Solace

Chapter 35

"Puch maat yaar..Bhai ne yeh faltu ki kaam pe laga dia hai hume, na mai nikal pa rahi hu na Santu!" Karishma answered in an edgy tone, "Hitler hote ja rahe hai woh din ba din."

"Jaldi karo, hum nikal chuke hai", Cheetah said. But instead of any meaningful response some gibberish noises were heard from the other side of the phone, as he shared a confused glance with Haseena. With time they figured that they were not gibberish noises but Karishma and Santosh arguing with Amar like little children.

"Agar tum apna kam time se kar lete toh abhi rukhne ki zaroorat nahi padti", they heard Amar saying.

Both Karishma and Santosh were quick enough to counter his words. "Ap na sachme hitler bante ja rahe ho bhai aur hume bhi khadoos buddhi banana chahte ho", Santosh said.

"Look at the freaking watch! Dhang se ready hone ka bhi time nahi hai hume", Karishma screamed, completely forgetting the fact that she was on a phone call.

"Aur kitna ready hona hai tumhe! Look at you, itni makeup toh kia hua hai tumne", Amar retorted as they continued with their needless argument.

"Beyy!" Cheetah uttered in dismay, "Inse baat karna hi bekar hai.."

"Kya hai yehlog?! Bacchon jaise ladh rahe hai!" Haseena had a disbelief expression playing on her face as she cut the call.

After some half an hour they reached the intended location. Haseena's eyes wandered around the place, settling herself in this very outgoing and buoyant backdrop. It had a very vibrant ambience with lively foreign music playing near the bar area, overlooking the huge dance floor, while a passage near the bar led towards the open poolside behind.

"Haseena?" a familiar voice was heard addressing Haseena and she saw Neha waving at her, glancing at the direction of its source. She moved towards Neha who swiftly pulled her to the poolside while Cheetah decided to check upon his friends. Haseena was greeted by Ishan along with her colleagues who were also present there. She felt relaxed after spotting the familiar faces as they walked around the place, talking in a lighthearted manner, unknown to the disastrous storm coming her way.
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Karishma's eyes darted around the club impatiently, trying to spot the one particular person she was dying to see. Before Santosh could suggest calling Haseena about her whereabouts like any other sensible person would do, Karishma had long disappeared in the crowd.

"Ab isse kya hua hai", Cheetah inquired, approaching Santosh with a drink who gave him a known look. "Samajh gaya", he said, sipping on his beer as they became busy in their own world.

Away from the crowd of the dance floor, Karishma approached the poolside and she felt her heart would stop beating if she continued to look at the dreadful scene unfolding in front of her. There, at one corner, stood Haseena, looking gorgeous as ever but she had someone else by her side. "Ishan!" Karishma murmured under her breath, feeling an intense rage igniting in every fiber of her being. Ishan had her hands placed on the table as he stood facing Haseena, but from where Karishma was standing, it seemed like Ishan was locking Haseena in her place as he took a step forward and to add fuel to the fire, Karishma heard people gossiping about how Ishan had asked Haseena on date several times that she had no idea about.
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"Karishma please! Ek dafa humari baat sun lijiye!" Haseena followed Karishma who was moving mindlessly to find a way out of the club. "Karishma rukiye toh", she tried to hold Karishma by her wrist but she instantly jerked off her hand and kept moving forward, pushing the crowd aside aggressively.

"Kaha...kaha ja rahi hai!!" Haseena huffed heavily, watching Karishma getting into her car. Before the latter could accelerate and drive away, she settled herself on the passenger seat but soon a sharp pang escalated in her heart as her eyes caught the sight of a devastated Karishma as if she had survived a literal storm but didn't utter a single word nor glanced back at Haseena for once. Haseena didn't realize they reached home until the car halted in a sudden movement, as she jerked forward. Karishma unlocked the car door, waiting for Haseena to get down but she didn't even flinch.

"Karishma..", Haseena uttered which came out as a whisper. "Humse baat toh kijiye, chahe toh gussa hi kar lijiye par aise chup maat rahiye", she pleaded, holding onto Karishma's hand trying to fight the tears that were forming in the corner of her eyes, noticing her condition.

"Baat toh karlu...lekin pata kaise chalega tum sach bol rahi ho ya phir jhooth", Karishma heard herself saying. "Tum toh kabhi jhooth nahi bolti then why now? Why for him?'' Her voice carried a deep sense of dejection as she glanced back at Haseena.

"Hum jhooth nahi bolna chahte the", Haseena tried to explain. "Bas apko ishan pasand nahi hai isliye...", she couldn't finish her sentence as Karishma cut her off.

"Aur tumhe woh pasand hai?" Karishma's voice trembled, fearing the answer she might get from Haseena.

Haseena couldn't speak for a moment, baffled by her words but she was determined to clear the misunderstandings as reached out to cup Karishma's face in between her palms. "Nahi!", she mumbled softly, "Ap galat samajh rahi hai!" Karishma held eye contact as she continued, "Hum nahi chahte the ke ap koi ladayi kare isliye humne nahi bataya. Bas yahi baat hai!" But her words couldn't mollify the storm of emotions looming inside Karishma as she removed Haseena's hands off her. No matter how much she tried, she couldn't get the image out of her mind where Ishan was leaning on Haseena, as if they were going to kiss. "They probably would have if you didn't interfere", she thought and her grip on the steering wheel got stronger.

"Aise aur kitne jhooth bola hai tumne mujhse..", Karishma continued with her insinuations, feeling her insecurities shimmering under the surface once again. "Tumne mujhse sachme pyar kiya bhi hai ya phir jhooth tha woh bhi!" her words sliced through the air like a sharp knife that stabbed Haseena's heart mercilessly. "Tumhe woh Ishan itni pasand aagayi..you didn't even try to push him away!" Karishma felt her vision getting blurry with unshed tears.

Haseena felt an indescribable pain rushing through her as she heard Karishma making those allegations. Of all the people, she thought Karishma was the one who knew her, understood her the most and here she was, going on and on, shattering Haseena into pieces with her insulting words.

"Apko sunai aa raha hai ke kya bol rahi hai ap?" a blend of humiliation and hurt stained Haseena's voice, "Ap bataiye, apne sachme humse pyar kiya hai?" As those words escaped her mouth Karishma felt someone churned her insides as she decided to hold Haseena's gaze, which were clouded with sheer pain and anger.

"Log jisse pyar karne ka dawa karte hai na, uske liye woh kabhi bhi aise lafzon ka istemal nahi kar sakte jaise ap humare liye kar rahi hai. Aur iske liye aap ke andar ratti bhar ka pastaava nahi hai yeh baat bhi hum bohut acche se jante hai", Haseena spoke, the hurt in her voice was slowly getting vanished as if she was void of any emotions. "Apko jo sochna hoga na, ap soch le. Kyuki iske baad hum apko koi wazahat dena zaroori nahi samjhte", she uttered before turning to go.

Karishma closed her eyes tightly trying to reduce the unbearable ache inflicting her heart but failed miserably. She banged her hands on the steering wheel while tears started flowing from her eyes non stop.

"Apka dimag kharab ho gyaa hai?" Haseena heard herself scream, as she moved towards Karishma once again and held her hand carefully to have a look at the wound, "Kaise zakhmi sakti hai ap khudko?"

"Tumhe bas yeh zakhmi hath nazar aata hai", Karishma gave her a tearful smile,
"Uss zakhm ka kya hoga jo tumne mere pyar ko diya hai!"

Haseena looked at Karishma once, before moving out of the car. She didn't know what was more painful for her to endure, the hurtful accusations that Karishma threw at her or the fact that her heart still ached for the person who just crushed her self respect to the very ground.

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Hello...It's me again with chapter 35 of Solace. Do vote and comment to express your thoughts both positive and negative.
See you in the next one.