YES, LET'S JUST BE FRIENDS

CHAPTER FIVE

SLEEP DIDN'T HAPPEN FOR CAN THAT NIGHT. THE THOUGHTS OF SANEM ERUPTED LIKE A VOLCANO IN HIS MIND, WITH THE HOT BURNING LAVA, SLOWLY AND METHODICALLY DEVOURING HIS HEART.  SHE HAD A PAST WITH THIS GUY, HER FAMILY EVIDENTLY EXCEPTED HIM TOO, GATHERING FROM THE CONVERSATION HE HAD OVERHEARD BETWEEN SANEM AND HER MOTHER.  SHE WAS ANGRY, HE KNEW THAT, SO WAS THIS JUST AN ACT TO MAKE HIM JEALOUS. .....IF SHE WAS ACTING, SHE WAS DAMN GOOD AT IT....HE THOUGHT. CAN FINALLY GOT UP, SHOWERED AND DECIDED TO HEAD IN TO WORK.  IT WAS EARLY, BUT MAYBE HE COULD GET SOME WORK DONE BEFORE SHE SHOWED UP AND THE SIGHT OF HER CONSUMED THE REST OF HIS DAY.

HER AND TANER STAYED OUT WAY TO LATE. THEY BOTH LOST ALL TRACK OF TIME AND WHEN HE BROUGHT HER HOME, HER MOM WAS WAITING UP FOR THEM. MEVKIBE WAS EXCITED TO SEE TANER, THEY HAD GOTTEN TO KNOW HIM QUITE WELL THE FEW YEARS THAT HIM AND SANEM WERE TOGETHER DURING THEIR TIME AT THE UNIVERSITY. HE WAS PART OF THEIR FAMILY.  SHE EXCITEDLY GREETED THEM AT THE DOOR, MORE THAN HAPPY TO SEE HIM SHE GAVE HIM A BIG HUG. SHE INVITED HIM IN FOR TEA SO THEY COULD VISIT, SHE BUSTLED ABOUT THE KITCHEN CHATTING ABOUT THE PAST  FEW YEARS. 

TANER HAD FORGOTTEN HOW SANEM'S FAMILY HAD WELCOMED HIM IN AND ACCEPTED HIM AS THEIR OWN. HOW WARM AND SINCERE AUNT MEVKIBE WAS. SHE PAMPERED HIM AND INCLUDED HIM IN ALL FAMILY FUNCTIONS.  THIS ALWAYS, SHE MADE HIM FEEL SAFE AND HAPPY. 

AFTER A WHILE, TANER FINALLY CALLED IT A NIGHT, HE EXPLAINED THAT HE HAD A VERY  BUSY DAY AHEAD AND IT WOULD START EARLY.  

TANER SAID GOODNIGHT TO SANEM WITH A LONG AND LOVING HUG, THEN THEY MADE PLANS FOR THE WEEKEND. HE WAS VERY OUTDOORSY AND HAD ALWAYS ENCOURAGED SANEM TO JOIN HIM ON SEVERAL OUTINGS. THAT WASN'T REALLY HER THING, BUT SHE WASN'T OPPOSED TO IT.  " I WILL CALL YOU TOMORROW AND CONFIRM OUR PLANS. " IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT. " HE EXCLAIMED. HIS SMILE WAS INFECTIOUS AND SHE FOUND HERSELF BASKING IN THE WARMNESS  OF IT.  WOW.......SHE THOUGHT,  THAT CHARM OF HIS REALLY SHOULD BE ILLEGAL, AS SHE WATCHED HIM SAUNDERS TO HIS CAR.   HE TURNED, WAVED AND BLEW HER A KISS.........YEP, HE WAS DEFINITELY A  CHARMER....

SHE WAS RUNNING LATE, SHE HOPED DEREN DIDN'T NOTICED, AS SHE RUSHED TOWARD THE AGENCY. CEYCEY MET HER AS SHE WALKED IN THE DOOR. " SANEM YOU'RE LATE, DEREN HAS ASKED  ABOUT YOU ALREADY AND MR. CAN HAS BEEN CAMPED OUT AT YOUR DESK. " HE EXPLAINED, " WHY DO YOU KEEP PUTTING ME IN THESE SITUATIONS?"   AS SHE APPROACHED HER DESK, CAN STOOD, WITH HIS HANDS ON HIS HIPS, STARING AT HER.  SHE ROLLED HER EYES, AND SHOOK HER HEAD. " IS THERE SOMETHING I CAN DO FOR YOU MR. CAN? "  SHE INQUIRED. " YES, YOU CAN GET ME SOME TEA AND COME TO MY OFFICE. " HE WHISPERED THROUGH HIS GRITTED TEETH.   SHE INHALED DEEPLY, LETTING HER HEAD FALL BACK, SHE EXHALED WITH FORCE.  " SO YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR ME TO ARRIVE JUST TO BRING YOUR TEA? " SHE SPOUTED.  HE CLOSED HIS EYES TIGHTLY, " NO, I NEED TO TALK TO YOU IN MY OFFICE. " HE REPLIED, COMPLETELY ANNOYED WITH HER ATTITUDE. SHE SQUINTED HER EYES AND ASKED, " IS THIS A BOSS TO EMPLOYEE TALK, OR A FRIEND TO FRIEND TALK? "  HE SHOT HER A LOOK, AND SHE KNEW SHE WAS PUSHING HER LUCK, SO SHE UNLOADED HER ARMS AND HURRIED TO THE DRINK STATION.

BRINGING IN HIS TEA, SHE FACE HIM, DEMANDING TO KNOW THE REASON HE HAD CALLED HER INTO HIS OFFICE.  " I'M QUITE SURE YOU DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION OUT THERE IN FRONT OF EVERYONE. "  HE HUFFED.. HIS EYES FULL OF PAIN AND QUESTIONS, THEY HIT HER HEART LIKE AN ARROW.  " TALK MR.CAN, SAY WHAT YOU WANT TO  SAY.  I'M LISTENING." SHE SAID IN DEFEAT.  THIS IS GOING TO BE A LONG DAY,  SHE THOUGHT AS SHE WAITED FOR HIM TO START.   " I WANT YOU TO TALK TO ME SANEM, TELL ME WHATS GOING ON. " HE BEGGED. SHE WAS  FEELING EVERY OUNCE OF HIS PAIN, SHE FELT JUST AS MUCH HEARTACHE, BUT SHE  KNEW HAD TO BE STRONG,  " THERE'S NOTHING GOING ON MR. CAN,  THAT IS IF YOU'RE REFERRING TO WORK, BECAUSE YOU HAVE ME IN YOUR OFFICE ALL THE TIME. " SHE ANSWERED DEFIANTLY WITH HER HANDS ON HER HIPS.  HE HUNG HIS HEAD FEELING DEFEATED. HE KNEW HOW STUBBORN SHE COULD BE, BUT HE WAS ALSO KNOWN TO HAVE A STUBBORN STREAK. "OK,  GO BACK TO WORK. " HE MUMBLED. " BUT WE WILL HAVE A TALK, YOU CAN BE SURE OF IT." 

WHAT A WAY TO START THE DAY, SHE THOUGHT, AS SHE MADE HER WAY BACK TO HER DESK.   SHE WAS DEFINITELY READY FOR THE WEEKEND.  

THE COMPASS SPORTS CAMPAIGN WAS A BIG EVENT AND THE BUDGET WAS LARGE, SO THEY WOULD EXPECT THE BEST.  ENGROSSED IN HER WORK, SHE HADN'T NOTICED CEYDA WALKING IN UNTIL CEYCEY RAN OVER TO HER DESK, FLINGING HIS ARMS SAYING, " SANEM, CEYDA'S HERE, CEYDA'S HERE. "  LOOKING UP,  SHE COULD SEE CEYDA STARING AT HER.  SHE NODDED HER HEAD IN RECOGNITION AND DROPPED HER EYES BACK TO HER WORK.  SHE STILL STIRRED THE HEAT OF JEALOUSY IN HER.  WHY WAS SHE HERE?  JUST TO DRAPE HERSELF ALL OVER CAN IN FRONT OF EVERYONE, SHE THOUGHT,  WHAT A DESPERATE WOMAN......." STAY ON TRACK SANEM,"  HER INNER VOICE SCREAMED AT THE HER, " DON'T LET HER  OR CAN SEE YOUR FEELINGS, BURY THEM, .......YOU HAVE TO MAKE THEM GO AWAY.".......

AFTER A FEW MINUTES, SHE TAPPED ON CANS' DOOR,  WAITING FOR HIM TO MOTION HER IN. HE WATCHED HER AS SHE WALKED IN. " AHHH, THERE SHE IS,  HE THOUGHT.  HAD TO CHECK IT OUT,  MAKING  SURE CEYDA WASN'T GETTING TO CLOSE.  THAT MADE HIM HAPPY INSIDE,  SHE'S STILL MINE. HE THOUGHT.   SHE STUCK HER HEAD, " IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN GET YOU TWO,   COFFEE OR TEA."  SHE ASKED.  CEYDA SMILED, " I'LL TAKE A COFFEE, IF YOU DON'T MIND. "  SANEM LOOKED AT CAN, " AND FOR YOU MR. CAN? " SHE ASKED. HE QUESTIONED HER WITH HIS EYES, BUT REPLIED, " NO, I'M FINE, THANKS. HE WAS CONFUSED AT HER ACTIONS, SHE NORMALLY DIDN'T LEAVE CEYDA ALONE WITH HIM FOR A SECOND. THIS WAS UNLIKE HER....

SHE HURRIED TO MAKE HER COFFEE AND TO COMPOSE HERSELF.  CEYDA PUSHED ALL OF HER BUTTONS, MAKING HER FEEL INSECURE AND UNWORTHY.  SHE HATED THAT FEELING.................

SHE BROUGHT HER COFFEE LEAVING IT ON HIS DESK, THEN SHE EXCUSED HERSELF IMMEDIATELY  AND STARTED OUT WHEN CEYDA STOPPED HER. " OH SANEM, I UNDERSTAND YOU DEVELOPED THE CAMPAIGN FOR US, IS THAT RIGHT? "  SANEM NODDED, " YES, I DID, " SHE REPLIED. I HOPE YOU'RE HAPPY WITH IT. " MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH CEYDA.  " WELL, TANER IS THE ONE YOU HAVE TO IMPRESS FIRST,  AND FROM WHAT I HEAR YOU HAVE DONE JUST THAT, AND WITHOUT FAIL I MIGHT ADD." SHE REPLIED, WITH A HINT OF SARCASM IN HER VOICE........  

SANEM FELT HER FACE FILL WITH HEAT AND SHE WAS SURE HER EMBARRASSMENT WAS SHOWING. SHE COULD FEEL THE GLARE FROM CAN AS SHE SEARCHED FOR THE RIGHT WORDS TO SAY.  

CEYDA JUST SMILED,  LOOKING AT CAN......................