BLACK ROSE (COMPLETED)

16 -

We were heading to the Derins' house. As Fatih drove, he explained, "Their house isn't too far. We'll be there in 15 minutes."

"Let's hope so. God willing, we'll get there safely."

"God willing, of course," Fatih replied.

I turned to him from the passenger seat and asked, "Am I annoying you with my religious talk?"

He smiled. "No, Ece. I actually like it. Your words are pleasant, and I end up learning something about religion because of you."

"I'm glad to hear that. Then I'll keep 'annoying' you," I added as we stopped at a red light. "By the way, your SUV is nice. Your family must be doing well."

"My father is a contractor," Fatih said. "Although business is a bit slow these days, overall, it's good."

When the light turned green, we continued moving. "Are your construction sites around here?"

"Yes, mostly on the Anatolian side. Our older projects were in Trabzon city. We're originally from the Black Sea region. But since we moved to Istanbul five years ago, we've been working on projects here."

"Are you interested in your father's profession?"

"I'm not sure..." Fatih said thoughtfully. "It's a bit stressful, but then again which job isn't? My father encourages me to follow in his footsteps. He often calls me to work with him so I can learn. That's how it is... What about your family, Ece? What do they do?"

"They don't do construction like you family. They do the opposite. Try to demolish my life..." I sighed. "They haven't really let go of me yet... But, seriously, they're in the tourism sector. They run a hotel in Çeşme and travel back and forth between Istanbul and Çeşme for work."

We chatted throughout the drive, and finally, we slowed down as we approached a two-story villa. There was a large pool in the garden. Fatih parked by the side and confirmed, "We're here."

As we stepped out of the car, the sun was gently setting. It was unexpectedly warm for December, a leftover day from summer.

Walking towards the villa through the garden gate with Fatih, he spoke up, "I saw Halit from our class, sitting by the pool. I'll hang out with him. You might find Sinem inside, Ece. Have fun."

When I slowed down and stopped, Fatih did the same. Focusing my puzzled gaze on his eyes, I murmured, "So we're splitting up?"

Fatih shrugged. "Yes."

"Hmm... Okay," I said, trying not to show my disappointment. "If that's what you want..." I averted my now cloudy eyes.

"Ece? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" I said, gritting my teeth. "In fact, I'm very fine! Why wouldn't I be?"

"Look, Ece... If you want, I can join you at the party—"

"There's no need," I interrupted him. "I-I'll go find Sinem. She should be inside. You go join your friend. You must have missed him."

Leaving Fatih behind, I began walking towards the villa with angry steps. Fortunately, I saw Sinem at the door. She looked nice in her black mini skirt and beige blouse. She had on pink lipstick, and her long, blonde hair flowed over her shoulders in waves. We greeted each other, and I went inside with her. It was quite crowded inside. Many of Derin's friends from school and more had attended.

Sinem and I moved to a secluded living room. The luxurious furniture in brown tones and the massive chandelier stood out in this spacious room. A foreign pop song I didn't recognize was playing softly. On the large wooden coffee table in the middle of the sofa set, there were several cactus plants. These red, green, and purple cacti of various sizes, in three different pots, even appealed to someone like me who wasn't a plant enthusiast. I suddenly found myself wondering if the cacti on the coffee table could prevent the free-spirited students of Freedom College from fantasizing about making out on the table.