Early Bird (Erkenci Kus)(Part 2)

7. Sanem cooks a meal...ish...

"Look, I know you want to seem all macho or whatever, but you really could have given me a few tents to carry too, JJ," Ayhan sighs as they enter the outdoor rental store. He was packed from head to toe carrying all of the tents.

"Sorry, but I can't allow that. If I do, people will call me inconsiderate." He shrugs as and plops the tents in his arms on the counter. "That's just how it works where I'm from. Men alone do all the heavy lifting. Men work in the field and women sip lattes, sing lullabys and read books. You know, girly stuff?" He lifts the rest with a heave and breathes out heavily. "And they look at us. Why? Because we have muscles. So, we don't allow our wives to work."

Ayhan lifts a brow. "What do you mean 'wives'?"

"Wives...moms, sisters, friends, teachers...women in general," he says quickly. "Women don't work, it's not allowed."

"What kind of place is that?" Ayhan scoffs. "Where are you from again?"

"Well, it's a small - Hey, what are you looking at? I've brought it all back in one piece, you should be checking on them instead of listening to us," JJ chastises the clerk who watched curiously. "Do your job. We rented them, brought them back. Here, make sure they're fine and give me back the deposit!"

"I'm sorry," Ayhan apologizes to the clerk and the other customers. "JJ!"

"Come on, he's not doing his job!" JJ clicks his tongue as the clerk starts pulling the tents closer.

"But why are you yelling?"

"I get edgy when someone isn't doing their job, because I'm usually the one getting yelled at. JJ! JJ! JJ! Enough damn it! I can't understand why it's so hard to do your job!" He stops further into the store, looking at her. "And you! I don't understand you either, we go into the forest and something happens, we have a spark but you talk about cats and dogs and...What am I supposed to say to that? I didn't sleep a wink last night. It was too hard to fall asleep. Some people make it look easy but no...And now you're standing here, and I have no clue how you feel, or if you even understand what I'm trying to say! I mean - I may have feelings for you, I try to show you but you don't seem to grasp that - "

"JJ, what are you saying?" Ayhan interrupts him, her heart suddenly at a nervous gallop while she listens to him completely unravel.

"I can't stop thinking about you, Ayhan. At first I thought that maybe you were just faking not knowing that I keep looking at you or that I always want to be around you but you honestly don't seem to understand and it's driving me crazy!"

Ayhan stares at him for a long minute. "What?" she blinks.

"I fell in love with you Ayhan."

"Fell in...wait, fell in love?" Ayhan starts to feel the panic rise inside her with JJ out of breathe after his confession. "What kind of love? Like friendship or...?"

"Love," JJ shrugs. "Between two people. You know, love."

"Ah." Ayhan takes a moment. "Well, uhm, I, being your life coach, should probably give you advice on love...but this is very unexpected and I'm so confused I don't even..." She shakes her head and just stops talking. I don't even know what I'm trying to say.

"I didn't want to just blurt it out like this but I couldn't stop it. My mouth just kept running." JJ looks as awkward as she felt. "And now I've put pressure on you for a response and...I - I want you to tell me you like me as I like you. Do you like me too?" JJ peeks up at her fleetingly and then down and up again anxious for her answer.

Do I like you? I mean, you're cool, and we did have that moment that I - "Yes, I like you. I think. I like you... JJ..." Ayhan pushes the words out, her heart speeding up.