Chapter 3

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Karishma was always a few steps behind Haseena. She is looking out for her by not taking up all of her space and Haseena is more than to appreciate that fact. There are people who actually believe that Karishma is one of Haseena's assistants. They occasionally hand things or pass on the information that her mind cannot comprehend. James is her savior in a way. He would jump in and take care of whatever that is thrown at Karishma although he constantly needs a minute to function properly. The red-eye flight has defeated everyone in one way or another. Haseena seems to be the only one who has enough sleep on the plane. She curled up in her seat and utilized the five-hour in the air well. She is as active and energized as she has always been. Meanwhile, Karishma is sleep deprived. It was a smooth flight but her mind couldn't seem to find enough peace to settle. Fortunately, this is not the first time she has a sleepless night.

"Do you want my coffee?" Haseena offers the iced coffee that she has drunk half of it. She shakes it a bit for the ice and the plastic cup to create such annoying sound just to get Karishma's attention. "No poison. I've tasted it and haven't died."

"Yet." Karishma takes the coffee from Haseena and follows her out of the elevator to her radio station interview. She watches Haseena greet the staff and the DJ hosts with her cheerful smile and her charming eyes. Haseena's passion in what she does amazes her. She really loves what she does and she is really determined to do her very best. She hasn't shown a tiny bit of annoyance to the interview questions that start to get repeated over and over again. People want to know the same exact things and Haseena answers them with the same exact energy that never fails to soar through the roof.

It is a big radio station in New York. Everything looks high-tech and new; even the smell. Haseena's team watches the broadcast session from another side of the glass partition while Haseena settles on the rotating bar stool behind the desk that is filled with the state-of-the-art equipment. For a second, while putting the headphone over her head, Haseena steals her glance at Karishma who seems to be enjoying her leftover coffee as she, again, takes her eyes on the trip of surveillance. There is something about Karishma. She hasn't been able to point it out yet but whatever it is, it draws her in. She is almost like a puzzle book that she wouldn't mind going through page by page just to see what the answer in the end would be.

"You've recently done a cover of your fellow Indian artist's song and the producers decided to put it in a show?" One of the DJ hosts mentions towards the end of the interview.

"Yes. It is super exciting. We've actually planned on making a special video together when he flies up here next week. It would be amazing." Haseena says with genuine excitement that spills out of each word as her eyes suddenly get sparkler.

"We should be able to hear it live." Another DJ says while looking back and forth between Haseena and his co-host. "Can we hear it live right now?"

"We should. Do we have a guitar player here?"

Haseena giggles. "I actually have a pianist with me if you can find me a piano keyboard or something.

"Say no more." The DJ holds up his hand to Haseena. He is as excited to pull this through because he knows if the show turns out to be a big hit, this video of this performance will be the same. "Someone showed me this roll-up piano the other day. Can we somehow get that?"

While the DJs and the radio staff try as fast as they can to pull a spontaneous live performance on the air, Haseena spins the stool to make sure that her eyes land on Karishma whose mouth is shaped into a no. Aanya immediately takes the coffee cup from Karishma's hand while Garry makes sure that she is pushed through the door into the glass-wall room. They don't know this trivia about Karishma but they do know a thing or two about Haseena. They trust Haseena's decisions although sometimes they are not the best ones.

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