"Like what?" Her hesitant tone told me I wasn't wrong.
"You and the Ice Prince. What did you do all night?"
"Nothing… What could we do? We waited by your side for your fever to go down. And yesterday the others came too, that's all."
The way she avoided my eyes and answered vaguely made me stare at her in disbelief.
"It happened again, didn't it?" She immediately turned to me and started explaining in panic.
"This time it wasn't my fault, Duru! But—he leaned in first. And then before I even realized it, I kissed him. And then my phone rang, and—"
"Wait. What kiss?"
"The kiss with Rüzgar. What were you talking about?"
"I meant you falling in love with someone else while you have a boyfriend, obviously! I can't believe you, Sapphire! You kissed the guy again?!"
After the first sudden-kiss confession from last week, hearing she'd done it a second time made me lose it. I collapsed back on the bed, giggling like an idiot, while she watched me, irritated.
When I turned to her with a mischievous grin and asked, "Did you at least get a reaction this time?" she glared at me at first—but then she gave up and lay down beside me, laughing too.
We both stared at the ceiling as she murmured quietly.
"Yes… Maybe… I don't know."
"Then you'll get it on the third one, if it's meant to be, huh?"
"What kind of friend are you? Aren't you supposed to warn me and tell me I'm doing something wrong?"
I laughed and shook my head.
"You know that's Teresa's job. My job is to support you being with the only man in this world whose lips you keep sticking to at every opportunity—and then you get embarrassed and can't even look him in the face—instead of being with someone you're not truly in love with. And even though the person we're talking about is the Ice Prince who doesn't like to talk, who's scary, harsh, and emotionally frozen… you're right. I'm an absolutely terrible friend."
Laughing, she jabbed my arm with her elbow.
"Don't say that. You're being unfair to him. Just because he promised not to take you to the hospital, he stayed by your side without blinking until your fever went down. And he's the one who bought your medicine and cooked for you too."
So that was why he'd been so comfortable in my kitchen.
I grinned at her.
"Are you jealous, or what? You do realize you actually like Rüzgar, right?"
"Don't tease me, Duru. And I'm not sure what I feel."
"She says she's not sure, still! At this rate, you'll have a kid before you decide, girl!"
She rolled onto her stomach, propped herself up on her elbows, and looked at me. "Forget Rüzgar for a second. Why won't you ask?"
"Ask what?"
"Whether Kerem came while you were asleep…"
The way he'd come to my side, taken care of me, and the things he'd said made me smile without meaning to.
I turned toward her, lying on my side, and tucked my arm under my head.
"Because I know he didn't."
Remembering my dream again, I sighed. In most of the dreams I'd had while I was unconscious, he was there anyway.
"How are you so sure? You were too sick to even open your eyes all night."
When our last conversation flashed through my mind, I closed my eyes.
"There's no reason for him to come, that's why… We never had the kind of relationship you think, Feyza. It was just…"
"Are you gossiping without us? Shame on you. Rewind it and start over."
I lifted my head and saw the girls standing at the door. I thanked my luck and gestured for them to come to the bed, laughing.
If they hadn't interrupted, I would've said things I'd regret later.
As Feyza sat up, Aylin moved to my other side, up near my head, and Nil sat beside Feyza.
Aylin immediately put her hand on my forehead, and I grinned and rested my head in her lap. When she understood what I wanted and started playing with my hair, Nil watched me with a smile that was clearly still worried.
"How are you? Do you feel better?"
"I'm totally fine, sweetheart. Don't worry. But I felt bad that you wasted yourselves on the couch because of me. You should've gone home."
"Oh please, wasted? The opposite—we had so much fun. Watching Aylin and Demir bicker takes all your stress away, seriously."
When Aylin glared at Nil, I laughed and nudged her leg.
"Anyway—do you remember how you woke up this morning, bestie?"
Since none of them had commented on it so far, and Demir hadn't teased Aylin either, I was sure no one had seen the way they slept. When her face started turning red, I was about to tell Nil and Feyza about how Demir and Aylin had been sleeping, and how Nil was now watching Aylin with curiosity—
But Aylin beat me to it.
"Sapphire, have you seen Kerem and Duru's romantic beach photo?"
"Nope. I have no idea. Show me."
I immediately got up, pulled my knees under me on the bed, and glared at Aylin.
"You traitor! I thought you were going to delete those photos!"
Then I turned to Nil. "Don't tell me you didn't delete it either?"
With a cute smile, she shook her head no. I threw my hands up in frustration.
"Is there anyone among you who actually listened to me and deleted that cursed photo?"
Just then, Bora walked into the room, and Demir came in behind him holding a huge sandwich.
"What photo?" Bora sat down next to Nil, and Demir took the chair beside us. Nil laughed and pointed at me.
"She's talking about those love-filled photos of her and Kerem by the sea."
"Okay, then no problem. I have the video anyway."
"Same. I've got the video too, Sugarflake."
I stared at them in disbelief.
"You're joking, right?"
When both of them shook their heads no while grinning at me, I climbed off the bed in irritation. Remembering those moments only made me feel even more pathetic.
"Someone show me that photo already. I'm about to die of curiosity."
Bora pulled out his phone, opened the infamous clip, and handed the phone to Feyza.
"You should watch this first. The video is better than the photo!"
While I paced around the room shooting them all death glares, another coughing fit hit, and Aylin handed me the water by my bed.
I drank, set the glass back on the dresser, and Feyza rushed up to me, practically shoving the phone in my face.
"I know you're mad at Kerem, but just watch this once, Duru."