Chapter 17 ~ "Turkish Inamorata "

EDITED.

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"Stop pacing, you're giving me anxiety."

Turning on my heels, I shot a pointed look to Ayan who stared back lazily with his legs freely propped up on his suitcase. He simply raised an eyebrow at me before shifting his gaze to the person in the seat across from him. I glanced as well at Kabir who couldn't sit still on the plastic chair in the waiting area. His fingers subconsciously played with the ring on his finger as his knee jumped excessively.

"Kabir, do you want water?" I asked hesitantly, crouching in front of him.

He dismissed me with a stiff shake of his head.

I sighed, "You didn't eat or drink anything on the flight. Let me get you something to eat."

He finally looked up to meet my gaze just before I was about to get up. I froze helplessly at the sight of his strained red eyes. "I'm not in the mood."

I pursed my lips, "You can't go on like this."

His gaze hardened, "Get out of my face before I say something I regret, Akira."

I closed my eyes and breathed out my mouth before attempting to console him. "She's just upset. She will understand once we get back home...Or you could still return back to India?" He eyes burned with anger and he stood up rapidly, giving me a startle and shooting me off balance.

"I'm not going back home without our sister. It doesn't concern me that Adhaya broke it off, even after I told her everything. And our parents will understand once they see her again." He ran his palm down the length of his face, "I don't have energy for this."

"Where are you going?" I hollered once I jolted in surprise, but Kabir continued to walk down the terminal without replying. I exhaled a breath.

"Let him cool off," Ayan said from his relaxed position, eyes focused somewhere over my shoulder. "He's frustrated, understandably so. Especially at both of us."

I bit my lip, shrugging off the upsetting thoughts and turned to Ayan directly. "So are we meeting your source?" I questioned, throwing him off at my abrupt change of topic. His eyes flickered from mine for a quick second before venturing back to their original interest.

"We'll be meeting my source's source soon." He said dismissively before standing and sauntering off. I narrowed my eyes at his retreating figure in attempts to wrap my head around his statement before I blinked in understanding as he approached a pretty girl with rich blonde locks. He leaned against the airport map she was previously studying before he annoyingly disturbed, although it didn't seem like she minded the company. I scoffed at his player antics, unknown to the frown settling on my face.

I slouched into Kabir's previous seat, moving our bags closer to me with my feet. I was sure I looked like an idiot with my legs fumbling around, getting entangled with the luggage straps. After five embarrassing minutes I finally managed to get almost all suitcases close enough.

"What the bloody hell are you doing?" A voice asked incredulously. I looked up to see Ayan looking down at me with a look of disbelief.

"Back already? Rapunzel rejected you so soon?" I snickered, pulling the final bag within reachable range and crossing my arms in satisfaction.

He rolled his eyes and fell into the seat across me, but not before showing me his phone with a phone number on it. My eyebrows rose as I read the name he labelled, "Istanbul?"

"Just easier to remember." He answered with a casual shrug.

I looked at him with repulsion, "Wow, you truly are disgusting."

"Don't worry baby, I have a special name saved for you." He winked obnoxiously, leaning forward.

I gave him a withering glare, "Don't call me that."

"Sweetheart work better?"

I scoffed, "Seems like a nickname you use often."

His grinned widened, "Is that jealousy I sense, love?"

My face contorted in disgust, "You must be kidding me. Flirting with me two minutes after you were hitting on another girl. Don't you have a conscience."

He quirked his brow, face gone blank, "Guess we're both lacking in the moral department."

"What is that suppose to mean?"

He rolled his eyes, agitated at my confusion. "Nothing. It means absolutely nothing."

He straightened his back, beginning to get up. And before I knew what I was doing, my hands wrapped around his wrists and the words flew out of my mouth, "what did you mean by that?"

He wasn't looking at me, yet at where our skins were grazing. My long manicured fingers were digging gently into his tanned skin.

I released my hold of his arm, only for my palms to be grasped between his fingers, igniting tingles through me all the way to my fingertips. Wide eyed I met his fierce unfaltering gaze. He leaned down towards me, leaving only a few inches of space between us.

I could only hold my breath as my body froze to the core, a familiar emotion creeping up my spine.

I simply waited in anticipation for his next move. Somehow, my composure always broke around him, even though I knew I should stay away. For all of our sakes.

"You're really gonna be like that, huh? Forget it ever happened?" He smiled bitterly. I pursed my lips, refusing to acknowledge his words and the memories attached to them.

The shrilling ringtone of a phone broke out the stupor Ayan held me under. He in turn, closed his eyes and let out a deep breath before standing up fully and pulling out his phone from his pocket. I sat in my spot frozen as he answered the call and walked a little further away to hold conversation as if the previous event seconds ago didn't even occur.

I sat mulling over our conversation, realizing that confronting the issues was the best way to go about everything. Running from my problems seemed to make the problems grow bigger. 

"Here." I raised my head, noticing my brother holding out a Starbucks tumbler out for me. I nodded in gratitude while Kabir dropped into the neighbouring seat. 

"I'm sorry," I mumbled over the lip of the cup, feeling the steam of the coffee hit my breath.

He sighed, "Are you?"

"I really am. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Then you wouldn't have hid this from me for six years, Akira. Six years. Did you not trust me?" I winced at the hurt in his voice. 

"You know that's not true. I just...I don't know. I guess I just felt guilty, about it all." As he opened is mouth to protest, I continued, "I know what you're going to say. 'It's not my fault, everything happens for a reason' but that's not true. And I wanted to live with that guilt, or it wouldn't have been fair."

Kabir scoffed, "Fair? This entire situation is unfair Akira. But you shouldn't be the one making the decision of what's fair for us to know." He rubbed his eyes before meeting my eyes with a new intent. 

"No more lies, ok? If there is anything else you're hiding, I want to know. I'm you're brother, I just need you to trust me with the truth, please." I nodded frantically and bit my lip. He released a breath before rolling his eyes and ruffling my hair affectionately. 

My lips tilted into a hesitant smile.

Ayan came back, a grim look on his face and his phone fisted tightly in his palm. "My source just let me know that he got in contact with his source."

My eyebrows raised in surprise, "He?"

Ayan winced at his slip up, but ignored my statement. "He's not really on amiable terms with his contact." He raised a finger to stop me from interrupting. "And no, I don't know why. But he has somehow managed to convince his contact to meet us."

"Great, when?" Kabir brushed his palms against his thighs before pushing himself up as I closely followed. 

"We're meeting this contact in Gaziantep and..."

Kabir arched a brow, "And?"

"They will determine whether they want to meet us or not."

I shook my head in disbelief, "What do you mean? That we're going off of a basis only for this person to play hooky?"

"What do you want me to say?" Ayan sighed. "This is the only option we have." 

Kabir pursed his lips, "Let's get going then, no point in wasting more time."

Ayan jingled a set of keys that I never noticed, "I already rented out a car, we can make it there in a few hours."

He bent to lift my suitcase before walking out the arrival entrance with the keys in hand.

I perching my sunglasses on the bridge of my nose and stepped into the Turkish heat.

"Let's pray that we find her soon, and return home safe." Kabir murmured, as he stood beside me, squinting under the blazing sun.

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A groan passed my lips as I stretched out on the backseat, desperate to relieve the ache in my back. "How much longer?"

"Almost there. Did you confirm with the hotel?" Ayan asked, sparing me a glance through the rear-view mirror. I nodded, but sifted through my email to double check. As the sun continued to dip, we decided to call in and book rooms at a hotel in the heart of Gaziantep. 

After locking my phone, I leaned my warm cheek again the cool window, staring at the gleaming moon and its reflection against the vast plains of the desert. Readjusting myself, I accidentally hitting the passenger seat, causing my brother to slightly stir from his deep nap. A small smile slid onto my lips, thankful that Kabir had finally caught unto a little sleep. The five hours were the most peaceful I had seen him in the past few days. 

"Wake up, Kabir. We're here." Ayan's voice startled me out of my thoughts, realizing we had come to a stop outside a quaint hotel. Similar structured buildings stood around us and the busy people walked by us with a few curious glance before continuing on with their daily routine. The skies still holding an orange hue from the recent sunset. 

"We're here?" Kabir voiced as he groggily got out the passenger side.

"Yeah. I'll text my source and tell him to inform the person that we're here, and we'll be waiting." Kabir shot a thumbs up while rotating his neck until the satisfying snap sounded. After locking the car, Ayan entered the hotel with us following behind. He approached the lobbyist with our room bookings, while Kabir and I leaned against a nearby wall.

"They have a bar here?" Kabir perks up, pointing at a board on the adjacent wall.

"No, you are definitely not drinking."

"Who's the older sibling here?"

"I agree with her—"

"That's a first." 

Ayan shoots me a pointed look before continuing. "You drink when you're happy, or excited, or even under peer-pressure. But you never drink because you're sad, Kabir. And you're a real sad drunk who passionately rants about how corrupt the judicial system is or how unfair life can be. It's exhausting." I nod in agreement.

He smiles at the lobbyist who runs off to complete the transaction, before shifting his gaze to Kabir and me. "In fact, you both are the same. Akira's a terrible drunk too."

My jaw drops as I exclaimed a retort.

He rolled his eyes, leaning against the counter, "don't even bother denying it."

"Wait, when did you both go drinking together?" Kabir lifted his palm, with his eyebrows knit in suspicion. Before either of us could reply, the lobbyist returns holding out two room keys.

Ayan cocked his head to me, "you only booked two rooms?" 

I shrugged nonchalantly, "There's two beds in one of the rooms. I'll share with Kabir if you don't want to." 

"No, it's fine." He grinned and tossed his arm over Kabir's shoulder, bringing him closer and knocking their heads lightly together. "Haven't had a sleepover since senior year."

Kabir's response was a good-natured eye-roll. "Yeah, whatever. I'm going to try Adhaya's number once more before heading to sleep." 

Ayan shrugged his bag over his shoulder, retreating up the stairs. "I'm going to take a quick shower, my muscles ache from driving all the way."

I mumbled a quiet goodnight, before settling my gaze on my brother.

"Should I talk to her?"

He shook his head. "No Kira, don't get involved in this."

"Why not? She's my friend." I exclaimed.

"Exactly. I don't want my problems to affect your relationship too."

"She needs me too, Kabir. She needs someone to vent to as well."

He sighed, "Kir, she didn't believe me. She didn't even adjust to what I said before throwing those harsh words in my face knowing how much they would affect me."

"People say stupid things when they're scared, Kabira. And look at it from her perspective."

He didn't say anything for a full minute before shaking his head. "You're wrong. If I was in her position, I would have never thrown her in a dilemma, you know that. I just...I just don't know where we stand anymore."

I fold my lips in a straight line, but say nothing.

"We've been together for seven years, and you know we've only fought before once. Can you imagine that?"

"How is that a bad thing?"

He smiles wistfully but shakes away the question. 

"All I know is that she loves you. And she needs you to confirm that you love her too."

He pursed his lips and turns to the stairs, "I'll tell her when she picks up my goddamn calls."

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Me: *typing and backspacing, constantly*

I AM SO SORRY.

Holy shit, I really am. My only excuse is that whatever I wrote down was just too terrible to post. I have no more energy to rewrite this and this is the least shittiest version, hence why it's published.

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