Scene 1 – The Lonely Scroll
Setting: Amara's apartment, late at night
Tone: Restless, emotional, humorous undertone
The city outside hummed in the background — taxis, laughter, music. But inside Amara's apartment, it was just the quiet glow of her phone screen and the soft flicker of candles she never lit for anyone but herself.
She rolled onto her back, groaning.
AMARA (muttering to herself)
Swipe, ghost. Swipe, lie. Swipe, gym selfie. Lord, send me a man who can spell and doesn't list crypto as a hobby.
Her thumb hovered above a profile.
Eli Morgan, 29.
UX designer. 6'2".
Bookstore lover. "Talk to me about vinyl and broken clocks."
Cute dog in the second picture. Clean haircut. No shirtless gym selfies. Just…smirking eyes and a cozy smile.
She hesitated, then tapped Right.
Scene 2 – The Spark in the DMs
Setting: Messaging interface → bar meetup later that week
Tone: Flirty, charming
ELI (Leo):
You looked like someone who argues with strangers about wine pairings and wins.
AMARA:
I look like someone who wins. That part's true.
The banter sparked fast. Three days of texting turned into voice notes. Laughter became normal. He was different. Not just "cute," but easy. Honest. Or so it seemed.
INT. TRENDY BAR — FRIDAY NIGHT
Amara arrived first, rocking a green off-shoulder dress that made her skin glow. She wasn't nervous. She was just…ready. It'd been too long since someone made her feel excited without having to perform.
ELI (LEO) stepped inside. No pictures had done him justice. His presence had weight — like the room noticed when he walked in.
ELI
You're Amara?
AMARA
I am. You sound surprised.
ELI
Honestly? I thought you were AI-generated. You don't look real.
She laughed, and just like that — the wall dropped.
They sipped cocktails, talked about everything from their worst dates to their dreams. Amara teased. Eli flirted back, but listened more than he spoke. That night, he didn't talk about Nina. He didn't even think about her.
To him, this was a completely separate world.
Scene 3 – Something She Can't Name
Setting: Uber ride home + apartment entry
Tone: Reflective, hopeful
As they exited the bar, the city lights reflected off wet pavement.
AMARA
I don't usually do second dates.
ELI (grinning)
Then let's not call it that. Let's just say… next time, you pick the place?
She leaned in, testing the air. He didn't go for the kiss. Just touched her wrist gently.
ELI
Goodnight, Amara.
She watched him leave like a character in a movie — confident, calm, disappearing into the night with just enough mystery.
Back in her apartment, she fell onto her couch and stared at the ceiling. She didn't know what this was. But it didn't feel like nothing.
Scene 4 – Cracks in the Surface
Setting: Days later — best friend brunch with Nina
Tone: Light but loaded with dramatic irony
INT. BRUNCH CAFE – SUNDAY
Nina stirred her tea while Amara added extra syrup to her waffles.
AMARA
I met someone.
NINA
Oh? Spill.
AMARA
Name's Eli. We met on a dating app. He's a little older, works in tech, crazy smart. Not clingy. Feels… real.
NINA
Finally! Someone who's not a walking red flag. What's he like?
AMARA (laughing)
Hmm. Like a book you keep rereading. Quiet in places, loud in others. Full of underlines.
Nina smiled, genuinely happy. Her own relationship with "Leo" had been quieter lately. He said he'd been working more.
NINA
I'm glad you're happy.
AMARA
Yeah. Me too.
They toasted to new love. They didn't know they were toasting to the same man.
Scene 5 – Dual Lives Begin
Setting: Eli's apartment
Tone: Thoughtful, double-edged
Leo — Eli, depending on who he was texting — sat alone in his apartment later that night. Two unread messages on his phone.
Nina:
Hope your meetings went well today. Miss you.
Amara:
Next time, I'm picking the movie. Hope you're free Friday. x
He sighed. Not out of guilt — he was careful. He never promised exclusivity. Never overlapped plans. Different women, different cities, different feelings.
But part of him wondered: Why does it feel like the same sky is always watching me?
Chapter Ends With Leo staring at a photo he keeps in his drawer — of him as a child, with a man whose face he barely remembers: his father.
And a name written on the back in faded ink:
"To Elijah, from your father. Someday you'll understand."