Constantinople's Cherry

II - 14. Ihanet ?

Serkan collected his clothes and cleaned up, dressing back, and retrieved her dress too from the floor to lay it sprawled accross a chair.

A tiny piece of paper fell from one of the pocket and Serkan bent to retrieve it. He frowned at what he read, the nagging feeling of doubt back in his mind with a violent force, like a bucket of cold water.

"Edacim, meet me in the restaurant we met in again tonight, I need the feel of your arms around mine again, I miss you. - Yours, Umut."

His heart sank. Ofcourse, the beief moments of joy he felt with her after years of sufferings had to not last long. Too good to be true.

He sat back onto the bed, looking back at her, seeing her sleeping, on her stomach, the white sheet stopping at the small of her back, leaving her perfect naked upper body to his view.

"Eda." He shook her leg, hidden by the sheet, it was a safe spot enough.

Eda stirred, blinking and looked at him. "Serkan ?" She mumbled sleepily.

"What's this Eda ? I found it in your pocket." He held out the paper to her as she rubbed her eyes and sat up, bringing the sheet up to cover her body and hide her breasts.

"What is it ?" She asked

"See for yourself." Serkan said trying not to sound accusatory, he has no right to.

She yawned, reaching for her dress and pulling it over her head and rose, reaching for the paper.

Her eyes widened as she read and a frown marred her face. "What a bastard!" She said in anger.

Then, she realised what it may seem like to Serkan and looked up at him, eyes showing panic. "It's not like you think Serkan." She shook her head hastily.

He looked at her, her reaction was genuine, she wasn't feigning annoyement at whoever sent this, but the doubts didn't leave his mind.

" I uh...it's just someone I met in the streets, harrassement really. I told him I wasn't interested, but uh, the streets of Constantinople." She shrugged, cringing internally at how terribly she was at lying to Serkan.

He watched her toss the paper away, crumpling it into a ball, this explanation however, wasn't genuine, it was obvious.

"How does he know your name ?" Serkan insisted.

Eda breathed and looked down. "He...from University, we were together in a course last semestre, and ever since then he is after me. I have refused his advances so many times." Eda lied, trying to sound more convincing this time.

"You just said you didn't knew him and he was a mere street harasser, and now he's your class fellow ?" Serkan frowned at her, he wanted to trust her, but she wasn't coherent, she even hid her eyes and he sighed.

"Serkan - " She reached for him but he stopped her.

"Look, I know I came back suddenly, and you owe me nothing. All I demand is honesty Eda, please. I'd understand if you've moved on, if you have met someone else, if you're thorn between a current committement and some sort of guilt you have for me. You have all the right to make your life choices and be over me, just please, don't play with my heart, I won't bear it." He implored with his eyes and Eda felt her heart ache, she was so thorn indeed, she couldn't tell him the truth, and she couldn't have him doubt them like this.

She took a deep breath and climbed on the bed, sitting behind him and hugging him from behind, her cheek against his skin.

"Serkan, I only love you. That's the only thing that matters. I love you so much. Don't you call it guilt. For years, I lived with the possibility of you being dead, and it was a torture for my heart. You can't even imagine how happy I am to have you back." She kissed his shoulderblade.