18.

Aaj Nain ko bukhar tha, is liye wo university nahi aayi thi. Subah se hi uska tabiyat kharab tha aur usne apni doston ko message kar diya tha ke wo aaj nahi aayegi. Ghar par rest karte hue bhi uska dil university ke mahool mein hi tha.

Doosri taraf, Muhammad Amir ne aaj jab university mein sab jagah dekha, toh Nain kahin nazar nahi aayi. Wo usually apni doston ke saath ya cafeteria ke qareeb mil jati thi, lekin aaj har jagah woh missing thi. Amir ne apne friend Waleed se baat ki.

"Yaar, Nain aaj kahin dikh nahi rahi. Tumhein kuch pata hai?" Amir ne thoda casually poocha.

Waleed ne thoda boredom se sar hilate hue jawab diya, "Nahi yaar, mujhe kya pata. Shayad aaj nahi ayi hogi."

Waleed khud aaj mood swings mein tha, is liye wo zyada conversation mein interested nahi tha. Amir ne Waleed ki taraf dekha aur socha ke kuch toh ajeeb ho raha hai, kyunki Waleed usually aise cold nahi rehta tha.

--

Waleed aaj waise hi thoda irritate tha. Lecture hall mein jab wo apni seat par baitha, toh usne dekha ke Maira uske samne baithi hui thi. Maira ke saath Haroon bhi tha, aur wo dono apni usual mazak masti mein lage hue thay. Waleed ka mood aur bhi kharab ho gaya jab usne Haroon ko Maira ko tease karte hue suna.

"Aray Maira, tum toh bilkul churail lagti ho aaj. Yeh black scarf mein toh bas wohi bhootni wala look aa raha hai," Haroon ne mazak mein kaha.

Maira ne ghusse se aankhen ghoomate hue jawab diya, "Haroon, bakwas band karo aur lecture par focus karo. Tum hamesha faltu baat karte rehte ho."

Haroon ne phir se mazak mein kaha, "Aray, mujhe toh sirf maza aata hai tumhe chhedne mein."

Waleed ko ye sab sun kar bohot irritation ho rahi thi. Usne ek lambhi saans li, phir achanak se wo apni seat se khada ho gaya. Lecture ke beech mein hi wo bina kuch kahe wahan se nikal gaya. Professor ne is beech mein sirf eyeroll kiya, jaise wo Waleed ke behaviour se familiar ho.

Jaise hi Waleed class se nikal gaya, Haroon ne phir se Maira ki taraf dekhte hue kaha, "Dekho yaar, yeh Waleed waise hi attitude mein rehta hai. Samajhta hai duniya uske bina nahi chalti."

Summayya, jo Maira ke paas hi baithi thi, ne dheere se Maira ke kaan mein kaha, "Mujhe lagta hai Waleed tumhe like karta hai, is liye itna irritated hota hai."

Maira ne thoda confused ho kar kaha, "Are you serious? Mujhe toh lagta hai uska bas attitude hai. Waise bhi, mujhe usmein interest nahi."

Summayya ne muskurate hue sirf sir hilaya, lekin andar hi andar wo mazaak mein bhi yeh baat soch rahi thi ke Waleed ka behaviour thoda different tha jab bhi Maira ka zikar hota tha.

--

Shehreen aaj thoda better feel kar rahi thi, lekin abhi bhi uska mood puri tarah se theek nahi tha. Lecture ke baad jab wo Sir Ahmed se kuch poochne ke liye gayi, toh usne wahan Fawad ko dekha. Fawad Biotech department se tha aur attendance lagwane ke liye Sir Ahmed ke paas khada tha. Shehreen aur Fawad dono ek doosre ko dekh kar thoda surprise hue, lekin dono ne kuch kaha nahi.

Sir Ahmed, jo apne frank nature ke liye jaane jaate thay lekin unka chehra hamesha serious lagta tha, ne Shehreen ko dekha aur phir Fawad ki taraf muskurate hue kaha, "Aray Fawad, tum Shehreen ko attendance de do, aur mujhe jake ek juice le aao. Mujhe thoda break chahiye."

Fawad ne thoda jhijhak kar haan mein sar hilaya, lekin Shehreen ko samajh nahi aaya ke wo kya kare. Uska plan tha ke wo bas sawal pooch kar wahan se chali jaye, lekin ab yeh situation aur awkward ho gayi thi.

Fawad ne Shehreen ki taraf dekha aur dheere se kaha, "Mujhe tumhara attendance details chahiye hoga. Main tumhe message kar ke bata doonga."

Shehreen ne thoda irritation ke saath jawab diya, "Main larkon se baat nahi karti. Waise bhi mujhe attendance ki zyada zaroorat nahi."

Fawad ne polite rehkar kaha, "Mujhe bas official attendance details chahiye. Main sirf formality kar raha hoon."

Shehreen ko samajh nahi aaya ke kya kare, lekin majboori mein usne apna contact information Fawad ko de diya. Fawad ne uska number note karte hue politely kaha, "Main bas details share kar dunga, tum tension mat lo."

Sir Ahmed ne wapas aate hi un dono ko dekha aur hans kar kaha, "Waah, lagta hai tum dono friends ban gaye ho. Bas ab mujhe mere juice ka maza lene do." Unka tone hamesha serious rehta tha, lekin unka mazak bhi chhupa nahi tha.

Fawad ne Shehreen ki taraf ek chhoti si smile di aur phir wahan se chala gaya. Shehreen ne apni aankhen ghoomayi aur andar hi andar thoda irritate hui ke usay majboori mein apna number share karna pada.

--

Lecture ke baad, Shehreen library mein apni doston se milne gayi. Library ka mahaul hamesha ki tarah shaant tha, lekin Shehreen ka mood thoda off tha. Jaise hi wo Nain, Naurez, aur Kainat ke paas pohnchi, unhone uska chehra dekh kar poocha.

"Shehreen, tumhara mood itna off kyun hai? Tum itni irritated kyun lag rahi ho?" Nain ne concern se poocha.

Shehreen ne thoda annoyed tone mein kaha, "Yaar, mujhe aaj Fawad se baat karni padi. Sir Ahmed ne mujhe uske saath attendance lagwane ke liye kaha."

Naurez ne hans kar kaha, "Oh no! Tumhara matlab hai ke tumhe apna contact dena pada?"

Shehreen ne thoda embarrassed hote hue haan mein sir hilaya. "Haan yaar, mujhe majboori mein usay number dena pada."

Nain ne hans kar kaha, "Yaar, tumne bechare Fawad ko majboor kar diya ke wo tumhare saath contact mein aaye."

Naurez ne mazak karte hue kaha, "Waise tumne Fawad ki feelings hurt toh nahi ki? Uska chehra dekhne laayak hoga jab tumne mana kiya hoga."

Summayya ne bhi tease karte hue kaha, "Mujhe lagta hai ke tumhare rude attitude ke baad wo soch raha hoga ke tum uski dushman ho."

Shehreen ne aankhen ghoomate hue kaha, "Aray tum sab bas mazak bana rahe ho. Mujhe koi interest nahi tha usmein, lekin ab majboori thi."