Pyaar ki Takrar

Chapter 19: Sparks Fly Once Again

The morning sun streamed through the window, casting a warm glow on the room. Twinkle shifted under the blanket, trying to avoid the soft light hitting her face. She was still too tired to wake up, and the bed felt too comfortable to leave. But then, she felt a sudden shift beside her, and her eyes snapped open.

Kunj was lying right next to her, still fast asleep. His arm was draped casually across her waist, his face inches away from hers. Twinkle’s heart skipped a beat as she realized just how close they were. For a moment, she just stared at him. Kunj, in his sleep, looked so different—so peaceful. The usual tension and sharpness in his features were gone, replaced by a soft calmness that made her chest tighten.

"Twinkle, stop staring at him like that," she muttered to herself under her breath, trying to shake off the weird feeling creeping into her heart. "It’s not like he’s some prince charming."

She shifted slightly, trying to move his arm without waking him up, but Kunj’s grip tightened instinctively. His lips twitched, and suddenly, his eyes fluttered open, meeting hers. There was a brief moment of surprise in his gaze before it was quickly replaced with a mischievous smirk.

"Good morning, Mrs. Sarna," Kunj’s voice was thick with sleep, but the teasing tone was very much awake.

Twinkle’s face flushed as she quickly tried to sit up, pushing his arm off her. "Don’t ‘Mrs. Sarna’ me!" she huffed, grabbing a pillow and swatting it at him. "Aur tum mere itne kareeb kya kar rahe ho? Bed ka doosra kona empty tha!"

Kunj chuckled, sitting up slowly and stretching. "You were the one who came closer in your sleep. Don't blame me." He winked, clearly enjoying her flustered reaction.

Twinkle’s eyes widened, and she felt her face heat up even more. "What? Mujhe toh kuch yaad nahi!" she protested, throwing the blanket off and jumping out of bed. "Tum jhooth bol rahe ho!"

"Jhooth? Main? Bilkul nahi," Kunj said, still smirking as he got out of bed and walked towards her. "But it's okay, I understand. Mera charm kaafi overwhelming ho sakta hai."

Twinkle picked up another pillow, ready to throw it at him, but Kunj caught her wrist before she could. They both froze, the playful atmosphere shifting slightly as they found themselves face to face again, their breaths mingling. For a second, neither of them spoke, the air between them thick with tension.

"Kunj…" Twinkle whispered, her voice barely audible.

But before she could say anything else, the sound of Kunj’s phone ringing broke the moment. He let go of her wrist and stepped back, reaching for his phone on the bedside table. Twinkle quickly turned away, her heart racing for reasons she couldn’t quite understand.

Kunj glanced at the caller ID and frowned. "It’s my mom," he muttered, answering the call.

Twinkle, still feeling a little flustered, busied herself by pretending to fix the blanket, her mind whirling with a thousand thoughts. What just happened? Why did it feel so intense?

---

Unexpected Company

A while later, after both of them had freshened up, Kunj turned to Twinkle with a serious expression. "Twinkle, mom wants us to come over today. She’s throwing a small family lunch."

Twinkle’s heart sank. "Aaj? But… Kunj, tumhe pata hai na main aunty se zyada baat nahi kar paati. Uske samne humari shaadi ka natak karna… it’s exhausting."

Kunj nodded, understanding her hesitation. "I know, Twinkle. But we don’t really have a choice. Mom ko shak nahi hone dena."

Twinkle sighed heavily. "Fine. But don’t blame me if things go south."

Kunj grinned, nudging her playfully. "Don’t worry, Mrs. Sarna. Tum toh meri perfect biwi ho na?"

Twinkle rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the small smile tugging at her lips. "Haan haan, tumhe toh ek opportunity nahi chhodni to tease me."

---

At the Sarna Mansion

The atmosphere at the Sarna mansion was warm and lively. Kunj’s mother, Usha, had prepared a lavish lunch, and the house was buzzing with relatives. Twinkle, dressed in a simple yet elegant saree, played her part as the dutiful wife, smiling politely and answering questions when needed.

But despite her best efforts, she couldn’t help but feel out of place. Kunj’s family was kind, but she still didn’t feel like she belonged. Every smile felt forced, every conversation felt like she was walking on eggshells.

Kunj, sensing her discomfort, stayed by her side as much as possible, his hand lightly resting on her back whenever they were introduced to someone new. Every time he did that, Twinkle felt a strange warmth spread through her, a sense of security she wasn’t used to.

As they sat down for lunch, Usha sat across from them, watching the two with a keen eye. "Twinkle, tumhare liye Kunj ka dhyaan rakhna mushkil toh nahi ho raha?" Usha asked with a small smile, her eyes glinting with amusement.

Twinkle glanced at Kunj, who was looking at her expectantly, clearly waiting to see how she’d respond. "Nahi, aunty. Itna mushkil nahi hai. Kunj kaafi cooperative hain." She shot him a pointed look, and Kunj tried to hide his grin behind his glass of water.

"Bas itna dhyaan rakhna ke tum dono ki shaadi mein koi stress na aaye. You two seem to be doing fine," Usha continued, clearly satisfied with Twinkle’s answer.

Twinkle forced a smile, but she could feel the weight of the lie pressing down on her. The truth was, their marriage was anything but fine. It was an arrangement, a façade they both had to maintain.

---

A Twisted Turn

After the lunch, the guests slowly began to leave, and Twinkle and Kunj finally found a moment of peace. They were sitting in the garden, away from the noise of the house.

"You okay?" Kunj asked, noticing Twinkle’s faraway look.

Twinkle shrugged. "Yeah… I guess. It’s just… strange. Yeh sab natak karna ki humari shaadi theek chal rahi hai, jab sach yeh hai ke…" She trailed off, not sure how to finish the sentence.

Kunj looked at her for a long moment before speaking. "Twinkle, I know yeh sab easy nahi hai. But we have to keep going. At least until we figure out what’s next."

Twinkle nodded, though her heart wasn’t fully in it. She knew Kunj was right, but the whole situation was beginning to take its toll on her.

Just as she was about to say something, her phone buzzed in her lap. Twinkle frowned, glancing at the screen. It was an unknown number.

She hesitated for a moment before answering. "Hello?"

There was silence on the other end for a moment before a familiar voice spoke.

"Twinkle."

Twinkle’s breath caught in her throat. It was Neil.

"Neil?" she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "Tum… tumne mujhe kyun phone kiya?"

On the other side, Kunj looked up sharply, his eyes narrowing as he caught the name. He leaned closer, trying to hear the conversation.

Neil’s voice was calm, but there was an underlying tension to it. "Twinkle, we need to talk. Mujhe tumse kuch zaroori baat karni hai."

Twinkle’s pulse quickened, her mind racing. "Neil, abhi toh tum—"

"Twinkle," Neil interrupted, his voice firm. "This can’t wait. Meet me tomorrow."

Twinkle opened her mouth to refuse, but something in Neil’s tone made her pause. Before she could respond, he had already hung up.

She lowered the phone slowly, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Neil?" Kunj asked quietly, his voice laced with suspicion.

Twinkle looked at him, unsure of what to say. But one thing was clear—their already complicated relationship was about to get even more tangled.