Twisting Roses

10: His Strange Ways

-Sometimes, two hearts don't need to beat together, they just need to stay-

The swaying of the wind had been strong...deadly. Now being brought back from the creepy island, I felt like my bond with Demir had turned even more cold and strange. I was living a lie, trying to survive with a complete stranger who was too broken to open up again. 

We were the same in many ways, but we just weren't meant for each other. There was just so much distrust, hate and pain. I didn't know how to deal with this epiphany. Demir now knew that I was hurting...that I was terribly wounded by his sore treatment, but I had also learned that his heart only carried misery for his dead girl...his wife, perhaps. 

There were many secrets he had actually unleashed during his outburst. I had figured out that his family was into some shady business which didn't tolerate traitors. Madam Geena had told me that Demir's father had deep ties with the underworld market because it was necessary for his own security and he had made sure that Demir got trained under a professional eye, but Demir's outburst made me feel that there was something more to that; he truly must have done something dangerous to scare h-his girl. But what? And how was being scary the sole reason for the girl reaching her demise? 

It didn't make any sense. 

There were just so many lies, so much kept hidden from me that I didn't know how to feel...

Demir's adoration for his lost girl hadn't diminished...it still stayed connected with her memories. 

There was no breakup. 

Listening to the water waves swaying past our boat, I now eyed him sitting in a corner and staring at the open ocean. There weren't any words left to be spoken. Both of us were sitting in different corners and quietly listening as Hammad who was chastising us for making him do peasant-like chores. He and Behlul were kings now, so they couldn't be out, rescuing their brother from another island. 

That just wouldn't do anymore. 

I could feel like Demir wanted to lash out at him and say some unspoken words, but he remained closed off and drained. Our escape had drained both of our strength to deal with the world. There was just so much hurt, pain and misery weighing us down. 

By emptying our wounds, we had weighed our skin with scars. 

It was heartbreaking. 

Soon, upon arriving back on the Great Pina Island, Hammad had this entire security team waiting for him. They offered us glasses of orange juice and held umbrellas out for us. Demir and Hammad made a huge show of drinking gallons of orange juice, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at that. 

We had just been stranded for a day. 

It wasn't that big of a deal. 

Ignoring the rich brats as they scolded for the opened umbrellas to be moved completely over their heads, I quietly walked behind the crowd and kept my gaze lowered towards the ground. I don't know why...but right now, I was feeling utterly alone and bizarre. 

Demir...his life...they did and were never going to make space for me. 

I wanted to go home. 

Tired, we finally reached the mansion and had the guards open the doors for us. I was perfectly fine in moving forward and opening the door by myself, but one admonishing glare from Demir had me stepping back. I couldn't act like my true self, or embrace my background because my class didn't fit here. 

Upon stepping inside the mansion, we were ambushed by Samiya Begum and Sonia who seemed extremely worried for Demir yet spared me no glance. Taking this as my cue to leave, I quietly moved away from the suffocating crowd and headed toward my room. I needed silence and some time to heal my wounds.