PHOENIX- Rising from the ashes

Chapter 9- I am sorry

It was the dark and cloudy night of the same day. Haseena is no longer in her uniform. In her simple jeans and shirt, she is just Haseena. Standing with the support of her personal car, she is waiting for someone. Her anxious glances are shifting to her wrist watch at every other second.

Finally after ten minutes of wait, Billu arrives there with two large shopping bags. "Billu! Why you are so late?" Haseena moves towards him anxiously and takes the bags from him. Billu gives her quizzing look and shows her his wrist watch, "I am on time, Look!"

Haseena once looked at his wrist watch and then at him. Releasing a deep breath, "Sorry, I have reached before time so, thought that you are late."

"It's okay madam sir, Billu the spy, always at your service." He bend forward cheerfully. Haseena responds with a smile, "Thank you, Billu. Now you should leave." Haseena steps forward but Billu's voice halts her steps, "Let me help you madam sir. They are too much and I don't think today weather is in your favour," he looks at her sincerely.

Haseena chuckles with moist eyes, glances at the shopping bags in her hands once and then at the overcast sky, "I need to do it myself but thank you." She smiles at him genuinely while containing her emotions perfectly. She walks towards the Singh house.

Standing in front of its main gate, she scans the whole compound once and then looks at the clouds. "I will not ask you to change the weather in my favour. Do as you wish. But, I am not going to back out. I need to eliminate all of Karishma's pains tonight and I will do it at any cost."

She places the bags in a corner, under the shade and sits on her feet. She is taking the diyas out of the bag in a way that her back is facing Karishma's window. Billu, who is still standing there, looking at Haseena wants to do something to help her, "I want you to succeed, Madam sir. Only then, we will get our old Karishma madam." he mumbled to himself. Something clicks his mind and she typed a message to Karishma, "Isn't the weather beautiful Karishma madam? It is more peaceful from your window. Don't miss the view, tonight"

Karishma is staring at Billu's weird message, "Is he gone mad? What kind of message is this?" She cringed at him irritably. "What is so special at my window?" she wonders and moves towards it. As soon as she lifts the curtain, she is stunned, "Madam Sir." she mumbles to herself.

Haseena who was about two feet away from her, across the wall felt someone's eyes on her. She at once turns back however Karishma acts more swiftly and at once steps aside from the window. Upon not finding anyone, Haseena resumes taking out the diyas and arranging them in the open compound.

Karishma does not stand openly in front of the window. Instead, she is keeping an eye of Haseena's every move by hiding behind the curtain.

Billu who has seen everything from a distance smiled, "Please God, make everything right between them today." He sends a silent prayer and returns to the station.

Haseena is arranging the diyas in the shape of letter 'S'. she is busy doing her work un-bothered about the eyes of neighbors or any passer by. As she is doing it, her mind automatically wanders in her memory lane.

Madam sir, please, you have to be awake. Please madam sir you can't sleep. Please madam sir. Madam sir. You... talk... talk to me. Listen to me madam sir... nothing will happen to you... Madam sir!! Madam Sir!!" From her eyes to face to her voice, each and every cell of Karishma's body was speaking her love and her fear of losing Haseena as she was trying her best to refrain Haseena from losing consciousness.

"Madam sir, will you be my friend?" "of course, if you are ready to bear my presence." Their shaking hands were not only the announcement of their bond of friendship but also the symbol of the journey they traveled from competitors to friends.