I Knew I Loved You

Chapter 7

A week later

The day she's been dreading for a while has come: It's time for their school trip to Bursa. Burcu doesn't know what she's more anxious about: supervising all the students, having to give all sorts of talks despite the support of an expert guide later on during a tour, or facing it with Kemal of all people. He's been staring at her even more the past few days, and unnerving her with soulful looks and genuine smiles instead of scowling and sneering. She has no idea how to handle this new version of him, having barely been able to acclimate to the previous one.

Then again, maybe she'll be so busy and in over her head with her first field trip as a teacher that she won't even have time to breathe, let alone let him steal her breath... After all, Bursa is such a treat and so important, and as a History teacher, she should know that better than anyone.

Only about 150 km from İstanbul, Bursa is an ancient city that was once the capital of the Ottoman Empire. What's more, Sultan Mehmed I established the Ottoman Empire at that very spot way back in 1299. Therefore, there are many historical sites and old buildings to explore, the citadel, the Grand Mosque, and the Green Mausoleum included. Their tour will also encompass museum visits. Personally, she loves museums of any kind. However, she knows the students will likely feel bored out of their minds and cause mayhem, and it scares her to carry this much responsibility - though at least she isn't the only one.

Burcu is currently sitting in a bus full of youths, the atmosphere humming with low-key excitement and various conversations, but she only has eyes for the other adult in the vehicle: Kemal is sitting toward the front, right next to Sinan. Their two dark heads of tousled hair are bent close together, and it looks like they're sharing earphones to listen to the same music on the boy's cell phone.

The sight of that, and how unexpected and surprising it is, fills her tummy with a warm glow. But maybe she shouldn't be so surprised, neither that Kemal has chosen to sit next to the boy instead of slouching alone and brooding, nor that Sinan actually welcomes his company. She's learned some interesting and just as astonishing facts this past week, and sometimes she still can't really believe it.

Eda, one of the students in the 'troublemaker group' that has been given a last chance due to Burcu's efforts (she should really stop feeling butterflies whenever she thinks of how Kemal helped with those efforts), has become friendly with Burcu. Enough so that she's been sharing tidbits of information on herself and the others in the group. Sinan sometimes hangs out with them, though he seems different and more isolated. And what Eda has been telling her has broken Burcu's heart and then started healing it.

Apparently, the boy lost both parents when he was young and grew up with his grandfather, who pretty much gave him free rein. Forced to become an adult rather early, Sinan learned to fend for himself and later also take care of his ailing dede. According to Eda, his sick grandfather passed away two months ago, although Sinan only told them about it a few weeks ago. Burcu suspects that's the reason for his failed exams and quietly rebellious behavior, and for the permanently vacant gaze in his tired eyes.

Somehow - and she really hasn't got the faintest idea but would love to find out - a couple of weeks ago, Kemal began befriending Sinan. Not even Eda can make an educated guess how it happened. She did wheedle out some information though, and what she's learned makes Burcu dangerously close to wanting to hug Kemal and thank him. Dangerously close to falling even harder for him.

It seems that Kemal not only spent a few hours here and there with the boy on and off the school grounds, but that he's also gone and done something truly marvelous: According to Eda, one day Kemal showed up on the doorstep of the dilapidated big house in which Sinan now lives all alone, surrounded by and haunted by memories of his dede. But Kemal didn't turn up alone; he'd been accompanied by an old St. Bernard dog he'd rescued from a shelter. A dog he'd gotten so Sinan would have some company. Not some lil pup, but a senior animal with rheumy eyes and a slobbering snout, an ambling gait and a giant body of shaggy fur. Apparently, Sinan had found the choice perfect and was indeed getting comfort from having company and someone else to care for.