Corner Store

08 | meetings and motorcycles

Her first day starts with a meeting-a big one, a congregation would be a better description, actually, with what seems to be the entire office seated along the length of a large wooden table. Even though she imagines it's the biggest table they have, people are still squished together, pulling chairs closely and at all angles to be able to fit.

Sanem sits sandwiched between CeyCey and Leyla, hands clasped tightly in her lap at their own request, the pair having both already adamantly warned her against bringing even more attention to herself. I think you have already caused enough gossip for an entire lifetime with the stunt you pulled at Mr Can's house, had said Leyla, rolling her eyes and invoking all the power she may have as the eldest sibling of the household you are by no means to cause us any more shame than you already have- and it hadn't just been a warning, it had been more like a threat because Sanem is about 90% sure that Leyla will murder her if she somehow causes the loss of her status here at the agency.

Which, actually, is not an entirely irrational point. It's already a miracle that Sanem still has a job and even more so that her parents have finally abandoned that ridiculous idea that she would actually marry Muzzo. It hadn't been an altogether simple thing to break this news to him, especially since he had already gone through the trouble of informing the entire neighborhood of his delusion, but it had to be done. It's fair to say, though, that the whole thing hadn't ended quite as clearly as she would have liked but, really, how many ways can you tell someone 'I'm not going to marry you' before they finally get it?

Turns out that there's actually many ways to say it and although Sanem had even gotten somewhat creative with her words of rejection, it had somehow still failed to register completely in Muzzo's over-coiffed head.

Still, she's satisfied enough that her parents have backed off from the marriage idea and now all that's left is to show then that yes, to the entire neighborhood's contrary belief, she can hold a steady job.

So, she sits, silently, her leg only bouncing a little under her clasped hands, waiting for the meeting to start

"Cey Cey why is everyone looking at me?" she whispers, leaning in close so only he can hear and doing her best to avert her eyes from where she can feel people staring at her, and by 'people' she mostly means Ms. Deren who, for some reason, hasn't torn her eyes from her in the entire time they've been seated.

"Maybe they're still trying to figure out whether or not you're actually Spider-Man" CeyCey says before snorting. It's a bad joke but still it makes him laugh, his mustache twitching side to side in amusement

Sanem narrows her eyes but he saves himself from a retort because right then Can chooses to make his entrance, making his way down the staircase as if in slow motion and smiling in her direction as he goes-or at least she thinks it's her direction-she turns to look behind her just to make sure but only meets the gaze of Gulitz, one of the assistants, who looks at her almost knowingly, almost like she knows something more than she should. She couldn't know, Sanem thinks to herself, not even Leyla knows about Mr. Can and I-a thought which nearly makes her gasp because what in the world is she talking about? There's nothing happening between her and Mr. Can, not in that way anyways-then why are you hiding it? Which, good point, but she justifies it enough with the fact that it hasn't really come up and, in any case, it's not like she even knows him all the much, anyways

it's not like you're half in love with him already, right Sanem? Which, really, is such a rude thing for her inner voice to bring up at a moment like this

Sanem chooses to ignore the voice and instead offers Gulitz a wobbly kind of smile before turning back towards where Can stands now at the head of the table, clearing his throat already in an effort to gain everyone's attention