Forbidden

Chapter 56

Hudson's POV

This tea made my throat feel so bad I could vomit, but I hold it back. It would be insulting to laugh about their traditional tea and I know that her father would be really offended. I just drink some water and hope the horrible taste will go away.

I look around at my parents but they don't want to spill it out. They even tell them they like it. How can this be? But when I look at Ashley and Meredith I see them still giggling but also Ashley looking proudly at me. Is it possible they messed with me?

I guess, Kerem noticed our eye contact and joins in with their laugh. So that means he knows about the whole prank or what? I'm not sure what's going on but I'm not going to drink from this tea ever again, that's for sure.

"So, Osman, let's get to the point about why we're here sitting all together." My dad announces. Ashley immediately gets serious and business-like. I'm nervous.

"We are here to ask you for permission to engage our son Hudson with your daughter Ashley. Will you give us permission?" My dad asks. How does he know how to ask? Probably Kerem told him that. He's the lifesaver of the night, constantly.

"Yes, you've got my permission." Osman finally says. After staring seriously for minutes at me. I feel such a relief, I let a breath out even though I didn't know I was holding it in.

After the whole family hugged each other for the congratulations they put on our rings we'd chosen a few days ago at a jewelry shop. But the weird thing is, a ribbon is tied on the rings so they're connected. This must be a Turkish tradition again.

"Put your ring on and we cut the red ribbon for the luck of your future." Ashley's mother says and cuts it with very small scissors. After she cuts it everybody claps and congratulate us again. We eat a cake and then it's already so late we go back to Kerem's house.

Ashley's POV:

"Well, now that you're engaged to my brother should I call you sister-in-law or just sister?" Meredith asks me playfully while I'm sitting in front of the mirror, removing my makeup.

"Call me what you want. I'm so happy with all this right now that I don't really care. He didn't even make a scene about the salted tea we made him." I say, flushing, but still have to laugh about it.

"Oh, yes! I was totally sure he would spill it out." Meredith says madly.

"I regret that we didn't make the bet." I say and chuckle.

"No! I'm happy about it. I would've lost and I already know what you would've made me do. Something about Kerem of course." Meredith frowns at me playfully. I chuckle even louder as a yes.

Hudson's POV

I'm in Kerem's room finally wearing my pajamas and looking with Defne at the pictures we made today with my phone. Kerem is on all the pictures next to Meredith and Defne notices that.

"They look pretty together, right?" I say to her and smile playfully at Kerem who's sitting on his desk.

"Yes, and Meredith is really pretty. Right Abi?" Defne asks Kerem playfully. But he just rolls his eyes while Defne and I laugh.

"Come on, admit that you like her." I say and chuckle, but he moves his head as if to say no.

"You don't like her?" Defne asks seriously.

"I said no for 'I'm not admitting it', Defne." He says, a little annoyed.

"That doesn't mean you don't like her." Defne says playfully.

"Alright, I'm very tired anyway. Thank you, Hudson, again for the invitation. This night meant a lot to me." Defne says and high-fives me. Then she leaves the room and wishes us a good night.

"You invited her?" Kerem asks me after she closes the door behind her.

"Well, yes. I felt sorry for her staying here all alone and she likes Ashley very much." I try to explain.

"Thank you." He interrupts me and smiles. I nod as a 'you're welcome'.

"Kerem, you like my sister I know... but why haven't you asked her out already?" I ask him curiously.

"I don't know whether she likes me. I don't want to make it awkward between us." He says sadly.

"But she does like you!" I think but then I realize that I said it out loud and regret it.

"Wait, what?" He looks confused at me.

Fuck!