Chapter 5: Fire and Silence
338 Words
Kabir heard about it at lunch. Heard the laughter. Saw the scraps of torn paper thrown around.
And then he saw Arjun — eyes down, arms wrapped around his chest, walking fast and not looking back.
Kabir didn’t ask questions. He didn’t need to.
He found one of the boys still mocking Arjun in the hallway and shoved him against a locker.
“What’s your problem, huh?” Kabir shouted. “You think this is funny?”
The other boy smirked. “He’s the one who wants to kiss you, not me.”
Kabir’s fist connected with his jaw before he even realized he’d moved.
Teachers pulled them apart. Kabir was suspended for a week.
But he didn’t care.
Because when he found Arjun later, hiding behind the old auditorium, he just sat beside him in silence.
“I didn’t want this,” Arjun whispered.
Kabir didn’t say “I know.” Instead, he said:
“I’m here. And I’m not going anywhere.”
The phone call came that night.
Kabir’s father wasn’t yelling — not yet — but the quiet rage in his voice was worse.
“What were you thinking?”
“Fighting over that boy?”
“Is this what you want your future to look like?”
Kabir didn’t answer.
His mother stood in the hallway, lips pressed into a thin line. Not speaking. Not helping.
“From now on,” his father said, “you focus on school and football. You cut that boy out of your life.”
Kabir hung up before he could say something he’d regret.
Across town, Arjun’s parents were more confused than angry.
His mother sat beside him, holding the sketchbook with trembling hands.
“Arjun… is this really how you feel?”
He nodded, eyes full of shame.
His father didn’t shout. Just sighed and left the room.
His mother spoke quietly:
“I don’t know how to help you. But I still love you. Please… be careful.”
Arjun didn’t cry. But he wanted to.
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- Writer
