PRESENT-DAY
LONDON "Why is a traitor assigned to work with me on the new project?" Mason battered the ball with much force with his bat. The next ball is thrown at Jayden which he missed. "You are losing it. Ain't you?" Mason hit another ball. "You are going back to those days. What were you thinking?" Jayden kept his bat in position. When the ball is thrown, he struck it hard. "I didn't lose it. I was being professional." He wipes the sweat on his forehead with the back of his hand. "It has been six years anyway." "Exactly, Jayden. It has been six years. You still didn't get over her. And if I am right, you never stopped loving her." "You don't know a shit about me." "If anyone knows any shit about you, it's me." Jayden tossed his batShe wished it was a spam call whenever her phone rang. Being an introvert and surviving high school in a different country is one of the hard things one could endure. She always sat on a bench that was far away from the pupils and quietly had her sandwich with her headsets on. It was another passing day, another boring day, and another day in Nottingham. Ayla observed a silhouette of a girl walking towards her from the corner of her eye. She has no friends there and the mess Blake has created has slowly cooled down, so no one bothered her. And no one will. But she couldn’t help but pray that whoever was coming shouldn’t be for her. To her misfortunes, the pair of legs stood exactly beside the bench she sat on. She removed one of her earbuds slowly when she heard a vague female voice. The girl who approached was the girl who didn’t show up at the presentation before. Everyone knows that she came from Korea and even if they don’t, one can easily tell that she hailed from an As
PRESENT-DAY LONDON “How’s your over boring work?” Blake shouted amidst the loud music playing around them. “As awful as a work can be,” Ayla replied with the same loud voice. “What did your boss say?” Ayla shook her head while looking at the crowd gathered on the dance floor. She wondered if they are really happy and peaceful like they seem or if this pub is their only escape? Do they carry voids, unsettling feelings, and an unknown homesick as she does? If they do, would they find an answer? The only answer she once had is her job which was now become the biggest question in her life.
PRESENT-DAY, LONDON He had many reasons to justify why he did what he did. He was angry that his rare peaceful moments were once again, invaded by Blake and Ayla. It wasn’t fair for him that they are sitting together and enjoying while he was left with so much emptiness. His plan for an uninterrupted evening had failed. So he walked out containing all pain and anger for feeling that hurt even after all these years. And again, there she was stumbling on her own feet. He didn’t like how Blake left her like that on her own. She was rolling drunk. And again, he wasn’t supposed to be upset about how Blake was treating her. He has to get into his car and leave for his home. He couldn’t. His heart pounded wildly when he saw the truck. If he was a second away, she could have hit and possibly died. That very thought made him cringe. He succeeded in pulling her away. At least once in our lives, people encounter the moment of wanting to let go and keep captivated at the same time. It was
SEVEN YEARS AGO NOTTINGHAM It had been two days since Yeona met the two most handsome people in the world (according to her) after her Lee Min Ho Oppa. Ever since then, she had blabbered about how Ayla had feelings for Jayden that she saw her blushing when he waved at her. “It is not like that.” Ayla would say. “He is the first person who’s kind to me after coming here. So I respect him.” Yeona would pout at that statement and snap her head away. “Tamam(okay).” Ayla would say. “Mason and Jayden are the persons who are kind to me and helped me before you came.” Those words instantly cheered her up. But Yeona didn't stop her chatter. Both of them agreed to explore a new place in Nottingham and go home befor
A FEW YEARS BACKNOTTINGHAM Her life was like a wave. Sometimes calm, sometimes agitated, sometimes dangerous, sometimes dancing, sometimes low, sometimes alone and most times never stayed at the shore. It was her life- rising and falling. She used to feel like an odd man out whenever she sat for dinner with Noah, Evelyn, and Jack. As long as Evelyn tried to make her include in the conversation, asking typical questions about school, studies and friends, as long as Jack ignored her while burying himself in his phone and her dad not even once looked at her as if it’s a sin to even raise his head, Ayla could quietly finish the little that was kept on her plate. They never starved her and she knew that they will never do that. She is free to eat as much as she likes. But how to ask the strangers who are polite enough to make her stay at their place when her mom was sick, for food of her taste? She missed Adena Kebab her mom made, she missed the most painful waiting time when her m
PRESENT-DAY Ayla took a deep breath before she step into the lobby. “Tamam. Calm down. It’s gonna be fine.” She told herself.” She has been trying to keep herself at ease from the time she had touched her car keys. All her attempts to soothe herself had gone vain when she stood before the elevators and was greeted by the presence of the only man she decided to avoid for a time being. Why the hell is he taking the employee’s elevator? She stepped back thinking about the last elevator encounter with him. He wasn’t generous enough to let her drive along with him which was good. Because she doesn’t want that ride. Like expected and like last time, the door didn’t close on her. Indeed the closing doors are opened. He stood tall, demanding, and all bossy before her in a hooded sweatshirt which is not at all the kind of dress to be worn at an office. But again, he is Jayden Knight. For a man with such intelligence, diligence, and discipline, Jayden tends to do what pleases him the
The second she entered the elevator the only thought that crossed his mind is what would’ve happened if it was six years back. Closed and confined areas were their favorites. He could not remember how many times they made out when they found themselves in the closed places. Now a five feet distance was put between them which was odd if he thinks of their past and justifiable at the same time. He still has an effect on her. He knows that she is holding her breath, and feeling intimidated. She has every reason to do so. He enjoyed making her feel like that without giving a thought about what he is feeling in the first place. It was nice to have her presence, to breathe her scent and feel her existence in his life again. But every positive vibe he gets simply vanishes before he enjoyed them completely. &n
NOTTINGHAMFEW YEARS BACK What do you call it when your heart skips at his text, at his sight, at his words? What do you call it when you wait for his text every freaking second even though you know it is not most likely there’s a reason or need to text you? What do you call it when you feel crazy butterflies inside your stomach?Insanity. Her inner voice shouted. Overloaded. Who is she kidding? She knew its insane. How can she possibly develop feelings even though her brain had continuously shouted not to do that? What damage would it do anyway? Break your heart, maybe. Screamed her inner voice. But it’s not like she is in love with or at least she thought so. She only admired him and wanted to be nearer to him. Probably it was the first step a heart could take in the process of shattering itself. Ayla was too consumed with her own feelings and their justifications to realize that. It wasn’t intentional when Ayla and Jayden first met at the café. Soon it was everything b