YES, LET'S JUST BE FRIENDS

CHAPTER SIX

CEYDA WAS ENJOYING THE UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION THAT SHE HAD PUT SANEM IN.  THE THOUGHT OF HER POSSESSING SUCH POWER OVER CAN AND HIS FEELINGS ANGERED HER. SHE HAD TRIED FOR WEEKS TO GAIN HIS ATTENTION. THE MANY VISITS TO HIS OFFICE AND THE NUMEROUS DINNER MEETINGS, HAD HER EXHAUSTED AND FRUSTRATED.  SANEM ALWAYS INTERRUPTED OR INVADED THEIR TIME TOGETHER.  TANER WOULD BE THE ONE PERSON TO BREAK THIS HOLD THAT SANEM HAD ON CAN.  THINKING BACK TO THE TIME WHEN TANER JOINED THEIR COMPANY. HE STARTED AS THEIR TOP MODEL FOR THE ADS, THEN MOVED TO THE CREATIVE SIDE. SHE HAD HIGH HOPES FOR HIM, AND DREAMED FOR A RELATIONSHIP TO DEVELOP.  BUT WHEN THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN,  SHE OPTED TO USE HIS GOOD LOOKS TO BETTER THEIR ODDS IN OBTAINING THE TOP AGENCIES TO WORK WITH.........THEN SHE SAW CAN DIVIT,  AND SET HER SIGHTS ON HIM, NO HOLDS BARRED.........

CAN SHOT CEYDA A DIRTY LOOK AND STARTED TO SPEAK  IN SANEMS' DEFENSE, BUT SANEM CUT HIM SHORT.  SANEM, IN A MOST PROFESSIONAL WAY, ASSURED HER THAT JUST THE FACT THAT HER AND TANER WERE OLD FRIENDS HAD NOT AND WOULD NOT INFLUENCE THE WORTHINESS OF THE CAMPAIGN.  SHE EXCUSED HERSELF AND LEFT THE ROOM.  CAN WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED, FOR SHE NEVER LEFT CEYDA ALONE WITH HIM FOR ANY LENGHT OF TIME.  THIS WAS A DIFFERENT SIDE OF SANEM, AND HE DIDN'T LIKE IT.  HOW WOULD HE BE ABLE TO REGAIN THE LOVE OF THE WOMAN THAT MEANT THE WORLD TO HIM.  HE FELT LIKE IS LIFE WAS FALLING APART....

SANEM WAS ANGRY AND UPSET THAT SHE HAD LET CEYDA GET TO HER. THE FACT THAT CAN WAS READY TO TAKE UP FOR HER AGAINST A TOP CLIENT HAD EASED HER EMBARRASSMENT A BIT. WOULD THE FACT THAT HER AND TANER WERE OLD FRIENDS SOMEHOW TAINT HER INVOLVEMENT ON THE CAMPAIGN? SHE HOPED IT WOULDN'T.........

AS SOON AS CEYDA WALTZED HER WAY OUT,  BEAMING WITH  SATISFACTION, CAN APPEARED AT HER DESK. " I'M SO SORRY SHE INSULTED YOUR WORK EHTICS LIKE THAT.  I WOULD HAVE SET HER STRAIGHT IF YOU HADN'T STOPPED ME. " HE SAID.  " IT'S FINE, AS LONG AS WE KNOW IT'S NOT TRUE, THATS' ALL THAT MATTERS." SHE REPLIED, LOOKING AT HIM. SHE CONNECTED WITH HIS EYES, THOSE EYES THAT ALWAYS MADE HER FEEL SAFE, AS IF HE ALWAYS HAD HER BACK..  THEY SMILED AT EACH OTHER, AND FOR A MINUTE THEY WERE BACK IN THEIR OWN PLACE, TOGETHER AND HAPPY.  

THEY BOTH JARRED THEMSELVES OUT OF THEIR FANTASY, BRINGING THEMSELVES BACK TO THE PRESENT. CAN GLANCED AROUND TO SEE IF ANYONE HAD BEEN LOOKING THEN HE QUICKLY WALKED BACK TO HIS OFFICE.  SITTING IN HIS CHAIR HE WAS FEELING THE EMOTION OF WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED. THERE HAD BEEN A CONNECTION, HE FELT IT, AS HE LET THE POSSIBILITY WANDER IN HIS MIND.  HE KNEW SHE HAD FELT TOO, JUST AS MUCH AS HE HAD......HE LET HIS ENTIRE MOOD CHANGED AS A SMILE CAME ACROSS HIS FACE....HE HAD HOPE.

IT WAS LATE IN THE AFTERNOON AND SANEMS' ENTHUSIASM WAS BEGINNING TO DISAPPEAR. SHE NEEDED  A BREAK SO SHE HEADED TO THE DRINK STATION. MAKING HERSELF A GLASS OF TEA, SHE LEANED AGAINST THE COUNTER. CLOSING HER EYES TO REST THEM. HIS VOICE STARTLED HER, "  MAY I JOIN YOU? " HE ASKED SOFTLY.  SHE JUMPED, ALMOST SPITTING HER TEA EVERYWHERE AND THEY BOTH LAUGHED. SHE POURED HIS TEA AND HANDED IT TO HIM.   "GRAB YOURS' AND LETS GO TO CONFERENCE ROOM. " HE SAID TIMIDLY.. SHE NODDED IN AGREEMENT AS THE HEADED THAT WAY. THEY SAT DOWN, SHE WAS CLEARLY AVOIDING HIS LOOKS, BUT SHE COULD FEEL THEM, AS SHE STARED OUT THE WINDOW.  HE SOAKED HER IN, EVERY INCH, SCANNING OVER HER LIKE IT MIGHT BE THE LAST TIME HE WOULD EVER SEE HER.......WHO WAS HE KIDDING, HE SAID TO HIMSELF, HE LOVED HER, HE LOVED HER FULLY AND WITH ALL HIS HEART.  NOT LIKE A FRIEND, IT HAD NEVER BEEN LIKE A FRIEND,  IT COULD NEVER BE LIKE A FRIEND......

SHE WAS FIRST TO BREAK THE SILENCE, " I THINK THE COMPASS SPORTS CAMPAIGN MAY BE THE BIGGEST FOR OUR COMPANY YET, DON'T YOU THINK? " SHE ASKED NERVOUSLY.  TOTALLY DISTRACTED WITH THE THOUGHTS IN HIS MIND, HE DIDN'T HEAR HER SPEAK.  " CAN, CAN. WHERE DID YOU GO? " SHE ASKED, WAVING HER HAND IN FRONT OF HIS FACE. HE SHIFTED IN HIS CHAIR, LOOKING AROUND, AS IF SHE MIGHT BE ABLE TO READ HIS WHAT WAS IN HIS MIND. " OH, SORRY, I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN,  YES, I AGREE, IT WILL BE RECORD BREAKING. " HE REPLIED HESITANTLY, NOT TAKING HIS EYES OFF OF HER.

" LISTEN, I HAVE AN IDEA." HE SPOKE ENTHUSIASTICALLY, " WHY DON'T WE GO TO THE MOUNTAIN CABIN TOMORROW. WE CAN SPEND ALL DAY THERE AND WE CAN WORK ON THE PROJECT TOGETHER. I'LL BUILD A FIRE AND COOK ON THE BRAZIER, YOU KNOW, LIKE BEFORE." HE SAID, PLEADING WITH HIS EYES.  HER HEART QUIVERED AT THE MERE THOUGHT OF IT,  BUT HER MIND REFUSED TO ENTERTAIN THE THOUGHT.  THIS WAS HARD ON BOTH OF THEM, BUT SHE KNEW HE HAD THOSE DREADED TRUST ISSUES AND SHE HAD THE FEAR OF HER HEART BEING CRUSHED AGAIN.  IT WAS TO SOON,...SO FOR NOW, THEY HAD TO BE JUST FRIENDS.....

" I'M SORRY CAN, " SHE SAID, " I HAVE PLANS FOR TOMORROW."  HIS HEART SANK DOWN TO THE DEEPEST DEPTHS. " OH, REALLY, ALL DAY? "  HE ASKED.  SHE SHOOK HER HEAD, " IT LOOKS LIKE IT. " SHE STATED, NOT ABLE TO MAKE EYE CONTACT.  "OK, WE'LL TRY ANOTHER DAY. " HE TOLD HER,  HIS VOICE DRIPPING WITH SADNESS...... SHE COULDN'T BEAR TO LOOK IN HIS FACE, SHE KNEW IT WOULD REFLECT ALL THE HURT SHE HAD HEARD IN HIS VOICE.  SHE CLOSED HER EYES, FEELING HER HEART BREAK JUST A LITTE MORE. IF ONLY THINGS WERE DIFFERENT, HE ONLY HE COULD TRUST HER LIKE BEFORE........HER SOUL ACHED FOR THEM...

GULIZE BOUNDED INTO THE CONFERENCE ROOM CARRYING A LARGE AMOUNT OF FLOWERS.       " SANEM,"  SHE SHRIEKED, " LOOK, AREN'T THEY BEAUTIFUL.  THESE CAME FOR YOU. "  SANEM GASPED, " FOR ME, ALL OF THEM, ARE YOU SURE?"   THERE WAS A EXTRA LARGE BOUQUET OF ASSORTED WILDFLOWERS, ALL HER FAVORITES,  AND A BOUQUET OF ROSES, 2 DOZEN TO BE EXACT.  HOT PINK AND YELLOW ROSES, THEY WERE GORGEOUS.  HER AND GULIZE BOTH SQUEALED WITH DELIGHT, DOING A LITTLE HAPPY DANCE.  SHE FOUND THE CARDS ATTACHED AND THEY BOTH READ IT SILENTLY,  GULIZE SQUEALED AS SHE READ  OVER SANEMS SHOULDER, SWOONING AT THE MESSAGES. 

CANS' MIND WAS SWIRLING AND HIS HEART BEAT SO HARD IT HURT, AS HE WATCHED THEM. THIS IS TOO MUCH, HE THOUGHT,  I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.  HE STOOD UP QUICKLY AND SHOVED HIS CHAIR ACROSS THE ROOM, LETTING IT CRASH AGAINST THE WALL. HE GLARED DIRECTLY INTO SANEMS EYES AND THEN STORMED OUT OF THE ROOM AND STRAIGHT TO THE FRONT DOOR.   

GULIZE QUICKLY LEFT THE ROOM, LEAVING SANEM THERE STUNNED AT CANS ACTIONS.  SHE HATED WHAT WAS HAPPENING, BUT IT WAS UP TO HIM TO DECIDE IF HE COULD  TRUST HER AGAIN.  BEING JEALOUS WOULDN'T BE ENOUGH.

SHE WOULD KEEP MOVING FORWARD UNTIL CAN MADE HIS DECISION TO TRUST HER AGAIN, AND TO FORGIVE HER.....