Greetings everyone! Thank you so much for all the love this story is receiving!! I’ll always be grateful for all the kind words you’ve all had to say. Happy reading!
Twinj: My Lifeline: Episode 63
A quick recap: Twinkle lies to Usha about Kunj being occupied in some work, and then sneaks out with Yuvi to look for him. They find him in the studio, and Yuvi proceeds to give some generic advice before leaving him with Twinkle. They end up having a huge argument despite her attempts to stay patient, and she leaves just before he realises that she’s right.
Kunj desperately hoped Twinkle had got home safely when she hadn’t picked any of his calls after the difference of opinion they had dealt with a little while ago, which made him rush back home and literally run up the stairs. He heaved a sigh of relief when he spotted her lying on the extreme end of the bed with her back to him, absolutely motionless, and had he not known her better, he would have assumed she was asleep, but that definitely wasn’t the case. He caught his breath as he slowly walked over to her side, but she didn’t as much as budge. “Twinkle..” He whispered, knowing too well that she had heard him nevertheless, even when she didn’t respond. He tried again, but in vain, she was stubborn and he wasn’t unaware of it. He shook his head, torn between appreciating her strong will and being angered at the unaffectedness she was depicting. He pulled up the duvet for her slowly before running his fingers through her hair and placing a gentle peck on her forehead. He pretended not to notice the little shift she made in her position at that, quietly wiping away the tear that had just left her eye. “I wish you had listened instead of rushing out like that!” He murmured, and she had heard that too, just that he had no idea she had misconstrued his statement. She had just got home when she had heard his car pull into the driveway, and had decided to avoid any conversation just yet, not wanting to start another argument, and had slipped into bed quickly, just in time for him to walk in, and now he had behaved just like she had feared, she assumed – wishing for her to be more understanding and patient rather than trying to fathom her point of view. Unfortunately enough, he had no idea she would take his wish that she had heard him agree with her so wrongly.
Twinkle had run out of tolerance quickly when she felt no movement beside her even a couple of minutes after the lights had been turned out. She turned cautiously and stared at Kunj’s side of the bed, unable to believe that it was empty before straining her eyes to look for him in the dark. She sighted him on the couch, resting his head against the wall behind it, eyes shut and looking tired. It only made her conviction that he was disappointed in her stronger, while Kunj was only trying to calm his raging mind that wouldn’t give him a single moment of peace. She wondered if she should get him to sleep on the bed, fighting him if needed, but the other voice in her head prompted her against it, telling her that she hadn’t wronged him in any way, and he had no reason to be keeping her away like that. Kunj, on the other hand, had hoped he would retire to the bed when he felt sleepy enough so that he wouldn’t be twisting and turning restlessly, disturbing her sleep in the process. Both of them had evidently fallen asleep at some point mid-thought, for it was Twinkle shrieking as she sat up abruptly, panting and fighting to assure herself it was only a nightmare that had woken Kunj up, and he had rushed to her side instantly, pulling her into his arms and repeatedly persuading her with mumblings of “It’s alright! I’m right here! It was only a bad dream!” She sobbed as she into his chest as she uttered indecipherably about what had actually scared her, while he continued to try and make her feel better. It took her surprisingly long to calm down, but he didn’t give up before he was sure that she was alright. “Twinkle, everything’s absolutely alright!” He repeated when on withdrawing from him her first act was to look around the room as though making sure of her surroundings. “She was right here, Kunj! She threatened me of harming you!” She whimpered, gripping him tight when he was about to let go, shocking him.
This was Twinkle, his Twinkle, who he had come to know as one of the strongest people he knew, and here she was, so frightened just by the idea of Alisha. Kunj felt his blood boil. He did feel sorry for Alisha for she had to suffer much physical and mental trauma because of him – or his mother, as Twinkle would have corrected him – but he couldn’t ever forgive her for all that she had done, to Twinkle especially. He felt his heart leap at the thought that Twinkle hadn’t experienced such fear even when she had attacked, but it was on the day that she feared Alisha driving a permanent wedge between them that she had ended up so bothered that she was awaken at an odd hour in the night, she loved him too much to be able to bear even the thought of parting ways with him. “She isn’t, Twinkle, and I promise she’ll never ever get anywhere near you – us.” He corrected himself when she shot a glare at him as he spoke of her safety alone. “She’s been sentenced to imprisonment, and won’t be able to get out of jail for a long, long time.” He informed her, realising how they had never gotten to discussing the case proceedings or the judgement because of the circumstances, when everyone at home should have been discussing it keenly. “Don’t go, please!” She cried, pulling onto his T-shirt when he inched away a little, but he was only giving her a little more space to make her comfortable. “I won’t! Not even if you push me away!” He vowed, only to hear her snoring softly, but her grip on his T-shirt was as firm as ever. He giggled softly, relieved that even in the midst of the darkness he was reeling through, she still brought him streaks of hope like the very light that would lead him out of his misery. He put her down carefully and lay down besde her himself, with no intention whatsoever of letting go.
Kunj woke up with a heavy head owing to the very little sleep he had gotten the previous night, to find his coffee in a flask, and his mug on the bedside table. Of course there wasn’t a note like the ones he usually found, but he definitely understood that. Twinkle had done her duty sincerely despite it all, and he smiled softly to himself, feeling a lot better than before just at the thought of her. He stayed in the room for almost an hour post that, hoping she would turn up there, but when she didn’t, he stepped out reluctantly, practising a couple of lines to avoid any awkward encounters with Usha and Manohar as he walked down the steps lazily, but he found the house awfully quiet, except for a couple of hushed voices that he followed, leading him to the dining area. Usha quietened down the moment she spotted him and Twinkle who had her back to him caught the clue immediately too. “Ma, I’ll leave now, Chinki has asked me to come over.” Twinkle spoke, raising her voice loud enough for him to hear, while he wondered when she had made that plan, for she hadn’t told him anything about it. “Don’t you have to go to work today?” Usha asked in return, using an equally loud voice as Twinkle had, and Kunj could tell they had definitely run through this conversation before and were only redoing it to inform him without actually having to talk to him. “No, Ma. That is why I made this plan in the first place! Kunj doesn’t have any appointments, recordings or rehearsals today.” Twinkle replied, the tone they were using had begun to annoy him by now. He watched Twinkle slip away like she hadn’t seen him although he could have sworn she gave him a good glance to ensure that he had slept well. He looked over at Usha next, who had been watching him longingly, but she smiled nervously at him before walking away too, after she had instructed the maid to set the table for Kunj’s breakfast that is.
Kunj had watched Twinkle and Usha put up similar acts for several times the next couple of days, sometimes even Manohar was a part of it, and although Kunj really appreciated that they were giving him all the time in the world he needed, he couldn’t deal with the fierce loneliness it brought along anymore. They had been very warm to him of course, and he could make out that they were going out of their way to make sure he wasn’t saddened by anything, but it all made him feel extremely alien, and he burst out finally. “Twinkle, are you avoiding me?” He asked, blocking her way as she stepped out of the bathroom after her shower that morning. She looked up at him, fighting herself so that she didn’t blurt out how much she wished to just jump into his arms, but had no other go than staying coldly distant from him. “No, I’m not!” She stammered, bending to get away from under his stretched out arms. “Don’t lie!” He insisted, following her as she walked into the closet, confining her to a corner in there. “Why would I avoid you, Kunj?” She asked, struggling to stay composed, trying her best to look into his eyes and not just drift away like she always did. “Really?” He challenged, taking yet another step towards her, now so close that he caught a waft of her fragrance, something he had no idea he had missed terribly until right then. “Twinkle..” was all he had said when she felt something inside her snap, she couldn’t stay so strong anymore. “I’m sorry, Kunj! I’m sorry I fled, leaving you all alone when you needed me the most! I know I should have argued, scolded, done anything to stay by your side. I’m sorry!” She let it all out, her regrets, her fears, her hopes all enclosed in that little apology. “No, I’m sorry! I know I should have given in when you were trying so hard! I’ve given you all real hard times, haven’t I?” He whispered in response, leaning towards her and resting his forehead on hers.
It took both of them a few more apologies and certifying the other as flawless to make them realise that the last couple of days had done neither of them any good. They were still right where they had left off that night in the studio. But on the brighter side, they were both at much calmer places right now, and hoped that would turn out in their favour. Sure they still hurt the same but had now accepted it, even if it was just a little bit, and they were determined to help each other out. “Come here!” Kunj called out when Twinkle handed him a stool to sit down, holding his arms out for her and she complied with a slight blush, sitting in between his legs as his bear hug engulfed her, renewing her entire purpose of living. They stayed in absolute silence for how long they didn’t know, for they had found solace in the way she had relaxed into his embrace, relying on him completely, while he let his chin rest on her shoulder, only prepared to agree when she asked, “Want to speak about it, maybe?”
That’s it for now, guys! Lots of love!!