Sunaina's POV
"Don't play foul." I snickered at him.
"Really now?" Arjun smirked at me wickedly. His hands, still wrapped around my waist. "what did I do this time to upset my queen?" He shifted a little more towards me while both of us were wrapped in each other's arms.
"Don't say things like that! It...it"
"It what Sunaina?" He smirked again.
"Just go out! We will be toast if someone sees us in this..." I was too hesitant to say the next few words.
"In this what? My brave little Sunaina is getting all scaredy cat to say words like position huh?" His words were making my heart explode. "Go now! Get up and go. I have to wake up tomorrow to finish all the wedding rituals. You know right that I have to wake up early in the morning?" I tried to change the topic. He seemed to have understand my intentions and got up without further complaints. He pulled himself out of my bed and I suddenly felt a little bit of emptiness around me. His warmth had engufled me for too long that I was sure that it would be hard for me to spend the night without it.
We both walked towards the door when Arjun turned around and faced me again.
"Sunaina?" His voice seemed serious all of a sudden.
"Yes Arjun?"
"I know you have so much on your shoulder. I know that I can't keep you beside me here forever. " His voice was creating a lump inside me. Something felt heavy. His words, his emotions- I just knew them very well. The words he was trying to say and the words he has already said. I saw him running his fingers through his hair.
"I was void of emotions Sunaina...before I met you." He continued leaving me speechless. "So I don't know when you will leave and if we can ever see each other again. If it is possible, I will just go to your world along with you."
"Arjun..." My eyes were all wet with emotions. "You can't do that. You have people here who love you, care for you and look after you."
"I know." He smiled. "I know you wouldn't allow me even if you have a chance to take me back. So I want a promise from you."
"A promise?"
"When you feel that there's no hope for us to be reunited again, marry someone and settle down in your life." His words shocked me to the core.
"What the hell are you saying? I can't. I can't even imagine."
"I don't want you to be in that world alone." He said with a hint of sadness. "Promise me you will move on."
"We will see later. Now can you leave? I am sleepy." I didn't want to act like this but his words hurt me. Yet I know those words hurt him more than it did to me. Arjun kissed on my forehead for one last time and left. I closed the door and slumped on the floor. Will he move on too when I go back to my world? The thought scared me. I had buried my head in between my knees when I got a call from Preeti.
"Hi?"
"Gullu you awake?" She asked in a tensed tone.
"I am. What's up?"
"Gullu! I found a path. Now we can finally return to our homes!"
"What? What do you mean?"
"Wait? Arjun didn't tell you?"
"Tell me what?"
"So actually, during your engagement, Arjun found a note on one of his gift boxes."
"And?"
"What we understand is that the note was from Nikhil." Preeti continued leaving me shocked. "The note actually said that in my home, there is a door which is another way how we can return to our worlds."
"Did you find the door?" I asked anxious.
"Yes. When you were busy with doing the rituals and stuff, I and Arjun went to my place and we found it."
"So that's why..." I realised why Arjun was behaving so possessive tonight. It was his fear of losing me. His words now, they all made sense.
"But there is a catch." She continued.
"Catch?"
"You have to finish the book before leaving this place. The door will only unlock, after this book gets a happy ending. That will happen only after..."
"Arjun and I are married." I didn't let her complete the rest of the sentence.
"Yeah. It's a good chance. You will get a chance to have a marriage with the love of your life. Isn't that what you wanted for so long?"
"Yeah. But what's the point?" I asked bitterly. "We have to go our separate ways anyways." The last words that came out of my mouth brought tears to my eyes.
"Sunaina...why are you thinking like this?"
"I don't want to leave Arjun Preeti!" I started sobbing badly. "In all my teens and adulthood, I was looking for him in someone. I wanted to fall in love with him, I wanted to have a family with him and now when I am this close to seeing my wishes come true, I have to leave all that? Isn't it unfair? I don't want to return back there Preeti. The worry of money, the fear of losing my family, the anxiousness that I might screw up at work. All this is killing me. Can't I iust stay here Preeti? With him? Everyone is frozen in our world. It won't be a problem either."
"Are you hearing yourself?" I knew Preeti sounded very dissapointed in me. "I know this separation is hard but you cannot stop the flow of the world for your own desires. I know it's hard up there and you got a comfort here. But Sunaina...you never ran away? In all these years since you have fallen in this crisis, you have never given up on your responsibilities. At the end, it will be you will drown in guilt." Her words made more and more sense to me. I know I was being selfish. Hearing no sound from me, she continued.
"I remember it was you who told me the words,
If you love something,
Let it go!
If it's meant for you then it will come back to you."
I realised that I had to let go. It was the best for everyone.
"Do the others know?" She understood whom I was referring to.
"Arjun said, he will take responsibility of explaining them everything. I even told him to hold a small wedding so that lesser people would know about it but that silly boy. He wants you to live your dream wedding and that's why he isn't changing a thing for tomorrow."
"Wait wait wait." I interrupted. "What do you mean by my dream wedding?"
"Oops! Umm...he will kill me but yeah, I told him about the kind of wedding you always dreamt of and...well he kinda... incorporated it."
"You mean the whole place being decorated with red rose petals?" I asked dumbfounded.
"Mmhm"
"And having prawn and cripsy chilli baby corn in starter?"
"Yeah. That too."
"And having the whole ball kinda event too?"
"Yeah. Well he spiced it up a little bit but yeah that too."
My eyes would pop out of the socket out of shock for sure. I just can't believe this guy. He really went this far for me.
"He really loves you Sunaina." A smile curled up on my face.
"I know. I wish I could spend the rest of my life together with him. But guess I will be always the unlucky one."
"Maybe he will come in a white horse in your world and take you back here again." We both giggled and smiled back.
"I can't wait to see my best friend get married." Preeti's voice was filled with warmth and love.
"Thank you. For everything."
"How dare you? A master will always help her pet you know." And we both started laughing again. After a few more prolonged minutes of conversation, we decided to finally disconnect the call. I had to wake up early tomorrow for all the rituals. I was excited as I turned the lights off but my heart as usual felt heavy.
"Tomorrow I will go back to where I belong. You will miss me a lot right?" Just when I was about to close my eyes, a notification sound came up. I turned at the mobile phone Arjun had gifted me. The model was a much older version version of samsung but unfortunately that was the latest version in this particular world. I flipped open the phone up and there it flashed.
Text from Arjun ❤️
Curious I opened the message and found the words that came magically to me as if he had heard all my worries.
I will miss you the most.
Arjun's pov
I went inside my room and slumped down on my bed tired. Not just the engagement party tired me out but the fact that our marriage will be the last day of Sunaina's stay in my world was making me anxious. I remember every word that Preeti told me. I remember picking up the unknown note from a basket of engagement gifts. I remember going to Preeti's place and finding the door. Lastly, I remember getting home to get engaged to Sunaina. Was I always this unlucky in love? First Mansi and now her? I went outside my room into the balcony to get a little bit of cool breeze. Even if I don't want to, I have to accept the fact that Sunaina and I can only last upto this. Her purpose here is over. I have to let go. I smiled bitterly at my fortune again. I recalled her smiles, her tears, her childish behaviour, her blushing figure. I was a fool to believe that I will get happiness. I guess it was short-lived. The worst job for me was to explain my family members about this.
(Flashback)
"Maa, bhai, Mansi..." They looked at me in response. "I have something to share with you." I narrated them the whole story and let them know that it was time for her to go home. Both bhai and Mansi seemed to be baffled at this, but Maa seemed calm. I realised that she knew way before me that this day might arrive. After listening to me she finally spoke.
"Arjun, are you sure you want to do this wedding? Despite the fact that your wife has to leave you the next day?" Her eyes were stern as she continued. "You do know that everyone will gossip about this once Sunaina disappears" I knew what she was worried about but I was ready to face everything for her.
"Yes Maa. Even if it lasts for just one day, I would love to get married to her only." Bhai and Mansi nodded proudly at this answer and Maa's stern gaze softened.
"Very well then. We will continue with our wedding rituals like we were doing." Saying this she got and I bowed down to take her blessings when she hugged me tightly.
"I know what you are going to sacrifice tomorrow and I have no regrets against you. I am proud of you Arjun. I always have been!" These words of her made me happy and I hugged her back.
(Present day)
I looked back at my phone lockscreen that had mine and her picture. Our first picture together. I could see her smiling brightly and it felt as if the smile had radiated from the screen into my heart. I suddenly had the urge to text her. By now Preeti must have told her everything. Will I be okay without her? No! Definitely not. Will I forget about her? No chance. My heart started to beat again when Sunaina's face came across my mind. It's as if that woman was pouting and asking me.
"You will miss me a lot right?" I opened my text message box and typed a few words before hitting on sent. Smiling I looked at her name one last time before going off to sleep kissing on the text that I have sent her just now.
I will miss you the most.
Thank you for waiting so patiently for my story. I hope you guys can forgive me for this. I will hopefully finish this book this week. Thank you for coming so far. This really means a lot.