Crush - KarEena

Chapter 13

She felt like getting drunk.

To accomplish this unambitious mission, she'd chosen a bar in Sundance Square. In this popular watering hole, Karishma sat hunched over her second or so Whiskey on the rock.

This bar wouldn't have been her first choice. She would have preferred a seedier bar where the drinks were stiffer, the music sadder, and the customers unhappier. But this lively hangout was right across the street from Trinity Tower, where Ramesh Redi Roy lived like the fucking millionaire that he'd become by killing for hire.

Roy's affluence contributed to Karishma's misery, and heaping one misery onto another somehow seemed appropriate and warranted tonight.

Because of the proximity of Roy's luxury digs combined with her overall feeling like shit, Karishma estimated that it was going to take a couple more bourbons before she started feeling even a little bit better.

"Hey, gym rat, how come you're drinking alone?"

The young woman who plopped down on the stool beside her had dyed black hair and a red T-shirt with YOU BET YOUR ASS THEY'RE REAL spelt out in letters of silver glitter.

"I'll warn you right now, miss, I'm not good company tonight. That's why I'm drinking alone."

"Try me. I'll bet I can stand your company."

Karishma shrugged and signalled the bartender. She ordered a bourbon on the rocks like Karishma. She thanked Karishma for the drink, "I'm Chitra"

"Pleased to meet you, Chitra. I'm Karishma"

"So, why the long face, Krishna? You fought with your significant other?"

Karishma didn't correct her on her name, "In a manner of speaking."

"That sucks"

"Tell me"

"What, was it over?"

"Our falling out? I did something dumb. Lied by omission. Lost trust. You know"

"People do that," Chitra said with the resignation borne of experience, "How come, I wonder"

"Nature of the beast"

"Must be, because we're all the same" Chitra took a big slurp from her drink and tried to lighten the mood with a smile, "Change of subject. What do you do?"

"When?"

"For work, silly"

"Oh. You guessed it. I'm a gym trainer"

"Really? I was just joking. You're a gen-u-wine trainer?"

"Um-huh. Just this afternoon I was working in the gym, with weights for this new famous personality that enjoyed us"

In Karishma's mind, she was comparing the Haseena who had so lovingly groomed her horses, to the one who had soundly rebuked a trio of Mumbai's finest officers. Dr. Malik could not only skilfully wield a scalpel, but she could slash with words just as effectively. Karishma cleared her mind of these images and, playing turnabout, asked Chitra what she did for a living.

"I'm an exotic dancer", Chitra gave her a wicked smile and executed a move that caused the shiny letters to shimmy.

Karishma wasn't impressed, but she let her believe she was. No sense in two people feeling like shit, "Wow"

Flattered, she giggled.

"Where do you perform?"

Chitra's smile faltered, "Well, see, I'm not actually performing yet. I'm still auditioning. Right now, I'm working at this temporary job. Over there. Cleaning condos", She nodded toward the high-rise.