HIDDEN LOVE (Part 2 of SECRET LOVE)

CHP 9

After a few days, it was around 4 pm. Haseena had just finished teaching her class and needed to get her supervisor, i.e., Karishma, to sign her teaching record book. She quickly packed her belongings into her bag and hurried out of the classroom, anxious about catching her bus. As she briskly walked towards Karishma’s cabin, she flipped through the pages of her record book, searching for the section where she needed the signature.

Meanwhile, Karishma had just stood up from her chair, a thought dawning on her as she stepped out of her cabin. Haseena, absorbed in her book, wasn’t paying attention to her surroundings. She didn’t notice Karishma coming from the opposite direction, her focus fixed on her phone.

The inevitable happened. Haseena bumped into Karishma, completely losing her balance. Karishma’s phone slipped from her hand as she instinctively reached out to steady Haseena but couldn’t grab hold of her in time. It all happened in an instant—Haseena’s record book slipped from her grip, scattering pages as she fell to the ground.

“Aahhhhh!” Haseena cried out sharply, pain shooting through her as her leg collided with a metal stool nearby.

“Haseena!” Karishma exclaimed, her voice thick with concern and alarm as she quickly knelt beside her. “Haseena, kya hua tumhe? Sorry… hum tumhe girne se bacha nahi paaye!” Her guilt and worry were evident in her trembling voice.

“Nahi, ma’am… sorry… ahhh… mat boliye,” Haseena stammered, her words interspersed with soft cries of pain. “Hum hi… samne… uhhh… dekh ke nahi chal rahe the… ouch,” she winced again, clutching her leg tightly with both hands as if trying to ease the throbbing ache. Her eyes squinted in discomfort, her lips pressing together in an effort to suppress the cry threatening to escape.

Karishma’s heart sank as she watched Haseena writhe in pain, her own eyes welling up with unshed tears. The sight of Haseena suffering was unbearable, and a lump formed in her throat. "Tum... tum aao hamare saath," Karishma stammered, her voice trembling with concern as she extended a hand toward Haseena. Her wet eyes betrayed the depth of her worry.

"N-nahi ma’am… hum… hum theek hai," Haseena tried to assure her, wincing as she attempted to get up. But the moment she put pressure on her injured leg, a sharp cry escaped her lips, "Aahhhh!" She collapsed back down, clutching her leg.

“Tum… tum bilkul mat hilo,” Karishma instructed firmly, her tone a mix of authority and care as she instinctively reached out to steady Haseena. Her hands gripped Haseena’s arm gently but firmly. "Sambhal kar," she said, her voice thick with concern.

But as Haseena tried to place her foot down again, she let out a gasp, her face contorting with pain. Her leg gave way once more, and she stumbled forward. Acting without hesitation, Karishma's other hand shot out, gripping Haseena's waist firmly to prevent her from falling.

And then, something unexpected happened.

The moment Karishma's fingers brushed against the bare skin of Haseena's waist, a wave of something unfamiliar and overpowering coursed through her. It was as if the world around her paused for a heartbeat. A sudden heat rushed through her body, spreading like wildfire—intense and undeniable. Her breath hitched, and for a moment, she froze.

The sensation was electric, a current that seemed to awaken something deep within her, something she had never felt before. Her hand lingered, the softness of Haseena's skin igniting a quiet fire in the pit of her stomach. It was intoxicating, overwhelming, and entirely unexpected.

Her gaze dropped to Haseena, and in that brief second, her eyes betrayed more than admiration—there was desire, raw and unbidden. The intensity of it shook her, but reality crashed back as she noticed Haseena's eyes squeezed shut in pain.