levibecker

[levibecker]

Levi’s brows furrowed, his arm now hanging limp over the vehicle’s mid-section, intent gaze remaining sharply fixated on the road before them. If anything, she could direct them when they approached her residence. Hearing no immediate response, his peripheral caught a fleeting glimpse of Selin’s expression, seemingly consumed within profound thought. One readily recalled on his part as well. Lost amidst a distant memory. 

With a sole nod, his jaw rigidly fastened itself. The brunette’s razor-edged words cut through the space between the front seats. There wasn’t any limit to whatever low strike sounded best to her. — Our similar meeting schedules will help arrange getting your car back to you. That’s what I was getting at.” At the same time, he couldn’t help passing the time by ruminating over what business she herself regularly dealt with. 

The last thing he’d need would be for any unexpected mishap happening until returning her vehicle the next day. She’d already expected a tight deadline. “Where do you want me leaving them?” Better that Selin gave him an exact location. Or that could've been a trick question.“If you have a doormat at your place, I can slide them under there and knock? That way, you won’t have to see me and you’ll know when they’re there.” At least, the proposition sounded like an ideal scenario that she wouldn't have an issue with approving. And would prefer.

Selin didn't expect for him to know the ins and out of her life. Maybe that would have livened up the car ride a little more— switching from ways in which she could have him steer off the road and blame his death on an accident to being afraid for her life. But she expected at least a guess as to what neighbourhood she lived in. Any guess at all would have been received better than silence.

"Really?" She hummed in the direction of his arm. It wasn't so much that she had to touch him that had her hesitating but how the action of writing on a man's arm reminder her of one of the last times she'd been with her brother. He'd come to the bar she was bartending at and she'd poked fun at him all night for the various numbers on his forearm once he explained that his phone was misplaced during his time making out with a girl. Even to this day, she was sure the tale was twisted to hide the fact he'd had his phone stolen.

"Good for you," Selin said with a pointed glance in his direction. "Do you want a medal for working? If you're searching for some kind of common ground, you won't find any." Selin almost winced at the bite behind her words but then remembered that she owed him nothing. He owed her more than he could ever repay because he'd taken everything from her family— her father who'd lost his only son. "Where are you going to leave my keys? We'll have a bigger problem if my car gets stolen from my parking lot tomorrow."

[levibecker]

How are you feeling?

I won’t play your psychological games

[levibecker]

Letting the weighted reveal settle in the silence that fell, Levi’s mouth pursed, gaze narrowing downwards on the opened documents, faintly illuminated from above by the workbench’s sole lamp. Giving Enzo the necessary pause, he realized how heavy admitting those devastating reasonings must have been. Truthfully, the uninhibited honesty was admirable. Something to take note of himself. 

“Yeah.” Levi gave a, slow acknowledged nod, tone rasping in a profound manner. “I meant what I said. You were doing what you could…you had to.” Grappling with his mother’s medical setbacks called for any, all extenuating measures. No matter the cost. “— You really thought I’d quit because of it?” Returning the loyalty Enzo had trusted with him mattered most. 

His calculated expression drew a dazed blank once more as the other man proceeded. Adding additional fuel to the fire. “— Shit…and you had no idea? That your name wasn’t the only one on the deed?..” The garage was his friend’s life and passion. “Have you had talks with the buyer at all yourself?..if there’s something I can do..” If anything, he could set leveraging with the suit into motion. 

Levi’s voice landed softer than expected. Easy and understanding, rather than full of judgment or questions Enzo wasn’t ready to answer. As the tension eased from his chest, the man exhaled a slow and steady breath. On one hand, Enzo was relieved, but the other was surprisingly touched after spending years convincing himself that nobody would actually care.

“Thanks man,” he said quietly, his gaze lifting to meet Levi's with a look of genuinity. “I appreciate that more than you know.” And he did. Over the years, Levi had become someone Enzo could count on. As more than just an accountant, but a friend. And as much as he didn't want the man involved in any of his dirty work, there was at least a piece of him that thought he might understand.

“Wanna know the worst part? I recently found out my brother's name is on the deed to this place, and he's considering selling. Apparently some business man has been sniffing around and he's offering a pretty penny. There are days I think about taking a buyout on the shop. Letting it all go, just to make the bleeding stop. But then what?” He paused, gaze drifting toward the rows of tools on the wall, “Find work elsewhere? This place... it’s the only thing that's ever felt like mine. And I’m not sure I’d know who I was without it.”

[levibecker]

“I might be biased, but you found one of the best places for that.” No better refuge with an ideal view when the mind wouldn’t quit spinning on end. Seemed as if the brunette had a similar predicament. “Haven’t decided yet? Not that you can go wrong with any of them along the beachfront over there..” Those immaculately paved tourist neighborhoods were also better for running routes in the off season. “Can attest to that too. The boardwalk crowds forget how to walk most of the time anyway.” A light scoff left his chest. “Exactly why it pays having these spots in mind.”

Levi’s tall frame leaned itself against an adjacent coastal rock, the wind gusting from the shore offering a reprieve. “You say you don’t have a beach back where you’re from? Couldn’t tell.” With a casual shrug, an amused grin hinted at his lips, considering the unexpected company making herself comfortable among the sand. “Maybe we should. I guess anywhere near a beach does, but yeah, it gets busy. I have to say, ‘technically a tourist’ is a new one I don’t think I’ve heard before..” Not that he was one that pried either. Hated it himself.

Waving off the apology, his running shoe unsuccessfully sunk in place, a stark contrast to the woman being prepared with appropriate sandals. “— You didn’t. I needed away from up there anyway.” Levi’s head motioned upward towards the pier once more. 

"Oh, no, I was actually just viewing a rental down on the beach front and thought I'd come for a walk to clear my head." The idea that she was even considering a rental when she had expected her trip to Briar Ridge would only be a day was still messing with her mind. "I don't really get to go to the beach back home so it's kind of become my place to think but it's too busy down by the boardwalk."

Nodding, Jiya reached down to slip her sandals off of her feet before finding a flat rock that looked relatively sand free. Sitting down, she pushed her feet into the sand before placing her sandals by her side. "I kind of wish we could rope this part off. I mean, I technically am a tourist, I guess, so I probably shouldn't complain too much, but I assume this place gets pretty busy when summer really hits?"

Resting her hands behind her on the rock, Jiya leaned back a little to let the sun hit her face. It made a nice difference to the sun only hitting her when she moved between building walking down Park Avenue. "Sorry if I've disturbed you, I can definitely go and find a spot further up the beach if you want to be alone."

[levibecker]

have you ever gone skinny dipping before?

"Have. And highly recommend."

[levibecker]

A sex tape just appeared in your hands... and you get to watch! Who would you not mind seeing in action?

“Welcome to the future, everyone. Sex tapes are now appearing out of thin air before flying cars. I blame Civan, he’s probably leaking them out of hospital servers.”  ➝ @civanguneri

[levibecker]

What makes Nia different from everyone else in your life?

“I think you mean, what doesn’t make her shine? She’s smart, beautiful beyond belief, sees me for who I am, and still wants to stick around. She knows me in ways that haven't even crossed my mind..wouldn’t waste a second defending me for anything either. Not a shock we make walls shake wherever we are. — I realize someone like her is one in a million.”  ➝ @niaxbailey

[levibecker]

👐 biggest regret?

“Answering ‘honest' questions’?” Being the reason why my brother isn’t here anymore.

[levibecker]

👐 favorite 3 people?

"Nia, goes without saying. My cousin, Wes. He’s cool, doesn’t judge that I’m country-challenged either. And Enzo, we've got each other's backs." ➝ @niaxbailey, @wesparkcr, @enzoadeluca

[levibecker]

👐 what's something you wish you could get advice on in your life right now?

"— How not to fuck up something good?"

[levibecker]

so how do you feel about those yilmaz sisters now???

“First off, if I were you, I wouldn’t go around calling them ‘those Yilmaz sisters.’ All I know is Selin would still leave me for dead. She has the right. Leyla? There may be a slighter less chance now. Not that I'm betting all in on that.." ➝ @selinymaz, @leylayilmz

[levibecker]

what do you wish more people knew about you?

“Why would I want 'more people' knowing anything? I don't. They'd have to be trusted first, which usually isn't easy."

[levibecker]

👐 snog, marry, pie: leyla, enzo, civan

“Even if I was the last person left on earth, I doubt Leyla’s snogging me?..marry Enzo, he’s the only one on this list that’d tolerate it. Pie Civan, might as well add to the drink stain Nia already made to his shirt on New Year's." ➝ @leylayilmz, @enzoadeluca, @civanguneri

[levibecker]

👐 Are you and Leyla cool now?

“We've made..progress, more than I thought was possible. Maybe not as many apartment building screaming matches as before..pretty sure I can now at least walk freely into Everything Goes too, so there's that. She doesn't have to be 'cool' with me at all though, that's her choice." ➝ @leylayilmz

[levibecker]

Have you committed a crime?

" —  Is this the FBI doing stalking rounds or what?"

[levibecker]

👐 something you'd like to say to your brother?

“Loaded question…there’s..a lot I would’ve wanted to say…and it probably still wouldn’t have been enough. — I would tell him if I could turn back time, change everything, I’d do it in an instant so we could keep fixing what all made us grow apart. He wanted that..I made the effort too late. I don’t have any other choice except to live with that every day now. Bottom line, it shouldn’t have been him..” 

[levibecker]

If you could have a ONS with anyone, no consequences, just for pure fun, who are your top three? 😉

“You all really do have one track minds, don't you? Not in the market for one, anyway. Pass.”