In the quiet of Us

Chapter 4: Tangled Threads

The terrace buzzed with energy as Noah regaled everyone with another exaggerated tale from his recent travels. Silvia found herself seated between Ricky and Talia, the latter radiating her usual calm, steadying presence. Despite her young age, Talia had always been the glue that held their group together. She knew just how to balance Noah’s boundless energy, William’s seriousness, Silvia’s occasional hesitations, and Ricky’s carefree nature.

“You’re awfully quiet,” Talia said softly to Silvia, her dark eyes full of quiet understanding.

“Just thinking,” Silvia replied, sipping her drink.

Talia tilted her head. “About Carlos?”

Silvia blinked, caught off guard. “Why would you say that?”

Talia’s lips twitched into a knowing smile. “You’ve been stealing glances at him all night.”

“I have not,” Silvia protested, though her cheeks betrayed her with a slight flush.

“Hmm,” Talia hummed thoughtfully. “He’s interesting, isn’t he? Young, confident, but not arrogant. That’s rare.”

“It’s not like that,” Silvia insisted, lowering her voice. “We barely know each other.”

“Yet,” Talia said, her tone teasing.

Before Silvia could respond, Carlos approached, holding a plate of appetizers. “Mind if I sit?” he asked, his smile as disarming as ever.

“Of course,” Talia said, shifting to make space for him. She glanced between Carlos and Silvia, her expression amused but subtle.

---

The conversation soon shifted, with Carlos seamlessly integrating into the group dynamic. Noah challenged him to share a wild story from his acting career, and Carlos obliged with a tale about an eccentric director who once insisted on filming an entire scene upside-down.

“That’s insane,” Ricky said, laughing. “Did it work?”

“Surprisingly, yes,” Carlos admitted. “Though it gave half the crew vertigo.”

Talia leaned forward, her interest piqued. “And you stuck with it? That takes a lot of patience.”

Carlos shrugged modestly. “You learn to adapt in this industry.”

“You’re good at adapting,” Silvia said, surprising herself with the observation.

Carlos turned to her, his expression curious. “What makes you say that?”

She hesitated, then gestured toward the group. “You’ve only just met us, but you fit in like you’ve been here all along. That’s not easy.”

His smile softened, the warmth in his eyes making her pulse quicken. “Maybe it’s because you’re all so welcoming.”

Talia, ever the diplomat, took the opportunity to redirect the conversation before the moment grew too intense. “Speaking of adapting,” she said, addressing the group, “we need to finalize plans for the new resort project. Who’s in?”

“Count me out,” Noah said quickly. “I just got back from a trip. I’m not ready to dive into logistics.”

“I can help,” Ricky offered. “I have some free time next week.”

“I’ll take care of the design elements,” Talia said. “But I’ll need someone to handle the initial business negotiations.”

“I’ll do it,” Silvia said, her natural sense of responsibility kicking in.

“No surprise there,” Ricky teased. “You love taking on the hard stuff.”

“I just like things done right,” Silvia replied, though she couldn’t suppress a small smile.

As they divvied up responsibilities, Carlos listened intently, his admiration for their camaraderie evident.

“You’re all so driven,” he said. “It’s inspiring.”

Talia smiled at him. “We’re lucky to have found each other. It’s not just about business—it’s about trust. And we trust each other completely.”

“Most of the time,” Noah added, grinning. “Unless someone’s late with their part of a deal.”

Talia gave him a pointed look. “Or unless someone decides to disappear for weeks without warning.”

“Touché,” Noah said, raising his glass in mock surrender.

---

As the night wore on, the group began to disperse. William excused himself to take a business call, and Ricky wandered off to sketch the view. Noah stayed behind, determined to finish every last bite of the dessert platter.

That left Silvia, Talia, and Carlos at the table.

“I should probably head home,” Silvia said, stretching.

“Me too,” Talia said, standing. She looked at Carlos. “Do you need a ride?”

“I’m good, thanks,” Carlos replied. “I’ll grab a cab.”

Talia nodded, her gaze flicking briefly between him and Silvia. “Take care, you two.”

With that, she walked off, leaving Silvia alone with Carlos once again.

---

They lingered in silence for a moment, the city lights stretching out before them.

“You really have a strong bond with your friends,” Carlos said, his tone thoughtful.

“They’re everything to me,” Silvia admitted. “We’ve been through a lot together.”

“I can see that,” he said. “Talia especially. She seems like the kind of person who keeps everyone grounded.”

“She is,” Silvia said, smiling fondly. “She’s the glue that holds us all together. I don’t know what we’d do without her.”

Carlos nodded, his expression turning serious. “It’s rare to find people like that. You’re lucky.”

“I know,” Silvia said quietly.

He hesitated, then asked, “Do you ever wonder what it’d be like to have that kind of connection outside your group? With someone else?”

The question caught her off guard, and for a moment, she didn’t know how to respond. “I... haven’t really thought about it,” she said finally.

Carlos studied her, his gaze steady but not intrusive. “Maybe you should.”

Her heart skipped a beat at his words, but she quickly masked her reaction. “You’re full of advice tonight,” she said lightly.

He smiled, the tension easing. “Maybe it’s the company.”

Silvia couldn’t help but laugh, the sound carrying into the crisp night air.

“Come on,” she said, standing. “Let’s make sure Noah doesn’t eat the rest of the desserts.”

Carlos grinned, following her back to the group.

As they rejoined their friends, Silvia couldn’t shake the feeling that Carlos was quietly slipping past her defenses. It wasn’t something she had planned—or wanted—but there was no denying the spark that lingered between them

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