His Girl

Istanbul was alive. The sun was shining, the weather was almost perfect, and for once, I'd had a good night's sleep. I really wasn't a morning person, but today's trip had me excited enough to get everything ready in time to leave. I couldn't remember when I'd taken a day off just to relax and enjoy life—just to be.

It seemed like centuries since I'd allowed myself to be carefree again… 

These past few years have changed me, I thought to myself sadly, hardened me. I wasn't the same easygoing happy kid I used to be. If I looked inside myself now, I wouldn't be able to find even a shred of the naïve girl who had once lived in me before. I decided I didn't want to ruin my good mood by dwelling on the past, so I focused on what I was taking with me. 

My backpack was ready, and since I'd already marinated the chicken last night, all I had to do was fry it. I finished off the chicken, put together a quick salad with my special vinaigrette, and sat down to breakfast. I looked at the clock; I still had an hour before Eric picked me up. Aunt Sema and her girls were asleep, and since it was Sunday, I assumed everyone would just wake up late. 

I quickly got changed into a black tank top, some camo capris, and a loose olive green button-down, which I wore open at the top. The overshirt was a bit loose on me, but if it became too hot in the afternoon, I could just take it off. I didn't want to bother with makeup, so I kept it minimal; some sunscreen, a little lip gloss, and some waterproof mascara were all it took to make me decent. Thank God for low-maintenance skin. I strung on a cross-body bag, wore a single gold chain around my neck, and slipped on my white sneakers.

I looked myself over. Was it good enough for a picnic with my boyfriend's friends, all of whom I'd be meeting for the first time? Or not… It would have to be enough, I thought to myself fiercely. I'd come a long way from trying to please everyone; if people wanted to judge me for my sense of style, I didn't give a damn. Let them. 

Eric rang my cell phone to signal he was outside like we'd planned last night. I picked up the box with the food and my backpack and quietly let myself out. 

In a blue t-shirt and white shorts, sitting behind the wheel, Eric looked cute. I smiled as I came back to sit beside him after stowing everything in the trunk. His hair was mussed and wet, and I could smell the scent of his shower gel in the car. My day just instantly brightened after seeing him. His happiness at seeing me was palpable; he gave me a once over and smiled back.

I'd known Eric only a few weeks, but we'd already been out on a few dates. Eric was just that kind of person, easy to be with. Everything fell into place around him. It was effortless being around him. Nice. 

"Looks like you had a good morning," he gave me a once over, "Ready to go?"

"Sure, I can already feel myself de-stressing," I replied as I put on my sunglasses and strapped myself in.

He turned up the volume of the music in the background, and we took off.

"Where exactly are we going? Which beach?" I asked Eric after a while "Oh yeah, we're not going to the beach… not exactly."

"What do you mean?" I frowned "Well, we might go to the beach later, but right now, we're going to the docks. We'll be spending the day on my friend's yacht."

"Oh, that sounds great," I sounded a little uncertain even to my own ears.

Eric looked at me. "What's wrong? Do you get seasick?"

"I don't know… I've never been on any kind of a boat."

"It'll be okay, you'll see… Anyway, it's not a boat, it's huge. You'll love it!"

"Okay," I caught on to his excitement. "So who else is coming?"

"Zayn and Melisa, Ashton, his brother, and a few others." 

Okay, that sounded good. I got along well with Melisa and Zayn, but it was Ashton who always made everything okay. I'd met Ashton through our mutual friends, and we'd taken to one another right from the start. He was like a brother and a best friend all rolled into one. I hadn't met up with him in a while because he'd been abroad. I didn't even know he was back. He could've texted me at least? And his brother? Ashton had never mentioned a brother before. 

Eric parked his car in the parking spaces near the dock and asked someone on the phone where to meet up. We walked the rest of the way, me with the food box in my arms and Eric with a cooler. I wondered just how many drinks he'd managed to stuff inside. We could make out a small group assembled near the edge of the water… Zayn waved at us and we walked over. 

Three girls and three guys made up the party in front of us, all of them eyeing me up and down. It's the moment of truth, brace yourself, Sarah, I said to myself. 

Zayn, Melisa, and Ashton were all there. Eric introduced me to the other two girls, Zerrin and Pelin—the former, a brunette with gold highlights and the prettiest sparkling grey eyes, looking chic in stylish cutoff jeans and a beaded sleeveless top, and the latter, a tall thin sloe-eyed beauty wearing skin-tight shorts and a halter top. Wow, all of it looked designer. I felt a bit underdressed.

Ashton, always affectionate, came up to me and gave me a hug. I instantly felt better.

"Where have you been?" I nudged him playfully.

"Just here and there. I'll tell you later," he replied.

Mert, the only guy I didn't know, was dressed similar to Eric. Everyone looked friendly enough, but I could sense an undercurrent of tension beneath the casual conversation. It looked like we were still waiting for someone…

I looked around the docks and the boats moored there, and my gaze wandered over to the one nearest ours. Suddenly, someone came out onto the deck of the boat, his profile to us, looking towards the horizon and talking on a phone.

There was something familiar about him. That jawline… That profile… I couldn't quite put my finger on it… Oh God, it couldn't be.

My heart sped up until I could hear it in my ears, my hands started to shake, and it was as if time stood still. 

All the blood drained out of me as Ashton shouted, "Hey, bro."

I quickly ducked down, untied my shoelaces, and started fiddling with them, glad that I'd worn sneakers today instead of flats. 

What was HE doing here? 

How could I face him? 

What was I going to do? 

Thoughts raced around in my head. 

Maybe I could fake an illness? A headache…stomach ache…heartache…

As appealing and absurd as the idea was, I couldn't just stay down here. 

In any case, I wasn't a coward. I chanted this to myself to make it true.

I'd done nothing wrong… He should be feeling all of this. He should be awkward, not me.

I could hear footsteps coming towards us, and a pair of black boots appeared in my line of vision. I took a deep breath, retied my laces, and stood up just as a pair of eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses turned towards me. 

Collision. 

I could see the shock on his face and was perversely satisfied that my face showed no emotion. I’d used my time wisely to hide my expression.

Let him be surprised, I thought smugly “Guys,” he said, and I almost fell to my knees again at his familiar voice; it scraped me raw.

Emre Evans.

“The man we’ve all been waiting for,” Ashton was saying, but I was only partially listening.

What were the odds that Ashton’s older brother would turn out to be Emre Evans? Should I have known? Their surname wasn’t common enough.

I abruptly remembered an old conversation filtered through old memories…

Emre mentioning to me that he had gained a younger brother, a step-brother, when his mother had remarried.

Oh God.

I was brought back out of my reverie by Eric’s voice introducing me to someone who didn’t need an introduction to know me.

He was familiar with me… all parts of me.

“Emre, Sarah, Sarah, Emre, Ashton’s older brother has graciously invited us all out on his yacht today” Eric grinned and put his arm around me. It was evident by Eric’s formality that he didn’t hang out with Emre a lot

“Hey, thanks man, Ashton said you never let anyone on board.”

“This is the first time for all of us, even Ashton,” Zayn chimed in with glee.

“My brother just likes to act like a lonely old man with his boat all to himself so he can stare moodily out at the sea,” Ashton laughed.

I was glad I didn’t have to add anything to the banter happening around me because I doubted I could speak.

My throat had closed up.

I had handled my expression, but my voice would’ve betrayed me.

This was the limit of my strength.

“So are you coming with us or bailing out?” Ashton asked Emre Was there a chance he wasn’t coming with us? Please, for the love of God, say No.

Refuse, I begged the fates that had thrown us all together like this.

I didn’t think I had nerves enough to survive a whole day closed in on a yacht. At sea. With no way to escape.

I held my breath for his answer.

Emre pretended to think about it for a few seconds and then smirked and hit Ashton on the side of the head, “I already told you I was coming, would I leave my girl alone in your hands?”

He threw a look at me.

My throat dried up.

What did that look mean? I was going to go crazy.

“C’mon, let’s leave,” he said.

I’d hoped in vain.

“Oh hey, Sarah,” Eric nudged me, “I forgot my jacket back in the car. Shit, let me go get it.”

“I’ll go get it,” I said instantly, glad to have an excuse to gather myself.

“No, you go on aboard,” he said as he walked away, leaving me here.

Zayn and Ashton took care of all the boxes and bags, hoisting them aboard, and then one by one gave Zerrin and Pelin a hand up.

Before I could grab onto Ashton’s hand, I felt someone behind me and large hands wrapped around my waist, hauling me aboard and putting me down on the boat. I wobbled a bit, and his hands lingered around my waist a little too long.

Ashton grabbed my hands to steady me and mussed my hair saying, “Sarah, I missed you.”

I cracked out a laugh and murmured something, far too aware of Emre behind me.

The places where his hands had been now burned, my heart was beating too fast.

My mind was filled with all the other times he’d done the same thing; it was so familiar, like nothing had changed.

Just like the old days when he’d just do this without thinking, he’d just lift me into his truck, lift me out of it… I felt like I’d stepped through a portal into another dimension.

My mind was in a spiral, and I wiped my hands on my pants shakily.

Thankfully, Eric came back just then with his jacket in his hands and climbed aboard.

“You came back just in time. We were about to leave without you,” joked Emre.

The words had an edge to them, but Eric laughed, thankfully not noticing anything. Maybe I was the only one who had caught on to it because I was listening so carefully.

Too carefully.

I needed to stop my shit right now.

I was glad of Eric by my side but guilty at the same time. I was using him as a shield—I knew that—but I also knew that I had no choice. I had only two plans right now: Eric and avoidance.

I could do this. I’d survived way worse in life.

Let the games begin.