16.

Aaj Shehreen ka din waise hi thoda ajeeb guzar raha tha. University ke lectures bore kar rahe thay, aur usay itni neend aa rahi thi ke uska concentration kaheen aur hi tha. Lecture room ka mahaul hamesha ki tarah theek tha, lekin aaj Shehreen ke mood swings aur bechaini ki wajah se sab kuch aur zyada irritating lag raha tha.

Lecture ke dauran, uska dimagh wahin tha lekin dil bilkul nahi. Tabhi Fawad, jo uske department ka tha, dheere se uski taraf aaya aur politely usse contact maangne laga.

"Shehreen, kya tum apna number de sakti ho? Hum project par discuss kar sakte hain," Fawad ne puchte hue kaha. Uska tone polite tha, lekin Shehreen ka mood us waqt theek nahi tha.

Shehreen, jo waise bhi irritated thi, ne thoda rudely jawab diya, "Main larkon se baat nahi karti, sorry."

Fawad ne thoda surprise hote hue, lekin polite rehte hue kaha, "Oh, sorry. Mera matlab kuch aur nahi tha."

Usne jaldi se maafi maangi aur wapas apni jagah par chala gaya. Fawad thoda shocked tha, lekin usne kuch aur nahi kaha. Class ke dauran, Fawad ka dhyaan thoda se Shehreen ke response par hi tha. Jab class khatam hui aur Fawad class se nikal raha tha, usne casually wapas dekha.

Woh kya dekhta hai, Shehreen apni jagah se uski taraf dekh rahi thi. Unka pal bhar ka eye contact tha, lekin Fawad ne dheere se muskurate hue sirf ek polite smile di. Shehreen ne turant apni aankhen ghumayi, jaise kuch nahi hua, aur wapas apne notes mein busy ho gayi. Lekin Fawad ke chehre par wo confident smile wapas aayi thi.

"Ugh, kitna irritate karte hain yeh sab log," Shehreen ne dheere se apne aap se kaha. Phir usne apna bag uthaya aur seedha library ki taraf chal padi, jahan uski friends unka intezaar kar rahi thi.

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Library ka mahaul hamesha se quiet aur peaceful hota tha, aur jab Shehreen wahan pohnchi toh uski doston ke group ne uska welcome kiya. Nain, Naurez, Maira, Summayya, aur Maham already wahan baithi thi, apas mein casual gupshup kar rahi thi. Jaise hi Shehreen wahan aayi, Nain ne hansi karte hue kaha, "Aray Shehreen, tumhara mood itna off kyun lag raha hai?"

Shehreen ne apni book table pe rakhte hue kaha, "Yaar, aaj ka din waise hi ajeeb lag raha hai. Aur upar se Fawad mujhse contact maangne aaya."

Naurez ne surprise hote hue kaha, "Fawad? Woh jo Biotech ka Fawad hai? Tumhein number maang raha tha?"

Shehreen ne thoda ghussa karte hue jawab diya, "Haan, aur maine seedha mana kar diya. Waise bhi, larkon se baat karna mujhe pasand nahi."

Naurez ne hans kar kaha, "Oh no, Shehreen, tumne bacha rula diya! Uski feelings hurt ho gayi hongi."

Nain ne bhi mazak mein kaha, "Yaar, bechare Fawad ki to zindagi kaafi tough ho gayi hogi ab. Tumne usay bilkul hope nahi di."

Summayya ne phir se tease karte hue kaha, "Shehreen, dekh lena, agar Fawad khudkhushi kar le toh tum responsible hogi."

Sab larkiyan zor se hansne lagi, lekin Shehreen ne aankhen ghoomate hue kaha, "Tum sab mazak bana rahi ho, lekin seriously, mujhe uska attitude samajh nahi aata. Waise bhi, main larkon se door rehti hoon."

Maira ne hansi control karte hue kaha, "Haan, hum sab jaante hain tum larkon se door rehti ho, lekin yeh Fawad wala scene toh waise bhi funny hai."

Maham ne thoda thoughtful expression ke saath kaha, "Lekin Shehreen, tumhein itna rude nahi hona chahiye tha. Bechara Fawad toh waise bhi simple sa lagta hai."

Shehreen ne sarcastically jawab diya, "Simple toh hoga, lekin main us se impress nahi hoon. Tum log zyada analyze kar rahe ho."

Sab larkiyan phir se mazak karte rahi, lekin tabhi kuch ajib hua. Nain jo hamesha lively baatein karti thi, achanak chup ho gayi. Uski aankhon ne thoda surprise ka izhar kiya, aur usne apni nazar entrance ki taraf kar li.

"Nain, kya hua? Tum itni chup kyun ho gayi?" Naurez ne thoda curious ho kar pucha.

Tabhi sab larkiyan entrance ki taraf dekhne lagi. Wahan Muhammad Amir aur Waleed casual andaaz mein library ke andar aate hue dikhai diye. Dono ka confident aur thoda badass look tha, jisme unka aura sabse alag nazar aaya. Amir hamesha apni usual casual style mein tha, jabke Waleed apni black shirt aur cool attitude ke saath sab ka dhyaan kheench raha tha.

Naurez ne dheere se mazak karte hue kaha, "Nain, tumhara hero aagaya. Ab tum chup kyun ho?"

Summayya ne bhi teasing tone mein kaha, "Yaar Nain, tumhein toh ab baat karni chahiye. Dekho kaise Waleed aur Amir dono cool lag rahe hain."

Nain ne apni aankhon ko neeche karte hue kaha, "Tum log hamesha mazak kyun banate ho? Main aise nahi hoon."

Maira ne phir se teasing shuru ki, "Haan haan, tum waise nahi ho. Tum toh bas chhupke se unhein dekh rahi ho."

Shehreen, jo ab thoda relaxed thi, ne bhi mazak karte hue kaha, "Ab maza aaya, Nain. Ab tum samjho ke jab tumhara hero samne ho, toh tumhe kitna awkward feel hota hai!"

Sab larkiyan hansne lagi, jabke Nain ne sirf sharmindagi se apni aankhein neeche kar li. Uske dil mein halki si khushi thi ke Amir wahan tha, lekin usay yeh samajh nahi aaya ke uske doston ka mazak kaise handle kare.

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