Teri Lakeerein

21. With you, in delight

"Aur iss sab ke baad bhi, DSP sir end main hamara lunch poora saaf kar gaye! Dictionary main na thick skinned ke aage unhi ka photo hai, I am telling you! Isliye ab humne matters apne haath main le liye hai-- And Haseena started coughing, as the food went down the wrong pipe.

Karishma shook her head well aware of what had happened. Because this was also something she had become accustomed to.

"Aap na pehle apna lunch kar lijiye. Bina baaton ke khana hajam karna seekhiye. Sehat ke liye acha hota hai", Karishma remarked.

Haseena wasn't the one to lag behind. She was as quick in retorting, "Acha! Toh ab aap chahti hain ki hum kam baat karein. Bore ho gayi hain hamari baaton se?!"

"Aisa kuch nahi-

"Hui bhi hain toh humein farq nahi padta! Jheliye ab humein aur humari baaton ko varna vaada todne ke jurm main jail main daal denge!" Haseena threatened and Karishma's eyes widened in amusement.

"Kaa baat hai! Aap toh baat baat par humein dhamka deti hain".

"Aap lucky hain ki hum sirf dhamki de rahe hain!" Haseena gloated and Karishma indulged her wholeheartedly, "Maafi, Inspector madam, maafi. Hamari kaa majaal ki hum aapko toke. Aap bindaas khaiye hamara sar. Bhagwan ne aapke liye hi toh banakar bheja hai".

Haseena narrowed her gaze in response and replied, "Sab samajh rahe hain hum. Pehle kitni adab se baat karti thi aap, aur ab har baat main taane marti rehti hain".

Karishma gave a hollow laugh in response, "Hum toh taane marte hain bas. Aap toh seedha goli marne ki dhamki deti hain!

"Maari toh nahi na..." Haseena pouted at the other end and Karishma smirked. The smugness was palpable even through the distance.

"Humein maar dengi, toh aap kese jeeyengi?" Karishma spoke in jest. Occasionally, she would drop her guard and make bold statements to tease Haseena. Usually, their playful banter would bounce back and forth endlessly. But sometimes, Karishma would give up, and on very rare occasions, so would Haseena.

In those rare moments, Haseena would reveal her genuine emotions, leaving Karishma breathless. Ultimately, Haseena would emerge victorious in their lighthearted skirmishes, even when she yielded. For Karishma would be left utterly astonished, unable to reply.

Today was such a day.

"That's true. How will I ever live without you?" Haseena echoed solemnly, rendering Karishma speechless.

Haseena was aware that her candor always astonished Karishma, yet she yearned to give her all and live without the remorse of unspoken words. She already harbored too many such regrets. If only Karishma realized that she was Haseena's beacon of hope in this desolate world.

"Hamare jeete ji agar aapko kuch ho gaya toh, toh hum toh aise hi marr jayenge".

And Karishma felt the depth of Haseena's confession resonate with her heartbeat that accelerated unnaturally and Karishma clutched her chest.

"Haseena ji aap na ye marne ki baatein kaahe karti hain. Aur humne vada kiya hai na. Hum hamesha rahenge", And Karishma cleared her throat in an attempt to change the topic.

She remained largely ignorant of Haseena's personal life. Haseena had mentioned her khala only three times, and that too in passing anecdotes without any context. She had brought up her abbu just once and left it at that.

In such moments, Karishma found herself overcome with fear and concern for Haseena. It seemed as though Haseena might simply fade away and vanish.

"Aap na ye bahot galat karti hain. Jajbaati teer chalakar humein parast kar deti hain. Ye cheating hai!" Karishma complained and Haseena chuckled, foregoing her serious demeanor.