Twinj: It’s Always Been You: Episode 8

Hello everyone!! Thank you for all the love and affection that you’ve been showering on my stories. I’ve said it before too, but I don’t think it can ever get said enough, it means a lot, lot more to me than I can find the right words to express. When I began this story, I had several plans in mind, but seeing how it’s been doing, which is poor, sadly, I’ll need to end this, and thereby run it at a faster pace than I had originally intended to. Happy reading!

Twinj: It’s Always Been You: Episode 8

A quick recap: Twinkle runs into her old room-mate, Dr. Aparna at a party, where it is revealed that Twinkle has lost a son. Kunj tries to speak to Twinkle, but she keeps her distance. Back home, Chinki is taken aback when she overhears Aparna ask Twinkle if even Leela doesn’t know yet.

Kunj couldn’t believe himself anymore. Without even realising it, he had accepted that he was in love when Aparna had pointed it out in the party. In fact, he only realised it when she had begun to laugh. He banged his fist on the wall, dreading that she must have already reported back to Twinkle, who would have cursed him for the worst timing ever. He missed his mother, who had previously always been there by his side, especially in times like these. After he had revealed what he remembered from that totally unforeseen night three years ago, Usha couldn’t even bear to look at him. The house had remained unusually quiet, even when they all sat together for food. Even presently, when she came running to see what the noise was all about. She looked at him so coldly that it hurt him more than his now bleeding knuckles. “What is this new drama for?” She asked him as she brought the first aid box, made him sit on the bed and pulled up a chair for herself. “I’m sorry!” He replied with a sigh, shaking his thoughts off his mind. She looked up at him for a moment and went back to bandaging his hand. “I just can’t figure out why she keeps me away like that!” He exclaimed finally, unable to take the silence anymore. “How does it matter to you?” She asked as she put away the box. “It does matter Ma” He said simply, standing up. “Then you might as well consider thinking why you did that to her that night!” She taunted, leaving him shocked. “That was Twinkle?” He asked, his thoughts clouding him to the point of suffocation, and he sat down with a thud.

On the other hand, Twinkle and Aparna had just helped Chinki to her feet. “Tell me! I want to know!!” Chinki screamed, loud enough for Leela and RT to come running. Twinkle asked Aparna to take Chinki inside her room while she handled her parents. Aparna smiled kindly at Chinki and spoke, “I, or anyone for that matter cannot snatch away your best friend from you. I agree that I’ve been by Twinkle’s side when she was hurt and suffering, but she still considers you her best friend. Besides, I totally understand your concern for her, but you would need to know that she isn’t the weakling that fled three years ago now. She’s an extremely strong person; circumstances have tested and made her more of a warrior than you are already aware.” She watched as Chinki took a little walk around the room. “She still loves him, doesn’t she? Isn’t that sufficient proof that she’s still not in a position to take on the world?” Chinki asked, surprising Aparna. “Apparently not. I still believe in the determination that I see in her eyes even today.” She replied, smiling at Chinki. After a long conversation, the two girls shook hands, a plan all ready for execution in their minds, for Twinkle was very dear to each of them, way beyond their own differences.

 About a week later, Twinkle was rushing to her cabin at Taneja industries, simultaneously seething at Aparna on the phone. “Why did you have to send the medicines here? Couldn’t you have just given them to me at home?” She asked, opening the door, only to find someone had already found them. Kunj turned around on hearing the door open. “Anti-depressants?” He asked, holding up a tiny jar. “Why are you taking these?” He demanded, as she just stood there, not sure of what she should be saying. “Well, I should be asking you what you are doing here, Kunj!” She stated, stepping closer to him to snatch the pills from his hand. He held the jar high and stared at her, while she jumped up to reach for them. In her attempts, she bumped into him, and he held her by her waist to prevent her from falling. They had been looking at each other, lost in a world of their own when Kunj whispered, “I’m sorry!” snapping Twinkle back to her senses. “You should be! Return them right now!” She said and pointed at the pills, trying to free herself from his embrace, but in vain. He put the jar on the table, and held her closer to himself with both hands now. “I’m sorry for what I did three years ago.” He said, and saw her eyes widen. “I was out of my mind evidently! Alisha had become my obsession, to a point that nothing else mattered anymore. I was really drunk that night after that fight that I had had with her. She had called me worthless, and I wanted to get back at her.” He explained, while she just looked at him, having a hard time concentrating on what he was saying due to how close he was right then.

“Twinkle?” RT’s surprised voice made Kunj let go of her. He cast a glance at Kunj before his eyes returned to Twinkle, who had been looking at anywhere except him. “I wanted to discuss Manohar’s business proposal with you, but turns out Kunj got here to convince you before I did” RT said, looking directly at her. She turned to Kunj, wondering if he had apologised to her just to be able to get her to agree for that. “I’m sorry, Mr. Taneja. I have no idea what this is about. I’m only joining Papa at the company tomorrow.” Kunj explained, hoping he would be believed. “I see.” RT responded, watching Twinkle still gazing at Kunj, struggling with being able to trust him again. He then left, asking Twinkle to come to his cabin in an hour for a meeting. “You don’t work there anymore?” Twinkle asked Kunj after a long silence, indicating the company where they both had been working together. He simply nodded in a ‘No’, and then added, “It wasn’t the same without you.” She looked at him in surprise, and found him staring at her. “All that research stuff.. It was your dream. Your enthusiasm towards the work was the only thing that kept me going there. I quit soon after you left. Tried a few things here and there until Papa offered me a job.” He explained casually. Kunj picked up the pills again and looked at her. This time she gave in. “I needed these when I had shifted there. Got really lonely and worried.” She explained, recalling her state when she had left.

When Kunj was about to leave, Twinkle taunted him with “I was the mode you chose to get back at her, wasn’t I? Smart move, Kunj Sarna!” He turned back immediately, trying to explain, but she walked past him and left the cabin. Her words continued to echo in his mind for a long time. He knew he had hurt her horribly, but he was also aware that there was probably nothing he could do to make things better, or so he thought. He still hadn’t come to terms with the fact that he had taken her love for granted, even if he wasn’t aware of it back then. He followed her out and watched as she dabbed a tissue to her eyes just before she entered her father’s cabin. He felt more guilty than ever. He couldn’t see her in pain anymore. His mind went back to the moment back in her cabin when she was so close to him, in his arms. Everything seemed so perfect at that point. He knew right then that that was exactly what he wanted, he needed, and as he came to think about it, the situation wasn’t completely out of his hands yet. He smiled to himself and shot one last glance at Twinkle’s cabin, and walked out of the office. It was his turn to set things right.

That’s it for now, guys. Until next time,

Lots of Love!