When Dreams Become Her World
9 AM...
At Aditya’s Office...Aditya sat restless on his chair. A mountain of files lay before him, but his eyes wouldn’t focus on any of them. How could they? Ever since Saaniya had told him that Anamika miht come to see him today, his heart was stuck in that one place.
Just then, someone knocked on his cabin door. Aditya’s face brightened.“Come in!” he called eagerly.
But his happiness didn’t last long when he saw his secretary instead.
“Sir,” she said, “your meeting starts in half an hour! If you’ve read the marketing strategy file, please hand it over so I can make copies for the others.”
Aditya hesitated, “Ah… it’s still pending. Come back in 15 minutes—I’ll check it by then.”
“Okay, sir,” she said and left.
Aditya took out his phone and was about to call Saaniya, but then he remembered—he only had Anamika’s number now. Just as he was about to hang up, Saaniya picked up.
“Waiting for Anamika?” she asked playfully.
Aditya wanted to cut the call, but Anamika’s name had already made his heart skip.“Yes! I have a meeting with the marketing team in half an hour. If she’s coming, tell her to come in the afternoon!”
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Saaniya laughed, “She’s coming in the evening. Will that work?”
Aditya was quick to protest, “But you said she would come in the morning! You lied to me!”
Saaniya teased, “Oh, so hearing Anamika’s name makes you forget everything else! I said she’s coming to meet, not that it’d be in the morning. I’m at the hospital since last night, and she doesn’t go anywhere alone now—especially after what you saw yesterday. Besides, you’re busy during the day; meeting at night would be better. What do you say—dinner tonight?”
Aditya’s eyes lit up, “Will you come too?”
Saaniya smiled, “Of course! But don’t bring that idiot with you! And remember—it’s only about work. (Her tone softened) And one more thing… don’t remind Anu of her past. You know there’s no future for you two.”
Aditya’s smile vanished instantly.
His eyes lowered, voice soft, “I know… you told me that the first day we met. I won’t hold onto any hope… and I won’t remind Anamika of the past.”
He hung up and buried himself in the files, as if trying to find peace in work.
Flashback: (Saaniya and Aditya’s first meeting after 6 years)
“Look… I thought you’d be curious to know who she liked and why she left you!” Saaniya said with a small smile.
Aditya’s eyes fixed on her, “You know?!”
Saaniya nodded, “I know a lot. Things Anamika hid from everyone.”
Aditya’s hope sparked, “What is it?!”
But then Saaniya’s words struck him like a cold wind, “She’s a girl who can’t love anyone. She only loves her fantasies. She loves her dreams. She loves characters who don’t even exist in this world.”
Aditya’s eyes filled with questions. He couldn’t understand.
How could Anamika’s life be connected to her imaginary, fictional characters? Everyone loves a fictional character at some point—but did that mean she would forget the real world because of that love?
Saaniya read his confusion and continued, “Look… everyone has a past. Anamika has one too. The difference is her past never lets her go.”
Aditya asked, “What do you mean? What kind of past?”
Saaniya’s voice softened, “She has a psychological disorder called Maladaptive Daydreaming. It’s where a person sees their dreams as reality. For her, her dreams are real, and reality feels like a dream. For people like her, it’s easy to fall in love with any fictional character… and spend their whole life alone.”
Aditya’s hope flickered, “Is there a cure?”
Saaniya’s tone turned serious, “No cure yet. But one thing can be done—keep her away from the past she hates. Do you know which moments scare her? Which moments she hates? From childhood to her 24 years of life—she hates every bit of it. She doesn’t want to remember any of those moments. After a long time, she finally gathered courage to live her dreams. I didn’t come to you for help because you loved her…but because I know you’re the only person who would never hurt her—even if you wanted to. So tell me, Aditya, will you help her even if you don’t get her love in return?”
Aditya lowered his gaze, a bittersweet smile on his lips.“I knew from day one she would never love me. Don’t worry... I’ll help her.”
Flashback Ends
So, it was clear now why Anamika had rejected Aditya—because of her imaginary world. But one question still haunted him, buried deep in his pain.
Why did Anamika hate her whole life?
Why did she want to forget every moment of her 24 years?
What was the meaning behind this new beginning?
And would Aditya ever find out?