HANA "I have a deployment again." Shalini sighed, slumping into her seat. I looked at my watch. "It's 6:30. We gotta go home." "Yeah. But Asli asked me to do the deployment after working hours, so." She casually shrugged as if it was not a big deal. "I will help you," I tell her, opening my laptop. "No yaar. It's fine. I can..." "Shalini," I put a finger on her lips. "It will be less burden for you if we do it together. If I am unable to do it, I could keep your company." She smiles, giving me a thumbs up, "You are the best." Shalini got up excusing herself. "If you are free, then why don't you work on Riyad's escalated issue?" I heard Asli say from behind. I turned around to watch her coming our way. "Work on that issue, today instead of doing someone else's work. Stop acting like a Mother Theressa. It's unbecoming." "I am sorry. Is something wrong?" I asked her, perplexed by her behaviour. I know that Asli likes to dump h

HANA I stayed up all night, scrolling through i***a, waiting for Bash's message and trying to reach Violet. This is something Bash asked me not to do. I looked no less than a zombie when I went to the office with dark circles and messy hair because I was late to straighten it. "Do you happen to have a Band-Aid? ‘Cause I scraped my knees falling for you." "Shut up, Mateo." I chided him. "I am not in the mood for it." "Wow, how do you even manage to look worse than yesterday?" Shalini asked me, wide-eyed. She linked our hands while Mateo tried to do the same. I swatted his hand away. "Come on, what did I do? You should have gone with him." I know I should have. It has been two days since he left for New York. I don't know what's happening there. I don't know how he is dealing with the death of his only family member, if he has eaten, if he needs help or if he needs me. I knew nothing. I felt like such a useless person when he somehow c

HANA I remember the time when I held a stone in my hand, ready to fight the boys who bullied my sister. I used to be fiercely protective of people I love until I was made into someone I don't recognise because of Leo. That protectiveness emerged out of nowhere. In many ways, Bash is just like me. He stared at everything silently because he was so proud of me. But the moment a stranger called me a whore, he broke his nose. I didn't know what that word meant for Bash to react like that until Shalini translated it. We would make such a perfect couple if we weren't what we are. I quickly packed my bag. Now that Bash has clarified that all we had is two months, I don't want to waste a minute of it. When I went to Bash's apartment, Bash was in nothing but a trouser. He is cooking. "If I hadn't known that you are a very bad cook, I would say, what a sexy sight it is." I watched his shoulder shake as he burst into laughter before he turned towards me. He held hi

HANA I stayed late today. Something about what Asli said this morning doesn't sit with me well. "I'll help you," He said or I heard him say to her during the leisure. It can be any help. But it doesn't hurt to know more. I want to complete the work Bash gave me. A part of me wants to make him feel proud of me. I've never had a person whom I call mine. Even if it's just for a short period of time. I don't think it's possible to have someone like that, someone with whom you can share anything and rely on everything, someone with whom you can be weak without having to feel vulnerable. Damn, Bash has his way of making people feel.. I heard a distant laughter followed by footsteps into our ODC. Soon, Asli and Demir walked in. "sen benim kurtarıcımsın, (You are my saviour). Thank you for always being there." I heard Asli say. "Come on. I know the workload. I can't unsee the hard work you do." Asli gave him a grateful smile before they both sat at her desk.

HANA I inhaled the scent of his shirt I found in my laundry bucket. He was here a few hours ago. My room still smells like him. Why does he have to leave without waking me up? What was the last thing we did? I didn't remember. My phone rang for the fifth time. I reached out to it, thinking it was Bash. Like last time, it was Shalini. I swiped it and attended the call. "Where were you?" She yelled from the other side. "Did something happen? I have been trying to reach you for an hour now." My lips trembled when I tried to talk. "He is gone," I tell her. "He is just gone." "Hey," Her tone softened as she talked. "What do you mean he is gone?" She questioned in a low tone. "He left," I sobbed. "Without a goodbye." "Isn't that what you want, Hana?" She asked me. I nod my head, as tears flood my eyes. "We still have a month. It hurts, Shalini. It fucking hurts to know that he won't be here with me." I heard the tapping of her footst