Early Bird (Erkenci Kus)(Part 3)

11. What's really going on?

Can shook his head at the nosy old ladies behind Sanem on the way to the door, only to bump into her when she stops right in front of him. "What's - Emre?" Can's eyebrows shoot up when he sees what she sees. He looks between Leyla and Emre.

Emre stands up and puts his hands into his suit's jacket pockets. "Big brother," he grins, still chewing on a seed.

Can eyes him up and down as Leyla stands up as well. "What are you doing?" Around a corner so close to each other?

"Well, everything, really," Emre shrugs. "We decided to try a bit of everything."

"Oh, okay." Can shrugs. Not much of an explanation but okay?

-

Outside, Muzaffer licks his fingertips after filling two small plastic cups with juice before he takes both and walks over to where Osman stood against the railing.

"Here you go, brother," Osman takes the extended cup and Muzaffer eyes him closely, "what's wrong? Tired of the festivities already too?" Muzaffer turns so his back is to the railing as well, his gaze on the library door. "They drove us to the side."

Osman stares at Muzaffer and blinks. "Muzo, are you alright?"

"Huh?" Muzaffer looks at him with a deepset frown.

"Are you alright?"

"Me?" Osman nods and Muzaffer's lips turn down. "Do I look that bad?" he mumbles with a grimace, then he shakes his head and says into his half empty cup. "The number you have dialled is unavailable..." Osman just stares at him as he takes a big gulp and burps. "Say, why is no one noticing us? Did we turn invisible?"

Osman groans quietly and looks up from Muzaffer's lowering cup. "Muzo, are you drinking again?" he asks, hoping that he wasn't. He didn't have the energy to deal with a drunk Muzaffer.

"Yes I am. I'm drinking  lemonade." He nods and lifts his cup once more.

Osman takes it from him to smell the contents, then takes a sip to make sure Muzaffer wasn't lying. Hm, it doesn't taste like lemonade, but it's not spiked either. Osman hands him his cup back and asks, "What is that?"

"What did I just say? I said that it's lemonade," Muzaffer rolls his eyes at Osman's raised eyebrow. "But this is already number 24... after number 15, even water doesn't help with the sting anymore, Osman."

"What are you doing?" Osman begs, wincing. That sourness was going to ruin Muzaffer's bladder and make it harder for him to take a piss. He was such an idiot sometimes.

"What am I doing? I'm grieving love."

Huh?

"Am I wrong in grieving love? Maybe? but you see, as always, loving someone hurts and that needs to be mourned too."

Osman nods, not disagreeing with this comment. "It does," he looks over at the library, staring at it blankly, knowing the object of his love was inside with another man.

"Yup," Muzaffer takes another gulp. "Here look at this, even the bubbles remind me of what I don't have," he says after swallowing then starts blowing bubbles in the lemonade with the straw, his brows turned down.

The liquid bubbles over and spills onto his hands, the ground and Osman's sleeve. Osman stops him. "What the hell Muzo? Calm down, it's not that bad." He whips the straw out of the cup.

"What have I done? What have I done besides fall in love with someone who ignores me?" Osman purses his lips as Muzaffer points to the library. "On top of that, these rich men came and took my love away just like that." He groans then slings his arm around Osman's shoulders with a heavy sigh. "You're the only one who can understand what it's like Osman. You're my main man," Muzaffer shakes him hard enough to spill his own glass of lemonade. "My lion! My lion!"