11
Tahti looked at the the chat screen of Demir later that afternoon, wondering how she was supposed to thank him for earlier. Still feeling cramps in her abdomen and tired, she had sent the clothes to the laundromat and had gone shopping for her art supplies, intending to pick it up on her way home.
‡Thank you for today. I will get your clothes...‡ She typed It didn't make sense to her so she erased her message, wondering what she was supposed to say, that wouldn't sound weird.
She blanched as his message popped in just then.
«Did you get home safely?»
Being seriously concerned about her, was that the way people acted whenever they wanted to keep someone on the hook? She didn't think so.
«You read my messages right away? What are you doing?»
«I'm buying art supplies.»
A smile crossed her lips as she typed and April suddenly peered into her phone from behind her.
"What are you doing?" She asked, before lifting her eyes to her, with a frown. "You said you guys are just friends."
"Gosh. We are just friends." She replied and hesitated before adding. "We did get a bit close though...And why didn't you reply to my messages?"
April clicked her tongue. "Don't change the subject. Is there something going on?"
"It's not like that. I'm just..." She was saying as she looked over shelves in the store. "...not pushing away someone who's being nice to me."
"You're really getting your hopes up. So you're saying he's treating you like someone special."
It did look like it. "Well...maybe."
April sighed. "From what I've seen so far, the things that made you feel special might be meaningless to him. I told you, he's nice to everyone without any exception."
"I don't know." She said and turned puppy eyes to April. "Maybe."
"You has to realise it yourself." She said and Tahti moved to another shelf. "Don't blame me later for not warning you."
Tahti thought April would leave after that but she soon returned to her smile, a cunning smile on her lips. "Are you free tonight?"
"Don't you have a gathering?" She asked, looking over sizes of pencils.
"Demir told you? I guess you two did grow close. Did you hear who's coming?"
It wasn't Demir who told her though. She had one of her juniors talking about it in the restroom. "No."
"You should come. All persons of interest sre coming. It's going to be fun...and shouldn't you check for yourself?" April asked and she turned to her.
"What?"
"Whether you are really special to Demir or not." She said and dropped.an art item in her basket before she walked out of the store.
"Thank you."
"Persons of interest?" She repeated again as she made to pick another item.
She took out her phone and went to check out his Instagram page and she suddenly wished she hadn't. She wanted her heart to keep fluttering but now, she had gotten anxious.
His followers were over three thousand and they were all girls.
What did she want from him? She wondered as she walked over to the counter to pay for her items after shopping.
Should she listen to April and check for herself before she forgot about him?
She swiped right to April chat before typing.
«April, I'll join you tonight. Where's the location?»
On arriving the pub later that night, she could hear her course mates voices, right where she stood at the entrance.
"I came here to confirm something." She sighed before walking in, promising her it would be the last time she would ever join them for drinks.
"Herley, you look really stylish today."
"Hey, this jacket is worth a lot." She heard April yell and she sighed again. That girl didn't just know how to lower her voice in pubs.
"Really?"
"He's loaded."
"Then buy us tonight's meal..."
"He could just buy us this place." April said and she could hear her course mates chanting.
"Herley."
"Keep it coming." Herley was saying when she walked in.
"Hey, Tahti is here." April smiled.
"Hi, Tahti."
"Hi." She smiled and she was surprised to see Sol, who was seated next to Jennie. So she came too.
Ramiel turned round to look. "Any empty..."
"Let's see."
Chris suggested, pointing to an empty seat beside Mason, one of their friends."Go over there."
Mason tapped the chair beside him with a smile, looking pleased to have her next to him. "Tahti...Come sit over here."
"Go sit there." Herley suggested.
"Come on."
"It's been a while."He said and she sighed as she walked over to sit beside him, hoping he wouldn't cause trouble that night. He had once asked her out but she had rejected him, and he had always gotten been on her nerves since then.
"You're attending gatherings since you broke up? You're finally free of that old dude?" He asked before clapping. "She's free."
"What's with you?"
"Do you break up?" Yvonne, one of her juniors asked and April turned to glare at her.
"Why are you asking that?"
"Everyone's here except Demir, right?" Monique asked, changing the subject.
"He's not reading my messages." Sarah said as she looked over her phone.
"He always replies late."
"He's always holding his phone, though." Another girl said.
"He just reads the alerts and ignores them."
"No, he's not that type."
"Where should he sit?" Adriana asked as she looked around.
"We can get a chair here."
Not the dating type? It was like he was dating all the girls.
"Demir is really popular." Another junior threw and April turned to her and gave her a 'see what I meant' look.
"Aren't you taking it off?" Mason suddenly asked and she veered to him.
"What?" She asked, wondering what the jerk was talking about this time.
"Your jacket..." He said before he burst into a nervous laughter. "Why are you so startled?What were you thinking?"
"I wasn't thinking of anything." She replied and he turned to the rest of the gang.
"Take off your jackets, guys. It's hot." He said and she reached for a cup of water beside her and was about to gulp it down when her junior next to her stopped her.
"That's my water." He said.
"Oh, sorry." She said and returned the cup. "Can I get a bottle of water?"
"I'll get it for you." He said and walked over to get a bottle in the fridge before returning to give it to her.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome...You're a final year student, right?"
"Yes." She replied.
"It's nice to meet you. I'm a freshman, Dennis Allen...We ordered some food already. Have you tried the seafood here?"
"No. I haven't tried it."
"Do you like seafood?"
"Yeah."
"Hey, go check the order." Monique yelled.
"We're selling food at the flea market. You should come visit our booth." He said and she slowly nodded.
"Okay."
"Really?"
"Did he reply?"
"No." Adriana replied.
They killed time with useless conversations, but the food wasn't served and when things started to get boring, he appeared, raising the sexual tension rises dramatically.
"It's Demir."
"Hey."
"Why are you so late?"
"Look at the time." April ground out, just as the waiters started bringing their meals.
"Your pretty face won't cut it."
"Sit over here." Adriana said, tapping the seat next to her.
"Why are you so late?" Derek asked as he sat beside Adriana, who looked pleased with herself.
"Sorry, there was a bit of traffic." He replied and turned to her, a surprised look on his face.
"Tahti, you're here too."
"Yeah."
"He's here, let's all drink." April said , picking up her mug of beer.
"Here we go."
They clinked glasses and everyone had a sip of beer before they started to dig into their meal.
"I'm going to drink a lot today." Jasmine said and Demir's expression changed on tasting the meal.
"This is spicier than I thought." He said.
"Just eat." April said.
"Here, have some water." Monique picked up a bottle of water and made to pass it to him when Adriana slapped her hand before snatching the bottle from her.
In a seductive manner, she turned to Demir. "Drink some water."
"Thanks." He smiled and Tahti noticed he intentionally allowed his fingers to sideswipe hers for a longer while as he received the bottle.
"He's so popular."
"It's pretty spicy."
"It's surprising she came here." Jasmine said as she turned to Sol.
"I asked her to join us." Jennie blurted.
"It was that easy?" She asked and Tahti picked up her bottle to gulp down its' contents.
"Is it spicy?" Mason asked and she lowered her cup to turn to him. What exactly was his problem?
"Look at you, you're all red. Aren't girls in your country better at eating spicy food than guys?"
"Is that so?" Herley muttered and she turned to roll her eyes.
"I read somewhere that women naturally endure pain better since they have to give birth. And you know, when it's their first time having sex..."
She veered to him, a pissed look on her face. "What did you say?" She asked.
Everyone looked pissed too and she raked her fingers through her hair with a ragged sigh. "Damn it, I'm losing my appetite."
"I should report you."
"Stop the nonsense."
"Why do you always cross the line?" April asked.
"What? Tasting spiciness is feeling a sense of pain. Stop treating me like a pervert."
Sol slammed her hand on the table before tossing a wet wipe to him. "Just wipe your dirty mouth."
"Sol, you're so cool..." Herley whispered and Jennie gave him a nudge.
"Stop it."
"You ruined the vibe."
Demir rose up and walked to the fridge and she waited for a minute before she walked over to meet him staring at the fridge.
"You want to drink something?" She asked as she opened the door and he reached to pick out a can.
"This one." He said before handing it over to her to take a look.
"Lime? Is this good?" She raised her eyes to him to ask.
"I don't know. I think you'll like it."
"Me?"
"You said so at the club." He said and she frowned. Did she?
"Is this lime?...I like lime." The words she had said at the club suddenly came back to her and turned to the fridge.
"You remember that?" She smiled as she took out another can of lime drink before passing it to him.
