"Lekin raat bhar waha rehne ki kya zaroorat thi? Aur bhi toh log hai unka khayal rakhne ke liye", Salma stated the fact. Haseena couldn't say anything in reply and just kept quiet.

"Tune khud khana khaya bhi hai ya nahi? Badi ayi sabki khayal rakhnewali. Shakal dekhi hai apni kaisi feeki pad gayi hai", Salma told her daughter off. "Chal ja nahake aa aur khana khane baith", she added and Haseena just nodded her head positively.

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"Kyahh!", Cheetah shouted making both Karishma and Santosh startled.

"Abhi taza taza hosh aya hai, phir se heart attack dena chahta hai kya!", Karishma said keeping her hand on her chest.

"Ha lekin ab Haseena ko kya bolegi tu!", Cheetah said shockingly.

"Bol hi toh nahi sakti Cheeteh. Nafrat karegi woh mujhse. Tu samajh raha hai na? Even I hate myself for this", Karishma said in a voice filled with guilt and sadness.

Santosh was just quiet all this time, thinking about the blunder Karishma had made. It was obvious that the unfulfilled desires brewing in her mind took over her consciousness and the alcohol just made it easier to lose control. But it was still wrong and Karishma was suffering for it. She decided to talk to her friend about this. That's the only right thing to do.

Santosh reached out to hold Karishma's hand in assurance. "Aur agar tum Haseena ko nahi bata pa rahi ho, toh dhyan rakho ki iss chakkar mein woh hurt na ho. Tumhe pata hai ke kyu tum usse najre chura rahi ho lekin usse nahi pata hai na! So don't you ever ignore her", she said softly.

"Lekin ignore toh woh kar rahi hai yaar", Karishma let out her frustration.

"Woh tumhari laparwahi ke wajah se naraz hogi. Jab dekho apna haath pair todti rehti ho", Santosh replied. "Aur haa, tum pehle puri tarah thik ho jao, uske baad baat karni hai mujhe tumse, detail mein", Santosh said stressing on her last words.

Karishma nodded at this. "How could the same person be both a complete idiot and mature!", she thought being astonished. She kissed Santosh in her head affectionately.

"Accha aur mai jo yaha khada hu kabse! Meri koi kadar hi nahi hai", Cheetah frowned, of course with a mouth full of food. Santosh threw a pillow at him playfully that hit his head. And they started pillow fighting like little children.

"Thank you", Karishma said to her idiot friends who, she knew, would stand by her in her darkest days.

"Love you", Santosh said to Karishma, giving her a flying kiss.

"Love you too", Cheetah mumbled looking at Santosh shyly while she ignored him as usual.

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"Soch le Karu, agar ghar mein kisiko pata chal gaya na ke tu phir bahar ja rahi hai toh tujhe iss bar koi bacha nahi sakta", Cheetah warned Karishma who was escaping her room through the balcony.

"I don't care. Hasi ko manana hai, woh mere paas nahi ayegi toh mai uske paas jaungi", Karishma whispered. "Tu bas kisi bahane Shanno ko waha bhej dena taki woh ammi ko distract kar sake", she added.

"Thik hai phir", he replied. They went towards the lawn carefully, not wanting to be caught by anyone. But to their misfortune Shivani was standing in the lawn, folding her hands on her chest.

"Gajab! Aj toh mout pakka hai", Cheetah murmured sweating heavily, fearing Shivani's wrath.

"Woh bhabisa..hum thoda tehel rahe the bas", Karishma said gulping down as she knew Shivani would be hell angry.

"Tum pehle andar chalo", Shivani gave her a death glare. "Aur Cheetah tum ghar jao, aunty ji pareshan ho rahe hein", she sternly said and Cheetah literally ran away to save his life.

"Sach bol rahi hu, room mein bohut bore ho rahi thi isliye garden...", Karishma couldn't finish her sentence as Shivani cut her off. Karishma just zipped her lips, letting Shivani speak. "Bas bohut ho gayi tumhari manmani. Jimmedari naam ki koi cheez hai ya nahi tum mein? Abse tumhara raat bhar yun bahar tehelna bandh", she told her and

"Lekin bhabisa..", Karishma was again interrupted by her. "Lekin wekin kuch nahi janti mai. Agar meri baat na mani toh iske baad mujhse kabhi baat mat karna", Shivani said.

Karishma couldn't see her upset like this. Shivani was not only her closest friend, for her she was like her mother figure.
"I'm sorry bhabisa. Please aise maat boliye na!", Karishma said looking at her with brimmed eyes and Shivani melted at this.

"Kyun itna bachkani harkate karti ho Karu? Hum sab ki jaan nikal di thi tumne", Shivani softly said, caressing her head. Karishma just silently rested her head over her shoulder.

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Hello beautiful people, I hope you all are doing well.

So, that was the chapter 14 of Solace. Feel free to give your opinion in the comment section. Do vote, comment and follow. It will motivate me to write better.

See you in the next chapter.

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