Solace

Chapter 41

Koi ek shaqs yun mile
Ki woh miley toh sukoon mile..

Upon entering the office building, Haseena took hurried steps towards the elevator, every step reflecting her reluctance to waste any further time. She was already 40 minutes late, owing to the Delhi traffic and at this point she didn't want to give her colleagues a chance to gossip about how she was irresponsible and thus incompetent for her job. The elevator door was about to close but the person present inside held it open for her.

"Thank you", Haseena said between her uneven breath, moving inside the elevator when she looked up and met with a shock, or a surprise to be fair.

"Whatever my love wants, she gets", Karishma who just stood opposite to her, replied with a charming smile. She looked undeniably attractive in her plain white sleeveless top, tucked in an orange knee length pencil skirt that had gracefully accentuated her figure. Her open hairs rested over her one shoulder as usual, as she leaned on the elevator wall, looking deeply into Haseena's eyes.

A rush of warmth flooded Haseena's cheeks, her palm moistened and her throat went dry as she stood there glued to the ground, staring at Karishma as if her world had narrowed down to the sight in front of her when the elevator door opened once again on the second floor and quite a lot of people rushed inside it, pushing Haseena ahead. Taken off guard, she stumbled upon Karishma who immediately balanced her between her protective arms. "Don't worry, I have got you", Karishma said, her face radiated like the beam of sunshine emerging after a dark stormy night. She felt so complete! Being this close to Haseena, holding her in her embrace and breathing the same air as her, it was all very dreamy yet so fulfilling.

Just in a fraction of a second they came dangerously close to each other and Haseena could feel her heart pounding against her chest erratically as if telling her, "That's where you belong Haseena, with her". But soon enough she distanced herself from Karishma, concealing the storm of emotions swirling inside her but continued to stand facing each other.

"Waise tumne bataya nahi kaisi lag rahi hu? Tumhare liye hi taiyar huyi thi mai", Karishma whispered with a mischievous glint in her voice to which Haseena glared at her. "Chalo koi nahi! Mai bata deti hu", she added, gazing intently at Haseena who was looking ravishing in her black coloured ajrakh print short kurti and blue skinny jeans to go with it while her half opened hair and the red shade of her matte lipstick only added to the allure. "Bohut haseen lag rahi ho, iss dharti ko roshan karnewali chand se bhi haseen!" Karishma uttered as she held Haseena captivated under her unrestricted gaze, regardless of the strangers around them. She lightly traced Haseena's black metal studs with her index finger as their eyes met for a magnetic eyelock, "Black is definitely your colour. See, you look irresistible!" her voice deepened and so was the redness of Haseena's cheeks. Her body started fevering up, feeling Karishma's heated gaze stuck at the mole near her lower lip. "Tumhari yeh til! jab meri nazar ispe padti hai mujhe kuch aur dikhai nahi deti'' Karishma's words echoed in her mind and it became more and more difficult for her to stand on her feet. In a few more seconds the elevator finally reached the sixth floor and Haseena moved out of it at the speed of light.

"What's with the 180 degree shift in her behaviour!" Haseena thought as she leaned her back on her chair, trying to control her uncontrollable senses.

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"Kaint lag rahi ho", Santosh who was standing at the entrance, uttered not before whistling at Karishma.

"Tum normal tarike se baat karogi toh bhi mai bura nahi manungi", Karishma's words dipped with sarcasm as she made her way through the office space, clicking her pencil hill on the floor.

"Such an attention seeker!" Santosh mumbled, rolling her eyes at Karishma who by now had everyone's attention and their eyes fixated on her. They gawked at her elegant form, spellbound by her charm while she walked away, glancing at her right momentarily and her expression changed. The pair of eyes Karishma actually wanted to have on her was looking away as if she had no idea what the hell was going on around her and it irked her, a lot.