War of Hearts

4. Fatih ⚡

"Man, I really think you're going to break your neck with all the craning you're doing"

Fatih turned to glare at his friend. It had been several days since the disastrous party (in some ways it was disastrous, but in other ways it was very interesting for him) and there was a restless energy about him. It had been building since that night, when a beautiful green-eyed girl had smiled at him over the rim of a steaming coffee cup. Those eyes had haunted his dreams and made it impossible for him to think clearly. Fatih prided himself on always being in control, now it annoyed him when he couldn't get her out of his head.

"It's not like you," Murat went on mercilessly. "Pining away on a girl who didn't even call you back!"

"She was probably busy," Fatih grumbled. "Besides, I didn't call her either"

"Then you should've," Murat smirked. "Instead of stalking the poor thing. She wouldn't appreciate it "

Fatih took the high road and flipped him off, without saying anything else. He turned to scan the area, where the students were milling around, sipping coffee and arguing over stacks of books. He knew this campus like the back of his hand and could guess where the students usually hung out. Unfortunately, Doğa turned to be hopelessly absent in any of these haunts. He saw her friend several times, but he didn't want to seem like a stalker so he didn't confront the girl.

Fatih rubbed at his eyes tiredly. Maybe Doğa had transferred to another university; her mother certainly sounded like a strict woman.

"Ahhh...." Murat raised his voice. "Look there's your princess!"

Fatih's head snapped up like a bowstring. Sure enough, the girl who'd been haunting his dreams was leisurely crossing the street, chestnut hair blowing in the wind, tiny shoulders curved against the cold. She was also hauling a heavy tote bag, like she was back in junior high - and not college.

"Be right back," Fatih jumped out of the car, ignoring the sarcastic smile of his friend. Doğa had thankfully stopped to rummage through her bulging bag-: seriously that thing should be considered illegal, it looked that heavy.

He stepped up behind her- she barely reached his shoulder- and waited until she noticed him.

"Hey!"

"Oh, hi!!", She blinked up at him. "My phone broke!"

It wasn't the reaction he'd been expecting from her so he was momentarily struck speechless. "Excuse me?"

A pretty blush spread across her cheeks. "Pardon. I mean, I broke my phone, that's why I couldn't call you. I haven't been ignoring you or anything"

"Oh," Fatih tried to sound less relieved. "Right. And here I thought you forgot all about me"

"No, of course not!" She snapped her mouth shut.

He grinned. Her green eyes were as pretty as he remembered and she was sparkling up at him. So he hadn't imagined the spark between them.

Fatih held out his hand. "Give me your bag. I'm cringing just looking at the way you're heaving it."

Doğa glanced between him and her pink monstrosity. He sighed.

"Don't worry. Pink suits me. I'm secure in my masculinity like that."

That earned him a bell-like laugh.

"So what are you doing here?" She asked. "Didn't you just graduate?"

I was specifically looking for you...

"Just meeting a couple of my friends," he said instead. "I wondered the whole time- what happened with your mom? Did she give you a hard time?"

Doğa made a face. "She almost grounded me. Then I reminded her that I was way too old for that. Then she found me a part-time job, so I would be too tired to party!"

And he thought his mother was tough...

"Are you on your way to work or something? You looked pretty busy a minute ago,"

Doğa sighed. "Yeah. On the other hand, I'm helping in the library so that's good. I like books."

Fatih smiled. "That's too bad. I was going to ask you if you wanted grab some lunch. Remember, you owe me a dinner too..."

She halted in her tracks and gave him a considering look. "Grab some lunch like... Two friends? Or...."

Wow, she was forward.

"Or what?" He grinned.

She stared at him, dead on. "Okay. I'm on break at 2.00 o'clock. Let's meet up at the food court then."

"Sounds like a plan."

"And then what?"

It was Fatih's turn to blink. "What?"

"We'll have lunch. And maybe that dinner I owe you. And then what will happen?" She had a pretty intense stare for someone so small. It was kind of hot.

"We'll do that again," he said. "And maybe a couple more times. And you'll confess that you hopelessly fell in love with me when I rescued you from those bad guys. And then I'll tell you that I always thought you were pretty. And then we'll sail into the sunset with candles and fireworks and the whole enchilada!"

Her lips quivered in amusement. "So you think I'm pretty?"

That was an established fact, right? She was pretty...

Fatih shrugged. "Hypothetically, of course."

"Of course," she nodded. "So hypothetically, are you asking me out?"

"I am?" It sounded like a question. "If I were, would you say yes?"

"Hmmm..." Doğa grinned. "Maybe?"

"Maybe?" He said. "Why maybe? Oh God, do you have a boyfriend? Am I hitting on a taken girl? That would suck so bad, but I understand. And I apologize in advance-"

"Fatih, stop stop!" Doğa was laughing now. "I don't have a boyfriend. I wouldn't even look at another guy if I had one. I was just teasing you..."

Fatih stared at her sparkling eyes.

"Go out with me!" He said suddenly. "For real. Tonight. I'll make sure you'll return home safely. I'll always do."

Doğa stared, cheeks rosy , a half smile curving her lips. "Sure," she said at last. "I'll have to make something up for my mom, but I'll go out with you"

Fatih heroically refrained from whooping like a little kid. "Great. Every epic love story has hurdles. Be ready at 8.00. I'll pick you up."

"Hmm.." she said. "Then I'll take my lunch with my friends."

He blinked. "Why? I thought you were lunching with me?"

Her smile was radiant. "Oh come on, Fatih."- God, even the way she said his name made his stomach feel funny- "you don't get two dates in one day. First, let's see how the dinner goes. And then I'll consider the rest."

She plucked her tote bag from his hands. "And it was sweet of you, but I'm capable of carrying my own bag. See you at 8.00!"

She gave him a wink in a small avalanche of attractiveness of long lashes and gold sparks in green eyes. Then she was gone, disappearing into the crowd, leaving him staring after her.

Fatih ran a hand through his dark hair.

Maybe he was already in love...

❤️

Back here after a long time. Let me know what you think about my version. If you liked the chapter give a vote and drop a comment 😊

-nocturnal4ever