Hello everyone! First of all, sincere apologies for disappearing without any warning like that, I had so much more planned to do before I left on my vacation, but it didn’t happen somehow. Anyways, it feels so great to be back and I’m hoping desperately that I or this story haven’t been forgotten. Thank you so much for all the love and affection that the story is receiving! The comments are now closed, but I do appreciate each one of them, and am really grateful! Happy reading!!
Twinj: My Lifeline: Episode 66
A quick recap: Kunj and Usha reconcile. Twinkle is annoyed by Kunj’s decision on the date of the song release, unaware that he’s only teasing her. He continues to trouble her some more until he realises he would be having a hard time convincing her, but ends up mentioning Alisha, something entirely unanticipated by Twinkle.
“Twinkle?” Kunj called out suddenly, disrupting the silence in the room, smiling when he heard her whimper as he straightened his back, and she, who had been resting against him, crashed right into his back. “What is it?” She asked impatiently, but even with their backs to each other, he could tell she hadn’t even turned to pass him as much as a glance. “You wouldn’t still be angry, would you?” He teased, knowing too well that she was. Of course, she had been really nice and loving to him all day, since it had been his birthday, planning surprises of her own that begun right as the clock struck twelve, initiating the romance – God, it was one hell of a shocker for him, he almost fainted! – and organizing stuff with the rest of the family, helping him throw another of his famous parties that he did every year – despite how much she hated such gatherings – and pretending too well that things were great between them in front of the entire world, but after all this while, he definitely knew better than to believe the show she had put up. Now that it was well past midnight, and his big day was over, needless to say, she had gone back to being annoyed. He cursed himself for even coming up with that stupid idea in the first place, but feared that telling her it was all a plan would only earn him worse cold treatment. “What makes you think so?” She asked, still not even looking up from the novel she had newly acquired from Manohar. “Oh come on! You know I’m an idiot, don’t you?” His voice was louder now and she knew he had turned to her, making her smirk. “Yes.” She replied in monosyllable nevertheless, shutting her eyes as she prepared herself for him to snatch the book and fling it, which he did soon after.
Kunj groaned when she lied down on the bed quietly, not even protesting for being deprived of her book. He inhaled sharply before reclining beside her and bringing his hand to her hair, running his fingers through her locks carefully, watching her firmly shut eyes open in just a small slit, as she giggled at him. “You’re just so adorable, Kunj!” She commented, pulling his cheeks. “Ooh, weren’t you supposed to be miffed? How are you allowed to be speaking to me?” He shot back, grabbing her hand in his and landing a soft kiss on her knuckles. “I’ll go back to ignoring you if that is what you want!” She replied, shrugging her shoulders but he shook his head violently, for that was the last thing he wanted. She laughed some more at that, reminding herself for the hundredth time that he didn’t deserve her annoyance, something she had been trying to convince herself for so long, but that didn’t help her heart refuse the disappointment that accompanied the realisation that he had just forgotten what was such a special day, for her at least.
“I was tricked!” Kunj complained a few minutes of comforting and thoughtful silence later, and she threw him a questioning look. “Ma told me she was getting me married to this very understanding, calm and composed, oh and sorted girl!” He explained, and she simply blinked at him, unable to figure out how she had to be responding to that. “But look at you! Such a mess!” He mocked, even as he winked at her, ensuring she knew it was a joke. “Excuse me?” She played along, sitting upright and crossing her arms before her. “It is what it is!” He replied casually, and she narrowed her eyes at him, but he remained unfazed and added, “Look at me though. The Kunj Sarna! Perfect in all possible ways. What else could you have been expecting? In conclusion, I have been lied to about my bride, while she only got the best in return!” She stared at him momentarily before beginning to retort, but evidently an alternate thought had caught her mind midway and her words remained unsaid. “Perhaps you’re right!” She whispered instead, and before he could respond to that, she continued, “All this would have remained a dream for me if it hadn’t been for that lie though, so you could say I have no regrets. Also, I’m sorry for being so stubborn about nothing, Kunj. I realise how stupid I’ve been!”
“Uff, Twinkle Kunj Sarna! This is exactly why I called you a mess! I’ve been hearing of your cheerful and lively nature for so long that I had been dying to experience it for myself, and now that you had actually begun to just be yourself with me, you want to go back into that shell? Such a bore!” Kunj teased, hoping he had the desired impact on her. She, however had been too taken aback to be able to think straight. Her only thought right then being how Kunj could actually appreciate that side of hers that she had fearfully kept hidden from him for so long because of the fear of losing him that loomed large in her mind even today, only letting it resurface absent-mindedly. “Really?” She challenged, leaning towards him, deciding to give this a go, assuring herself that if it didn’t go well, she knew what to do. eyes narrowed at him. “I’m a bore?” She demanded, her hands quickly grabbing onto his collar, and he had to fight back his smile. Wasn’t this exactly what he wanted, after all? ‘Better this way?’ Her eyes asked him, and he gave her a persuading wink. He nodded his head innocently though, tightening his grip on her waist. She had almost fired her argument at him when she stopped abruptly and said instead, “Shouldn’t you have thought about this before you married me? Too late to regret now, Kunj Sarna! Deal with it.” He watched her thoughtfully for a moment before looking away and murmuring indecipherable words of agreement, irking her. “You think I’m not ‘interesting’ enough for you, Kunj? Guess what. You aren’t the very same Kunj Sarna I had been crushing on for years now, either! You only pretend to be this perfect person, but are just one crazy person! Beat that.” She hit back, feeling proud of her reasoning. He burst out laughing at that, glad that he had gotten to see this side of hers that she had carefully shielded from him for so long that she had left him craving. “Oh my God! So this was what people had warned me about?” He exclaimed in mock horror, provoking her some more, totally enjoying it. “I love this lioness version of Twinkle Sarna too much to let go!” He whispered, smiling as he watched her eyes widen, her thoughts evidently racing as she struggled to figure out if he was kidding, since even after they had grown close to each other, she had never found it in her to completely be herself and let go of all her inhibitions. Right then, he pecked her forehead as if having read her thoughts, and sealed the deal – carefree Twinkle it was then!
“There is something that I still have to say though.” Twinkle confessed as she snuggled closer to Kunj after he had turned out the lights, darkness bringing her the courage to say it, for wouldn’t be able to see her then. He hummed in response, giving her arm a reassuring squeeze as a ‘Go on’. “No matter how much I might argue otherwise, you really are the best, Kunj! I’m sure all of your fan girls have the same to say too, but..” She trailed off, suddenly unaware of where exactly she was headed with her thoughts. He hugged her tight at that, hoping it would chase away all her insecurities, and for a change of mood, whispered, “Is someone jealous of my fan girls?” She sniffled and smacked him playfully – she definitely wasn’t, but that didn’t mean she was fine with his half-hearted will to go and meet Alisha one last time. She just didn’t want to bring back any of that right now, but hadn’t found it in her to tell him so, until that very moment, when his embrace was so comforting that it roused in her bravery that she herself had been unaware of. “Kunj..” She began, but he cut her short with “Twinkle, there is this thing that I need to tell you. I’ll only take a few moments, I promise, and then I’ll listen to whatever you have to say.” He paused momentarily, and took her silence as approval to proceed, “I don’t know if I’m even close to perfection, Twinkle, but what really matters is that you thought so of me, and trust me, it’s something I’ll strive for for all my days, because you mean that much to me, and I love you!” There was no way Twinkle would have brought up Alisha after that, at least not on that day, so she settled for reminding him that she had loved him for longer than he even knew her and thus had the upper hand, ending in another of their mock battles of who loved who more that Kunj only won because he resorted to tickling, or so Twinkle claimed. She sighed deeply as she heard him snore softly a few minutes later, making up her mind to broach the issue of Alisha the next morning.
That’s it for now, guys! I promise to be more regular now on. Also, there’s this really important issue that I’m willing to slightly hint at in the next episode, so if any of you think I should simply keep this story away from what is considered forbidden to talk about, here’s your chance to say so. Lots of love!!