Jaane Kab Se Dil Mein Hai Tu (TwiNj FF) - Chapter7/Page14 - Page 11

CHAPTER SEVEN

The realisation of his lazy and carefree days being over dawned on Kunj as he readjusted his tie in front of the mirror one last time. Picking up his bag, he gave himself the once over and headed downstairs for breakfast. Everyone was excited about his first day at work today, in fact they were all probably more nervous and eager than he was. Manohar had given him the man-to-man, father-to-son chat last night and God, did Kunj want to stab himself in the ears. As much as he loved his father, some things were just taking it too far. It was okay up until the business and employment talk but where and how the conversation led to marriage and the production of kids? Kunj had no idea.

There was an enthusiastic buzz surrounding the Sarna living room as everyone gathered to give Kunj their best wishes. Bebe fed him ghee shakkar and blessed him with immense happiness and prosperity as always. Seeking the blessings of the elders and briefly exchanging encouraging fist bumps with the others, he finally made his way out the house for his first day at work.

He was parked up in the lot, checking out his hair once again, when he received a text message from the person he was waiting to hear from.

All the best for today Khadoos Sarna

P.S. You looked hot btw ;)

It was a sweet and simple message but it brought a huge smile to his face. Glancing down at his outfit, Kunj knew he rocked the suited and booted' look pretty well but knowing that Twinkle, Thee Miss. Amritsar herself, thought he looked "hot" boosted his self-confidence to a whole another level. Modest, be modest Kunj, he repeatedly told himself as he exited his car and made his way into the lavish building.

*****

It was evening by the time Kunj had finished his very tiring yet exciting shift at work. Pulling into the Sarna residence, he noticed the hustle and bustle that lingered in the atmosphere straight away. There were workers running in and out of his house, carrying numerous boxes and other equipment in their hands. Curious to know what was occurring and what he was missing out on, he swiftly entered the house looking for his family members.

Entering the kitchen, he found exactly the person he was looking for... his Bebe.

"Bebe, what are all these preparations for?" Kunj asked taking in the sight of different dishes and ingredients which were scattered throughout the room. He picked up a spoon and dipped it into a rather tempting looking dish on the side.

"Kunj!" Usha exclaimed from the doorway. He immediately dropped the spoon and turned to face the wrath of his mother, not being able to hide the smile that formed remembering how many times she had scolded him for doing this in his younger years. "This isn't for you, it's for the guests" She strictly told him, shoving the spoon into the sink.

"Guests? What guests?" Kunj inquired.

"Arreh Kunj puttar, kal ladke vale arahe hai Chinki ko dekhne ke liye" Bebe enlightened him.

"What? That's great news Bebe! Chinki kaha hai?" He quickly responded, itching to tease her to hell and back already. It seemed as though God had answered his inner wishes as in walked Chinki with Twinkle at her side, both girls giggling about something in private. "What's the joke? I want to know too" Kunj moaned, feeling left out of their secrets.

"Mr. Kunj Sarna, this is something strictly between my best friend and me so please stay out of it okay?" Twinkle waved him off as he shot daggers at her dismissal of his importance. "Vaise Bebe, Chinki is already defending her future to-be-hubby you know" Twinkle smirked as Chinki shoved her elbow into her side making her burst into giggles.

"Shut up Twinkle" Chinki moaned, all shades of red adorning her face.

"Oh my God! Tu blush kar rahi hai? Tu?!" Kunj shouted dramatically as Chinki unleashed her anger on her very irritating brother. He was too strong to be affected by her punches but a girl could try. Kunj put his arm around her head and tucked her into his side, an apologetic smile evident on his face. Bebe and Usha watched lovingly as the two siblings exchanged a few words before huge smiles broke out on both their faces.

"What's the secret? I want to know" Twinkle interrupted, narrowing her eyes at them. Chinki simply placed her finger on her lips whilst Kunj gave Twinkle a smug look which told her that this was his revenge for putting him in the same position earlier. She let out an annoyed groan, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Now please don't start fighting again you two, there is so much left to be done" Bebe piped up before they had a chance to start their daily bickering again. She briefly explained the schedule of events for tomorrow and allocated tasks to everyone to make sure that the whole process ran smoothly. On Kunj's insistence, she also gave them all the details about Chinki's potential in-laws, paying extra attention to Chinki as she explained how good looking the groom was said to be.

"Acha Chinki listen" Usha interrupted, saving Chinki from their teasing. "Nicki has a selection of outfits ready for you upstairs, you need to pick what you want to wear tomorrow" She instructed her out before diverting her attention to Twinkle. "Twinkle, I know you and Chinki are very good friends but I think its best that you don't attend tomorrow." She bluntly stated.

"That's not done Maa" Kunj immediately spoke conveying his disapproval at Usha's words. He was supported by Bebe who scolded her for being so inconsiderate and unfair. Twinkle knew that Usha wouldn't want her there, sometimes it didn't even hurt her anymore because she was so used to the comments now. All she knew was that tomorrow could potentially be the biggest day of Chinki's life and if her staying away meant it would go well, then she would stay away.

"Don't worry Usha Aunty" She finally said, silencing the little disagreement that was getting heated between them now. "If you don't want me to be there then I'll stay away" She reassured. Usha gave her an acknowledging nod.

"Then understand one thing else" Chinki's voice echoed from the other side of the room. Making her way over to stand with Twinkle, she looked disappointedly at Usha. "If Twinkle is not here tomorrow then you can tell the groom's side to forget this proposal because I will refuse to meet anyone in her absence" She said sternly indicating just how serious she was about her threat. Before Twinkle had a chance to explain anything to Chinki, Usha threw out a "Fine, do as you all please" before exiting the kitchen mumbling under her breath.

*****

Twinkle's nights were becoming long and rather tiring these days with no sign of sleep for hours on end. She had tried reading several books but with no result. She had even resorted to counting sheep, reaching to 100 several times but there was still no indication of sleep for her exhaustion. Turning over once again, she threw her duvet over her head, burying herself in the comfort. Her eyes closed shut, she constantly recalled Usha's words as much as she tried to disregard them. It shouldn't have affected her but it did. More than she'd care to admit.

A lone tear escaped her eye as she felt her covers being pulled back and her bed dipping under his weight. Welcoming the warmth once again as he settled behind her, she exhaled deeply as the tension slowly began to fade with his presence. Turning over to face him, she was met directly with his eyes staring at her intensely. She smiled faintly since she knew he would've been worried about her, it was evident in the way he was looking at her right now. She was so caught up trying to block out the world that she hadn't even heard him climb in through the balcony.

"Can't sleep?" He asked noticing how shattered she looked. Twinkle shook her head signalling a no. They both lay there for a while, Twinkle lost in her own thoughts and Kunj trying his hardest to read what was going on inside her.

"Kunj, do you think you ever truly leave your past behind you?" Twinkle eventually said breaking the silence, much to his relief. She looked up at him with so much hope that it broke his heart to see her back here again.

He pondered about how to phrase his thoughts properly. Removing a strand of her hair away from her face, he finally replied "No I don't. You are who you are today because of the things you have experienced in your past. You've learnt your lessons and it has made you a stronger person in your present. You can't just dismiss that." His words were almost whispers but the belief in his tone made her feel better.

"Do you think I'm damaged?" She asked out of nowhere surprising Kunj with her choice of question.

"What? No, not at all, why would you even ask that Twinkle?" He immediately responded, concern masking his face.

"Just. Sometimes I feel like what happened all those years ago has become the biggest obstacle in my life and I don't know if I have the courage left to overcome it" She let out as dejection took over her.

"Listen to me Twinkle" Kunj ordered as his hand rested on her cheek ensuring she was looking at him, hoping that she would be able to see how much he meant every word he was about to say, "What happened all those years ago wasn't your fault, you were never supposed to become involved in it but it happened. We can't change that. But I know you. You are strong and determined and you never turn away from a challenge. Yes, there will be times when those memories come back to haunt you but I promise you now Twinkle, I will always be here for you. That incident doesn't define who you are. You have come so far since that awful day and you are still the same Twinkle I've always known. My Twinkle."

When he saw her face brighten up slightly, Kunj knew his words had registered with her. God, she was such an idiot sometimes. Looking at how innocently she was admiring his words made his heart fill up and he knew in that moment that he would fight the world for her all over again if that's what it came too.

Exhaling a yawn at last, Twinkle whispered a "Goodnight Kunj" conveying her gratitude as she turned over feeling her eyelids become heavy. She felt his arm wrap around her stomach as he mumbled a return goodnight into her hair. She placed her hand over his wrapped arm, a clear indication that she would be okay, as long as he was with her, she will always be okay. And so, the two fell asleep peacefully in each other's embrace.

*****

"Twinkle puttar!" came a knock at the door once again. Twinkle could merely make out her mother's voice but she was too shattered to get up and open the door. "Haan Maa! 5 more minutes" she shouted out to nowhere in particular as she snuggled up closer to her pillow.

"Twinkle I need my keys. You took them yesterday remember? Hurry up and open the door beta, I'm getting late" Leela explained to her, knocking at the door once more.

Twinkle didn't hear a single word her mother had uttered. She was shocked to see that her pillow wasn't actually her pillow. It was Kunj! Her exhaustion completely vanished as she leapt out of bed now panicking. "Kunj! Kunj! Please wake up!" She whisper yelled at him pleadingly but with no avail.

"Twinkle! Keys!" Leela yelled once more.

"Haan Maa! I'm coming!" She shouted back frustrated at how Kunj could sleep like a log whilst she's absolutely terrified in this situation. "KUNJ! WAKE UP!" She shook him rigorously. A sigh of relief escaped her as he let out a moan. Grabbing him by the shoulders, she pushed him out of bed and shoved him into her bathroom, swiftly shutting the door behind her before composing herself and opening the door for her mother.

"What took you so long? And why do you look so tense? Sab teekh toh hai na?" Leela interrogated as she pushed her daughter aside and inspected her room.

"Everything's fine Maa, here are you keys!" She quickly replied as she pressed the keys into her mother's hands, trying to get her out of her room as soon as possible. Leela looked at her suspiciously so Twinkle planted a kiss to her cheek. "Good morning Maa!" She gleamed. Disregarding her daughter's crazy behaviour, Leela playfully hit her on the head before exiting the room.

Locking the door straight away, Twinkle leaned her back against it, exhaling deep breaths that she hadn't realised she had kept in for so long. She had just about composed her erratic heart when her bathroom door opened and Kunj strolled out rubbing his eyes. At least he could go home now before anyone else turned up at her doorstep, she thought to herself. Her thought process came to a stall as she witnessed him hurl himself back into the depths of her duvet. Rolling her eyes, she let out an exasperated groan. He was definitely going to get her killed one day.

"Kunj!" She shouted, trying to wake him up again. How can someone fall back asleep in 0.5 seconds? Pulling the covers away, she whacked his arm, hoping the pain would break through his slumber. "KUNJ" she groaned through gritted teeth trying not to pull at her own hair. She could hear him mumble something but she couldn't make out the words. "Kunj yaar please get up" she cried out, not knowing what else to do. Spotting the jug of water, she hesitated but he needed to wake up. Taking the jug in her hands, she prepared herself for the impact as she let the liquid crash down over his head completely soaking his upper body. It did the trick. He sprang up, shaking his head, trying to make sense of what had just occurred. When the initial disorientation subsided, he spotted the jug in Twinkle's hand.

Twinkle's eyes widened with the realisation of what was about to happen. She quickly blurted out how she was trying to wake him up and Leela had turned up and how he still wouldn't wake up and that she had no choice but to take this step. As the last word left her mouth, she was pulled towards the bed as he pinned her beneath him. She now lay on the wet patch where she had drenched him and could feel the back of her night shirt start soaking through. Kunj shook his head vigorously as water droplets splattered across her face. "Kunj..." She began to say when the proximity between them triggered her memories, the ones she didn't want to remember. Her body stiffened as a result and breathing became difficult. All she could see was him on top of her. His words, her cries, the cameras.

Kunj had left her almost instantly when he felt her tense under him. It was such a stupid thing for him to do especially since he knew how she reacted to the invasion of her personal space. She was still lying where he left her, frozen like someone had stopped the time. He had called out her name several times but she wasn't listening. When he saw her start to hyperventilate, he pulled her up by the shoulders and shook her until she showed some form of recognition. "TWINKLE!" He tried one last time as he held her face desperately in his hands. When he noticed her dazed expression, he dropped to his knees, in relief, in front of her. "Kunj" came her faint whisper as tears strung down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry Twinkle, I didn't even realise..." He went off unable to find the right words to apologise to her. He settled himself beside her on the bed and wrapped his around her protectively, letting her rest her head on his chest, letting her know that she was safe.

"It's okay" she exhaled after a while. They sat there for a couple of more minutes before Twinkle pulled back, reassuring him that she was fine now. "You should go now, you have a lot of work to do before the groom's side arrive" She reminded him. Understanding that she was actually right, Kunj pulled on his shoes before he knelt in front of her again. "I'll see you later okay?" He reassured her, more like a fact rather than a question. Placing a light kiss at the top of her head, he walked over to the balcony, glancing at her one last time before descending his way back into his own bedroom.