Solace

Chapter 33

Santosh was going through some files sitting in her new cabin while Karishma beside her, was looking outside through the glass door with a grimace expression on her face. Her disapproving gaze was fixed on Ishan who was very much engrossed in conversing with Haseena, among the literal hundreds of people present there. As the scene unfolded, a growing sense of uneasiness started to erupt at the corner of her heart, threatening to consume her entirely.

"Yeh kaisa rahega?" Santosh inquired which was pretty ineffective to gain Karishma's attention. "Kya dekh rahi ho uss taraf?" Santosh asked, this time slightly nudging her shoulder, finally being able to break her contemplation.

"Uss Ishan se itni der tak kya baatein kar rahi hai hogi Hasi!" Karishma uttered, urging Santosh to turn her glance outside, at the direction Karishma was looking so intently. "Mere saath toh kabhi ekbar mein itni baatein nahi kari!" The words that escaped her mouth were laden with a deep sense of insecurity but to Santosh they sounded more possessive than anything else.

"Urghh..you are impossible", Santosh groaned, rolling her eyes.

"Dekho zara uss gadhe ko, baat toh aise kar raha hai jaise na jane kitne arse se Hasi ko janta ho", Karishma scoffed, seeing them laughing like old friends in a reunion. "And why the hell she wouldn't stop talking to him!" she muttered, rubbing her hand on her forehead as if trying to lessen a headache.

"Don't be so controlling, Karu. Ab tumhe pasand nahi ayi isliye kya woh kisise baat bhi na kare! Think reasonably, it's unfair to Haseena", Santosh tried to make Karishma realize her irrational behaviour but in vain.

"I am being reasonable!", Karishma chided, looking back at Santosh. "Warna mai uss gadhe ko ab tak yaad dila chuki hoti ke kaise maine usike bat se uska muh tod di thi", the tone of her voice changed her as a sudden anger started to overpower her senses.

"Woh ab tumhari college junior nahi hai, client hai. We are in a project together, bhul gayi kya?", Santosh tried to remind her the changed dynamics in their relationship.

"Meri project hai! Maine start ki hai toh mai khatam bhi kar sakti hu", Karishma retorted. Santosh just gave her a disappointed look before concentrating on the files again.
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As the day extended further so did Karishma's frustration and it only fueled her anger. Amidst these tensions, Amit knocked on Karishma's door, unknown to the storm waiting for him on the other side of the door.

"What the hell!" Karishma roared, slamming the papers on the table. "Ek kaam bhi aplogo se thik se hota nahi hai. Aur jab maine raat bhar jag kar yeh solve kiya phir bhi usse update nahi kar sakte?!" she let out her frustration.

Amit mentally cursed himself thinking how every time he got caught up with his colleague's problems that resulted in getting scolded by Karishma. He finally gathered the courage to speak up, "Ma'am yeh Kashish ji ka kaam tha. Mai toh bas apse check karane laya tha."

"Ap unki PA hai jo unki report ap le aye? Woh khud kyu nahi aa sakti?" Karishma retorted back, with a formidable expression playing on her face.

"Nahi. Bas woh..", Amit couldn't continue as he noticed Karishma giving him a death glare, "Mai abhi unhe bulata hu, just give me one minute." He called for Kashish and escaped from there immediately.

"Why are we still dealing with glitches and why the report is not updated?" Karishma questioned the good looking woman in her late thirties standing in front of her. Kashish was wearing a lavender semi formal shirt and looked a bit reluctant facing Karishma for the very first time, given her prevailing temperament.

"Last one month I have interacted with the finance department regularly and I literally have never seen you, why is that?" Karishma again inquired without letting Kashish answer the previous question. An expression mixed with hesitation and discomfort appeared on Kashish's face but Karishma by no means was in the mood to take notice so she charged again, "Pura din nahi hai mere paas apke jawab sunne ke liye!"