"Do not allow your heart to take pleasure with the praises of people, nor be saddened by their condemnation."

~ Al-Ghazali (r)

   !!!________________!!!

Chap 8:
Fright

Çağlar didn't understand anything at first but when he did, an amused smile was glued to his face.
"She had a beautiful figure"  he can't stop this thought coming to his mind.

He was surprised and glad at the same time that Fatin was careful about her dressing. Then he noticed that whenever they met she was dressed modestly and her hairs were tied all the time, they weren't covered but they weren't open as well.

Thinking not to bother her about it, he went to the kitchen because of strong aroma of food which was spread in whole apartment. He couldn't resist the mouthwatering smell.

................

After changing her clothes and setting her flushed face, Fatin decided to go out of her room. She was embarrassed, no one in her life has seen her like this. She always avoided short clothes because she didn't like to wear them. She felt comfy and love the attires she use but right now she was embarrassed to face him. Once again thinking about it made her cheeks red.

Ufff....... Allahu-Rabbi..... what was she supposed to say? Should I confront him for barging in like that? Or should I pretend it never happened?

She decided not to say anything and to behave like it never happened.... in short, best option is to ignore.

"Huh right, I'll just ignore. Calm down Fatin. Relax." Repeating her thoughts loudly and telling herself to relax she came down stairs.

She saw him in the kitchen, with her plate of pasta in his hands. No he can't eat it. It's too spicy and Turks don't eat spicy food. Forgetting her previous problem a new tension rise in her mind which was HOW TO STOP ÇAĞLAR FROM EATING THIS?

She looked at his hand which was holding fork with pasta and was moving towards his mouth.
"Stop. You won't eat that." Yelling she ran towards kitchen but before she could reach, the food was inside Çağlar's mouth.

She then witnessed Çağlar pretty handsome, white face turning into bright red along with his ears and long neck, tears sprung in his eyes and one rolled down his eye. Ouch!
This all happened in a slow and blurred way that she couldn't comprehend anything.

"WATER!!" She came out of her trance by the loud voice of Çağlar, who was now shouting for water, plate long gone from his hands which were now empty and were moulded into fists.

Once again she looked at his red face, teary eyes, panting and struggling for air, her loud laughter echoed in kitchen. 
Man! he was looking so funny, she couldn't resist it.

"BUHAHAHAHA"  bending over near the fridge, clutching her stomach with one hand and balancing her body by holding the handle of refrigerator with the other, she was laughing nonstop.

Çağlar look at her then behind her to the fridge, which was source of water with pleading eyes. This burning was too much, it was out of tolerance. He felt like there was fire inside his mouth and throat, his ears were also burning. His tongue was numb.

Again looking at her "nonstop laughing state"he knew that she wasn't gonna stop in next few minutes, so he decided to help himself by reaching the fridge but the problem was she was standing in front of it. 

He moved closer, now standing face to face with Fatin. They were only few inches apart. Due to the small distance between them, Fatin's train of laughter stop.

An idea popped into Çağlar's mind. He took another step towards her, now caging her between him and the refrigerator.
He can see shock in her doe like eyes by gazing at them and her beautifully curved lips, he forget the burning inside his throat, he forgot his pain, he forget his idea, he can forget the world in this moment.
The only thing which he remembered was the brown of her eyes and their depth....the only thing which matter now was HER.... Only her!

Fatin was shocked. What was he doing? Is he in his right mind? She tried to push him away but she wasn't able to move, it seem like her body and mind was frozen.

Then she saw his gaze darkened which was at her face and saw him leaning forward, her breathing stopped. His face coming closer and closer.

She felt his breathing on her face, her eyes closed on their own accord

His breath now fanning her ear.
"You think it's funny huh? I'll show you what's funny." She heard him saying in her ear and her eyes snap opened. Her senses become alive.
Opening her eyes she saw a smug smile plastered on his handsome face which from the depth of her heart she wanna smack off right now.
"But let me drink water first" he completed his sentenced while backing out.

"Pagal... ullu ka patha.... handsome gadha..... baat nahi kro gi iss sey mai aab..... tameez hi nhi hai.... Dill kar raha hai kai eik ulty hath ka jhanpr lgaa dou.... ufff 2 minute k liye tou meri dharkan bhi ruk gae thi."
(Idiot........fool..... handsome donkey.... I won't talk to him anymore...... he's totally illiterate..... I wish I could slap him right on his face..... ufff even for 2 minutes my heart stopped beating)

Pushing him and cursing him in urdu she snatch water-bottle and glass from his hand and after pouring, she drank whole glass in one gulp.

Çağlar dumfounded looked at his empty hands then at her, who was sipping whole glass in front of him while he was burning here, without any mercy.
Sighing he pulled out another glass. He will teach her a lesson.

He drank one glass, then another and another but the sensation didn't go.

Feeling a little humanity towards him, Fatin took out some juice and a chocolate bar and gave him which he took thankfully. After drinking some juice and munching over her chocolate, he felt good. He saw her looking at him and trying to hide her smile, which was evident from the corner of her mouth which were turned upwards.
She knew he was enjoying chocolate.

"Don't try to hide your smile, it's only becoming more obvious and you are not forgiven yet for laughing at me. Could you tell me what did you said in another language?" Çağlar snorted while moving towards her, his eyes twinkling with a thought.

She felt danger.
"Never mind......I just praised you a little." She said

"What are you gonna do? And by the way you are also not FORGIVEN for what you did. " She continued while slowly backing away, slowly moving towards the lounge still facing him.

"Oh we will talk about it later but first we are going to sort this." He said while extending his arm to catch her but she shrieked and ran outside.

He ran after Fatin who was running around sofa while giggling uncontrollably and trying her hard not to get caught.

"Let me tell you that when I'll catch you, it'll be dangerous for you." Çağlar shouted, a small smile on his face.

"You can't catch me." She yelled while Çağlar reaches near her but she was wrong.
Soon she was in Çağlar arms, he swayed her and pinned her to the floor.

"Somebody was saying that I can't catch her." He said challengingly.
She just sighed. Her breathing fast from all the running.
She tried to get up but failed miserably as Çağlar started to tickle her.

WTH!

"Haha haha........ st.....hahahahaha......Çağ...." she was laughing hysterically.

"Hahahaha Stop........haha"  Fatin tried to stop him.

"Sorry canım. I can't." He said while shaking his head.

"Haha okayyyyy haha I'm ......hahaha Sorryyyyyy....  Çağlar!!!!! Hahaha." He stopped ticking her but didn't let her go.

"You won't laugh at me again." He warned her while his eyes glinting.

"I won't." She assured him and he let her go. Extending his hand to help her get up which she didn't took and pointed her finger to him.
"You won't tickle me again. Ever!" She said with stern voice but with the hint of humour in it.

"I can't promise that." He replied, arching his left eyebrow and smirking while she rolled her eyes and put her hand in his extended one.

••••••••••

"That wasn't spicy... it's just you are not used to...By the way you were looking so funny that I couldn't resist laughing! Wish I could capture so I could show to your future wife and future kids that how funny your dad looks when he eat spice." They were sitting in the kitchen while she was munching over her pasta and teasing him, who was eyeing pasta like it'll eat him but upon hearing this he pull draggers towards her.

"Okay. Okay. I won't." She said while holding her hands up.

•••••••••••••••••

"So am I forgiven for that night.
Look I really am sorry. I didn't know what got into my mind that day." When they were sitting in lounge enjoying coffee and watching tv, Çağlar said while looking at his hands not meeting her gaze.

"You can't be forgiven that easily. You have to pay penalty." She forgave him long time ago, it wasn't easy but you have to give people a chance. Still she can't waste  "the golden chance" she got to tease Çağlar.

"Don't tell me you want Ice cream again because I'm not gonna let you have it." His tone serious. He was worried about her. He won't let her eat it again and get sick.

"No it's not an ice cream this time." She said cheekily.

"Then what?" By the looks on Fatin's face, Çağlar knew that it wasn't something that simple and worse part is he can't say No to her.

"Spend next two days with me, be my tour guide and explore Istanbul with me. As I have off today and tomorrow and I can't waste that time lazing around in my apartment." She said while holding her breath and giving him puppy eyes so he won't say No.

"Look...Fatin.... it isn't pos...." he tried to deny as he was busy with and important shoot tomorrow, but he can take her today.

"Please..." while patting her eyes, she pleaded.
He was defeated by those and he don't mind it.

"Okay but only today. I have important shoot tomorrow." He replied upon hearing which Fatin's facial expressions changed, light in her eyes dimming.

"But, for tomorrow I can compensate it with some other day." He promised her to stop her from sulking any further.

"And you only have 10 mins to get ready so hurry up. I'll be waiting for you outside the lobby." He added while getting up and placing his empty coffee mug on kitchen counter.

••••••••••••

He was waiting for her in his Silver Mercedes. Thinking about her a smile was plastered on his face. Why did he agree on spending a day with her? Why the thought of spending a day with her was giving him butterflies? Why her doe brown eyes were trying to drown him?

Çaglar was no child, he was aware of his changing emotions and his heart which was luring towards her. He has known these feelings long ago and don't want them back in his life again. His past relationship ended bad and he was not ready to open up his heart again. Yet she was slowly sneaking into his heart.
Maybe this is only the infatuation and it won't last long and he's just overthinking things.

He was brought out of his thoughts by Fatin who was settling down inside the car and asking him about their destination.

••••••••••

They spent all day together. Çağlar covered in his black attire from head to toe, on which Fatin told him that his first impression was of "black beast" to her. She even saved his number in her contacts as "handsome black beast" she cut the 'handsome' part of course while telling him, she can't flatter his "oh so big ego". On it she inwardly patted herself.

Fatin said she wanna explore the streets of Istanbul, so they spent all day smelling sea, looking at waves, counting the seagulls of Istanbul, talking nonstop opening the books of their lives to each other, cracking small jokes, eating street food, watching the sunset, enjoying each other's company.

She told him about her life back there, her tiny escape.
He told her about his life, his family, his friends, his girlfriend which he broke up with recently.
They told stories to each other. Their stories, stories of their lives.

Çağlar watched her eagerly while she was laughing hard on something. Today was the first time he saw her laughing, she usually smiles.
He looked how her nose crinkles when she laugh.
How her her eyes become smaller and her eyes glisten.
How she threw her head back while and the mole on the right oh her neck became evident on doing so?
His heart beating on new cord, following new rhythms. His heart missed a beat every time she laughed.

He loved the way her nose crinkles and her eyes glisten when she laugh really hard.

Its just infatuation!! He told himself again and again.
But in that moment he realised that his heart will never love anything more, it makes him want to live!

They went to the Island through a Ferry. Fatin was mesmerised by the looks of Bosphorus at night. They were standing on the deck of Ferry, enjoying their view, facing sea, which was beautifully decorated with fairy lights, moving proudly on the smooth water.

Çağlar glanced at her, who was standing on his right, her only left side visible to him. Light music playing in the background and the sound of chatters filled the air.
Strands of her hair which managed to sneak out of her loose band now flying with the air, against her face, she didn't try to remove them. Through the corner of his eyes, he saw her looking deeply into the sea, a frown on her forehead, her lips tightly pressed. The hold of her hands so tight on the reeling that her knuckles turned white.

"Fatin! Are you alright?" He turned towards her and asked, his voice laced with concern.

She stayed still and didn't said anything.
"Fatin..." putting his hand on her shoulder, he tried to call her.

"Today's my brother's birthday. Fahad's birthday!" She spoke after sometime, her voice containing the humidity of tears which were forming behind her eyes, still facing the sea.

"Oh" were the only words that come out of his mouth. He tried to pull his arms around her frame to hold her in a hug but she swiftly removed the circle of his arms around herself.

"The reason I asked you to spend time with me today  and tomorrow is it. I don't want to remember it. I miss him. I miss my parents. I don't want to miss any of them but I do. When I am alone, I always think about them. I want a distraction and exploring Istanbul was best option.
I know you are busy, you have work and I'm sorry about that but I don't want to be alone. I don't want their memories to haunt me. After tomorrow I'll be a little busy with my job but these two days.... I don't want to think about them." He heard her justifying herself. He didn't speak, he want her to cry, to speak so she could pour her heart out but she didn't. He stood there patiently waiting for her to compose herself.

"Let's go for Window shopping." After soothing herself and scratching her tears from her face which escaped her eyes, with the back of her hand, she said cheerfully.

Çağlar can't believe his ears. He was astonished. She was the one crying a moment ago and now, the next moment, she was chirping and asking him to accompany her for WINDOW SHOPPING.
Weird?
No. She was brave.
Brave enough to stood up face to face, with a huge smile against her fears and not everyone has courage to face their demons.

•••••••••••••••••••

They came to Cevahir Mall for shopping. It was been an hour and she didn't bought anything because she was doing Window Shopping.

It was weird for Çaglar to roam around in shops without buying the actual stuff.

Çağlar insisted on buying her something but she refused saying that she don't need anything and when she'll need, she'll tell him and she only buys when she's in need, in short she doesn't buy unnecessary!

He just rolled his eyes on her style of explaining that to him. She was looking cute.

They were standing in the shop and were having a heated argument about "Pirates of the Caribbean". According to Fatin they were best films and were her favourite.
And according to him, they were crap. Just a drunken pirate running around on wobbly legs.

They both were in the middle of a heated argument, Fatin was saying something when upon spotting something on his back, she stopped. Her eyes enlarged and colours from her face drenched. She was frightened.

"Fatin! What happened?" Asking her and following her gaze he turned around to see a man standing few feet's away from them, glaring at Fatin and a smirk on his face.

"Who's he?" Çağlar asked her but she turned around and dragged him along with her. She was shaking with fear.

"Faraan ." She whispered, which Çağlar couldn't heard.

She was shocked.
She was frightened.
She was trembling.
He found her. He will come for her now. He won't leave her.

"Hurry up. Let's go from here. Hurry!" She said clutching his arm with her both hands and pushing him towards the exit.

••••••••••••••••••••

On the way back to the apartment, with fright in her eyes, she was glancing at her surroundings after every 2 minutes to check if someone was following them.
Reaching the apartment complex, she sped out of the cars towards elevator with Çağlar beside her, who didn't understand what was happening.

"Would you tell me what's going on?" He asked exiting the elevator when he couldn't stop himself anymore.

"First come inside. Hurry up!" Ignoring his question she said while opening the door with the rush.

She locked door behind them. Then went to check the windows and locked them. Even though her apartment was at height and no one can barge in through windows but you can't trust Faraan. He can go to any extent to get what he want, he can even harm her or anyone affiliated to her.
From her body language, he knew she was afraid but from whom?
Who was that man? Is she afraid of him? If yes then Why?

He took her from her arm and made her sit on the sofa. She was trembling by now.
He went inside the kitchen and brought water for her. She drank it all.

"Fatin. Will you explain to me? Who was he? Why are you afraid?"
Settling himself down on the table right in front of her, holding her cold shivering hands into his he politely asked her.

"He was Faraan. He found me. He'll come for me. He'll take me with him. I don't want to go. I'm afraid he'll kill me. I don't want to go." Suddenly she started crying. Her body trembling with fright.

"Shhh... it's okay. He won't harm you. I wouldn't let him. I'm here."
He tried to shush her, he was bad at consoling someone with words so he sat beside her on the sofa, silently holding her and whispering small words to her.
"I'll protect you. I won't let him harm you.  I'm here for you, we all are here for you. You are not alone. It's okay don't be afraid.

He consoled her by patting her head and wrapping his strong arms around her.
She cried and cried until she fell asleep.

He was concerned
Who is Faran?

W/N:

Stay blessed ❤️
~Hamna

Written: 19/12/2018
Edited: 17/03/2023