54
Drinking games continued, although they'd changed the game, right after the girls had left and Demir who had opted out, went to sit on the porch to watch them play but the game didn't seem to be fun after he'd left.
"You should join us."
"Hey, it's no fun without you."Jasmine said and Herley frowned.
"What has gotten into you? Is something wrong?"
"That's right. He's changed a lot." Ramiel said and a smile flickered through his face.
"I think he has become a bit sentimental." Jasmine said and turned to him.
"Are you going for a new image?"
"What was he like before?" Janine asked, joining in the conversation and Herley folded his arms, with a sigh. "Well, Demir was incredible as you can see... He's good looking." He replied, emphasizing on the 'good-looking' part.
"Hey Demir, what's going on with you? Have you finally found your soulmate?"April asked and Demir answered, by raising his cup for a drink.
"Hey, he's drinking."
"Unbelievable." Herley grasped.
"I can't believe this."
"Who is it?" Jasmine asked, dumbfounded and Tahti could relate as well. Demir, suddenly admitting he had someone he liked, was like saying pigs could suddenly grow wings.
"Let's just stop this and go to the beach. Didn't you girls say you wanted to see the fireworks?" Derek asked and April turned to him, wondering why he had to be a note, even at that moment.
"Come on, everyone's curious." Herley replied, before she could and April was glad, she had kept her tongue in check as she didn't trust what she was going to say.
Refocusing on the attention at hand, she turned back to Demir.
"Demir, why don't you just tell us honestly. Is there a girl who has captured your heart?"
"Yeah, is there?"
The looks from the crew were piercing as everyone waited with bated breaths, for his answer, even Tahti, who looked like she wasn't interested in the conversation.
"Yeah." He finally replied and the crew roared in happiness, at the fact that he could admit such a thing.
"Then, would you like to kiss her?" April asked and Tahti turned to send looks at her, but the latter choose not to head to them. Apparently, Demir's response had egged to more outrageousness.
"Are you guys drunk?" He chuckled, but April didn't look the one, who would easily be swayed from her initial purpose.
"I guess we should just hit the nail on the head. Aydemir Wilson, is that girl here with us right now?"
"Is she?"
Tahti, who turned to glare daggers at April, who threw her a wait-and-see look, and she rolled her eyes. Why was April so hard trying to get her hooked with someone, she was so against in the first instance? She couldn't even believe the kind of best friend she had.
The sudden shattering of glass interrupted them and their heads whipped round to see Janine had accidentally knocked a glass cup over.
She hurriedly bent over to clean up the mess, and a sharp edge of a piece sliced through the skin of her palm.
"Oww..." She cried out, and the crew sprang to their feet, with Tahti running over to take a look and she crouched to gently take her palm in hers.
"Are you okay?" She asked and Janine winced in pain, as Tahti turned her hand over o look at the severity of the cut.
"Gosh, she's bleeding." Someone gasped.
"What do we do?" Herley asked and Tahti raised her hand, from the cut.
"The cut isn't deep, but we should disinfectant it first."
"Okay." She replied and Tahti gently pulled her to her feet, before she turned to lead her to the house, walking past a worried Demir, who was standing next to the door, while the crew went ahead to clean up the mess.
She helped Janine sit on the stool, before walking over to the cupboard to throw the doors open, in search for the first aid kit box.
On finding it, she seized it immediately, taking out a handful of items and grabbed the bottle of alcohol, before returning to the table.
Janine didn't bat an eyelid, when she started treating the wound and Tahti was surprised to see how tough she was. She resisted the urge to laugh when her mind went back to how she'd wailed, after scraping her foot in high school.
"It must hurt, right?" She asked, while rubbing the tip of cotton bud, which she'd dipped in alcohol over the cut.
"I'm fine." She replied and almost immediately, Derek walked in, to see how things were going.
"Is it bad?" He asked.
"No. It just needs some disinfecting and bandaging." She replied, and lifted her eyes. "Derek, can you take the others to the beach first? We'll catch up later."
"Why? We can wait." Derek said.
"Janine's going to feel embarrassed to the face the guys later."
"She's right." Janine said and Tahti resumed disinfecting the cut. "Josh's already setting up the fireworks at the beach."
Oh, she was right. Tahti had totally forgotten about the event at the beach.
"So, that was why he left." She muttered.
"And can you please not tell Josh, I got injured. We'll head over once we're done."
"Okay. You girls should be careful, on the way there."
"We will." She replied and Derek turned to head out.
"The cut would probably leave a faint scar." She told her, as she lowered the cotton bud on the table.
"I guessed I ruined the fun." Janine said, when the guys were starting to leave.
"You didn't, dear. I'll suggest you take antibiotics, just in case." She said, spinning to pick out a bandage.
"By the way, what's your relationship with Demir?" Janine suddenly said and Tahti whipped her hand to turn towards her.
"There's nothing between us..."
*It seemed like there was something." Janine said and Tahti turned back to hunt for a bandage.
"I mean it. My friends just like teasing u, that's all..." She replied.
"Really?" She asked, not sounding like she bought the lie. "He seemed to have feelings for you."
Tahti finally found one and turned back to face Janine. "What made you think like that?" She asked, knowing she wasn't supposed to.
"During the whisper game, I asked Demir, who he wanted to kiss tonight."
So that had been the question. No wonder her course mates had been dumbstruck on hearing the question.
"He's always like that." She hurriedly said, dashing any hopes she herself had that there might be a chance that Demir liked her. "He's never honest, so you don't need to pay attention to that."
She gently tapped the band-aid on her palm and she smiled as she pulled back after.
"All done."
"Thanks." Janine smiled as she ran a fingertip over it, before she raised her head. "Can we go to the beach now?"
The smile on Tahti's face slowly faded.
"Well...I'm heading back to my aunt's place, so I can't come with you."
Janine looked disappointed, by the news. "Why? You should come. Josh's probably waiting for you"
Tahti figured she was right, but she didn't think she could hang out freely with the guys, since Demir was there and given by what happened earlier, during the games.
"I really want to go too, but I'm tired...You should go have fun." She replied and Janine rose.
"Looks like I can't convince you into coming with me." She said and Tahti smiled. "You should get some rest then, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Sure. Be sure to take antibiotics." She reminded Janine, on her way out.
"Okay."
Josh kept looking around at the beach as he took shots of the crew, while they played and danced around. Tahti's course mate had arrived the beach long ago, but Tahti and Janine were yet to join them.
Could something have happened to them? He wondered and slipped out his phone to dial Tahti.
"Can you take a picture of me?" Ramiel asked and he returned his phone to his pocket. "Sure."
They seemed to be having fun, Derek who had been watching the crew, from where he stood, a couple of metres away, dropped to sit on the floor and April walked over to join him, holding two firecrackers in her hand.
"Why are you sitting all alone?" April asked as she lowered herself to sit beside him before handing him, one of the firecrackers. "I brought this to hang out with you. Do you like it?"
She was surprised when Derek turned to look at her with a frown. "What's wrong with you? What's with that look? Don't tell me you have been upset all day?"
"Is it fun?" He asked before she could finish her statement.
"What are you talking about?"
"Is it fun to tease people and make them feel uncomfortable?" He asked.
"What the hell are you driving..."
"Just like now. You talk about other people for your enjoyment, making them feel very uncomfortable and embarrassed." He replied and turned to look at the waves. "You should stop doing things like that."
She raked her fingers through her hair, finally understanding what he meant.
"It's not like that. Everyone was whispering behind their back, about who Demir's soulmate was, and all I did was to ask for them.I mean..." She sighed as she joined him to look at the waves. "...it was so obvious that Tahti and Demir like each other. It's just so sad to see them like that."
Derek slanted daggers to her and she sighed again, on seeing his expression.
"Alright. I'll stop. I promise." She replied and looked down at the firecracker. "I brought this so we can make up, instead of being at logs." April reached into the pocket of her jacket, to take out a lighter, before lighting up his firecracker. She proceeded with hers and raised it up to play around with it as it sparkled.
"Isn't it pretty?" She asked as she wiggled the cracker around.
"Stop trying to justify yourself. Deep down, you know it too." He told her and April sighed again as she turned back to look at him, wondering why he was trying to pick up a fight with her.
"You should stop playing games with me, April."
What was he talking about now?"
"Me? Playing games? Derek, what are you..." "Honestly, I started this knowing you thought of me as a joke, and I thought you would become sincere, with time but I can't stand it anymore."
"Good Lord, what do you mean this time?" She had and he turned to her.
"Let's end this."
The fire on the cracker died out immediately, he dropped the bombshell and April almost forgot how to breathe.
"This relationship shouldn't have happened in the first place." He declared as he rose and April felt her world crumbling down the instant he turned to leave.
"Josh." Someone called and his head whipped around to see Janine, walking towards him. "Janine? Why are you so late?" He asked when she neared and his eyes dropped to see the band-aid on her palm.
"What happened?" He asked as he reached to raise it up to have a closer look.
"Oh, I just got hurt a little." She replied, with a shrug
"Is it bad?"
"No, it's fine. Tahti took good care of it." She replied and he gently lowered her hand.
"You should have been more careful, you know. How can you go around hurting yourself like that?" He asked and she rolled her eyes as he tore his eyes to look around the beach. "Where is Tahti?" He asked.
"She said she's not coming."
"She's not coming?" He asked, the disappointment in his voice obvious.
"Are you that upset?" She smirked and he sighed, extremely disappointed by the turn of events.
"She went to her aunt's place?" He asked and she slowly nodded.
"Probably. Why did you ask?"
"It's nothing." He hurriedly replied and Janine turned to glance around the beach, before returning her eyes back to her cousin.
"But, where's Demir?"
Tahti kept playing with strands of her hair as she stared at the empty porch through the window of the guest house. It was the first time she would feel awkward to that degree, in front of someone and it curled her stomach.
"This is the worst." She muttered.
"What is?" She heard from behind her and she suddenly turned on the stool to see Demir, walking over to sit on the stool beside her. "Didn't you go to the beach with the others?" She asked, changing the topic. It would hurt her pride, to tell him she had been thinking of him.
"I came to see if you treated it." He replied and she tore her eyes off him. What had she been thinking? Of course, he had obviously came to check on Janine.
"Don't worry." She replied, indifferently. "I treated her properly. Janine just left, didn't you see her?"
A smile flickered through the edges of his lips, just as she turned to put away the items she'd used to treat her.
"Why are you smiling?" She asked and he slowly reached out to take her arm. "What are you doing?"
"I meant you." He replied, as he gently slid down her sleeve, to give a cut. "You got hurt too."
"It's none of your business." She replied.
"It's hurts, right?"
She finally got the courage to free her arm from his grip. "And why would you care if I get hurt or not? What is it to you?"
"Let me help you." He said, reaching for her arm.
"I'll do it." She snapped, expecting his expression to change, but rather he chuckled and reached forward to take her arm and she found it difficult to object to his touch.
"It's funny how you get angry at me so often..." He was saying he picked up a tube of ointment on the table. "...when you don't T the other guys."
He slowly and gently rubbed a fingertip of the ointment and Tahti clenched a fist when he started to lean down to blow on it.Why couldn't she ever refuse him? She thought. She looked like she was going to crumble at that very moment.
"You saw me get hurt? She asked, but her voice came out in quavering whisper.
"Of course, I saw it." He said as he raised his head to lock eyes with her. "But you would have gotten angry if I did something about that back there."
"You're ridiculous." She replied.
"But I can't say I didn't have other intentions." Other intentions? Like what? She thought. Could it be he intended to use the opportunity to...
She frowned, on realisation of his plan and yanked her arm free, to roll down her sleeve. "Stop this." She bit out.
"Stop what?" He asked and she rose, trying to keep a straight face.
"What you are doing right now."
That annoying smile appeared on his lips again as he rose.
"What am I doing?"
"Stop smiling." She blurted out, feeling foolish for requesting something like that, which was completely different from what she had in mind to say.
"I can't even smile, now?"
"Do you enjoy playing with me? Why did you say that in front of the guys? They will miss understand and misinterpret what you said." She said and a shiver ran down her spine when he reached to take her arms.
"Are you really asking because you don't know?...I kept thinking of you...I miss you...Didn't you miss me?" He asked and she lowered her head, feeling he would realise the truth, if she kept looking at him.
"Do you hate me that much?"
His sad sent her head, propelling up to look at him.
"You have a girlfriend."
"That's not the issue." He hurriedly replied and she thinned her lips. Could she ever stop expecting him to change?
"Yeah, you're right. It has nothing to do with me."
"Then, be honest."
"Let's go of me." She replied and made to leave.
She gasped when he took hold of her other arm to spin her and made sit on the table, such that he was positioned between her laps and he dropped a hand to the table, so she had to sit up to face him full on the face. "Running away again?" He asked.
"I never ran away."
"Then, do you really want me to let go?" He asked on Tahti felt her voice fail her, almost immediately.
"Just say the word. Tell me if you don't want this, then I will stop."
She didn't want him too. All she knew as of that moment was Demir was right in front of her and that was all that mattered. Yes, she wanted him.
Desire flamed in those pitch black eyes of his and her heart started raming against her chest wall when his gaze dropped to her mouth.
His chin started to tilt towards hers. His lips parted. He was going to kiss her, and it was so wrong, and so was how badly she wanted him to. She raised her lips to lock with his, his demanding tongue slipping inside her mouth, like it depended on it.
His fingers snaked their way to the back of her head to grip her hair, pulling her closer and Tahti's veins started to throb and she felt her heart would explode. She had have never wanted anyone like this before. Ever.
The weight of his body on top of her was crushing, but she didn't mind. She wanted to feel him—all of him—pressed against her, as she inhaled his shampoo, and that extra scent that’s just … him, which was the most delicious smell she could ever imagine.
His hands started to splay everywhere, but it didn't matter, as long as his mouth is already on top of hers. She only wanted him closer, closer and closer.
Her phone rang and she pulled back to look at the ID, which bore Josh's name as the caller. He could wait, she decided as she turned back to resume her enchanting moment with Demir, who slowly pulled back and there was a questioning look on her face as he lifted his head.
"Is this really okay?" He asked, in a desire thickened voice.
"If we continue...I don't think I can stop."
