Greetings everyone! Thank you so much for all the love you all have been showering the story with! I hope you’ve been enjoying the new track. Happy reading!
A quick recap: Kunj openly expresses his disappointment at Twinkle’s sudden plans of going out with Leela, but ends up saddening her when she finds out that he himself had been doing the same. The seemingly small issue impacts both of them deeply, presenting their relationship yet another test.
“Ah, there she is!” Manohar greeted Twinkle warmly as he spotted her rush into the dining area the moment the maid had opened the door for her. “Good morning, Papa!” Twinkle responded as cheerfully as she found it in her to. “You didn’t have to hurry to get back here, Twinkle!” She heard Usha speak as she walked in with their breakfast. “Ma, did you hear from Kunj?” She asked, cutting straight to the only thing that she really wanted to know. Usha and Manohar exchanged a quick glance, but Twinkle had been quick enough to catch that too. “Please tell me!” She whispered, throwing a longing look at them. “He didn’t, Twinkle.” Usha answered, looking away from her. Twinkle dropped her bag on the dining table with a thud, managing to smile as if her eyes weren’t already welled up. “He’s reached safely, on time. He might be tired, probably asleep even now? He’ll call up soon, don’t worry!” Manohar quipped in, making Twinkle look at him suspiciously. “Krish had dropped us a message as soon as they reached their hotel in the wee hours of the night.” Usha explained, indicating to Kunj’s friend who had accompanied him, hoping that would cover up for the blunder that Manohar had caused. Twinkle smiled at both of them with a deep sigh, extremely grateful for them being so supportive but that didn’t change the fact that she hadn’t been able to get in touch with Kunj for over 12 hours now. He wouldn’t pick her calls, all of them went straight to his voicemail, and she couldn’t take it anymore. Hadn’t they promised each other that they would always resolve their issues by talking them out? How could he go back on his words now?
“Twinkle, don’t worry..” Usha’s attempts to convince Twinkle were now unnecessary, because Twinkle had already headed up the stairs, and didn’t seem to be listening to anything she was saying. Usha glared at Manohar for cooking up a story that didn’t even sound real. “I was only trying some damage control..” Manohar whispered, but he knew he was at fault. “What if she had found out we haven’t heard anything from him at all either? She would end up blaming herself for everything!” Usha whispered back, both of them watching Twinkle walking lifelessly in the corridor on the first floor. She stilled at the door to her and Kunj’s room momentarily before pushing it open, but right before she could step in, she heard the loud ringing of a phone. She turned around and rushed back down the stairs, watching Usha expectantly. Usha didn’t have to say anything, the relieved look on her face was all Twinkle needed to know it was Kunj. She waited anxiously for her turn, listening in carefully to every single thing Usha was asking about, so that she wouldn’t annoy him by repeating those very questions. “Twinkle’s been trying to call you too. She’s right here, speak to her!” She heard Usha tell him, anticipation rising in her as she reached out for the phone. She smiled shyly as Usha and Manohar excused themselves so that she could talk to him in private.
“Kunj?” Twinkle called out hesitantly, her heart thudding widely against her chest, as though it was for the very first time that she was talking to him. “Twinkle..” came the response, so low that she had almost missed it. “I’m sorry..” They whispered in unison and it would only be an understatement to say that Twinkle was relieved. She could have sworn she heard him let out a soft whimper too, but suddenly neither of them knew what they had to say next. Of course they wanted to get rid of the tension between them and despite their hearts calling out to each other, each believed they weren’t at fault, and hence there was a long silence, both awaiting the other other’s apology with bated breath but neither came. “Kunj, none of that should have happened in the first place, and as if that wasn’t enough, we’re simply prolonging it!” Twinkle blurted out finally, her patience had run out sooner than she would have liked it, but right then she didn’t see where she was going wrong either. “It’s not like I enjoy quarrelling with you, Twinkle! Why are you making this sound like only I’m at fault?” He shot back, not knowing why he was saying any of that either. “I didn’t say that, Kunj! I hadn’t even considered that before! But now that you’ve put it that way, I think you’re right! It is your fault! I just can’t see how you could have assumed that I wouldn’t have understood your work commitment!” She spoke angrily, stunning him. “Stop it already, Twinkle! You’re taking this out of context!” He argued back before heaving a deep sigh of frustration.
“It’s already hard enough that we’re far away from each other! If we need to discuss this, let’s do it when you get back, please!” Twinkle sobbed when the silence that had again established itself was getting unbearable. He hummed in response, regretting all that he had said and done immediately, but not finding it in him to say so. His heart stung when he heard her weep, hating that he was the cause for her tears. “I’ll call you up in the night. I hope we’ll have a more peaceful conversation then?” He heard her suggest a minute or so later – he didn’t know how long it had been anymore – it was more of a request than a statement and he felt her deperation to hear an affirmative response even over the phone. “I have this meeting to be at tonight.” He answered honestly and although he couldn’t see her, he knew she had flinched at that, and so he quickly added, “I will call you up as soon as I can.” It was a promise without him actually saying so, she knew. “I’ll wait.” She replied, sounding more cheerful than she had ever since he had dropped the news of him leaving, and he felt his lips curve up in an involuntary smile, almost as if on reflex.
“Hey!” Twinkle heard the very voice that she would have recognised perfectly even if in deep slumber or even among a thousand others, right next to her ear, making her heart flutter. “Hi!” She greeted back, her voice almost a whisper, as though she feared the moment would be destroyed if she spoke louder. “I missed you so much!” She informed him as his hands snaked around her, his chin resting on her shoulder. They stayed absolutely quiet, listening to the wind chime tinkle gently, just like it always did when they sat there by the window on uneventful nights like that one. “Did you have to go away like that?” She asked suddenly, making him chuckle even as he received an annoyed glare. “It’s work, Twinkle! You know I wouldn’t leave you behind if I had even the smallest chance of taking you along!” He answered with a gentle peck on her cheek – the kind that quickly turned into something much more, leaving her gasping. She quickly turned around, throwing her arms around him and pulling him impossibly close, while he promptly hugged her back. “Kunj, all I had asked for was that you don’t hide things from me! I’m your best friend first, remember?” She asked, freeing herself and looking up when she suddenly felt his warmth missing and absolute silence in response, to find him gone. That was when she realised that she had imagining everything so far, and it was the teddy bear that she had placed on Kunj’s chair that she had been snuggling against. She smacked her forehead, grudgingly throwing her phone on the bed, now totally fed up. Kunj had to have got back to his hotel room by now, she mused, glancing at the clock that read half past one, only making things worse for her.
On the other hand, Kunj had been pacing restlessly up and down his hotel room, wondering if Twinkle would have already fallen asleep – he had every intention to keep up promise after all. He also knew that she found it really hard to stay awake so late into the night, she would always doze off, even if they were in the middle of an interesting movie or anxiously awaiting something. As the memories came rushing to his mind, he giggled softly, wishing he hadn’t let things become this way at all, in which case they could have spent long hours on video calls like they would when she had gone for Chinki’s wedding. He glanced at the picture of them on his laptop that he had already spent the previous night staring at, trying to convince himself that she was right there, beside him, not that it had worked though. He had tried to get back as soon as the meeting had ended, but there had been a small gathering that he couldn’t refuse attending, landing him in the dilemma that he was in right now. He sighed for what must have been the millionth time that day, hoping he would be able to grab everything and put them back together before it was too late.
That’s it for now, guys. Tell me what you thought about it, which side you’re all on, who you think is wrong and why. Until next time, lots of love!