YES, LET'S JUST BE FRIENDS

CHAPTER TWO

" CAN, I AM FULLY AWARE OF THE DEBT THAT I OWE THE AGENCY, "  SHE SPEWED,  I HAVE EVERY INTENTION TO REPAY IT IN FULL."   CAN WAS DESPERATE TO GET HER BACK TO THE AGENCY.  HE NEEDED HER THERE. THE FACT IS HE HAD JUDGED HER TO QUICKLY THE DAY BEFORE WHEN SHE TURNED IN HER RESIGNATION.  HE HAD REFUSED TO HEAR HER EXPLANATION AND THAT WAS THE MAIN REASON HE HAD GONE TO SEE HER AT THEIR FAMILY GROCERY STORE.  HE PLEADED DESPERATEDLY FOR HER TO RETURN TO HELP THEM WITH A NEW POTENTIAL CUSTOMER.  

THE THOUGHT OF RETURNING  MADE HER UNEASY, BUT SHE DID HAVE THE LOAN TO REPAY,  SHE THOUGHT, AND SHE DEFINITELY DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT HANGING OVER HER HEAD. SO SHE AGREED TO RETURN JUST TO PAY OFF HER DEBT..

EVERYONE WAS GLAD TO SEE HER THE NEXT DAY AS SHE RETURNED TO THE AGENCY,  ESPECIALLY CEYCEY.  HER FRIEND HAD FELT GUILTY FOR WHAT HAPPENED. HE WAS THE ONE THAT HAD GIVEN HER THE WRONG INFORMATION. HE KNEW HE SHOULD HAVE NEVER LISTENED TO GULIZE.  SANEM WASTED NO TIME GETTING RIGHT TO WORK, UNTIL MR. CAN CALL HER TO BRING HIS TEA.  SHE KNEW THAT WAS PART OF HER JOB, BUT ANGER STILL FILLED HER. SHE TAPPED ON THE DOOR AND THEN ENTERED WITH HIS CUP OF TEA, " MR. CAN, YOUR TEA." SHE SAID, QUICKLY SETTING IT ON HIS DESK. 

" SO WHAT DO YOU THINK?" HE ASKED HER AS SHE TURNED TO LEAVE. SHE STOPPED AND TURNED TO LOOK AT HIM. " ABOUT WHAT, ?"  SHE ASKED, SHRUGGING HER SHOULDERS. HE SMILED AND POINTED AT THE EASEL, " THE CAMPAIGN FOR COMPASS SPORTS, I'VE  BEEN PUTTING DOWN SOME IDEAS."  SANEM DIDNT HESITATE TO TELL HIM WHAT SHE THOUGHT, " IT LOOKS LIKE TO ME YOU NEED TO START OVER, THAT ONLY GIVES OUT A NEGATIVE FEEL TO THE CAMPAIGN." SHE SPOKE TURNING ABRUPTLY AND WALKING OUT. HE STOOD WATCHING HER WALK AWAY, " WELL IT LOOKS LIKE I MAY HAVE MY WORK CUT OUT FOR ME."  HE THOUGHT, KNOWING HOW STUBBORN SHE COULD BE..

OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS SHE FELL INTO A DAILY ROUTINE, LETTING HER WORK TAKE OVER. SHE WAS LEARNING HOW TO MANAGE HER FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS, EVEN THOUGH HER HEART WAS BREAKING.  THEIR ENCOUNTERS WERE PROFESSIONAL AND SHE MADE SURE TO STAY CLEAR OF ANY PERSONAL TOPICS.  NO MATTER WHAT CAN DID TO MAKE IT BETTER, SHE CONTINUED THE SAME ATTITUDE. HE HAD TO GET THROUGH TO HER, SO THEY COULD GET PAST THEIR PROBLEMS. 

ONE EVENING, AFTER WORKING LATE, CAN ASKED IF THEY COULD TALK.  SHE WAS CONFUSED,   " WHAT EXACTLY DO WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT, " SHE ASKED, HER EYES FILLING WITH TEARS "YOU KNOW WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT OUR PERSONAL LIFE SANEM. IF WE ARE TO WORK TOGETHER YOU KNOW WE HAVE TO." CAN STATED. AS BAD AS SHE HATED TO ADMIT IT, SHE KNEW HE WAS RIGHT. SO THEY HEADED TO HIS CAR TO BE ALONE, SHE HOPED MAYBE HE WOULD GIVE HER ANOTHER CHANCE. THEY COULD START FRESH, A NEW BEGINNING. 

AS THEY SAT ALONE, SHE TOLD HIM SHE WAS SORRY FOR ALL THAT HAD HAPPENED, THERE LOVE WAS DEEP AND IF THEY TRIED, MAYBE THEY COULD START NEW. CAN WANTED TO SO BADLY, JUST WANTING TO TOUCH HER AND HOLD HER NEARLY DROVE HIM CRAZY AT TIMES.  "I'M SORRY BUT I CAN'T TRUST YOU SANEM, NOT RIGHT NOW. YOU ARE SO SPECIAL TO ME AND I DON'T WANT TO LOSE YOU BUT WE CAN ONLY BE FRIENDS. " HE WHISPERED.  HIS WORDS TORE AT HIS HEART, IT WAS THE HARDEST THING HE HAD EVER HAD TO SAY.  

SANEM CRINGED AS THE WORDS STUNG HER SOUL, BUT SHE ACCEPTED HIS DECISION.  " IF FRIENDSHIP IS ALL YOU WANT, THAN FRIENDSHIP IS WHAT WE WILL HAVE."  SHE REPLIED, FEELING AS IF HER WORLD HAD CAME CRASHING DOWN AROUND HER. SHE WAS DETERMENINED TO SHOW CAN DIVIT A DIFFERENT SIDE TO SANEM.  SHE HAD HUMILIATED HERSELF ENOUGH WITH THIS RELATIONSHIP, IT WAS TIME FOR A NEW SANEM....

THEY AGREED TO REMAIN FRIENDS, THEY BOTH DID VALUE ONE ANOTHER. HE KNEW IT WAS FOR THE BEST.  THEIR JOBS WERE DEMANDING AND HE NEEDED HER TALENT TO GIVE THEM THE BEST CAMPAIGN FOR COMPASS SPORTS.

THEY HAD WORKED EXTREMELY HARD ON THE PRESENTATION. SANEM HAD CAPTURED THE SLOGAN AND DEVELOPED THE ADVERTISEMENT. CAN WAS SO PROUD OF HER. HE FELT CLOSER TO HER THAN HE HAD FOR A WHILE. HE LOVED SPENDING TIME WITH HER, SHE BROUGHT A FRESHNESS TO EVERYTHING SHE DID. THE SIGHT OF HER SOMETIMES MADE HIM STOP IN HIS TRACKS, THE WAY HER EYES SPARKLED WITH SPECKS OF GOLD, AND MY GOD, THOSE LIPS.....

SANEM WAS HANDLING WORKING WITH CAN A LOT BETTER THAN SHE THOUGHT SHE WOULD.  MAYBE FRIENDS WERE ALL WE WERE SUPPOSE TO BE, SHE THOUGHT.  BUT AT TIMES, JUST HIS PRESENCE IN A ROOM MADE HER HAVE GOOSEBUMPS. BUT  SHE PROBABLY WASN'T THE ONLY WOMAN THAT FELT THAT WAY.... SHE WOULD HAVE TO RETRAIN HER MIND AND HER HEART IF FRIENDS WERE ALL THEY COULD BE.

CAN HAD GIVEN HER THE RESPONSIBILITY OF GIVING THE PITCH TO THE DIRECTORS OF COMPASS SPORTS.  SHE HAD NEVER BEEN SO NERVOUS, SO CAN HAD TRIED TO CALM HER DOWN, REASSURING HER THAT SHE WAS THE BEST PERSON TO DO THIS. " YOU KNOW THIS PITCH, YOU'RE THE ONE THAT INVENTED THE CONCEPT. YOU'LL DO GREAT. "  HE SMILED AND GAVE HER A KISS ON THE CHEEK.  SHE JERKED BACK, SHOCKED, WONDERING WHAT BROUGHT THAT ON. "IS HE TRYING TO MESS WITH MY HEAD? "  SHE THOUGHT. 

AS THEY WAITED FOR THE GROUP TO ARRIVE, SANEM WENT OVER HER NOTES. SHE HAD ALREADY MEMORIZED THE WHOLE PRESENTATION, BUT SHE NEEDED SOMETHING TO CALM HER NERVES.     

" OH GOOD, THEY'RE HERE."  DEREN SAID. AS SHE SHOWED THEM IN AND STARTED THE INTRODUCTIONS. " CAN, THIS IS THE DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING.....ASLI ERDOGAN.  HER ASSISTANT.....NILAN AKSOY......AND THE CREATIVE DIRECTOR.....TANER YILMAZ." SHE ANNOUNCED TO HIM. 

SANEM WHIRLED AROUND EXTENDING HER HAND TO WELCOME THEM. SHE WAS SURPRISED WHEN SHE RECOGNIZED HER FRIEND FROM COLLEGE. THEY BOTH STARED IN DISBELIEF, "TANER, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT." SHE SQUEALED. " SANEM, IS THAT YOU, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT EITHER. HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN."........HE EXCLAIMED, QUICKLY SCOOPING HER UP IN HIS ARMS AND SWINGING HER AROUND. " MY GOD, I HAVE MISSED YOU. " HE GUSHED. HE PUT HER DOWN AND HUGGED HER GIVING HER A KISS ON THE CHEEK. CAN GLARED, HIS EYES FULL OF FIRE AND HIS MOUTH OPEN..

DEREN WAS SHOCKED, " DO YOU KNOW EACH OTHER?" SHE ASKED. CAN STILL STOOD LIKE A STATUE, FEELING THE BLOOD LEAVE HIS BODY. SANEM EXPLAINED THEY MET IN THE UNIVERSITY, ON THEIR FIRST DAY TO BE EXACT.  SHE REPLIED.  " ACTUALLY, HE WAS THE CLOSEST THING TO A BOYFRIEND I HAD AT THAT TIME."  TANER SCOFFED, " NO, I THINK I WAS YOUR BOYFRIEND, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN."   SHE LAUGHED THAT ENCHANTED LAUGHT OF HERS, "YOU'RE PROBABLY RIGHT. " SHE SAID, HER FACE TURNING A SLIGHT SHADE OF RED.

CAN FINALLY TOOK A BREATH AND CLEARED HIS THROAT. " SHALL WE GET STARTED, " HE BLURTED. " SANEM, DO YOU WANT TO SHOW THEM WHAT WE HAVE DESIGNED OR THEM. "  SHE GLANCED AT CAN AND COULD SEE THE BLAZING GLARE SHOOTING AT HER.  " OK, LET'S  GET DOWN TO BUSINESS, SHALL WE. " SHE SAID WITH CONFIDENCE. 

CAN'S EYES WERE FIXED ON HER, HIS LIPS WHERE TIGHT AND DRAWN. " WHAT WAS THAT AND WHO IN THE HELL IS THIS GUY? " HE THOUGHT AS HE WATCHED MR.TANER YILMAZ GIVE SANEM ALL OF HIS ATTENTION. 

SANEM FINISHED HER PRESENTATION, AND WAITED FOR THEIR REACTION.  TANER STOOD AND CLAPPED. " PERFECT, THAT WAS JUST PERFECT SANEM. IT'S A YES FROM ME ON THE PROGRAM, AND I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER TO BE WORKING WITH YOU."  TANER SAID.

THE WHOLE ROOM ERUPTED WITH APPLAUSE, EVERYONE BUT CAN........