Waking up the next day, Karishma had a hammering headache. She found herself in her room but there was no one beside her. She vaguely remembered sleeping with her Maddam sir, but thought it to be a dream because of alcohol's effect. She got up and searched for her mobile. It was on the bedside table and showed it was 11 am in the morning. She jumped from the bed and hurried to get fresh. Coming out she saw food on the table and a note attached beside it, "Neend se uthkar pehle nimbu paani peejiye aur nashta karke dawaai lelijiye aur thodi der rest le lena, aaj aapko half day duty karni hai."
She smiled reading the note and realized that it was really Haseena with whom she slept last night. She finished her breakfast and called Cheeta to know about last night and Cheeta told her the happenings, Karishma's being drunk and how Haseena was jealous of the girl and shooed the girl away. Taking in the information, she hastily put her uniform on and rushed to the station. She reached there by 12 pm. and went to Haseena's cabin directly.
Karishma, "Jai Hind Maddam sir, woh aaj hume aane mein thoda der hogaya hai. Iskeliye maafi chahte hai. Par hum overtime karke iye pura kardenge sara kaam."
Haseena, "Haan jaante hai. Waise theek to hai na aap?"
Karishma, "Haan theek hai hum."
Haseena, "Kuch khaya hai ya aise hi chale aaye neend se uthkar?"
Karishma, "Kisine bohot pyaar se khaana rakha tha, to hum khakar aaye hai."
Haseena, "Sar dard to nahi hain?"
Karishma, "Nahi, bilkul choukas hai hum."
Haseena, "Good, jaaiye phir, duty kariye apna."
Karishma saluted her and went out of her cabin. She came to Pushpaji but Pushpaji turned her face.
Karishma tried to sound sweet, "Amma, naraaz hai kya humse?"
Pushpaji, "Nahi to, naraaz kuy honge! Bhala hume koi adhikar hai aapke zindagi mein! Aapka zindagi, aapki iccha, jab jaha man kya chale gaaye, hum kaun hote hai chinta karne ki, naraaz hone ki?"
Karishma kneeled down and put her head on Pushpaji's lap, "Sorry na Amma, galati hogayi hai. Aage se nahi hoga. Maaf kardijiye."
Pushpaji knew the reason behind her daughter's heartache and so she didn't push it more for her, "Haan, maaf kya. Par yahi aakri baar hona chahiye. Warna aagli baar hum aise tumahri kaan kheechke nikal lenge."
Saying so she pulled Karishma's right ear slightly. Karishma, "Haan matashree, jo agya."
She rose and kissed Pushpaji's forehead, "Abhi hume kaam hai, waise hi late aaye hai. Hum kaam khatam karlete hai."
Pushpaji caressed her hair, "Jaaiye."
Karishma went to her desk and started working attentively.
The day passed away and everyone remained busy with their workload. Duty hours were over and Pushpaji had gone home with Santu, Karishma also sent Cheeta to go home and take rest and come after 4 hours as she will be there in the station. Billu had gone out to bring tea for Karishma from her favorite place. Haseena came out and saw the station was empty and there was only Karishma working on her desk.
Haseena, "Karishma Singh, sab log kaha gaye?"
Karishma stood up from her chair, "Jai Hind Maddam sir."
Haseena, "Jai Hind. Relax, Karishma, duty hours khatam ho chuke hai."
Karishma, "Haan, Amma aur Santu ghar chale gaaye aur Cheeta ko humne ghar bheja hai taki woh thoda rest lesake. Hum to hai yaha kuch ghante aur. Bille humare liye chaaye lene gaaya hai."
Haseena, "Ohh, to hum ruk jate hai aapke sath."
Karishma, "Aree nahi nahi Maddam sir, aap ghar jaaiye aur araam kijiye. Aap thaki hui hai."
Haseena, "Waise hume aapse baat bhi karni hai."
Now Karishma becomes nervous as she knew Haseena would definitely talk to her about last night. She kept silent.
Haseena, "Kya hua?"
Karishma,"Nahi, kuch bhi to nahi. Aap baithiye nah."
Haseena sat on the chair, "Aapko Ammi ne ghar bulaya hai. Aaj hi aur kaha hai ki bohot urgent hai."
Karishma, "Kahe? Hum kal chale jaayenge. Aaj hume kaam hai thoda."
Haseena asked suspiciously, "Hum thaana in-charge hai aur jaha tak hume pata hai, aapko in kuch file khatam karne ke alawa aur koi kaam nahi hai. To aur konsa kaam hai?"
Karishma couldn't find any excuse and said, "Par hume nahi jaana. Aaj Ammi ka dimaag tapa hua hai. Hum kal jaayenge to daant bhi kam padegi aur maar bhi."
Haseena, "Aur aapko kyu lagta hai ki Ammi aapko daantegi?"
Karishma, "Woh..hum...aap to jaante hai na. Humne kal sharab pee thi, aur unhe ye sab nahi pasand."
Haseena, "Humne kisiko nahi bataya kal ki baat. Bas itna kehdiye ki aap ek case ke silsile mein sheher se bahaar gaaye the. Ammi aur Amma kisiko nahi pataa."
Karishma, "Saach mein?"
Haseena nodded her head.
Karishma, "Wah Maddam sir, aapne ye badiya kiya hai. To hum aaj hi chale jaayenge aapke ghar."
Haseena smiled and said, "Phir hum aapka intezaar kar rahe hai. Aap akela bore ho jaayenge."
Karishma, "Nahi Maddam sir, aap ghar jaaiye, hum bas 2 3 ghante mein Ammi se milne jarahe hai. Cheeta wapas aajaye to hum nikal jaayenge."
Haseena, "Par hum ruk jaate hai na. Aur aapki madat bhi kar dete hai."
Karishma, "Nahi nahi, aap ghar jaaiye."
Haseena now called her name angrily, "Karishma, hum ruk rahe hai aur ye final hai."
Karishma had no other way. She sat down accepting her defeat, Accha, aap gym room mein se jaake kapde change kar lijiye aur araam kijiye. Hum bas ye do file check karke aate hai."
Haseena went towards the gym room and Karishma started working.
15 minutes later, Karishma wrapped up her work and went towards the gym room. But her breath hitched seeing the serene scene unfolding in front of her. She stood at the doorstep of the gym room like a statue trying to take in the beauty and hotness Haseena was exuding.
Haseena was stretching her body on a mat. She was wearing a loose, short sleeve tshirt with a knot on one side. She didn't notice Karishma gaping at her. She turned to change the pose and saw Karishma was watching her intently standing at the doorstep. Haseena could see the admiration in Karishma's eyes and she enjoyed the attention Karishma was giving her. But she decided to break her trance.
Haseena said in a bit louder voice, "Karishma, andar aaiye. Hum khali baithe the to socha thoda yoga karle."
Karishma though came out of her trance but couldn't form any word. She quietly entered the room and sat on the sofa while Haseena untied the knot of her t-shirt and freshened up.
Coming back she saw Billu was also there talking with Karishma. There was a parcel kept on the table. When Haseena came out of the washroom, Billu went out of the room and Haseena sat beside Karishma. Billu came back with Haseena's mug and a plate. Giving those to Karishma, he again went away.
Karishma poured tea for Haseena and herself and put the snacks on the plate.
Karishma, "Lijiye Maddam sir, humari to suni nahi aapne, ghar gaaye nahi aap. Kuch kha lijiye."
Haseena smiled at the caring side of her SI and started eating the snacks. While eating, she was thinking how to start the conversation regarding yesterday's occurrences as she knew Karishma will not open up easily.
She put her tea aside as she doesn't like to drink her tea too hot. Karishma also put her tea cup aside. She knew Haseena is preparing to start a conversation and she also knew the topic. She prepared herself to answer her questions and repel the matter.
Haseena was fidgeting with her fingers and after a while she broke the silence, "Karishma, aap kisi baat se pareshaan hai kya?"
Karishma smiled inwardly realizing she was right guessing Haseena's actions.
She replied, "Nahi Maddam sir, aap kahe puch rahe ye baat."
Haseena, "Hum isliye poonch rahe hai kyuki aapne kaal raat sharab pee thi. Aap koi shaukh se to nahi pee thi, shayaad koi pareshaani hogi isiliye to aapne..."
Karishma hurried to stop Haseena, "Maddam sir aisi koi baat nahi hai. Aap khamakha chinta kar rahi hsi. Hum waha aapni khabri se milne gaaye the. Phir humne socha ki thodi pee lete hai, phir kab hume chad gaya pata nahi chala."
Haseena looked into Karishma's eyes. She was not convinced by the story Karishma made up but decided not to pressurize Karishma. She only hummed and nodded her head but said nothing.
Karishma also understood that Haseena was not convinced by this story but the way she didn't make Karishma uncomfortable increased her devotion towards her Maddam sir.
Karishma quickly changed the topic and started conversing about other things.
Time passed by and Cheeta came back. Karishma warned him not to sleep during duty hours and KarEena left the station for Haseena's house.
Karishma entered the house being frightened as she was expecting to go through Ammi's rebuke.
Haseena said aloud entering the house with the duplicate key, "Ammi hum aagaye aur aapke laadle ko bhi le aaye hai."
Ammi came out of her room and behind her there was Pushpaji and Santu. Haseena and Karishma both got shocked to see the duo there.
Karishma, "Ama, Santu aur Amma aap dono yaha kya kar rahe hai!"
Pushpaji, "Tum hume batakar jaate ho ki Amma hum yaha jarahe hai, hum waha jarahe hai. Tum to apni marzi ki malik ho. To hum kyu tumhe kaifiyat de?"
Karishma was dumbfounded listening to Pushpaji's dialogue. Haseena and Santu suppressed their laughter seeing the dumb expression of Karishma. Ammi came to her rescue, "Are Pushpee rehne de, aage se aisa nahi karegi Krishu, theek hai na?"
Karishma immediately respond, "Haan haan, Ammi, kabhi nahi karenge."
Ammi, "Chal ja fresh hokar aaja, khaana lagati hoon. Bhook lagi hogi tujhe."
Karishma, "Haan, ammi bohot jor ki."
Haseena and Karishma went to their respective rooms.
After half an hour, all sat to eat together.
Karishma, "Ammi waise koi baat hai kya jo aapne sabko bulaya hai?"
Ammi, "Baat to hai, aur bohot badi baat hai. Maine Haseena ki shaadi tay kardi hai iss ladke ke saath."
Karishma choked on her food hearing that. Haseena and Santu hurried to give her water and massaged her back.
Karishma said to Haseena and Santu, "Hum theek hai."
Karishma, to Ammi, "Itni jaldi! Matlab ladke ki chanbeen?"
Haseena, "Aur Ammi humse nahi pucha aapne? Humari marzi maine rakhti hai ya nahi?"
Ammi, "Humne karli hai chanbeen, aur hume bohot hi zyada pasand hai ladka."
Haseena, "Par hume nahi pasand."
Ammi, "Koi baat nahi, kuch din saath ghumo, ek duare ko jaanlo fir bataana."
Haseena, "Par Ammi hum chahte hi nahi hai."
Ammi, "Aree, tu to shuru se hi mana kar rahi hai. Pahle mil to le ladke se. Ladka NRI hai, uski to mansikta bhi purane nahi honge. Ja mil le."
Haseena dejectedly nodded her head.
Karishma didn't say anything and finished eating silently. Haseena looked at her for several times to see her reaction but Karishma was sitting with a expressionless face.
.
.
From that night it has been three days and Karishma was doing her best to avoid Haseena, well Haseena felt like that. Because earlier Karishma has been much more busier but she never neglected Haseena for once. But for the last three days, she was showing herself so busy that they haven't even talked informally and Haseena couldn't find out the reason. If it's about the groom hunting then it has happened before and Karishma gave her new ideas how to drive away the grooms but this time she was behaving abnormally. Haseena was fed up with this only in three days and decided to talk to Karishma regarding this after today's duty hours were over.
It was 7 pm and Haseena had completed her works. Now she searched for Karishma to discuss about her weird behavior. She came out of her cabin but Karishma was not in her desk. Santu and Pushpaji had already gone home, Karishma's bike was standing outside and this means she should be here somewhere. Haseena walked towards the gym room. But she stopped in her track hearing Karishma's words she was saying to Cheeta and Billu present in the room.
Karishma, "Humara dam ghut raha hai. Hum baya nahi kar parahe hai kaisa mehsoos kar rahe hai. Ab humse ye aur nahi hoga. Hum unke dost bankar nahi rehna chahte. Hum Maddam sir se kal hi keh denge."
Cheeta, "Madam thoda ruk jaaiye acche se tayyari kar lijiye."
Karishma, "Itna dikhawe ki jaroorat nahi hai. Hum unse seedha keh denge aur tanta hi khatam. Jo hoga dekha jaayega."
Billu, "Koi help chahiye to hume batana Madam "
Karishma just hummed and was about to walk out of the room. Haseena ran towards her cabin and taking her jeep keys stormed off the station crying. Haseena drove the jeep to her house and didn't bother wiping her tears that were flowing endlessly. How could she just accept that the person she wants to confess her feelings is no longer interested in her. She couldn't make her heart understand that the last person on earth she would like to be angry with her is now saying that she doesn't want her, "Woh humse dosti tak nahi rakhna chahte aur hum unse pyaar ki ummeed lagaye baithe hai itne din. Unka dam ghut'ta hai humare saath! Hum unhe kabhi apna pyaar nahi jata paaye, woh jo karti hai humare liye sabkuch bas ek senior ke hesiyat se karti aayi hai. Aur hum sochte reh gaaye ki unhe humse mohabbat hai."
She reached her home in a heartbroken state but didn't showed it to her mother. She just told her she would not be eating anything, she had eaten at the station.
Ammi didn't force her as it was common for Haseena to eat with Karishma whenever they got time. She thought it to be normal like other days.
Haseena felt restless and she couldn't just agree that all the emotions and affection she found in Karishma's eyes were fake or just for a senior. She didn't even realize when she fell asleep crying.
YOU ARE READING
KarEena One Shots
Roman d'amourJust some thoughts and imaginations roaming in my mind which I tried to write as OS or TS. I'm not any professional writer. Just writing for my own satisfaction. Feel free to convey your thoughts and suggestions to improve my writing.