Early Bird (Erkenci Kus)(Part 4)

49. No one loves JJ

JJ walked into the office building looking and feeling solemn. He tried to talk to Ayhan, and failed. Again.

Everyone he passed on the way in, stopped to look at the usually chipper JJ looking so down and wondered what could have happened.

JJ stops in the middle of the hallway, his lip trembling, ignoring all the stares he was getting.

"JJ, where have you been?" Deren asks, her hands on her hips and looking at him with a raised brow at him arriving late. She had been looking for him for the past half hour. Behind her Guliz was also shaking her head. "Is this the time to get here?" JJ looks up from the floor at her and Deren's anger evaporates at the sad look in his eyes. "JJ?" she asks with a worried frown.

"Miss Deren?" he gulps and then he runs to her, and throws his arms around her, clinging to her.

Deren's eyes widen and Guliz's face contorts to one of shock as well as she stares at them. "JJ?" Deren repeats, patting his back. "What happened? Is someone dying?"

JJ nods against her. "Yes."

"Oh my God," Guliz gasps, her hand on her chest. "Who? Is it your grandmother?"

JJ shakes his head sadly. "No. I'm the one dying."

"Huh?" Guliz blinks.

Deren steps out of the hug to look at him. "Are you sick? Is it fatal?"

"Are you sure?" Guliz asks.

"Yes I am sure."

"Oh JJ," Deren pouts and takes him gently by the arm.

"She doesn't want to see me any more...It's her fault I'm dying..." JJ says morosely as they walk to the coffeebar with him.

"Come and sit down," Guliz pulls out one of the chairs and Deren helps him sit.

"What happened?" Deren asks. "Did you see the doctor? Did he say something to make you think you're dying or - ?"

JJ shakes his head. "I didn't see the doctor." He pouts. "Ayhan..." He gulps. "My heart is so broken it feels like I'm dying..."

Deren's worry changes to confusion. "Ayhan?"

Guliz stares at him and then huffs and rolls her eyes. "Pssh."

"JJ what the heck?!" Deren snaps, no longer worried. "You scared me! Why would you come in here and say something like that to me with no context?!" She inhales and sighs, shaking her head. "Whatever, what happened with Ayhan?" she asks anyway.

"I don't want to talk about it," JJ says and then looks at her. "But she told me to go away. Go away...just like that...I thought I meant something to her...I thought I meant something to someone for the first time in my life, but..." he shrugs. "I was wrong...it was not meant to be," he looks at Guliz to his right. "No one loves me," he hangs his head and shakes it sadly.

Deren and Guliz look at each other and then back at JJ. "That's not true," Guliz says with a smile. "We love you, JJ," she gives him a kiss on the cheek, which he just sighs at.

"You're just saying that..."

"No, it's true," Deren says. "We do love you."

JJ shrugs again with a grimace.

"JJ," Deren narrows her eyes and then wags a finger at him. "Don't make me angry. Now accept that we love you." She looks at Guliz. "Guliz, go and make him some coffee."

"Okay," Guliz nods and goes in behind the counter.

"And you," Deren returns to JJ, "I don't know you to be like this. The JJ I know doesn't mope around. Get up," she pulls him to his feet and he groans. "No, don't do that. Get up."