Chapter 1– Khamoshi Ke Peeche

Is shehar ke shor mein ek ghar aisa bhi tha jahan awaaz kam aur khamoshi zyada rehti thi. Wahi ghar Aaliya ka tha. Bahar log haste-bolte nazar aate par is ghar ki deewaron ne sirf aansuon aur adhoore sapnon ko dekha tha.

Aaliya 20 saal ki thi par uski aankhon mein bachpan ki shararat nahi balki samajhdari ka bojh tha. Wo subah uthti maa ke kaam mein haath batati phir college ke liye nikal jaati. Har roz ek jaise din ek jaise raaste, aur ek jaise dard.

Uski maa aksar kehti “Zindagi aasan nahi hoti ladkiyon ke liye isliye chup rehna seekh lo

Aur uske baap

Wo sirf akhbaar ke peeche chhupe rehte Na daant, na pyaar bas ek bejaan si maujoodgi.

Aaliya ne seekh liya tha ki agar usse zinda rehna hai to apne sapnon ko dil ke kisi kone mein bandh kar rakhna hoga. Wo doctor banna chahti thi logon ka dard samajhna chahti thi, par ghar ke halat aur baap ki khamoshi ne uske sapnon ko kamzor kar diya tha.

College uski zindagi ka eklauta hissa tha jahan wo thodi si khud ban paati thi Library uski sabse pasandida jagah thi Wahi wo apni diary likhti wo diary jo uski awaaz thi.

Us din bhi wo wahi baithi thi jab uske aansu kagaz par gir pade. Usne likha “Kya har khamosh ladki kamzor hoti hai

Aaliya ne sir uthaya Saamne ek ladka khada tha—Saad. Simple kapde, seedhi nazar aur aankhon mein ek alag si gehraai.

Sorry disturb kiya usne kaha, bas tumhari diary ka ek lafz padh liya.

Aaliya ne jaldi se diary band kar li. Wo pehli baar thi jab kisi ne uske likhawat pad li thi

Tum likhti accha ho, Saad ne kaha lafzon mein dard saaf mehsoos hota hai.

Aaliya chup rahi Use aadat nahi thi tareef sunne ki.

Main Saad hoon, usne haath aage badhaya.

Aaliya, usne halki awaaz mein kaha.

Us din baat zyada nahi hui par Aaliya ke dil mein kuch badal gaya tha Pehli baar kisi ne usse bina sawal kiye samajhne ki koshish ki thi.

Ghar laut kar bhi uska dimag library mein hi atka raha Raat ko maa ki daant baap ki khamoshi sab kuch wahi tha—par uske andar ek chhoti si umeed jag chuki thi.

Wo raat bhar so nahi paayi Usne diary kholi aur likha Shayad har kahani dard se shuru hoti hai par har kahani ka anjaam dard hi ho zaroori nahi.

Aaliya nahi jaanti thi ki Saad uski zindagi mein sirf ek dost ban kar aayega ya kuch aur Par itna zaroor thauski zindagi ki kahani ab sirf khamoshi tak simit nahi rahi thi.

Ye sirf shuruaat thi.

Aur har shuruaat apne saath ek imtihaan lekar aati hai

Aaliya ko andaza bhi nahi tha ki

ye chhoti si mulaqat uski

Zindagi ka rukh badal degi

Kabhi-kabhi ek ajnabi, bina koi

wada kiye dil ke sabse andhere

kone mein roshni chhod jata hai.

“Khamoshi toot rahi thi.”