Scene 1 — Dinner Table Silence
The dinner table felt heavier than usual. The plates were full, but no one was really eating.
There was something about tonight — something unspoken hanging in the air.
Neel poked at his food and said casually, trying to break the silence,
"So… we're meeting Principal Z tomorrow?"
Tara didn't look up. Her voice was flat.
"I can't."
Rose frowned. "You forgot? Tara has her trial tomorrow."
Neel blinked. "Oh… right."
Then, determined, "Well, we're coming with you."
Nadia said nothing. The clink of her spoon against the plate was the only sound she made.
Zoya glanced at her phone and stood up abruptly.
"Guys, I have a call to attend," she said quickly and left.
Tara finally spoke again, her voice steady but distant.
"I talked to Mr. Samuel. A doctor will testify for me."
Rose leaned in, her brows furrowed.
"Are you nervous?"
Tara hesitated. Then, in a low voice,
"No. I don't care. If I have to go to jail… then fine."
Across the table, Arib stared at her. He hadn't touched his food either.
It wasn't hunger he lacked—it was the weight in her words that made him feel sick.
Rose gently placed a hand on Tara's shoulder.
"Don't talk like that," she said softly.
After a brief silence, Rose tried to move things forward.
"Alright… we meet tomorrow. 9 a.m. sharp."
"Sure," Neel nodded.
---
Scene 2 — Night in the Hostel Room
Tara lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. The silence pressed down on her like a second blanket.
Rose walked in and sat beside her, concerned.
"Don't stress about the trial. We're going to win this."
Then she paused. "But forget the case for a second… What about Arib? How do you really feel?"
Tara turned away. "I don't want to talk about it."
Rose didn't budge. "Do you really think you can live normally without him?"
Tara scoffed, "Of course."
Rose smiled gently. "Then why does it hurt so much to let him go?"
Tara's voice cracked. Her words came out in fragments.
"Do you know what it feels like when he misunderstands me? It's like—being stabbed with something invisible. It doesn't bleed… but it breaks you inside.
I don't think I can take that kind of pain again. That's why… I had to step back."
Rose whispered, "And now?"
Tara's breath trembled.
"It sounds like a bad movie. But I swear, it's real. My heart feels like it's drowning. I can't breathe properly. I'm not hungry. I can't sleep. I feel nothing."
Rose took her hand, gently.
"So… you're choosing to walk away from love just because you're scared of the future?"
Tara whispered, "Do you think love can really last?"
Rose smiled. "Look at my parents. They're still ridiculously in love."
Tara managed a faint smile.
"Maybe… let's just sleep."
"I know you won't sleep," Rose said softly. "Let's just… be quiet together."
Tara nodded.
"Too much happened today. For all of us."
The room went dark. But Tara's thoughts stayed wide awake.
I love him. He loves me. Then why does it feel like we're so far apart?
---
Scene 3 — The Ride to Court
The car moved through the foggy morning. No one spoke at first.
"Hi, Rose," Neel said, breaking the silence from the back seat. "Did you—"
"Yes, I ate breakfast," Rose cut him off with a smirk. "And yes, I slept fine."
Neel raised a brow. "I was asking about Tara, not you."
Tara smiled quietly. Arib, seated beside her, glanced at her through the mirror. Their eyes met for a brief second. A thousand unsaid words passed between them.
Before anything could be said—
"We're here," Rose announced, stepping out of the car.
Mr. Samuel was waiting by the courthouse steps.
"Don't worry, Tara," he said calmly. "We'll win this. Trust me."
---
Scene 4 — Inside the Courtroom
The room was packed. Every breath felt like a held secret.
Neel leaned close to Rose. "Our love story may be doomed… but his isn't. If Tara walks away from him, Arib won't survive it."
Rose raised an eyebrow. "And you're so sure?"
"I live with the guy. He's a mess without her."
Rose smiled softly. "Same goes for Tara."
Justice Armon Vale entered. The courtroom fell silent.
Bang!
"The court calls Dr. Han to the stand," he declared.
Tara's eyes widened.
"Dr. Han?" she whispered. He came? He hates chaos…
Rose leaned in. "You knew he'd come?"
Neel whispered, "Focus. This is it."
---
Scene 5 — Dr. Han's Testimony
Mr. Samuel stood.
"Doctor, state your name and position."
"I'm Dr. Han. Chief Medical Officer at Eclipse Academy."
"Did you treat Miss Tara Fireborn after the incident?"
"Yes. She had injurie."
"Were any of those caused by her own power?"
"Yes. The burn marks on her arms were from a defensive shield, activated instinctively. It wasn't an attack—it was protection."
"So her actions were in response to a direct threat?"
"Exactly. Her wounds confirm it. It was survival."
Neel grinned quietly. "Yes! Let's go—"
"Shut up," Rose hissed. "You sound like a toddler."
"No one respects my talents anymore," Neel muttered.
Mr. Samuel bowed slightly.
"No further questions."
The prosecutor rose.
"Doctor, didn't Miss Fireborn's powers cause Miss Jisa's death?"
"Yes," Dr. Han replied calmly. "But it was unintentional. It was a reflex. Not a calculated attack."
The judge nodded. "You may step down."
Justice Armon Vale rose.
"After reviewing all evidence and testimony, this court finds that Miss Tara Fireborn acted in self-defense. All charges are dismissed."
He paused, eyes sharp.
"Let this remind us all — justice is not emotion. It is truth."
Bang!
"Case dismissed."
---
Scene 6 — Outside the Courtroom
Tara walked up to Mr. Samuel. "Thank you."
He smiled. "I just gave them the truth. You're the one who stood strong."
She turned to Dr. Han. "I thought Mr. Samuel convinced you to come."
Dr. Han shook his head.
"No. Arib did. He came to me himself. Told me everything. He just wanted to protect you."
Tara stood there, speechless.
She watched Dr. Han walk away. And for the first time in days, the weight on her chest lifted.
I found my answer.
Love isn't about perfection. It's about choosing someone even when it's hard. It's forgiving. It's showing up. Again and again.
She turned, searching for Arib in the crowd.
And then—
She smiled.
A real, fearless smile.