Chapter – 19 – Nautanki and Novio
HAPPY READING!
KUNJ (POV)
I paced around the room clenching and unclenching my fists angrily. How dare that bone head touch Twinkle.
I closed my eyes shut remembering how she danced with Draxe, her body pressed closely against him.
That should have been me.
No. It was supposed to be me.
Well, unless you decided to be a coward and backed off.
‘It will go away’
I can’t get these words out of my head. She expressed her feelings for me even though she was drunk.
She had feelings for me.
I kicked the table in the room groaning out loud and heard the door to the room close. “Tch.Tch” Theo shook his head pressing his lips in a thin line, “You just damaged private property”
“How’s she” I ignored his words and sat down on the chair avoiding his gaze. “Just tucked her into bed, Chloe’s with her. She’s pretty drunk” he sighed settling down on the bed but I could see how he kept his voice guarded around me this time.
“She’s hurting” Theo mumbled running a hand through his hair. “You don’t get it,Kunj. This on and off thing of your feelings is driving her insane” He hissed at me pointing his finger at me.
“And you think I don’t know that?” I held back the anger. “It’s twice as hard for me as it is for her”
“I told you” his voice dropping down looking at me with a sad look, “It wasn’t your fault” he shook his head at me. “It wasn’t”
“How is it not my fault?” I yelled kicking the chair back as I stood up, “Tell me. If it wasn’t me, Twinkle wouldn’t have been threatened anyway”
“It wasn’t your fault” He yelled back pointing at me, “It was fate. Zindan’s son would have seen her anyway”
Before Twinkle’s 16th birthday, I couldn’t look for more excuses to spend time with Twinkle so I secretly gifted her and her friends Disneyland tickets.
I accompanied them too. Thinking I might tell her how I feel about her.
Eighteen years of life, I have been in love with the Twinkle. Eighteen years and I am counting more.
Eighteen years, Huh? I don’t see the courage yet…
I have been in love with her since the moment I held her hand helping her draw animals on her sketchbook.
I have been in love with her since she started watching Mulan. The way she smiled talking about Mulan, the way she would innocently look at everyone thinking they might go crazy for Mulan like her, the way she enthusiastically cheers at every scene.
I have been in love with her since the day she told me to help her save China. The day she never stepped back afraid from the guys bullying her.
I have been in love with her since she’s been my sister’s best friend. How she became family and loved mine like her own.
I have been in love with her since the times she has trusted me blindly. Allowed me to help her knowing how much of an a*sh*le I was.
I have been in love with her the moment she decided to go skinny dipping with me trusting me with her soul.
But now I have fallen for her more.
Deeply and badly. And there’s no going back.
The guilt that Zindan’s son saw Twinkle in Disneyland that day would never fade away. If I hadn’t planned all this, she wouldn’t be threatened.
But my biggest fear stopping me from being with Twinkle is me, myself.
“I’ll hurt her. I know” I mumbled running a hand through my hair, “I don’t deserve her. She’s way too good for me. One wrong thing, and I break her apart like this”
I snapped my fingers and Theo sighed shaking his head, “Don’t you see it? You are miserable without her. Dude, you have been in love with that girl your whole life”
“How would I keep her happy?” I snapped glaring at him, “Tell me. How? I couldn’t gather up the courage to tell her because I am a coward who thinks he’s good for no one. I have anxiety. I get panic attacks, Theo. You know that”
I breathed heavily and Theo’s expression softened. “Hey. Hey. Calm down” he patted my back helping me on the bed. “I know” he whispered nodding at me, “Calm down, Alright? Twinkle would never judge you on that basis. You know that”
“She’s falling for you” He muttered smiling a bit, “She is. And it’s high time you step up”
“I will. I will” I mumbled nodding at him.
●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●
Twinkle (POV)
“Wake up in the morning feeling like P Diddy
Grab my glasses, I’m out the door; I’m gonna hit this city.
Before I leave, brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack”
Yuvi kept singing in his annoying voice and I groaned stuffing my face harder in the pillow “Yuvraj Sarna! Get out. Right now. I swear upon your shit I’ll kill you”
“Oh please” he scoffed jumping on the bed and I grumbled turning around to lie on my back. I squinted my eyes adjusting to the light, “Why are you here?”
I grimaced at my sore throat and Yuvi smirked, “Well, sister. Apparently, you drank a lot last night. That’s why you have a hangover”
“Oh shit. For real?” I gasped sarcastically and he rolled his eyes at me. “Get up, lazy ass. Dhruv’s already finished half of the waffles stack”
My mood immediately turned sour again. “What?” Yuvi asks examining my expression and I shrugged shaking my head, “Nothing”
“No really. You gave ‘I don’t like the person’ expression when I mentioned Dhruv” He remarked pointing at me and I sighed. “You knew right? About Chloe?” I muttered in a small voice and his eyes widened a fraction before he cleared his throat.
“Yeah” he mumbled avoiding my gaze, “Dhruv’s been an ass regarding this. It’s better if you talk to him on your own”
I shrugged giving him a small nod, “I can’t promise I’ll held myself from tearing his eyeballs out”
“Damn sister. Aren’t you being extremely wild?” Yuvi stood up stretching, “See you downstairs. There’s an advil beside your bed”
“Thank you for literally chewing my brain and then informing me how there already was an advil” I called after him and he turned smirking, “This is what siblings are for”
Yuvi the nautanki.
What a nice documentary would it be.
●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●
“Hey Hey mini Mulan” I waved beaming at Sarah and she grinned hopping down from the couch running towards me. “Hey Twinki”
“How was your day?” I ask her scooping her up in my arms and she grinned, “It was great. Aunty invited Sam too” she whispered the last part and I smirked, “That’s interesting. Did you have your breakfast?”
“Yup” She nodded smiling, “Big guy gave it to me” she landed on her feet pointing at Dhruv who was avoiding my gaze.
“Where’s everyone else?” I ask her helping her collect her toys. “Sleeping. Yuvi and Kunj went out with Seb for grocery shopping”
My smiled faded the moment she mentioned Kunj’s name and I nodded swallowing the bitter taste. “I am going to play in my room. Bye” she grinned kissing my cheek and ran upstairs carrying her toys.
Damn it.
I confessed about those confusing feelings to Kunj last night and embarrassed myself more.
How could I be so careless?
I recklessly danced with Draxe last night and those thoughts still has me shuddering visibly.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
And that coward Kunj. And his so called freaking excuses.
“Twinkle. Leave it” I snapped out of my thoughts looking at Dhruv who snatched the pieces of plastic knife from my hand. “You broke it. It could have hurt you” he mumbled throwing away the pieces in the bin.
I simply sighed sitting on the couch, “It was just plastic”
“We need to talk” Dhruv said sitting beside me and I shifted away scoffing, “Sure. Go ahead. And fill me up with excuses of how you slept with my best friend and then left her rotting on her own”
“I am sorry” He whispered and I turn my face to look at him. “You should be. But not to me. To that girl whom you’ve hurt”
“Twinkle, I.. I l-l” He stuttered and squeezed his eyes shut running a hand through his hair frustrated, “I love her. Damn it. I am f**king in love with her”
I looked on swallowing audibly.
Seventeen years of my life and I have never seen this side of Dhruv. To me, he was always the sun shine brother. Cheering me up on my gloomy days, helping me learn tricks to play big pranks and pushing me into the dating and love life.
But now in front of me sat my big brother. Happiness replaced with vulnerability, smile replaced with a frown making my heart clench at how sad he looked.
“Dhruv” I muttered shifting closer and placed a hand on his head which was hung low, “Hey. Don’t cry” My voice broke in the end and I hugged him from the side cradling him slightly. “I am right here. Everything would be okay” I mumbled kissing the top of his head.
“I don’t regret I sl-slept his with her” He breathed out wiping the stay tears. “I won’t. Never. I was scared, Twinkle. Chloe’s younger than me and I thought she might think I just screwed her. Taking advantage of her”
“It’s all messed up” He inhaled deeply shaking his head, “It was Nat one side. And then Chloe; the girl I f**king cherished my whole life but couldn’t gather up the balls because all along I thought about the society”
“Thinking how they might make her life a living hell accusing her of screwing up with a guy older than her. Or how she lost virginity at a young age. I truly respected and cherished what we both had, Twinkle. I still do”
“Listen up, brother” I placed a hand on his cheek, “That’s some f**ked up thing you talking about. You love her. She loves you. And no one. I mean it, no one can judge your situation. Love can strike up anywhere, Dhruv. You can’t ignore it on the basis of what other’s would say”
“That’s absurd” I frowned, “You can stop loving people on those abrupt reasons, Dhruv. I agree, you had your reasons. But honestly, you should have talked it out with her. Instead of backing off and lashing out everything on her”
“I know. I know” he mumbled sighing and rubbed his temples. “I am gonna man up and make things right”
“Now that’s Dhruv Taneja talking” I winked at him and he chuckled. “Thank you, little one. But sorry for worrying you”
“I’ll be there, Dhruv. Always”
“I know you are not ready now” he looked at me passing me a hopeful smile, “But feel free to share anything with me. I’ll always be there to kick Kunj’s ass. Even though I ship you both”
I rolled my eyes showing him the middle finger. “You are still annoying Dhruv. But remember, I still can tell everyone how The Dhruv Taneja cried over a girl”
I joked and he looked at me wide eyed, “You wouldn’t dare”
“Try me” I laughed and he ran after me laughing too. “I’ll post your baby pictures online” He threatened and I shrugged still running but tilted my head at him, “Do it. I look hella cute in those”
I opened the front door still running with Dhruv chasing me. “Fine then. I’ll post those ugly lanky teenage Twinkle photos”
I stopped abruptly stepping back, “You wouldn’t dare” but two more backward steps and I crashed into someone.
I looked back bending down to help the unfamiliar guy with the papers. “I am so sorry..” I mumbled collecting the papers.
“Here” I picked up the pen too handing it to him and looked up giving him a small smile.
He beamed at me showing his perfect set of teeth. I looked at his bronze hair and light blue eyes with a hint of grey and grinned back at him. “Hi”
“Hey. I am Antonio Joseph” I shook his hand nodding, “Twinkle Taneja”
“You live here..?” He trailed looking around and I shook my head chuckling, “No. No. My parents are friends with Theo’s parents and they are on a cruise trip. So, we are living here for two weeks”
“I see” he nodded glancing at me. “Why don’t you come inside, Antonio?” I offered and he chuckled, “You can call me Toni”
“Toni. You already here?” I glanced behind Toni’s shoulder eyeing Theo, Yuvi, Kunj and Seb come inside the front yard.
“Hey guys”
“That’s basically Theo’s right hand” Sebastian informed me and I helped him with the grocery bags avoiding to glance at Kunj.
Aren’t you failing miserably??
Because damn he looks hot in that black tee and grey trousers.
Focus, Twinkle. Focus.
“See you around, Toni” I waved at him and he smiled, “See ya, Novio”
I shrugged and secretly stole a quick glance of Kunj who was frowning at Toni’s beaming face.
Now, What did that poor Toni do?
“Mr. Thomson. What did Novio meant? What Toni said…” I question once we were inside and he chuckled, “That meant sweetheart. Toni is half Spanish”
Ahan. That explains Kunj’s frowning face at poor Toni.
Well, well, what games you playing Kunj.
Because I already had enough of your shit.
And I’m gonna ignore you till my existence
Liar liar pants on fire?
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Hey hey people.
A brand new chapter for you guys and fingers crossed I hope you liked this chapter.
But next chapter is gonna be THE BOMB.
Wait for it. I’m sure you’ll like it.
Thank you for the love and support on the previous chapter and please you are free to suggest some good ideas for this story too.
Love you all??