Dersaadet

Eyyam-i maziyye (Past days)

That, although we are plain and songless,

And poor city birds are we,

Yet before the days of darkness

We, the sparrow, never flee...

-Sarah Williams-

"I am going to kiss the first girl that comes down this street!" The little boy arrogantly told his friends. One of them retorted "You won't, last time you said the same, but then you didn't!"

The little boy pulled his face: "She was ugly that's why!"

The boys continued their argument when one of them suddenly cried: "There she comes!" The boy turned to the other end of the street and tried to look cool. This time he would prove himself.

His heart-beats quickened- she was beautiful with her golden hair and blue eyes. Her face reminded him of the moon and her eyes sparkled like stars. He would kiss her, for she must be one of the elfs his mother told him about!

One of his friends pushed him a little forward. "There you go! You had a big mouth, but I am sure you won't dare to kiss her!" The boy stopped sulking, he would show them all what he could do. "Watch me!"

With determined steps, the little boy walked towards the little girl, who stopped her tracks as she saw him. A little smile appeared on her face as she said "Hello, I am Hilal. We moved new into the house up the street. What is your name?" With shiny eyes, she waited for his response.

The little boy didn't give an answer- doubting his eyes wandered to the boys, who now giggled and laughed. Suddenly the boy turned back to her and before Hilal could tell what was going on, she felt his lips on her own. Her eyes became round with shock, then she pushed him away. The slap the boy felt on his cheek, brought tears into his eyes. But his pain was forgotten as he saw her tears. Suddenly he felt sad.

A call interrupted their strange encounter: "Hilal, where are you again? Come now, I found the box with your books. You can put them into the book-shelf."

The girl gave him a final, angry look before she run back. Leon was holding his cheek as he went back to his friends. He has won the bet, but somehow, he could not be happy about his victory.

Hilal was angry. She just wanted to make new friends, but the stupid boy had kissed her! No one had done that before and now the girl wondered, if she had to marry him. After all, only married people were kissing each other on the lips- Yildiz had told her so!

Hilal didn't want to marry nor see him. She had supressed her concerns till the dinner, but she could not do so any longer. "Daddy..." the little girl looked to the man with big eyes. Her father said: "Pray tell, my sparrow!"

"Today..." she felt somehow embarrassed but didn't know why "It's nothing!" Cevdet had noticed the thoughtful expression of his daughter. She had been unusually absent the entire day, so he tried to encourage her to tell what was on her heart.

"Today... I saw a few kids playing on the street and wanted to join them. One of them even came to me, so I told him my name. But, daddy, he was so rude, he didn't tell me his name. He even kissed me, do I have to marry him now?"

The moment of silence was broken by Cevdet's outburst "He did what? Who is that boy?!" As he heard the laughter of his wife, he turned with an unbelieving expression towards her. "Azize? Are you laughing?"

His wife just nod, but then she tried to put a serious face "My love, don't you exaggerate? They are children! If you start to act like that now, I wonder how you plan to marry them off when the day comes?!"

Azize ignored the huff of her husband and gave her daughter a smile "No my dear, you don't have to marry anyone, you don't want to." She winked. Hilal was relieved now.

Two days had passed since he had kissed the little girl. But he felt very bad about his actions. Her eyes had looked so sad that it made his heart hurt. He heard his mother telling him: "Did you brought your books to the carriage, my love?" "Yes, mitera, I did!"

The elegant woman was about to leave as her son asked her: "Can I say goodbye to my friends? It won't take long!"

The little boy walked the street up and down. He was waiting for her so long now, he gave up. With an unhappy posture, he wanted to go back home as he heard some voices. His heart started to beat fast again- just like the day when he had kissed her!

Hilal was trying to ignore her sister, why would she not let her be! "That's not true. Daddy, said I am beautiful too! Besides he said I am very smart!"

"You are not beautiful Hilal! And the red ribbon would suit me much better!" Angrily Yildiz stormed away, leaving her alone. Disappointed Hilal looked after her older sister. A sudden voice made her scream out of fear.

"Leon." It was the boy who had kissed her the other days. He looked at her with a sulky face. "My name is Leon... You asked me the other day, but I didn't tell you!" The little girl was insecure if she should talk with him at all.

Leon saw her uncertainty, so he hurried to say "The other day... I should not have kissed you without asking you. And I am sorry if I made you sad..." Now, he could not look into her eyes and stepping nervously from one foot to the other, didn't help too.

Hilal smiled as she heard his words. Maybe they still could be friends? Besides her father told her that is was an act of greatness to apology after a wrong. "I am not sad anymore!"

Leon lifted his head and looked into her eyes. Now, he smiled as well. "Shall we play together then?"

They were in the middle of a game as Leon heard his mother's calling "Leonimou, come now. We are leaving!" Hilal looked sadly at him "Are you going somewhere?"

Leon pulled sadly his face "Hilal!... We are leaving for Athens. My father will work there." The little girl didn't know what to say. She didn't want him to go. They were friends now! "Really? But we became just friends and I like you very much already!" Leon's face lit up.

"I like you very much too! Don't be sad. Now, I have to go, but I will come back for you!"

"Really? I will wait for you, Leon!" Curiously the boy watched how the girl pulled something out of her pocket.

"This red ribbon is very special for me. I want you to keep it till the day of your returning. Then you can give it back to me!" The boy looked at it as if it was the most precious thing in the world.

"I will keep it always in my pocket Hilal and will take good care of it!" Before he left he hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. But this time the girl just smiled and hugged him back.

The boy had taken a few steps as he run back to her. "Hilal? When I come back and be a grown man, will you marry me? Mitera told me that only two people who really like each other should marry..."

The girl's cheeks turned red as she said: "I will! But don't forget me?!"

"I won't!" The boy run to the carriage that was already waiting for him.

'I will come back for you Hilal!'