Right Place to Say "I Love You" - Kenan Yildiz

4: Just Let it Happen

When Isabella got home, she kicked off her shoes and dropped her bag by the door, her mind still spinning from the time she'd spent with Kenan. The walk in the park, the way their conversation had flowed so naturally—it felt like they'd been on the same wavelength, like they understood each other in ways that surprised her. She could still feel the warmth of his arm brushing against hers, the easy laughter they'd shared over their coffee, and the unspoken tension that lingered in the moments of quiet between them.

She tossed her jacket over a chair and sat at her desk. Her thoughts racing. Lingering on her laptop, she found herself scrolling through the photos and videos from their shoot weeks ago. The images of Kenan were striking—he had that kind of magnetic presence that the camera loved—but it wasn't just that. In those photos, she could see beyond the footballer, beyond the public persona. She could see the person he'd let her glimpse today.

Isabella sighed, staring at one of the pictures where he had that playful smirk she'd seen on the field and during their game.

Her phone buzzed, and for a split second, she thought it might be him. But it wasn't. It was her best friend from back in Manchester, Amia, who'd been desperate about them catching up at some point within their busy lifestyles

"So, are you free tonight, or are you still living that Juventus dream life?"

Isabella smiled and quickly typed back "I'm free. We should have that video call we keep talking about."

"Finally! Give me 10 mins. I want all the gossip."

Isabella laughed to herself, knowing that she couldn't avoid the topic of Kenan for much longer. Amia knew her too well, and Isabella could already hear the questions coming her way. She had 10 minutes. Enough time to process everything that had happened today. She got up and made herself a cup of camomile tea, looking to wind down. Whilst taking a look out of the window, she tried to make sense of the feelings swirling inside her.

This was new territory for her. She'd never expected to be in a situation like this, hanging out with a footballer who was not just talented but grounded, someone who seemed to see her beyond her role at work. She was drawn to him, no question, but what did that mean for them? Could they keep things professional if something more started to grow between them? Would it complicate her work, or would they both be able to navigate it?

The questions kept circling, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized that she didn't have control over where this was heading. They had undeniable chemistry, and the slow burn between them was only getting hotter. If they kept crossing paths like this, something was bound to progress.

Her phone buzzed again, and this time, it actually was Kenan.

"Did you make it home safe?"

It was a simple message, but the fact that he had texted her so soon after parting made her smile.

"Yeah, just got home. Thanks for asking. You?"

"Heading to training now, but I keep thinking about today. It was nice."

There it was again—the subtle, careful wording that hinted at something more than just professional courtesy.

"It was. We should do it again sometime." This felt very forward for her but she trusted herself.

"We definitely should. Maybe next time, you can teach me some photography skills?" Kenan replied quickly.

She smiled at his playful suggestion, feeling lighter after they had exchanged a few messages.
"Sounds fun."

When she finally set her phone down, she couldn't help but feel that things were shifting between them more quickly than she'd anticipated. And despite her usual cautious nature, she was okay with it.

The calm atmosphere in her bedroom was interrupted by a loud ring from her laptop, Amia was video calling. Isabella answered it swiftly, excited to talk to her best friend that she was so far from now.

"Heyyy!" They both said in unison.

Amia followed up immediately. "So, been busy with the new fancy football job?"

Isabella laughed, shaking her head. "You could say that."

Amia's eyes lit up. "Ooh, tell me everything. You're being all quiet, which means something's up. Spill."

Isabella hesitated, sipping her drink to buy herself a moment. But she knew she couldn't keep it from Amia. "Okay," she started slowly, "there's this football player that's in my latest media project of mine."

Amia listened with concentration, waiting for me to expand.

"Kenan Yildiz." I blurted, immediately having second thoughts on sharing this.

Amia's eyes widened. "Kenan Yildiz? Rising star of Juventus and all that? That's right, I've been keeping up Serie A football because of you!"

Isabella nodded, and giggled, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks. "Yeah, him. We've been crossing paths a lot lately, like, not just for work anymore."

Amia leaned in to her webcam, her excitement barely contained. "You've been holding out on me! What happened?"

Isabella recounted the photoshoot, their late-night football game, and the coffee today, and as she spoke, she realized how much she had already been swept up in it all.

"You like him don't you?" Amia asked, her voice softening as she leaned back in her chair.

Isabella bit her lip, "Oh I don't know about that."

Amia smiled a knowing smile on her face. "Well, it sounds like he likes you. I mean, come on, playing football after hours, asking around for your number, asking you to coffee? He's into you, girl."

Isabella laughed, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. "Maybe. But I'm not sure what to do about it."

Amia waved her hand dismissively. "You don't have to do anything yet. Just let it happen. See where it goes. You never know, this could be something significant."

They spoke about a few more things before ending their call, satisfied with having gotten things off their chest but wishing they could see each other in person again.

As the night wore on, Isabella's mind was still a whirl of emotions. The conversation with Amia had left her with more questions than answers, though Isabella couldn't shake the feeling that Amia might be right. Maybe this thing with Kenan was developing in another direction.