Next day, Sia woke up early in the morning. Or it can be said that she wasn't able to sleep at all last night. Whenever she closed her eyes Saloni's face appeared. She was crying for Raghav.

Sia was scared. She knew this wasn't going to be good. She had only one person in her mind it was Raghav. How must he be handling all this news? He must be so broken.

Should I call him?

Sia reached to her phone but later decided not to call him. He should get his fair share of time.

"Good morning Sia!" Sia's mom entered the room. She saw Sia sitting at her bed with a weird look on her face. This was the look she gave whenever there was a turmoil in her mind.

"Beta! Sia, Kya ho gaya?" Sia's mom sat next to her.

"Huh? Arre ma when did you come?" Sia looked really surprised. She hadn't noticed her mom enter the room.

"Tab jab tum kuch soch rahi thi. Kya hua?"

"Kuch bhi to nahi. Kahan kuch hua hai? Aap bhi na jyada sochte ho." Sia tried to act as nonchalant as she can but her mother's eyes saw everything.

"Sia, tumhe yaad hai tumhare papa ke jaane ke baad hum dono ne kya promise kia tha? Yahi na ki chahe kuch bhi ho koi bhi baat ho hum dono ek dusre ko bataenge saari baat. Maine apni taraf se poori deal rakhi but shayad tum ye promise poora nahi kar pa rahi." Sia looked at her mom's face for any trace of anger but it was as calm as ever.

The look in her eyes made Sia cry. She hugged her mom and cried and her mom just rubbed her back comforting her.

"Ma, Maine galat kar dia. Vo khush tha uske saath. Mujhe nahi jaana chahie tha. Kya jarurat thi mujhe jabardasti sach bolne ki?"

"Beta mujhe nahi pata kya hua hai par ek kadva sach sau khubsurat jhuth se accha hota hai. Shayad yahi jaruri tha. Once and for all aisa nahi rahega as if tumne koi koshish nhi ki."

Her mother kept whispering sweet nothings in her ear and after a while realized that Sia was already in a dreamland. Slowly laying her down she got up and muttered a small prayer for her well being.

Sia woke up late in the evening, her forehead covered in sweat because of the dream she saw just now.

She was wandering around with Raghav hand in hand laughing and having a jolly time and suddenly he was nowhere to be found. She was running around calling his name, shouting for him everywhere but nowhere.

That is when she woke up abruptly. She hurriedly picked up her phone to call Raghav but saw a missed call from Arjun and many others from Aliyah.

Was she that deep in sleep that she didn't even hear the calls?

Getting up she washed her face and sat on the edge of her bed. Taking a deep breath she picked up her phone and decided to call Aliyah.

What if it's a bad news? What if... Raghav... Something? No.. no no! This won't be the reason, right?

Calm down, calm down Sia. Don't make any absurd assumptions! Call Aliyah.

Before she could decide to call her, her phone rang in her hand. It was Arjun again.

Taking a deep breath which did nothing to calm her racing heart, she placed the phone over her ear.

"H... Hello! Arjun! Sab theek hai na?"

"Sia! Tum kahan ho abhi?"

"Arjun! Sab theek hai na?"

"Sia tum kahan ho? Main abhi ghar aa raha hoon! Aloo bhi saath hai!"

"Ghar par... Arjun jaldi aao... Mujhe bahut darr lag raha hai!"

"Don't hang up varna tumko panic attack aa jaega. Aloo... Baat karo isse. Let's go."

Aliyah just kept talking to her about random things. Anything from the vendor on the street to politics to anything just to take off Sia's mind from the matter in hand but Sia kept replying in mono words.

After half an hour, Arjun stopped the bike in front of Sia's house.

Shouting greetings to Sia's mom who opened the door they ran towards Sia's room and knocked at her door. Without waiting for a reply they entered the room and Sia's mom who was scared out of her wits stood outside the door listening to their conversation.

"Sia... Sia! Tu theek to hai na?" Came Aliyah's worried voice.

The reason for their panic was the state Sia was in. Her hair was matted and messy, her room all disturbed and things were thrown away. Sia was sitting at a corner of her bed just looking at them but didn't say anything.

"Sia, dhyaan se suno. And please don't panic." Arjun moved closer to Sia.

"Raghav se koi baat hui tumhari?" Sia asked him.

"Sia..."

"Raghav call bhi nahi pick Kar raha. Ghar par hai kya?"

"Sia... Please suno! Raghav... Raghav pata nahi kahan chala gaya. Koi contact nahi ho pa raha usse." Aliyah held Sia's hand in hers.

"Maine sapna dekha. Raghav... Raghav kho gaya... Arjun Raghav... Raghav theek nahi hai... Arjun kuch karo... Aliyah kuch kaho ise karne ko... Aliyah... Arjun!" With this she started crying badly. Arjun kept rubbing her back and Aliyah just held her close to her.

After letting all her bottled emotions and fears out, Sia fell silent.

"Aliyah, humko aisa nahi karna chahiye tha na? Khush rehta na vo at least." She looked at Aliyah.

"Sia, Kuch galat nahi kiya tumne. Kyu aisa soch rahi? Jo tere saath ek baar hua hai, vo uske saath do baar hua. Uska point of view bhi to samajh na!"

"Vo vapas aa jaega na, Arjun? Aaega na? Uski to aadat hi hai kuch bhi kar dene ki. Ek baar yaad hai jab vo bhaag gaya tha teen din tak tumhare yahan basement me soya tha just because uske dad ne usko bahut sunaya tha! Kitni mushkil se samjhaya tha usko. Kaan pakad ke le jana pada tha usko uske ghar vapas!" Sia said with a small smile.

"Vo aa jaega Sia. I assure you. Thoda time do use." Arjun ruffled her already messy hair.

"Lekin Sia madam vo aaega to aise milegi kya usse? Jao nahao. Man, you stink!" Aliyah pinched her nose and made a pukey face.

"Very true Aloo... Sia, humlog par rehem karo... Have mercy on ya and please naha lo. Main haath jodta hoon." Arjun also supported Aliyah.

" Uske baad teeno bahar aao main tum logo ke lie nashta bana rahi hoon." Sia's mother called out from the opposite side of the door.

"Aap poore time yahin thi aunty ji?"

"Haan obviously! Sherlock mom hoon main!"

With this all the three laughed.

Ahh, she always knew whatever her mood be all she needed was the three idiots to cheer her up. The third one still missing.

                            ******

It had been a week, Raghav had been missing. No clue yet. He had not yet called anybody or tried to communicate.

Arjun had postponed his plan to go back to America. He couldn't leave his friends in such a mess.

He and Aliyah were trying hard to be around Sia, to keep her happy but somewhere they knew that she wouldn't be happy till she hears anything from Raghav.

They were sitting in a cafe with Aliyah sipping on her latte, Arjun munching his fries and Sia just sitting with her order barely touched.

"Do you think we should inform the police?" Sia asked looking at no one in particular.

"Huh?" Aliyah was a bit surprised at this out of context question.

"I mean... It's been a week since we last heard from Raghav. Shouldn't we inform the police now? Just to know if he is okay or not?"

"Sia you need to stop worrying. In his last message to me he had said that he just needs some time. He will be okay for our sake and he will be back." Arjun told Sia the same thing he had been telling her since the last week.

"It's just... It's just I am worried Arjun! I am worried out of my mind. I have not heard from him since a week and the guilt feeling is biting me. Are you sure he is not in your basement? You are not hiding him right? Because if you are...!" She pointed her fork towards Arjun who gave her a sheepish smile.

"Aliyah, Sia pagal ho gai hai. Please mujhe bachao Aloo! Sia, behen, maine bahut baar check kiya apna basement, vahan teen lizard family ke alawa aur kuch nhi hai. Tum chaho to un lizard families se puch sakti ho. But please ye fork hata lo."

"Hmm... Chalo tum keh rahe ho to maan lia." Sia looked at him skeptically and then slowly removed the fork.

                         --------

Sia had barely gone to sleep when her phone rang. It was Arjun. With her heart racing, she picked up the call.

"Hello."

"Sia, jaldi se ready ho jao. Raghav ka call aaya tha abhi mere paas. Usne hum sabko bulaya hai school par. Main or Aliyah aa rahe hain tumhe lene." Arjun spoke everything in a single breath and hung up.

Keeping her phone away, Sia breathed a sigh of relief. Raghav was okay. He is not hurt. But somewhere a small pain hit her. Why didn't he call her? Did he hate her? Then why did he want to meet her too?

Packing her clothes in a bag, she went to her mother's room and knocked lightly and after a moment she came out of the room. Sia felt guilty at disturbing her sleep. She was already facing enough.

"Mom, Raghav... Ka pata chal gaya hai. Usne hum teeno ko school bulaya hai. Arjun aa raha hai abhi. Ma, mujhe jaana hoga!"

Hearing this, her mother hugged her and made a small prayer.

"Beta, Jo tumhare lie sahi hoga vahi hoga tumhare saath. Jab mann ka ho to accha, na ho to bahut hi accha. Kyun ki jab apni marzi ka nahi hota na tab iska matlab hai ki bhagwan ki marzi chal rahi hoti hai. Or bhagwan kisi ka bura nahi sochte." Sia looked at her mom. How could she manage to be calm in all situations of her life? She was definitely a role model.

"Ek promise karo Sia. Agar Raghav tumhare saath nahin bhi rehna chahega tab tum usko ek closure maan kar apni life me aage badhogi or usko kabhi guilty feel nahi karaogi."

"I promise ma!" With this she hugged her mom who hugged her back tightly and gave her a forehead kiss.

Their hug broke when they heard Arjun pulling up at her house. She ran out of the house and sat next to Aliyah.

It was going to be a very long journey.

                         ----------

The familiar city, with it's nostalgic air came into sight. The city where Sia had her first love and her heartbreak.
Today she was to meet her first love here again... Finally!

Arjun pulled up near a hotel, "Go and take some rest. Raghav had said that he will meet us at the school at 12 pm."

"School must be closed today. It's Sunday!"

"Yeah, we will go there from the secret passage."

The secret passage which the couple had accidentally discovered in one of their adventures. They had used it everytime they were late to the morning assembly. The good old days!

Sia went to her room and slept as soon as she dropped on her bed. It was around 11 when her sleep broke due to her phone ringing.

"Hello Sia, it's Arjun. Me and Aliyah are already at the school. You were sleeping so we didn't disturb you, but do get ready and be here by 12."

Getting up furiously Sia ran up to the washroom and completed her morning routine. Dressed in a red kurti and blue jeans she applied a bit of Kohl to her eyes.

She wanted to look good for Raghav. She wanted him to appreciate her. Even if it is for the last time.

Last time... This phrase came to her as a huge realization. There was a huge chance she will not hear Raghav's voice anymore or see his face. All her communications with him will be limited to the news she gets from her friends. Maybe today will be the end.

For a moment, she almost decided not to go to school. Instead, to go back and hide herself in her mother's lap. But this was only for a moment. The promise she had made to her mother came to her mind.

Determined, she stepped out and moved towards the secret passage to her school.

Once inside the school she looked here and there but there was no sign of anyone.

"Arjun... Aliyah... Raghav... Kahan ho?"

Roaming around looking for them, she went inside the school and then her feet subconsciously took her to a very familiar corridor.

The corridor where Raghav had proposed Sia.

Something looked wrong here. Why is there a feeling of deja vu?
"Aaj Ki Raat" was playing in the background and she knew it was Arjun's voice. She moved towards the direction but was stopped when someone held her wrist.

Without looking at the face she knew it was Raghav. Only he could make her heart race so fast.

She slowly turned towards Raghav only to see him sitting on a knee... With a ring in his hand.

Without giving her a chance to say something, he started speaking.

"Sia... Shayad mujhe pata hota ki ye sab hua tha to main tumhe kabhi nahi jaane deta. Itna bharosa to kar sakti thi na tum mujh par! Ek baar puch leti. Kam se kam thappad marne ke lie hi aa jati vapas. Sirf ek baar. To shayad meri zindagi ke ye jo 5 saal gae hain na tumhare bina... Shayad or acche jaate jab tum saath hoti to. Ab ye sab purani baatein hain!

To Sia kya tum phir se Raghav Oberoi naam ke ladke ka sardard uthana chahogi?

Sia... Kya tum Sia Dhillon se Sia Oberoi banogi?

Main aaj bhi us world tour par jaana chahta hoon par do ticket ke saath... Jisme se ek par tumhara naam ho. Chalogi mere saath?"

He looked at her from his messy hair which had fallen over his eyes which sparkled beneath them.

"Will you marry me Sia Dhillon?"

No words came out of Sia's mouth. None were needed. The tears in her eyes said everything. She sat in front of him and nodded and hugged him tightly.

Arjun and Aliyah who were looking at them from a distance hugged each other too and smiled.

Finally, everything was back to perfect.

                        ******

*3 years later*

The hospital was brimming with it's authentic smell of phenyl. Nurses were running here and there with different tools and medicines. And in the midst of all this, Arjun was pacing up and down worried. Sia was sitting at a chair. That is when, Raghav came running in and sat next to Sia, panting.

"How is he holding up?"

"He is okay. Doctor threw him out of the room because he was making a lot of fuss. More fuss than Aliyah herself." Raghav rolled his eyes. Yeah, he knew this was going to happen.

"How is Aliyah?"

"Doctor said everything is normal. The good news will be here any minute. I am so excited." Sia squealed and hid her face in Raghav's chest who rubbed her hair.

Their moment was broken when the heard the sound of a baby crying. They moved towards the room where Aliyah was present but Arjun kept standing there.

"Chalega?"

"Bhai, vo... Main... Main accha dad ban paunga?"

"Arjun, it's not a time to get a nervous attack. Chalo. Aliyah needs you."

"Sia, vo nanhi si jaan. Maine kabhi bacchon ko dekha bhi nahi hai. Main kaise manage karunga?"

"Tu sab kar lega. Sher hai tu. Or agar nahi kar paega to maar bhi bahut khaega mujhse. Chal andar chal. Mujhe dekhna hai chhote Arjun ya chhoti Aliyah ko!" Raghav finally dragged him inside only to see Aliyah lying on her bed with dried tears on her face. She looked very tired but had a glow... A glow only a mother can have.

And then came a small pretty angel wrapped in a white towel. The nurse handed the small bundle to Arjun who again for nervous but finally held her.

"It's a daughter. Raghav... Mujhe beti hui hai... And she is more beautiful than you Aloo... Seriously she is!" A drop of tear fell from Arjun's eyes who slowly handed the baby to Aliyah.

Doctor asked them to go out as the mother and the child need rest.

Once outside the room, Raghav holds Sia's hand and pulls her towards himself.

"Bhai, jaisa tune kaha tha. Tera or Aliyah ka baby to ho gaya... To ab kya hum dono ko permission hai?"

Sia blushed and again hid her face in his chest. Both the guys laughed and Aliyah also shouted her consent from inside the ward.

This was an ending which was a beginning in itself... What you call as a perfectly imperfect ending to a perfectly imperfect story!

          ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
                       
                 AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hey guys,

Finally ended this one dream fan fiction of mine. Hope you love it.
Yes I still want a new season of Humse Hai Life... I mean who doesn't? 🥺

Love love
A.S. ♥️