" This isn't just your house — it's Aunty Ahu's too. And no, I'm not putting on a show for you. I'm not like you, guy."
When I heard a titter in the room, my eyes immediately met Aunty Ahu's. She was grinning as she watched us, while Aslı was struggling so hard not to laugh she'd turned purple.
"This isn't over here, Deniz Güneş."
"Challenge accepted, Demir Kozcu."
When I threw his own words back at him, he grinned, shook his head, and walked away. I had to hold myself back to keep from throwing something at his head.
"Is that a smell I'm picking up, Aslı? Can you smell it too, girl?"
Aslı giggled at Aunty Ahu's words and pretended to sniff the air.
"Ahh — the smell of love!"
My eyes went wide as both of them looked at me and burst out laughing. I jumped up in panic — my cheeks were already burning like embers...
"Where's the bathroom, Aunty Ahu?"
"Second door on the left, dear."
I ran over, threw the door open, and stepped inside I closed my eyes. As I was trying to calm down by taking deep breaths, I opened my eyes with a frown at the heavy smell of cigarette smoke. Demir was sitting in his chair right across from me, smoking his cigarette and looking at me with raised eyebrows as if trying to figure out what I was doing. I scanned the room in shock; this wasn't the restroom or anything.
"What's going on?"
"This isn't the restroom?"
Laughing, he took a drag of his cigarette, left it in the ashtray, stood up, and stepped toward me.
"This is my room, and only my mother is allowed to enter here."
The man had clearly just kicked me out.
"I didn't enter on purpose, Demir. It's not like I'm dying to be in your room."
Just as I turned around and was about to open the door to leave, he put his hand on the door and blocked my exit. Unpredictable! This man is so unpredictable!
I stood frozen, staring at the door, as he wrapped his arm around my waist from behind and leaned into my ear.
My heart! Could you please pull yourself together?
"How do you have the nerve to call me Demir?"
"I'll call you whatever I want, Demir Kozcu."
"Deniz, you're playing with fire. Touching a snake will get you poisoned."
The snake, the well... it all meant something. I was as sure of that as I was of my own name. My eyes drifted to the large snake tattoo covering his arm.
"Everyone else has a small snake tattoo, so why is yours so big?"
"Because I am their king, and only their queen will have the exact same tattoo."
My fingers moved fearlessly over the tattoo. It was a beautiful piece of art.
"Who knows?"
"Perhaps my queen is already in my arms?"