THIS SIDE THAT SIDE

Farewell my beloved

Sunaina's POV

The night has fallen over us and I am here, in Arjun's room waiting for him as his bride. The room is decorated with rose petals along with siffon see-through maroon colored curtains. I was getting intoxicated with the aroma each of the petals were oozing out. My fingers clasped my knees tightly while my veil covered my face up to the forehead. I was very nervous. Tonight is my first and last night with Arjun as his wife. My heart was beating like a thousand drums and my mind was going nuts. I looked around his room as if trying to photograph them hard in my memory. All along, I never got the chance to live the way I want to live. Back in my world, I was busy satisfying everyone else. I was always the perfect daughter and a perfect girlfriend. Sometimes I tried to be a perfect friend as well but down the line, I forgot to be a perfect happy me. Slowly time went by and I got into my thirties. With soaring age, came the soaring pressure of getting married but I had my share of responsibilities that I was never willing to abandon. I had a family who depended on me, I didn't have any time for love and finally one day God listened to me. I got the man of dreams- the guy for whom my heart was waiting on and on for a long time. But the irony is that I have to leave him for good tomorrow itself- just a night after we have been legalized as husband and wife. I smiled bitterly at myself thinking about how badly life played a trick with me. If only...

My thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of the door opening. I looked at the direction of the door only to see Arjun coming in. He locked the door from inside and turned towards me. His eyes clearly darted towards my veil. My heart started to beat faster and it seemed that it would pop out of my body at any moment. He was wearing his golden sherwani. He looked like a prince who has descended from the sky coming to save his princess from distress. I pulled my veil lower trying to hide my face from him. I was just too embarrased today to show him my face. Both of us were waiting for this day badly. For us to be together. If only we had a little more time in our hands. I heard his footsteps getting closer and closer and finally he sat on our bed. My eyes not willing to make an eye contact with him but my ears were sharper than ever. I could hear my breaths getting hitched with each step that he was taking towards me. He was finally sitting across me and our faces were at a close proximity.

"Sunaina..." He softly whispered my name under his breath and this brought a shiver down my spine. He lifted my veil up thereby revealing my face. I diverted my gaze away from him due to utter embarassment but that didn't stop him. He pulled my chin up towards him and pressed on my lips.

"You look beautiful love." My cheeks tinted up hearing his sudden compliment.

"I...I..." I wanted to say so many things to him. "Today's our last..." He didn't let me finish.

"Shhh." He pressed his finger on my lips harder. "let's just forget that today please. Let's forget you and I won't be together tomorrow. Let's forget that you and I don't belong to the same world. Let's forget that you and I..." I could sense his voice getting choked due to overwhelming emotions. "let's forget today is our last day together. Please." His Last few words hit me hard. Tears started streaming down my eyes. All along, I knew this truth all along but now, it's more evident. It hurts me so much! So much that I might explode.

"I don't want to go..." I said softly.

"Hmm?" He asked, confused.

"I don't want to leave you!" I bursted out into loud tears and sobs. A loud wail of mine can be heard all around the room. "Why is god so cruel Arjun!? Why why why!" I was wailing like a child while Arjun was just sitting across me and patting me frequently. "At the end, I was always left alone. Every best friend, every love even my grandfather left me!" I covered my eyes that were all drenched with tears. "why does it have to end this way?"