#hazal:thread001

[sofiafuentes]

Sofia hadn't seen Hazal in a few weeks which meant that they were due for a night out with her favorite girl. Or rather, one of her favorite girls. Shivani was busy with her boyfriend tonight, but since she got to see her before leaving for New York, Sofia gave her a pass. She sat at a table in Poseidon's Bistro, sipping on her drink and waiting for Hazal to join her which should be any minute now according to her friend's last text. Hazal's gift was sitting pretty upon the table, wrapped up neatly with a bow. She had seen that box of chocolates when she was out and about with Arnav and figured she couldn't go wrong with a fancy box of chocolate ganache.

@hazalyildizs

[sofiafuentes]

"You don't need to be grateful, bitch. You say that again and I'm gonna smack you. Grateful... Pft..." There was no room for unnecessary gratitude when they were as close as they were. "Don't... think too much about it. I probably shouldn't have even mentioned anything, but he was just odd. I'm choosing to ignore it." She was more than happy to change the subject and gush about Miles and the amazing date they had. "It was just so easy. The conversation was flowing and we were laughing all throughout dinner. I swear, my cheeks were hurting from smiling so much. I'll do you one better. I took a picture with him during our date." She pulled up the photo in question on her phone and handed it over the Hazal. "I'll have to see if he's opening to tagging along to brunch or something with you guys so you can meet him... and hey! I won't have to be a lame fifth wheel either if you bring your boyfriends."

She rubbed her palms over her jeans, taking in Sofia’s words. Her friend’s voice was so heartfelt, a lump formed in her throat. Hazal had always struggled with accepting help, and while she knew it wasn’t, she felt like she was weak when she had to. “I know you mean it,” she said. “And I’m grateful—really.” Her attention sharpened at the mention of the store incident. A creep going around town? That really resonated with her. “Wait—some random guy was warning people about the stalker?” She asked, concern etching across her features. But then Sofia started gushing about Miles, and despite her worries, she found herself grinning. “Please, you’re not stupid at all. Sometimes good things just happen—and from what you’re telling me, Miles sounds pretty damn perfect.” She reached over to squeeze her friend’s hand. “But I need details. What kind of date? And define ‘super fucking fine’ because that could mean anything from Chris Evans to Jason Momoa, and I need specifics. Tell me everything—and don’t leave out a single detail."

[sofiafuentes]

"You know I mean it too right? I'm not just saying it to say it. My door is always open for you and Shivani." Her girls meant the world to her which meant that they could count on her whenever they needed her. These days she had to stop herself from thinking they didn't need her at all though now that they had boyfriends. They still did their best to keep their bond strong. "Oh it was nothing... This guy was just being a total buzzkill about Halloween and was being foreboding about the creep that's been going around town." She waved a hand dismissively. Halloween came and went and that interaction was nothing, but an odd blip. "Okay, so he's super fucking fine. Like I mean... capital F fine. His name is Miles and we went on this amazing date. I don't know. He's witty and funny and hot. Am I stupid that I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop? Like I don't know why it feels a little too good to be true. Did I mention he's sexy as all hell?"

"You're amazing, Sof," she said, sounding genuinely grateful. The simple gesture of support was exactly what she needed to know, especially following the recent chaos. Hazal tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear, thinking about how lucky she was to have such good friends. "I promise I'll call you if anything happens." She shifted on the seat, a sigh escaping her lips. The mention of another weird encounter at the store made her pause. With everything going on lately—the stalker, the blackout at the ball, and now this—she needed answers. "Wait, what happened at the store?" Her fingers picked at a loose thread on her sleeve while she waited for an explanation. But before Sofia could answer, she dropped that little bomb about meeting someone. Her eyes went wide, and she straightened up, previous worries temporarily pushed aside. "Shut up. Okay, now you gotta tell me about this guy."

[sofiafuentes]

Between this conversation and that weird ass encounter she had with that guy while returning things at the store, Sofia was beginning to wonder if there was really some merit to all the warnings. It wasn't fair. Why was it that someone could create fear across town and decide it was okay to ruin everyone else's day while they just went about their business being a creep? Was this even the same person or were there two weirdos roaming town wrecking havoc? "Hazal, I'm one call away. If Lincoln's not around or busy or something, you call me right away. I will drop everything and head over. I don't care how late it is or if I'm at work. Arnav can just deal with it." She nodded enthusiastically, happy to move on from this gloomy conversation. "So... I met this guy." She knew that was going to be enough to get Hazal excited.

Hazal chuckled at Sofia's joke about Lincoln and the chocolates. "He'd probably steal the whole box if I let him." Her smile faded as she noticed Sofia's concerned expression. She hated it—making people worry about her. A sigh escaped before she added. "I know, I should've told you right away. Everything happened so fast, and with all the crazy stuff going on in town—I got scared. Plus, Lincoln's been super protective since that night." She paused, studying Sofia's reaction. "The guy said something about me belonging to him. I still don't know what he meant by that." She grabbed another chocolate, needing the comfort. "I didn't want to worry you, but you're right. I should've said something sooner." Popping the piece of chocolate into her mouth, she chewed before deciding to change the subject, “Can we talk about something else? This is depressing.”

[sofiafuentes]

Sofia wanted to tell Hazal about the cute guy she bumped into when she was out buying wine for her parents, but decided against it. Her dating life was jinxed somehow and Sofia didn't want to undo whatever good luck had been bestowed upon her when she ran into Miles that day. "You're very welcome. Feel free to let Lincoln know he can have one." She was joking of course, but Hazal must already know that. Things got serious the more she listened to her friend explain the crazy events that had transpired recently. "What the fuck? And you're telling me this now? Hazal, why didn't you mention anything before?"

Despite how she was feeling, she laughed at Sofia's comment about her love life. "Girl, you crack me up. Maybe we need to find you a hot date soon.” She picked up one of the chocolates, popping it into her mouth and, for a moment, she completely forgot about the angst in her life. "Mmm… these are divine. You have excellent taste." Knowing she had to clarify the situation to her friend, she took a deep breath before going on to explain. "Okay, so here's the deal. I went to the mayoral ball with Linc. And on my way to the bathroom, a creepy guy who cornered me. It happened during the blackout. He said some really unsettling things, and I've been on edge ever since." Hazal fidgeted with her napkin, her voice lowering. "I freaked out and Linc insisted I stay with him until we figure out what's going on."

[sofiafuentes]

"Girl, I wish. My love life is as dried up as the Sahara. It's been me and my collection of toys for a while now." She didn't spare any details with Hazal. She was one of her closest friends. Sofia smiled as the other woman gushed over the chocolates. "They offered me a sample at the shop. They're heavenly. And the wrappers are adorable as fuck." She took a sip of her drink as she waited for her friend to fill her in one what was going on in her life in the few weeks that she'd been busy traveling for work. "What? Since when? Why is that considered safer?" Clearly, Sofia didn't care if it was a long story. "Hazal, come on. I have time. What's up?"

She leaned in, eyes twinkling as she played along. "Do you now? Tell me with who…" Her voice was laced with mock curiosity. When Sofia pushed the gift over, she felt touched by her friend's kindness. Carefully unwrapping the box, she gasped at the sight of the chocolates. "You’ve made my day. These look amazing. Thank you so much," she said, already thinking about which one to try first. Hazal paused, unsure how much to reveal about her recent life changes. "Well, things have been different," she admitted, then went quiet for a moment. "I've actually moved in with Lincoln temporarily. There's been some drama in my life, and it's safer for me to stay with him for now. It's a long story…"

[sofiafuentes]

She rolled her eyes playfully, "Yes, I've got a hot date right after this." Hazal and Shivani both knew that her dating life was nonexistent currently. She laughed still as she slid the gift towards one of her best friends. "I'll let that one slide because I adore you so damn much, but go ahead. Open it. I got it while out shopping in Manhattan with Arnav." Saying his name reminded her of that last night in the city and the way things had somehow shifted between them. She was doing her best to ignore that feeling, but it kept creeping up like it was now. "Nothing," she answered with a sigh, "Just busy with work as always. What about you? I feel like I haven't seen you in ages. What gives?"

Hazal hurried into Poseidon's Bistro, her eyes scanning the room for Sofia. Spotting her friend, she made her way over, a smile on her face. "I'm so sorry if I kept you waiting," she said as she slid into the seat across from her friend. "Traffic was a nightmare." It didn’t help that she was kept busy at work. Her gaze fell on the beautifully wrapped gift on the table, and a brow shot up. “Is this for me, or are you meeting up with someone else after this?” She asked, not the least bit ashamed for the question. "So, what have you been up to lately?" She wanted to tell Sofia everything. From the stalker at the mayoral ball, down to her move to Lincoln’s place—she’d been so busy, she’d neglected to tell her friends what was up.