Coaching ka mahaul waisa hi tha jaise hamesha. Din dhoop se bhara hua, lekin andar AC ka thandak bhara atmosphere, aur students apne-apne notebooks aur thick reference books me ghuse hue.
Ayan Mirza usual style me enter hua. White shirt half sleeves fold ki hui, jeans, aur ek thoda sa attitude jo uski har chaal me dikhai deta tha. Dost usse dekh ke hamesha hi muskara dete the, kyunki unhe pata tha — Ayan aata hai matlab thodi mastiya zaroor hongi.
Rafay (uska dost, peeche se):
"Bhai, tu aaya matlab ab lecture se zyada comedy hoga class me!"
Ayan (smirk karte hue):
"Arre bhai, knowledge bhi important hai, entertainment bhi. Dono balance karne ka talent har kisi ke paas nahi hota."
Class hasne lagti hai. Teacher gusse me dekhta hai, lekin Ayan apni innocent si smile ke saath bach nikalta hai.
Usi waqt Fatima Shaikh apni desk par baithi hui notes likh rahi thi. Uske chehre pe ek focused expression, baalon ko neatly hijab ke andar set kiya hua, aur aankhen bas board par. Usne na Ayan ki taraf dekha, na class ki halki hasi par react kiya.
Ayan ki nazar ek second ke liye Fatima par tik gayi.
"Yeh ladki… yeh hasti kyun nahi? Matlab sab has rahe the… par iske liye main hawa bhi hoon shayad."
Woh apne dost ke kaan me whisper karta hai:
"Dekha tu? Yeh Fatima… pura robot lagti hai. Emotions naam ki cheez hi nahi."
Rafay (taana maarte hue):
"Arre bhai, robot nahi… asli student hai. Tu sirf ladkiyan ghurta hai, aur yeh ladki sirf syllabus ghurti hai."
Sab hans padte hain. Ayan bhi hansi me tal deta hai.
---
Lecture ke baad break time hota hai. Canteen me hustle-bustle chal raha hota hai. Ayan aur uske group waha ek table pe jam jaate hain. Sandwiches, samosas aur thodi si loud laughter.
Achanak Fatima bhi canteen me aati hai, ek tray me sirf ek cup chai aur biscuit leke. Woh ek kone wali table pe baith jaati hai, shanti se.
Ayan ki nazar automatically us taraf chali jaati hai. Uske dost usse notice kar lete hain.
Rafay (teasing tone):
"Oye oye… bhai ki nazar abhi abhi Fatima pe gayi thi. Yehi hai na wahi serious wali?"
Ayan (defensive):
"Arre pagal hai kya? Bas casually dekha maine. Waise bhi mujhe boring ladkiyon me interest nahi."
Lekin andar se Ayan khud confused tha. Woh kyun us ladki ki taraf bar-bar dekh raha tha? Kyun uska ek alag sa vibe lag raha tha jo class ki dusri ladkiyon se different tha?
---
Raat ko ghar par, apne kamre me late night mobile scroll karte hue, uske dimaag me Fatima ka focused chehra flash karta hai. Usne phone side me rakha aur chhat ki taraf dekha.
"Strange hai yaar… main to bas mazaak karta hoon class me. Sab ladkiyan ya to hans deti hain ya thoda attitude dikha deti hain. Lekin yeh Fatima… jaise meri duniya se hi alag hai. Serious type. Mujhe ignore karti hai… aur shayad isi wajah se mujhe uski taraf dekhne ka mann karta hai."
Woh hansi me khud se bolta hai:
"Bas Ayan, chill… attraction hai shayad. Mohabbat ka chakkar nahi. Mohabbat to filmon aur novels me hoti hai."
Lekin phir bhi uske dil ke ek kone me ek choti si curiosity jag gayi thi — Fatima Shaikh ke liye.
---
Coaching classes ke routine me ek din teacher ne announce kiya:
"Kal se library session hoga. Aap log group study karke topics revise karenge. Jo group best presentation karega unhe extra marks milenge."
Sab students thoda excited ho gaye. Library ek silent jagah thi jahan usually books aur notes ke alawa koi cheez discuss nahi hoti thi. Lekin Ayan ke liye, ye ek aur chance tha masti karne ka.
Agle din subah library me sab groups baithe the. Books ka ek alag hi smell tha, ek hush-hush si silence. Tables pe chaar-chaar students baithe the.
Ayan ko assign hua tha group me: Rafay, ek aur ladka, aur… Fatima Shaikh.
Ayan andar hi andar smirk kar gaya.
"Bhai, library me bhi ye robot wali ladki mere group me aa gayi? Chal dekhte hain kaisi hoti hai jab directly interact karna pade."
---
Scene – Library Table
Fatima ek thick biology reference book khol ke detail notes banana shuru karti hai. Uski handwriting clean aur organized thi. Ayan pehli baar serious nazar se uske kaam ko dekh raha tha.
Ayan (casual tone me):
"Arre Fatima… tu itna serious rehti hai, thoda smile karne ka bhi try kar. Zindagi me masti zaroori hai."
Fatima ne uski taraf dekha bhi nahi. Sirf calmly reply diya:
"Masti ki jagah aur waqt hota hai. Abhi study ka waqt hai."
Ayan ki aankhen phail gayi.
"Arre wah! Direct taana maar diya mujhe. Ye ladki mere level ki nahi lagti… alag hi duniya me hai."
Rafay hass pada, "Bhai, yeh to tujhse seedha baat bhi nahi karna chahti. Chal ab tu bhi thoda serious ho ja, warna presentation fail kar denge."
---
Next ek ghante tak Fatima poore dedication se notes banati rahi. Ayan kabhi uske chehre ko observe karta, kabhi uski handwriting, kabhi uski shanti ko. Usko ajeeb lag raha tha.
Woh apne dil me sochta hai:
"Main usually ladkiyon ko attract kar leta hoon apne style aur jokes se. Lekin is ladki ko impress karne ka shauk hi nahi hai mujhe. Bas… mujhe samajhna hai ye alag kaisi hai."
---
Scene – Group Discussion
Fatima ne ek topic explain karte hue kaha:
"Dekho, ye process step by step samajhna hoga. Agar ek point miss ho gaya to poora concept kharab hoga."
Ayan casually bolta hai:
"Bas, tu tension mat le. Main samajh gaya. Waise bhi mujhe yaad karne me time nahi lagta."
Fatima finally uski taraf directly dekhti hai. Uske chehre pe ek half-skeptical expression tha.
"Confidence acha hai… lekin overconfidence hamesha ghalat sabit hota hai."
Ayan ek second ke liye chup ho gaya. Usne realize kiya — pehli baar kisi ladki ne usse aise calmly samjhaya tha, bina attitude, bina impress hone ke.
Woh andar se khud se bolta hai:
"Is ladki ka level hi alag hai. Baaki sab ladkiyan ya to meri baaton pe hans deti hain ya impress ho jaati hain. Ye… bas seedhe point pe rehna jaanti hai. Interesting."
---
Din ke end me jab library band hone lagi, sab students apne bags pack kar rahe the. Ayan ne ek baar phir casually Fatima ko dekha.
"Yeh ladki mujhe pasand hai? Nahi… pasand bhi nahi. Mohabbat to door ki baat. Bas ek ajeeb si attraction hai jo mujhe uske saath feel hoti hai."
Usne khud se promise kiya:
"Bas Ayan, focus studies pe hi rakhna. Ye feelings sab temporary hoti hain."
Lekin uske dil ke ek kone me ek soft corner ban gaya tha.
---
Library sessions ke baad coaching ki routine thodi change ho gayi thi. Ab students aksar group study ke liye library use karte. Ayan bhi, jo pehle sirf masti aur timepass karta tha, ab thoda serious ho kar wahaan jane laga.
Lekin asal wajah studies nahi thi… asal wajah thi Fatima Shaikh.
---
Scene – Library Corner
Fatima ek corner me baithi hoti, apni notes banati, pen se underline karti aur baar-baar Quran ki ayat likhe hue chhote notes apni diary ke beech rakh deti. Ye cheez Ayan ke liye nayi thi. Usne kabhi kisi ladki ko itna organized aur focused nahi dekha tha.
Ayan door se dekh kar sochta:
"Yeh ladki sach me robot jaisi nahi hai… yeh to alag hi duniya ki hai. Har baat me discipline, har baat me calmness. Mujhe irritate karna to chhod… bas apna kaam karti rehti hai."
---
Ek din Ayan apni group seat pe thoda late aaya. Fatima pehle se notes likh rahi thi. Ayan ne casual tone me bola:
"Arre Fatima, tum to bina wait kiye start ho gayi. Group ka leader banna kaafi pasand hai na tumhe?"
Fatima ne pen rok kar seedha uski taraf dekha.
"Main kisi group ki leader nahi. Main bas apna kaam karti hoon. Tumhe problem hai to ab se time pe aaya karo."
Ayan ek second ke liye freeze ho gaya. Usne dekha uski aankhon me koi attitude nahi tha, sirf ek sachai thi.
Woh muskuraya aur bola:
"Wah! Pehli baar kisi ladki ne mujhe itni calmly suna diya. Tum interesting ho, Fatima."
Fatima ne bas cold reply diya:
"Main interesting nahi… main bas simple hoon."
---
Scene – Coaching Break Time
Break me students canteen ke bahar chips aur chai le rahe the. Ayan apne doston ke saath hamesha masti karta tha, lekin us din usne dekha ki Fatima ek bench pe akeli baithi hai, ek book pad rahi hai.
Rafay ne tease karte hue kaha:
"Bhai, lagta hai tujhe ab wo ladki attract kar rahi hai. Roz library me uske paas bethna, ab break time pe usko dekhna…"
Ayan hansa, "Pagal hai kya? Mujhe aur ladkiyon ki kami hai kya? Bas curiosity hai yaar. Samajh nahi aata, yeh ladki alag kyun lagti hai."
Andar se, Ayan confuse tha. Uske dil ke ek kone me attraction barhne laga tha. Lekin uske dimaag me abhi bhi denial chal raha tha.
---
Scene – Group Presentation Day
Jab group presentation ka din aaya, Fatima ne poora plan banaya tha. Sabne apna part likha, lekin Ayan ka part last moment tak ready nahi tha.
Fatima ne strict tone me kaha:
"Ayan, agar tumne apna part properly nahi bola to humara poora group fail ho jayega."
Ayan ne thoda guilty feel karte hue bas ek baar notes dekhe aur presentation me confidently apna part bol diya. Surprisingly, uska style aur boldness ne teacher ko impress kar diya.
Teacher ne kaha:
"Good job. Specially Ayan, you presented with confidence."
Fatima ne pehli baar Ayan ki taraf soft expression se dekha. Usne socha:
"Yeh ladka careless hai… lekin intelligent bhi hai. Bas apni energy sahi jagah lagaye to acha kar sakta hai."
Ayan ne us nazar ko notice kiya. Uske dil me ek ajeeb si khushi hui.
---
Din ke end me jab sab ghar ja rahe the, Ayan khud se bolta hai:
"Main is ladki ko pasand karta hoon? Nahi… pasand bhi nahi. Lekin jab woh meri taraf dekhti hai to kuch alag hi feel hota hai."
Attraction ab thoda aur gehra ho gaya tha, lekin abhi mohabbat door thi.
---
Scene – Coaching Institute (One Usual Morning)
Ayan coaching class ke gate se andar aaya, usual swag ke saath. Usne apne dost Rafay se kaha:
"Chal library me chalte hain, shayad Fatima already notes bana rahi hogi."
Rafay ne teasing tone me bola:
"Arre bhai, tu toh roz usko hi dhoondhta hai. Kahin attraction attraction ho raha hai kya?"
Ayan ne bas smile kiya aur bola:
"Pagal hai kya? Mujhe bas uski planning aur seriousness ka style pasand hai, bas."
Lekin andar se Ayan ko pata tha, ab woh subconsciously har jagah Fatima ko hi search karta hai.
---
Scene – Library Empty Seat
Ayan ne dekha, Fatima ki usual jagah khali hai. Usne socha shayad late hogi. Notes nikale aur thoda wait kiya.
Din khatam hua… lekin Fatima nahi aayi.
Agle din bhi wahi hua.
Aur teesre din bhi.
---
Scene – Canteen Gossip
Ayan canteen me baitha tha, jab ek ladki ne dusri se kaha:
"Fatima Shaikh coaching chhod gayi. Uske ghar walon ne decide kiya hai ki ab woh self-study karegi, coaching ki zarurat nahi. Shayad wo dusri city bhi shift ho rahi hai."
Yeh baat sun kar Ayan ke andar ek khali pan sa ho gaya.
Usne casual tone me dikhane ki koshish ki:
"Achha? Arey waah, acchi baat hai. Waise bhi coaching me itna drama hota tha, ghar pe shayad better padh legi."
Doston ke saamne woh cool banne ki acting karta raha. Lekin dil ke andar kuch toot sa raha tha.
---
Scene – Ayan's Room (Late Night)
Raat ko jab sab so gaye, Ayan apne bed pe akele baitha tha. Usne diary uthayi jisme random scribbles the. Fatima ke bare me likha hua ek chhota sa line tha jo usne kabhi casually likha tha:
"She's different… mujhe samajh nahi aata kyun."
Ayan diary band kar deta hai aur khud se kehta hai:
"Bas. Khatam. Usne chhod diya coaching… toh mujhe bhi usko bhoolna padega. Main kyu apne dil ko confuse kar raha hoon?"
Usne ek deep breath li aur phone uthakar doston ke group me message bheja:
"Kal party karte hain, life ko wapas maza banate hain."
---
Chapter 3 End Note
Fatima chali gayi… aur Ayan ke dil me ek khali jagah chhod gayi. Ab tak jo chhota sa attraction grow ho raha tha, wo ruk gaya. Ayan ne decide kiya ke usse bhool kar wapas apni purani playboy aur careless life jeeyega.