The Art of Love

Neanderthal

"Osman, I'm so happy you're home! How was your trip back?" They talked for a long while catching up. It was so nice to see him and talk in person rather than by FaceTime or Skype. He was such a wonderful friend. "Osman, are you ready to dance the night away with me. I made sure that Leyla gave the DJ all the tracks we love. I'm so excited I can't wait!"

Osman watched the girl who had once declared undying love to him chatter on and on. She was looking exceptionally beautiful. She always did but for some reason over the last year he had come to realize that what he once felt for her, a deep friendship, the love of a brother and sister; had changed into something more. They had always been close. She had confided in him since they were young enough to play soccer together and ride their bikes. Although he was Leylas age he and Sanem were the bosom buddies in the neighborhood. When he rejected her she had broken away from him and then she got sick. Their time together was cut short. No more hanging out and playing sports. She had progressively become more tired and achey and then as she got older her parents and his, because of tradition frowned on their unique friendship and discouraged that behavior. Her illness put a complete stop to it all. For a long while the boy he was believed it to be his fault. He would stop by to see her but more often then not was told she was sleeping or taking her medications. He never knew how much of it was her not wanting to see him or her parents or her illness. As time went on he stopped asking to see her but would simply come over and sit outside her bedroom door and just be near her. He had hurt her and in turn was hurt. Their age difference saw him going off to college as she was to entering high school. His visits home had been infrequent but he always made it a point to spend time with her. They eased back into their friendship but he was a man now and she still just a girl. In a traditional home the ability to be themselves under parental scrutiny, albeit one born out of love; limited much of their conversations and outings were never alone. The day he left to pursue his dreams of being a commercial airline pilot came and he was surprised to encounter a much more reserved Sanem. Beautiful in a way he had never quite noticed but much more introverted. Somehow she had changed so much it broke his heart. She was polite but the smile she gave him neither warmed his heart not lit up her eyes. She had become almost a shadow of herself. He told her all of his plans and how he would write to her and keep in touch and she said she would welcome his emails or texts but to not worry if he was to busy for her. She would understand. He left their Mahalle then and wouldn't return until the summer she herself left. They had continued to correspond and somewhere along the way they had found their way back almost entirely to the two kids they were before. They could never never truly go back and so they took what they could and carried on. This last year had seen them meet up twice in person and still call and keep in touch regularly. Now here she was every bit a woman and for all the world he couldn't imagine what had possessed him to reject her. He could only sum it up to his own powerful crush on another. That woman had all but ruined his life. That was another time and another place. Sanem Aydin. She was in truth every color in the rainbow. Always shining like the sun. When he called her up to let her know it would be he that was coming for her and not Leyla she was surprised and happy. He could hear it in her voice. Seeing her with the sun shinning down on her and watching her peruse the paintings he felt a his heart respond. He hadn't meant to kiss her on the lips. It was supposed to be a kiss on the cheek but she turned at the last moment and it had happened. He was both surprised and subtly happy at the accidental kiss. He didn't apologize and when she just waved it away as a "woops" moment he was both relieved and a little disappointed. He wasn't quite sure what his feelings were for her other than the truest friendship he had ever known and a kinship as well. If there might be more only time would tell. "Sanem, remember the first dance is mine. I will have to beat off all your other suitors with a stick." She laughed and smiled and blushed. That was new he thought? Could she perhaps feel something for him once again. Could he be that lucky twice? Was it something that he wanted? Did he want her that way? Osman was pensive for the moment but no real epiphany came to him.