Our Stop

∞ NOW ∞

My breaths were coming in short gasps and I couldn't bear to meet Knight's eye. I tittered out a laugh that sounded broken even to my own ears. It took everything inside me to keep the tears at bay.

He might not have recognized me but he sure as hell hadn't forgotten about me. It lit up my insides and the wonderous look in his eyes gave me the impression that he had been longing to see me just as much as I had. Perhaps even more.

"You can hear me, right?"

I was still enthralled by how much his voice had changed. It was all gruff and manly. And completely turned my knees to Jell-O. Not that I would ever admit it.

He snapped his fingers in front of my face. "Hello? Can you hear me?"

"Eh . . ." I pretended to blink my eyes as if coming back to my senses just now. "English . . . ben . . . yok . . . no English."

He narrowed his eyes, then looked heavenwards. "I should've known," He muttered, pausing to scan my face. "You don't look like her. But . . . never mind." He blew out a breath, straightening. "I should give up already."

I swallowed, opening my mouth to say God-knows-what when there was an announcement again. The robotic voice made me realise why I'd panicked in the first place.

"Balıkesir?" Knight echoed. "Shit!" He scrambled up and on instinct I did too, thinking something was wrong. "This is my stop!" He shouted, this time in Turkish.

The train attendant's eyes widened as she saw him and I watched her eyes rove down. Great. He must have women's eyes following him everywhere. And I was no exception. For a moment, I just wanted to slap myself.

"Sir?" She nodded when Knight gestured for the train's doors to be opened. Wow. Somebody was used to giving orders. As long as they weren't directed at me, that was kind of hot actually. The way he carried himself with so much surety; shoulders squared, back ramrod-straight, any expression wiped off from his face.

You would really think twice before stepping in his way.

He'd always been this way, my Knight.

Mine? Yeah, well, he was. Even if he didn't know that.

I know I was doing a poor job of proving that I was actually not a creep. I needed to pull myself together before it got too much out of hand.

My heart stopped beating suddenly when I saw Knight by the door as it slowly pulled back to make way for him. This was it? After eight years, I refused to believe that's what our meeting consisted of. I hadn't even told him who I was. Not that would tell him that.

I couldn't.

I just needed more time with him. Somehow. Now. I had to be with him. I had to—

"Abla?" Knight turned only his neck; eyes intensely locked with mine. I didn't know what to do with my hands, my heart or my brain for that matter. He was talking to me again! And every head was turned our way. Nosy peeps. "Istanbul'a mı gidiyorsun?"

Was I going to Istanbul? Yes, yes, I was. But, wait, backpaddle a little. WHAT did he call me? HIS SISTER? No, wait. He called me his OLDER sister!

I was going to strangle him!

I marched forward, scowling. I was handed over my suitcase from the attendee. I assumed she knew since she'd seen my ticket. Did that mean I was not on the wrong train?

Somehow, I managed not to punch Knight and asked him how we were going to get to Istanbul when we had stopped at this strange-named city or town or whatever it was. A bus, he said, and then a train.

I heaved a sigh of relief. Okay, I was definitely where I was supposed to be.

"Come on," he said in his posh Turkish, sending shivers down my spine. "I'll help you . . . If you need my help, that is."

I nodded again. Knight dextrously grabbed my suitcase with one hand, placed his briefcase over it and climbed off the platform. I followed suit, entranced by the strength of him. I guess his arm was okay now.

I smiled from ear-to-ear all the way to our bus.