Chapter 15
Rohit abhi bhi kal raat waali t-shirt aur pyjama mein hi bed par pada hua tha. Usne aaj college bunk kar diya tha. Subah jab Shreya office ke liye nikal rahi thi, toh Rohit ne unse jhooth bol diya tha ki woh bas abhi naha kar college ke liye nikal jayega. Par unke jaane ke baad uska bed se uthne ka mann hi nahi hua.
Ghanto tak woh bas bed par leta raha, aisi hi youtube shorts ko scroll karta hua. Beech beech mein phone ki screens par messages ki notification aa rahi thi. Pehle toh college wale friends ke whatsapp group se, aur phir Aanya ke.
Lecture ke baad milte hain? I am so mad at you!
But I also missed you a lot last night....
Rohit ne unhe bas upar se dekh kar ignore kar diya, messages ko khola nahi. Kal shaam se Aanya use kaafi saare messages kar chuki thi, par usne ek ka bhi reply nahi kiya tha. Thodi der baad har tees second mein ek naya message pop up hone laga.
I am seriously going to kill you when I see you!
Are you seriously ghosting me after yesterday!!!?
Reply back right now! Tumhe kya lagta hai tum mujhe ignore kar sakte ho?
What's wrong yaar! Tum aise kyu behave kar rahe ho mere saath!
Fine whatever! Don't ever message me again! I am blocking you.
Rohit ko saaf samajh aa raha tha ki Aanya ka gussa aur desperation badhti jaa rahi thi. Kal jo kuch unke beech mein hua uske baad Aanya ka yeh reaction bilkul expected tha. Par Rohit ko jaise iss sab ki koi parwah hi nahi thi. Usne apne phone ko bed par thodi door fenka aur uth khada hua.
Usne kamre se nikal kar kitchen ka ek chakkar lagaya, fridge se bottle nikaal kar paani ke ek-do ghoont liye, aur phir wapas room mein aa gaya. Phir apne study desk par baithte hue usne apna laptop open kiya. Normally aise akele ghar par woh laptop par games khelta tha ya fir porn dekhta tha, par aaj uska mann kisi cheez par nahi lag raha tha.
Bina kuch khaas soche samjhe, usne laptop ke ek purane folder par double click karke open kiya. Isme uski family ki purani photos ka back up tha. Kafi saari photos saved thi yahan, Mom aur Dad ki shaadi ki, uske bachpan ki, aur phir tab se lekar ab tak ki saari photos.
Photos scroll karte hue hue uski nazar 5-6 saal puraani photos par atki, yeh shayad tab ki thi jab woh log last time Dad ke gaanv gaye they. Us trip mein, woh aur mom aur Chachu saath mein Jaipur ghoomne bhi gaye they.
Rohit ek-ek karke photos ko click karne laga. Har photo mein uski nazar apni mom par atak jaati. Us waqt Shreya apni early 30's mein thi. Photos mein woh kitni khoobsurat lag rahi thi. Uski glowing skin, khili hui muskurahat aur hawa mein udte hue baal. Woh behad haseen lag rahi thi, itni haseen ki woh kisi ki bhi crush ban jaati, shayad uski bhi.
Ye khayal dimaag mein aate hi usne ek jhatke mein khud ko toka. Par dimaag mein ek doosra sawal tezi se kaundhne laga. Uske dad toh is trip se bhi 6-7 saal pehle guzar chuke they, mom toh tab kitni young rahi hongi. Unhone kabhi dubara shaadi karne ke baare mein nahi socha? Kya kabhi kisi aadmi ne unhe approach nahi kiya hoga? Woh itni khoobsurat dikhti thi, aur pichhle ek saal se woh khud notice kar raha tha ki bahar duniya ke mard unhe kis niyat se ghoorte they. Kya unka bhi mann nahi kiya hoga apni jawani mein.
Nahi nahi... woh sirf uski mom thi... woh unhe kisi se bhi share nahi karna chahta tha. Jo hua, sab achha hi hua.
Rohit jaldi se click karta hua ek ke baad ek photo ko dekhe jaa raha tha. Par achanak se uski fingers ruk gayi, aur woh ek do click wapas karte hue ek photo par jaa kar ruka.
Yeh photo un teeno ki thi - mom, woh aur Chachu. Photo mein Chachu ne apna haath Shreya ke kandhe par poore haq se rakha hua tha. Aur Rohit muskurata hua un dono ke aage khada tha. Mom ne ek saree pehni hui thi aur unke chehre par ek badi si relaxed smile thi. Koi us photo ko dekhta toh yehi sochta ki woh dono husband wife hain.
Rohit ne agli photo par click kiya toh Chachu ka haath kandhe se hatt kar Shreya ki waist par pahuch gaya tha. Shreya ki muskaan abhi bhi poori tarah kayam thi. Rohit ne image ko zoom kiya. Uska poora dhyan Shreya ki nangi kamar par Chachu ki ungliyon ke dabaav par tha. Phir usne Mom aur Chachu ke face expressions ko dubara dhyaan se dekha. Dono bahut hi comfortable lag rahe they.
Usne Mom aur Chachu ke baare mein pehle kabhi aisa kuch nahi socha tha. Par ab achanak aisa lag raha tha, jaise woh saalon se aankhen band karke jee raha tha. Use kal shaam wali baat bhi yaad aa gayi, jab Mom phone par shayad Chachu se baat kar rahi thi. Aur unhone bataya tha ki agle hafte Chachu yahan aane wale they.
Yeh sab yaad aate hi Rohit ka gala sookhne laga aur uske andar ka khoon tezi se daudne laga. Uske seene mein ek ajeeb sa gussa aur possessiveness ubalne lagi thi.
Uska dimaag keh raha tha ki shayad woh galat soch raha tha. Par uska mann baar baar unhi photos par jaa raha tha. Chachu ne Mom ko aise kyu pakda hua tha? Aur Mom khud kyun unse sat kar khadi hui thi?
Woh inhi uljhano mein khoya hi hua tha ki bed par rakhe hue uske phone ki screen ek baar phir light up hui. Ek naye message ka notification aaya tha jise usne poori tarah miss kar diya.
Aanya - That's it! Main abhi tumhare ghar aa rahi hoon!
Agle aadhe ek ghante Rohit apne laptop mein nazrein gadaye Chachu ke saath ki baaki photos ki gaur se jaanch karta tha. Jaise kisi aise clue ki talaash mein ho jo uske shak ko pakka kar de ya phir poori tarah door. Is sab mein woh itna uljha hua tha ki use zara bhi andaza nahi tha ki neeche building ki entrance par kya chal raha tha.
Abhi abhi Shreya apni car parking mein laga kar building ki lobby mein ghusi thi. Uska chehra feeka pada hua tha aur bag ka strap pakde hue haath buri tarah kaanp raha tha. Woh bas kisi tarah apne flat pahunch kar, Rohit ke aane se pehle thodi der akele mein ro lena chahti thi.
Woh lift ki taraf badhi hi thi ki tabhi peeche se ek meethi si awaaz ne uska naam pukara, "Shreya Aunty!! Ek minute rukiye na!"
Shreya ne palat kar dekha toh doosri taraf se unke padosi Khanna ji ki beti Naina uski taraf aa rahi thi. Naina waise toh behad hi pyaari ladki thi par Shreya ko kabhi kabhi lagta tha woh uski taak mein hi neeche baithi rehti thi, bas aate jaate use pakad kar baat karne ka koi na koi bahana dhoondti rehti thi. Par aaj... aaj toh uska bilkul mood nahi tha kisi se bhi baat karne ka.
"Aunty, woh teen hafte baad society mein Holi ka function hai na," Naina ne paas aate hi excitement mein jaldi se bolna shuru kar diya. "Maine ek naya whatsapp group banaya hai, jisme aapko bhi add kar diya hai - Holi Dance Dhamaka!"
Shreya is waqt is halat mein bilkul nahi thi ki woh society ke dance function ke baare mein soch bhi paaye. Usne apni aawaz ko sambhalte hue dheere se kaha, "Naina beta... abhi nahi, please."
"Par aunty sirf teen hafte hi..." Naina bolte bolte ruk gayi aur uski nazar Shreya ke murjhaye, peele pade chehre par tik gayi. Shayad usne Shreya ko kabhi is halat mein nahi dekha tha.
"Aunty... aap theek toh hai na." Naina ne dheere se Shreya ke kandhe par haath rakha, uski aawaz mein ek genuine fiqr saaf jhalak rahi thi.
"Haan... bas thoda sick hoon shayad." Shreya ne Naina ko pareshaan hote dekh use dilaasa dene ke liye kaha. "Hum log baad mein baat kare?"
"Haan haan... aap chaliye na... main aapko ghar tak chhod deti hoon." Naina ne Shreya ke baazu ko halke se sahara diya.
Shreya soch hi rahi thi ki woh Naina ko kaise mana kare ki tabhi peeche se kisi ladki ki sharp se aawaz aayi. "Excuse me..."
Shreya ne palat kar dekha toh wahan ek behad stylish, upper class ki ladki khadi thi. Usne ek short denim skirt aur ek trendy top pehna hua tha aur pairon mein heels. Haath mein latest iphone tha aur chehre par thodi si chidh aur gussa jhalak raha tha.
Woh ladki Shreya ko thodi jaani pehchaani si lag rahi thi, par use ekdam se samajh nahi aa raha tha ki usne use kaha dekha tha.
"Excuse me... can you please help me. Aap log agar yahin rehte hai toh bata sakte hai kya ki Rohit... Rohit Sharma ka flat number kya hai?"
Us ladki ke muh se Rohit ka naam sunte hi Shreya aur Naina ne chaunkte hue us ladki ki taraf gaur se dekha.
"Rohit Sharma?" Shreya ne usse poocha, "Aap...?"
"Haan... woh isi building mein rehta hai. Main uski friend hu. Aap jaante ho kya uska flat number?" Us ladki ne thoda annoyed tone mein phir se poocha.
Uske yeh kehte hi Naina ne use sar se paon tak ghoora. Uska chehra thoda sakht ho gaya aur woh chup chaap us Shreya aur us ladki ke beech nazrein ghumane lagi, shayad yeh intezaar karte hue ki Shreya usse thode aur sawaal kare.
"Woh toh abhi college mein hoga na? Aur tum usi ko call karke flat number kyun nahi pooch leti?" Shreya samajhne ki koshish kar rahi thi ki yeh stylish ladki hai kaun.
Us ladki ki shakal par chidh saaf dikh rahi thi, "Sorry I don't mean to be rude... but maine bas aapse flat number poocha hai. Woh mera call nahi utha raha and aaj college bhi nahi aaya tha, so I am just concerned for him. Uski mumma ka bhi phone nahi lag raha hai."
Naina ne kuch bolne ke liye muh khola hi tha ki Shreya ne uski taraf dekha aur use chup rehne ka ishaara kiya. Rohit college nahi gaya tha yeh sunkar Shreya ki fiqr thodi aur badh gayi thi.
"Acha... main usi floor par jaa rahi hoon..." Shreya ne upar ki taraf ishaara karte hue kaha, "Main aapko Rohit ke flat tak le chalti hoon."
Shreya aur woh ladki dono lift ki taraf bade aur Naina wahin lobby mein khadi reh gayi. Lift band hone tak Naina ki nazrein us ladki par hi tiki hui thi.
Lift ke andar ek sannata sa tha. Shreya ne notice kiya ki woh ladki baar baar saamne lage aine mein apna chehra dekh rahi thi aur apne baal theek kar rahi thi. Tabhi Shreya ke dimaag mein ek jhatka laga. Use yaad aaya ki usne is ladki ki photo us din Rohit ke phone mein dekhi thi. Isi ladki ne apni topless photo Rohit ko bheji hui thi. Shreya saamne mirror se us ladki ko gaur se observe karne lagi.
Dono flat se bahar nikle aur woh ladki Shreya ke peeche aate hue unke ghar ke darwaze ke bahar pahunch gayi.
"Yehi hai Rohit ka ghar," Shreya ne darwaze ki taraf ishaara karte hue apne purse mein se ghar ki chaabi nikaali.
Jaise hi Shreya ne chaabi lock mein daali, us ladki ek dam se hairaan reh gayi.
Shreya ne darwaza khola aur ek kadam andar rakhte hue zor se aawaz lagayi, "Rohit!"
Yeh sunte hi Aanya ki aankhen badi ho gayi aur muh khula ka khula reh gaya, "Wait... aap... aap Rohit ki mom hain?"
Shreya ne palat ka Aanya ko dekha aur halka sa nod kiya.
"Oh my god! Aap toh itni... pretty... I mean aap toh kahin se bhi uski mom... oh god... I am so sorry! I should have noticed this, aap toh bilkul uski elder sister jaisi lagti ho!" Aanya jhepte hue sahi shabdon ka istemaal karne ki koshish kar rahi thi.
Shreya kuch bolne hi wali thi ki andar se Rohit ki tez aawaz aayi, "Mummmaaa... Mummaaa.... aap itni jaldi kaise...."
Darwaze tak aate hi Rohit ke lafz uske gale mein hi atak gaye. Darwaze par Mom toh khadi hi thi, aur unke theek saamne, ghar ki dahleej par Aanya khadi thi. Woh bas unke ghar mein daakhil hone hi wali thi.