Narrator's POV
Sunaina opened her eyes and found herself back in the same bed that was occupied by her ever since she remembered. The same old walls that were filled with posters from her favorite anime and drama seemed to be welcoming her back. She is really now away from Arjun's world. She clasped her head hard trying to process everything that happened so far. Confused she looked at herself in the mirror only to find her to be wearing the same night gown that she had worn the day she disappeared from this world. She looked around trying to cook herself an explanation for all this but all seemed to have gone to a dead end. There seems to be only explanation- it was a dream from her side. Something that she was using to escape her harsh reality. Her tears started to stream down her eyes again. A day ago, she had everything and now she is back to her struggles. What's more? She doesn't even seem to understand what she experienced so far was a part of a separate reality or a correlated fantasy? Just when she drowned in her thoughts, her phone started ringing. The ringtone was a familiar one. She picked up the phone and the screen displayed Preeti's name.
"Hello?" She received the call.
"Umm...we are back!" Came Preeti's delighted voice.
"So it was true?" Sunaina heaved a sigh of relief to at least get a thin hope that she wasn't going crazy.
"Actually, everything seemed like a dream. I myself am wondering if it's genuine or not. But at least we are here safe and sound." preeti's words didn't make her happy. To her, it felt that a part of her heart was taken away and tossed into some faraway meadow. She couldn't say anything to Preeti because she herself wasn't able to process the whole thing yet. They talked for a while when Preeti disconnected the call to sleep for the night again. Sunaina looked at the clock and realised it was four in the morning. She decided to get out of my bed and check on her parents once to testify the fact that she is back in her own world. She walked towards the half opened door and found her parents sleeping like little babies. Looking at them, she seemed to have found inner peace. Her heart somewhat made her realise that she had missed them badly. She got married without her parents blessings, she didn't get a chance to make them see how great of a guy Arjun is. Her heart started aching on recalling Arjun. From the way he smiled at her as if he had won the world to fight every person who tried to hurt her badly-he did it all without thinking about the consequences. Suddenly her eyes were getting filled up with tears. She touched her wet cheeks and realised how much this was effecting her. "A world without Arjun." Her tears poured out thinking about it more. She couldn't cry at this loss. She couldn't blame anyone because she returned on her own accord. She just stood there like a statue that is sobbing uncontrollably. She knew she couldn't cry in front of her sick parents. She had to cope with this loss by herself.
"If only I could have been united with you forever." She smiled carrying tears in her eyes and went back to her room. She knew the next few days were going to be hard so she decided to go back to sleep again rubbing off her dried up tears and prepare for everything that is going to happen tomorrow.
The next day, Sunaina woke up as soon as her alarm went off at 8 AM. She got up from her bed and looked at the sun that was lighting up her room. "It's morning already!" Sunaina yawned. She had to go back to her routine days again. She looked at the book that was lying beside her- Waking up with you.
"I met you, I married you and I am now separated from you." She said to herself. "But I know you never want to see your Sunaina lost. I will keep working hard and keep pushing myself for you. So wait for me okay?" She kissed the book one last time and got ready for the day.
She started her day by taking a bath in a tub of warm water. She played her favorite k-pop track 'baepsae' by BTS and started dancing in the shower grooving to the music. She wore her favorite blue colored suit and prepared breakfast for her family again.
"Maa! Baba! Breakfast is ready!" She shouted calling out to her parents. While her father came into the dining table feebly, Sunaina had to go to her parents' room and pull her mother out of her bed since she didn't have the strength to move an inch by herself. Now that both of her family members are there, she brings the toasted bread, half poached eggs and black tea in front of them to enjoy. "Thanks my dear!" Her father patted her head. She looked at her mother who was having troubles in bringing the cup towards her mouth. "Careful! You will burn yourself." Saying this, Sunaina brought the cup closer to her mother's mouth. "I have prepared the lunch already, you guys need to heat it up in the oven. Okay? I will be leaving now bye!" Saying this, she kissed her parents on their cheeks and went off to work. Seeing the familiar locality in front her made her feel at ease. She got on her office cab and her destination now was her office building.
Coming in front of the office building, she giggled remembering the building structure of Arjun's office. "My company is nothing in comparison to my husband's company." Thinking this to herself, she went inside her familiar working company. Those walls, those same white and blue coloured cubicles and those familiar set of people makes her feel that her experience at the fictional world was all a dream. She looked around and her colleague patted her in the back.
"Look whose here?" Rajiv snickered. "I thought you will never come back to this place after your boss did that." Rajiv always tried his best to make fun of Sunaina but he didn't know that the person standing in front of him is turned into a new leaf now.
"Aww. Thank you for caring about me." She started. "I am worried about you as well since you have been promoted at all these past couple of years because of your big mouth." Rajiv's eyes grew wide in shock seeing which Sunaina got a boost of confidence and continued. "If you are so interested about me getting an earful from boss, why don't you just concentrate on your work?" Rajiv just kept quiet and left for his cubicle. "You go girl!" Aruhi my work colleague came up to Sunaina and she smiled at her compliment. The rest of the day went out fine. Sunaina was surprisingly confident during her work and suddenly everyone was looking at her respectfully. She was no more the thirty year old woman who doubted every step of hers. She is now a beautiful confident and elegant lady.
"I am glad to see you like this Sunaina." Her boss shook hands with her and she in return shook it back. "Keep up the good work and we can see you getting appraisal soon." Her smile grew wider and she greeted her boss a goodbye.
When she returned to her cubicle, she found Ravi- her male best friend standing in front of her table. He looked at Sunaina with guilty eyes and lowered them as soon as her eyes met.
"Hey" she said.
"Hey." Replied Ravi.
"What brings you here?" Sunaina asked without looking away from her screen.
"I actually came here to apologise."
"For what?" She replied, her head still glued to her computer.
"I did try to stay by your side you know." He tried to explain but she cut her off.
"Ravi...do you know friends should actually try to boost each other mentally?"
"Yeah."
"Have you forgotten of the days, when I tried to get that one moment of consoling from you? When I drowned myself in self doubt. When you were doing so great that you decided to just shove me away. Why? Because I was someone who always stayed by no matter what right?" She enunciated each of the words carefully. "You had a chance to apologise! You had a chance to atleast ask me what is wrong with me. Was I crazy that I will pour my anger on you? What you decided? You decided to turn your backs on me and never look back? Why? Because you felt you were hurting me by how? Talking to you? No my friend! I was hurt by the amount of negligence you were giving me. In all these days when I was trying to keep everything in a good condition, where were you? Where was your support? It was all about you man! It was all about you! But I never recalled you saying if Sunaina needs my help or not. You were too lazy to come visit me in the hospital. Why? Because you were sleeping! So don't give me that sorry Ravi! You blew away your chance to be sorry. Now it's my time to just forget about all this."
"But" she didn't let him speak another word because she knew she would crumble.
"You are and will be my best friend. You have helped me a lot too. But I am afraid, that your behaviour gave me a lot of misery- typically mental one. I don't wanna go through that again. I am sorry but I just can't. If someday you grow up mentally. We will become friends again." She smiled at her stopping her tears again. She has crying a lot for the past few months now. Ravi was shell shocked at his best friend's words. He thought of saying something else but decided to do otherwise. Watching his retreating figure, Sunaina drooped on her chair. "I took the wrong decision again didn't I?" But somehow her heart felt much lighter than before.
The rest of the day was fairly uneventful and she returned home to do her household chores again. She cooked dinner for the whole family. "Today's special is biryani! Come and have it." She smiled as her father took the first bite of the rice and chicken mixture. "My god! My daughter has become a great cook." Sunaina's mother agreed with her husband. The three of them finished everything together. Sunaina finished her dishes and giving medicines to her parents before going back to her room. Finally! She got some time for herself. She called Preeti to give her an insight of today's events.
"Really now?" Preeti was ecstatic. "I am glad you were finally able to voice everything out."
"Yeah. I feel light."
"As you should!" We both started smiling when she raised the question I was trying to avoid for so long. "You miss him don't you?"
"Who wouldn't miss her husband huh? That too we were separated only after one day of our wedidng." I said sarcastically.
"I hope you guys meet again."
"Me too Preeti! Me too!" That's when she asked her a question. "Hey! Do you miss Shawarma?"
"You mean Raghav?"
"So you miss him?" Preeti sighed loudly. It's true! She can't hide anything from her.
"Yes I miss him a lot. If we meet someday, I will hug him tightly and maybe ask him to stay with me forever."
"Hmm...I smell love."
"Ofcourse! Your cat nose is the very best." Saying this both of them started laughing. After a few more minutes, both of them decided to disconnect the call. Sunaina put her cellphone beside her bed and hugged her book again.
"Arjun!" She thought to herself. "Your girl will come back to you someday."
Just like that, twenty years went by. Sunaina was now an old woman in her fifties. Within these twenty years, she was successful in providing every comfort that she had hoped to give her parents. She cleared out her loans and was now owning, two beautiful houses. Unfortunately, her parents died 6 years ago in the same year but she was able to make their last wishes come true except for one. They never got a chance to see Sunaina walk down the aisle. Each time, their parents mentioned marriage, Sunaina avoided it to the fullest. Ofcourse! Since she was already married but her parents didn't know this.
"How long are you gonna stay like this?" A middle aged woman came to her and asked.
"I don't know Preeti. You do know no one wants to hook up with an old potato." Sunaina joked.
"Ugh! Comeon! You don't know your worth even now or what?" Preeti was exasperated.
"I can't forget Arjun. That's why I can't bring myself to marry anyone." Her reason silenced Preeti. She knew her best friend's feelings. Yet she knew how lonely she felt without anyone by her side. She gave up her life giving her parents a comfortable life and now that they are gone, Sunaina is just like a dead soul, with no goal in her life. She knew she couldn't convince her to get married. That day, Sunaina was sitting in the park longer than usual. She found this park 10 year ago and ever since then she sat here whenever she felt lost. Sometimes even Preeti joined her in her walks. Preeti was now a successful professor as well as a writer. Her secret of being author Ayu still remains intact. A few years ago, Preeti decided to write in her own name. She defied her parents decision and forged a path that was perfect for her. Both of them has gotten success in her own way but somehow, Preeti knew that Sunaina needed someone far more than a best friend. She even tried to set her up to blind dates but nothing helped. She just wanted to be alone and only wanted to be engulfed with Arjun's memories. There was nothing else she could do than leave her alone for a while.
After returning home and finishing her daily chores, she heard a familiar sound. It was the sound of her old computer. Worried she went back to her room and her eyes were bulging out of her socket. Emotions of ecstacy, happiness and surprise filled her face. She hurried to the telephone and called her best friend. The phone rang thrice before Sunaina picked it up.
"Hey? What's up? I just returned home after the walk. Tell me?"
"Gullu! Come to my home soon!" Preeti's voice was filled with excitement.
"Why? Is everything alright? Don't tell me your husband did something? Should I scratch him?" Preeti had no time for Sunaina's jokes.
"No you Dumbo! Just come as soon as possible." Saying this, she disconnected the call and returned to her computer screen. The incomplete book that had paused it's chapter for more than twenty years is now again typing.
Sunaina reached Preeti's house in less than thirty minutes. She rang the calling bell multiple times and Preeti opened the door for her almost immediately. She hugged Sunaina with excitement all over her face.
"Gullu Gullu Gullu! You don't know how happy I am today!"
"Are you gonna have another child or what?" She joked.
"Shut up and follow me!" She pulled her inside her room where her computer is still on.
"Hey isn't this?" Sunaina seems to have recognised Preeti's computer. The one where her and Arjun's story was typed in.
"Yes! Do you know why I brought you here?"
"Um...no!"
"Since we returned here, I thought the story will get over and the words 'fin' will come up. But it never did. It just stopped there showing that you returned to your home. It just paused there." Preeti started to explain.
"What are you getting at?"
"Sunaina! I always felt that there is more to this story. It isn't supposed to stop like this!" Sunaina still confused stared blankly at Preeti. "So! Today I saw that the computer turned on itself and it has opened a folder itself. Do you know the folder name?" Sunaina shook her head.
"Silly! It's This Side That Side! The sequel to waking up with you." Sunaina's eyes evidently showed the shock in her eyes.
"You mean?" Sunaina still trying to confirm once again.
"Yes! Sunaina it's time for you to return there." Her hands were shaking. Preeti knew Sunaina was happy.
"But...but I don't know how?"
"It's here in the book. After three months, on your birthday. The door will open again. The rose engraved door." Preeti screamed in excitement. Both of them were jumping like teenagers again. As if they have found a treasure.
"But...in this world where will be the door?" Sunaina asked anxiously.
"Silly! You forgot! My entrance door has a rose in it!" She smiled at this information. Preeti hugged her best friend again.
"This is perfect. I will have enough time to make my will, sign my resignation. Finish my notice period. Oh Preeti it's so perfect." She started jumping again but suddenly her smile disappeared.
"But! I am fifty. What if Arjun hasn't aged a bit? Will he still like an older woman?" Her brows creased in worry again.
"Don't worry. Let's leave that in fate's hands."
As decided, she wrote her resignation the very next day. Everyone in her office was surprised and tried their best so that Sunaina revokes her resignation but she was determined. The last three months went by fast. Sunaina left all of her house and assets to Preeti.
"Even if my body is not found. I would request you to transfer everything to Preeti's name." The lawyer agreed at this strange request. Sunaina was always like a daughter to her more than a client. He has seen her take care of her parents as well as her uncles for almost forever. He respected the decision if she wanted to live her life her way.
Finally it was the last day at work. It was also the last day of her in this dimension. She was excited. She had already packed everything before and left the keys to Preeti beforehand. Today she would just enjoy the farewell program that was organised for her from her juniors. She was gifted with flowers and chocolates.
"We will miss you ma'am." They said hugging her a little.
"I will miss you a lot as well." Sunaina said with a heavy heart. She will be leaving everything in this world. Her heart was drowning in all the past memories but she knew a brighter future awaits her. After saying her last goodbye, she reached Preeti's house. Preeti was already waiting for her in front of her house door. Sunaina ran down in the yard and hurriedly came to hug her.
"It's hard to run at this age." Sunaina panted.
"You are just very old jeez!" Preeti smiled.
"I am gonna miss you a lot!"
"I will try to find out ways to come visit you there at times. Just don't forget me okay?" Preeti teased.
"Never! You gave me a soul. I can never forget you." She smiled with tears in her eyes. They broke the hug and looked at each other for one last time.
"Okay bestie! Time to go! Don't get over worked there. It's not good for a fifty year old woman." She smiled and nodded for one last time. They hugged again and then Sunaina dashed towards the door, opening it covering herself with a blinding light.
Sunaina opened her eyes and looked around. The sands were running through her legs while the waves from the tides attacking her toes. She looked around. The same sea where they first met.
"I am back!" She shouted to herself.
"Su..nai..na?" Her mind paused to that one familiar voice. Turning around, she found a stunned Arjun looking at her with shock. Her eyes teared up. It was Arjun! Right in front of him. He didn't age much. His smile still as charming as ever.
"Hi.." was all she called say.
"You look beautiful!" He said, still in shock.
"And old! Yeah!" She added. Saying this she looked at the reflection of the water that was flowing underneath her feet. How is it possible? The water showed her reflection but it's as if she has aged backwards. Her wrinkles were gone, she hair was black again and there was no sign of aging in her face. She touched her face again not realising what actually has happened to her.
"How's this possible?" She mumbled to herself. Not realising that Arjun had already clasped her from behind.
"Happy birthday wife. I got the best gift on your birthday." His voice made her smile.
"How long was I gone for?"
"A year. But it felt like 20 years to be honest." Arjun smiled placing his face on her right shoulder.
"Well...that might be true. Hehe." Sunaina smiled and lost herself in Arjun's embrace. Arjun turned her to face him and pulled him up twirling her in the sky.
"My queen is back!" Sunaina spread her arms like a happy girl again. It seemed she has not gone back to her thirties but to her teens. Arjun placed her down on the land but kept her near himself. He cupped her cheeks within his hands and kissed them passionately. His kiss showed his longing for her and how thankful he was that the setting sun brought to him the one he was waiting for so long. They decided never to part again and this time, the sea, the sands and the orange sun remained witness to their promise, just the way they had witnessed their first encounter.
"The end" Preeti closed the book that was in her hand and received a thousand cheers from young girls who were here to attend the release of "This Side That Side."
"Wow that was really beautiful." Said one of the girl.
"Thank you my dear." Preeti replied.
"But! Didn't Sunaina ask Shawarma or Raghav to spread the news of her death? Then what will happen to them?" Preeti looked at the person standing beside her. The man in his grey coloured suit and a tie looked like he was in his 50's.
"Actually... Shawarma never spread this at all. Arjun had asked him to say that Sunaina had gone to US, for further studies. Maybe he knew that she will be back." The teens awed at his answer. Preeti giggled at his reply. She knew that no one knew the answer to this more than Shawarma, her lawfully wedded husband. She looked at him affectionately and Raghav replied back to the gaze with the same amount of tenderness.
"So how did you guys meet?" Preeti was thrown off by this unexpected question. But she smiled and replied.
"Let's leave that for another story."
She looked at all the kids smiling at the love story of her best friend and Arjun. She knew that on the other side of this world, they both are holding on to each other and facing all the hardships together. Be it rain or misery, they will be with one another. They were each other's paradise and paradise cannot stay separated. Somewhere they are walking down that sea again holding on to one another- giggling, cuddling and quarelling. They finally found each other and created a family that will be rightfully theirs just like I found Raghav. Our paths may seem impossible to cross now but deep down we know that we wish for each other's happiness everyday. I wouldn't want to change anything in her world and I know Sunaina wouldn't want to change anything in mine either. Fate played a magical game with us and in the end gave us what we craved for the most- love.
Fin.
My eyes have already teared up. After so many ups and downs, I was finally able to finish it up. When I started this book, I had a lot of doubts. I at times just wanted to give up. A few of my friends kept me going. I could express myself in this book. Thank you for sticking with this book. Thank you for giving Arjun and Sunaina a chance. I love you all. Maybe Arjun and Sunaina's journey has ended in here but I am sure I will create more stories. Thank you for supporting throughout.