Your Grace - Burak Çelik

CHAPTER 23

A/N: I think this song will suit the chapter

Knock. Knock.

Ayedah groaned and checked the time; it was nearly 11:00 PM. She had barely been asleep for an hour, after they arrived back at 10 PM. Who would be trying to get her up this late at night? Was it Mehmet? Or perhaps one of the hotel staff? Maybe I imagined it, she thought to herself, before sinking back into the covers.

Her eyelids were just about to flutter shut before she heard another couple of knocks. Ayedah forced open and rolled her eyes before she called out, "I'm coming," grabbing her headscarf and quickly wrapping it around her head. Good God, who's trying to get my arse up at this late hour, she thought to herself, annoyed. Can't a woman get her sleep?

She fixed her scarf and rubbed her tired eyes before looking through the peephole- and was surprised to see who was standing there in front of the door, in his deep blue padded coat and thermal trousers.

"Burak?" she asked, blinking at him as she opened the door. He gave her a small smile as she looked up and down at him- he looked as if he were waiting to go out, not at all dressed for sleep, unlike her in her oversized Iron Man pyjama sweater and black sweatpants. "What are you doing up- it's so late." She shook her head. "Here especially- why're you here?" she demanded, trying to stop herself from yawning whilst keeping the sleep out of her eyes.

"Come on, we're going somewhere," he said, straightening his jacket a little and nodding his head out into the hall, gesturing for her to go with him. Ayedah frowned. "Um- where are we all going this late at night?" she asked. "Is something wrong? Did something happen-" "Er, no," said Burak. He was starting to look a little flustered, and his hand reached up to scratch the back of his head as it usually did when he was nervous.

"It's just...it's just you and me."

Ayedah raised an eyebrow. "Er...Burak you do know it's really late right?" she said, chuckling rather skeptically. "Are we even allowed to-?" "I asked for permission, it's alright," he interrupted. "Look Ayedah...I just want to talk." Ayedah frowned at him, but before she could speak up he beat her to it.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I spoke too much." "It's fine," said Ayedah, giving him a small smile. "You...you probably didn't mean to hurt me by saying it. It's okay." "That isn't the point," said Burak, moving closer, making Ayedah step back slightly. "You were hurt." "So?" demanded Ayedah. "Does it matter? It honestly shouldn't be a big problem. I told you it's fine, so you should probably just leave and get over it. It isn't important anyway." She was about to slip back in and lock the room again, before Burak stopped her by putting his hand on the door, keeping it open. "It does matter," he said firmly. "And I'm not leaving this time, Ayedah. You're going to listen to me whether you like it or not, because I'm not going anywhere no matter how hard you try to push me away." Ayedah went quiet as his powerful gaze of his icy blue eyes held her to the spot, and nevertheless she wouldn't be able to go back in either way, with his strong grip holding the door open. She sighed, and stood before him with her arms crossed over her chest for warmth- the hall was rather cold.

"D-do you want to come in?" she asked suddenly. Burak seemed surprised with her question. "Is that okay?" he asked slowly. "Er- it's warmer," she answered lamely, by now wishing she never even asked. "Oh- I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you were cold," said Burak, realizing that they were standing outside in a cold hotel hallway. "Sure, I'll come in." Ayedah moved aside so he would, and closed the door behind him as he took off his boots and left them just beside the small closet next to it. She gestured for him to sit down on the chair next to the window whilst she sat on the bed in front of him. "Er...sorry this place is a bit of a mess," she said embarrassedly. "I didn't really have time to unpack and arrange my things properly." "It's okay," said Burak, waving his hand dismissively.