BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

HE WAS NOT LIKE THIS

{PLEASE IGNORE THE SPELLING AND THE GRAMMAR MISTAKES}

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It's night. Karishma is sitting on a swing in her room's balcony. She is looking at the sky without blinking with a blank face. She feels a hand resting on her shoulder. She turns her head to see the person. Neil is standing with a small smile. She passes him a sad smile. He sits beside her.

"Udaas ho?" He asks her softly.

"Kis liye?" she questions back to him.

"Santu ko akele chhodkar jaane ke liye Anu ne aaj aapko daanta, iss liye."

She smirks sadly and replies, "Nahi. Aisa nahi hain. Unki daant ki toh ab aadat si pad gayi hain. Aadat kya aisa lag raha hain ki jeevan ka ek atoot hissa ho gaya unki daant khane ka." 

Neil doesn't say anything for some seconds. He puts his arm around the shoulder and slightly pulls her towards him. 

"Don't worry. Ek din sab thik ho jaayega" he tries to cheer her up. 

She chuckles sarcastically and says while resting her head on his shoulder, "Na jaane woh din kab aayega, Neil. Sach kahe toh uss din ke aane ki ummid bhi chhod di hain humne. Hume nahi lagta ki hume kabhi humare purane wale bhaiyya wapas mil paayenge. Bura toh bas iss baat ka lag raha hain ki humari wajah se Haseena ko itna kuch sun-na pada. Woh toh humari request par yanha aayi thi. Aur..." she sighs. 

"Karishma, aap kyun ki apne aapko bura feel karwa rahi ho. Jo kuch bhi hua, usme na toh Haseena ki koi galti thi aur na hi aapki."

"Yanhi toh problem hain, Neil. Galti kisi aur ki hoti hain aur saza kisi aur ko milti hain. Paanch saal pehle unn gundo ne jo aparadh kiya uski saza hum aaj tak bhugat rahe hain. Kabhi kabhi toh hume bahut darr lagta hain. Bhaiyya jis raste par chal pade hain woh kitna khatarnaak hain yeh toh woh bhi jaante hain. Uss raste ka koi ant hi nahi hain... par phir bhi... Neil, hume bahut darr lagta hain. Darr lagta hain unhe khone ka. Already bahut kuch kho chuke hain hum." 

Neil remains silent as he knows what she is saying is so accurate and she continues, "Agar pichhle saal humare birthday par humne aapki aur bhaiyya ki baatein na sun li hoti toh hume kabhi pata bhi nahi chalta ki Garud koi aur nahi balki humare bhaiyya hi hain. Uss din hum bas yeh chahte the ki woh hume sabse pehle wish kare. Iss liye bhage bhage daud pade unse milne. Par unhone toh itna bada surprise de diya uss din ki kuch sochne ke stithi mein hi nahi rahe hum."

"Lekin ab jo hain, so hain Karishma. Hum chah ke bhi ab kuch nahi badal sakte. Magar hum aapse wada karte hain ki jab tak hum hain, tab tak aap par aur aapke pyaare bhaiyya par hum koi aanch nahi aane denge. Promise!"

Karishma looks at him for a few seconds and hugs him. He too hugs her back. She closes her eyes.

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After two days, It's Sunday.
Haseena and Shivani are busy working on some files. 

Shivani says while making faces, "Di, history mein aapka naam naa bahut kale aksharon mein likha jaayega ki aap kitni zulmi boss hain. Sunday ki din bhi kaam kara rahi hain."

Haseena smiles, "Haan haan, aur aapka naam sunehare aksharo mein likha jaayega ki aap kitni mehnati hain aur apne boss ka har kaha maan-ne wali employee ho."