They just sit.
In silence.
After a while, Tiara speaks — voice soft, fragile.
Tiara:
"You remember how we used to talk about running away to Goa?"
Arvind:
"Yeah. To open a bookstore by the beach."
She chuckles.
Tiara:
"You'd do the books. I'd yell at customers."
He smiles — for real.
Silence again.
Not awkward. Just... still.
But beneath the calm,
everything is churning.
Final Beat – Closing Narration
They were surrounded by friends.
Sunburned. Exhausted. Laughing.
But Arvind and Tiara —
they were still learning how to exist in a world
where the past was real
but the future was unclear.
For now, they said nothing.
Because sometimes,
the loudest truths begin in silence.
Act 5.6 – "Bonfires Burn Quiet Things"
"Some truths don't need to be shouted.
They sit between people like quiet fire — warm, dangerous, and waiting."
Setting Up the Bonfire
It was their third evening in Goa.
The sun dipped low, smearing gold across the waves.
Kabir had convinced a shack owner to let them borrow firewood, and they spent an hour dragging logs to a safe spot near the beach house.
Laughter echoed as Sahil dropped all the marshmallows into the sand.
Kiara shrieked.
Ankita called him a "golden retriever with no sense of responsibility."
Arvind helped arrange the logs, hoodie sleeves rolled up.
Tiara arrived late — hair still damp from the shower, sleeves of Kabir's oversized flannel brushing her knuckles.
Their eyes met — just for a second.
Then looked away.
Firelight and Fragile Walls
The fire crackled to life.
They sat in a circle — cross-legged, barefoot, wrapped in blankets or someone else's hoodie.
Kiara passed around cups of spiced chai.
Ankita had stolen a bottle of Coke and was mixing it with fruit juice.
Ankita:
"Poor girl sangria."
Sahil:
"Truth or dare."
Everyone groaned.
Ankita:
"Are we twelve?"
Sahil:
"Emotionally? Yes."
Tiara:
"Fine. I'm in. Let's break someone tonight."
Laughter.
And so it began.
Scene 3 – One Game, Many Cracks
Kabir – (Truth)
"What's your biggest fear?"
He hesitated.
"Losing something... slowly. Not knowing when it happened."
Tiara's hand tightened around her cup.
She didn't say anything.
—
Kiara – (Dare)
"Confess a crush from this trip."
She pointed at Arvind with a wink.
"Knew since Day 1, okay? He's hotter than he acts."
YOU ARE READING
Parallel Lines: a story of memory, silence, and first love
RomanceThere was a rooftop. A page that went unread. A name she never said out loud again. Years passed. The silence stayed. One train. Two people. No second chance - only the memory of what almost was. Parallel Lines is a story you don't read. You remembe...
Finally
Start from the beginning
