Pyaar ki Takrar

Chapter 16 : Sparks Fly

Twinkle walked home with Neil's confession echoing in her mind, her thoughts tangled like a web. She knew she had to tell Kunj about it, but her heart raced at the thought of how he would react. Would he misunderstand? Would it drive a wedge between them? As much as she tried to stay calm, her mind kept replaying Neil's words.

But as soon as she reached home, her worries turned into mild panic.

The house was unusually quiet, and the lights were dim. "Kunj?" she called out, her voice a little shaky. She dropped her bag on the table and walked toward the living room, but still, no response.

"Yeh Kunj kahan gaya?" she muttered to herself, reaching for her phone to call him. Before she could dial, she heard footsteps behind her, and suddenly, the lights flickered on.

"Surprise!" Kunj’s voice boomed from behind, a playful grin on his face. The room was filled with fairy lights, a cozy dinner set up, and a bottle of champagne waiting on the side table.

Twinkle blinked in confusion. "Yeh sab... kya hai?"

Kunj chuckled, walking up to her. "Aaj ka din special hai, Twinkle. Aur tumhe yaad bhi nahi?"

Twinkle frowned, racking her brain. "Special? Kya? Main bhool gayi kya?"

Kunj smirked. "Well, humari shaadi ko ek mahina complete ho gaya hai! Aur tum itni busy thi ke notice bhi nahi kiya."

"Ek mahina?" Twinkle gasped, looking at the decorations. "Oh God! Tum... tumne yeh sab plan kiya? Kunj, I had no idea!"

Kunj gave her a mock-pout. "Haan, pata hai. Tum toh badi busy thi apne ex ke saath." His voice had an edge of teasing, but Twinkle could sense a hint of seriousness too.

Twinkle's eyes widened, guilt washing over her. "Woh… woh bas ek baat thi, Neil ne mujhse... umm, kuch kehne ki zaroorat samjhi thi," she stammered, trying to find the right words.

Kunj raised an eyebrow. "Neil? Tum dono ke beech ab bhi baatein chal rahi hain?"

Twinkle sighed, feeling the weight of the situation. "Usne mujhse kaha ke... he still has feelings for me," she admitted quietly, looking down at her hands.

Kunj’s playful demeanor shifted in an instant. His jaw tightened, and his smile faded. "Oh, really? Ab yeh wala drama shuru ho raha hai?" There was a sharpness to his tone, and Twinkle could feel the tension rising between them.

"Kunj, it's not what you're thinking! I didn't ask him to confess anything. It was just as much a surprise to me as it is to you!" she explained, stepping closer to him.

But Kunj wasn’t having it. He took a step back, crossing his arms over his chest. "Surprise? Tum expect karti ho ke main yeh baat aise hi le lunga? Tumhara ex tumse abhi bhi pyar karta hai, aur tum sochti ho ke main cool rahunga?"

Twinkle felt a wave of frustration building up. "Kunj, I'm married to you! Tumhari life mein hoon main, Neil ki nahi! Tumhe samajhna padega ke main bas... main confused thi!"

"Confused?" Kunj scoffed. "Twinkle, tumhe confusion ka time ab khatam kar dena chahiye. Neil ko tumhe disturb karne ka koi haq nahi hai."

"Disturb? Tum yeh sab kuch kaise itna simple bana rahe ho? I didn't plan for him to drop this on me!" Twinkle shot back, her frustration finally bubbling over.

Kunj’s eyes narrowed, his anger barely contained. "Twinkle, tumhara ex tumhare life mein waapas aa raha hai aur tum expect karti ho main cool rahoon?"

Twinkle threw up her hands. "Toh tum kya chahte ho? Main kya karoon? Usse bhaga doon? Ya tum jaake usse ek boxing match karoge?" she snapped sarcastically, trying to diffuse the situation with humor.

But Kunj wasn’t laughing. He took a deep breath, rubbing his temples as he tried to calm himself down. "Twinkle, main tumhara past nahi badal sakta. Lekin tumhe yeh samajhna hoga ke main tumhara present hoon. Agar tum Neil ke saath clarity nahi laogi, yeh sab hum dono ke beech aur problems create karega."

Twinkle’s heart sank. She didn’t want Neil to be a problem between them, but she also didn’t want Kunj to think she was still hung up on her ex.

---

The Night Heats Up

As the tension simmered between them, Kunj suddenly took a step forward, closing the distance between them. "Twinkle, I need to know... tumhare dil mein kya chal raha hai?" His voice was low, almost a whisper, but it sent shivers down her spine. 😳

Twinkle’s breath caught in her throat. The intensity in his eyes made her feel both nervous and... drawn to him. "Kunj, main... main bas yeh sab sambhalne ki koshish kar rahi hoon."

"That's not what I asked," Kunj murmured, stepping even closer, their faces just inches apart now. His hand reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "Main tumhare liye kya hoon, Twinkle?"

Her heart raced. She could feel the heat radiating off him, his closeness making her mind go blank. "Kunj... tum..." she started, but the words died in her throat.

Kunj’s fingers trailed along her cheek, his touch light but electrifying. "Answer me, Twinkle."

Before she could say anything, Kunj leaned in, his lips brushing against her ear. "Main tumhara pati hoon... ya sirf ek dost?" His voice was husky, and the question hung in the air, heavy with desire.

Twinkle swallowed hard, her pulse quickening. She could feel the tension between them shifting—turning from frustration into something else entirely. She stepped back, trying to catch her breath. "Kunj, abhi... abhi baat samajhne ki zarurat hai."

But Kunj wasn’t backing down. He moved forward again, cornering her against the kitchen counter. "Twinkle, tum mujhse bhaag nahi sakti." His hand rested on her waist, pulling her closer.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she looked up at him, their eyes locking in an intense stare. She didn’t know what to say, but her body responded to his touch in ways she couldn’t deny.

"Kunj..." she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Without warning, Kunj leaned in, his lips brushing hers for a fleeting second, just enough to make her knees weak. Twinkle’s eyes widened, but before she could react, Kunj pulled back, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips.

"See? Tum bhi yeh feel karti ho," he teased, stepping away and leaving Twinkle breathless, her mind a whirlwind of emotions.

---

The Unexpected Visitor

Just as things were heating up, the doorbell rang, breaking the moment between them. Twinkle blinked, trying to gather her thoughts as Kunj straightened up, his teasing grin fading into a curious frown.

"Koi iss waqt kaun aa gaya?" Kunj muttered, walking toward the door. Twinkle, still dazed from the intensity of their interaction, followed him slowly.

As Kunj opened the door, both their jaws dropped.

Standing at the threshold was none other than Neil.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Kunj demanded, his tone cold as ice.

Neil, looking surprisingly composed, glanced at Twinkle before turning back to Kunj. "We need to talk."

Twinkle felt her stomach twist into knots. This was exactly what she feared—Neil’s arrival was about to stir up more trouble.

Kunj crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. "Twinkle and I don’t need you here, Neil."

Neil looked straight at Kunj, unfazed. "I’m not here for your permission, Kunj. I'm here to set things straight."

The air between them was thick with tension as Twinkle stood frozen, wondering how she had ended up caught between two men—one from her past, and one from her present.