Artemis (CanEm Fan-Fiction)

Chapter Ten

Can had been staring at the cheque all day. His employees had gone home, and he was still sat in the darkened confines of the agency, just staring at it. It was just a flimsy piece of paper but there was something about it that made it feel like a tonne of bricks in his hand. This little paper changed absolutely everything and once again, he was confused.

When he'd made the decision to be Sanem's friend, he thought it had been the right thing to do. He wanted her in his life, but he didn't know if he wanted to lower the barriers around his heart just yet. He wanted her to regain his trust eventually and maybe, just maybe, things could go back to what they once had been. But the more he saw her – every day at work – he realised he wouldn't be able to remain her friend. He hated this waiting game. Every time he saw her, there was this urge to kiss her like he once had. He wanted to hug her, kiss her, caress every inch of her skin and ... it was now his fault that he couldn't. And as soon as he was minutes from asking her to get back together, she'd made the decision to quit and to go work for Osman, no less. After that and everything with Fabri, Can had maddened more than he cared to admit. Sanem had tossed his feelings around like a rollercoaster and Can wasn't sure if he was jealous, angry, upset or all three.

But now, with the biggest of gestures in his hand, Can didn't know what to feel.

This changed everything.

What did it mean? How did she do it? Why now?

Can deliberated the questions over and over until he was ready to pull his heart out.

How did one girl infuriate him and yet make him miss her? It didn't make any sense but then again, nothing with Sanem ever had made any sense. She had always confused him. She was hot one minute and then cold the next.

All Can knew was that he needed to see her - for once, he felt he deserved the answers to his questions and he drove in pursuit to Sanem's neighbourhood. He wasn't sure if he was excited to see her or nervous. There was no denying the fact that he had missed her and with her little piece of paper burning a hole through his pocket, Can drove to her house like a mad man. He raced down roads and parked up in front of her house in record timing.

"Mr. Can?" Leyla had been the one to answer the front door when he rang, and she looked genuinely surprised to see him stood before her. He was panting heavily and there was a look in his eyes that translated to tiredness. "What are you doing here?"

"Where is Sanem?"

"What?"

"Where is Sanem?"

"I ... I thought she was with you." Leyla felt panic surge through her. It was now late and Sanem hadn't called Leyla back since early in the morning. In fact, according to Osman, she'd left her phone at his house when heading out for her walk. Leyla had just presumed Sanem had gone for a walk and then gone to confront Can. But now that he was here, also looking for her, Leyla wasn't sure where Sanem was. And that thought frightened her because a heartbroken Sanem was spontaneous. She could be absolutely anywhere if she'd been roaming around since early in the morning.

"What?"

"I called her earlier and she said she was going for a walk to clear her head-" Can paused, his mind deliberating on what it was that Sanem needed to clear her head about.

"Is she with Osman, Ayhan?" Sanem divided her time between living at home and living at her best friend's house. "CeyCey maybe?"

"No! I spoke to Osman earlier. She left her phone there-" As Leyla wracked her fingers through her hair, Can started to worry. There was evident panic on her face and subsequently, that panicked him. Regardless of the turmoil of emotions he was feeling, the predominant thing he could think of was Sanem and her safety. "Oh God."

"Maybe she's just out with a friend?" As Can said it, he knew it wasn't a feasible possibility. He knew everybody that Sanem hung out with – Osman, Ayhan and CeyCey - and they had all been ruled out according to Leyla.

"For God's sake, Sanem, please don't do anything stupid." Leyla muttered the comment under her breathe but Can heard it loud and clear. Her sister was a spitfire who was capable of anything at any time. Sanem was so unpredictable that Leyla couldn't even fathom what was going through her mind, especially whilst she heartbroken.

"Why would she do something stupid?"

"No reason-"

"Leyla, don't lie to me right now." Can was sick of lying and now with worry for Sanem's whereabouts, he wasn't ready to deal anything else. He needed to find her.

"Look, Mr. Can, I'll explain everything in the car but ... can we just try and find her." Leyla looked around and realised that Can's flashy car was drawing attention in their nosy yet loveable neighbourhood. "And fast, before Mum and Dad realise something is wrong."

"Is there something wrong?"

"Mr. Can, I promise I will tell you absolutely everything I know. We just need to make sure she gets home safely."

Leyla had covered Sanem's back with their parents and said that she and Osman were working late tonight and that she was just going to stay at their house. It was a believable enough excuse but if Sanem didn't turn up the next morning for breakfast, her parents would definitely know something was wrong.

"Okay, I know a few places we can try and look." Can thought of their spot by the shore, his cabin in the woods. He was certain that they'd be able to find her soon.

"Mum, Dad – I need to run an errand for work! I'll be back soon." Leyla didn't even wait for an answer from a vigilant Mevkebe, she simply grabbed a coat and hurriedly made her way into Can's car.

"Leyla, I'm going to need you to start talking." Can tried to focus on his driving as he made his way to the shore, but his heart and his mind were focused solely on Leyla. It seemed she had answers – from the point of view of both Sanem and Emre – and Can was eager to listen to her take on the drama that had now become his life.

"Okay, Mr. Can. I'll tell you everything."