Soul [Complete]

Seven

I finally decide to get up, gently slipping out of Emir's embrace so as not to wake him. As I stand, I take one last look at him, still peacefully asleep on the couch. The sight tugs at my heart, but I push the feeling aside.

Quietly, I make my way to his bedroom, finding a soft blanket folded neatly at the foot of the bed. I carry it back to the living room, carefully draping it over him. He stirs slightly but doesn't wake, his hand instinctively clutching the edge of the blanket.

I stand there for a moment longer, watching him. The room feels different now, filled with the warmth of our shared night. But there's a weight in my chest that I can't ignore, a mix of doubt and confusion that makes it hard to stay.

With a heavy heart, I turn and leave the beach house, closing the door quietly behind me. The morning air is crisp, a stark contrast to the warmth I've just left behind. As I walk away, the questions in my mind swirl, leaving me wondering if I made the right choice in leaving.

* * * * * *

It's a Sunday, and with no classes to attend, I find myself driving to the bakery where Kerim visited. I can't believe I'm doing this. It's ridiculous, really—I don't even believe in this kind of thing. Yet here I am, desperate enough to seek answers from a stranger.

The place is as unsettling as I imagined, dimly lit with an odd smell of incense. The woman who greets me looks exactly as you'd expect—mysterious, with an air of knowing more than she lets on.

Shit! It's a witch's den and not just a bakery.

I sit down, my hands gripping the armrests. "I don't know what's happening to me," I begin, my voice shaky. I tell her everything that happened.

"I don't know who I'm supposed to be in the future. Is Emir lying? Who will I end up with?"

She looks at me with those deep, unreadable eyes, and after a long pause, she says, "The heart can see what the eyes cannot. Two paths, one truth—only the soul knows the way."

Her words echo in my mind, a riddle that leaves me more confused than before. But then she adds, her voice softer but clear, "The wish you made has come true."

I leave the place, her cryptic words replaying over and over in my head, leaving me with more questions than answers.

I return to my room, feeling emotionally drained from the witch's cryptic words. As I open the door, I'm startled to find Kerim already sitting on my bed. Tori is there too, chatting with him, so our conversation stays light and formal. But the tension lingers beneath the surface, waiting to unravel as soon as she leaves.

When the door finally closes behind her, Kerim's demeanor shifts. Vulnerability seeps into his expression, a rawness I've rarely seen in him. "Hayaat, please... leave him," he pleads, his voice cracking.

My heart aches at the sight of him like this. It's a side of Kerim I never expected to see, and it breaks something inside me. "Why didn't you tell me before?" I ask, struggling to keep my voice steady.

He sighs deeply, running a hand through his hair. "I didn't want to ruin our friendship. I didn't want to lose you."

A sharp pang of guilt twists in my chest. "Then aren't you ruining our friendship now?" I challenge, my voice is softer than before.

Kerim falls silent, his eyes filled with pain. He doesn't answer, and for a moment, the room is heavy with unspoken words. I break the silence first, my voice barely above a whisper. "I love Emir."

The words hang in the air, and the silence stretches, suffocating and thick. Finally, Kerim speaks, his voice trembling, "I prefer being your best friend forever rather than your worst enemy."

His words hit me hard, and he adds, "Make sure he doesn't break your heart, Hayaat. If he does, there will be no one worse than me."

Before I can respond, Kerim pulls me into a hug, and I feel his tears on my shoulder. The weight of his emotions, his love, his pain—it's all too much. Although guilt gnaws at me, I know that time will heal this wound, that our friendship will endure.

As we hold each other, Kerim whispers through his tears, "When I feel sad, it's always you I need. You truly are my bestest friend, Mouse. I love you so much."

Just then, the door swings open, and Emir enters the room. He catches only those last few words, and I see the confusion and hurt flash across his face. My heart sinks. What the hell just happened?

Before I can explain, Emir turns and rushes out. Panic surges through me, and I quickly pull away from Kerim, my mind racing. I have to fix this, but the damage seems already done.