Solace

Chapter 35

A group of young people were having their drinks, sitting together. Their eyes were stuck on the corner of the poolside where their friend was seen chatting with a gorgeous looking girl dressed in sari.

"Iss baar Haseena maan hi jayegi", a young man from the group said with conviction.

"I don't think so. Pehle bhi toh reject ki thi", another one argued.

"Lagi shart?" the former one enthusiastically suggested, glancing back at the latter.

"Tumlog apna bakwas bandh karoge! Ishan is serious about her", this time it was a girl who spoke.

"Woh toh dikhta hai", the second man chuckled looking towards Ishan who was pretty much leaning on Haseena. "Uska bas chale toh abhi mang bhar de aur...", his words remained in his mouth, noticing a familiar figure shooting daggers at them with her eyes. "Karishma ma'am!" he mumbled, struck with an unknown fear, wondering what he had done wrong.

"Leave!" Karishma's voice was stern and quite clear for all three of them to hear to which they complied instantly. She took purposeful steps towards Ishan and every step reflected the furious animosity she felt towards him.

"I'm sorry. Mai apko pareshan nahi karta agar mujhe pata hota ki ap relationship mei hai", Ishan murmured in an apologetic tone, taking a step forward. "I just liked you so much, it made me a bit persistent..", his voice trailed off, creating a heavy silence around them but only for a few seconds as Karishma pulled him through his collar to face her and hit him on his stomach with her right knee. Having caught off guard, Ishan couldn't resist much and fell on the floor, winching in pain. Haseena tried to stop the things from getting worse but her resistance met with Karishma's anger.

"Yeh baat yaha khatam nahi huyi", Karishma warned him before leaving the place, as the burning rage inside her didn't lessen even after this aggressive confrontation.

....About two hours ago...

Ishaaro ishaaro mein dil lene wale
Bataa ye hunar tune sikha kahan se..

Haseena set the volume a bit up as the soulful melody flowed through the air, adding to the soothing ambience of the evening. She leaned on the window as her fingers started to dance on her lap along with the rhythm of the music.

"Ap bhi kamal karti hai Haseena. Party mei ja rahi hai jab mood toh apka shayari ka hai", Cheetah remarked with a playful smile, glancing at Haseena seated on the passenger seat.

"Sach kahe toh party is not really my place. Bas Karishma hogi toh..", Haseena said as her fingers continued to make patterns on her lap.

"Karishma hoti hai toh apko mouhol ya logo se koi farak nahi padta, hai na!" Cheetah said with a smile, averting his gaze back at the road. "Waise aj Karishma ko bhi log ya jagah se kuch khaas farak padne nahi wali", he remarked playfully and found Haseena raising her eyebrow at him. "Apse nazar hategi toh kuch aur nazar ayegi na usse", Cheetah teased.

A sudden rush of warmth flooded Haseena's cheeks, painting redness all over them. "Cheetah!!" she scowled at him, trying to hide her flushed face. Haseena was indeed looking mesmerizing in a bottle green silk sari with light golden accessories complementing her look. Her hair was tied in a loose bun, partly revealing the smoothness of the skin of her back while a few hair strands touched her face as a gust of wind blew every now and then.

"Accha sorry sorry!!", Cheetah managed not to laugh. "Karu ko ekbar call kar lete hai, pata toh chale kahan tak pouche woh log", saying this he lowered the music and handed his phone to Haseena as he was driving.

"Haan bol Cheeteh", Karishma spoke from the other side of the phone, her irritation was very much evident in her voice.

Haseena gestured Cheetah to speak, nudging his shoulder. "Kahan ho tumlog?" Cheetah asked.