apna time waste kare.

Tea pine ke bad mai bahana bana kar waha se nikal gayi. Warna aunty aur Vedika ka bas chalta th puri raat mujshe wahi rok leti. Actually, galati unki bi nahi thi. Meri hi thi kyuki mai th un dono ke argument mei un dono ki hi side le rahi thi.

Jaise hi unke ghar se bahar lawn mei ayi th ved andar ja raha tha. Hum dono ne ek dusre ki taraf dekha. Par mujshe samaj nahi aa raha tha ki usse bolu ya nahi. Kyuki ek th woh waise hi kam bolta tha aur mere se uski banti nahi thi.

Ha, last time jab hum park mei gaye the th sab normal tha humare beech mei montu ki wajah se. Isliye mai chup chup usko undekha kar ke age chal di. Jaise hi bahar nikalne ke hue th mujshe uski piche se awaz ayi, "Nisha." Jaise hi uski awaz mere kaan mei ayi th mujshe laga waham hai. Par mai piche mud kar dekha th woh wahi khada tha. Iska matlab usne sach mei mujshe awaz di. Maine dhere se awaz nikali, "hmmm.."

He rubbed his neck with his hand, "actually... Mujshe puchna tha...." He was hesitant.

Tab mujshe yaad aya ki last time usne mujshe apne friend ke bare mei puch tha. Mai muskurate hue boli, "maine maya se bola tha. Usne mujshe kuch ke number aur address bheje hai lekin mai thoda busy thi isliye bhul gayi aur wese bi tumhara number nahi tha islye bhej bi nahi payi."

Wh kuch der mujshe dekhta raha phir thoda muskura kar bola, "it's ok. Give me your phone. Mai add kar deta hu."

I am shocked. Wh mujshe apna number dene ko ready ho gaya. Kyuki jitna mujshe pata hai ki uske friends aur family members ke alwa uska mobile number kisi ke pass nahi hai.

Kahi woh koi prank th nahi kar raha. Par woh kyu Karega? Iska matlab uska woh friend uske liye important hai. I smiled forcefully, "it's ok.. mai vedika se baad mei le lugi."

But usne mera mobile mere hath se liya aur bola, "unlock it..." Maine usko confusion se dekha. He chuckled, "tabhi th apna number add karuga."

I nodded and apna mobile unlock karke usko de diya. Usne kuch type karne ke bad kuch der mobile hath mei hi rakha. Tabhi uske mobile ki ring sunai di. Usne apna mobile pocket se nikala aur bola, "lo mera number tumhare mobile mei add ho gaya."

Maine apna mobile liya aur whatsapp khola. Joh Maya ne address bheje the woh usne number par send kiya aur boli, "yeh sab address aur number hai agar inme se koi tumhara friend na ho th batana. Woh fir try karegi."

Woh haste hue bola, "thank you nisha. Par mujshe tumse ek aur kaam tha."

Maine uski taraf dekhte hue kaha, "hmm" actually, maine usko pheli nahi dusri baar haste hue aur muskurate hue dekha tha. Woh mujhe se normally baat kar raha tha th mujshe aisa lag raha tha ki mai koi dream dekh rahi hu.

Woh bola, "actually, mere pass ek box hai woh mere liye bahut important hai. Par mujshe uski key kahi kho gayi. Kya tum usko khol sakti ho?"

I blinked my eyes many times. Kya mai usko chor ya locker thief dikhayi deti hu.

Thodi der bad woh thoda udas hote hue bola, "it's ok agar tum help nahi karna chahti. I can understand."

I gulped, "em... Aisa nahi hai..... Aaj th time nahi hai... Next time."

Woh haste hue bola jaise usko kisi ne uski favourite cheez de di ho, "koi nahi... Tumhare pass mera number hai. Jab free ho th mujshe bata dena."

"Ok... Aur kuch?" Maine pucha. Actually, unka yeh naya Avatar meri samajh se bahar tha. Mai thik se soch nahi pa rahi thi ki kya karu kya nahi. Kya kahu kya nahi....

"Filhal nahi.... Bye..." Wh muskurate hua andhar chala gaya.

Aur mai pagalo ki tarah waha khadi hui thi. Agar yeh koi dream hai th please mujshe jaga lo.

It's so scary. Thodi der bad mai hosh mei ayi th apne ghar ki taraf chal di. Was it real? How can it possible? No way. Usne mere se ache se baat ki. Aur apna mobile number bi diya.

Maine mobile unlock kiya aur whatsapp khola. Usne number ke icon par click kiya th uski dp dikhayi thi. Really, it's his number. Should I tell anyone? Kisko batau? Kyuki koi yakin nahi karega.

I sighed. Forget it... baad mei sochti hu.

Bread roll ko enjoy karne ka excitement mei bi khatam ho gaya kyuki joh thodi der phele hua woh meri samajh se bahar tha.

Ghar aakar chup chap sofa par baith gayi. Raman aur kavita bi aa gaye the. Bua ji ne pucha, "itne der kaise ho gayi?" Maine dheere se kaha, "aunty ne baitha liya tha. Ap logo ne tea le li. Mujshe th bhahi ne pila di."

Kavita haste hue boli, "mujshe pata tha itni der ho gayi apko isliye hum logo ne bi pi li. Mummy th apka wait karne ke liye bol rahi thi par mai boli....."

Agar ved wala incident nahi hota th mai gossip enjoy karti par mera mind work nahi kar raha tha. Mai janti thi agar maine kisi ko nahi bataya th mai pagal ho jaugi. Par kisko batau? Agar Ritika ko bataya th shayad woh bura mane. Kavita ya vedika mei th kisko batau.

Kavita aur mai apne room mei aye. Th mai boli, "kavita kuch batana hai."

Woh chinta karte hue boli, "di, kya hua? Mai dekh rahi thi ki aap kuch tense ho. Kuch hua hai kya?"

Mai muskurate hue boli, "aisa kuch nahi hai. Actually, mai thoda confused hu. Pata nahi tumko kaise batau?"

"Kya hua batao na?" I sighed and told her everything. Woh chup chap sun rahi thi.

Jab mai chup hui th woh kuch der nahi boli. Thodi der bad boli, "di, aap isliye confuse ho ki woh apse bola aur apko apna number diya?"

I nodded immediately. Thank God, woh mera matlab th samjah gayi.

Par kuch der baad jor jor se hasne lagi. Maine pucha, "kya hua? Kyu has rahi hai?"

Woh apni hasi control karte hue boli, "di, kya kisi ladke ne apko apna number nahi diya."

Mai aur confuse ho gayi, "diya hai... Par woh alag bat hai.... Forget it.... Tu nahi samjhegi.... Aur haa kisi ko kuch mat bolna... Especially, Ritika ko..."

She nodded, "hmmm.... I know."

In night, ritika, kavita, Vedika aur mai group mei chat kar rahe the ki aj kya kya kiya.

Tabhi mere pass ved ka message aya, "thank you nisha."

I confused but I asked, "kya inme se koi tumhara friend hai?"

"Don't worry....I found my friend." He replied soon.

I smiled. Mujshe pata hai woh nahi dekh sakta, "good..."

"Good night and sweet dreams..." He messaged.

I thought some seconds, "same to you.."

Kavita joh mere pass hi thi boli, "di, kiska message hai? Kyu itna muskura rahi ho?"

My cheeks got red. Mujshe aisa lag raha tha ki usne mujshe kisi ladke se chat karte hue pakad liya.

I shook my head and said with clam, "kuch nahi.... Koi purana friend hai."

Wh haste hue boli, "aap humse chat karna bhol gaye th sab puch rahe hai ki aap online dikhayi th de rahi ho par kiske sath busy ho?"