CHAPTER 60: Together at last

OK guys... if you're reading this, then you're reading the last chapter of this book which has been really really very close to my heart because there are soo many things in this book that are personal to me. The bond between the friends, the personality of the characters, the way they face situations, everything is so damn personal and realistic from my point of view and if you guys liked the characters here then you liked us, the real group of friends.

thank you so much for being by my side in this journey and I can't tell you how unbelievable it is that this book is going to end today. My first ever book that I started just because me and my best friend felt like writing something about our friend circle. It was nothing serious at the start but as time went by and people started liking this book, I felt this is a really very important part of my life and that I have many more people around that can connect with me and view things with a perspective that's similar to mine.

You guys have been an amazing audience and this book also had some loyal readers who voted and commented on each chapter and I am so grateful to them for supporting me even tho this is my first book and not so famous. I hope we remain the same way in future as well.

so.. for the last time..

HEYYAA PEOPLE!!

HERE WITH THE FINAL CHAPTER!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!

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LOVE YA'LL!

HAPPIEE READING!

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LYKA'S POV:

Time is like a river, it never stops. But I never knew its flow would be this fast and it would already be 8 months since I started working in this firm. I've made great friends here who are always there for me in all situations, may it be work related or something else. Daksh being my biggest supporter, he has pushed me through so many situations by giving his legendary motivational speeches. Reminds me of aayat hehe. So many things have changed here. We're now the country's leading design firm and we have clients all over the world. Though an intern, I am currently leading the biggest fashion project of the year given to our firm by a celebrity, and you know what's the best part? She asked for me to look over things! yess! that's right. Apparentlty she was present at the fashion event which me and Sathya had attended and was impressed by my understanding towards fabrics and color combinations and voila.. here we are.

Though there were many changes, few things remained constant. Well, what you may ask. Sathya bringing me coffee every morning with cookies and a cute note of encouragement remained constant. Him telling me to concentrate on my work and he'll concentrate on us remained constant. Him forcing me to have lunch with him remained constant. His grandparents visiting us and being a total mood, remained constant. Overall, him being there for me, remained constant. Constants are under rated, as much exciting as a change can be, at the end we find comfort in the constant. Because we know that no matter what changes may occur in our life, a few things will remain the same always and that provides us comfort.

Right now, I am holding the cup of coffee and the note of the day says,

"you're the sunshine of my life and I'll make sure no clouds cover you."

This man and his cute notes. Well, I did get the cookies and the coffee but it was sent by daksh, my mr. designer is no where to be seen. As per the info I received, he has taken his grandparents for their regular checkup and might be back by lunch break.

This cabin feels so empty without him. As I was twirling the cup of coffee between my fingers, I couldn't help but drift back to the conversation I had with the young lady that day.

flashback:

I was about to return inside the office when I spotted a familiar figure near the waiting couch.

wait, isn't she..

my eyes widened when the realization hit me.

She's the same lady who was it Sathya in the cafe on the day we separated.

What is she doing here?

My heart started beating at a faster pace and my brain started filling with all possible reasons for her presence, and most of them could lead to my breakdown. Tears were on the brink of falling from my eyes when she turned around and found me standing in front of the office door. Her face changed to a relaxed and happy expression as soon as she saw me but that only increased my confusion. My heart beats started racing when she started walking towards me. Just a few steps and she was in front of me, a beautiful smile adorned her face.

LADY: hi! you must be Lyka right?

Ok, this is even more suspicious now.

LYKA: umm y-yeah.

LADY: Finally I get to meet the girl who made The Sathya go crazy behind her.

LYKA: huh?

LADY: well, I don't know what happened between the both of you, but I want to tell you that this man was crazy for you since a very long time.

LYKA: H-How can you tell that with s-so much of assurance? I mean, w-weren't y-you on a d-date w-with him i-in the c-cafe?

LADY: date? oh my godd!! noooo!! what has been going on in that little brain of yours?

LYKA: I am confused..

LADY: then just sit down and let me clear your confusion.

She made me sit on the couch and sat beside and turned her body to face me.

LADY: I am the assistant who's place you had taken when Sathya was an author. And I was on a maternity leave, so definately Sathya isn't my boyfriend neither was I on any date with him *chuckle*

Done, I was done, ground please open up and swallow me.

I waited for it to do so, it didn't.

traitor!

LADY: and even that day, he was there to tell me how fucked up his brain was with thoughts about you. Trust me or not, that man has fallen head over heels for you.

I was too shocked to react to whatever she was saying so I just sat there numb, listening to whatever she had to say.

LADY: I don't know what was the reason for you two to get separated like that, but I have seen him losing himself day by day. All he had in his mind was you. And since you're here now, I hope he has apologized to you the way he should.

I just nodded at her while she smiled.

LADY: you are a great girl Lyka, I can tell just by looking at you. But what I want you to know is, he is a great guy too, but is a bit foolish. We've been friends since we were kids and this is how he is. I just hope you will be able to forgive him.

I nodded at her once again before she smiled at me and bid her goodbye.

flashback end.

BACK TO PRESENT.

I was still lost in my thoughts when Daksh came running inside the cabin.

LYKA: woahh mann slow down! what's the matter?!

DAKSH: S-Sathya H-Hospital n-now...!

Tears automatically accumulated in my eyes and my hands started shivering.

LYKA: h-hospital? w-what happened to him?! p-please tell me h-he's safe. P-Please.

He just had tears in his eyes and asked me to follow him to the car. I nodded and followed him while tears kept flowing from my eyes. It was all my mistake. I should've agreed to what he said. I should've accepted his apology after knowing the truth from his assistant. I shouldn't have played hard to get. It was all my fault. Everything.

If I would've accepted him, I wouldn't have to see this day and feel so heart broken. I should've confessed my feelings to him. I should've told him that I had forgiven him. If something happens to him today, I won't ever be able to forgive myself.

Stop thinking like that Lyka..! He's going to be fine..! nothing is going to happen to him.

I was trying to fight my brain and tell it to stay calm but I couldn't help my tears. They were flowing continuously and my limbs were shivering. I was feeling as if my soul was being ripped away from my body.

LYKA: please Sathya..! please be fine. Be fine for me. Be fine for us.

I kept chanting prayers for the rest of our journey towards the hospital and after 20 minutes we finally reached the hospital. I rushed out of the car as if my life depended on it and barged into the hospital through the doors. I ran towards the reception and I know my face would be looking hysterical right now.

LYKA: can y-you p-please t-tell me w-where is S-Sathya V-Verma?

The receptionist gave me a shy smile and told me to check room 007. Is she crazy? how can she smile when someone is crying in front of her and is hella worried. She's speaking about a person who's admitted in this hospital for god's sake. But I didn't pay much attention to her. I have something much more important to take care of. I thanked her for the info and rushed towards the room.

Everything here felt strange. There was no one in the hospital and it was eerily quite. No doctors, no patients, no one. If felt chills running down my spine and my skin was pale. But nevertheless, I kept walking until I found the room, 007. It was where the love of my life was. I barged open the room only to find him lying on the bed with hospital clothes on. He had several parts of his body wrapped in bandages and the monitor showed that his heart beat rate was fearfully low.

I looked at the side and found his grandparents crying but I felt numb. Completely numb. Everything around us just disappeared and I walked towards him slowly. My heart started reducing its beating and I felt like throwing up. Just a few more steps and I was near him.

His face looked utterly calm, completely opposite to the chaos inside me. I slowly sat down beside him and tried to shake him.

LYKA: S-Sathya.. its not the time to joke around.. p-please w-wake up. Y-You told m-me you'll n-never give up on me. T-Then w-why are you n-not replying?

I felt someone putting their hand on my shoulder and I turned around to look at daksh, he had his head lowered and tears flowing down his face. He shook his had saying there's nothing left and pointed towards the monitor which had straight lines on it.

NO NO NO! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!

I started crying hysterically while hugging sathya and started to move to wake him up.

LYKA: Sathya wake up!! please I beg you! wake up!! these people have gone crazy! they're telling me y-youre.. No! No this can't be true! pleasee!! please wake up!!

Wake up for me.. please. Wake up for us.

There was no movement in his body. I lowered myself to the level of his face and kissed his forehead followed by laying my head on his chest.

LYKA: *slow voice* please.. wake up.. I love you. I love you so much.. please..

SATHYA: finally, it took you long enough.

LYKA: y-eah y-you're-

WAIT WHAT?!

I looked up to find everyone looking at us and smiling. When I tell everyone.. I mean EVERYONE!

Aayat, asim, aditi, sathvik, samaira, ishaan, arrna, aarav dadu, dadi, daksh, my mom, every fucking one!

I turned my face to look at him only to find a smug smile plastered on his face.

This bloody-

I started hitting him with the pillow that was placed beside him on the bed.

LYKA: how dare you huh?! you old man! how dare you do that to me! do you have any freaking idea how scared I was??!! I thought I lost you. I f-freaking t-thought I-I l-lost you even before I-I c-could confess! you freaking grandpa!

I could feel my voice cracking at the end of the sentence and tears were already flowing. Damn too many tears wasted on this man today.

He held my arms and pulled me on him and hugged me tight.

SATHYA: hey hey.. stop crying. I am sorry.

LYKA: noo! lemme go. I hate you. I won't talk to you!

SATHYA: but you told you love me just a few minutes ago.

LYKA: that's because you tricked me dumbo!

SATHYA: then do you want this to be true-

LYKA: shut up! shut up you old man! Or else I'll kill you myself!

SATHYA: heyy! stop hitting me..! It was all these people's idea. I opposed them but I had no choice! it was not me!

I dropped the pillow and looked at everyone around us. Then finally, my eyes landed at daksh, that dumbass was giving me a wide smile as if he won the entire world.

LYKA: you freaking daksh malhotra! I'll kill you! I'll kill you I swear to god!

I started running behind him but he hid behind dadi.

DAKSH: heyy heyy thank me that you guys finally confessed to each other. I have a freaking fiance! stay away from me you monster!

LYKA: I am doing your fiance a favor by killing you! she deserves someone better! Now come here!

DAKSH: dadiiii!!! dadi save me! tell her it was your plan!! She'll kill me dadi please.

DADI: *chuckle* Lyka my kid calm down, it was my plan hehe.

I stood there dumbfounded. Damn, old people can be cutely vicious sometimes.

LYKA: *whining* Dadi but why?

DADI: then what was I supposed to do huh? you weren't agreeing easily, and this fool of a grandson I have, he's of no use. Of course I had to take the matters in my hand.

SATHYA: hey why are you insulting me? what did I do??

DADI AND LYKA: shut up!

He just sat on bed and did the action of zipping his mouth. I chuckled at it.

DADI: Lyka my child, give him another chance, please?

I just shyly nodded while everyone started erupting in cheers around me.

Dadi and dadi went away to celebrate with the crowd while I stood at the corner and soaked in the environment around me. Everything looked so lively around me and I finally felt complete. I was watching everyone with awe in my eyes when I felt two hands wrapping around my waist.

SATHYA: so? shocked?

LYKA: you're lucky that all of them are here. Just wait until we're alone. I'll teach you a good lesson.

SATHYA: you can do whatever you want with me, nugget.

I just sighed and leaned into his embrace while he hugged me tighter.

SAHTYA: Lyka?

LYKA: hmm?

SATHYA: will you marry me?

Ok, I wasn't expecting this. I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks and I completely believe that I resemble a red juicy tomato right now.

LYKA: don't people ask to date first?

SATHYA: we've been over that phase long back lyka, and I want to see you as my wife. I don't want to waste anymore time.

LYKA: yeah true, you're already old, can't promise I'll still love you if grow any older.

What? he scared the shit out of me, I deserve to tease him atleast.

SATHYA: someone's getting bold, I see.

LYKA: someone surely is.

SATHYA: *relieved sigh* finally, everything is alright.

LYKA: finally.

I was getting a little too comfortable in his embrace when aarna came running towards us.

AARNA: I am sorry love birds, but we need our girl for some time.

She pulled me with her and soon took me towards the girls. My girls. My family.

They all left out an excited scream and engulfed me in a hug, yeah, all of them together.

LYKA: girls, I can't breathe.

ADITI: sorry sorry, we a got a little too excited hehe.

AAYAT: I am so happy for you soulmate.

SAMAIRA: I told you, she won't stay single for too long.

AARNA: oh shut up, I told that all of you won't remain single. You guys just made a joke out of my statement *pout*

LYKA: alright alright, now come here you all.

We all again had a group hug. It felt soothing. It felt as if I am back home after so much of chaos. I was finally where I belonged, my friends, my family, my man. Everyone present here were mine.

AARNA: well, you're man has arranged something more for you. Go, go back to him.

Ok, another surprise. Let's see what it is.

I turned towards him and he stood there in a casual t-shirt and jeans. Ok, breathe. He's all yours. don't embarrass yourself in front of everyone.

I walked forward and saw him holding a box.

SATHYA: ughh, I am sorry I wasn't able to give a dream proposal like your friends got, but ughh, I tried my best.

LYKA: are you kidding me?! though I hated the first half, I absolutely loved how you managed to bring everyone here, trust me, I couldn't have asked for anything better. Anyways, I heard the surprises don't end here.

He shifted the weight of his body on his feet every now and then. Ok, he's nervous.

SATHYA: umm here, take this box.

He forwarded the box towards me and asked me to open it with his eyes nervously gazing mine.

I opened the box slowly and my jaw dropped so hard that I was surprised why wasn't it touching the floor yet.

The box contained a beautiful red lehenga which had a little bit of other colors too. Perfectly enough to enhance the beauty. Sathya, the magician of colors. It was so beautiful, I wasn't able to pull my eyes away.

LYKA: Sathya, this is absolutely stunning. How did you manage to design it??!! and for whom did you design this??

SATHYA: its for you, nugget. I have been designing this ever since you left. I have always imagined you in something like this on the day of our wedding. Absolutely stunning and beautiful, out of this world.

Tears of happiness crowded in my eyes and jumped on him for a tight hug.

LYKA: I love you! I love you so much! I can't tell you how much I love you.

SATHYA: I love you too, nugget. By the way, the surprise doesn't end here.

LYKA: wait, we have more?!

SATHYA: we sure as hell do!

He slowly moved aside to reveal a box which had a small puppy peaking its head out of it.

LYKA: eeehhh!! this is soooooooo cutee!! Thank you thank you thank you thank you soooooooooooo muchh!! I can't tell you how happy I am.

SATHYA: well, I can see that. Just don't forget me after I've given that cutie pie to you.

I jumped on him again and hugged him tight.

LYKA: godd I am so lucky to have you, my old man.

SATHYA: sure, my nugget.

ADITI: alright everyone!! let's go partyy!!

SATHVIK: yes!! listen to peanut!

She smacked him on his head and all of us burst out laughing. My people. My lovely people.

TIME SKIP

AT THE TERRACE OF THE HOSPITAL

Everyone else was busy in enjoying the food and party while me and my girls were standing at a corner, our hands full with snacks and our mouths busy with gossip. Just like old times.

LYKA: I still didn't understand, how the tell did you guys manage to get a whole hospital empty?!

AARNA: well, you see, my man is a business man and has his connections. This hospital was supposed to go under renovation anyways.

LYKA: he did that for us?

AAYAT: nah, he did that for her. Anyways, we got the work done, that's what matters.

LYKA: and the monitor? how the hell was that manipulated.

AAYAT: my husband is a tech freak, remember?

LYKA: you guys are impossible.

ADITI: you still love us.

LYKA: and what was you and your man's contribution princess?

ADITI: we taught daksh how to act in front of you.

LYKA: it was because of you both that I freaked out?!

ADITI: well, the end result was worth it.

SAMAIRA: and I helped your man arrange the puppy for you.

LYKA: finally some good contribution.

AAYAT, ADITI,AARNA: shut up!

We all turned towards the crowd and gazed at our men, ishaan and sathvik being nuisance as always, Asim and Sathya engaged in a conversation but a smile haunting their face, and aarav, well he was just aarav but this time a bit more mingling.

ADITI: girls, finally..

SAMAIRA: *sigh* yes, finally..

LYKA: finally hogaya..

(Finally it happened..)

AAYAT: aakhir pyaar hogaya.

(finally we all fell in love)

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END OF THE BOOK~~!

FINALLY, THE END.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING OUR GIRLS AS THEY DISCOVERED THEIR TRUE LOVE STORIES WITH THE MOST UNEXPECTED MEN AND FINALLY LIVING THEIR HAPPILY EVER AFTER.

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THIS IS YOUR AUTHOR SIGNING OFF!

SEE YOU GUYS IN THE EPILOUGE.