Your Grace - Burak Çelik

CHAPTER 31

"Yep, I'm just going to hang here today," she answered her friend's unspoken question. "I'm okay with anything." Ayedah nodded again at her, and turned back to Reema. "Thanks Reema, and yeah, that would be alright," she told her. "And er..." She bravely stepped forward, nearly squashing a tiny cat toy as she did so, running a hand through her messy dark, toffee-colored hair. "You can join us if you want," she suggested. "You know...girl chatter." Reema blinked at her, then smiled. "That'll be great," she said enthusiastically, accepting her cousin's offer. She turned to go downstairs, nearly tripping over a stray cushion as she left the room and did so.

Ayedah exhaled in relief, smiling to herself; she had decided that, hard as it was, she wanted to include Reema in her life just a little so as to break the ice between them. Perhaps she could start with something she knew that any girl would enjoy- gossiping about a dinner with a male friend's family.

"You asked her to join us?" asked Ozge in a skeptical voice, looking surprised as she watched Ayedah disappear into the bathroom for a while so she could brush her teeth and quickly take her medication. "Yes I did," she answered, before grabbing her hairbrush and going to sit on her bed that was covered in her disheveled blankets. "Just to involve her, you know...be nice." Ozge cocked an eyebrow, but said no more as she allowed herself to relax on the armchair, though she nearly had to stand up again when she felt something underneath her.

"How many stuffed animals do you have?" she asked, pulling out a small Pikachu from underneath her bottom. "You seem to have one armchair specifically for them." "Just little souvenirs that I've collected around," said Ayedah dismissively. "Most of them were from quite a long time ago; they made me feel a little less lonely when I was still studying or back in secondary school even- though it was admittedly kind of odd to talk to them." Ozge nodded in response. "Understandable," she tittered. "I can't say I've never done that either. Did you ever get caught?" "Aarif did once," Ayedah's lips curled a small smile at her friend as she continued to brush out her hair. "We had a good laugh about it." Ozge chuckled, and playfully aimed the Pikachu at Stormy from where he was sprawled out on the window-seat. Ayedah shook her head when the small soft toy hit the cat lightly on the stomach, and turned away, bending her head in an odd angle to attempt to do her hair in a certain style, but then Ozge scuttled over and sat down on the bed behind her.

"Here, let me," she said, and pulled the brush out of Ayedah's hands before gently running her own through her hair. "French Braid?" "Yes please," said Ayedah, looking up at her friend for a while before Ozge nodded and began to work her fingers through Ayedah's long hair.

"MashaAllah, your hair has always been so naturally wavy," sighed Ozge in admiration and half-jealousy as she raked her hands through her friend's long, shoulder blade-length hair. "The way the ripples and curls are arranged so perfectly imperfect, it's just gorgeous." Ayedah blushed at her friend's comment and said in a stark attempt to avoid any more compliments, "Your hair is beautiful too, Ozge."

"Ah, I see what you're doing, Miss Humble," teased Ozge, making Ayedah chuckle. "But thank you- still, it is nothing to compete with yours. Not even Yigit or Celik has hair that is as epic, and their hairstyles rock those of everyone else's on set." "Epic," snorted Ayedah. "What a word to use for hair- Burak's hair is nice though. Looks like caramel." "Hmm, I suppose," said Ozge, obviously not paying much attention to the thought of Burak's hair- though she was still thinking of him of course, but in a different manner.

"So, speaking of Burak, before Aunt Gab and Reema come up, why don't you start telling me about last night?" she asked. It was clear she was waiting for an opportunity to bring up the topic. "Spill the tea, Canim." Ayedah sighed, unable to hide a smile.

"Ooh, looks like it went well," grinned Ozge, who had taken a peek at Ayedah's reflection in the dresser a little way from the bed and noticed the bashful smile that had the girl's lips curled up. "It did, actually," she said. "Burak's family were really nice." "Were they?" asked Ozge eagerly. "What were they like?" "Well, his sister was lovely," said Ayedah. "She was the one who greeted me and opened the gate to let me into the house." "Isn't she pregnant?" questioned Ozge, amazed. She had never met any of Burak's family, but a while earlier she heard that Busra was pregnant mid-conversation. "She must have really wanted to see you if she crossed that courtyard of a front garden to come and let you in." "I was surprised too," said Ayedah. "But she was fine and well, MashaAllah- and oh my goodness, she is gorgeous." "I bet she looks like Burak," said Ozge, and Ayedah nodded. "She does," she agreed. "In fact all three siblings look strikingly alike- Emirhan looks exactly what I imagined a teenage Burak to look like."