4N1K Summer Love

Heartbeats: Part 1

(The bungalow. The Oguz, Sinan, and Gokhan are in the living room watching a movie and eating popcorn. Cans of soda and pizza boxes are strewn over the table and the floor)

Oguz: (looking at this phone screen) That is weird. Sinan, can you check if Selin's profile picture is still there?

Sinan: (opens up his phone) Yeah, it is there. Why?

Gokhan: (snickering) Wait, wait. Let me guess. She blocked you?

(Sinan and Gokhan are laughing, while Oguz just gives them and eye and frowns)

Oguz: I don't know what is up with her these days. She won't answer my calls, won't reply to my texts. Now I can't see her profile picture too.

Gokhan: (speaking through a mouthful of popcorn) It's called ghosting, dude. Girls do that when they are bored with you. Merve did that to me after university exams. Naz is doing that to me now.

Sinan: (pulling out a fist full of popcorn from the bowl) You guys at least have girlfriends.

Oguz: (shoving Sinan with his feet) Oh really? What about Ece then?

Gokhan: Yeah. What is going on between the two of you?

Sinan: (shaking his head) She is just having a hard time and I am helping her out. That's about it between us.

Oguz: Bro. You know what? You have a really obvious 'lying' face. Anyone can tell that you are lying.

Gokhan: Look here. (holds Sinan's face and makes him look at them) What are you going to do about it? You are not over her, and honestly, she doesn't seem over you too.

Sinan: (removing his hand) What does it matter? She got engaged to a guy already.

Oguz: And broke up with him too. (looking at his screen, his mind back to Selin) I think I need to talk to Baris about Selin.

(The bell rings and Oguz gets up to answer the door. Ali enters, but there is no Yaprak with him)

Oguz: Dude, where is Yaprak? You were supposed to pick her up.

Ali: (tiredly) Let's go to the living room. I will tell you guys everything.

(Ali walks to the living room with Oguz behind him, and drops on the couch)

Sinan: (straightening up) What happened, Ali? Where is Yaprak?

Ali: Baris is bringing her home.

Gokhan: Baris? I thought you said she asked you to pick her up.

Ali: She did. I even got there, but then things got a little messed up...

Gokhan: (frowning) Messed up as in?

Ali: Baris wanted to take her home, and since it was their date...

Sinan: You thought you should let him bring her home.

Ali: I just.. Okay, fine. I got a little tensed up with some things that he was saying, and then I realized that I was just messing things up more. So I thought that it will be a better idea to leave them.. (his voice cracks a little) together.

Oguz: (sharing a glance with Sinan and Gokhan) Bro, are you alright? You don't seem fine.

Ali: (looking down) I am fine, Oguz. I just can't... (runs a hand through his hair, frustrated) I can't do this anymore. I keep thinking that I will get used to this, the fact that she will be with someone else eventually, but it just kills me every time. Yaprak.. (gives a pained laugh) I can't think of losing her. I know a day will come when it will be someone else taking her home. It just hurts me every second to think that it won't be me. (runs a hand over his face, his voice a whisper) How do I do this?