I am upset with you guys! I won't talk anymore 😔💔
Hai Dil Ye Mera
↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺ 0:00------O-------------5:18
"To aur kaha jaye tumhare ghar?" Karishma asked still holding haseena in place. "Nhi wo matlab" haseena fumbled finding karishma so close , she could smell a hint of alcohol from her again , "Puchna to mujhe chahiye, tum yaha kya ker rhi ho? Ghar bagal main h tumhara fir bhi har time yahi dikhti ho? Main chorke aau?" She asked sarcastically.
"Hum humare Ghar hi ja rhe the" she replied. "Ha aasman main dekhte dekhte chal rhi thi" karishma rolled her eyes. And haseena's face turned a shade of pink. "Hum zameen ke andar dekh ker chale ya aasman main aapko kya?" She asked trying to show anger while from inside she was a bit embarrassed.
"Ha mujhe kya , ek baar girti sara aasman dikhayi dejata fir pata chalta" she taunted , both of them were busy in their conversation without realising that they were still in the same pose.
"Par aap hume girne nhi dange hum jante h" she said looking into her eyes. They both had an eyelock , again the trust which made her feel so good. Both of them were brought to this world back by someone's throat clearing. Together they looked in that direction to find pushpaji standing there , "sab thik h na beta?" She asked as both of them noticed her.
That's when they realised their position and left each other standing straight. "Tum dono jante ho ek dusre ko?" She asked.
"Haan"
"Nahi"
Haseena and Karishma answered in unison. She looked at them in confusion while haseena gave karishma a blank stare , karishma looked at haseena then turned her face towards pushpaji "umm haan matlab wohi" she said scratching her eyebrows.
"Accha. Kaise?" Pushpaji asked surprisingly and happily. Surprisingly because her daughter had friends? And happily also because of the same reason. "Hum dono Finland main mile the aur Delhi main bhi " haseena answered.
"Delhi?" Pushpaji asked confusingly. "Ha ek saal pehle" haseena replied and pushpaji realised she must have met karishma before she met her. Just then Mr Chauhan came there , "hello uncle" haseena greeted him while karishma just rolled her eyes. "Hello beta, aap.."
"Haseena" she replied and he recognised her "accha accha beta thank you so much for helping santu ,it means alot" he said with a smile , "are it's ok uncle" haseena politely said. "aapko pata h haseena karishma ki dost h" pushpaji informed feeling really happy about it while Mr Chauhan looked equally surprised and happy...and Karishma just shook her head rolling her eyes. "Ye to bahut acchi baat h" he said happily.
"Aaplogo ka drama ho gya ho to chalte h , mera aaj ka Kota ho gya , good night Mr and Mrs Chauhan" karishma said rudely climbing the stairs without waiting for any response. "Wo hum.." haseena motioned to follow her while the couple nodded so she followed karishma and pushpaji looked at Mr Chauhan sadly while he comforted her.
Haseena reached her room only to find it still dark and empty but she knew this time karishma must be in the balcony connected to her room. She found her sitting on the cold marble floor gazing at the moon , since she wasn't the classy type. Haseena calmly went to her and sat beside her on the floor in silence. The girl who is raised like a princess by her father sat simply on the floor without making a fuss about it. She just looked at karishma's face who was busy looking at the moon.
Karishma sensed her presence and her stare , "kya dekh rhi ho?" She asked without turning to her. "Toofan ko" Haseena silently answered still looking at her. "Aasman saaf h haseena" karishma spoke slowly looking at the moon again. Haseena shook her head , "Aap ke andar ke toofan ko karishma" she said making karishma look at her again. How was she always so right?
"Ek baat puch sakte h aapse agar aap bura na maane to?" She asked while karishma gave her a little nod. "Do you miss your father?" Haseena asked calmly. Karishma nodded a little again, not surprised that haseena knew Chauhan wasn't her real father , "sometimes"
"Mere father ne ekbaar kaha tha mujhse" karishma began saying, surprising haseena as first time she was sharing something about herself on her own. "Dusro ki galti ki saza kabhi khudko ya kisi aur ko nhi Deni chahiye and I live by that" haseena nodded in understanding.
"Wo Kahan h?" Haseena asked after moments of silence. "He left" karishma whispered "very soon after my mom did" . "None of them kept their promises " she whispered very slowly but still haseena could hear the pain. She kept her hand on her shoulder making karishma look at her again. "Aapne unki baat nhi mani" she said confusing karishma.
"Aap aaj bhi apne parents ki galti ki saza khudko de rhi h. Ye galat h" she said calmly , "ye saza maine nhi , sabne milkar mujhe di h" she replied silently. "Hum 6 saal ke the jab humari maa ek aise aadmi ke sath bhaag gyi thi jo khudko humara best friend kehta tha" she uttered bitterly while haseena was surely shocked , she hadn't thought this was the way her parents separated. But she tried not to show any indifference on her face to make karishma uncomfortable.
"Papa aur hum kabhi is baat ko accept nhi ker paye , shayad yahi reason that unke aur mere dur hone ka" she mumbled silently. "Fir wo bhi chale gye"
"Karishma" haseena made her look at her cupping her face , "You are very strong , I am proud of you". Karishma's ears yearned to hear it , that's it , she immediately hugged haseena trying to control her overwhelming emotions. The expressionless girl didn't want to cry infront of her. For the first time it was getting hard for her not to show emotions. It was as if haseena could see right through her soul.
This girl who was holding her securely in her arms , this girl had something in her which was different from others , she was not like all of them out there. She wasn't scared of her , she made karishma feel alive! She made her share the details of her past , she would not even like to remember. She was attracting her with her innocence, beauty, understanding, care and love , the love karishma never got to experience.
On the other hand , haseena silently wiped her tears holding karishma tightly. She surely had a very rough childhood , yet she was so strong to go through it all alone! Haseena can't even imagine what she would have done if she was in karishma's place. Karishma broke the hug and haseena again cupped her face giving her a loving kiss on her forehead. "Wo..wo" karishm was interrupted by haseena. "it's ok" she said with a warm smile as if saying you don't need to say anything, I understand you.
"Accha aapko pata h aapki kavita Shaira ko bahut pasand aayi" haseena said diverting the topic and wiping the tear from the corner of her eyes , "she loves poetry and literature, aapki fan ho gyi h wo" karishma again gave her a nod with a small smile.
"Usne kaha isme bahut gehri mohabbat h" haseena said and saw something flash through karishma's eyes but she couldn't read it. She gave her a nod again.
"Aapne wo kiske liye likha tha?" She asked carefully. Karishma was lost in some other world , hearing haseena's words and looking at the moon had taken her back in time. Haseena kept a hand at her shoulder again , "karishma?"
"Hnn?" She came back. "Kiske liye?" She asked again , "Shivani" it was as if before karishma could react the name had already left her mouth because she was lost and haseena asked suddenly.
Haseena was completely shocked , she hadn't believed shaira but...karishma was trying again not to show anything but her face still looked like she was in shock too that she said it out loud. Haseena figured the name slipped out by mistake and Karishma didn't want her to ask anything further. She just said ok without pressing karishma further for the things she is not ready to talk about. She saw her visibly relax but haseena was still in shock , who was Shivani?
"Hum chalte h" haseena said after some time of sitting peacefully beside each other. She got up and smiled at karishma. She turned to leave when karishma held her dupatta from behind.
She turned back and looked at karishma. She wanted to say something, haseena figured. "Boliye"
Karishma struggled with her words for a few minutes and haseena patiently waited for her , karishma then took a deep breath and finally said , "mujhse dosti krogi?"
A smile brighter than the moon formed on haseena's face. "Agar aap hume jhel paye to" she said playfully forwarding her hand , karishma just shook her head with a small smile at her antics and took her hand in for a handshake ,"jhelna tumhe mujhe padega". Haseena smiled "dekhte h"
"Ab hum chalte h" haseena said still smiling. "Main chor du?" Karishma asked. Haseena giggled "hum samne hi rehte h , aap so jaiye before the alcohol gets to your head" karishma just nodded with a smile "good night" both of them said in unison and haseena left.
______________________________________________________________
3rd January, 2024
Lucknow.
"Maa mujhe bahut late ho rha h mera exam miss ho jayega" santu said in tension hurriedly descending the stairs. "Are nashta to kerle" pushpaji said coming from the kitchen while the maids set the breakfast table.
"Nhi main sachme bahut zyada late hu please papa ko kehdo mujhe drop kerde" she said in worry. Meanwhile karishma was coming downstairs in a pleasant mood today after her last night talk with haseena.
"Per beta papa to office chale gye aur Aaj sare drivers ki chhuti h tumhe cab hi kerni hogi" pushpaji informed. "Are yaar , mera pass utna time nhi h ab main kaise pahuchu meri sari mehnat barbaad ho jayegi" santu said frustratedly.
"Subhe subhe itni chid chid kyu ker rhi h?" Karishma asked santu wearing her watch. "Mera exam h aur koi driver available nhi h" she said sadly. "Chal hum chor dete h" karishma offered surprising Pushpaji.
Then she took the car keys , her goggles and phone and walked out of the house not before shouting , "come out in 5 seconds or I am leaving". Here santu and Pushpaji came out of the shock ,"chal chal mood badle isse pehle bhag" pushpaji said and santu almost ran behind karishma taking her bag and giving a kiss to her mother's cheek.
Santu's college was a 30 minutes ride from their home and both of the sisters were sitting silently in the car. Finding karishma in a good mood today instead of her usual stone cold face , though she was still not talking much ,santu asked "aapko padhna accha lagta h?"
"I bet kisi ko accha nhi lagta" came the reply making santu giggle. "that's so true waise aapko hobbies kya kya h?" She asked. "Ghumna... banjaro ki tarah , har jagah , playing chess , taking care of cars and badminton " santu was rather shocked, she expected karishma to say something like being lost for hours or making a stone face world record.
"Hume badminton khelne ka bachpan se bahut shaukh tha but kabhi sath khelne ke liye koi tha hi nhi to kabhi Sikh hi nhi paye" she said sadly while karishma removed her goggles and looked at her. She was hesitant at first but then she managed , "if you want I can play with and may as well teach you some tricks"santu's face lit up like a 1000 Watt bulb.
"Sachme?" She asked with the brightest smile. "Much me" karishma replied, "thank you so much karishma di you are the best" again seeing her happy and hearing her calling her 'Di' and praising her swelled her heart with joy , it was haseena's effect and now when she saw her step sister so happy, it made her happier. After all she always wanted a sister and now she had one.
"Wo ladka kaun h?" Karishma said at the boy giving a love sick smile seeing santu , "wo cheetah h mera best friend " santu informed getting down from the car. "Pakka bestfriend?" Karishma raised an eyebrow and santu blushed shyly , "ha Di bestfriend hi h" she said truthfully , "thik h jao all the best"
Santu walked towards cheetah who was waiting for her outside the college gate but she came back to karishma from half way and Karishma looked at her confused. "I don't know what has got you in the mood , you are in today. But I want this 'what' to happen to you everyday, bye Di" she said genuinely and left making karishma smiled as she mumbled the 'what's name...
"Haseena Malik."