HIDDEN LOVE (Part 2 of SECRET LOVE)

CHP 3

As Karishma sat back in her chair, eyes closed, the day's encounters playing in her mind, she drifted off into a gentle dream, one that took her back to a golden afternoon from years ago.

In her dream, she was standing in the old school courtyard, watching a younger Haseena—innocent, cheerful, and full of life—running around with her friends, her laughter echoing through the air. Karishma couldn’t help but smile as she watched, her heart swelling with pride and affection for her once-student.

The scene shifted gently, as dreams often do, and suddenly, Haseena was no longer the young girl from the past. She was standing right beside Karishma, her presence calm yet powerful. She was the Haseena Karishma had seen today—a woman of quiet confidence and elegance, her eyes filled with kindness. Her smile was soft yet spoke volumes, a familiar warmth glowing within it. Without a word, she reached out and took Karishma’s hand, their fingers intertwining with a tenderness that felt both new and achingly familiar.

“Ma’am,” Haseena’s voice was a soft murmur, rich with emotions that words could barely capture, “You’ve always been there for me… even when I didn’t know I needed it.” Karishma felt her heart skip a beat, her chest tightening with emotions she couldn’t quite name.

There was a depth in those simple words, a recognition of the bond they shared—a bond that neither time nor distance could ever diminish. The warmth of Haseena’s hand in hers, the softness of her gaze, the way her presence wrapped around her like a gentle embrace—it was all so breathtakingly real, yet so dreamlike.

“Ma’am,” she murmured, her voice barely more than a whisper, “not a single day went by when I didn’t remember you. You were always… always there in my heart.”

Karishma wanted to respond, to tell Haseena how deeply she had affected her, how many times she’d caught herself thinking about her even without reason, how proud she was of the woman she had become, but the words seemed caught in her throat, heavy with the feelings she had long kept hidden. All she could do was squeeze Haseena’s hand gently, hoping it would convey everything her voice couldn’t.

Just as she began to find her voice, the dream began to fade, Haseena’s hand slipping from hers as the cabin filled with shadows. Karishma reached out, her heart aching to hold on a little longer, but the warmth disappeared, leaving her alone in the quiet room.

Her eyes fluttered open, and she found herself back in the stillness of her cabin, yet the memory of Haseena’s touch lingered as if it had truly happened. A gentle, bittersweet smile touched her lips as she whispered to herself, “Maybe… maybe this isn’t just a dream.”

A sudden knock broke her reverie. She went to open the door, finding a peon standing there with a message. "Ma’am, aapko Mr. KD ne bulaya hai," he informed her. Karishma nodded, and the peon left, leaving her to gather her thoughts before she headed toward the office.

Meanwhile, in a nearby corridor, Haseena was chatting animatedly with her friend, Ishika, the excitement evident on her face.

"Oye ab to dekhli tu apni Karishma ma'am ko kaisa lag raha ab" Ishika asked, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Haseena’s face softened as memories of their encounter flooded back. “Kaisa lag raha?” she repeated, a dreamy smile creeping onto her lips. “Bruh itni khushi ho rahi hai words me nahi bata sakte unhe dekha tha to esa laga tha jaise baki sab kuch dhundhla ho gaya, wakt jaise ruk gaya ho. Vo chehra jise dekhke hame vo sukoon milta hai jo duniya ki koi aur cheez nhi de sakti, man kar raha tha ki” She sighed wistfully. "Kaash duniya wahi ruk jati..."

Just as Haseena was lost in her blissful recollection, her expression shifted, irritation creeping into her tone. “lekin us football ne poora dimag kharab kar diya beech me ludakne ki kya jarurat thi usko. Ham na sach me iska football banayenge ek din aur kick markar hawa me itna door uchalenge ki kabhi neeche nahi aayega ye" she muttered, her teeth grinding in frustration.