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Chapter 10

Ashley's POV

"Samir listen I can explain..." I sob even though I don't know how to explain anything to them.

"No Asli, you listen! Mom and dad don't know you left. I told them you are at the grocery store." He explains. I can't believe he is still defending me.

"But did you not read my letter? I'm in England and want to do my language exchange..." I say.

"Yes, I know but dad is going to kill you if he finds out!" Samir says. He's so adorable but I don't want to go back already.

"Do you think I don't know this? Samir I'm making my dream come true. I want to stay here even though dad is going to be angry and mom is getting sick. Or didn't you even tell mom about this?" I ask. Samir is very close to mom. Even closer than I am to her.

"No, I didn't tell mom. I didn't even tell Amar! And that's why you should come back! I can't stand lying to them. Asli, you know that dad wants to marry you off to Kerem. We even talked to him but he still won't change his mind. So, please don't make it any worse than it already is." He begs.

"Exactly that's the point that made me run away! Dad always cares a lot about what others think of me and our family, but if he cared about me, he would have let me go. He just wanted to engage me to some guy I don't want before I embarrass him but I don't care anymore!" I almost shout but then I remember Meredith's family is still on the balcony and maybe they can hear me.

"I know he is making a mistake, but he probably would have given up trying to get you engaged after he sees that it's not right. You just would have had to have been patient but if he finds out you are in England he will freak out and marry you off immediately." He explains. I know he's going to marry me with Kerem but he wouldn't have let go on this just because I was patient.

"I know Samir, you are defending me, and thank you, but dad is not going to change his mind anyway, so I'm going to stay. And if he finds out, then tell him I'll marry Kerem right after I'm done with my exchange." I say and mean it. I have to. My dad is going to freak out, but it's the only way I can follow my dreams.

"Alright, but if you change your mind, you know you can call me if you need help. I love you and please look after yourself. Don't forget to call me every day, ok?" He says. I think he's going to cry.

"Ok, thank you, Samir. I love you too." I hang up before I start crying again. And when I turn around, I see Meredith holding her arms out to hug me.

"Oh honey, come on." I hug her tightly and cry.

"Why do you promise your dad to marry Kerem? That's not right if you don't love him." She says.

After some minutes she brings me upstairs to her room and we talk about this disaster. She hugs me again after I cry for the 3rd time today and it's not even noon.

Hudson's POV

We just had a good conversation, but some guy called her. He yelled at her like she's done something bad. I could hear it through her phone. Maybe it's her boyfriend and she told him about yesterday and he got mad. Wait no, I don't think she would ever tell somebody about that. She just promised me. Well, not promised but I don't think she would tell anybody. And maybe it wasn't even her boyfriend. Maybe it's her brother. Mom asked her how her brothers are so it must be one of her brothers, I guess.

"Hudson? Do you or do you not want more toast?" My mom interrupts my thoughts. It sounds like she asked me more than once, but I didn't hear her.

"No mother, I am full." I stand up and head in. When I almost arrive the living room, I see Meredith hugging Ashley. Is she crying?

"Why do you promise your dad to marry Kerem? That's not right if you don't love him." Meredith says. What? She's going to marry someone? I would freak out if my parents forced me to marry someone I didn't love.

Meredith can see me while I can only see Ashley's back. She immediately brings Ashley upstairs and shows me a sign to not come in. She probably thinks that I'd disturb them. But actually, I didn't even want her to see me either. I don't know how to react when women cry. I am a bad liar, so I can't say anything positive when somebody is crying. Even when Meredith cries, I call my mom to comfort her.

I want to go to my bedroom before somebody asks me what happened. When I almost arrive at my bedroom door, Ashley walks out of Meredith's room with cried-out eyes. We have eye contact and the last thing I can remember is my thumb on her cheek, catching the tear that's falling out of her red eyes.