CHAPTER-3

Week nikal chuka tha Dad ghar chhod kar gaye the toh hume laga tha ki shayad woh wapas nahi aayenge lekin ussi raat aadhi raat ke aas paas woh ghar laut aaye the. Maine unse zyada baat nahi ki aur unhone bhi mujhse zyada baat nahi ki. Sab kuch ajeeb tha lekin kam se kam woh wapas toh aa gaye the.

30 July 2021

Aaj Friendship Day tha.

Maine Hazel ke liye ek bunny wala friendship band khareeda tha jo lagbhag pachis rupaye ka tha. Main aur Mom pichle Friday ko usse khareed kar laaye the. Mom Hazel ko jaanti thi. Main uske baare mein itna bolta tha ki shayad poore Delhi mein sabse zyada Mom hi uske baare mein jaanti hongi.

Aur isi wajah se woh mujhe chidhati bhi rehti thi.

"Tum usse pasand karte ho."

Main hamesha mana kar deta.

Aisa kuch nahi tha.

Shayad.

Bus ka horn baja aur main jaldi se bahar bhaaga phir mujhe yaad aaya ki main apna bag hi bhool gaya hoon. Mom bag lekar mere peeche bhaagi aur mujhe pakda diya.

Main bus mein chadh gaya.

Hazel nahi thi.

Pata nahi kyun lekin mera mood thoda kharab ho gaya.

Main second last seat par jaakar baith gaya aur bag se apna mask nikala. Mom ko nahi pata tha ki main school mein mask pehen kar jaata hoon. Waise bhi usse zyada farq nahi padta tha kyunki woh sirf meri naak tak cover karta tha aur scar phir bhi dikh jaata tha.

Main khidki se bahar dekh hi raha tha ki mujhe Hazel dikhi.

Woh apne dad ke saath bike par aa rahi thi.

Uske dad bus rukwane ki koshish kar rahe the.

Driver ne side mirror mein dekha aur bus rok di.

Hazel jaldi se bus mein chadh gayi.

Uski aankhon mein aansu the.

"Tum ro kyun rahi ho"

Hazel ne jawab nahi diya.

"Bus chhoot bhi jaati toh tumhare dad bike par school le aate"

Hazel kuch second tak mujhe dekhti rahi.

Phir maine khud hi socha.

Actually haan.

Uske dad toh waise bhi usse school chhod sakte the.

Pata nahi kyun meri hansi nikal gayi.

Hazel ne mujhe aisi look di jaise main duniya ka sabse irritating insaan hoon.

Uske baad usne poori bus ride mein mujhse baat nahi ki.

Main sorry bolta raha.

Woh ignore karti rahi.

Main aur sorry bolta raha.

Woh aur ignore karti rahi.

Hum school pahunch gaye.

Mujhe poora yakeen tha ki aaj woh mere paas nahi baithegi.

Lekin jab class mein gaya toh woh seedha mere bagal wali seat par aakar baith gayi.

Mujhe samajh nahi aaya.

Agar woh gusse mein thi toh mere paas kyun baithi.

Agar gusse mein nahi thi toh baat kyun nahi kar rahi thi.

Ladkiyan ajeeb hoti hain.

Maine uske kandhe par halka sa tap kiya.

Hazel ne meri taraf dekha.

"Kya hai"

Uski awaaz se saaf pata chal raha tha ki woh abhi bhi naraz hai.

Maine apni pocket mein haath daala aur friendship band bahar nikala.

Bunny wala.

Hazel ne friendship band dekha.

Ek second pehle jo ladki mujhse gussa thi woh achanak gayab ho gayi.

Uske chehre par itni badi smile aa gayi ki mujhe laga woh poori class ko roshan kar degi.

"Sach mein"

Maine sir hila diya.

Agli hi second usne mujhe hug kar liya.

Aur uss waqt...

Mera dil itni tez dhadakne laga ki mujhe laga poori class sun legi.

Main pehli baar aisi feeling mehsoos kar raha tha.

Kaisi feeling thi mujhe nahi pata.

Bas itna pata tha ki mujhe bahut achha lag raha tha.

Hazel ne friendship band turant pehen liya jaise usse darr ho ki koi usse chura lega.

Phir usne apne bag mein haath daala.

"Mere paas bhi kuch hai"

Usne ek friendship band nikala.

Woh mere liye tha.

Us par ek chhota sa heart bana hua tha.

Main usse dekhta reh gaya.

Pata nahi kyun lekin uss moment mein mujhe lag raha tha ki mere paas duniya ka sabse achha friendship band hai.

Hum dono muskura rahe the.

Aur uss din pehli baar mujhe school achha laga.

Sach mein achha.

Na scar yaad tha.

Na woh bachche jo mazaak udaate the.

Na nightmares.

Na storage room.

Bas main aur Hazel.

Din kaafi jaldi nikal gaya.

Lunch mein humne saath khana khaya.

Maths mein Hazel ne notebook ke corner par phir se cats bana di.

Teacher ne pakad liya.

Hazel ne blame mere upar daalne ki koshish ki.

Main bach gaya.

Woh nahi bachi.

Usse daant padi.

Main hasa.

Usne meri taraf dekha.

Main hasna band kar diya.

School khatam hua.

Maine socha tha ki aaj hum dono bus mein saath baith kar ghar jayenge.

Shayad friendship bands ke baare mein baat karenge.

Shayad kuch aur.

Lekin aisa nahi hua.

Hazel ke dad usse lene aa gaye.

Woh jaldi se bike par baith gayi.

Maine bye bolne ke liye haath uthaya.

Lekin usne dekha hi nahi.

Bike chal padi.

Main kuch second tak usse jaate hue dekhta raha.

Pata nahi kyun.

Mujhe achha nahi laga.

Main bus mein chadh gaya.

Aur aaj pehli baar mujhe samajh aaya ki kuch logon ki aadat bahut jaldi pad jaati hai.

Subah woh bus mein nahi thi toh ajeeb laga.

Ab woh ghar jaate waqt bhi mere saath nahi thi toh phir ajeeb lag raha tha.

Bus ki khidki se bahar dekhte hue main bas yahi soch raha tha ki shayad kal sab normal ho jayega.

Mujhe bilkul idea nahi tha ki ussi waqt Hazel ghar ja rahi thi aur uske dad usse baar baar dekh kar muskura rahe the.

"Hazel aaj tumhare liye ek surprise hai"

Hazel turant seedhi baith gayi.

"Kaisa surprise"

"Tumse milne koi aaya hai"

"Kaun"

Uske dad muskura diye.

"Tumhara ek bahut khaas"

Bas itna sunte hi Hazel ke chehre par excitement aa gayi.

Puri ride ke dauraan woh sirf yehi sochti rahi ki kaun ho sakta hai.

Bike ghar ke saamne ruki.

Hazel bina time waste kiye andar bhaagi.

Uska dil excitement se tez dhadak raha tha.

Woh drawing room mein pahunchi.

Aur phir...

Woh wahin ruk gayi.

Uske chehre ki smile dheere dheere gayab ho gayi.

Kyunki jis insaan ko dekhne ki usse umeed thi...

Ye woh nahi tha.

TO BE CONTINUED...

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