"Excuse me?"
"Have you ever killed anyone?" Karishma repeated. "Like, you know, murder or whatever."
"Are you sure you want to know the answer to that?" Haseena questioned back. Gone was any trace of a smile on her face as she stared at the chef with the kind of intensity that almost made Karishma to close the door and hide inside her. apartment for the rest of the week.
"I..." Karishma trailed off. She didn't want to doubt herself. She had been avoiding getting to know more about Haseena in the fear of disliking what she could potentially learn. But it was bound to happen sooner or later. "Yes. I'm sure."
"Can I come in?"
"No," Karishma replied without wasting a second, making Haseena nod solemnly. Karishma frowned, gripping the frame of the door as she continued. "Does that bother you? That I don't let you in my house?"
"No," Haseena shook her head. "I get it. I understand that I invaded your privacy the first time we met by breaking into your home. So it makes sense why you're drawing this boundary to regain a sense of control. I respect that. It doesn't bother me, but I hope someday I can earn your trust."
"Uh..." Karishma blinked. "Did you just psychoanalyze me?"
"I've been taking college classes online." Haseena answered.
"Really? What are you majoring in?" Karishma asked, before groaning. "No. Ignore that for now. You still haven't answered my previous question."
"Have I ever killed anyone?"
"Yes. Have you?"
Karishma didn't like the way Haseena was taking her time. It was a really simple yes or no question, and with each passing second her heart rate was growing faster and faster. She was afraid she'd have cardiac arrest if Haseena kept her hanging any longer.
"No. Not really, I guess," Haseena muttered.
"Not really...you guess!?" Karishma exclaimed. "What is that even supposed to mean? You have either killed someone, or you haven't! What exactly are you guessing here!?"
"Uh," Haseena scratched the back of her neck as she shrugged. "I haven't killed anyone, but remember that shoot-out I was telling you about? Back when I was cop? I did hit someone, but he survived, thankfully. So...yeah."
"Oh."
So she shot someone in the line of duty. Karishma didn't know how she felt about that, but the bottom line was that Haseena had never killed anyone. Karishma breathed out in relief at the information. It was a line she wasn't willing to cross under any circumstance, no matter who the person in front of her was. So she was glad...
Glad!? Karishma’s eyes widened. No! She shouldn't be glad! This meant that she had less of a reason to separate herself from Haseena which was what she wanted to do in the first place!
Yep. I'm fucked.
"Ready to go now?" Haseena asked.
"Sure."
"Business, by the way," Haseena spoke once they were in the car and on their way to her place.
"Huh?"
"You asked what I was majoring in," Haseena elaborated. "Business studies. Though I'm taking some random classes I find interesting too. Like psychology and this one paper on mythology."
"Oh. I see," Karishma hummed. "That's cool. When do you even find the time?"
"What do you think I do in Shawn's office when I'm not bothering you in the kitchen?" Haseena glanced at Karishma with a teasing smile.
