BLACK ROSE (COMPLETED)

36 -

I rubbed the slight scrape on my knee with my hand, inspecting it carefully. It wasn't too bad. Thanks to Kerem, I had escaped the accident with only minor injuries.

Fatih's voice broke through the air, soft yet tinged with an unmistakable tension. "I'm jealous of Kerem," he confessed, his cloud-blue eyes locking onto mine. "It should've been me in his place."

"Are you jealous because he's lying in a hospital bed, fighting for his life?" I teased, even though I knew the depths of what he truly meant.

Fatih still clenched his fist tightly, guarding whatever secret lay hidden in his hand.

"No, Ece," he sighed, his voice heavy with the weight of regret. "What I mean is, when the accident happened, I should've been the one by your side, the one saving your life."

"I agree," I muttered under my breath. "But you've been too busy asking every girl in class out on dates, haven't you? I suppose I can't blame you."

"I realize now how foolish I've been, Ece. I'm sorry. I distanced myself from you, thinking I could escape this curse, but if your accident is any sign, the only thing I pushed away was us. We've grown apart, and I won't let that happen again."

"Well, good for you. But don't think I've forgiven you just yet," I said, making sure he understood.

At last, Fatih's hand slowly opened, revealing the object he had been hiding—a ring.

A ring?

It really was! A solitaire diamond, no less!

"Hamsi kafalı?" (Fish head) I whispered in disbelief.

"Pardon, my black rose?"

I looked from the ring to Fatih, wide-eyed. "You're not about to do something incredibly stupid, are you?" I asked, my voice growing louder with panic.

"That depends on how you define stupidity."

Sinem, who had been sitting at the edge of my bed watching us, grinned. I shot her an exasperated look. "Sinem, tell him to stop this nonsense!" I shrieked.

"I won't."

When Fatih dropped to one knee at my bedside, ring in hand, I smacked my forehead. "Oh great, here comes the stupidity! Fatih, did the car hit you instead of me? Stand up already! Where did this pose even come from? And remember, no one kneels before anyone except God."

"Will you marry me, Ece?"

"May I remind you that we're only 18?"

Sinem threw her hands up and cheered. "Hooray! She didn't say no!"

I mimicked her in a mocking tone, "I didn't say yes either, Sinem."

Sinem let out another joyful cry. "But you said 'yet,' which means you'll say yes eventually!"

"You two must be going through a double dose of madness—both of you!" I exclaimed as I climbed out of bed, my bare feet hitting the floor. Where on earth were my shoes?

Fatih remained on one knee, his voice steady. "Ece, no matter the curse, I will stand by your side, even if it costs me my life. But you see, the curse almost claimed you moments ago. As the song goes, death exists, and so does the rose. My black rose, my most beautiful one. I know this is an untimely proposal, but what if I run out of time? The first thing I thought when I heard you were hit by a car and lying in the hospital was this—if we fail, and death comes sooner than we expect, I need to be looking into the eyes of my wife in that final moment. Not my high school love, but my one true spouse, in this life and the next. I have to do this."