Three Years Later

It’s been three years

since all four of you

were in the same room.

Jamie is already talking too much.

Sam is pretending...

pretending not to notice the tension.

Then

Alex looks at you.

wow. you actually came.

Meltem! Get over here before Alex scares you off again.

Hey, man, be nice. It's been three years.

Alex hasn't looked away from you. The room is loud around a very quiet spot where the two of you are standing.

i wasn't sure you'd want to see me.

benimle türçe konus

Uh. Was that... Turkish?

Meltem, buddy, none of us kept up our Duolingo streak, sorry.

Alex's mouth twitches. Something almost like a smile.

you know i never understood a word of that. you used to do it on purpose.

ingizce bilmiyorum

Your phone buzzes in your pocket. Jamie, from across the room, thumbs already moving.

[private] okay. so we're just pretending you two weren't basically in love?

Across the room, Alex tilts their head, studying you like a puzzle they never finished.

no. you know english. you used to fall asleep mid-sentence in it.

three years and you're already hiding behind a language again.

Wait, hold on. What language? What's happening right now?

Jamie is very carefully not looking up from their phone.

yeah, Meltem. what's happening right now?

358 88 914 7190

You hold your phone out, screen toward Alex. A number. Your number.

Did... did Meltem just give Alex their phone number?

Jamie's phone buzzes. Then buzzes again. Their eyes go wide.

Oh my god. They're— okay, everyone stay calm—

Alex takes a slow step forward, reading the screen like it's written in a language they actually speak.

still the same number?

you kept it. all this time, you kept it.

The room is suddenly very small and very warm. Sam is looking between the two of you like watching a tennis match.

I— okay. Somebody say something, because this is—

yeah. i kept yours too. every digit. never once dialed it.

Alex's voice has gone quiet enough that the room has to lean in to hear it.

Jamie sets down their drink and stands up, wearing the smile of someone about to save everyone.

okayyy. moving on before this gets weird.

three years and you two are still doing this.

i thought we agreed not to make it weird.

exactly.

Alex looks at you, half amused, half uncomfortable.

okay. new rule. no numbers, no languages, no eye contact that lasts longer than four seconds.

Jamie, you're making it worse. You're always making it worse.

i am de-escalating, sam. this is what de-escalating looks like.

Alex is still half-smiling at you, but there's something careful underneath it now.

Like they're waiting to find out if tonight is a joke or a beginning.

you could just tell them, you know.

tell us WHAT. alex. alex, what do you—

Oh no. Here we go.

Jamie looks between the two of you, then throws both hands up.

nope. no. i did not wait three years for you two to do the cryptic thing again.

alex haliyemi

Okay, that one sounded like a name. Meltem said Alex's name, I heard it.

they're doing it AGAIN. the language thing. the old hide-behind-turkish thing.

Alex's half-smile has gone soft and real now.

yeah. that's me. hali.

Wait, hold on. You UNDERSTAND them?

Alex shrugs, not looking away from you.

three years is a long time. i had reasons to learn.

oh my god. oh my GOD. sam. sam, are you hearing this.

Sam has gone very quiet, watching Alex with new eyes.

...Alex, you absolute disaster. You learned their language and never called them?

i said i had reasons, not courage.

The teasing has landed somewhere softer than anyone intended.

Alex rubs the back of their neck, and for a second the room is only background noise.

Meltem. walk with me? two minutes. i just... want to say something where these two can't narrate.

Jamie opens their mouth. Sam puts a hand on their arm without looking away from Alex.

fine. FINE. but if you two disappear for three more years, i'm learning turkish out of spite.

senden hamileyim

you—

Alex's breath catches. Whatever they were about to say, it's gone.

you can't just... say that. in front of everyone. in a language only i understand.

what happened. WHAT HAPPENED. why did alex's face just do that.

Jamie. Breathe. Look at them. It's not for us.

Alex looks at you for a long moment. Then nods toward the door, slow, almost shy.

okay. two minutes. come on. before i lose my nerve again.

The offer stands open in front of you — no pressure, just Alex, waiting.

6 aylık hamile yim

...altı ay. altı ay hamile misin.

Alex says it out loud, half in your language, without thinking.

Then goes very still, realizing everyone heard the shape of it.

wait. wait, what. alex, your FACE. what did they say.

Okay, whatever that was, it's big. Alex, blink once if it's big.

Alex is looking only at you now. Not teasing anymore. Just looking.

is it true? is it— are you okay?

Two minutes doesn't feel like enough for this anymore. Alex doesn't seem to care about the audience.

Meltem. come outside with me. please. not a demand. just... please.

Jamie and Sam stay exactly where they are, watching the door more than either of you.

Alex holds the door for you, hand hovering near your back, not quite touching.

The night air is cold and quiet after all that noise inside.

Through the window, Jamie's silhouette is gesturing wildly at Sam.

You follow Alex out of earshot.

For a second, neither of you says anything.

There’s another things I should’ve told you three years ago

to be continued...