Early Bird (Erkenci Kus)(Part 4)

18. The final word

Leyla sits looking out the window of the car as buildings pass. Including the bank they were supposed to be going to. She looks through the back window at it as Emre keeps going and then at him. "You passed by the bank, Mr Emre. Are we going to another one?"

"No. We need to talk, Leyla."

"About what?" Leyla frowns and then it dawns on her. "The bank was a lie, wasn't it? But to me, not Mr Can."

"Yes," he looks at her.

Leyla gives him a stern look and he looks away. "Mr Emre, this is not how things are done. I'm engaged. You can't just load me in a car and expect me to go with it."

"I didn't want to take it this far but you left me no choice. We have to talk, and we're going to."

"Maybe I don't want to talk."

"We're talking."

"You're wasting your time."

"I don't think so."

"You are."

"I'm not! We are going to talk damn you!"

Leyla closes her eyes to calm herself. "Can you stop please? I want to get out."

"Why? We're just going to talk."

"Stop this car! I want to get out!" she snaps.

Emre shakes his head but pulls over on the side of the road. As the tyres screech to a halt, Leyla unbuckles and throws open the door, getting out and slamming it.

"Leyla!" Emre gets out too and runs round the back to follow her. "Listen to me! Leyla!" He chases her all the way to the park across the way, calling after her. "Leyla, stop and talk to me!"

"I have nothing to say to you."

"Well I do, stop!" He grabs her arm and she spins, taking her arm back.

"I don't want to listen." Closing her eyes again, she sighs and then opens them, turning to the side, her eyes bluer than he's ever seen them.

Taking her jaw gently in his hand, Emre turns her face. "Look at me." She looks over his shoulder instead.
"Please?" She keeps her gaze there for a second or two and then finally meets his. "Give us a chance Leyla."

Leyla steps back. "Us? When did we become 'us'?" She shakes her head, tears forming. "Whatever it was that we thought we had...it was nothing but a beautiful dream for a few days. And then I woke up."

"Leyla," he stops her turning away from him, "I'm sorry. Okay? I am sorry, I've never been more so. Aylin - "

"I don't want to hear anything about Aylin," Leyla says with a grimace. "You made your choice."

"You're right, I did," he stops her again, "but I chose you, not her. Aylin knew all of my secrets, she blackmailed me and threatened you if I didn't break it off. I didn't want you to be disappointed with the kind of man I was. I was in hell, Leyla. I was afraid of losing you to my past if she talked. I didn't want you getting hurt."

"Only I did get hurt, Emre. You hurt me. You broke my heart into pieces," Leyla's tears drop unbidded, her eyes so sad they were the stormiest of blues now.

"I know," Emre's own emotions were uncontrollable. Her tears had him wanting to cry too. "I know." He takes her right hand in his. "I want to fix it. Please let me fix it? I want to make you the happiest woman in the world, but I can't if you won't let me."

Leyla's mind jumps back to the previous night when Osman asked her if she was really with him. And now to Emre saying this to her.

He looks into her indecisive eyes desperately, clinging to her hand like a life preserver.