BETWEEN HEARTS

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Kaner had begun to think that his life was turning into a dark comedy. Every encounter with Alparslan seemed sabotaged by an invisible hand. Yet these strange mishaps seemed to bring him closer to Alparslan. Otherwise, he would never have had the courage to speak to him. Every humorous mistake strengthened their bond, but it also raised more questions in Kaner's mind: Was Alparslan mocking him, or was he genuinely interested?

One day, during a physical education class in the school gym, Kaner's clumsiness was once again on display. He couldn't dribble the ball properly, and every move somehow managed to hurt the people around him. Just then, Alparslan decided to play on the same team as him. Alparslan was one of the best players on the basketball team.

"This time, let's work together. Maybe our luck will turn," Alparslan said.

Kaner smiled helplessly. "Is there any bad luck left?" he thought. Yet being near Alparslan somehow gave him courage. Energized by the moment, he hit the ball hard... and it happened. The ball made a circular motion in the air and struck Alparslan squarely on the head.

"I'm sorry," Kaner groaned.

Alparslan, still smiling, grimaced, "That was definitely unexpected!"

Kaner's eyes widened in horror, and he covered his mouth with his hands. "I wish the ground would swallow me up," he thought. But Alparslan began to laugh as he rubbed his head. The gym teacher had seen what happened and called out to the class.

"Kaner, you're not training for the Olympics. Take it easy," the teacher said with a mix of humor.

Alparslan, still smiling, turned to Kaner.

"At least you hit hard. I guess that's progress."

Kaner, unsure of what to say, bowed his head, but inside he was starting to laugh a little. While it was a relief that Alparslan wasn't angry, he was still unsure how to handle his own clumsiness.

At the end of the class, Alparslan appeared beside him.

"Want to grab a coffee? Maybe it'll help heal my head."

The unexpected offer surprised Kaner. His heart started to race. "Coffee together? Alparslan Eymenoğlu wants to spend time with me?" Thousands of thoughts raced through his mind, but the only word that came out of his mouth was:

"Okay."

A little while later, they were sitting across from each other in a small café right next to the school. Kaner could barely hold his coffee cup because his hands were still shaking, but Alparslan's relaxed demeanor helped calm him down a bit.

"I guess I hadn't really noticed you before. But lately, you seem to be everywhere I turn. I think you're an interesting person," Alparslan confessed.

Kaner tried to decipher the meaning behind this sentence. Was Alparslan teasing him, or was he genuinely intrigued? He was confused, but he also wanted to savor the moment.

Smiling, he replied, "I'm a master at drawing attention with my clumsiness."

Alparslan couldn't hold back his laughter.

"Yeah, but in a funny way! Seriously, it's fun spending time with you. You never know what's going to happen next."

Kaner felt the warmth in Alparslan's response. "Does he really feel this way?" he thought. Spending time with him meant a lot to Kaner. Yet, the big question still lingered in his mind: Did Alparslan just see him as someone to laugh with, or was there something more?

As the conversation in the café continued, Kaner gradually began to feel more at ease. He had made Alparslan laugh a few times with his clumsy movements, and he had even started to learn how to laugh at himself. But the feelings he had buried deep inside still waited for the right moment to surface.

"What are you doing after school tomorrow? Want to hang out?" Alparslan asked.

Once again, Kaner's heart raced. "Is this a date?" he thought, but instead of saying it aloud, he simply smiled slightly and said:

"Why not?"

As Kaner tried to grasp the importance of the moment, he realized that with Alparslan's ease and cheerfulness growing around him, maybe he could learn to make peace with his own clumsiness. After all, wasn't life more appealing when it was full of funny moments?