BLACK ROSE (COMPLETED)

35 -

Ah, the whims of fate—how had I found myself back at the beginning once more? This was the very seat I had taken on my first day, beside Sinan. It was here that I had sat before Derin, with her serpentine tongue, shot her sharp jibes at me. Offended, I had moved elsewhere. But now, here I was again.

With fifteen minutes remaining before class commenced, Sinan, sitting beside me, turned to speak.

"I'm sorry for what happened at Derin's birthday party, Ece."

"What happened?"

"When we were dancing, my hand... well, it wandered to your waist. I apologize for that."

"I have forgiven you. If you repent, I hope God forgives you as well."

"Then let it be repentance," Sinan said with a smile.

A voice inside urged me to draw closer to Sinan, to use him as a pawn in my vengeance against Fatih. But I knew well that voice was the devil's own whisper. And one could not heed the devil, nor did such petty games suit me. I would not stoop to flirting with Sinan.

Besides, Sinan, with his long red hair and freckled face, did not appeal to me much. May God forgive me for this thought, as it is not our place to question His creation—but, alas, tastes differ. He simply wasn't my type.

Yet, I could not banish from my mind the schemes Fatih had woven behind my back. Sighing deeply, I exhaled my frustration.

"Are you alright?" Sinan asked, his brow furrowed with concern. "You seem tense, Ece."

I nodded. "I am, a little."

"What happened?"

"Love's forbidden tale," I quipped, trying to lighten the mood. But when Sinan looked at me, confused, I had to explain. "I broke up with my boyfriend."

"If you want, we could step outside for a bit. A walk might clear your mind, Ece," he suggested, his voice soft with sympathy. "You won't absorb anything if you attend class like this."

"Maybe you're right."

***

Moments later...

We found ourselves outside, strolling side by side along the pavement. The area around the school was rather quiet, as we were far from the city's bustling heart. Passing by an old, empty playground, I sank down onto one of the rusty, weather-beaten swings for a rest.

"That's the gist of it," I said, after recounting the tangled web of my love life. As I spoke, Sinan gave the swing a gentle push, listening intently. "In short, Fatih left me to protect me from some so-called curse. He likely planned to get back together once I was free of it, but I won't have him back. He hurt me too deeply." Grasping the hem of my fluttering skirt, I held it steady as the swing moved.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Sinan murmured. "Heartache... it's a cruel thing."

I had learned from Kerem that Sinan still blamed Fatih for his breakup with Zeynep. This seemed the perfect opportunity to bring it up. "So, you've suffered heartache too, haven't you?" I murmured. "Care to share?"

As Sinan slowly pushed the swing, my gaze drifted to someone standing just outside the park, partially hidden behind a tree. It was Kerem.

It seemed Kerem had followed us from the school. Perhaps he suspected that Sinan might be dangerous, the very murderer we sought, and he was watching over me. Thoughtful of him, truly. During our recent investigation into the curse, Kerem and I had become quite the sleuthing duo.

Sinan, now pushing the swing a bit faster, spoke at last. "Alright, I'll tell you. It was three years ago... Her name was Zeynep, a beauty like no other. She was my first love. We'd been together for a year when, out of the blue, she started acting distant."