Story dedicated to Jae who asked for one story about Sinan and ended up with two stories about LeySin appropriately on TwosDay, 22-2-22.
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LeySin Scenario One
Leyla has had it with men. After the debacle and ensuing heartache with Hakan, she decided to foreswear any and all men. She had left her old job a year ago, not even wanting to accidentally have any contact with Hakan or her old boss, both men having made her life absolutely miserable. Instead, she decided to open her own business and work independent of any men. After a year of hard work, many sleepless nights and overcoming the temptation of going back to work for another, Leyla had finally reached a measure of success. Her small events planning business now had enough contacts and contracts in the pipeline to keep the business going and growing into the next years. That success had freed Leyla enough to allow herself to start enjoying life again. That was why she was in a club that night with some friends. They were out to celebrate the fact that they were together and that they were young and free.
As Leyla looked around the club, she noted the flashing lights, the loud music and the bodies pressed together undulating to the music. The place was was euphoric with the pulse of Istanbul. Leyla was enjoying the feeling of being alive once more when she noticed a young man walk up to the stage, holding a champagne bottle in his hand. He had the look of a wolf, his eyes seemingly searching through the crowd for a prey. Then he gave an arrogant smirk as he began spraying the crowd with the contents of the bottle. Afterwards, he started drinking straight from the bottle himself.
At first, Leyla thought he was just a drunk that decided to get up on the stage for kicks. But as she looked more closely, she realized that he did not look drunk at all. Rather, to her eyes, he looked lost. His eyes were bleak and his face had that tragic look of not caring what happened to him. Leyla felt pity for him. She knew that look. She had seen it many times in the past year mirrored in her face. Before she could look away, Leyla saw him turn his face to her and look straight into her eyes.
As his eyes caught hers, Leyla saw him swing down the bottle to his side. He stared at her, his eyes narrowing as he tried to puzzle her out. She saw him take a sudden step back, as if recognizing the pity in her eyes and being repulsed by it. She saw his eyes previously empty eyes harden and his face take on a determined look. He then turned to walk off the stage and marched straight towards her.
As he approached, Leyla was unsure about what to do. Should she say anything to him or should she walk away and avoid any unpleasantness? Before she could move, he was sat next to her on the table. He asked, "can I buy you a drink?" Leyla looked at him. He looked so different now from the lost boy on the stage. Up close, he was a very self composed handsome man, a bit young but still with the assurance of someone who knew his place in the world. He wore his cloak of conceit and privilege to perfection. But, Leyla could still see that his eyes held that bit of vulnerability she had seen before, so she gentled her voice and gave him a kind smile as she said, "a Manhattan." He looked at her assessingly then turned to one of the servers seemingly waiting for this man to call on him. After giving the order for her drink, he turned back to her and said, "you were looking at me."
Leyla met his eyes without blinking, thinking that she liked the fact that he was direct and to the point. She said "Yes, I was looking. I was you. About a year ago. Uncaring of the world, wanting to do something, anything, to feel alive again."
He glared at her presumption for a moment. Then his eyes turned thoughtful. She could see that he was considering what she had said to him. Trying to decide if he should be upset or ignore what she had said. He apparently decided to listen instead. He looked at her up and down. Then he gazed at each feature of her face, and asked "are you still that person, from a year ago?"
As she thought of her answer, Leyla did not know why she felt the need to reassure him that things would be better, that he would be able to overcome his demons. This stranger had touched something inside of her. Maybe it was the feeling of kinship in their shared sorrow. She responded, "it was difficult, but I have slowly left that place."
He turned tortured eyes to her and asked "how?"
She said, "You. You have to find in yourself the ability to leave whatever it is behind and not look back. To learn that there are just some things that are out of your hand. That you can only change what is in your control. And people, even those you love and love you back are not ones to be controlled or who you should let control you."
Leyla looked past his shoulder and saw her friends seemingly asking if she needed rescuing. She shook her head indicating she was fine. As she looked back at the man she saw that he was quiet and lost in thought. She hesitated at first then reached over to touch his hand that had been resting on the table. She gave his hand a slight squeeze and said, "I wish you well."
Leyla stood up and started walking to her friends. She stopped herself from looking back. There was no need to do that. She knew in her heart that she would see him again.
A few months later, Leyla did see him again. She was helping a company launch one of their fashion lines. As she supervised her workers, she saw him standing in the middle of the room looking around. He appeared to be different. The hungry and wild lupine look had mellowed. The lines around his eyes had lessened. He seemed to have exorcised some of the demons though a few still remained. She did not hesitate her steps as she strode towards him.
"Hello, how nice to see you again," Leyla said.
His eyes widened but later softened. "Hello too! This is a happy coincidence. I had been hoping to see you again. I even went back to the club a couple of times but you were not there. I am Sinan by the way."
"Leyla, nice to finally know your name."
He gave her a seemingly shy smile which looked a bit out of place and said, "yes, that's very nice."
Leyla's smile widened as she said, "I am the event planner."
His grinned back at her and said, "VP in charge of operations. My team must have hired your company."
Leyla was surprised. He looked young to have that position. But her contacts with his team showed a well run business so she was suitably impressed. She said, "l am very happy to be working with your team. We are all hoping it goes well."
Just then, one of Sinan's business associates came by with questions for both of them and there was no time for any further personal conversations though Leyla was filled with curiosity. She wondered what had happened to Sinan to bring forth the changes she noted.
When the event ended, Sinan went up to her and said "Leyla, it's been a pleasure working with your group. Thank you for your efforts. The event was a success."
Leyla felt herself blush a little and said "it was great working with your team. I hope we have the opportunity to put together an event for your company again."
Sinan looked at her hesitantly, putting one hand behind his neck and asked. "Leyla, could I see you again? Not for business or anything like that, but just to just see each other? Maybe dinner, or coffee or something?"
Leyla smiled and said, "I would like that."
They met for coffee a few times after that initial invitation. They even had dinners together. But it was not until after the third dinner, while walking by a pier next to the restaurant that Sinan finally talked to Leyla about what happened since the night they met.
Sinan had been looking over the waters, the Istanbul lights bouncing off it's darkness. He said, "I want to thank you. What you said helped me see past my anger. You see I wanted this woman, but she did not want me. She wanted my brother." He paused and now looked at her. "I did not want to accept her decision. I thought it was because I loved her. Now I realize it was because I could not control her. There had been nothing in the past that I could not control or get what I wanted. I was on a bad path that could have ended in tragedy if I done everything in my power just to get my own way. It was fortuitous that I met you that night." He then took a breath and looked at the waters again. "I have taught myself to accept it. It has been difficult. I am still not sure if I ever could completely be at peace with it. I hope to get there though."
Leyla gave a small shrug and said "you have taken the first steps, one can only work at it and hope."
They stood there, looking over the waters for a while. Both broken and healing, trying to mend from their past. They were not sure if they would ever be completely be well again or be able to move on. But for now, it was enough that they were not alone.
LeySin Scenario Two
She had hunted him like game and he had willingly fallen into her trap. Sinan was out partying with his friends at a club. The raucous crowd had the blood in his veins pumping. He loved the noise, the excesses and the crazed atmosphere that surrounded him. And of course, he wanted to show everyone who he was. So he went up the stage with a bottle of champagne and started shaking it. Everyone knew what was going to happen next. He was going to spray its contents to the crowd and get everyone wet and disgusting. But no one cared. They all wanted to enjoy the hedonism of the night and get mired in its ecstasy.
Sinan was still laughing at his exhibition. He felt drunk and uncaring. Suddenly, he was pulled aside. He was about to object strongly and violently shake the hand away when he saw that it was a woman who pulled his hand. She was beautiful. With dark long hair, deep blue eyes and bright red lips. She had a face of an angel. But her gaze was full of deviltry.
He followed her out the corridor to a bank of elevators. She still had not said anything to him. He was in a daze. Not quite sure if he was dreaming. As they got into the elevator, the woman pushed him to its wall. She started pulling his shirt up from his pants. Sinan was sure he was hallucinating. But it couldn't be an illusion since he felt every touch, every sigh and every breath. They barely made it to a room before the night exploded for him.
When Sinan woke up, he was alone in the room. The woman he had the most unforgettable night in his life had disappeared. There was nothing to prove that she even existed aside from the fact that he must be in her room. He was confused. He had never been in this position before. It had always been him to leave the morning after. He was never the one left to look around the room, feeling discarded and unwanted.
Sinan did not see her again for many months although he had looked for her everywhere. But one night, at a social event, she was there. He found out that her name was Leyla and she was an assistant to a very high powered businessman and his conglomerate. She looked at him as if she did not recognize him. Sinan was horrified to feel lost and confused. He tried to ignore her. But is was all bravado he knew. He craved her. He thought about her every night of every day. Now she was here and she could not care less if he was in the same room as her. At the end of the night, he had his chance to talk to her. He hated that his voice gave a slight tremble when he asked if she remembered him. She gave him a condescending smile and said she was not sure. Sinan felt his stomach fall. He walked away, feeling deeply humbled and sorry to all the woman he had treated so.
As he was leaving, he felt someone tug at his hand again. He saw that it was Leyla. She gave him a feline smile and handed him a key. He looked at it and then at her back as she walked away. He looked at the key again, terribly tempted to throw it at the nearest trash bin. But he felt his feet moving slowly to follow her to an embankment of elevators. She was there waiting for him. Her eyes laughing at his inability to resist. He was a prey willingly stepping into her web and his doom.