Chapter 14 — Khamosh Jawab
Hamid ki baat hawa me latak gayi…
"Kyuki… tum mere liye sirf dost nahi ho."
Do pal ke liye sab kuch bilkul chup ho gaya.
Arman bas usse dekh raha tha.
Na usne kuch kaha… na koi reaction diya.
Yeh khamoshi Hamid ke liye sabse zyada darawni thi.
Usne dheere se nazar uthayi.
"Sorry…" usne halki si awaaz me kaha,
"mujhe yeh nahi kehna chahiye tha."
Arman ne turant jawab nahi diya.
Woh bas thoda side me dekh kar khada raha, jaise kuch samajhne ki koshish kar raha ho.
"Kab se?" Arman ne finally pucha.
Hamid ne aankhen jhuka li.
"Pata nahi… shayad jab se tum meri life me aaye ho."
Arman ne ek gehri saans li.
Uske chehre par confusion clearly dikh raha tha.
"Hamid… main…"
woh ruk gaya.
Usse shayad samajh nahi aa raha tha kya bole.
Hamid ne uski baat ka wait nahi kiya.
"Tumhe kuch kehne ki zaroorat nahi hai," usne dheere se kaha,
"main samajh gaya."
Yeh keh kar woh mudne laga.
Tabhi Arman ne uska haath pakad liya.
"Ruko…"
Hamid ruk gaya.
Uska dil zor se dhadak raha tha.
Arman ne dheere se kaha—
"Main tumhe hurt nahi karna chahta."
Yeh sun kar Hamid ke dil me ek chhota sa dard utha.
Kyuki usse samajh aa gaya tha iska matlab kya hai.
"Par main confuse hoon…" Arman ne sachai se kaha,
"maine kabhi aise socha nahi."
Hamid ne halki si muskurahat di.
"It's okay… tumhe sochne ki zaroorat bhi nahi hai."
Usne apna haath dheere se chhuda liya.
"Main bas… apni feelings chhupate-chhupate thak gaya tha."
Arman chup raha.
Hamid ne uski taraf dekha… phir dheere se kaha—
"Main chalta hoon."
Aur woh wahan se chala gaya.
Arman wahi khada reh gaya.
Usse samajh nahi aa raha tha…
ab kya sahi hai aur kya galat.