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Would you?
Twinkle hurried down the stairs, straightening her duppata across her shoulders and smoothing down the creases in her outfit. She ran past her mother, who was giver her father his customary tea. Both looked up as their whirlwind of a daughter ran past them.
"Arrey, Twinkle, suno toh!"
She froze in her tracks, and pasting on a smile, for she really was in a hurry, turned around. Her father smiled at her.
"Kaha jaa rahi ho beta?"
"Kahi nahi Papa, bas Kunj ke saath bahar."
Her father nodded at her as her mother tried to hide a smile.
"Theek hai phir, jaldi aana!"
Twinkle nodded and smiling, flew out of the door, knocking down Mahi who was coming downstairs with a fresh load of laundry.
Leela shook her head at her elder daughter as she adjusted her pillow on the couch.
"Na jaane kab ye dono ek dusre ko apni dil ke baat bathainge. Sab ko pata hai Kunj aur Twinkle ek dusre ko pasand karte hai."
RT shook his head at his wife.
"Bachhe hai abhi. Jaane do na. Tum kyu fikar karti ho?"
Leela nodded, knowing her husband was right, but still hoping her daughter would just hurry up.
~~~
Twinkle rushed outside, her feet moving as fast as they could. Kunj had told her on the phone earlier today that he had a surprise for her and she couldn't wait to see it. She reached his car, and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Ta-dah! I'm here!"
He smiled at her. Grabbing her arm, he pulled her to the other side of the car, and opening the door, he pushed her in. She let out a shriek.
"KUNJ! What? What are you doing?
Wordlessly, Kunj got into the driver's seat and reversed the car out of the Taneja driveway, playing a deaf ear to Twinkle's questions, which looked like they were not going to stop.
"Where are we going?"
"I thought you said you had a surprise for me! Is this what it is? A kidnapping?"
"Kunj, I swear, I'll kill you.."
"Doesn't that cloud look like a duck?"
"If you don't stop this minute, I'll kick you out of the car!"
So busy she was questioning Kunj, Twinkle failed to notice that the car had come to a complete stop and Kunj had simply been watching her for the last couple of minutes, a smile playing on his lips, waiting for her to, essentially, shut up.
She paused, noticing that the car was no longer in motion and looked outside. Her mouth dropped open.
"You brought me to Suicide Point?"
Kunj rolled his eyes.
"Stop calling it that. It's just a flat rock that four people happened to jump off of."
Twinkle turned to stare at him. "And that's your surprise. Really Kunj, sometimes I wish God had given you just a tiny bit of brain."
Still smiling, Kunj opened the door, and led her out and turned her so she could see what he had laid out on the grass. Twinkle spoke, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Oh yay, I can't wait to tell everyone we had a picnic at Suicide Point. Really Kunj..." Before she could continue. Kunj interrupted.
"Twinkle! Would you at least look at the view?!?"
Rolling her eyes at him, Twinkle turned to look where he was pointing and was struck silent.
Hues of red, orange and yellow bordered the vast amounts of green trees covering the rocky boulder of the mountains. If she listened carefully, Twinkle could hear a bird whistling out into the fading day. She turned to face Kunj, stars in her eyes.
"Now I know why those people chose to die here. It's so beautiful."
Both settled down on the blanket, munching and catching up, a weekly ritual of theirs. Every week, they took turns bringing the other person to a random place (trying to out beat each other every week) where they would catch up, gossip or just be themselves. The tradition had been established when they were children and had yet to cease. Tonight, they were in a childish mood, playing a game they had been playing for years.
"Would you rather eat a frog or kiss a spider?"
"Umm... Eat a frog?"
"EW - Kunj!"
"What? I'm hungry!"
"You are disgusting! Your turn.
"Uhh...would you rather go out with Yuvi or give up your phone?
"Can't pick."
"You HAVE to pick! It's the rule."
"Urgh. Fine. Yuvi."
"You materialistic idiot. You love your phone that much?"
"So what if I do? And look who's talking, would you ever give up your car for love?"
"Not in a million years."
"Ah-ha! Who's the materialistic idiot now?"
"Completely different."
"Uh-huh"
"Would you go on a date with me or jump of this cliff?"
Twinkle paused, a sandwich halfway to her mouth.
"Huh?"
"Will you go out with me?"
Twinkle looked at him confused. Huh?
"Come on Twinkle, everyone already thinks we like each other, why not turn that rumour into fact? Anyways," he pressed. "Everyone knows you fell for me first."
Twinkle's jaw dropped open. "I DID NOT!"
Kunj popped a cracker into his mouth. "Sure. Whatever you say."
Twinkle turned away, a frown on her face. Kunj thought he heard her mutter. "You fell for me first." and chuckled.
"So you didn't answer my question. Would you rather go on a date or jump off the cliff?"
Twinkle glared at him. "Jump of the cliff."
"Great. I'll pick you up at 7 tomorrow."
Twinkle stared at him, till she felt a smile coming on, and before he could see, she turned to face the view, not catching the smile that was slowly growing on Kunj's face.
Bindi
Udne Ki Aasha
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
