Unspoken Melodies

Episode 6: A New Beginning

The morning sun filtered through the cracks of Arjun’s modest room, its light brushing against the guitar resting in the corner. Arjun stared at the worn strings as he tied his shoelaces, his mind heavy with the weight of the day ahead. Another shift at the café, another lecture to sit through at college, and then—finally—his first chance to record in a professional studio.

He had Rohan to thank for that. Rohan’s belief in Arjun’s talent was unwavering, and it was because of him that the door to the studio had even opened. “One shot,” Arjun muttered to himself. “Make it count.”

At the café, the hours dragged. Orders blurred together, the clatter of dishes blending into a hum of white noise. Customers came and went, oblivious to the boy behind the counter who dreamed of stages and spotlights. As Arjun scrubbed the last table, his hands rough from hours of work, his manager called out, “Shift’s over. Go chase whatever it is you’re always daydreaming about.”

A small smile tugged at Arjun’s lips. If only it were that simple.

Meanwhile, across town, Diya stood behind the counter of a boutique, folding scarves with careful precision. The job was nothing like the glamorous life she had once known, but it was necessary now. Her father’s bankruptcy had turned their world upside down, and Diya had stepped in to help, even if it meant enduring the subtle sneers of customers who recognized her from her old life.

She kept her chin up, though. Pride was one of the few things she had left. But as the day wore on, she couldn’t shake the image of Arjun from her mind. She had seen him at college earlier that week, a quiet intensity in his eyes as he scribbled lyrics in the back of a notebook. She found herself wondering what drove him, what dreams kept him going.

By evening, Arjun found himself standing outside the studio, his heart pounding. The building wasn’t grand, but it felt like a cathedral to him—a place where music could come to life. Rohan greeted him at the door, his grin wide and encouraging.

“Nervous?” Rohan asked, slapping a hand on Arjun’s shoulder.

“A little,” Arjun admitted, though the word hardly captured the storm inside him.

“Good,” Rohan said. “Use it.”

Inside, the studio was a world of its own. The soundproof walls seemed to swallow every stray noise, leaving only the anticipation hanging in the air. Arjun approached the microphone, adjusting the headphones nervously. The lyrics he had poured his heart into were written on a crumpled piece of paper, now smoothed out and trembling in his hands.

As the music track began to play, Arjun closed his eyes and let the melody wash over him. The words came naturally, each one carrying the weight of his struggles, his dreams, and his unspoken feelings for Diya. The raw emotion in his voice filled the room, leaving Rohan silent in awe.

When the final note faded, Arjun opened his eyes, breathless.

“Arjun,” Rohan said, his voice quiet but firm. “That was magic.”

For the first time in weeks, Arjun allowed himself a small smile. This was just a beginning, but it was a beginning nonetheless.

As he left the studio that night, the city felt a little less daunting. The streetlights flickered above him as he walked home, his mind replaying the song over and over. He thought of Diya, wondering if she would ever hear it.

Across town, Diya sat in her dimly lit room, the day’s exhaustion weighing heavily on her. She stared at her sketchbook, but her thoughts kept wandering to Arjun. She remembered the way he carried himself—quiet but determined, as though he were chasing something bigger than himself. She shook her head, chastising herself for thinking about him so often.

But as she lay in bed that night, a tune hummed in the back of her mind, faint and hauntingly beautiful. She didn’t realize it, but it was the same melody Arjun had poured his soul into just hours earlier.

For both of them, it was the start of something new—something they couldn’t yet define but felt deeply in their hearts.