New Leaf

Chapter 16

Burak POV

***

This morning I went to the company and checked the work process, making sure everything is on schedule, once I finished my tour I went to my father's secretary and asked her to send me the guest list of the announcement party.

Now I'm sitting in my study reviewing the guest that she sent to me by email hoping to find my mystery girl, I don't know her name but since her bracelet has the letter (Y) on it I'm guessing it start with that letter. Much to my hopeful attitude I haven't found any name starts with the letter (Y) and I was losing hope when I heard the front door ring, I walked out of my study towards the front door to open it.

I wasn't expecting anyone but again none that I know announce their coming, they just drop by. I open the door and a smile find it's way onto my face, it was my best friend (Alp) I hugged him without notice 

"God I miss you" I said after letting go of him, I invite him in

"You asked for my presence so I came on the first flight" He said while sitting on the couch in the living room

"I thought you might take couple of days before you come" I tell him

"Drop that act and tell me what's wrong" He say

"You know about that girl that I met at the party" I said and he nods before I continue "well I asked the organizer for the guest list hoping to find her"

"Okay, and what happened? " He asked

"I don't know her name but according to her bracelet I thought that her name starts with the letter (J) but none of the names on that list starts with the letter (Y)" I finish

"Well she doesn't have to be invited directly maybe she is a plus one or something" He say

"Very logical, so what I'm supposed to do now? Call all the people on that guest list and ask for the names of their plus ones in order to find her" I sigh

"It's been a while since that party, it's not a good step to take now" He say before continuing "we'll think of something"

"Wana go out for dinner or order in?" I ask him 

"Order in I'm just tired from the flight" He answer

"Okay, what do you want? Pizza, Chinese, Italian, barbecue or fast food? " I ask him while going through the food app on my phone

"Pizza and beer sound nice" He say

"Perfect, I'll order while you take a shower and change" I tell him and he nods before grabbing his bag and heading towards the guest room, I ordered two large pepperoni pizzas. 

---

Halfway through the second pizza and four cans of beer later "I have an idea" Alp suddenly say after taking I bite

"What is it?" I ask him after taking a sip from the beer can

"You met her at a company party, we know she isn't an employee at the party so she must know someone from the company" He say

"Yes were are you heading at?" I ask him confused

"The answer is really simple" He say while finishing his pizza slice

"What is it?" I ask not seeing his point

"Throw another party" He say throwing his hands in the air

"What?" I exclaim

"Throw another company related party and invite the same guest list while allowing them to bring plus one or two whatever, this way the same people who brought her the first time will bring her this time. I know it's a long shot but hey it's at least a shot" He finishes making me think about this idea, "well what do you think?" He asks after moments of silence

"Well it's not a bad idea considering that I do have to throw a party for the company's anniversary, you are right it's a long shot but it might be my only way" I say

"Well if you didn't find her, at least this time you can call all the guest list and ask them if they came with someone with a letter (Y) or if they know anything about the bracelet" He say before grabbing the last pizza piece, I nod my head agreeing with him

"What do I have to lose" I murmur to myself "I have to find a location, call the organizers and tell my father" I say while grabbing my phone and dialing my father's number

---

Few minutes later I close the phone and sigh before grabbing a bottle of scotch and two glasses from my study and head back to the living room, I sit on the couch next to Alp and pour the two glaces before gulping mine in one sip and pour another one

"What happened?" He asks watching me gulping down my second glass

"I talked to my dad and he liked the idea" I said pouring the third glass

"And... " He urge me to continue, I gulp down the third glass before slamming it back on the coffee table and turn my head to face him

"And he wants me to ask Iz for her help, since she is my partner and all" I say waving my hands in frustration

"Okay so what's wrong with that?" He ask with a pure confusion look on his face

"I don't like her" I exclaimed shrugging my shoulders, he laughed at me before taking a sip of his glass shaking his head "what?" I ask him

"You know that's not true" he say looking straight at my eyes as if saying cut the crap I know the truth

"Okay you're right I don't hate her" I admit and he nods before I continue "but I don't necessarily like her, she just pushes my buttons whenever she is in the same room as me. She is annoying,  I can't stand her and by the way she is the one that hates me" I finish my blabber pointing my finger in his face and raising an eyebrow 

"Well I don't know her personally but what you've told me about her, I can honestly say that she doesn't hate you either. She just can't stand you their is a big difference" he say totally convinced of his choice of words

"Wow, that makes me feel better" I say sarcastically making him chuckle

"What I mean is that she sees you the same way you see her, if you are saying she is annoying believe me she thinks the same thing about you. If she pushes your buttons, you are doing the same to her. But from your descriptions I can sense that she is a kind heated girl, brave for standing to you. Few have the ability to do that you know" he said finishing his glass and pouring himself another while ignoring my death glares 

"It's not that I just don't like to have to answer to anyone or explain my actions, you know that about me and that's what I loved most about my job. But my dad went back into my life and messed with the perfect arrangement, I was happy and satisfied before he dumped this project on me" I say angrily 

"Don't try to kid yourself, you weren't happy nor satisfied with what you had. You always create these walls and defenses around you not letting anyone close enough, pushing everyone who dared to care about you miles away. I'm even surprised that you are doing all this to find this girl, that is not you and if you want my opinion I'd say stop chasing that mysterious girl and focus on what's in front of you" he snap back

"What's in front of me? Who are you talking about?" I ask confused

"All I'm saying is be careful with the way you act around Iz" he say

"Why are you on her side? You don't even know her! You are my friend, and you are supposed to be on my side not hers" I whine like a little kid

"I'm not on her side as a matter of fact I'm on yours, always have and always will be. But you can't expect me not to tell you the things the way they are, you push everyone away and if someone dared to come close to you they end-up devastated. I know you and I've seen that happen for years with you, it's a pattern that you need to break in order to heal properly. Now I don't know if she is the right girl for you but I know that your dad had his reasons when he chose her and I support his decision" he finishes before gulping down his drink

I fell silent for few minutes taking in what he just said, even though I don't want to admit it to myself but I know deep down that he was right with every word he said about me. But as I just said I'm not ready for that kind of confrontation between me and my past, I felt myself getting sucked back to the deepest and darkest places of my mind 'I have to change the subject, I can't let myself be drowned into that place again' I tell myself and try to compose myself as much as I can before I say

"Change of subject, we have to decide on a venue for the party. It has to be a big space to take in the large number of guests, it has to be an indoor space as well because of the cold weather and it might even rain" I say happy that Alp didn't push the matter any further, I start to think hard about the perfect place before something clicks in my mind and say "what about our farm house, we can use the barn. It's big enough and it would be great" I say starting to visualize the place in my mind

He nods his head while saying "yeah I remember it, your family used to host parties in that barn when we were kids. We had lots of fun over there going up" he say lost in his memories

I can't let him drag me again down that road, I cough before saying "great now that is settled" I exclaim clapping my hands and continue "I have to talk to her tomorrow and take her to see the place before starting the preparations. The company's anniversary is in few days" I say cutting off the memory lane that Alp tried to take me through

"I'll go sleep now I'm tires, see you tomorrow" he said before standing up from the couch

"Good night" I say while standing up from the couch and taking the empty glasses to the kitchen

"Good night" he answers back while heading towards the guest room and me heading to my room as well, I strip off of my clothes leaving only my boxer on and throw my body on the bed trying to sleep. I toss and turn for I don't know how long before I got tired and start to feel my eyelids get heavy, welcoming the dreamless sleep.

***

I heard yelling coming from outside my room, I remove the covers off of me and climb off the bed heading for the bedroom door. I open it quietly and crawl towards the voices, I see my parents standing in the corridor near the head of the stairs arguing. I sneak to the side hiding myself from their view, I notice a bag sitting at the head of the stairs forgot while their voices keeps on getting higher and higher.

My mother turned her back to my father heading away from my father when I heard her say "I'm taking Burak with me, I'm not going to allow you to make him become like you" she spat over her shoulder only to be dragged back away from my room and towards the stairs

"I won't let you take him, I won't allow you see him again. You want to go you are free to leave but don't you think you can take my son away from me" he yell in her face 

"I'll file for full custody and take him" she challenge him only for her to fuel his anger more, I suddenly see my father raise his hand and hit my mother making her lose her balance and take few steps back towards the handrail holding her body. She balance herself back on her feet before looking back at my father with her shocked face, I put my hands over my mouth containing the gasp that escaped my mouth at the scene I just witnessed 

"Don't forget your place" my father spat taking couple steps towards my mother and she took two steps back away from him, when he raise his hand yet again to hit her when she steps backwards and lose her balance

"AHHHHHH" a splitting scream cut through her while my father throw himself after her trying to catch her screaming "LALE" 

"MOOOOM" I scream and run towards her, I see her body roll down the stairs and my father following her. I climb down the stairs towards my mother's body she was in a middle of a pool of her own blood, I nudge her shoulder sobbing "mom, mom" but I don't get any answers from her when I heard a painful moan come from my father, I headed towards the phone and called the police before returning back to my mother's side. I put her head on my lap caressing her hair while sobbing and erging her to wake up and answer me

"Mom please wake up, please" I say, before I notice her flicker her eyes open making me smile 

"Be safe my baby I love you" she say with a beautiful smile on her face and love shown in her eyes before they close again

"Mom" I say shaking her body hard "MOM" I scream when I feel someone caries me away from my mother's body "MOOOOOOOOM, NO LEAVE ME" I scream while kicking trying to run back to my mother

***

"mom" I scream sitting up, breathing hard. My heart beating fast inside my chest, I look around me only to find myself in my bed sweating from the nightmare I just had. Only I know it wasn't a nightmare but a memory I buried it deep inside my mind for years.