"Alone or with people?" Ayla asked taking a sip of her drink.

Enzo pondered over her question for some time making her surprised, she thought that he would reply right away. 

"With people who truly know me," he said glancing at her briefly before again focusing on the road while he was driving, Ayla pondered as his answer was unique. 

"Do I come in that criteria?'' the words left her mouth before she could think, she blushed in embarrassment looking outside the window not expecting him to answer. 

"Maybe you do," Enzo said with a soft smile, causing an involuntary smile to come on her face too before she shook her head. 

Don't fall for it Ayla, he is just teasing you. 

As the car abruptly stopped, she gazed out of the window and realized they had reached the hospital?

Her brow furrowed in confusion as she turned to Enzo. She noticed that his usual composed and playful demeanor was absent, and instead, his face expressed a hint of unease.

"Umm... You can go to the nearby cafe and chill I will come sometime later" he said making her more curious.

"You are going there." she asked him with a soft tone looking at the hospital.

He slowly and hesitantly nodded.

"Why?" she asked and immediately regretted it, she didn't think she knew him enough to ask such things "Sorry, I should not have asked tha-''

"My mom.... She is there" he said in a low tone before exiting his car.

Ayla also got out of the car and closed the gate, she looked toward Enzo to see him walking toward the hospital-his fists slightly clenched and his shoulders slumped, she can feel his sadness from here.

"C-Can I come?" she asked biting her lip in anticipation, Enzo turned around she could see the emotions swirling in his eyes - sadness, pain and confusion-perhaps why she want to come.

He nods and waits for her to catch up with him.

Soon they entered the hospital, Ayla closed her eyes for a moment her mind recollecting the bitter memories of this place, it was like her mind went into retrieving mode making her remember every single thing that had happened in this hospital.

She snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of the lift's gate closing and a comfortable warmth spreading across her hand, she looked toward her hand to see Enzo holding her hand their fingers entwined and weirdly she felt comfortable, good, and a slight flutter in her stomach. 

Stupid hormones

"What happens to her?" she asks Enzo cautiously looking toward him softly.

"Blood cancer." he mumbles making her suck in a sharp breath. 

They have things in common a lot of things than she would like to admit.

"I am sorry." she said squeezing her hand in a comforting way. Enzo just nodded his eyes radiating sadness; it made her heart clench to see those eyes filled with playfulness now filled with sadness.

"Hey, Enzo How are you doing my pumpkin?" his mom asked while patting his hand when they entered the room.

"Mom don't call me that." Enzo whined like a little child with a pout Ayla couldn't help but feel amused by the situation and looked towards him with a smile, pressing her lips together to stifle a laugh.

"I will my little pumpkin" his mother says in a 'don't-you-dare-to-deny' tone, suddenly her gaze shifted to Ayla who was standing in front of the door.

"Oh my, you are here with a girl." his mother says, and Ayla can see how her face lit up while saying that.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Thomas." Ayla said with a little bow taking some steps toward the hospital bed on which she was lying.

"Oh, sweetie just call me Sophie." his mother says making her smile softly while she nods.

"For how long has this monkey been hiding you from me?" Her question left Ayla and Enzo bewildered, with a look of confusion painted on their faces. She continued, her tone slightly hopeful, "You both seem to be together, am I right?" Her voice carried a hint of longing as if she was wishing that they were indeed a couple. 

Ayla can see how Enzo's face turned into a sad and defeated one while listening to his mother's hopeful voice.

"We have got together just this month, Sophie." Ayla says sweetly making Sophie smile while Enzo looks toward her with a surprised yet grateful look.

"Huh, I can imagine how cute my grandchildren will look." Sophie says closing her eyes and making Ayla's cheeks turn furiously red "I will spoil them too much" Sophie continues with a smile.

Enzo looked towards his mom with a sad smile. She was optimistic, despite knowing that her condition was almost-impossible to overcome.

After some time, they come out of the room sitting on nearby chairs.

"Thank you, " Enzo says in a breathy tone and Ayla, can see the moistening of his eyes she holds his hand gently squeezing it.

"Mention not"

A moment of silence lingers before Ayla decides to break it. 

"I know how you feel, my older sister..." she started her voice slightly shaky as if she was going to say something very secretive.

"She also died from b-blood cancer, in this very same hospital" she said her eyes moistening, Enzo could see how difficult it was for her to say all that.

"I r-regret it, you k-know." she said in a low tone "The day she died I was scared and sad and devasted, I hid, I didn't even come to her funeral, I was trying to escape the reality even when I know it will not change anything. I r-regret it now, I should have seen her once last time."

She said while a few tears cascaded down her face, it was one of her biggest secrets that only her family members knew but after seeing that Enzo trusted her so much to allow her to meet his mom, she couldn't help but feel that maybe she could also tell him. 

Suddenly the coldness of her thoughts was replaced by warmth... the warmth of his as he took her in his embrace wrapping his hands around her and first time in these 3 weeks, she hugged him back tightly inhaling his scent of pine.

I am scared, I am scared by thinking, I have to let go of this warmth. 

Ayla thought still in his embrace as a lone tear escaped her eye.