Your Grace - Burak Çelik

CHAPTER 1

They arrived about a few minutes to half an hour later in front of a neat-looking, classy veterinarian and the girl quickly paid and thanked the driver before hurrying out. Just after she stepped out of the car and the taxi drove off, her ringtone immediately went off. She furrowed her brow as she took out her phone, and looked at the caller ID upon the screen:

ÖZGE

She smiled softly before swiping the 'answer' icon to pick up the call. "Hello, Selam Aleykum?" she greeted, after taking off her mask to be able to talk more clearly. "Aleykum Selam, my gorgeous Ayedah!" cried out a pretty, tinkling voice through the phone. "Where have you been? I haven't heard from you in forever?" Ayedah chuckled nervously and said, "Well Ozge, I've been busy." "Oh- have you found a job already?" asked Ozge, sounding rather crestfallen. "No, not yet," sighed Ayedah. "I mean, I have been busy looking, but I've also been busy with other things- the house is surprisingly hard to look after since Aunty Gab left. I know she'll be back in two weeks, but still I have never been more claustrophobic when I should be feeling more...free." Aunty Gab was Ayedah's Aunt, who was away in Greece for a few weeks for what she said was a business trip. Ozge chuckled through the phone, sounding slightly mischievous.

"Well, it is your first time being completely home alone- if I were free, I would stay with you...but you know, training-" "Yeah, it's alright," smiled Ayedah. "You are busy." Ayedah could almost see her friend's pretty smile. "Well, yes, of course- have you caught up with the episodes, by the way?" she asked. "Oh, damn, I'm sorry," said Ayedah apologetically. "I forgot- especially with Aunty Gab leaving for Greece and all-" Ozge was the leading actress of a popular TV Show there in Turkey, one that Ayedah had not caught up the episodes with. "Ah, it's alright," said Ozge dismissively. "But soon, please- Season Two is already in preparation." "Of course," said Ayedah. "Tonight, perhaps- I've nothing on." "Good girl," said Ozge cheerfully. "Oh, and I have news for you- I think I'll be able to get you a job...one that will tick all your boxes."

Ayedah's eyes widened. "Really, Ozge?" she cried. "Don't kid with me, please." "Really," said Ozge seriously, though with a hint of excitement in her voice. "It's a real good catch too. I'm sure you'll be able to take up the challenge." "That sounds amazing!" exclaimed Ayedah. "And what cha-"

Ayedah didn't finish her sentence as she slammed into the glass door of the vet as it opened before she could even reach for the handle, and she dropped her phone in shock as her face experienced a stinging pain, similar to that of being slapped in the face. "OWH!" she exclaimed, squeezing her eyes shut as she grabbed her face after peeling it off the glass door. Her nose stung the most- she pinched its bridge and massaged it with her fingers. "Afedersiniz! I'm really sorry," a male voice cried out in a concerned and shocked tone. "Oh, it's alright," said Ayedah, not opening her eyes yet. "I was on the phone, I should have stop-" "No, please forgive me," he said again, and Ayedah forced her eyes open slightly to look through her fingers, and saw a hand extended with her phone in its grip; it was still intact, to Ayedah's relief. Ayedah chuckled nervously and took it from him, her fingers brushing against his as she did so.

"Thank you," she said, embarrassed as she took her hands off her face. "Sorry for running into you..." her voice faltered as she finally plucked up the courage to look into his face, and was taken suddenly by his striking, round, ocean-blue eyes. She stared for a moment, not realizing she was doing so until he gently touched her shoulder, and his deep voice finally reached her ears as he asked, "Are you hurt?" "Oh- uhm, n-no," she said, forcing back any blushing and trying to hide her embarrassment as her gaze turned to the ground. "I should be apologizing, I wasn't concentrating, see." She peeked back up at him. He looked as if he were smiling at her in relief, though of course she couldn't see due to his mask. He seemed to be in his mid or late twenties, and he was very tall, much taller than her. Ayedah couldn't help but feel rather small in front of him- yet then again she herself wasn't very tall either. "Well, you're forgiven, if that is what you truly wish for," he chuckled in a slightly accented voice jokingly, making her smile back. "Why, thank you," she grinned. "And you're forgiven too- of course, if that's what you want."