Chapter 6

The island fell into a profound silence, broken only by the rhythmic crackle of the driftwood fire.

Shristi and Sameer lay side-by-side on the cool sand, their eyes fixed on the vast canopy of the sky where stars glittered like scattered diamonds.

Shristi turned her head toward him, watching the orange glow of the embers dance in his eyes. "So," she said softly, "you’ve finally started counting the stars?"

Sameer’s gaze remained fixed on the heavens. He took a deep, steady breath. "I’m searching for a face."

"Whose face?" Shristi asked, her curiosity piqued.

"My mother's."

Shristi shifted onto her side, looking at him with a tender expression. "I don’t think I understand."

A bittersweet memory flickered in Sameer’s eyes. "My mother used to tell me that when someone we love leaves this world, they become a star. Seeing them all tonight... I feel like those stars have brought light into our lives just when we needed it most."

Shristi’s heart swelled at his words. She reached out and took his hand, her voice filled with a gentle sincerity. "Then make me a promise... promise that this light will stay in our hearts forever."

Sameer turned to her, meeting her gaze. He squeezed her hand firmly, a quiet strength in his voice. "I promise. Just like these stars, it will shine forever."

For a long moment, they returned to their silence—but this time, it was a silence filled with peace. Far off, the waves of the Sea washed against the shore, standing as the only witness to the vow they had made under the night sky.

The sun rose high over the island, its rays glistening against the white sand. The driftwood fire from the night before had long since crumbled into gray ash. Shristi was the first to wake, blinking against the morning light. She turned her head and saw Sameer sleeping peacefully beside her. A soft smile touched her lips as she watched him; he looked so different without the weight of the world on his shoulders.

She sat up and walked towards the shoreline, stretching her arms wide, and then she turned and noticed Sameer shifting his weight, trying to shield his closed eyes from the mounting glare. Mischief sparked in her eyes. She moved closer, using her hand to cast a shadow over his face. When he settled, she pulled her hand away, letting the sun hit him again. She played this game for a few moments—shading him, then exposing him—watching his nose crinkle in his sleep.

Finally, she leaned down, her lips inches from his ear, and shouted with all her heart, "I LOVE YOU!"

She bolted toward the shoreline, laughing. Sameer sat up with a start, rubbing his eyes and shaking his head. He didn't chase her; he simply sat there on the sand, a rich, genuine laugh echoing through the trees as he watched her run.

Shristi eventually made her way back to the center of the beach.

She picked up the stick with her pink skirt and ran towards the starting point of the shoreline and firmly planted it back into the sand at the island’s edge. Sameer walked up behind her, his expression curious.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I’m putting up the flag," she replied firmly.

"Why?"

Shristi turned to him, her eyes bright with hope. "So that I can go back to the city and tell the whole world that I love you!" She walked a few steps ahead, facing the horizon and shouting her confession once more to the open sea.

However, as she turned back, she saw Sameer’s face had turned dull. The light in his eyes had vanished, replaced by a heavy shadow.

"What’s wrong?" she asked, her voice dropping.

Sameer shrugged, looking out at the water. "I don’t want to go back today."

"What are you saying?" Shristi asked, confused.

"It’s true, Shristi. You don't realize it, but in that city—in that world—there are so many walls between us."

Shristi stepped close to him, her expression defiant. She waved her hand through the air between them. "Where is the wall? I don’t see any walls," she whispered. To prove her point, she leaned in and pressed a firm kiss to his lips. When she pulled back, she smiled. "See? Was there a wall there?"

Their moment was shattered by a low, mechanical thrum. Three high-speed boats were cutting through the turquoise water, heading straight for the island. Sameer and Shristi stood frozen, wondering who could have found them.

As the lead boat neared the shore, Shristi squinted. A man stood at the bow, lowering a pair of binoculars. It was her father, Rajiv Arora, standing beside a uniformed captain.

"Daddy!" Shristi said, her face lighting up with relief.

The boats hissed onto the sand, and a crew of navy personnel jumped out to secure the vessels. Rajiv stepped onto the beach, his face a mask of cold stone. Shristi didn't notice the tension; she simply ran across the sand and threw her arms around him. "Daddy!"

Over his daughter’s shoulder, Rajiv Arora didn't look at the island or the rescue crew. He fixed a piercing, lethal stare directly on Sameer. Sameer stood his ground, though he felt a chill that had nothing to do with the ocean breeze. He looked back at Shristi’s father, wondering why the man’s eyes held such deep, unmistakable hatred.

*

The next morning, the opulence of the Arora Mansion felt cold and suffocating. Rajiv Arora stood by the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, his grip tightening around his phone as he dialed a number.

"Vinod," Rajiv said, his voice dropping to a dangerous, low growl. "Fire Sameer. Right now. I want him out of that job immediately."

Across the city, in a cramped, sunlit office, Vinod Mehta sat back in his leather chair. Sameer stood on the other side of the desk, his expression calm but his heart heavy. Vinod didn't even look him in the eye as he spoke into the receiver.

"Don't you worry, Arora," Vinod said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I’ve already made the decision to kick him out. He’s finished here."

Sameer didn’t wait to hear the rest. He turned on his heel and walked out of the cabin, the heavy wooden door clicking shut behind him. Inside, Vinod continued, his voice dripping with malice. "And I’ll make sure he doesn’t find work anywhere else in this city."

Back at the mansion, Rajiv smirked. "Good. Let him wander the streets and eat the dust of the roads."

Rajiv disconnected the call with a sharp snap. He didn't turn around, but he knew

Shristi was standing in the doorway. She had heard everything. Her hands were trembling, and a wave of helplessness washed over her. She wanted to scream, to defend him, but looking at the rigid, unforgiving back of her father, she felt the "walls" Sameer had warned her about rising up, taller and thicker than ever before.

*

Sameer stood by the edge of the water, the same waves that had carried him to a paradise now mocking him with their rhythm. He stood in total silence, the weight of his sudden unemployment settling into his bones. Without a job, the dream of taking care of his family felt like it was slipping through his fingers.

Behind him, the gate of their small seafront house creaked open. Rohan stepped out, his eyes scanning the beach until they landed on the familiar silhouette of his brother.

Rohan tan.His feet kicking up sand as he raced toward his brother, sensing even from a distance that something was wrong and he embraced his brother.