verdadurmaz

[verdadurmaz]

MELISA ASLI PAMUK |  Scotoe

[verdadurmaz]

Verda took pleasure in the male's response, a fact shown by the cheshire grin she wore and the glimmer in her gaze. It was the most entertainment she'd gotten since arriving, though truth be told, her own curiosity had gotten the best of her. "Sorry, I need to know what I'm contributing to," she countered in a sing song tune. She held the pen close to her, brows furrowing as the distance between them grew smaller. As every word rolled smoothly off his tongue, she followed along, gaze fixated on the hot chick in question. When he finished, she pulled back, gaze dropping to his hand for a moment before she contemplated handing off the pen.

"If I'm handing this over, then I'm helping you write that," she offered, chin nodding towards the napkin he'd been working on. Without another word, Verda leaned over the counter once more and swiped a fresh stack of napkins before she settled back in place. "First off, stack them. The pen is going to go straight through that if you keep trying to only use one." She held out the pen once more, but pulled it back as she spoke again. "And try not to use lame lines. If you're doing this, it has to be done right, okay?"

@sebvora

Sebastian looked down at the single, shredded up napkin in front of him with furrowed brows, clearly skeptical of the other’s advice until he reached over and grabbed another small bundle from the bartender’s pile. He was still fully convinced it was the pen that was the issue — did he look like someone that wrote love notes often enough to know this stuff, anyway? — but he supposed there wasn’t any harm in trying. He put a few together, crumpling up the old one and discarding it in a similar fashion to the aforementioned ‘broken’ pen and held out his hand to grab the new one from her. “Thanks. This one better —” he stopped speaking abruptly as he felt the pen only graze his fingertips, having it pulled back from him before he could fully grab onto it. “Heeey.” It came out like a disappointed whine, brown eyes snapping up from the table to look at her once more. There was a moment of consideration before he sighed and leaned in a little closer, explaining in a whisper. “You see that chick over there? In the skirt and the pink sunglasses? She’s like, hot as fuck, so . . . I’m tryin’ to write up this note and, like, slide it over to her friends or something. I’m sure she knows she’s hot, ‘cause girls like that don’t not know, you know? But all those stupid love movies always have the dude writing up this fancy love letter to let the girl know she’s dope or whatever, so — figured I’d see if that’ll work, like, IRL. She seems like she watches movies and shit.” He held out his palm expectantly, like he was waiting for her to place the pen in his hand as payment for his explanation. He even wiggled his fingers a little, to let her know that he really needed that pen.

( @verdadurmaz )

[verdadurmaz]

Zeppelin was a lot of things, but aggressive (outside of aggressively loving) wasn't one of them. Verda nodded, her gaze bouncing between the content pup and the man who'd gone out of his way to show him affection. "No, I completely agree. If I saw this guy trampling towards me, I'd be scared too. I guess it was the aftermath that I didn't understand." Once it was all said and done, the continued yelling hadn't been necessary. At least, not in her eyes. "You say that until he's nudging you at five in the morning to go outside because he's bored." Her fenced in backyard made that easier to handle, but crawling out of the bundle of warmth that was always an entire task within itself.

Her mouth curved higher at the sides at the mention of training. She'd taken him to three different level courses and surprisingly, he'd aced all of them. "Believe it or not, I took him through a few courses. He did well when he wasn't trying to play with every dog in the class." She reached downwards and brushed her fingers through his curly coat before pulling back with a raised brows. "It takes a lot to realize. Well, if it means anything... if you ever feel like you need a four legged friend, we're next door and the offer is there."

@abelthcmpson

As she explained his brow lifted a little. His fingers still rubbed at the top of the friendly dog's head as he tossed the big guy a grin. "I can kinda see why he was upset, though. Breaking into his yard would startle anyone, especially if you're not sure what you're gonna get." Most especially since it seemed like they weren't acquainted yet. "However, it's hard to be upset with a lovable guy like this." Once more, as his eyes dropped from his neighbor to the dog, he smiled. He'd love to have a pet.

Open hand with a couple of treats in his palm, Abel took one and feed it to the big dog. At least he was gentle with that. It was hard to blame or be mad at an animal wanting to explore and enjoying his time doing it. "Just a little training I think and he'd get the hang of it. Can't be mad at wanting to stop and smell the flowers. I mean, if we could all be a bit more like that, right?" Shoulders lifted as did his grin at his beautiful neighbor. "I've thought about it too many times. Just don't think my schedule and lifestyle would be fair on a pet." Plus, he had no idea what the future was going to be with Ayla.

[verdadurmaz]

She lifted her chin and her mouth curved upwards. He was right, maybe there should have been a line drawn somewhere in the sand. Who would have guessed that such a thing would have been so lucrative? "Sometimes any flavor is better than none." She wasn't speaking from experience, but she'd heard enough horror stories to know that a flavor could make all the difference, even if it was a bad one. She followed his every word until it dipped off, watching as he turned his attention back towards the bowl to retrieve another flavor. "Going to pocket that one?" She peered up at him, a brow lifted. For her, it was crowd avoidance through and through. "I did my rounds, had a few drinks. Starting to realize that maybe I'm out of practice with these kinds of things."

@elifalvey

“Maybe there should be,” Elijah quipped in return, chuckling to himself. Further thought of the flavor in that context caused him to drop the condom back in the bowl — almost in disgust. He wouldn’t dare judge someone else for what they enjoyed, and his standards may have been a bit low in the sense that he was willing to try just about anything, but cola? Surprisingly, that was where he'd put his metaphorical foot down. “Upgraded’s a bit of a stretch, I think. Although —” Another package caught his eye, plucking it from the bowl to read ‘fresh mint’. He shrugged. “— Eh, that one’s alright.” Her question made him look up, and he shook his head. “Oh, no. Neither, actually. My girl told me to stay put, so, uh . . . here I am. Probably so she doesn't lose me in the crowd again, but I can admit that curiosity got the best of me. What about you?”

( @verdadurmaz )

[verdadurmaz]

Weird movies were typically her style. It beat lame romance films or poorly placed comedy that missed it's mark. "Weird, but Jacob Elordi can get it," she echoed with pinched brows and a half smile. Maybe she'd check it out to measure his level of weird. Had she not known him, she would have questioned whether or not he was kidding, but she knew that he wasn't. Out of everyone she knew, only CJ would stumble upon a set of wings. "What kind of apartment do you live in again? Does stuff that like usually just... pop up?" The baker tried to imagine something of the sort ending up in her own house, but truth was, whoever had left the mystery wings within CJ's reach had done the world a favor. "You make me sound boring," she exhaled with a quiet chuckle and roll of her dark hues. While he was already well on his way to party heaven, she hadn't even started. "For the record, married people can still take E."

@cjwelford

He followed her gaze to the mob of bodies, unsure who she was looking for, though he wasn’t searching out for anyone in particular himself. “It’s like a fucking weird movie, dude.” CJ explained, “But like, Jacob Elordi can get it for sure.” He couldn’t help but stand up straighter, because CJ loved receiving compliments, regardless of who they were from or if it was, for lack of a better word, allowed. “Iunno where these wings came from, things just appear in our apartment somehow.” He explained. Perhaps Jeanie or Seb made or bought them, or the universe knew he wanted to be Jacob Elordi in Saltburn and provided him the outfit through divine intervention. “Uh, I pre-gamed super fucking hard, so you’d probably need to like rush to catch up now. I took my last E on me like ten minutes ago,  or I’d like, offered it, even though you’re married.” He was sure married people could party hard, but he doubted they wanted to.  

☆ @verdadurmaz

[verdadurmaz]

The baker's happiness had been in limbo for most of her life. She assumed it was the same way for everyone, some people facing more highs, while others only ever knew the lows. "And your spirits need lifting tonight?" She caught the other's gaze, a faint smile painted on her mouth as she studied the features of someone she was eager to get to know.

"I'm happy to play host." Even if it were Emmy's place, the chef was too wrapped up in her restaurant to be there, a feat that Verda had never once blamed her for. "We're friends now, right? Wine seals the deal every single time." She nodded to the overly filled glass with a devilish grin. No one could ever have too many people in their corner of the world, especially those who brought sweet treats and big smiles with them.

Verda echoed the toast, her glass lightly tapping against Zuri's before she tipped it back and welcomed the bitterness of the drink. "So, I have to ask my favorite and least favorite question... tell me something about yourself? Where are you from, or what brought you here?" She zeroed in on Emmy's neighbor as she lowered onto the counter, elbows resting atop the marble top. "Promise I'll answer too if you want."

@zurihendrix

Zuri's smile widened as she listened to Ver's words, feeling a genuine connection beginning to form between them. "I'm glad I came over too," she admitted, her voice warm with sincerity. "Sometimes a spontaneous visit can be just what you need to lift your spirits." The idea of spending the evening watching Netflix alone suddenly seemed far less appealing compared to the company and conversation she was enjoying with Ver.

"Well, I'm happy to be your snack buddy for the evening," Zuri replied with a playful grin, feeling a sense of ease settling over her as she settled into the cozy kitchen. As Ver poured them both glasses of water and then generously filled the wine glasses, Zuri couldn't help but feel a surge of gratitude towards her new neighbor.

"That's incredibly kind of you," Zuri said, touched by Ver's offer of friendship and hospitality. "I'll definitely take you up on that invitation. Claret sounds lovely, and it would be wonderful to have a familiar face nearby." Raising her glass, Zuri met Ver's gaze with a smile. "To unexpected connections and new beginnings," she toasted, feeling a sense of hope and excitement for the something for the first time in a while.

[verdadurmaz]

The baker busied herself with a wet rag and the countertop that had a few crumbs lining the top of it. She feared if she attempted to read the other's features, she'd find something within the woman's gaze that she didn't like. "I think I'll do that. It'll give him and Emmy and a break." She gave a half smile, wondering if her wife's aversion to dogs was limited to Zeppelin or if Ty's four legged companions faced the same kind of avoidance at all cost. "Do you ever do anything with them? With the service stuff?" She'd heard of people taking their dogs into nursing homes and hospitals, but she didn't know if Ty was the type. Scratch that, she assumed she wasn't. "I tried the training classing with Zepp. He did fine, but he always wanted to play more than he wanted to learn."

@tysingh

Ty had to immediately bite her tongue from popping off and pointing out that there was no way Ver was that handy. Any chance at a petty, negative remark was one that her instinct wanted to jump on. For now, at least, she was succeeding in holding it back. "Worth looking into. And it's kind of cool that they can have their own space or whatever. These guys end up out there a lot." Ty would pretty much cave and do anything for her dogs, whatever the cost. Giving a bit of a nod, Ty leaned over against the counter to wait, watching vaguely as Ver grabbed the jam and a knife. She pulled it over towards her to start decorating her food with the stuff, waving off Ver's offer. "Nah, they'll be good. They've all been through training to be service dogs, so they can behave if I ask them to. Don't really ever have to worry about them." Ty usually let the dogs err more on the side of pets, even if they'd been through the rigors of training as service animals and then some.

@verdadurmaz

[verdadurmaz]

A smile had felt permanent on her mouth when the door clicked shut behind an overly excited Zeppelin and her wife. The offer for the other to walk him had taken her by surprise, but she'd nodded with a raised brow and helped leash the five year old sheepadoodle for the journey out. With a silent home and nothing to occupy her time within in, the baker took the free moment to collect the toys from the living room and dinning area, only to return them back to their rightful toy bin that Zepp seemed to have something against. No toy ever lasted long within the bin, even if he had no real interest in every playing with it.

Realization struck the brunette's face and the heavy feeling in Verda's chest only grew heavier. So, the concept wasn't a new one. Her nails dug into her palms and did her best to stop her bottom lip from curling inwards. "Before agreeing?" Jaw clenched tight and while every red alarm within her sounded off to run, she stayed in place. "Or did you want me to talk you out of agreeing?" She nipped at the inside of her cheek, a harsh bite that caused a metallic taste to settle atop her tongue.

Zeppelin bumped her leg, pleading for the attention he'd missed while on the walk. In a way, it was the very thing she needed. Fingers pushed through thick, damp and dirty curls. Maybe she'd give him a bath to ease her mind. Her attention shifted back to Emmy, her statement nothing but true. They hadn't talked about anything. Partly because Verda hadn't allowed for it, and partly because they hadn't tried.

"I don't want kids," she started, words soft but certain, "and as for the rest, I guess it's a little too late to talk about that, huh? But, tell me... do you really want to move in or do you want to keep your apartment?"

@emelinecormier

Take the dog for a walk, she offered. It'll be fine, what could go wrong, she thought. Emmy decided that she likely needed to go sit in a dark corner and never offer or think anything ever again after she was finished being pulled around a few blocks of the quiet suburban neighborhood, bargaining with a dog who thought rolling over onto a pile of grey slush that used to be snow was the proper thing to do. Maybe they had more in common than she thought — it seemed like both of them belonged on busy streets and not in a quiet and proper neighborhood like Claret. Still, she thought the offer would make Verda happy and after still struggling with the amount of boxes she was willing to move in, she figured the other woman could use a little bit of effort from her end.

The walk hadn't even gone entirely awry minus the grey slush now coating the white portion of the dog's curls and her own hands and tips of her ears freezing, causing her cheeks to flush a deep rosy red as they made their way back inside. She heard the words as she unclipped Zeppelin's leash, letting him wander inside to greet Ver as she paused in the doorway, processing the question she'd immediately been asked upon her return. "What are you..." The returned question ceased immediately as her phone vibrated in her pocket and was followed by an echoing ding of her iPad that she now noticed near where Verda was standing.

Emmy didn't need to look at her phone to know who it was. Chuck. The man who'd been after her for weeks to take the leap into a second restaurant — a leap that would essentially require her to move to make sure it got off the ground successfully. She hung the dog leash on a hook near the entrance, entirely distracted by the the third degree she'd inadvertently walked into. "I'm not planning on moving it twice," She pointed out, moving farther into the house after discarding her jacket by the door.

"I'm not, I just... the offer is good. It's almost too good to pass up, but... I was planning on talking to you about it, before..." Before she found out on her own. Maybe Tyler was right in shunning technology, look at what good it's done. "It's kind of impossible to stop figuring things out when we didn't talk about a damn thing beforehand. I mean, we got married twice and still never thought to talk about names, places to live, if you want to have kids." There was an emphasis on the last one, a burning realization that she could have gotten herself into something way too deep the moment Foster had brought up the topic.

@verdadurmaz

[verdadurmaz]

location — verda's place, claret park

character — @emelinecormier

She wasn't the snooping type. While her trust wasn't wholly placed in her wife, it was something she hadn't questioned nearly as much since the wedding ring had been slipped onto her finger. It was why the first ding of Emmy's iPad hadn't even made her head turn and neither had second. By the fifth ding, the baker had shuffled into the living area where the chef's iPad sat, message illuminating on the screen. Chuck. She hated that man more than she could express, but more than that, she hated what she ghosted over. New location. Needing Emmy to move. Soon. As she'd read over the last text, she heard the front door open, leaving her heart to pound even harder. "Are you afraid of moving your stuff in because you don't know if you'll fit in, or because you don't feel like moving it twice?" She stood defeated, her pitch a mix of anger and sadness that didn't quite roll off the tongue smoothly. "Why did we even do this? I keep thinking it'll click into place. That one day it'll stop feeling like we're figuring things out, but I'm starting to wonder if I was wrong about that."

[verdadurmaz]

Her confidence had been rocked by numbers on a sheet of paper, but it wasn't the end-all, be-all that she'd written it off to be. A part of that confidence had been regained because of the blue striped shirt she wore, it's material stained in another's perfume. It reminded her their closeness in the diner's bathroom and every breath of confidence that Chey had attempted to pump into her. At the reminder, she offered a smile and sat a bit straighter. She could do this. She could do anything.

Even if moments earlier, she'd doubted everything. She tore her gaze away from the investor long enough to thank the waiter who'd stopped by one more to deliver their glasses of wine. It was perfect timing in her opinion. The baker lifted the glass and welcomed the bitter wine into the pit of her stomach before she spoke again.

"A spring comeback sounds perfect." She was only partially embarrassed that she'd lifted her glass to her cherry coated lips the moment her fingers had curled around the stem. Making toasts wasn't on her to-do list, but she lifted the glass anyway and smiled with another nod. "Mrs. fits," she assured, tipping her glass forward to softly ding against the other's filled wine glass.

Another drink and the glass of wine would be gone. It was easy to forget that places didn't pour as heavily as she did. One glass of her own measurements was more like three of any other place. "Married life is still feeling new. No one tells you how much stuff there is to figure out until it's too late. How are things in your life going? If you don't mind me asking," she half asked, half jokingly taunted.

@jacobklee

Thankfully, Ms. Verda Durmaz didn't seem to mind his choice of beverage for their meeting, and he was glad to see her deciding to join it, herself. Most of his business trips, especially to Asian countries, had been coated in alcohol, so what was a glass of wine in comparison? Especially when he wasn't an expert when it came to wine in the first place. Actually, the only thing Jacob considered himself an expert in, were investment trades, economic tendencies, and things he actually worked with.

At her confirmation that she would prepare them a menu, Jacob almost let out a breath he didn't know he'd been keeping in, because it would make his life ten times easier if someone he knew was in charge of that. "Good. Okay. Good to know." The investor nodded once, before leaning back against his seat, shifting his gaze up to thank the waitress who had brought in their wine glasses.

It was nice to see first-hand Verda's eye for business. She loved the place she had created, she loved being there and loved taking her culture out in the form of sweets and other baked goods, so it was nice to see that she knew where to pull and where to push. It meant that Jacob hadn't made a bad choice investing her her business. "I think that a spring comeback would be nice." He suggested, but in no way he meant to impose the date. He trusted Verda well enough to know how to run her business well, as she'd been doing it for a while now.

Jacon then raised his glass, bringing it towards the brunette's direction. "To a better business year to you, Ms. Durmaz. Or... should I say, Mrs.?" His tone was casual as he asked that. It was none of his business, but Maya had said wonderful things about the wedding. He would have attended, too, but Jacob had been out of town on a business trip, so instead, he sent the brides a nice gift and flowers. "How's married life been? If you don't mind me asking, of course." / @verdadurmaz

[verdadurmaz]

As much as she hated to admit it, she could see why Emmy wasn't so eager to leave the comfort of her place. In another world, one where she hadn't taken a big step on her own, it was a place that she could have imagined living happily. Even more so with a neighbor like Zuri on the other side of the wall. It was a shame, but a part of her hoped that despite the short distance between places, the woman wouldn't mind a trip out to Claret if the friendship continued to build as quickly as it currently was.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." She found herself surrounded by beautiful women and at every chance, she wanted to remind them of such. "I'm really glad you came over, by the way. I was just about to curl up on the couch and pick something off of Netflix that I've watched a hundred times over." Instead, she'd spend the evening sipping on wine and eating as much cobbler as her stomach would allow.

"You say that now, but I haven't snacked much today." Nodding, Verda moved around the kitchen to grab two glasses of water, placing one before the other woman and one in front of herself. In another few movements, she swiped two wine glasses and filled each generously. "Oh, we most definitely have to toast to those. I don't know if Emmy's mentioned, but she's talked about subletting this place and making the move to Claret with me. If that happens... I'm formally extending an invite out any time you'd like."

@zurihendrix

Grateful that her neighbor was home and seemed friendly so far, Zuri felt a sense of relief wash over her. Another argument with her dad had left her feeling drained, and she welcomed the distraction of a potential new connection. As she followed Ver into the kitchen, Zuri couldn't help but admire the cozy ambiance of the apartment. It felt inviting, comforting in a way that eased the tension she had been carrying.

Zuri's smile widened at Ver's response, a genuine warmth radiating from her as she appreciated the playful banter. "Well, thank you, but I've got nothing on you," she replied, a hint of playfulness lacing her words. It felt good to engage in a light-hearted exchange after spending most of the day alone. As Ver mentioned the cobbler, Zuri couldn't help but chuckle, pleased by the prospect of sharing her grandmother's recipe

"Oh, I assure you, there will be plenty for Emmy," she said with a grin, her spirits lifting at the prospect of sharing her grandmother's recipe. The offer of water and boxed wine was a welcome gesture, and Zuri nodded appreciatively. "Water sounds perfect, thank you," she replied, her mind already feeling lighter in Ver's presence. "And boxed wine sounds great, actually. A toast to unexpected neighbors and delicious desserts?" she suggested, a playful glint in her eye, eager to forge a new connection and leave the worries of the day behind.

[verdadurmaz]

Another day without boxes in her home had left her walking out nearly as soon as she had walked in. Patience was a virtue that she just didn't possess, but every part of her was trying. Keyword... trying. Her ex and the unfortunate situation that had brought her to Providence Peak had been swirling the baker's mind too. She'd saw an image in passing on a missing person's flyer, her heart sinking into the pit of her stomach. The missing woman? They'd slept together. A few times. Her usual had been pushed in front of her before she'd even gotten settled, a perk of having been a loyal customer before life got busy. Mid drink, her gaze shifted towards the request. "Your mistake is also not layering up on the napkins. Put a few together. It'll make it easier." Still, she leaned over and swiped the pen in question. She started to hand it off, but pulled back with a raised brow. "What are you working on anyway?"

@sebvora

LOCATION — The Jagged Yard.

WHO — Sebastian & Verda ( @verdadurmaz ).

VALENTINE'S DAY TASK. LOVE LETTER.

Sebastian had been sitting on a stool near the bar for what felt like an eternity, scribbling little doodles on a napkin’s edge while he tried to muster some form of eloquence from his brain. In actuality, he’d probably been sitting there for no more than fifteen minutes, and trying was a heavy overstatement as he really didn’t do much in the way of transcribing any words on the weak piece of paper. To any stranger, it would have appeared as though he hadn’t been working on anything of substance at all, but to him it was very important. This note, despite the irony of it being put together extremely last minute on a bar napkin, was the best idea he ever had. It was his ticket to getting laid, he was sure. Girls loved love letters, didn’t they? All he had to do was emulate a love letter, and he was golden. “Stupid fuckin’ pen,” he cursed under his breath, annoyed that the pressure he was applying was practically shedding the napkin underneath it. With a grumble, he tossed it mindlessly ahead of him, watching it bounce off the end of the counter and drop to the floor. He turned to the person beside him, having at least half the decency not to reach across them. “Can you hand me that pen over there? That one was like, fuckin’ broken or something.”

[verdadurmaz]

Somewhere in the hotel, her wife was wandering with a wedding ring hugging her left hand, just as Verda was walking away with the same. Despite that, she wondered if a particular brunette was somewhere in the crowd, looking to get lost in the music or with someone else. The drink in hand was gripped tighter at the thought, one so distracting that she'd nearly shoulder checked another set of wings. An apology had only ghosted her tongue when a male's voice pulled her to the side where a large bowl sat for one's curiosities. "There is no line," she countered with the flick of a smirk. "I haven't tried that one before." Cola was an odd choice, but she rounded the man's side and blindly dug into the bowl herself, pulling out a glazed donut flavor. "Looks like they've upgraded from the basic flavors. Looking for something particular, or just looking to avoid the crowd?"

@elifalvey

LOCATION — Peak Seasons Ballroom, Saints & Sinners event.

WHO — Elijah & Verda ( @verdadurmaz ).

Elijah had been told to stay put. His girlfriend had sauntered off somewhere — and where that was, he didn’t exactly know — but he was determined to do as ordered, moving no more than an inch from where he’d been standing. It wasn’t until his eyes could no longer follow her in the crowd that he tore them away from her, looking down to find that he’d been standing next to a large bowl of novelty condoms. A huff of amusement left his lips before he started sorting through them mindlessly. Most of them were pretty normal on the spectrum of flavors, ones like strawberry or vanilla being the most stocked options out of the bunch, but he caught the glimpse of a soda can on one of the individual packages and curiosity got the better of him. “I feel like there’s a line to be drawn somewhere . . .” he murmured quietly, more to himself than to anyone in particular. Although as he felt a pair of eyes on him, he turned his head, laughing a little as he seemingly got caught. “Cola,” he said, the one word being explanation enough as he lifted the flavored condom he’d been referencing towards the other person. “Can’t imagine it’d taste much like soda, all things considered — or y’know, good, for that matter. Definitely one of the more interesting options.”

[verdadurmaz]

Much like their mutual night at the bar, she'd shown up with the intention of catching an Uber home and playing her favorite game — would she get a hangover or would it pass peacefully? The baker did a best to scan over the room, hoping to find a familiar face in a brunette, but the dimly lit area and sea of bodies made the search nearly impossible. "I'm just trying to fit the theme," she shot back with a raised brow and half a smirk. Any event where dressing up was a must was her speciality, especially when it came to less being better. Verda slid her gaze down the man's frame, taking her time as she came back up. "Haven't watched, but something tells me that you wear it better." She reached out, fingertips brushing against his wings. She'd missed the chance at being an angel herself, but then again, she'd always been more of the wings clipped kind anyway. "Just getting started, actually. Any advice on where to start?"

@cjwelford

It would be understandable if Verda got upset at the accidental shove, but CJ was glad that she wasn’t. It was supposed to be a night of fun, after all, and fighting over a mistake would surely like, majorly sour things for the both of them. “Thanks!” He said of the wings, giving them a demonstrational flap to show them off to the bakery owner. “Nice, uh…” He paused, unsure of whether or not to call her outfit ‘clothing’. “You look great!” He settled for instead. “Yeah, the theme is just like….sexy right?” That was what most people interpreted the themed name as. “I’m Jacob Elordi in Saltburn.” He explained, just on the off-chance she thought he was a real angel. “Yeah, dude. It’s a blast. What about you?” 

☆ @verdadurmaz

[verdadurmaz]

Were they relating on something? And if so, how long was it going to last before one of them caved to the inevitable petty nature that was burrowed deep within them. "I don't know if I'm that handy, but maybe I'll have to look into it. At this point, if it stops him from digging, I'll do anything." The baker smiled down at the dog that had nothing to do with their age old rivalry. None of her pups, nor Zeppelin had played a paw in the ongoing battle. "Jam it is," she echoed as she disappeared for a few short seconds before returning with a jar and butter knife. Normally, she would have dipped it a container, but she pushed the whole jar to the edge. "Need a hand with the dogs while you eat?"

@tysingh

"Jasper had a problem with that when I first adopted him, he dug up practically my whole property. Turns out he just needed a place to nest and feel safe. Built him a really cool outdoor den and he stopped digging altogether," she explained, reaching over to scratch Jasper's side as she spoke about him. It was a rare moment of softness from Ty, who had a big smile that ballooned with pride for the dog at her side. It wasn't often that Ty complimented things and felt proud of anything other than herself, but it was easier with the dogs. They were a security blanket that allowed her to pull down the walls just a small bit with people. "Alright, jam it is," she acquiesced. It wouldn't have been her first choice, but it was a show of good faith on her part that she was taking the other woman's advice rather than just doing what she wanted to do anyway. She wasn't fully willing to be kind to Ver, but she was doing her best not to make things any worse.

@verdadurmaz

[verdadurmaz]

The baker lifted her chin and forced a smooth breath from her lungs. She knew most people that walked through the front door of her bakery. Some were customers that visited daily, while others were more the special occasion type. Casual conversation in between visits often led to her figuring out certain things. Whether it was the name of one's pet, or how long they'd been in the city, she always came away with a bit more money during the exchange.

With him, it was like every response drew her further into the dark. It was frustrating in the way that had her eager to keep pushing. "Oh, I was just curious if you were in the mood to use the crosswalk sign this time." She studied him hard, her darkened gaze tracing over every feature for any sign of a tell.

Considering he'd shown up in one piece, it meant that fate hadn't gotten the best of him, even if it seemed like he was ready for it to do just that. There was a sense of relief that washed over her while in his presence. Seeing him standing there meant that for that moment, he was fine.

She couldn't explain why she cared, but thankfully, she didn't peg him as the type of person who'd even bother asking. "It's good to see you again." It was added in a quiet tone.

Mere stranger or not, she didn't want to see anyone flattened to the pavement.

A nervous chuckle was released as a flush rose to her cheeks. "We're still figuring out the whole marriage." Impulsiveness had gotten the best of her, but truth be told, she hadn't expected Emmy to follow through. Wine spiked veins and sleepy agreements in bed weren't the usual ingredients to marriage anyway.

"Coming up on a year in a couple of months." She knew how it sounded. After a year of being together, things were either going to work or they weren't. She thought back to her time with Ale and how easy things had always been between them. Was that the kind of happiness she should have been chasing?

Verda nipped at the inside of her cheek a little too roughly, causing a quiet profanity to fall into the air. It was selfish to wonder about, especially considering the woman's current state of mind.

And then came the real guilt. Her missing sister? It was someone that the baker had gotten intimate with. A fact she'd only discovered after seeing one of the missing persons flyers.

In between shuffling a mix of savory and sweet treats into a container, her eyes fell on him. Whatever haunted him, it seemed to have a death grip. "I thought the same thing for a long time." She wondered his reasoning, but doubted he'd share such.

Instead of questioning, she side stepped for the coffee, her gaze dropping to the unlit cigarette between his full lips. Was it a comfort thing? She couldn't quite tell. "It's on the house this time. Consider it an apology for how things went down last time."

She'd had no right raising her voice at him, but concern, fear, and a buzzing pulse had left her responding poorly.

"Since I didn't get a chance to ask last time... are you from around here?"

@joshlincoln

Masking. Perhaps that was Linc's best talent rather than his abilities on a motorcycle of any kind. The moment she mentioned risk taking the slightest smile ghosted his somewhat dry lips. "Not sure what you mean." To most everyone he saved it for the track or all the dirt around his property and off into the hills, where he rode like a man possessed with torment.

Despite the years he'd put into his modern Robin Hood antics, no one had a single clue who'd done all those robberies. Each bank was too far from Providence Peak to be connected but it seemed not a single soul would suspect the bleached blond who'd made millions would be taking such risks.

Why would he need to rob a bank?

There wasn't a single reason other than to see what he could get away with. The ruffian liked to tempt fate. It never seemed to choose him, no matter what he did, so Linc did anything.

The money was usually given away or stored somewhere safe. What possible rainy day could arise? It was anyone's guess.

And he liked that.

Unknowns weren't scary to him anymore. They might not have ever been given that he had begun making his own way as a teenager.

When they'd first met the racer hadn't forgotten the look on the baker's face. He'd stepped out onto the road without bothering to look each way, and subsequently a vehicle had nearly hit him, and blared their horn in response after their tires had screeched against the pavement. Some explicative were shouted from an opened window, but Linc had carried on without so much as a blink.

Stronger than fear?

Stronger than death?

Despite her questions then and the way she alluded to that past day now, Linc fixated on the ring adorning her pretty finger. It traversed his thoughts to a time his best friend had been engaged to the woman he loved. How that would never come to be now.

"You're unsure?" The racer noted the conflict in her gaze, a faint reaction as her attention went to the circle that bound her to another. "How new?"

The question had taken him by surprise. Did he look like someone anyone would want? There was no chance of a happy ending or settling down. Linc was sure women could smell that on a man. Sense it subconsciously. Of course, some came along thinking he was fixable following the accident that had changed his life, but some things, some people, just couldn't be repaired.

Cerulean eyes followed the baker as she moved to grab some snacks for him. He'd already laid cash out on the counter next to the register. Always cash. Never a card nor a phone with some way to digitally pay.

"Nah. I'm not good for anyone," said the man of few words. Any bit of speech practically had to fight its way out.

"Yeah," he answered for the coffee, "with some cream, please." Cigarette now dangled from his lips. / @verdadurmaz

[verdadurmaz]

MELISA ASLI PAMUK |   1.02 ﹣ Erkeğe Güven Olmaz (E.G.O)