Early Bird (Erkenci Kus)(Part 2)

11. Mr Can is the Albatross

Sanem opens her eyes and stares at Can. It's him...I kissed Can...and not just now... He's - "Al - Albatross?" she stutters, sounding like it's the first words she's ever spoken. It was such a shock she was speechless for a good ten seconds. "Are you the - the Albatross?" she finally manages to ask, shaking her head before waving a hand across her eyes to make sure she was awake.

Can nods, smiling.

"How?" Sanem blinks. "How are you the Albatross and Mr Can at the same time? Am I dreaming?" She waves her hand again.

Can chuckles and then leans closer. "Are you okay?" he checks, ready to catch her if she passes out because she looked a little flustered.

"Am I okay?" she returns and then she starts laughing gleefully. "Am I okay?" she repeats. "Of course I am! I'm fine!" She looks around them, then says more calmly, "I'm fine." She looks at him again. "I...I can't believe this! I've read so many novels but I've never come across anything like this before," she rambles breathlessly, her cheeks turning red and her eyes widening with excitement. "My body is on fire...it feels like everything inside is alive right now!" She looks down at her trembling hands. "My hands...Look at them! And is that my stomach or my heart doing that flippy thing?" she mumbles and frowns trying to figure it out. "My legs are shaking! It's like I'm made of jelly," she beams in amazement and looks down at her legs.

Can takes her gesturing hands to calm her down and kisses them gently. I love you like this.

Sanem looks at him when he does this, swallowing nervously. "Mr Can...?"

"You look beautiful."

Sanem breathes a gasp and starts smiling even wider.

"You do," Can nods. "I want to ask you something though? If you don't mind?" She waits. "Maybe we can drop the whole 'Mr Can' thing, hm?
I think 'Can' will be just fine after tonight." He didn't want to feel like her boss all the time anymore. He wanted to feel like Can.

"Can?" Sanem tests it out.

Yes... He nods again, grinning at just that word without the label attached in front. "Can," he confirms, pointing at himself then her, "Sanem."

Sanem giggles, shaking her head and blinking a couple of times. "Can..." His smile broadens and she clears her throat. "Can, uhm, I-I think I should leave now...can I go?" she asks shakily. 

"No, no, no," Can moves his hands to her upper arms, rubbing up and down over the goosebumps erupting at his touch. "Where are you going?"

"Mr Can..." She starts then smiles shyly. "I mean, er, Can," she corrects herself. "I just - I feel very weird right now...Like I can't breathe...
My heart is going to jump out of me any second, I think there's something wrong with it." She touches her chest. "Maybe it's a heart attack? It's beating too fast."

Can tilts his head, still smiling as he shakes his head. "You don't have to leave because of it. Stay." He stands even closer. "Stay close to me, and I'll take care of your heart."

Oh my knees...do I even have knees? "Mr Can..." Sanem croaks, her tongue feeling like cotton.

"Can."

"Can," she blushes. "Please, will you let me leave? I need some air, I think it will help..." She swallows and licks her lips as she looks at him. "If I stay here, I might stick like a magnet to the floor and never leave because my feet can hardly move as it is," she laughs and he chuckles as well.

"Okay." He shrugs. "Why don't we leave together then? I'll drop you off at home."

"Can," Sanem says after looking at him for a moment more, drunk on his presence so near. He grins at his name and nods in response. "Can," she repeats with a dopey mirroring grin then she stops, taking a breath, trying to shake off the bubbles inside. "I think I should leave by myself. I'll - I'll see you later."