Aa Bi Jaa - Kareena

38

"Karishma Singh, hum aakhri baar pooch rahay hain... batayen, asal mein bat kya hai? Kiyun ap asy keh rahi han." She again asked.

Karishma could feel her heartbeat was racing, thudding loudly in her ears. Her throat was dry, her mind scrambled for words she didn't want to say.

"Bat kuch nahi hai, madam sir... jo humne bataya, wahi sach hai," she stammered, the words feeling foreign in her mouth, as if they weren't hers.

"Matlab, ap yeh kehna chahti hain ke hum maan lein ke ap yeh sab chahti hain?" Haseena jaw clenched.

"Haan, ap shadi kar lejiye..." Karishma's lips trembled as she forced the words out.

For a moment, the air between them grew so tense it was suffocating for Haseena to control herself. Haseena turned away, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Kyun? Is liye kyun ke wo apke bhai hain?"

Karishma's chest tightened, she rushed forward to stand in front of Haseena. "Nahi... unki jagah koi aur bhi hota, tab bhi hum yahi kehte..."

Before she could finish, Haseena grabbed her by the arms. "Toh yeh jo sab kuch ho raha tha humare darmiyan itne dino se... woh sab kya tha? Apka humein apne pyaar ke baare mein batana, humara confession, humara apke kareeb aana? Sab kuch jhooth tha kia ? Kya apne kuch mehsoos nahi kiya?"

As she finished her sentense her voice cracked with anguish. her eyes were searching Karishma's face for any glimmer of truth. But Karishma couldn't meet her gaze, her eyes fixed downward, full of guilt and fear.

"Jawab dijiye....." Haseena demanded, "Apke liye sab jhooth tha kia? Kyun ke humare liye toh yeh humri zindagi ka sabse bada sach hai!"

Karishma remained silent, her chest heaving with emotion, unable to find the words that could ease the ache in Haseena's heart. She had no words.

Haseena, seeing her silence, gently lifted Karishma's chin, forcing her to look into her eyes. "Ap humse pyaar karti hain na?"

Karishma's breath caught in her throat as she looked into Haseena's eyes, eyes full of hope, desperation, and an overwhelming need for reassurance. She wanted to say it, to scream it, but her voice failed her. A lump formed in her throat, suffocating her words.

Seeing the silence stretch, Haseena smiled faintly and released her grip, stepping away, her face crumbling with heartbreak. "Ap humare samne keh nahi pa rahi hain... aur hum yahan apse umeed kar rahe the ke ap sabke samne humare saath khari hongi......." Her voice was laced with disappointment, and it broke Karishma's heart into pieces.

"Wo apse bohot pyaar karte hain," Karishma finally whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Aur apko humara pyaar dikhai nahi diya, Karishma Singh?" Haseena spun around, staring at her in disbelief.

"Ap bhi toh un pyaar karti thi na...," Karishma forced herself to say, "aur shayad aage bhi........."

"Enough..... Karishma Singh!" Haseena's eyes flared with anger.

Her loud, firm tone made Karishma flinch, her shoulders tensing as she looked up into Haseena's burning eyes. "Humare pyaar pe sawaal uthane ka haq hum nay kisi ko nahi diya.......apko bhi nahi."

Karishma knew she had said the wrong thing, something that cut haseena deeper than she had intended. She took a step forward, her voice trembled as she tried to explain, "Madam sir, please samajhne ki koshish kijiye... Ami ne faisla kar liya hai. Wo bahiya ko haan kar chuki hain. Aur hum unse milke aaye hain... wo bohot khush hain... wo aaj bhi apse bohot pyaar karte hain..."

Haseena let out a bitter chuckle, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Toh ap apne bhai ke liye humein sacrifice kar rahi hain..."

Karishma's throat tightened, the truth in Haseena's words too painful to admit aloud. She said nothing, but her silence was confirming everything.