Chapter Text
He has zero books in Turkish here. Zero. But she shouldn’t be surprised because this is not his real office. He’s a temporary professor.
Wow, there are some really nice versions of the classics. And before she can stop herself, she's trying to take one of the books from the shelf with her left hand.
"Miss Tözün, I see you’re a very curious person. Didn’t your parents teach you that you shouldn’t touch strangers’ stuff?"
Surprised, Ada moves away from the bookcase when she hears his voice. He's judging her. Talking about her parents. Basically calling her uneducated.
They’re dead, öküz! Fucking dead. She wants to scream, but she bites one of her cheeks instead.
She shouldn't be mad, though. He has no idea.
Yes, it was a rude kind of joke... he's rude, but she's convinced he wouldn't have said that if he had known. He is not that cruel.
Something hits her in the stomach as she turns around and looks at Bora Doğrusöz's face. Handsome face.
She expected him to be smiling at his own semi-joke, but he's extra serious. And a bit tired? His eyes look pretty dead.
I guess someone didn't sleep too well last night. Karma.
"Is that supposed to be an insult? I've been waiting for you for over fifteen minutes. I got… bored," Ada answers as monotonously as she can, trying not to give him satisfaction.
"Fifteen?"
Fuck , he curses in his mind while checking his watch. If he had known this seminar would take so much time, he would have told her to come by later. He hates being late, and he hates making people wait for him. It's unprofessional and gives the impression you don't give a damn about wasting others' time.
"Yes. I promise I didn't touch anything else. I just wanted-"
"I'm sorry," he interrupts her suddenly, putting his laptop on the desk. "I'm sorry for making you wait."
Ada's eyebrows raise in surprise as stares at his mouth. He apologized.
She wasn't expecting this… and his voice getting even lower as he said "sorry". Wow!
"It's okay," she sighs. Her focus switches unwittingly from his lips to his slicked-back hair. It looks a little better today, but that doesn't say much.
Does he use a lot of gel all the time?
She shakes her head trying to stop her thoughts. He is just a man.
Bora smiles politely and invites her to sit down with a short nod towards the chair she has her bag on, without even looking at her.
Ada shouldn't feel offended in any way by the lack of attention he's giving to her. She should feel relieved.
He's a cold, prim guy. He assumed things about her without even knowing her. He refused to speak Turkish and listen to her. Yet he still emailed her about the possibility of giving her a chance. And she knows she can learn a lot of things from him.
Ada returns to the chair in front of his desk with her eyes on the red sweater he's wearing over his simple white shirt. She wouldn't have imagined him being a fan of colors, but…
"Miss Tözün, I read your article this morning."
"I realized based on the email you sent me."
Bora leans back in his chair watching Miss Güneș sitting down right in front of him. He has to cover his mouth with his right hand to hide his smirk from her. She's sarcastic. She's making fun of me even though she wants to be in my course. And she's so fucking hot in that black blouse.
"Did you now?" He returns her ironic comment.
"You asked me to meet you here after I sent it to you. So I assumed it made you change your mind."
The moment Bora drops the hand from his mouth to open his laptop, Ada's eyes return to his lips without realizing. His bottom one is so big… Then to his 5 o'clock shadow. It makes his jawline seem even sharper. More defined. Attractive.
Kendine gel, Ada! He. Is. Not. Even. Your. Type.
"You're right…"
"So you liked it then?"
Bora looks up from his laptop when she hears her proud tone, wanting to see her reaction as he drops the bomb.
He's unaware of the fact that her gaze was on him all this time.
"Miss Tözün, I agree to give you a chance." And even though Ada was expecting this, she still has to stop herself from yelling out of joy.
She did it. Her article was good enough to make Bora Doğrusöz change his decision. Despite her dreadful writer's block.
OHA! O-H-A, KIZIM!
Ada's big smile almost makes Bora grin, too because it's so genuine… so sweet.
"I am so glad and grateful, professor."
P r o f e s s o r. Her serious tone makes him wonder how that word would sound in another context.
Nope. Not happening. He needs to get to sleep earlier tonight because yesterday's events affected him too much.
He didn't let his body desires cloud his judgment and control his decisions before. And he won't let them start now. Ada Tözün has great potential, and he'll help her develop her skills.
That's it.
"But I have a condition."
"I'm listening." She says calmly, and he realizes she's really not angry as he thought she'd be. Ada's hands are on the arms of the chair, tapping nervously on the material with her fingers. She really wants to do this, he thought. She wants to write better.
"The course starts two weeks before the winter break ends. You can attend it, but you need to pass all of your exams with high grades to continue."
Ada nods quickly, relieved.
She should ask about the price, though. And the schedule. She has so much on her plate already, but she doesn’t want to make her material situation obvious… He might be an irritating guy, but she wants to impress him. She wasn’t good enough for his company, but she will become more than enough. She doesn’t want his pity. She’s gonna work full-time for the next month anyway. She’ll manage to pay for it.
You can do this!
"Of course, as you might have probably read in the Excel I sent to you, I’m on a scholarship, so I’m keeping my grades as high as I can. Studying is my priority."
Bora’s eyes twitch as soon as she finishes her phrase.
Yes, sure… the Excel, he thinks. I wasn’t a total stalker last night - checking your grades, your Instagram. Fuck, I need some rest. And to delete that bookmark.
These thoughts are gonna stop the moment he sees her in the class.
Having an affair with a student? Dating her? He would never cross this limit. And he believes she wouldn’t, either. Ada Tözün doesn’t seem to like him at all personally speaking, but she values him professionally.
He needs to regain his composure.
"Good. As soon as I get the contracts ready, I’m gonna email you the meeting details."
"Thank you," Ada answers and sits up. She knows he’s probably busy since he basically dismissed her, but she can’t stop herself from asking: "What did you think about my article?"
She takes her jacket and the bag from the back of the seat to make it seem like it’s not a big deal even though they both know it is.
She might have gotten the chance, but she’s well aware she needs improvement.
"I was surprised a bit by the subject and the way you decided to approach it. But…"
And real feedback helps. If Ada is even just ten percent like him, she’s gonna reread the article at least ten times, analyzing every word, trying to find mistakes. Writers can get easily obsessed with their own work. The need to make everything perfect, to have an impact, and to impress never goes away once it takes over you.
"But?" Ada was looking directly into his eyes, waiting eagerly for him to continue.
She’s gonna get her heartbroken. Ah, Ada, ah!
"You don’t have a bad style, but the article felt unfinished…a little amateurish."
Amateurish?
"Thank you for your honesty."
"Have a great winter break, Miss Tözün."
Gıcık!
"Goodbye." She reaches the door practically running, half-dressed in her jacket, with Bora’s eyes fixed on her ass.
*
She hasn't heard from professor Bora in more than one week. She's been working full-time since the winter break started, sometimes even ten hours. So when she finally has a moment to check her phone and notices she has an email from him, she almost jumps.
Email Subject Line: Creative Writing Course - Bora Doğrusöz
Miss Tözün,
As I promised at our last meeting, I’m sending you this email to give you the address of the office you can come at to sign the contract and, of course, the time interval. You can find me here from 9:00 to 17:30 today.
Please, let me know when you can drop by.
Regards,
Bora Doğrusöz
She checks the time and it's already 15:47! And she has two more hours until her shift ends. There's no way she can make it anyway. She checks the address on Google Maps and it's at least one hour from here with a car. A car she doesn't have…
Ouf ya!
Bora's been waiting for Miss Tözün's response since he sent the email this morning. Everyone has signed their contracts except for her, which surprised him. She was so eager to make him change his mind.
Was it just a challenge for her?
Or maybe she's back in Turkey. The winter break is long...
The notification sound makes Bora check his phone immediately.
Professor Doğrusöz,
I am really sorry for answering so late, I haven't had the chance to check my phone until now. I can't make it until 17:30 today because my shift ends at 18:00. Can we reschedule, please?
Ada Tözün
Shift? She has a job?
Before he can change his mind, he starts writing a reply that he knows might change many things.
*
He can be here anytime. In other circumstances, Ada wouldn't have ever given him the address. Her chances to impress him are getting lower, but it's her fault more or less for not checking her Inbox before coming to work.
"Are you okay?" Stefan's voice startles her and she almost drops the order on the floor. She catches it in time, though, and gives it to Tom.
"Forty minutes."
"Thank you," she smiles at the chef. He's been so nice to her since he got this job. He expected him to be arrogant or, at least, to ignore her, but he always jokes around. She turns around to look at Stefan.
"Yes, don't worry." She opens the fridge to take the woman's drink before putting it on the tray.
Stefan was eighteen and working here to help his family out. A sweet kid. Hard-working. Smart.
"Are you sure?" Ada melts when she notices his concerned eyes.
She wishes she could help him somehow.
Why do some people have to carry so much burden on their shoulders?
"Yes. I'm just waiting for a professor to come. I have to sign something."
She gently pats his head, which is a hard thing to do since he is much taller than her, and goes to the fifth table.
"The food will be ready in forty minutes. Here's your drink."
"Forty minutes? Are you insane?"
Sighing, Ada remains incredibly polite as she tries to explain how and why her order actually needs time to cook. She's so focused that she doesn't even notice Bora Doğrusöz coming in. But Bora, on the other hand, notices her immediately.
She's wearing a black uniform with a red apron over it, leaning down towards an old woman, with a tray in one of her hands.
She's not as spoiled as you assumed , he thinks and takes a few steps in her direction, but another waiter approaches him right when he's about to call her name.
"Hello, sir, table for one?"
Bora takes his eyes off Ada and nods, giving him a polite smile. "I'm waiting for Ada Tözün. But I see she's a little busy. Where can I sit?"
And the young boy leads him to a table in the right corner, not too far from Miss Güneș, and leaves probably to bring him a menu.
He can grab something to eat and watch her work for a bit. It's quite interesting, truth be told. He's curious to see her outside the academic environment. Around people.
Bora puts his briefcase gently on the chair beside him and takes off his coat.
He's surprised she works in the first place. The amount of projects, homework, and essays she needs to get done per week is insane. He feels lucky.
How does she manage to keep up with everything if she works, too? Is this just a temporary job?
"Would you like something to drink?"
Bora didn't even realize the menu was in front of him, and the waiter was waiting for him to decide. He tends to zone out from time to time, and he needs to find a way to stop it.
"Sparkling water, no glass. Thank you," he looks at his tag before continuing. "Stefan."
"Stefan."
Ada's voice makes Bora freeze as she's suddenly in front of him, smiling at her colleague. With no tray in her hands
She's wearing a necklace… The first two buttons of her black polo T-shirt are undone, so he spots a white pendant easily.
"I'll come back with your drink." The boy nods politely towards him, then goes, probably, to the kitchen. Leaving them alone.
He's alone with Ada Tözün . Well, how alone can you be in a restaurant in London...
"Hello, professor." Ada turns her head towards him a little more and her ponytail follows her movement. "I'm sorry you had to come over here."
He can't detect any fake remorse or pronunciation mistakes when she speaks this time. Compared to the first time they talked in his office. A typical American English accent… it shouldn't be impressive. But somehow it is. Maybe he is just surprised by the fact she works and she's a great student. Ambitious and attractive.
A dangerous young woman at only twenty-two.
"Hello, Miss Tözün. I saw you were busy, it's not your fault. And I should have informed you earlier anyway."
Ada is fidgeting with her name tag, trying not to stare at him.
Seeing professor Bora at her workplace, chilling seems so strange. Because she doesn't feel as uncomfortable as she anticipated. Because this gives her an opportunity to see him in a different context, maybe even learn something about him. A writer like Bora Doğrusöz always finds inspiration everywhere. But she shouldn't take away his time. Disappointed, she sighs.
"Thank you for coming. I can sign right away, so you don't have to wait for me. I know you're busy."
And Bora smiles. Wow, he smiles! Making her smile, too. A melting smile. A genuine smile. The first time she saw him smile since they met.
And the short beard emphasizes his charm even more. Or maybe it's the black turtleneck.
But she’s serious. She knows he's not the type of man who affords losing time.
Why is he smiling, though?
"Here's your drink, sir. Should I bring you something to eat?"
Stefan's arrival makes her move to Bora's right side, so he can have space to put the drink on the table. And to create some healthy distance.
“No, thank you very much." He says despite the fact he hasn’t eaten since lunch. He just doesn’t want to make Miss Güneş uncomfortable.
Ada doesn't even realize how close they actually are until she hears his voice. Cold, serious… but polite. Almost in her ear.
Too close, she thinks, so she moves back to her old spot, in front of him.
"I can handle everything until you finish, don't worry," Stefan announces proudly, and she hears Bora clearing his throat.
This kid has a crush on her, that's the first thing that comes to Bora’s mind as he watches them interact. It's… cute. He almost feels bad for Stefan.
A l m o s t.
"Thank you so much, Stef. Let me know when the fifth table's order is done. She's a difficult one."
Stef… it sounds so juvenile. Bora has to fake a cough to hide his laugh as he sees Stef getting red. She's basically brother-zoning you, buddy, he thinks amused. Kıyamam…
The guy leaves without looking back, and Bora can notice so easily how happy he is just because of a simple nickname. So he’s not the only one affected by this woman. The Ada Tözün effect.
"So… where do I sign?" When Bora turns his attention back on her, Ada is already sitting in front of him, with her hands on the table. Without even realizing it, his eyes fall on her ring fingers, searching for a certain type of jewelry. But he finds nothing: no wedding or engagement ring. Just faded ink… or is it paint?
It’s none of your business, Bora. And she doesn’t even have to wear one to be married. He knows plenty of people: women and men that don’t leave their homes with their rings on for different reasons. Moral and immoral. Some employers, like him, tend not to hire married candidates, for example. And even if it’s not Ada’s case, she could still have a boyfriend. Yet she doesn’t post photos with him on Instagram?
Bora shakes his head. Why do you care, anyway? Maybe because her schedule can be affected by a potential partner. Yeah… her schedule.
"I thought you’d be the type of person who reads the contract from cover to cover. I’m quite disappointed." Another smile. Actually a smirk.
He isn’t trying to offend me, she realizes as she’s looking directly into his eyes. He’s trying to challenge me. He wants to see how I will react… and it’s working.
"I am the type of person who reads contracts from cover to cover, but I didn’t want to take up your time, sir."
Her sarcasm doesn’t go unnoticed as Bora takes out the contract from his briefcase, trying to stop himself from smiling wider.
He doesn’t put the paper on the table, as Ada expected. He’s holding it in his hands, waiting for her to take it from him. And when she’s raising her right hand to do it, Bora makes sure that their fingers don’t touch even by mistake.
"Are you sure you have enough time for it?"
"I’m here, aren’t I?"
*
Fifteen minutes pass as Bora watches Ada read carefully every sentence. She smiled, frowned, and sighed from time to time, but never took her eyes off the contract. It includes the conditions -her special one, too-, the price, schedule, payment methods, and bibliography.
"Done?" He asks when she finally places the document on the table.
"Done. I’m gonna grab a pe-"
But before she can finish her sentence and stand, he already takes a pen from his briefcase and places it on top of the contract.
"That’s a nice pen." It’s all she says as she picks it up and starts to sign in the right spots.
She doesn’t have bad handwriting, Bora remarks. It's just a little messy because the letters aren’t even.
"Your fifth table's order is ready. I will take it to her."
Stefan or Stef is suddenly behind Miss Tözün, extending one of his arms over her head so he could take the empty bottle from the table.
Bora must admit he’s almost smooth: killing two birds with one stone: doing his job and being close to his crush.
"No need. Thank you, Stefan," she nods and gives Bora a look as she’s standing up. "I’ll be back in a few minutes, can you wait for a little ?"
He turns his head to the difficult lady she's been talking to earlier and he almost wants to ask Ada if she needs any help.
"Sure."
The kid and Ada go to, most probably, the kitchen together as he takes the pen and the contract to place them back in the briefcase. Truth be told, he didn’t want to leave so fast. His gut is telling him to stay a little longer. But he has a Zoom meeting with his agent in two hours.
Bora watches Ada bringing the order to the sour woman with a forced-polite smile on her face as he puts on his black coat, then her returning to the kitchen.
When is that kid coming with the bill?
Impatiently, he takes his briefcase, looking for the boy, but he’s still in the kitchen. He spends a few minutes looking around. The restaurant is nice and cozy, not too expensive, not too cheap, making him wonder what Ada's salary is and how many tips she gets. She’s a beautiful girl… and polite. Probably many, he thinks.
"Thank you for waiting. Are you gonna email me a copy of my contract?" Ada is next to him again, with her hands behind her back.
"Of course, tonight. I have a meeting soon, so I need to go. Can your colleague bring me the bill?" He doesn’t want to sound too cold or hasty, so he controls his voice as much as he can
"It's on me." Ada simply says and nods to the door.
No, I can’t let you do that, he shakes his head vehemently. If there is something Bora never experienced before, it’s someone paying for him. Except for his parents. And he won’t let a student do that.
"I cannot accept-"
He knows she’s not trying to impress him by doing this because she’s obviously not an admirer. She’s anything but an admirer. But it’s still strange. It’s his responsibility: 4 pounds or 40.
"It's on me, Professor Doğrusöz. Also this," she smiles and shows him what she’s been hiding behind her back all this time. A food bag. "And don’t insist or I’ll feel offended. Do you think I can’t afford to pay for a meal?"
Is. That. For. Him?
"Miss Tözün…" He’s too overwhelmed to be able to say anything else but her name.
Her determined face communicates to him loud and clear he won’t win this battle. So he takes the warm food bag in his left hand.
He’s never met such a stubborn person before. He always thought he is headstrong, but Miss Tözün so, so much worse.
How is that even possible?
"As a thank you for giving me a chance and coming all the way here even though you're busy."
He is busy, but did he lie in the email, saying it's an emergency? Yes… yes, he did.
"But-" She’s already opening the door for him. He wants to tell her she doesn’t need to repay him for basically doing nothing. She is the one who came to him. She is the one who insisted. She is the one who wrote that article.
She needs to give herself more credit.
"Goodbye, professor. Drive safely and afiyet olsun!"
G o o d b y e.
Goodbye sounds a little bit too harsh now. He can’t say it back… Not when she’s feeding him tonight. Not when she’s such a kind person. Not when he was wrong about her.
"See you soon, Miss Tözün." Miss Güneș, he wants to say but holds his tongue.