Silhouettes: Chapter 16

Welcome back!

I know tough trial.

Let's dive straight in.

Chapter 16: About Us.

It was dark.

I laid down on the hard floor, eyes closed, with her pressed into my heart.

The clock kept ticking with each breath that I took. They were in sync.  

I thought I would lay there for as long as time allows, till the morning sun.

But the first Fajir Namaz came in filling my room and ears, and snapping me back into reality.

The trial was today!

In a few hours to be exact.

I sat up, with the frame still pressed against my chest. I moved the picture slightly away, enabling myself to look down at it. 

I looked at her face, now illuminated by the street lamp post outside my window. I stared into her eyes. Her blue eyes are my ocean, my home.

I rotated my body around, facing my bedside table. I placed the frame on the table. I turned on my bedside lamp, then sat cross legged in front of her.

I dropped my hands into my lap then sighed as I looked at her "Tell me what to do?!"

I closed my eyes and imagined what she would advice me to do.

I opened my eyes after a few minutes" Evet*, it is what suits your Niko." I finally said smiling to her.

 I grabbed my phone as I stood up then turned my phone on.

"I don't expect to find much, ama worth the try." I whispered looking at the frame.

4:30

I let out a nervous laugh as I typed her full name.

"58 results back, ama we will find our lawyer." I said winking at the gorgeous lady in the broken frame.

I kept looking for a lawyer among them. 

"Finally! Çok şükür*, it is public profile."

4:58

She had an Instagram page. She had a few pictures in there, I scrolled down into her older posts, smiling to myself.

"She is nice looking don't you think?!" I asked her.

She had one in a library with her friends, one girl and two male friends.

"She is …….' I looked up at the frame 'Oh don't give me that look."

"You are right not the time to be stalking." I said looking at her before sitting down on the floor leaning back against my bed.

I found a picture of a beach that looked familiar to me. I clicked on it. Luckily it didn't have much likes or comments. One commented on the picture "I wish I was there with you."

It was of a girl. 

Bingo!

5:10

I clicked on her account.

Unlike her friend, this lady shared a lot. Personal photos, her pets, she was a little celebrity.

I kept scrolling until I found a recent one of my lawyer and she. I clicked on it and the comment under it said 'Finally! She moved in with me. #CollegeDream #DreamsCanComeTrue'

I shrugged as I kept scrolling down. 

The second Fajir Namaz came. 

Hadi* Luka will wake up now.

Luka was more religious than I am, which meant he will take me to pray our Dawn prayers. 

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH" I let out a scream when his alarm rang.

"Ouuuufffff Luka ouuuffff." I whispered shaking my head.

Hadi, Hadi, Hadi

I kept scrolling down and looking things up.

5:30

I heard faint noises outside my room, announcing that he indeed did wake up.

After some time I found it, her address. When she first moved in she posted her location.

I told you she shared too much!

I picked up the photo, opened the drawer, and then kissed her. I smiled at her and traced her smile with my hand before pushing the drawer.

"Seni çok, çok seviyorum. Çok.*" I whispered before walking away.

I washed up, changed, and waited for Luka to go to our prayers.

When he was wearing his shoes, I slyly grabbed my car keys.

"Why are you wearing you gym clothes?!" He asked me when we made our way down the hallway to the elevator.

I shrugged then said "I thought I would exercise, clear up my head."

"Did you manage to sleep well?!" He asked, his eyes observing me closely.

"Yes I did, just fine." I replied back, smiling.

"I don't know how you manage to exercise this early in the morning?!"

"Well, you should consider doing that yourself. Look at you! If you kept going like this' the elevator door opened as I added rubbing his belly 'Nur wont take you."

I sprinted out the elevator as he ran behind me. 

"Catch me if you can. Oğlum* you need to diet and exercise." I shouted back, laughing till reaching the building entrance.

When Luka finally reached me, he grabbed my neck down with his arm and said "TAKE IT BACK SKINNY BOY."

"HAYIR*. YOU ARE FAT."

We gained a few annoyed stares from people walking by us.

We started to laugh at their expressions in unison.

"NE?!* Want a piece?!" I said as I pushed my body forward at an old man.

"Niko. Hadi. Yeter* for one day." Luka said, pulling me away.

We started our walk under the dark skies.

When the prayers was over we walked back, then took our separate ways.

I walked away from the building, my usual route. I waited around the corner till Luka disappeared around the corner.

Luckily, I had my car parked in the basement parking of my apartment.

I started my car and started driving.

The streets were empty so I decided to  take the longer route, on Istanbul's magnificent seaside.

I rolled the windows down to enjoy my ride. 

The sun broke over the horizon, announcing the start of a new day.

I looked at the brown paper folder next to me.

"You are doing the right thing Niko. You are." I said nodding to myself.

*

When I got back I kept myself busy with the making breakfast, calling Hayat Teyze*, and discussing the trial with Luka.

I made sure my mind was fully occupied.

Anything to keep the memories of last night away, really.

*

I stood outside the courtroom. 

I have been a high this morning, but slowly that began to fade as memories of my night started to fog me up.

"Günaydın.*" Someone said behind me.

I nodded back out of courtesy.

I think it was someone I knew from somewhere.

I wasn't sure.

Because all that was before my eyesight was that wet beaten up boy.

I turned around trying to calm myself as I started my routine.

"1,2,3,4,5....." 

It wasn't working.

His screams filled my ears.

They rang into my ears till it filled me up.

'FILTHY BOY'

'WORTHLESS'

I shut my eyes tight, fisting my shaky hands.

"Niko" a familiar voice called upon me, arousing me from that nightmare that I couldn't really ever wake up from.

I opened my eyes and turned around, it was my friend, my brother, my armour Luka.

"Are you okay?!" He asked me when he approached me.

I nodded back.

He stood next to me, like he always did in life waiting for my trial.

"I will go to the washroom for a second." I whispered into his ear.

*

The bathroom was deserted with only the wet faced ghost looking back at me. 

I grabbed the sink's rim hard, my nails turning white.

Who is this man?! 

"I didn't even know you." I breathed against the mirror, fogging it up.

I loosened my grip and leaned down against the sink. I pushed my hair back with my wet hands. Then tugged hard at my hair.

You are fine.

You are fine.

YOU ARE FINE NIKOLA GJOKA

I swayed my head back as I gulped my emotions.

"You are fine." I whispered.

I pulled my phone and stared at the home screen.

It was the same photo, the same eyes.

"You are with me right?!" I told her.

I let out an exhale as I looked at myself.

"I did the right thing, I know I did. I did what suits your Niko."

I smiled down at her before at last walking out, to my trial.

*

So I pulled the idiot that's my client out of the courtroom. I took him to closest empty room.

"I WON'T LET HER WIN I WILL NOT.' HE STARTED SHOUTING 'DO YOUR DAMN JOB!"

"I am" I replied calmly.

"HOW DID SHE REMEMBER THAT DOCUMENT?! DAMN IT"

"I DONT KNOW"

"YOU CALL YOURSELF A LAWYER."

I turned my back to him trying control myself.

"YOU ARE A LOUSY LAWYER. MONEY HUNGRY IDIOT."

And I snapped.

Next thing I was holding him against the wall by his collars. I looked him dead in the eyes "DONT SHOUT AT ME. I came into this case thinking it was a simple divorce."

I pushed his body against the wall pointing one finger at him "YOU SAID YOU NEVER CHEATED. BUT I KNOW FOR A FACT YOU DID. HOW YOU MANAGED TO HIDE THAT IS OUT OF ME.YOU CHEATED, HID THAT DOCUMENT. AND NOW YOU ARE BLAMING ME! YOU CAN ONLY BLAME YOURSELF FOR THAT...………."

The door opened, a man walked in looking at us petrified.

"*Hoşgeldiniz*" I welcomed the terrified man at the door. I removed my hands from Ali's collars.

I started to adjust his suit then his tie. I tightened it as I leaned up on him smiling to whisper "Don't dare shout again. You have no idea who you are messing with. I can wreck you and oh boy you have no idea what I can do, in court and outside court." 

I leaned back and said loudly winking at Ali "Ali cem you need to learn how to fix your own ties."

Ali looked at me wanting to reply, but I shock my head at him grinning.

I patted his shoulders before opening the door for him "Buyrun*, my dearest client."

*

1:55

"I cannot believe that!" Luka exclaimed as we walked out of court. I still had my arm around my friend's neck.

"Nice weather!" I said as I looked up at the skies above us.

"What?!" Luka asked puzzled.

"But the sun is too hot today, don't you think?!" 

He gave me a suspicious look.

"Tamam Luka I am angry as well, but what can we do. The idiot signed a document."

"You?! Out of all people saying this!"

"What shall I do?!" 

I looked right then left before crossing the little road to the other side, leaving Luka behind me.

"Luka drive, tamam." I said turning around to him.

He nodded as he let out a loud breath. 

2:02

At last, we reached the car. Luka got into the driver's seat, while I placed my briefcase and robes in the back passenger seat. 

I took off my suit's jacket and necktie then bent down to place it next above my folded robes.

Luka said "I just don't understand how she got that document. *Nasil?! Do you think Meryem remembered it after while?!"

I stood up then slammed the door, before climbing into my own seat. I fastened my seat belt as I let out a long audible sigh "I don't know Luka. Stop asking me questions I cannot answer."

2:08

He started the car and the car started moving. We got off to the main road.

Luka had his right hand on the driving wheel, while his left was laying over the window armrest.

2:15

We stopped at a red light when Luka shouted "AMA ABI.*", startling me. 

"LUKAAAAA!!!!"

"Pardon, Nikola Bey*, your ears are too sensetive.' he said mocking me 'I just don't get this. Nasil?!" he sighed as the car started to move again.

"What do you want Luka?! Yes I hate losing, ama what shall i do?! Allah kahretsin* I never wanted to lose."

I started banging my hand against the car's door as I started shouting "EVET, I HATE LOSING. TAMAM. I HATE IT. OLDU MU* LUKA?!!"

"Tamam. I didn't mean that I am just confused." He said quietly, regretting how he sat me off.

"Can't you see I am trying to distract us from the case?! BOTH OF US. Please Luka just drop it." I responded sighing.

I was trying to be alright.

I am fine with losing to her.

It was my choice.

I AM FINE.

2:30

We moved into the highway.

He started to bite into his nails, a habit of his he took with him from his childhood.

"Let's put on some music. How about our childhood playlist?!" I suggested as I searched my phone. 

"How about...." and I started playing it.

I turned the volume up, as far as it went as I started singing "ALL I WANNA SAY IS THAT THEY DONT CARE ABOUT US"

"OH-AUUHHHH. HADI LUKA" I asked him to join me, as I started dancing.

We started shout-singing together with our terrible voices.

I rolled down the window, unfastened the seat belt, then hanged my body over the window's edge.

I spread my wings open as I shouted "ALL I WANNA SAY IS THAT THEY DONT CARE ABOUT US"

*

"Buk, buk" Luka said displaying the famous MJ moonwalking.
Well he calls it dancing, I call it 'uncoordinated cow trying to dance'.
We were parked at the side of the road, we looked hilarious with Luka trying to dance.

"HAHAHAHA' I started laughing at him 'Bu neye*?! Allah askina*"

I pulled him in placing an arm around his arm, then crossed the road.
We reached the other side of the busy street.
Yeah Luka was dancing in public, on the side of Istanbul's traffic.

"If you are my brother, why are you shorter than I?!" I asked him teasingly

"HUH! Çok komik*. You remember when we used to ask Annem* that?!"

"We drove her crazy." I said back grinning at the memory.

Luka was only a few inches shorter than I, but I am taller than like everyone.

"Ama as my man Michael said 'IT DOESNT MATTER IF YOU AER BLACK OR WHITE' It doesn't matter if you are taller or I am shorter."

"Your man?!" I said pushing him away from me.

He cracked a loud laugh then started to sing "Beat me, hate me
You can never break me"

Then I went to join him as we walked up into my office.

*

"Did we win?!' Nur asked excited 'I knew it!."

Luka and I started to laugh at her.

"She said win, didn't she?!"

No one would blame her for making that assumption, looking at how we were behaving and singing.

"We didn't?!" She asked confused.

I gave a look Luka that said 'deal with her'
Then announced to them "I will be in my office. Bye, bye."

I turned around and started to walk to my office as that plastered smile abandoned me.

But they didn't notice it, çok şükür*.

No one ever does.

I walked into my office and swayed the door behind me.

I waited to hear it close shut but it didn't. Instead I heard some rushed footsteps walking into my office.

I smirked as I turned around looking at Nur standing at the door.

"Affedersiniz* but I couldn't stop her." Nur said apologetically.

I held out a hand to Nur "Biliyorum.* I wont be taking any calls, thank you Nur."

Nur finally closed the door behind her.

I looked down at her.

Into her wild eyes "Hoşgeldiniz Janu.*"

-------------------------------------
TURKISH WORDS

Evet*                                           -yes
çok şükür*                                   -thank God 
Hadi*                                           -come on
Seni çok çok seviyorum Çok*     -i love you alot
Oğlum*                                        -son
HAYIR*                                       -no

NE*                                              -what

Yeter*                                           -enough
Hayat Teyze*                               -aunt hayat
Buyrun*                                       -go ahead
Nasil*                                           -how

AMA ABI.*                                 -but brother
Nikola Bey*                                 -Mr nikola

Hoşgeldiniz*                                -welcome
OLDU MU*                                 -its ok
Bu neye*                                      -what is this
askina*                                         -the reason
Çok komik*                                  -very funny
 Annem*                                       -mother
Affedersiniz*                               -excuse me
Biliyorum*                                  -i know

The end!