BLACK ROSE (COMPLETED)

27 -

"I'm fine, don't worry," Derin muttered, her voice quiet but firm.

In the vast garden of the manor, beneath the boughs of an ancient tree, her discarded clothes lay in a heap. I moved towards them, gathering the scattered garments and handing them back to her. As she began dressing, my eyes briefly traced her form. Bruises and scratches marred her belly and one leg—faint, yet unmistakable. Those two thugs must have been responsible for this.

"What happened?" I asked, the sorrow in my voice betraying my concern. "Did those boys hurt you?"

Once fully clothed, Derin straightened herself and sank into a chair on the veranda. I joined her, sitting at her side as she began her story. "Sometimes, after school, I'd sneak over to this manor. I'd turn into a snake and hunt mice or other small prey," she explained, leaning her head on my shoulder. "Today, I transformed like usual, but those two jerks appeared in the garden. I tried to ignore them, just focused on my hunt. But they followed me, started throwing rocks. I must've taken too many hits... I lost strength and reverted back into human form before I knew it. That's when you came."

I wrapped an arm around her, comforting her. "You really shouldn't do this," I said softly, my voice laced with a plea. "This place has been abandoned for so long, it's become a hideout for thugs and drifters. It's not safe to hunt here alone. If you must, at least bring Kerem with you. Don't go by yourself."

Derin exhaled in frustration, her breath heavy with the weight of resignation. "Kerem used to come with me when I went hunting. But..."

"But what?"

"Never mind, spider girl," she said with a sly grin, her hand resting on my knee, fingers gently stroking. "I don't want to burden you with my relationship problems."

"Burden me?" I gasped in mock disbelief. "Sweetheart, I spent half of last summer watching morning talk shows, listening to strangers pour out their relationship dramas. If anything, hearing about your love life might be fun for me. If I had some sunflower seeds, I'd be cracking them open while I listened."

A pink smile crept across Derin's lips. "Alright, if you insist. But I can't promise you sunflower seeds. Kerem and I were fine, but for the past week, I feel like he's been pulling away from me. I can't put my finger on it, but something's changed between us. Can you believe he left early on my birthday? And without even telling me!"

My jaw nearly hit the floor. "How could he? What time did Kerem leave?"

Derin looked up, her hazel eyes narrowing in thought. "I don't remember the exact time, but my friends told me that right after you said goodbye and left with Fatih, Kerem slipped out, too. In a real hurry, apparently."

"Hmmm..." A shadow passed over me. Could it be? No, it couldn't be. The man in the overcoat I had seen from the restaurant window while dining with Fatih—the masked man I suspected of cursing Fatih's lovers—he had followed us. Was Kerem's sudden departure at the party more than just a coincidence? Could it be that Kerem was the one trailing us that night?

"You've drifted off, Ece," Derin's voice broke my thoughts. "What are you thinking about?"

I shrugged. "Nothing."

"Come on, something's bothering you," she pressed.

I dropped my arm from around her and leaned forward, resting my hands on my thighs. "It's nothing, Derin. Just a silly thought."

"You trust me enough to let me spill my guts. You can tell me what's on your mind, too. Whatever it is. Let me crack some sunflower seeds for a change," she teased, wrapping an arm around my waist.

I bit my lip, smiling slightly. "Derin," I began, taking a deep breath. "Do you know if there's been any tension or rivalry between Kerem and Fatih?"

Derin ran her fingers absentmindedly through her hair. "Not that I know of," she replied. "They're both on the swim team. There's some friendly competition between them, sure, but nothing serious. Fatih's generally better in the pool, but it's just light rivalry. In fact, tomorrow after school, they're supposed to meet at the indoor pool for a race. The guys made a bet, apparently. We could go watch, if you'd like."