sahrademir

[sahrademir]

Sahra's fiery gaze was fixed on his face, watching for any signs of deception, of guilt, of anything. Because she knew what she'd seen as soon as she'd walked in the apartment- and the things strewn about the living room that had been practically pristine the last time she'd been there didn't lend to a man who lived alone like he'd led her to believe the night they met. And she wasn't about to let another man pull the wool over her eyes just because he was pretty and good at twisting his words to manipulate the situation at hand.

"Don't gaslight me, I know what I'm looking at!" Her voice was louder than even she was prepared for and she had to take her own step back, gesturing towards the entirety of his living room. It was very possible that most of her anger didn't come from the situation at hand, and wasn't truly meant for him, but unfortunately Cem had ended up on the receiving end of it. Was it possible she was finally moving on in her grieving process from depression to anger? She knew that wasn't how the progression was supposed to go (she'd looked up the five stages of grief often during the first few weeks of her heartbreak) but then again, her life never seemed to follow the path it was supposed to so why would her grief be any different? "You have naked barbies and a bra hanging over the back of your couch! Now I'm not expert or anything, but considering you're shirtless right now I think I can confidently say you're not a c cup."

With her arms coming up to cross over her chest as he began his explanation, Sahra's usually bright blue eyes were dark as the assessed him once more. Looking for any signs of uncertainty, of fallacy, of Kyle. It wasn't fair, it wasn't even the same situation, but after Kyle had so easily led her to believe that he loved her, that he'd wanted to marry her- all while having a mistress on the side that he got pregnant and married mere months after their decade long relationship ended- she couldn't trust her own instincts. They'd already steered her wrong before, so she had to be extra careful. She wasn't about to break another woman's heart like her own had been shattered. She refused to be that person. And she wouldn't let the likes of him turn her into that woman, no matter how pretty he was.

Unfortunately, his explanation did make sense. And he was right, she was the one who'd ended their tête-à-tête. But maybe that was her intuition knowing who he really was before the rest of her had time to catch up. Maybe the way sorrow had overcome her, completely uninvited and unwelcome, was the universe's warning that this man would only lead her down a path she didn't want nor need to go. Or maybe, just maybe... grief was a cruel companion, making its presence known at the most awkward and unfortunate time. But she wasn't convinced, not yet. Even if some of her anger visibly dissipated with a sigh.

"Men do stupid and foolish things all the time." Was what she came back with, pulling her sweater tighter around her body as a small frown curved the corners of her lips downwards. She allowed an uncomfortable silence to settle between them, pulling her lower lip between her teeth as she chewed lightly on it in anxious thought. After a few prolonged moments of silence she finally found her voice, the majority of the anger gone from her tone and a flush overtaking her cheeks, chest, and the tips of her ears as embarrassment came back full force.

"Look," Unable to meet his eyes, Sahra focused on a spot on the wall over his shoulder as she spoke, "I didn't come here to accuse you of anything. I actually came to apologize for running out of here the way I did without an explanation. It..." She let out a sigh, finally meeting his gaze. "It had nothing to do with you or anything you did. So, as much as I'm sure it didn't actually affect you at all, I just wanted to make sure that you knew it wasn't your fault. You didn't do anything wrong I'm just..." Trailing off, she broke their eye contact and shrugged. She was just what? Broken? Yeah, but he didn't need to know that. "I'm just sorry, is all."

His eyes widen at the sudden shift in her demeanor once she enters his home, and the fiery intensity in her gaze intensifies, which catches him off guard. He hadn’t expected a confrontation after she arrived. Let alone what would make her think he has a..... oh no.

Suddenly and very abruptly, his eyes follow hers around the living room. The half naked barbies, the two rings of coffee mugs as opposed to just one, and... seriously??? was that Pinar's BRA?! draped over the back of his couch? Maybe it was time, he and his sister sat down and had a chat about boundaries. Or at least about not leaving her dirty laundry out in the open where anyone could just walk in and find it and get the wrong impression.

Because now the implications have triggered, what can only be described as a physical reaction in the form of a deep-seated cringe. Him and Pinar?! Gross!

In light of his steady reflexes, his hand instinctively lifts, as though he might've been trying to stop her finger from pressing hard into his chest. He catches himself mid-motion though, unsure as to whether she’d want or even appreciate him touching her right now, all things considered. He was a man that believed in consent above all things, after all.

“Whoa, hold on,” he finally interjects, his voice calm but edged with a bit of confusion, the tension in his posture clear. He takes half a step back, eyes scanning her face, trying to read the sudden change in her expression and energy. Because as a private investigator, that's just what he does. “Married? with a kid? No...” He chuckles nervously, while trying his damnedest to defuse the situation as best he can. Although, there's a clear underlying tension in the way his words come out. “No wife, no kid. Just me.”

After inhaling a breath, he runs a hand through his hair and attempts to re-center himself. “Look, I don’t know what is going on here or what you think you know or see, but I’m not hiding some secret family from you.” He glances around his apartment again, and shudders at the mess. "My sister and her daughter, who's also my niece, are staying with me for awhile until they can get back on their feet. Whether or not, you believe that is entirely up to you. I'd prove it to you if they were here. But unfortunately, I can't. Unless you want to stick around and wait for them to get home? All I can say is... if I really had a secret family, I wouldn't have brought you back here the other night when I did. That'd be kind of stupid and foolish of me, wouldn't it?" Then again, most men were stupid and foolish. As proven in his line of work.

"And listen, I’m not trying to play games with you." His voice softens, although there's still a hint of apprehension behind it. "I told you when we met, I’m not really the relationship type. You were the one who ran out on me, if you recall, not the other way around, so..." He trails off, unsure how to explain himself any further without making her feel guilty. Because truly, he was worried about her. He thought maybe he might've hurt her. Which is the last thing, he would've ever wanted to do to ANYBODY. "If there's something you think I'm hiding, fine, just ask me. But if you came here to accuse me of things, I think you’ve got the wrong guy."

[sahrademir]

AYÇA AYŞIN TURAN |  1.10 ﹣ Ada Masalı

[sahrademir]

It'd taken her a bit to get her courage up to approach The Rusty Spur's new owner- her new boss- and show him the sketches she'd made after a night of sudden inspiration for the bar she'd come to love. Working there had been a light in the darkness that she felt her life had been enveloped by, and she wanted to give back to the place that had allowed her to feel bits of herself come back to life after being extinguished in such a heartbreaking way. She wanted to be a part of its revival like it had been to her.

And despite her success in the DIY world, in flipping houses, in her own abilities, she was still nervous to get started. She hadn't finished a project since she'd left LA (poor Lia's house was full of her unfinished inspiration) but this time she could feel something different. A determination she hadn't felt in months. And as soon as she'd begun helping Wes around the old bar the spark she'd been missing, that had been extinguished by her ex and everything he'd taken from her, began to flicker back to life.

"Well my presence happens to do that to a room..." Powering off the sander she was working with, Sahra turned her attention to Wes with a grin, sliding her safety goggles atop her head as she wiped her hands on her overalls. "But thanks, boss. I think we're making real progress." Running her hand along the bartop she was just sanding, Sahra's nose scrunched- it still wasn't completely level like she wanted, but she'd worry about that later- and she moved towards a wall with several swatches of now dried paint on it. "Now that these have dried, what are you thinking you like best? Personally, I think the one on the right is the best- it's similar to what's already there but just... brighter. Better, you know what I mean? Without being overbearing."

WHO — closed starter for @sahrademir WHERE — the rusty spur WHEN — one morning a few weeks ago

Wes stood in the doorway of The Rusty Spur, arms crossed as he surveyed the scene inside.The place was a mess — wood shavings scattered across the floor, half-painted walls, and the steady hum of tools Sahra had set up around the room. There was a part of him that wondered if he'd done the right thing, purchasing the place and now renovating it. Was it a smart decision? He wasn't sure. But.. he needed something to focus on and, this was it. Wes had definitely been reluctant at first, not wanting to admit that he needed the help, but he knew that just as much as he needed it, she did too. Sahra was focused, efficient, and a lot more skilled than he would've given her credit for. He couldn’t help but feel a bit of pride in the progress they’d made together. Leaning against the doorframe, Wes watching her sand down a rough patch on the bar counter, her brow furrowed in frustration. After a beat, he pushed off the frame and made his way inside, stepping over the tools and piles of scrap wood. "You're doing a damn good job, Sahra," he said, breaking the silence, his tone full of admiration. He could see why she had done this for a living, she was meant for it. "The place is actually starting to look alive."

[sahrademir]

She almost hadn't heard the knock, being back in her bedroom with the soundtrack of Rent blasting as she sang along to 'La Vie Bohem' at the top of her lungs. It'd been part of her 'get your ass out of bed and eat something green' routine she'd been forcing herself in to lately, especially since Lia had been spending more and more time away from home with Emil. She'd only realized the knock had happened when Puddin' came meowing at her feet.

"I don't, actually." She admitted, though she peeked her head out and peered in the general direction of the house. "They actually kind of hate me?" She admitted sheepishly, glancing to the stranger with a bit of a grin and and a shrug. "They come banging on the door at least twice a week telling me I'm being too loud. Which is insane, because I hear them knock every time don't I?" Taking a bit of a breath to stop herself from prattling on, Sahra stepped out of the house and shut the screen door so Puddin' wouldn't run out (and she wouldn't get locked out by shutting the front door- something that had happened on more than one occasion since she moved in with her best friend six months ago), beginning to make her way over to the house she tended to avoid- even on walks- and motioning for the stranger to follow her. "Their dog's name is Howard. For a while I thought it was the husband's name because the old lady there was always yelling at a Howard to shut up- which, you know, is comical since apparently I'm too loud, but whatever. They just- pireyi deve yapmak-" the Turkish idiom left her lips without thinking and she paused, shaking her head. "Sorry, they just like to blow things out of proportion."

Once they arrived on the neighbor's doorstep, Sahra rang the bell a few times before knocking. Hearing Howard barking in the background, she waited for the old lady's voice to chime in and scold the senior pooch- but it never came. "Hm..." The sound left her lips as her brows cinched and she turned her gaze to their driveway, noticing the car was gone. "Their car isn't here, maybe they're out?" She offered, tilting her head back to look up at the man who probably wasn't expecting her to lead them over to do the welfare check themselves. "The husband came over and threatened to cut the power to the house last night because he said he could hear me singing so they were here then... do you think they've found themselves in some kind of medical alert commercial in there?"

closed starter: @sahrademir location: sahra's front door

With only being in the neighborhood for 10 days now Taner still wasn't sure who all of his neighbors were and he had no real intention to go around greeting everyone. That wasn't his style and he was too quiet for that anyway. This was the south though and a few people had come by with baked goods. Which was nice. It'd been a long time since he'd been acquainted with that kind of hospitality. Concern was the reason he was knocking on a neighbor's door at this moment though. After his knuckles rapped against the door he glanced at the window to see if anyone was actually home but stepped back when he heard someone at the door. "Hey, not to alarm you or anything but do you know the elderly couple next door? Their names, a phone number, anything? I just moved into the neighborhood the other week and their dog has been barking like crazy since yesterday. I'm just thinking a wellness check might be a good idea."

[sahrademir]

Having found herself in Colt's home more than a couple times, Sahra rose from the couch to grab herself a blanket before coming back with the oversized cloth wrapped around her frame. With a small grin on her features, she looked back to him. "Oddity, maybe. Or maybe we're just that special." She mused, grin only growing at the absurd notion. In truth, they'd just never paid one another much attention despite her younger siblings being nearly attached at the hip to the man who's couch she now occupied like it was her own. Who's clothes she easily donned like this was just another Sunday. Despite the distance that had always been between them, their lives had circled each other's long enough that coming back together- finding a relationship that worked for them, had been easy. Familiar. That's what Colt brought to her life- familiarity.

"My own spider fighter." Another playful swoon as she clutched her hands over her heart and fell back into the pillows with a giggle. "You might wanna be careful making offers like that, though. Or you'll have me calling you at 2am because I got scared while taking the trash out and accidentally locked myself out and am fighting for my life against shadows with just my lackluster ghostbusting skills and the front mat to protect me." Was she speaking from experience? Yes. Was she going to tell him that... probably not. But he knew her well enough to probably know that wasn't a situations he'd just made up on the spot. Instead, she decided to surge forward with their talk of food. "I'm not sure an army is the right size. I mean, it's the two of us eating. Maybe enough for a graduating high school class.. or an entire middle school." She grinned.

Stretching her legs out so they poked from beneath the blanket and rested atop one of his thighs, Sahra took the remote and began scrolling. "I'm thinking comedy. After the trauma of the spider and sprinting down the street in my bath robe action and horror just seem a little to close to home." She teased, attention fully on the television screen as she looked for something they could watch together. "And I don't think either one of us want to deal with me crying all over the food so I'm going to avoid romance, too." Continuing to scroll, Sahra glanced over at Colt with a smile. "And hey, I can bring you some cash later if you want- to pay for half. You shouldn't have to foot our entire army of food's bill just because I like options."

Colt grinned at her response, enjoying the easy back-and-forth as he leaned his head back against the couch for a moment while she solidified everything they might go through for the night. It might have been too much food, but that didn't change that they'd eat it all. Or he'd take the leftovers to the station for his shift in the morning. "It's got to be an oddity, especially in a small town like Briar Ridge," he spoke with a small bit of laughter, considering how many people knew each other just because of the close proximity. But the two of them didn't get close until recently years, even ending up in bed together a few times before realizing they worked best as friends.

He paused for a moment at the mention of Lia, but managed to keep anything from his face for too long when he'd only begun to realize in recent months that she lived down the beach from him. Or what that meant for the two of them when they hadn't spoken or seen much of each since high school. Still, he could be grateful for the chance to reconnect even if it felt weird at times to talk again. "Well, now you have your own spider fighter, even if it's not the same. But you can always call me for help," he spoke as he glanced down at the phone when she handed it back, seeing the selections she'd added and already feeling a bit of excitement for the impending feast. “I’m pretty sure we’ve just ordered enough to feed an entire army.”

"Okay, so we stay in and wait for the food to arrive. That gives us enough time to pick something so we don't watch the same thing we always do together." Though he didn't know what that meant for them if it wasn't something they already watched together, considering there were too many options out there anywhere and it always left him feeling overwhelmed by it. "You feeling a comedy kind of night or something else?" He wasn't in the mood for much more dramatics or romance, seeing as his own world was twisted up a bit and would only remind him that he needed to figure out how to straighten it all out again. Or if he even would be able to do that. "There's bound to be plenty of options if you wanna scroll through what we've got? Or you can always rent something too." Colt didn't mind or care, swapping out the phone she'd handed over with the remote while he dug around in his pocket for his wallet to make sure he had the right card on the app.

[sahrademir]

Despite the years that had passed between them and their relationship, Sahra knew Lucas. That's what happened when you fell in love as young as they did. "You've said that twice now." She mused, eyes narrowing slightly as they bore into his. "Sure you're not just trying to deflect?" Leaning forward with a smirk, the blue eyed bartender raised her brows at her high school sweetheart. "Because you seem to have forgotten... I can see right through you, Lucas Attean." Winking at him playfully, Sahra finally broke their eye contact and leaned back, her eyes dipping to her lap as she hid a smile. There was something... healing about being back with Lucas. Sharing easy laughter with the man who'd taught her how to love. And for the briefest of moments a thought crossed her mind... maybe this is where she was supposed to be all along. But she dismissed it as quickly as it came with a few gulps of her drink, finishing the bottle. Being a love sick fool is what had gotten her heartbroken, something she didn't need repeated anytime soon.

"I don't think we can on this one, Lucas." Leaning forward, Sahra placed her elbow on the coffee table between them and rest her chin in the palm of her hand with a coy smile. "You should have just taken your loss like a gentleman... instead you laid your hands on your poor, defenseless girlfriend." She knew her wording was twisting the way things happened, but that was the whole point wasn't it? To goad him into... well, she wasn't sure what exactly she was trying to get him to do, but she was having fun doing it. "That's not very comforting." She teased her tongue sweeping over her lower lip to rid it of some queso that had been left behind by her last excessively dipped chip. "Sounds like you're already planning to dive tackle me across the table or something."

His reaction to her skip had her grinning. "Yeah, typical for a winner." She countered, watching him closely for his next move. And as he leaned in, Sahra couldn't help but to lean in herself- feeling pulled to him like a moth to a flame. The dip in his voice had a small shudder running through her and she grinned, shaking her head. "Baby, the only humiliation I'm gonna be feeling is if I trip during my victory lap." @lucasxattean

Lucas Attean would be a fool to not notice what Sahra was doing as she sat across from him at the table. The way she ran her tongue over her lip after letting it escape wasn't lost on him. It worked, but Lucas knew he'd be a bigger fool to let her know that. He leaned back, continuing to watcher her. The man feigned ease, as if he wasn't fighting back almost a primal urge to to close the distance between them. "Flustered?" His brow raised, as if he were surprised by her words. "If anyone is flustered, it isn't me." His voice was teasing but the look in his eyes said otherwise.

Her pointed grin tugged another one onto his own lips. "We can agree to disagree, Sahra. You call it a cheat shot and I call it strategic. You were winning. I had to level the playing field." His tongue wet his lips as he drew a card from the deck. "I'll do my best," though right now, Lucas was having a hard time keeping that promise of staying on his side of the table for more than one reason and it wasn't because she was likely going to win with all the distractions she was challenging him with.

Lucas watched as she placed a skip card on the table, eliciting a small chuckle from him. "Typical," he murmured, his tone playful nonetheless. Her challenge brought a smirk against his lips. "Give up? And deprive you the satisfaction of trying to destroy me?" He leaned in, slightly, dipping his voice low, "Not a a chance, honey," Lucas straightened up, "If anything, I should be asking if you want to back out and save yourself the humiliation." @sahrademir

[sahrademir]

The usual smile on Sahra's features had faltered, her lips tugging downwards slightly as Sebastian spoke and she reached out, taking one of his hands into hers and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Any breakup story is bad. There's no competition." Shaking her head, she moved closer to her old friend, her hold on his hand remaining as he spoke through everything he'd been through, her frown only deepening as an ache bloomed in her chest for him. Sebastian had been one of the best people she'd ever met, he didn't deserve the heartbreak he'd been through, and she hated that they'd lost touch and she hadn't been there for him. But they had each other now, right? She could be there for him now.

"Canım..." A sorrowful sigh left her lips as she used her hold on his hand to pull him into another embrace, this one tighter, more for comfort than greeting. One she hoped he'd needed as much as she did. "I'm so sorry you went through all of that." The words were spoken softly into his shoulder as she gave him a quick squeeze, holding on a moment longer before finally releasing him and taking a step back. "It's kinda funny how we both came lookin' for a reset isn't it? Great minds, right?" She offered with a warm smile. "I do hear the ocean has a way of healing the deepest wounds... but until it works it's magic we at least have tequila, right?"

Sebastian couldn’t help but chuckle at her need for tequila to share her story. It reminded him of the many nights they spent talking for hours with a bottle of alcohol between them as if the years apart were just a small blip in time and they were back on that same old couch. As the liquid burned his throat, he blinked at the story Sahra was painting. He remembered hearing bits and pieces of what she had gone through on various social media platforms, but at the time, he wasn’t in a good place to actually check in on her. He wasn’t particularly interested either, as he felt he couldn’t, in good faith, read anything that wasn’t posted by Sahra herself. In any case, he was too far down in his own darkness to climb out, and a bit of regret gnawed at him. He should've checked in.

He takes a moment before answering, the weight of his decision causing him to draw a blank. Sebastian sighs and shakes his head. "Well, if we're competing for the worst breakup story, yours definitely takes the cake," he finally says, tilting his glass toward her. After bringing the glass to his lips, he downs the rest of his drink right after her. A brief pause follows. "Cass's sister died, and she ended our engagement," he shares, revealing his own story. "I didn't leave my apartment except to work... for years." Five years, to be exact. "My sister convinced me to move here to be with family, to help me get out of that hole I had dug for myself." Sebastian looks down, his desire to drink only burdened by his empty glass. "Pathetic, right?"

[sahrademir]

"Lady." She doubled down with a nod, her lips twitching a bit as she fought the grin threatening to spread across her face. She probably enjoyed getting beneath Civan's skin a little too much, but she'd been doing it for most of their lives and there was no point in stopping now. Even when she was legitimately concerned for his well being. He may have brushed off the bags beneath his eyes but even Sahra knew the depth of the shadows was unusual for the doctor. "Of all things." She mocked, eyes rolling. "I guess with an attitude like yours, your exterior finally matching that interior was bound to happen eventually."

At the admission of his distaste for the nickname, a mischievous grin overtook her features, a playful glint in her eyes as she tilted her head to look at him. "I don't care. But I thought you'd have known better by now to tell me you don't like something..." Despite his tone, Sahra's grin finally broke through her restraint and she beamed up at him. "Daddy Warbucks." A smug smirk on her features now, pleased with herself for her defiance, she laid her head back down on his shoulder- completely content. "Has it though? Because if you listen to any of the parents around here, especially our annes, it's done absolutely nothing for you since you're still a lonesome bachelor." Her tone was teasing but really, she couldn't say much. With a little over seven months having passed since her ended engagement, those very mothers had turned their matchmaking sights on her. And she hated it.

Turning her head to hide it in his shoulder as she snorted a laugh, the brunette shook her head. "No, we absolutely can not. It'd simply ruin my cold hearted reputation, here." She mused, though she settled quietly in to his embrace as he carried her to the coffee shop. Despite Sahra's constant need for incessant chatter, she could be quiet. Even if the quiet left her feeling slightly unsettled on most occasions. However, Civan was the first to break their quiet little bubble and she couldn't help the smirk that took over her features as he asked for her help. "Hmm...." She mused, stretching an arm out and acting like she couldn't reach the handle. "I don't know. It's just so far..." Wiggling her fingers, biting back more laughing, Sahra pretended to struggle for another moment before finally obliging and grasping the handle to pull the door open. "Now I get a muffin and a cake pop. Since I've had to do half the work."

"Lady?" Civan echoed the word with a scoff, though compared to Sahra threatening to put him through a wood chipper her current theatrics were mild. "Whatever. I'm not fussed about some shadows under my eyes... of all things." He didn't quite cop to it, but he also wasn't clinging to his denial either. Brushing it off regardless.

"In case you care, that particular nickname is quickly skyrocketing to the top of the list of things I never want to be called again." His tone was clipped, dry and uttered with the rasp of a sigh. "Caffeine and spite has done me wonders so far," he'd retort on impulse. Like her, at least somewhat inclined to argue just for the sake of it. A mindless habit, semi-automatic. "Careful prenses, you almost sound concerned for my well being..." for a split second his gaze side-skirted to meet hers. The hint of a smirk tugged at one corner of his mouth. "We can't have that." Luckily their trek wasn't exactly a long one, but as they approached Everything Goes Civan realized there was a potential hiccup in this plan. His arms currently steadily cradled Sahra, and he wasn't particularly fond of trying to awkwardly juggle her and reaching for the door. "Alright, you might need to humor me for a second." He tipped his head, "Can you grab the door handle?"

[sahrademir]

The instant the door opened, Sahra regretted her earlier bravado. The sight of the mean she'd run out on mid hookup, while sobbing none the less, had her mouth running dry. Why wasn't he wearing a shirt? He was even better looking than she remembered and as her eyes scanned across his bare chest and torso, her cheeks flushed with a blush she was sure wouldn't go unnoticed but she couldn't stop. And that only made things worse, especially when he asked her how she knew where he lived and she actually flinched.

She'd opened her mouth to respond, though no sound came out. She'd promised the woman at his job- his boss? That's who she'd said she was right?- that she wouldn't tell him how she'd obtained his address and despite the apprehension currently coursing through her, Sahra was going to keep her word. The woman was far scarier than Cem was, so a relieved sigh left her lips and her shoulders sagged in relief when he relieved her of having to answer. Instead, she nodded at the invitation in and stepped through the doorway, doing her best to pass by without touching him.

"Thank you." She said quietly, a full body shudder running through her at the combination of the temperature change and her nerves. Sahra wasn't used to being this nervous- she'd been on stage, on television, singing her heart out in front of huge crowds that sometimes included royalty and dignitaries, and yet right now? She couldn't seem to calm her racing heart. Especially when she moved further into the unfamiliar apartment and began to notice things... things that pointed to Cem not being the single man he'd led her to believe he was a week go in the bar.

Turning on her heel, a new fire alight within her, Sahra's eyes narrowed as she looked at him. "Are you married?" She asked, her tone accusing. Suddenly the shy girl who'd walked over the threshold mere moments ago was gone and in her place was a woman scorned, her cheeks now flushed with anger instead of nervousness. "Do you have a kid and a wife while you were out picking up girls at the bar?" She took a step forward, pointer finger pressing into his chest as she spoke. "Tell me!"

He could tell, simply by the high pitched greeting alone that, she was nervous. Perhaps even, a little apprehensive. Of him? He's not quite sure. If their last encounter was anything to go by, that's highly probable. To this day, (and it's been roughly over a week now since she hightailed it out of there, robbed him of his shirt, and sprinted to her car crying) he didn't know what he did to make her so upset.

Believe him, he's wracked his brain for hours trying to decode what went wrong between them. Had he come on too strong? Moved too fast? Touched her in a way she didn't wholly like? He must've combed through a dozen questions and theories, before he came up empty and made the mistake of opening up about the situation to Tanvi for clarity. Who little did he know, was to blame for Sahra showing up unannounced at his door.

It wasn't that he was unhappy to see her. He just wished, he would've known she was coming so he could've made a more valiant effort to clean the place up. No thanks to his sister and his niece, the state of his home was in total disarray. More so than usual. There were at least three topless barbies sitting out on his coffee table, clothes strung over his couch, juice boxes piled high in his trash bin and what, he could only assume, was left over kisir in the sink.

Needless to say, he wasn't expecting company, wasn't prepared for it, and absolutely dreaded it altogether. "Uh, Hi?" Had his system been wiped overnight to the point he now, struggled to talk to beautiful women everywhere? Or had this always been his norm and he was only now realizing it? Would make sense, considering he's two for two in the 'ghosts from his bedroom's past' department. "Sorry." He didn't intend to sound rude. She just caught him by surprise is all.

That seemed to be her thing though, apparently. Completely throwing him for a loop any chance she's given. "How.... how did you know where I live?" Sure, she's been there. But, even he would doubt she'd be able to track him down on her own, again. At the time he brought her there, it was dark and he would've assumed she wouldn't have memorized her surroundings given the haste and emotional state she left them in. "Nevermind that." Clearly, it took a lot for her to just show up like this. The least he could do was hear her out. Preferably where it's warm inside. "Would you like to come in? It beats standing out here in the cold. Unless, you have somewhere else to be?"

[sahrademir]

There was a second when she thought she had him, his eyes betraying his stoic expression for the briefest of moments before whatever wall he had built up snapped back into place. She had to bite down on her lower lip to prevent a smile from forming, knowing that if she smiled she'd laugh, and that laughter would flow into an unstoppable force and inevitably lose her their bet. And while Finn may not have been one to back down, neither was she. And she was determined to win this.

"Oh, am I?" Her eyes sparkled with amusement while her expression gave nothing away except a small twitch at the corner of her lips. "Because you don't scare me, Finnegan Parker." To prove her point, she took a step towards him, head tilting further back to look up at him while her eyes never strayed from his. "Me? I'm living for it."

Another step ate most of the distance between them, her hand finding his as she took the now empty shot glass from him, hovering in his personal space for another short moment before backing away and finally breaking their prolonged eye contact. "Another?" She questioned with a raised brow as she glanced over her shoulder at him, not waiting for an answer as she poured two more shots, foregoing the salt rims and shaking with ice this time. "Let's see how you do without all the bells and whistles that make it easier."

Finn's eyes locked onto hers, his smirk widening as he watched her carefully. He could feel the playful energy crackling between them, the kind that made everything feel just a little more alive. There was something about Sahra’s confidence that kept him on his toes, a challenge. As she swallowed the tequila, he matched her gaze, trying to keep his composure, but the way she licked her lips and held the eye contact… it was like she was daring him to break first.

But Finn wasn’t one to back down, especially not now.

He leaned in just slightly, his voice lowering in mock seriousness. “I don’t think you realize what you’re up against. You may not lose, Sahra, but you’re going to wish you had.” He stepped back, a slight chuckle escaping him as he adjusted his position, his eyes never straying far from hers. “But hey, I’m not in any rush to make you regret it just yet. I’m enjoying the anticipation. How about you?”

A joke, easily replaced with the shot glass as he downed it as quickly as she had before finishing off the salt rim and knocking it back down for a refill. The tequila burned, but it was the tension in the air between them that really heated things up as he shot a grin. She might have gone stone faced, but he was going light hearted in hopes that she'd break completely first.

[sahrademir]

Sucking in a shaky breath through her nose, Sahra offered the redhead a small smile as she did her best to keep her emotions at bay. Needing to blink a few times to hold in the tears that had unwillingly sprung to her eyes, the former television host nodded in silent agreement. Though she knew there were so many more people in the world who carried much bigger loads with much more grace than she ever could, Sahra couldn't deny that despite the months that had passed since the breakup she was still heartbroken. Embarrassingly so. "You're an absolute angel, Holly Parker." The smile that colored her features this time was real, lighting up the woman's previously darkened blue eyes, and she quickly closed the distance between them to wrap Holly in a tight hug as she placed an obnoxious kiss on her cheek, leaving a red lipstick mark behind with a laugh.

Once she released the other woman, Sahra grabbed two shot glasses and poured each of them a shot of top shelf tequila (she'd pay for them later, she wasn't a thief). "You don't have to tell me twice." She grinned, "So don't mind if I do." Handing one of the glasses to Holly, she held hers up and, with a grin, spouted off a random toast she'd heard a group of girls say before their shots earlier in the night. "Here's to staying positive and testing negative."

After a quiet laugh left her lips, Sahra downed the clear liquid and set the now empty glass down on the bar top a little harder than necessary. "Apparently my type is cheating asshole so I can't be trusted. What's your type, maybe I should try that."

Holly gave Sahra a sympathetic smile, leaning in slightly as she poured another drink. The tension in her friend's voice didn’t escape her, but Holly didn’t push too hard. She knew better than to try and pry when Sahra wasn’t ready to talk.

"Yeah, I get that," Holly said quietly, wiping down the bar with a clean rag. "But you know, you're allowed to have a rough day. You’ve been carrying around a lot for a while now, and it doesn’t just vanish because we’re at work." She paused for a moment, adding in a dash of humor to lighten the mood. "And hey, if you wanna keep pouring tequila like it’s water, I won’t tell a soul."

With a playful laugh, Holly's expression softened as she looked over at her friend, knowing how much Sahra had gone through with her ex. People like that weren't deserving of a happy relationship, and yet it was often their victims left with the short end of the stick. "He's a loser. And we both know you can do a million times better. Hell, forget the tip money. Maybe that should be our real goal tonight. Do you have a type?"

[sahrademir]

His gaze once again going to her lips didn't go unnoticed by the brunette, though instead of saying anything she simply released her lower lip from between her teeth and ran her tongue over it to smooth out the indents that had been left behind. Admittedly, it was a move to try and get him at least a fraction as flustered as she currently felt- knowing her cheeks were pink and warm with a blush she couldn't prevent should have embarrassed her, but it didn't. Not with him. "Pretty sure." She countered, her own brows raising in response to his raised one. He was right, but she was stubborn and she wasn't about to admit that he'd been correct in his observations. "Or, it really is your fault and you're doing that thing where you try and make it my fault. Which kind of screams Luke's flustered to me." She mirrored his teasing grin and suppressed the urge to reach out and touch him, to feel the warmth of his skin on hers, and instead reached out with her card free hand to pick up a few chips and pop them into her mouth.

While her mouth was full of chips, Sahra couldn't help but to roll her eyes at his words, though the gesture was devoid of malice and annoyance and full of playful affection. "You can try and adjust the definition all you want and explain your sins away but you and I both know what you did." She grinned at him pointedly, washing her handful of chips down with a sip of her drink. "And that's not true! I can't help it if I'm ticklish and you knew that and took advantage of it. It was a cheap shot, a cheat shot, if I do say so myself." The corners of her bright eyes were scrunched because of her grin, though the ease in which he agreed to stay on his side had the expression faltering for a brief moment. "Good. Remember that promise when you're losing, okay?" She teased.

This time, it was her turn for one of her eyebrows to raise, smirk on her features as she shook her head slowly. "I would say I won't betray your confidence, but we both know that'd be a lie. You better hope I don't win because I'm already thinking of several ways to make you pay." Grinning, Sahra leaned in and placed her own card down on top of his, eyes remaining focused on Lucas' rather than the stack of cards in front of her as she did. "Skip you." She mused, placing another card down as the play went back to her and she laid down a simple number card. "You sure you don't wanna just give up now, honey?" @lucasxattean

He let his gaze flicker to her lips, just long enough to watch her catch her bottom one between her teeth before meeting her eyes once more. He casually watched Sahra with an amused smirk resting on his lips. She was flustered, that much he could see. However, Lucas decided against calling on her on it outright, at least for a moment. "You sure?" He raised a brow, challenging Sahra right then and there. "You're doing that thing where you try to make it my fault and to me, that kind of screams Sahra's flustered." He flashed her yet another teasing grin. It was still cute, but that was a comment that he kept to himself.

Lucas clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth before shaking his head at Sahra, "Oh, come on, strategic interference is not the same thing as cheating. It's called playing smart," he countered, the grin tugging at the corner of his mouth betrayed him pretending to be unbothered. "And if you were really that good, my strategy would not have mattered, would it?" He raised a playful brow, continuing to watch her. He held up his hands in a mock surrender, keeping his cards faced away from her, "Consider it done." He'd remain on his side of the table for more than one reason.

"I never back out of a bet," he laughed, remembering the memory she brought up. "Whatever you want, you name it, its yours." He added in addition to his former words. "I'm giving you all the power, no matter how dangerous that may end up being for me." He teased, laying down a card atop of Sahra's as he looked up at her through his lashes and a mischievous grin. "Your move, troublemaker." @sahrademir

[sahrademir]

When Sahra had met Colt she'd simply gotten warmth from him. He was kind, funny, attractive. Had she been in a different headspace, a different season in her life, she'd have probably fallen in love with him a little. Especially after they'd fallen into bed with each other a few times. But Sahra wasn't in a place to garner new romantic feelings for anyone, despite how seemingly perfect they were, and she was glad she could find solace in the friendship the pair had formed. "It's kind of crazy that we didn't really know each other even after all these years of being around each other, isn't it?" Head turning to look over at him, she flashed a warm smile. Because of his friendship with her brothers they'd orbited around each other for as long as she could remember, but it wasn't until her return to town that the pair had found their own bond outside of her family ties.

At his teasing about the spider, Sahra's jaw dropped in faux offense as she let out a laugh. "Hey! Just because a girl ran a block in a robe to get away from a spider doesn't mean she couldn't face it if she had to. I'm no chicken." She was, but that wouldn't help prove her point. Sitting up so she could peer at him over the back of the couch, the brunette's grin matched his own. "You wanna come fight off the spiders and under the bed monsters for me? My hero." She swooned playfully, falling back onto the couch once more with a laugh. "Lia can just get Emil to fight her spiders and monsters. They're still in that lovey dovey honeymoon phase that makes you want to pour a bucket of cold water over them, you know? He'd do anything for her." Though there was a hint of bitterness in her words, no one would be able to miss the affection that dripped from them, too. Her best friend deserved all the happiness in the world after what she'd been through and she was so glad that she'd found the type of relationship she deserved with Emil. Even if their happiness sometimes made her nauseous.

She'd missed the bottle when he threw it, but it'd still landed on her chest with precision and when she picked it up to view the label, she grinned and blew him a kiss. "You're speaking my language right now, Colt. And I gotta say, I love you for it." Taking the phone from him, she began to scroll through the app, smiling at the choices he'd already selected and adding (more than) a few of her own. Including two dessert options she was now more excited for than the pizza itself. "Giving me free reign over this order was a mistake, but probably the best mistake you've ever made because we are going to eat like kings tonight. And for probably three days after because leftovers are going to be unavoidable." Laughing, she handed the phone back to him so he could look over the order and make any final decisions- whether they be additions or subtractions. "As much fun as that game sounds, these are perfect. Besides, I think we'll need the time to decide what we're watching. We always have trouble coming to a consensus and end up watching Fast and the Furious and I'm just not in a Dominic Torretto mood tonight."

"I would like to think that neither of us were putting the other in that position, but you're right," he spoke softly with a shake of his head. Though he was sure that Mari would still get a kick out of it when he told her that someone else thought they were anything more than friends. "It's hard to know when you don't know the person that well aside from what they look like under their robe," he added with a laugh as she chucked it for some shorts and shirt. Colt had done his best to glance away then to grab his phone, ready to order them some pizza for the night and then some if it came down to it. "You talk a big talk when you're halfway across the beach to avoid said spider or monster."

He grinned then as he moved into the kitchen and dug through one of the drawers then, searching the lactaid that'd been left behind from one of the few times they'd spent the night there together. It might have been with pizza in tow as well or something else, but he'd always kept it on hand for her and his sister who also needed it sometimes. "We can always tackle it together, when you're ready. And if that's never then that's okay too. I'm sure Lia can hold her own against it." Colt tried not to laugh then as he tossed over the bottle to where she'd flopped down on the couch.

"So we order enough for a family of four, let the door dash driver make their judgements, and then go on their merry way while we fill up on nonstop pizza and breadsticks." It sounded like a party to him then, clicking some of the options that she'd suggested before he moved towards her and offered his phone so she could pick whatever else she wanted. "Don't hold back on me now, Demir." He grinned and moved around the couch to lounge on the other end and watched her for a moment longer. "Plus if those don't work, I'm sure we can get some delivered too. Or see if we can race the delivery driver and grab some ourselves and come back to see what manages to hit the doorstep first. Us or the pizza."

[sahrademir]

The moment he wrapped his arms around her and returned her embrace, a content sigh left Sahra's lips and she rest her head down on his shoulder for a moment. There was an innate comfort in reuniting with someone who'd been such a big part of your life for so long, and seeing her former roommate again was quite literally the highlight of her night. "Well fun fact, I live here now." She tried to keep her voice light and unaffected, but despite coming home to a best friend who'd never let her fall further than she already had and a loving support system, it still felt like failure. And Sahra hated failure.

Moving away from the ruckus, Sahra's attention remained fully on Sebastian, eyes going wide in surprised when he admitted he'd moved there as well. Briar Ridge had a way of pulling the broken back, it seemed. Offering him a warm, understanding smile, Sahra nodded. "Sure, but we're going to need tequila. One second." Giving his hand a quick squeeze before she began to bound back towards the bar, the brunette paused after a few steps before turning back. "Don't go anywhere!" And then she was gone. Quickly explaining to her coworkers that she'll not only cover close tonight so they could go home early but that she'd be back in a few, before pouring each of them a drink and heading back.

"Okay." Slightly out of breath, she handed over one of the drinks to Seb and took a large gulp from her own glass, leaning against the rail across from him and letting out an overexaggerated sigh. "Well, Kyle and I broke up. We moved to LA for the show, got engaged... everything was going really well until..." Taking another drink from her glass, her eyes moved away from his face as she continued. Embarrassed by the way she'd been fooled by the man she'd loved all those years. "They wanted me to sign this prenump, which was fine. I know the family has money and I wasn't with him for that. But... part of the prenump was they wanted me to convert from Islam to Christianity before the wedding and I..." She shrugged her shoulders, "I couldn't do it. At first, Kyle was on my side. But then it seemed like all at once, he wasn't. He was pushing me to just do it and when I wouldn't he ended it. All. Our relationship, the show..." Blinking back tears and silently cursing herself for it, she swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat and continued. This last part was the hardest. "So I moved back here. And then four months after the breakup I found out he'd gotten married and his new wife was eight months pregnant, so... here I am." She chuckled sadly, downing the rest of the contents in her glass and braving a glance at one of her oldest friends. "Pathetic, right?"

Sebastian wrapped his arms around Sahra in a warm embrace, his hands gently rubbing her back as he held her close. "I was actually going to ask you the same thing," he murmured, pulling back slightly to gesture for them to step away from the swirling commotion around them. A newcomer had entered the scene, and the presence seemed to dissipate the tension that had filled the air. "Well… I moved here," he finally confessed, shifting his stance to face her and leaning against the cool metal railing. He briefly recalled that it had been a long time since they had seen each other. So much had happened. "I don't even know where to begin," he chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck. "Honestly, I'd feel better if you went first."

[sahrademir]

WHO: @cemcerkez WHERE: Cem's Place

Standing in front of the vaguely familiar door, Sahra's usual bravado was completely gone as she fidgeted, wringing her hands together behind her back while she had to actively stop herself from turning and quite literally running away. But she'd gotten this far already. She'd gone to his office, spoken to his coworker- he was going to find out she'd been looking for him. Might as well be from her instead of the amused woman who'd sat with her feet up on her desk as Sahra stumbled through her explanation after asking if Cem was working and, after finding out he wasn't, asked when he'd be in next. She'd seemed to know who Sahra was and because of that she'd given up his home address relatively easily. Almost too easily, if Sahra looked too close at it... but still, there she stood. Sucking in rapid, shallow breaths as her heart raced beneath her ribs, closing her eyes for a moment in an attempt to regain some semblance of control over her faculties.

Unsure of how long she stood there like that, once Sahra reopened her eyes she shot a quick thanks out into the universe that Cem didn't find her that way (otherwise she'd be three for three in crying in front of him- though the day was still young), before she took a step forward and knocked a couple of times while she had the nerve.

When she heard the lock disengage on the other side of the door she felt the tears spring to her eyes. Shit. Blinking rapidly, the former television personality clenched her jaw in an attempt to get her emotions under control. She'd already caused two scenes in front of this man... this... beautiful man.

Her mouth went dry as he opened the door, taking a step back as the apology she'd worked so hard to craft before coming here immediately escaped her and all she could get out was a high pitched, "Hi."

[sahrademir]

Sahra's gaze was transfixed on the man in front of her, her teeth coming down to bite over her lower lip as she shook her head in disagreement. He'd always been able to hold her complete attention, a true feat if she was being honest, as her brain seemed to move a mile a minute. But not with Lucas. He brought a calm to her chaos she hadn't allowed herself to miss until now. "I'm not flustered." She countered, eyes narrowing at him though she couldn't help but mirror his grin. "You're the one who's flustered." Was she talking nonsense while trying to deflect the fact that he had in fact flustered her? Yes. But she wasn't going to dwell on that in the moment. Not when she saw his gaze dip to her lips before meeting her eyes again. Maybe she wasn't the only flustered one in the room.

"Strategic interference is cheating! It's just another word for cheating!" The volume of her voice grew as she got more passionate. Even all these years later, her competitive nature wouldn't allow her to let the slight go. "You robbed me of a victory you still haven't repaid to this day." Her own hand came out as she pointed at him, gaze sharp, only for a moment, before she broke out into another grin. "Maybe tonight we'll fix that. But you're going to have to remain on your side of the coffee table so no strategic interference happens again. An arm's length away at all times, mister." She scolded, though the twinkle in his eye caused her heart to skip a beat.

With her cards in her hand, Sahra fanned them out and began sorting them by color, then by numbers and doubles, placing the singular wild draw four she had at the end of her hand as she waited for the reward he'd come up with. "Mhm, what do I get?" When he suggested he'd do anything she wanted without complaints or backing out, her gaze lifted from her cards to him, eyebrows raised as a smirk overtook her features. "You sure you wanna give me that much power? Last time I'm pretty sure we ended up on the 50 yard line at the school... at midnight... naked." She teased, extending her legs and knocking one of her feet into his. "It's your turn." @lucasxattean

Lucas' lips curled into a smirk as he leaned back with an easy confidence. "Hearing things? Nah, I've got a great memory." He grinned at her, "You've just got a bad habit of slipping up when you get flustered." His gaze flicked to the way she bit her lip before he shook his head, "Some things never change." He watched her once more, letting her protest play out. The amusement in his expression only growing as she tried and failed to act like she was mad at the poker game from all those years ago. "Tickling is not cheating," he said with a lift of his finger, "I would call it strategic interference." He corrected with a playful smile, "Second you were killing me and I did what I had to survive. Desperate times call for desperate measures," he shrugged his shoulders, a twinkle in his eye betraying him as he looked at her.

As she shuffled, Lucas watched her, taking in the little things. It was the way her fingers moved, the way her lips curled into that grin she was trying to suppress. Damn if this wasn't dangerous that it was so easy to fall back into this rhythm with her. "What do you get?" He pretended to think about it, rubbing at his jaw after she had shuffled the cards. He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. "Bragging rights are a given, sure, but if you really think you're going to win, you should go big." He suggested, "How about this, if you win, I'll do anything you want. No complaints, no backing out." He said, smile deepening as he picked up his cards. @sahrademir

[sahrademir]

"Don't worry," She grinned a bit as she shot Holly a playful wink, "I'll give the boss enough trouble for the both of us." Finishing up the largest drink order known to man, Sahra set the last of the two mojitos down in the server station before turning and giving Holly her full attention, finally allowing herself to take a break her body had been asking for. Even if only for a few minutes. "You know, I really can't. Like, you know they're the same girls who see someone call some made up drink a 'secret menu item' and then get upset at a Starbucks barista for not knowing what the hell they're talking about." Rolling her eyes, she glanced around the bar to ensure neither of them were needed yet before continuing. "The actual audacity is honestly surprising."

Grabbing a glass and adding some ice, Sahra glanced around before pouring herself a quick tequila soda and took a long drink from it. Sure, her body would probably benefit more if she'd been drinking water but water wasn't going to clear her mind of the thoughts of her former fiance and his new wife, their affair, and the whole baby they conceived behind her back. "Amen, sister girl." She mused, though the sparkle in her eye disappeared when Holly asked how she was doing. She thought she'd been pretending to be okay better than she was.

"Oh, I'm fine." Forcing a wider smile onto her features, Sahra finished off the drink she'd made for herself and quickly poured another one. She wasn't supposed to be drinking on the job but she knew Holly wouldn't tell. "Just, you know... more focused than normal I guess. They're keepin' me on my toes more than normal I guess." Shrugging her shoulders, Sahra was about to dismiss the conversation before she let out a sigh and her shoulders sagged. "I just had a bit of a rough day." She admitted to her friend, smile fading for a moment as she allowed her true mood to show through the facade she'd been putting on. "Found an old video of me and Kyle and it just kind of hit me in the gut. But I'll be okay." Sucking in a deep breath, the smile was back on her features now. "Can't be a sad sack and make good tips, right? Besides, he's moved on. He moved on while we were still engaged. So it's about time I do the same, right?"

Holly leaned back against the bar, trying to catch her breath as she watched Sahra pour drinks with her usual flair. It was impossible not to laugh as her friend joined in on the rant, already feeling a little bit better than she had. “I swear, I’d join you in throwing drinks if it wasn't Wes' first month of management.” Holly joked, wiping her hands on her apron before grabbing the next order. “But you’re right, this place is a whole new level of crazy when these girls come through. Like, can you imagine getting all excited over some fancy drink you saw online and having the nerve to send it back because it ‘doesn’t taste like the video?'”

Holly scoffed, pouring a shot of vodka for her mule. "I miss the college guys too. They were always so much easier to impress, and all too willing to blow their student loans on hot girls behind the bar." She paused for a moment, her expression softening a little as she studied her friend. “You doing okay, though? I know tonight’s been… a lot. But you seem a little quieter than usual."