Meeting ke baad Samrah apna bina expression sa chehra liye boardroom se bahar nikal gayi thi. Uske baad usne na kisi baat pe sawal kiya, na kahin pe apni raye di. Wo bas khud pe kabu paa rahi thi, warna na jane wo is insaan ka kya karti. Pura waqt Samrah ne usey ignore kiya tha.

Parking mein apni safed car mein bethte hi volcano jese phat padi.

"Uski himmat bhi kaise hui?! Usne mere bare mein aisa soch bhi kaise liya?! Khadus! Bakra! Akdu! Khud-parast! Main... aur impractical?! Maine meri zindagi ke itne professional saal kya bina practicality ke guzare hain? Isko to ab Samrah Khan ka asli roop dikhega!"

Isse pehle ke wo gusse mein kuch tor phor deti, usne apne phone se apne emotional support system ko conference call karke apne cafe bula liya. Haan, uska ek cafe bhi tha aur ek interior designer company jo wo khud chalati thi. Dono cheezein baju mein hi theen, aur kuch hi duri pe Zariya ka boutique bhi tha. Ye sab unke ghar se kuch hi faasle par tha.

Arham apne bole gaye lafzon pe ab pachta raha tha. Wo meeting ke baad se thori thori der mein apna matha mal raha tha. Jis tareeqe se Samrah boardroom se gayi thi, usse andaza tha ke aage to pata hi nahi kya hoga. Aisa lag raha tha wo do-chaar logon ko apni gusse bhari aankhon se hi maar degi. Clients bhi un dono ke beech ki khamosh jang ko mehsoos kar rahe thay. Arham ne ye keh kar sab ko jaane ka ishara kiya ke baaki sab next meeting mein fix kar lenge, aur ek professional muskurahat ke sath wo bhi bahar nikal gaya.

Neeche parking mein, apni kaali car mein aa betha. Ab wo apne bole hue alfaaz soch soch kar khud par hi gussa nikal raha tha. Haaan, thora kadak rehna hai, lekin itna bhi nahi ke wo hurt ho jaye.

Ye to Arham soch raha tha ke wo hurt hogi. Ab aage to uski khair nahi hai!

Khair, uske khayal phir bhatak gaye. Uske haath kitne chhote aur naram hain... bilkul phoolon jaise. Tulip jaise? Ya sunflower jaise? Ek halka sa blush uske chehre par aa gaya aur usne car chalana shuru ki. Shaam ke kuch 6 baj rahe thay. Ab wo ghar jaa raha tha. Bas aaj wo aur kuch nahi kar payega, siwaye apne uss phool ko sochne ke.

Samrah ek kone wale table pe bethi thi. Table par kuch pastries, cookies, donuts aur coffee ke do khaali cup rakhe thay. Pura table bhara tha aur takreeban har cheez khatam ho chuki thi.

Itne mein hi Sheiza, hoodie aur cargo pehne, ek kandhe pe apna college bag liye, cafe mein aandhi jesi daakhil hui. "Batayein, Samrah aapi! Kiski itni himmat hui ke wo meri aapi ko 'impractical' bole?! Uska muh hi na tod doon!" wo mazakiya lehje mein boli.

"Sheiza, mujhe is pastry ka wasta, abhi wo shaqs mere saamne hota to main uska qatal hi kar deti!" Samrah ki aankhon mein to jaise khoon utra hua tha. "Wo khud ko samajhta kya haiiii?!"

Sheiza apni muskurahat rok hi rahi thi ke Zariya aa gayi. Hamesha ki tarah, long coat, white shirt, formal pant, ek professional bag, khule straight kaale baal, thori simple si jewellery aur uske honthon par matte brown lipstick. Wo aakar beth hi paayi thi ke Duha bhi aa gayi. Cutie pie jesi, sky blue color ka halka kaam kiya hua suit, halki si lipstick, ghungrale baal khule hue, bilkul pariyon jesi. Ek kandhe par dupatta aur uske jhumke.

Ab jab sab aa hi gaye thay, to meeting shuru hui. Zariya Samrah ko yehi bol rahi thi, "Tum apne kaam par dhyan do, lekin agar wo line cross kare, to chhorna nahi."

Jabke Duha apni masoomiyat se boli, "Ho sakta hai bhai pehle se aapi ko dil hi dil mein chahte hon?" usne pyari si muskurahat ke sath kaha.

Iski baat pe Sheiza apne mobile ki duniya se bahar aa gayi. Uske chehre pe ekdum se hasi chalki aur wo kood kar Duha ke kandhe par aa kar boli, "Haan! Ye bhi to ho hi sakta hai!"

Ab Samrah bas in dono ko aisi nazron se dekh rahi thi jo keh rahi theen, "Yahan se dafa ho jao." Uska muh donut se bhara hua tha. Raat ke 8 baj chuke thay, to sab ne aakhri baat yehi nikali: jab tak Arham apologise na kare, usey maaf nahi karna. Iske baad sab apne ghar ke liye rawana hueen.

Arham khana kha kar farigh hua aur apne bed pe laptop le kar betha, phir kuch sochne ke baad wo apni car keys le kar Arsalan ke restaurant ke liye rawana hua. Office ka time off ho chuka tha, to sab wahin maujood thay.

Kuch yahan wahan ki baaton ke baad Zaydin ne kaha, "Aaj kuch down down se lag rahe ho, kya baat hai?"
"Kya baat hai bhai? Kisi larki ne reject kar diya kya?" Muhib ne mazakiya tone mein bola, jis par Arham ne usey aisi khunkhar nazron se dekha ke Muhib ne apni muskurahat dabate hue sar jhuka liya.

Arsalan ne sanjeedgi se pucha to Arham ne saari baat batayi. Sab se pehle Zaydin bola, "Bhai! Aap ek khubsurat larki se itna rude ho sakte hain, mujhe nahi pata tha! Aap kisi ki creativity ka aise mazaak banayein, toba toba!"

Muhib aur Zaydin Arham ka chehra dekh kar apni hansi nahi rok paa rahe thay. Yahan sab ko andaza tha ke Arham, Samrah ko kitna chahta tha, halanke usne kabhi zabaan se iqraar nahi kiya tha. Arham ne wapas un dono ko gusse se dekh kar apni tawajjo Arsalan ki taraf ki, jo ab bol raha tha, "Aage tumhein pura ek se dedh saal uske sath kaam karna hai. Project bara hai, ye to tum jante ho. Aur clients uska kaam pasand karte hain. Haan theek hai, tum abhi usko apni feelings nahi bata sakte, jo uske sath hadsa hua tha uske baad wo comfortable nahi hogi. Lekin phir bhi, narmi rakho apne lehje mein."

"Bhai, pehli baat to ye ke unka idea bohot acha tha. Natural light building mein aati to bohot khubsurat lagti," Muhib ne ek hi baar mein sab bol diya. "Khair, aap maafi maang lena, koi bari baat nahi hai," usne shaitani muskurahat ke sath kaha.

"Maafi? Aur main?" Arham ne ghusse se pucha.
"Ek creator ki insult karne ke baad aap itna bhi nahi kar sakte?" Zaydin bol para, aur is par Arsalan ne bhi haami bhari.

Samrah Isha ki namaz ada karne ke baad Surah Yusuf padh rahi thi. Uski aankhon mein kuch aansu aa gaye. Uske aansu hamesha hi aise be-ikhtiyaar behte thay. Surah puri hone ke baad wo bed par laptop le kar mail kholi aur bethi rahi. Bohot se mail likh kar delete karne ke baad, aakhir-kaar usne ek mail likh kar bhej hi di, aur phir sone lait gayi.

Arham kuch 10 baje tak ghar aa gaya tha. Apne ammi abbu ke sath kuch der bethne ke baad wo apne kamre mein chala gaya. Usne apni formal white shirt utari aur ghar ke kapde pehen liye—ek black collar wali t-shirt aur loose sa grey track. Muh haath dho kar wo laptop le kar betha to screen pe sab se pehle 'Samrah Khan' ka email dikha.

Wo kuch der tak screen hi dekhta raha.

Subject: National Arts Centre - Revised Concepts
Body: Mr. Shaikh, Please find attached the revised concepts as per our discussion. Regards, Samrah Khan.

"Mr. Shaikh." Ye lafz uske dil pe laga. Usne jawab type kiya.

Subject: Re: National Arts Centre - Revised Concepts
Body: Ms. Khan, Noted. Will review and revert. Please ensure all future designs account for the structural limitations discussed.

Usne email bhej diya, aur ek halki, afsos-bhari muskurahat ke sath sone lait gaya.

Deewarein khari ho chuki hain! 🧱

"Mr. Shaikh" aur "Ms. Khan"... ye professional jung ab kahan tak jayegi? Aur kya Arham maafi maangega, ya uski ego jeet jayegi?

Lekin... Arsalan ne Samrah ke ek 'hadse' ka zikr kiya hai. Kya raaz hai uski muskurahat ke peeche? 🤔

Let me know your theories in the comments! ❤️

- S.J. Noor