School ki chhat par baadal phir se jama ho rahe the.
Ishu ko aaj pura din ek hi baat chub rahi thi—
“Don’t trust Dipti.”
Ye line Sohail ke kehne ka matlab kya tha?
Dipti toh uski childhood wali best friend thi…
Phir us slip ka sender…
Kaun?
Ishu ka dimag ekdum maze-game jaisa lag raha tha.
Lunch Break — Crush Vibe Begins
Ishu canteen se juice le kar nikli hi thi ki Sohail wahin khada mil gaya.
Casual, but somehow… intentionally in her way.
“Tum milne wali ho na? Old staircase par?”
Sohail ne poocha.
Ishu ne apna juice tight pakda.
“Haan… par tum mujhe bina context ke dara kyu rahe ho?”
Sohail thoda sa smile kiya.
Woh smile…
Bilkul wahi smile jo kisi ko bhi 1% se 100% crush mode me daal de.
“Main dara nahi raha. Bas… tumhe safe rakhna chahta hoon.”
Ishu ka dimag: WHAT??
Ye line… ye tone… ye look?
Uska face warm ho gaya.
She didn’t know why.
Unke aas-paas se students guzarte rahe, par Sohail ki aankhen sirf Ishu par tikki thi.
“Waise tum… baarish me cute lag rahi thi aaj.”
Sohail casually bol gaya.
Ishu almost choke.
“Kya?? Kya bola tumne??”
Sohail smooth:
“Sun nahi paayi? Chalo… phir baad me bataunga.”
Aur woh chala gaya jaise kuch bola hi nahi ho.
Ishu stunned.
Dil literally trampoline jaise bounce kar raha tha.
Dipti’s Suspicious Move
Class ke baad Dipti ne Ishu ka haath pakda.
“Tu mujhe avoid kar rahi hai?”
Dipti ki eyes thodi red, thodi stressed lag rahi thi.
“Nahi, bas busy thi,” Ishu bolne ki koshish ki.
Dipti ne bags adjust karte hue halki si line boli—
“Old staircase… avoid karna.
Wahan kuch bhi normal nahi hai.”
Ishu ka heartbeat ruk gaya.
“Dipti, tum—”
But Dipti ne ek fake smile de di.
“Nothing. Bas… careful.”
Phir woh quickly walk away ho gayi.
Ishu confused mode level 1000.
Sohail warning de raha hai.
Dipti warning de rahi hai.
Dono ek dusre ko trust nahi karne bol rahe.
Kiska believe kare??
<<< OLD STAIRCASE — MAJOR SUSPENSE + FIRST REAL CHEMISTRY
School off ho gaya. Sab students nikal gaye.
Ishu bhari saans ke saath old staircase ki taraf chal padti hai.
Yeh staircase school ka sabse quiet part tha —
thoda dark, thoda dusty, thoda horror-type… but exciting bhi.
Jaise hi Ishu ne second step chadha—
“Tum aa gayi.”
Sohail wahin corner me khada tha,
dusty window ke paas, soft light uske face ko highlight karti hui.
Ekdum webnovel hero moment.
Ishu ne slowly pucha,
“Tumhe kya pata hai Classroom 12 ke baare me?”
Sohail ek step aage aaya.
Ek second ke liye unke beech ki distance sirf 2-3 steps ki reh gayi.
“Pehle… mujhe yeh batao,”
usne Ishu ki aankhon me dekhte hue bola,
“Tumhe slip mili thi na…
‘He already knows everything about you’…
Woh ‘he’ kaun ho sakta hai… tumhare hisaab se?”
Ishu ka gala dry ho gaya.
“Tum… tum kya keh rahe ho?”
Sohail ne halki si smirk diya.
“Relax. Main bol nahi raha ki main hoon.”
Woh thoda paas aaya.
“But tumhare reaction se sab pata chal gaya.”
Ishu blush + shock mix.
“Reaction??”
Sohail:
“Haan. Tumhare aankhon me dar se zyada… curiosity thi.
Woh curiosity sirf mujhe dekh ke hoti hai.”
Ishu freeze.
Did he just say that???
Tabhi ek teekhi awaaz aayi —
jaise kisi ne railing ko scratch kiya ho.
Ishu darr ke mare Sohail ke bilkul paas aa gayi.
Sohail ne immediately uske shoulders gently hold kar liye —
protective reflex.
“Tum theek ho?”
uski voice deep aur serious ho gayi.
Ishu ka saans fast tha.
“Woh awaaz… kiski thi?”
Sohail ne staircase ke peeche dark corner me dekha.
“Aur koi yahan aata nahi…
par agar koi aa gaya hai…”
Woh Ishu ko aur paas khinch leta hai.
“Tum mere piche hi rehna.”
Iss moment me —
fear + comfort + chemistry
sab ek hi frame me aa gaya.
Suddenly—
Ek shadow unke bilkul saamne se guzri.
Ishu scream karne hi wali thi ki Sohail ne uska haath pakad liya.
“Don’t.
Woh… koi student nahi lag raha.”
Ishu shook.
“Phir kaun???”
Sohail ne slowly bola—
“Jiska naam… main tumhe aaj batane wala tha.”
Staircase ki light flicker hui.
Shadow corner me khadi thi.
Aur chapter YAHI end..!!
Next episode soon...!!