The Other Side

Chapter 1: The Weight of Being in Your 30s

In a blindingly bright, empty room, Sally sat on the floor, her eyes fixed intently on the door. Suddenly, she stood up with determination, ready to discover what was on the other side. With purposeful strides, she approached the door and swung it open dramatically, only to come face-to-face with someone... faceless. Then, her phone started ringing—it was just another dream.

Sally woke up in her bedroom, exhausted from having the same strange dream over and over again. It had been ages since she’d enjoyed a good night’s sleep. That morning, all she wanted was just five more minutes in bed. For a brief moment, she even forgot that today was supposed to be a significant day in her life. But, of course, her best friend Pamela hadn’t forgotten and made sure to be the first one to call. Sally took a deep breath before reaching for her phone.

Sally

- Why are you calling me so early?

Pamela

- Rise and shine, Sally Sunshine! A big cheer for the big 3-0, happy birthday to youuu!

Sally

- Oh, sure, thanks Pam! Is it okay if I crawl back into hibernation now?

Pamela

- Oh no! Don’t tell me you’re upset about turning 30! Come on, it’s the perfect time to be flirty and thriving!

Pamela was the kind of friend everyone wished for—always there for Sally since their teenage years. She had a knack for making people laugh, even during the toughest moments. Pam knew how important today was for Sally and wanted nothing more than for her to relax and enjoy herself without overthinking. But it seemed Sally wasn’t in the mood for jokes, especially those old movie references that only reminded her how quickly time was slipping away.

Sally

- Seriously, Jenna Rink vibes now, Pamela? Yes, I’m 30 today, thanks for the reminder. But you know what? Unfortunately, Mark Ruffalo isn’t secretly in love with me. Instead, I’m single, not rich, and still have to go to work and deal with Anna smiling and talking about how perfect her life is. So, I just want five more minutes in bed because I’m completely drained!

Pamela

- Jeez Louise, Sally! You’re not in the best mood today, are you? How about we hit up a pub later? Let’s have some fun and forget about it. Who knows, maybe you’ll meet a handsome guy who’ll give you a birthday kiss and make your day better. If not, we can just enjoy ourselves like the good old days. What do you say? Please say yes!

Sally

- Maybe, let’s see what happens.

Pamela

- Come on!

Sally

- Bey Pam!

While Sally was getting ready for work, Jack was at home, groggily waking up. He hadn’t been in a good place for a while and even forgot his best friend Nick had stayed over the night before. To make things stranger, Jack was drained from having the exact same wild dream as Sally, replaying in his mind almost every night. The twist? They don’t even know each other—at least not in this life. Coincidence or cosmic prank? Only time would tell.

Jack

-No, no, not again! Why, God? Why?

Nick

-What’s up, bro? Did you have that crazy dream again?

Jack

- Yeah, man, I have no clue why this dream keeps happening. Hold on a second... What are you still doing here, dude?

Nick

- What do you mean? I crashed here last night, remember? Are you okay?

Jack

- Did you fall asleep on my couch after smoking again?

Nick

- Hell yeah, I absolutely love your couch, man—it’s so comfy! Are you sure you’re okay? You seemed a bit stressed!

Jack

- No, I’m fine! It’s just those annoying dreams I keep having every night.

Nick

- Do you wanna smoke one and talk about it?

Jack

- Nah, I’ve got to head to work now.

Nick had always been a permanent fixture in Jack’s life, effortlessly making himself at home wherever he pleased. He was more like a brother than a friend—the kind of guy who would never let you down, even if you wished he would sometimes. Nick fancied himself a part-time therapist, armed with his patented “push and release” method, which mostly involved getting his friends to open up about their problems while sharing a joint. At least, that was his grand effort to get Jack to talk. But this time, not even Nick’s smoky wisdom seemed to crack the code.

Nick

- Let’s have a pint after work then?

Jack

- Maybe, let’s see what happens.

At work, Sally was hit by a wave of nostalgia while listening to the killers “When you Were Young.” As a designer at a marketing agency, she doesn’t exactly hate her job—it covers the bills, after all. But let’s be honest, she knew that was something missing, like some sort of excitement. Sally always dreamed about running her own business one day, though she hasn’t quite figured out what kind of business that would be. The only thing she’s certain of? She feels like she’s getting too old to take any big risks.

At lunchtime, Sally munched on a ham and cheese sandwich, washing it down with a large can of Red Bull as she fought to stay awake, yawning while scrolling through her dating app. Anna peeked at her phone and burst out laughing at Sally.

Anna

- Any luck on that?

The last thing Sally wanted that day was for Anna to remember her birthday and show up with some cliché, boring speech about life. She was utterly done with all the overly cheerful nonsense people spout on your birthday, pretending to mean it when they clearly don’t.

Sally

- What? Oh, hi Anna, sorry, I didn’t hear you—headphones were on.

Anna

- Oh, don’t worry. I just saw you eating alone and thought I’d keep you company.

Apparently, Anna was the type who completely ignored the universal signal that someone eating alone with headphones on meant “do not disturb.” But, of course, she couldn’t resist—her urge to meddle in other people’s lives was practically a superpower. And let’s not forget, Anna had a soft spot for gossip, especially when she was the one stirring the pot.

Sally

- Oh, no worries. I’m pretty much finished here, so there’s no need to stick around and keep me company.

Anna

- Sorry, I couldn’t help but notice you on the dating app. Are you searching for a new boyfriend? Maybe I can help you find someone interesting I’m very lucky with that if you know what I mean.

Anna couldn’t have cared less about Sally finding a new boyfriend. She just saw it as the perfect opportunity to flaunt her pricey new engagement ring. Acting superior to the other girls at work, all because she managed to snag some rich guy.

Sally

- No, no luck. It’s all the same; nobody’s interesting enough to be worth my time.

Anna

- Oh, poor thing. Maybe you should just get out more, you know, explore a bit. Who knows, you might meet someone nice and rich, just like I did.

Sally

- Hmm, nope! That would mean stepping outside, and just imagining it is exhausting. So, nope, not happening.

Anna

- So, how do you meet people?

Sally

- That’s the thing—I don’t.

Anna leaves the lunch table, glaring at Sally, and quips:

- Sitting there all alone, staring at your phone like it’s a crystal ball, isn’t exactly the best strategy for meeting anyone.

Sally immediately answered back with a sarcastic tone.

- Yeah, I know, that’s exactly why I’m single.

“She says that like it’s easy,” she muttered, rolling her eyes. Honestly, Anna has been dating this wealthy guy, the son of her father’s friend, ever since she met him during a family trip to Italy. She’s never experienced the wild, chaotic jungle of modern dating. How could she possibly understand what it’s like to be single these days?

Later that day, Jack was in the car park, waiting for his friend to pick him up. As he waited, he scrolled through his dating app, his face filled with disappointment, as if the app itself had personally wronged him, until his friend finally showed up.

Nick

- Hey Jack, what’s up? Waiting for the girl of your dreams? Sorry to break it to you, but she couldn’t make it this time, buddy.

Jack rolling his eyes said:

- Haha, you’re so funny!

Nick

- Come on, let’s grab a pint and relax, man. You look like you need it.

Jack

- Alright, fine. I guess I don’t really have much of a choice anyway.

That same evening, Sally went home after work, indulged in an epic shower concert featuring her dramatic rendition of “Young and Beautiful” by Lana Del Rey, and then spent over 20 minutes in a deep, philosophical stare-down with her reflection. She poked and prodded her face like a detective searching for clues, hunting any signs of wrinkles or expression lines. Of course, the investigation wouldn’t be complete without squeezing every pimple and blackhead in sight, as if she were on a mission to single-handedly cleanse the world of blemishes.

After spending so much time staring at her reflection, Sally realized that doing so wouldn’t make her young again or change anything. Maybe Anna was right; maybe she should make an effort to go out for a bit. Even though the thought of forcing interactions with others felt draining, tonight was different. Tonight called for some effort—after all, turning 30 on a Friday night only happens once in a lifetime.

Sally flung open her wardrobe and reached for her trusty little black dress—tight, classic, and dependable. Her vans sat abandoned on the floor, but tonight wasn’t a sneakers kind of night. No, tonight she was leveling up with her black heeled boots. Mature? Maybe. Edgy? Definitely. After all, you can’t mess up when everything is black, right? A dab of makeup to mask the so-called flaws that only she seemed to notice, and voilà—perfection achieved. Now, all that was left was to call Pam and make this night worth the effort.

Later that night at the pub, Jack was having a pint with Nick. His glass might have been full, but his soul felt like it was completely empty. Nothing in his life made sense anymore—like trying to assemble IKEA furniture without the instructions. He figured he couldn’t talk about it with Nick, mainly because even Jack didn’t have a clue about what was wrong. So, he put on his best “everything’s fine” face and continued playing his role in the sitcom of his life, rerun after rerun. Nobody would notice, as long as he kept smiling and laughing at their terrible dad jokes. Another drink, another smoke—surely, one of them would act as a delete button for all those bad feelings. Right?

“The Adults Are Talking” by The Strokes was playing in the background, though ironically, not a single adult was talking. Jack was off to the smoking area for yet another cigarette, and Nick was making a desperate beeline for the toilet. Meanwhile, Sally arrived at the exact same pub, only to be whisked straight to the bar by Pam before she even had the chance to open her mouth.

Pam

- Come on! Let’s grab a shot, raise our glasses high, and make a toast!

“Two shots of tequila, please,” she said to the bartender with a big smile on her face.

Sally

- Tequila? Really? Oh my God Pamela! You’re going to kill me, you bitch.

Pam

- Sally Rose, here’s a toast to you on your birthday! I know, I know—you’re feeling all “I’m too old for this”. But guess what? Tonight, we’re throwing all of that out the window and partying like it’s the good old days! And don’t even stress, because we’re gonna be forever young, FOREVER YOUNGGGG—cue the music! Happy Birthday, sister! I love you, you crazy bitch and you know I’ve got your back always, right?! Let’s make this night unforgettable!

Sally

- Oh, thank you, Pam! You’re the best person ever. Let’s do it! Forever young! How about another two rounds of tequila?

Pam

- That’s my girl!

Sally and Pam were belting out every song, busting out their hilarious dance moves, and downing tequila shots as if it was no tomorrow. Meanwhile, Jack seemed completely zoned out, lost in another dimension, while Nick made an effort to chat with him.

Nick

- Hey man! Check out those girls over there dancing. They look like they’re having a great time and they’re really hot. What do you think, should we go for it?

Jack takes his phone out of his pocket to check the time, completely ignoring the girls, and responds:

- I think I should probably head home soon.

Nick

- You’re joking, it’s Friday! What are you doing tomorrow anyway?

Jack

- I promised my brother that I would help him in the morning to build the new cot for the baby.

Nick

-Oh yeah, you’re about to become Uncle Jack now, I see. How about we have one last pint to celebrate that?

Jack

- I’m not sure, man, but I think I should head out.

Nick

- This is the last one, I swear!

Jack

- Alright, I guess one more is fine, but that will definitely be the last one.

Nick

- Deal, this last round is on me.

Jack

- Thanks, man!

Nick gave Jack a gentle pat on the back before heading off to grab the last beers. He could sense something was off, but he wasn’t sure how to ask Jack about it without making things uncomfortable. Jack had never been much of a talker, not even when his ex-girlfriend Margaret broke up with him last year. It was clear from Jack’s face that he wasn’t happy about it, but he refused to open up. Every time Nick tried bring it up, Jack would either change the subject or crack a joke, acting like it wasn’t a big deal.

Meanwhile, Sally and Pam were dancing together when Pam noticed Jack on the other side of the room, standing alone and looking at his phone, and pointed it out to Sally.

Pam

- Look at that guy standing alone over there. He looks hot and has a mysterious vibe. Dark hair, leather jacket, jeans, Vans, and probably some cool tattoos. He seems like your type, girl—classic old-school, Wattpad bad boy style. Maybe he’s got a special birthday present for you. What do you think?

Sally

- Hahaha... You’re hilarious! I bet he’s not even single and probably just waiting for his girlfriend. Whatever, I’m not out to chase guys tonight—I’m perfectly happy dancing here with you.

Pam

- I can hunt him down for you if you’d like.

Sally

- Pamela, no, seriously! Can we just have a good time without chasing after guys? If someone comes to chat, fine, but we don’t need to go hunting, okay? That’s not why I’m here. It’s my birthday, I already decided to go out, so can you just do this one thing for me, please?

Pam

- Alright, no need to get upset with me. It was just a joke.

Sally

- That’s alright, I’m not bothered. Let’s enjoy ourselves.

Pam

- Can I just ask you something?

Sally

- Sure

Pam

- Why you didn’t want to invite anyone tonight?

Sally

- It’s not that I didn’t wanna invite, I just don’t think anyone would come.

Pam

- Why do you think that?

Sally

- I don’t know, it just feels like everyone is drifting apart—getting married, having kids, starting their own businesses, or moving to different countries. It makes me feel like I’m being left behind.

Pam

- That’s a silly thought to have. True friends would always be happy to be here with you, like me, no matter what.

Sally

- I get it, you’re single and completely unbothered by all this “aging gracefully” nonsense. You’re always game on for a few drinks and a good time.

Pam

- Hey! Of course, I care about it, but I’m not going to stop enjoying my life because of it. That makes no sense!

Sally

- Maybe you’re right, let’s just enjoy life.

Pam

-Of course, I’m always right—how could I not be? Now, come here, let me take away all your bad luck and negative vibes with just one kiss.

Sally

- Oh here we go, you are drunk. Hahaha...

Pam

- Come on, Sally Rose, just one kiss, like when we were teenagers.

Sally started singing “I Kissed a Girl” by Katy while looking at Pam, laughing hard as she remembered their teenage days when they kissed each other just because the song was popular and they thought it was cool. Apparently, Pam wasn’t the only one who was getting drunk. But that night, Sally Rose felt happiness in a way she hadn’t experienced for a long time.

Even Jack couldn’t help but notice the girls having fun. Sally looked stunning with her vibrant, long red hair and a spaceship tattoo on her left arm. She wasn’t like the girls he was used to; she seemed cool and intriguing. Her smile definitely caught his attention—until Nick snapped him back to reality.

Nick

- Looks like someone might have changed your mind. Are you planning to go talk to the girls?

Jack

- Oh no, let them have their fun. I’m just not feeling up to it today.

Nick

- Hey man, you know you can talk to me about anything, right? We’re like brothers.

Jack

- Alright, calm down. I’m good, just a bit too high to be chatting with girls right now. I should probably head out anyway, or else I’ll struggle to get up early tomorrow. Thanks for the beer, man.

Nick

- Alright, Uncle Jack, are you taking a taxi?

Jack

- Yes, sure, don’t worry. See you later.

Before Jack left the pub, he glanced back to catch one last glimpse of Sally. For a split second, he considered walking over, asking her name, her number—heck, even her favorite pizza topping. But deep down, he knew he wasn’t exactly bringing his A-game tonight. He didn’t want to waste another girl’s time, especially one who seemed way too cool for a one-night disaster. Honestly, he wasn’t sure he could even deliver a semi-entertaining disaster.

Those dreams tormented him, night after night disrupting his sleep. The weight of living a life that wasn’t truly his own pressed down on him. The emptiness from doing nothing meaningful. Jack, a 32-year-old man, had spent the past few years working at the family shoe shop every single day, a life he despised. He had always dreamed of exploring the world and trying new things. But he couldn’t walk away, not after promising his father on his deathbed to take care of the business after cancer took him.

Jack made the noble decision to retreat, determined not to pull anyone remotely interesting into his gloomy, monotonous existence. Little did he know, fate had other plans, and their paths were set to collide again—much sooner than his overthinking brain could predict.

up to date….

New chapter coming soon!