NOT ACID NOR ALKALINE;

𝚕𝚎𝚝'𝚜 𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚔 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝙲𝙷𝙴𝙼𝙸𝚂𝚃𝚁𝚈 '𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝙸'𝚖 𝙳𝚈𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝚝𝚘 𝙼𝙴𝙻𝚃 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙷𝙴𝙰𝚁𝚃 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝙼𝙾𝙻𝙴𝙲𝚄𝙻𝙴𝚂 '𝚝𝚒𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚕𝚎𝚜 𝙿𝙰𝚁𝚃 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚢 𝚠𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚏 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚜𝚑𝚎'𝚜 𝚊𝚗 𝚄𝙽𝙳𝙸𝚂𝙲𝙾𝚅𝙴𝚁𝙴𝙳 𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚎𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚘𝚛𝚗 𝚒𝚗 𝙷𝙴𝙻𝙻 𝚘𝚛 𝙷𝙴𝙰𝚅𝙴𝙽-𝚂𝙴𝙽𝚃

[aquar3gia]

#     𝙰   𝚀   𝚄   𝙰   𝚁   𝟹   𝙶   𝙸   𝙰:   a   fuming   liquid   named   by   alchemists   because   it   can   dissolve   noble   metals,   such   as   gold   and   platinum   ↺   muses   born   from   chaos   and   life   adversities,   but   working   hard   to   keep   their   head   above   water   ;   perpetually   bound   to   the   fictional   city   of   Halcyon   Island.

muses   written   and   loved   by   bru   [   thirty7   ;   she   /   her   ;   gmt-3   ]

featuring   ·

𝑖.   yaseminsönmez   ·   thirty5   ;   [   civilian   ]   ,   artist   &   shop   owner

𝑖𝑖.   jiachae   ·   thirty4   ;   [   the   grid   ]   ,   hacker

[1liv]

NANA as HWANG JEONG-WON in CLIMAX 1.05

[vcaleruega]

[aquar3gia]

tag dump!

[witchdances]

"i always worry about stella." to be fair, caroline always worried about everyone – aeri should know that she always made sure her roommate ate all her breakfast, and that she switched her coffee order to decaffeined after a certain point of the day, and that they checked in with each other everytime they would spend the night away. it's just in her nature – even if it has been raised ten fold since stella came to town to stay under her eye. "you guys are on the same book club?" lips part a little in surprise; she hadn't known it. it's not a bad thing, though, so she takes aeri's arm again and presses her cheek against it tightly, before letting out a laugh. "would you be my hero and be very discreet about it?"

she should be past it by now, for, after all, they've been friends for four years and known one another for longer, but caroline still feels her cheeks heat up at the commentary from aeri. "friday, at the ember and oak." her nervousness is obvious as she admits to it. it's not like it's early, or something ultimately new – she has been in several dates over the past three years, mind you – but, sometimes, it still felt wrong, somehow. maybe it could be due to the last time she did see colt, but aeri doesn't have to get the details to that (caroline doesn't want the scolding). her shoulders jump a little at the exclamation, but she is quick to follow aeri towards the possible prized egg; it joins the other eggs in her basket soon enough. "listen, we can pay. even if it's not as fun. but i still have some of those masks you ordered from korea, if we do want to make it a night soon."

[aquar3gia]

ONE   WOULD   ALWAYS   WORRY   ABOUT   FAMILY,   that   much   was   true,   and   on   top   of   that,   this   was   Caroline   they   were   talking   about.   A   nurturing   soul   if   Aeri   had   ever   known   one.   Perhaps   that   was   why   she   had   always   cared   about   the   other   woman   the   way   she   did:   because   it   was   mutual.   Aeri   nodded   at   her   friend’s   question.   It   wasn’t   like   she   was   keeping   secrets   or   anything,   it   just   wasn’t   something   she   felt   the   need   to   talk   about.   ❝   Of   course,   sweet   cheeks.   ❞   The   short-haired   brunette   smiled,   gently   pressing   a   kiss   on   top   of   Carrie’s   head.   That   brief   moment   of   warmth   made   Aeri’s   heart   grow   at   least   two   inches   with   the   amount   of   love   she   felt   for   that   woman.   ❝   Besides,   discretion   is   my   middle   name.   ❞   She   playfully   tipped   her   invisible   hat   and   winked   at   Carrie.   She   considered   herself   to   be   good   at   reading   people,   hence   why   she   was   good   at   her   job,   so,   if   there   was   something   going   on   with   Stella,   she’d   try   her   best   to   figure   out   what   it   was.  Then,   the   mood   switched   a   little   at   the   mention   of   the   blind   date   and   Aeri   chuckled   softly,   this   time,   being   the   one   to   gently   squeeze   her   friend’s   arm   when   she   took   it.   ❝   Are   you   excited?   I   would   be…   but   I’m   also   a   silly,   romantic   little   goober,   so,   you   shouldn’t   be   so   surprised   to   see   me   rooting   for   you   to   fall   madly   in   love   again.   ❞   Not   that   it   would   happen   after   one   blind   date,   but   she   was   hopeful   that   love   would   find   its   way   back   into   Caroline’s   heart   and   that   it   would   be   a   good   thing   again.   She   needed   to   believe   in   those   better,   happier   days   for   her   own   sake.   ❝   Do   you   know   anything   about   your   mystery   date?   Or   are   you   ❞   Yes,   that   defeated   the   point   of   a   blind   date,   but   Aeri   wasn't   sure   if   her   best   friend   would   say   okay   to   a   date   with   someone   she   knew   absolutely   nothing   about.   Or…   maybe   she   would?   Maybe   this   meant   for   a   ‘new   year,   new   Carrie’   sort   of   thing?   Now,   that   was   exciting. ❝   We   can   pay,   but   if   we   can   pamper   ourselves   at   the   expense   of   a   game,   why   not   try   it,   right?   ❞   Playfully,   she   nudged   the   other   woman   and   then   continued.   ❝   We   could   use   these   masks   tonight   once   we   get   home,   what   do   you   say?   I   could   make   you   some   Doenjang-jjigae.   Halmoni   says   it’s   good   for   the   soul.   ❞   And   as   far   as   food   was   concerned,   her   grandmother   was   always   right.

[rejwen-icons]

Melisa Aslı Pamuk 200x320

[zchidavci-deactivated20241230]

"No rudeness here, I promise. Just curious is all," he promised. If anything, Zahid only wanted to get in her good graces. The woman was incredibly beautiful. It would be weird of him not to want do that. When she confirmed she was indeed from Turkey, he grinned. Meeting someone from the homeland always brought him a sense of comfort to him. "Ah, a fellow Turkish then! Always nice to meet another Turk, even if you were born stateside," he said in his native tongue, he couldn’t be sure because unlike him, there were a few people who were born and raised here in America. Like this beauty for instance. Her question made him nod. "I’m from Antalya. Came here for university. I just decided to stay after.”

Her offer to buy him a drink instead of the other way around surprised him in a pleasant way. Most women he met expected him to pick up the tab. Her insistence was refreshing. He liked that. "Aren't you full of delightful surprises," he stated, eyes twinkling with interest as he studied her lovely face. "I would never say no, especially when it’s coming from a beautiful woman." 

When she asked about his job, he shrugged, before going on to explain. "It has its perks. I get to meet all kinds of fascinating people and sometimes even travel." He smiled, taking the drink she offered him. "But the hours can be brutal. Early mornings are not my favorite. And constantly being in the public eye gets tiring too." 

He took a sip of his drink, gaze never leaving her face. "It’s nice to meet you, Reyhan Solmaz. But enough about me. What do you do? I get the sense it's something creative." She seemed like a free spirit, untamed by the daily grind most people got trapped in. But he could be wrong too.

[aquar3gia]

It was both funny and comforting to be able to use her mother language around people that weren't her parents, or any other close family. It gave Reyhan some sort of butterflies in her stomach, but not the usual kind... the one that came with the anxiety of making mistakes, especially since she had been born and raised in Turkiye and Reyhan hadn't even visited their motherland yet. "Antalya... that's on the coast side, isn't it?" The brunette asked him, still using Turkish as her method of communication and hoping she wouldn't make a silly mistake. "I've seen so many beautiful pictures of it, if it is? They call it the Turkish Riviera, right?" And she could have sworn she had heard something about it during one of her conversations with her mother. Maybe her grandfather was from there? There was something like that. "Do you visit often, though? Or you just came here and stayed?"

Aw, he was charming, wasn't he? He wanted to make her feel special... it seemed like a trend among men these days. One that, of course, Reyhan appreciated, but one nonetheless, that she also tended to look at in a certain suspicious ways. "Please. Order your drink then. It's on the beautiful woman." She encouraged him with a smile using his own words against him, and then, rested her chin on her hand to hear him talk about his job. More than talking about herself, Reyhan actually liked hearing others talking about theirs... that was, when they didn't have an intension of talking over others or taking advantage of others.

Constantly being in the public eye. She wouldn't know much about it, or at all, so she couldn't relate, but people could be cruel whenever they wanted to. "Do you think people judge you? Since you're a public figure and all? How do you deal with that, though? I'm sure it's hard, isn't it?" It was none of her business, but Reyhan was genuinely curious about it. Most famous people she was in touch with — aside from Michelle, maybe, — were book authors and those were different levels of scrutiny that they would go through. "Sorry..." She chuckled, shaking her head. "Those are kind of too much of personal question for a first conversation, aren't they? You don't have to answer them if you don't like."

When he turned the question on her, then brunette couldn't hold back the chuckle that bubbled in the back of her throat. Something creative, damn right she did. "Actually... I work in a publishing company, so you could say it's something creative." She nodded, watching him for a moment. The way his body language spoke, with his eyes never leaving her, his body inching closer, the compliments... well, it reminded of how things had started with a certain blonde, and Reyhan almost chuckled at the thought. Men really were similar in so many ways, weren't they? "I'm an assistant-editor at JJP, in Atlanta. Is that creative enough for you? And how's the drink?" / @zchidavci

[aquar3gia]

So he was a dad. Trying to figure out parenthood, maybe? If that was the case, then where was the mother? Reyhan felt like asking, but didn't. It felt too invading to do so. Pressing her lips together for a moment, Reyhan pointed towards him with her glass. "If you're raising a daughter, you might want to take a few notes on how to listen to women." Because him, as a father, wouldn't want to see his daughter on the same situation as Kaira was, right? Despite his intentions having been good. Still, Reyhan offered him a small smile. His issue had been with Kaira, and Kaira had probably been clear enough on her lecture. Reyhan wasn't about to give him another one.

She took a sip from her drink, one that had been sitting in front of her for quite a long time now due to how much of a light drinker she was. "I appreciate the offer, Roman... but I'm... not really used to sharing." Especially not to strangers, she thought of saying, but didn't want to make thing any harder on the man than they already had been that evening. But Reyhan didn't have many friends, thus, she would often open up to the small number that she did have. Whether that was a pro or a con, she didn't really know. In a way, Reyhan almost sounded a little apologetic as she said that. "How about I buy you a drink and we try to find you a decent date, hm? So that your night doesn't end on a bad note." / @romanwagncr

[romanwagncr]

He flashed her a sheepish grin as Reyhan pointedly commented about listening to women. She made a great point, so he nodded. "You're absolutely right. Listening is key, but not jumping to conclusions is too. I digress though.” He shrugged. “My point is, I’m still learning. Aren’t we all?" He was always open to improving himself, and if there were notes to be taken on being a better listener, he was all ears. Still, he was only human and it was only natural he made mistakes. He wished his friend would understand that.

When Rey offered to buy him a drink, he figured why the hell not. It wouldn’t hurt anyone now. Over a drink, they chatted and he found himself enjoying the conversation. Despite the earlier mishap with Kaira, the night was looking up. After a while, he checked his watch, realizing it was getting late. "I should probably head out," he said, finishing his drink. "I've got a little one waiting at home." He stood up, offering Reyhan a friendly smile. "It was great talking to you, Reyhan. Let's do this again sometime." With that, he went his separate way—feeling a bit lighter than before. The night hadn't ended on a bad note after all.

COMPLETED

[shanayaxsanghvi]

Kaira knew well enough that if she took some time to maybe think about Roman’s actions and where he was coming from she wouldn’t be as annoyed about it. But that wasn’t going to happen tonight and after this conversation with Reyhan, she’d end up giving him a piece of her mind and hopefully end the night with some romantic comedy movies at home curled up with some ice cream that Ahalya had brought over earlier in the week. But it bothered her more to feel like Reyhan didn’t get what she was feeling and even worse than that was the idea that she might’ve hurt her friend by lashing out and focusing on her own problems. “I’m glad, because I didn’t want to be that way…it just got me angry.” Taking a deep breath she looked at her friend and gave her another smile. “But why don’t you tell me more about how you’re doing with how this evening has turned out…Caleb seems nice enough?” She didn’t know the other man but if Reyhan was friends with him—it was as good an endorsement as any in her eyes.

The way Reyhan returned the hug and gave her a soft kiss on the side of her head had Kaira honestly letting out a sigh of relief because it meant that her friend wasn’t upset with her and hopefully this wouldn’t even be a big deal at all between them. But she certainly had to work on reeling in her emotions and not allowing them to get the best of her the way they had earlier in this conversation.

“I’m going to try,” she said with a smile aimed at her friend. She wouldn’t tell her that she planned on going straight home, not really feeling up to socializing anymore. But it seemed like Reyhan had already figured that out with her next words which had her nodding before she repeated the same sentiment. “I will text you as soon as I’m home, but you do the same too okay—let me know how your date ends up going. And if I’m still up when you’re back we can talk then if you’re up for it.” Kaira told the other with a happy smile because at least—one of the relationships in her life was still standing as solid as she could hope for. Reyhan was quite easily her rock in so many ways and she loved her best friend so much, always only wanting the best for her. | @reyhansolmaz

[aquar3gia]

Yes, Caleb was nice enough... but Caleb was also a friend, who Reyhan had absolutely no romantic feelings whatsoever towards to. There was a light sigh that escaped from her lips as Reyhan repositioned herself, so that she could brush some of her best friend's strands of hair behind her ear. "It is what it is." She shrugged slightly. "If I were to be honest with you, I would confess that I would much rather if someone had bid on me in a non-friendly way... which..." She gave Kaira a piercing look, as if to say that she wasn't done voicing her thoughts, even though she didn't even know if her friend would interrupt her or not. "...Is why I get why you're angry at Roman for doing so. But... I don't know.... I'll probably stick around until after the date and see where the night leads me."

If she was planning on finding romance, then, might as well make some effort, right?

"You look drop-dead gorgeous, you know that?" Reyhan smiled at the woman in front of her once again, then bringing her face towards herself to plant a kiss on Kaira's forehead. "You shouldn't let all of this go to waste." She said, while motioning her hands towards Kaira's outfit, hair and make-up. "But... I get it, sweet cheeks. I'll text you once I'm home." Reyhan gave her best friend one more hug and then, let her go, watching a woman on a mission as Kaira went straight to Roman.

END.

[robertsameliax]

Amelia nodded her head as Reyhan explained why she didn’t drink alcohol was due to her religion. I guess when you didn’t have it around as much it was easy to not pick up the ha lot whereas when it is all over your world, it was second nature to pick up the habit. Parents didn’t care as long as you stayed out of their hair which was something that Amelia found herself doing with no issues. At her question, Amelia immediately shook her head. “Not at all. I mean as long as you’re not like sloppy drunk in the middle of the street naked or hurting others then heck no. Alcohol can definitely be something fun to experience and especially since you don’t drink much in the first place.” 

“Thank you. I feel like it’s such a pretty common name.” Although common, she actually liked her name. It wasn’t anything special but it was her own. Surprising she didn’t know any other Amelia’s that lived in their town which made it even better. Something like a name should be strong and powerful and to Amelia she felt like her name felt as such. The meaning behind the name was so fascinating to her. She had always wanted to know why people choose their children’s name or what they think about the names given to them. “So basically basil favored by Gos?” She said with a small laugh. “I think that’s such a wonderful meaning behind your name. Kudos to your parents for such a unique and beautiful name.”

“Not usually but you have this aura about yourself so I figured why not,” she responded. “My story? Well, I was born and raised here until I was eighteen. Moved to Massachusetts for school, got my law degree, and now back home trying to keep my brother out of trouble. My story is less entertaining.” When the drink came and put in front of them, Amelia grabbed hers and turned toward the other woman. “To a good night, new friends, and new drinks.”

[aquar3gia]

It was a common name, but that didn't mean that it wasn't a pretty one. Plus, it also came with a personal kind of attachment to her, due to the little story she had written and that now, while speaking to this Amelia, Reyhan was tempted to revisit the other Amelia in her life. "I mean, who would've thought of seasoning their food without some basil to give it a nice pop, right?" The answer was probably bland white people, but Reyhan kept it to herself for the sake of keeping this conversation nice and friendly, of course. "And thank you, they surely outdid themselves, because the family dog was named Nico." Which, in her opinion, was pretty much a dog's simple name.

The way Amelia mentioned Reyhan having an aura about herself caused the brunette to let out a little chuckle. Leaning on the bar top, the editor rested her chin on her hand as she shook her head. "I have an aura about myself? It's the lack of alcohol, isn't it? It has to be!" She leggy brunette teased, finding this conversation highly amusing to say the least. And then, as her companion went on about her story, Reyhan bobbed her head to let Amelia know she was listening. "Did you go to MIT, Harvard, Northeastern or Boston U?" She inquired, having met quite a couple of people who had gone to four universities and who had settled in New York. They all have different auras about them, so, might as well ask instead of assuming things.

The green drink was placed in front of them and Reyhan partially regretted having said yes to it. First of all, it was green. Like, Flubber green. What if a bouncy Robin Williams goo jumped out of it? Still, she clinked her glass against the other woman's and then took a sip from it, making a face shortly after. "Oof... I thought it would at least taste good if it was sweet, but God, I was wrong." She chuckled. "Better luck next time, I guess?" She then pressed her lips together. "Anyways, Amelia... what brings you back to Covington? It's definitely a whole different world from Boston." / @robertsameliax

[aquar3gia]

Despite not being the cuddliest person around, Reyhan had her moments. Usually, they were shared with Kaira, since she was the one Reyhan felt more comfortable being around with, however, there were occasions, such as this, that the young editor allowed herself to lower her walls for a bit and breathe easy. It wasn't that she was cold or distant... she just took her time letting others in.

When Ahalya mentioned going home and kissing a pillow, Reyhan shook her head and clicked her tongue. She leaned in and planted a kiss on her friend's cheek, double-checking if she hadn't left any sort of trace of her lipstick behind. "There. Now you have kissed someone other than your pillow. Or even better... you were kissed." She teased Lya as s soft chuckle escaped her lips. Valentine's was usually a time people, especially the women Reyhan had in her life, were often found moping around, and the young editor was no immune to it. "But who knows, Lya... maybe something came up and he had to leave? A family emergency or... I don't know?" Because that wasn't the guy's first bid, so it wasn't like he didn't want to win a date with Ahalya.

When the spotlight was placed on her, Reyhan shook her head. "Gosh, don't even remind me of that! I don't think I've felt so embarressed! As you can see, I don't do well with being the center of attention." In fact, she wished she would, but, unless she was working, Reyhan tended to linger in the background. It was better that way. "I know him, yes. He's a good friend." She offered Lya another smile. "I was going to set him up with Kaira, since she too wasn't happy with the result of her action, but I don't think we're allowed to do that. Maybe next year we should be the ones bidding." Hopefully, by next year, Reyhan would spend her Valentine's in the company of someone else and just bid for fun, but considering her lips, she'd better not to get her hopes high. / @ahalyaxreddy

[ahalyaxreddy]

Ahalya, though very expressive with her emotions, felt a comfort in the simple embrace of her friend. There was a warmth in Reyhan’s presence that was hard to put into words. Maybe it came from the fact that they had bonded during one of the darkest points in Ahalya’s life, but in her presence, there was safety and reprieve. And tonight, when she had taken one too many emotional hits, the mere presence of the familiar and welcome face helped ease the negativity that was looming around the corner. Reminders of the life that she had given up, the life that she could have had, the lack of direction in the future that spanned before her. All of those pesky thoughts could be silenced for a few minutes, and she wasn’t sure if she would ever be able to fully express to Reyhan how much she valued her friendship.

Swooping in, as if she were truly an angel determined to shoo away all negativity, the little kiss she gave Ahalya had her heart swell and the first genuine smile of the evening peeked out from the shadows. She returned the favor, planting a quick peck on the other’s cheek. “There, now I can say I was kissed and that I kissed someone. And definitely someone I would rather kiss than anyone else in this room.” She scanned the attendees, deciding that yes, she would prefer Reyhan’s company to that of anyone else in the moment. Her rationality overpowered Ahalya’s desire to wallow, and she nodded. “No, you’re right. But I would rather assume that he just didn’t have the money than wonder if something bad happened, you know.” Because in the grand scheme of things, the auction was a small blip in her life. Given the frivolity of the event, Ahalya didn’t want to console herself by assuming something more serious than it warranted.

“You and me both,” Ahalya affirmed. She preferred not to be in center stage, at least not during these types of events. Maybe that was precisely the reason that Ahalya preferred to stay in her comfort zone, not venturing too far beyond. At the mention of Kaira, her ears perked up. But she knew that this was neither the time, nor the place, to ask Reyhan about why Kaira was unhappy with her bidder. Maybe Reyhan knew something about Roman, and, being the protective friend that she was, now she suspected that maybe the man had crossed two of her friends. Which was why, rather than broach the subject in the moment, she made a mental note to bring it up the next time they hung out. For tonight, she just decided to put the rest of the night behind her. “Next year, we can donate directly to charity and take each other out.” | @reyhansolmaz

FIN.

[ahalyaxreddy]

“And I was a hyperactive child who must have drained her lifetime reserves of energy from the years of five to seven.” She joked as she tried to recharge at least a little bit with Reyhan by her side. There was a peaceful comfort in the embrace and maybe, she didn’t realize it, but she’d desperately needed the respite. The whole night she had been on edge. Both rethinking her decision to put herself up for bid, then to go on a date, and now that her date was nowhere to be seen, her presence in this auction all together. It was an exhausting night, both physically and emotionally. But she stayed back because it was better than going home, pulling out her phone, and inevitably finding herself scrolling through the pictures of her ex and his fiancée living a life that would have never been hers, nor that she desired, but that still stung. When Reyhan directed the conversation over to Knox who’d won her bid for the evening, Ahalya laughed with a shake of her head. “The only thing I’ll be kissing is a pillow tonight, Rey. My date bailed pretty much in the middle of bidding. I don’t think he even knows he won.” At least that was what she’d been told by the organizers. “Which is why, thank god, I’m off date-duty tonight. You, on the other hand,” she said with a wide grin. “Ms. Popular, the bids were flying. Rightfully so because you look freaking spectacular. Anything less and I would have revolted. Do you know Caleb?” | @reyhansolmaz

[aquar3gia]

Despite not being the cuddliest person around, Reyhan had her moments. Usually, they were shared with Kaira, since she was the one Reyhan felt more comfortable being around with, however, there were occasions, such as this, that the young editor allowed herself to lower her walls for a bit and breathe easy. It wasn't that she was cold or distant... she just took her time letting others in.

When Ahalya mentioned going home and kissing a pillow, Reyhan shook her head and clicked her tongue. She leaned in and planted a kiss on her friend's cheek, double-checking if she hadn't left any sort of trace of her lipstick behind. "There. Now you have kissed someone other than your pillow. Or even better... you were kissed." She teased Lya as s soft chuckle escaped her lips. Valentine's was usually a time people, especially the women Reyhan had in her life, were often found moping around, and the young editor was no immune to it. "But who knows, Lya... maybe something came up and he had to leave? A family emergency or... I don't know?" Because that wasn't the guy's first bid, so it wasn't like he didn't want to win a date with Ahalya.

When the spotlight was placed on her, Reyhan shook her head. "Gosh, don't even remind me of that! I don't think I've felt so embarressed! As you can see, I don't do well with being the center of attention." In fact, she wished she would, but, unless she was working, Reyhan tended to linger in the background. It was better that way. "I know him, yes. He's a good friend." She offered Lya another smile. "I was going to set him up with Kaira, since she too wasn't happy with the result of her action, but I don't think we're allowed to do that. Maybe next year we should be the ones bidding." Hopefully, by next year, Reyhan would spend her Valentine's in the company of someone else and just bid for fun, but considering her lips, she'd better not to get her hopes high. / @ahalyaxreddy

[renzienaipaul-deactivated202405]

@reyhansolmaz

"Whoa, I was just asking about scheduling issues. At my age, it takes an act of god to coordinate a night out with friends, but. Busy adulting, internalized misogyny; potayto, potahto?" Renzie was more bemused than anything else; because if this was Reyhan's idea of teasing, it certainly was novel. And she did then call him 'Pretty Brown Eyes' right after. Like romcom banter - which, given the film they were watching, only made it more cute.

"I mean, I get it - I'm here alone too. And I have soooooo many friends," Renzie joke-bragged. "But speaking of noodles - have you ever tried dining alone? Like at a sit-down restaurant, not a fast-food joint, or lunch. Soloing movies is one thing; soloing a dinner out is one of those experiences where you really learn yourself."

It would've been good enough if Reyhan just knew about one of the films he'd worked on. But she'd watched all of them? Okay, so maybe Renzie did take pride in his work, even if they weren't masterpieces.

Plus, it helped exponentially that Reyhan seemed like a sophisticated, intelligent - and quite frankly, gorgeous - woman who liked his stuff (maybe that was the internalized misogyny she'd teased him about, or just plain superficiality).

"All of them?" Renzie's mouth dropped open in surprise. And she considered four of our five star review to be a bad review, meaning...she gave the rest of his stuff five stars?? "The couch cushion one was a favour for a friend of a friend....there was more sentimentality in it than I would've liked. A puff piece, ha ha. Get it - cushions...puff."

She liked the way he told stories. She called his work passionate (minus the couch cushion one). Renzie felt like Baby, lifted into the air by Swayze, soaring above an applauding crowd of acceptance.

"Please don't take this the wrong way, but Reyhan, I could kiss you for these reviews. I don't think - I just realized this is the first time I've spoken to a normal person about my documentaries, someone who isn't soaked in Hollywood schmooze and shmutz." Renzie's hands framed the sides of his head, miming his head being blown.

"Wow. This. Wow. Reyhan, my mind is blown. You've blown my mind. Who are you? Where'd you come from? How did we just randomly meet like this? It's amazing. You're amazing. What'd you say you worked in again? Can I hire you to be my hypeman? Sorry - hypeperson."

[aquar3gia]

Ah, yes. Dining alone. Whenever she had a bad day at work, instead of coming home to an empty apartment and having to cook, Reyhan lingered back in Atlanta and picked a nice place to eat. She would often have a book in her hands and she would read while others shared a meal with someone. Growing up, characters from these stories, both hers and not, were her best friends. Since she had a hard time making friends because she moved a lot, the characters from the stories she read easily fit in the spot of her friends.

"Pshyeah.... you look the part." The petite brunette teased him, picking up on the joking tone in his voice when he mentioned having lots of friends. "I have, yes." But, again, people tended to look at a woman having dinner by herself and often thought she had been ditched by a date. She could tell him about the amount of times she'd been approached by waiters to ask if her date wasn't coming when all she wanted was a glass of wine and some food. "People are scared of doing fun things by themselves, I guess. Coming to the movies, having dinner, going to museums..." To name a few. I'm actually tired of doing these things by myself, she thought, but didn't voice out loud.

Another joke, and Reyhan pressed her lips together, almost wincing as he tried to explain it. A failed attempt to steal a laugh from her. "Do people tell you that you're funny...?" Because, in her opinion, that was probably the reason why he seemed to be trying this hard to make her laugh. She didn't need the effort... She'd noticed he could be funny when he wasn't trying this hard.

Although she was used to being around famous authors, Reyhan couldn't say she was used to being around, as he put, people soaked in the Hollywood schmooze and shmutz, but it wasn't hard to assume that the city was as superficial as people claimed it to be. "You should see the reviews I leave in podcast episodes a follow..." She mumbled, mostly to herself, but she was quite sure she could hear her if he were paying attention. "I'm just very opinionated. Always have been. Not everyone likes it." I mean, they didn't pick her to be the captain of the debates team for no reason, right? Or to write graduation speeches, or to be part of the schoool's newspaper. Reyhan had a way with words and she knew that. She just wished her confidence didn't simply vanish when it came to her career as an author.

His questions went on and on, making the brunette chuckle at the absurdity of them. It was adorable, to say the least. See? He could be funny when he wasn't trying. "And, I didn't... but hello, Reyhan Solmaz." Again, she offered her hand. "Originally from Portland, Oregon, but I moved to Covington from New York. Assistant Editor at JJP Publishing. And you could hire me, but I don't think you could afford me." / @renzienaipaul

[aiylademirci]

"What if we had a cute Galentine's getting ready session at my place before the auction?" Aiyla's eye lit up with excitement. "We could get Kaira, Harlow, Samara. How cute would that be?" she turned to Rey, almost pleading her to say yes just so Aiyla could go out and buy cheap but cute Valentine's decorations and create pink cocktails for her friends.

"Listen, girl dates are so underrated. We just understand each other in a way that no man ever will." Aiyla scoffed, tossing her wet hair over her shoulder. Aiyla sure as hell made it clear throughout her twenties that she didn't need a man. She may want a man, but she sure as hell didn't need one. "Well maybe the auction is the best place to find that guy who ticks all the right boxes?" she suggested. "I mean, most people in town are going to be there. You can circle the room, and if the vibe isn't right or if the conversation died before it had even started, you can make up an excuse that you've got to be somewhere for the event planner." | @reyhansolmaz

[aquar3gia]

Aiyla's excitement was certainly contagious and it was probably going to be just what the doctor's ordered. It would be nice for Kaira too, to get herself out there and meet more girl friends. Maybe those friends would introduce her to other friends and then, her bff wouldn't feel so lonely anymore. It was worth the try. "Oh, I'd love that! I'm sure Kaira is going to love it, too!" Out of the list Aiyla had given, Kaira the only one that Reyhan could attempt at guessing how her reaction would be, given their proximity, but honestly, who didn't love a little Galentine's date, right? "Are you saying you're throwing a little Galentine's pre-event for us? Because I'm in."

Reyhan was more worried about the exposure than she was of having a bad date. Those, she was used to. But being paraded around, especially in the sexy, short dress that Kaira suggested she'd wear, was definitely something new. "I feel like trying to find the man of my life in that event is similar to making a Tinder account and trying to do the same?" There was a hint of uncertainty in her tone, almost like a question, because even Reyhan wasn't sure if she should be making such comparison. I mean... there could be successful Tinder dates, right? "But, if it's for charity, then, at least something nice must come out of it, right?" Rey then stretched out her foot and gently nudged Aiyla's leg. "Do you have your eyes on a certain someone and hoping they bid for you?" / @aiylademirci

[saraiayutthaya]

"You know I love my brothers to death," Sarai said with a dramatic eye roll and nudge to her best friend's shoulder. Seriously thought, other than their overbearing teasing, they were the best big brothers ever. She couldn’t complain when they’d saved her butt from their mom’s.

"I know my mom means well with the whole 'prize cow' situation, but I wish she'd just let me find someone on my own terms. I get that she wants me to meet a nice, eligible bachelor, but being paraded on stage definitely isn't my idea of fun. Plus, I just broke up.” Okay, that had been seven months. Still, she wasn’t ready to go there again. "That’s a great idea, but knowing them, they’d probably love the attention.” She had to stifle a snort as she pictured them strutting around the stage. Shameless…

"Of course you can hide here with me," she said, waving off Rey’s words. "I'm sorry your night has been so tiring. But at least you got me now.” She grinned. Hearing Rey’s her -of date with Dakota, she raised a brow. The whole situation sounded like a mess. "Can’t say I blame her. I mean, have you seen yourself? Girl, you’re hot..." And she wasn’t just trying to flatter her best friend. She wasn’t blind, she’d seen the way men drool over Rey. “But it’s good that you’ll be chilling with Caleb later.” Since she’d chatted with Ozan earlier, she barely paid much attention to the bid. But, she did catch the back and forth for a minute. "Not surprising, he is a hot guy. The question is, why did you not bid for Ryan?"

[aquar3gia]

Reyhan knew that asking if Sarai had told her mother that would end being a dumb question, because, chances were, the food critic had probably tried but her mother failed to acknowledge it. It was sad, though, how some parents could mean well and end up being slightly overbearing. In Reyhan's case, however, it was almost the opposite. Her parents had taught her independence from a young age, and it almost felt like they'd done it so they wouldn't have to keep an eye on her.

She had been the type of child who didn't demand much, and, as a teenager, even less. It almost felt like they were strangers who lived in the same house, and yet, there was still the desperate need to never fail her parents.

Crazy, huh.

"Maybe you should tell your mom you're gay. I'd be one hell of a great beard, ma'am." She chuckled, leaning in to plant a kiss on Sarai's cheek. Wait. That was considered offensive nowadays, wasn't it? Shit. Well... if it was, then Reyhan was lucky that only Sarai could hear her, thus being the only one to actually judge her if she was wrong. "But yeah, I'm looking forward to hanging out with Caleb for a bit." Rey admitted. "I know him from New York, so it's been nice to bump into him here. Definitely nothing outside of a friendly date, but I guess that's better than being stuck with a nasty guy, right?"

Despite Rey having been extremely annoyed at Dakota for wanting to spend her money on something like this, and for someone not to not have bid on her, it could have been worse. Things could always get worse.

At Sarai's question, the editor couldn't help but laugh. "Well, first, I was up for auction, so I don't think I could've bid on him, and second, to go up against those two? No, thank you." She shook her head, humor still evident in her tone. "And come on! You make me seem obsessed with the guy. I'm not!" / @saraiayutthaya

[romanwagncr]

He flashed the woman a weak smile as he settled onto the barstool beside her. Despite his sour mood after the confrontation with Kaira, he didn't want to come across as rude, especially to her best friend. In spite of everything, he wasn’t a complete dick. "The one and only… Yeah, you could say that," he said with a sardonic laugh. "She definitely let me have it for bidding on her. I was just trying to help since she's my friend, but I clearly overstepped." Roman sighed, scrubbing his face in frustration. His intentions had been good—he wanted to prevent Kaira from being embarrassed at the auction. But he should have thought it through better or at least talked to her first. Now she was furious at him for interfering. Some friend he turned out to be. 

"Anyway, I'm sorry we're meeting under these circumstances. I've heard so many great things about you.” He said after ordering a drink, “I swear I'm not normally the jerk who goes around offending women." These days though, it seemed like that was all he ended up doing. Like one woman hating him wasn’t enough, he had to incur the wrath of his only real friend in town. While he was stuck in his head, he didn’t miss that Reyhan too seemed to be distracted. "Rough night for you too? You might as well spill. I’m all ears," not like he had anything else going on tonight. 

[aquar3gia]

That was what this whole night had been about for the two friends, right? People with good intentions ending up doing the wrong thing. Now that Reyhan had had some time to digest the outcome of that evening, she was no longer upset about it. It was what it was. "I think it was more of a case of you not reading the signs than overstepping, if I'm being honest." But then again, Reyhan was only aware of Kaira's side of the situation, so it wasn't like she could be impartial about this. She, however, didn't seem angry at the man beside her and hoped that the tone she used didn't imply otherwise. "Alas, I hope you remember this evening should you ever have those ideas again." She chuckled. "And well... if there's still any doubt in you, you can always ask if she would be okay with something, you know? Kaira's a fully grown woman. She can handle a lot more than you think."

With that said, Reyhan told herself to stop kicking the poor guy since he was already down. Kaira had said her piece and Reyhan just reiterated it, so, she would drop it so he wouldn't feel cornered. "Well, then tell me, Roman..." She leaned in, resting her chin on her hand as she watched him. "What kind of man are you?"

Because going around saying they weren't jerks was the easiest thing for men to do. Reyhan needed more than simple words. Besides, she'd just met him, and like he'd pointed out, not under the best circumstances, but she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. "As for my night, you could say it was somewhat of a similar situation to yours. Probably not as upsetting, but still unsettling." / @romanwagncr

[shanayaxsanghvi]

It was clear to Kaira that whatever she was saying to Reyhan wasn’t registering in the way she’d hoped it would. It was fair though, Reyhan had been there through a lot of actual moments in Kaira’s life when things really had been bad and maybe in hindsight when she actually thought about it—she'd realize that despite this being a major inconvenience, it wasn’t that horrible of a thing to have happen? But for now she was annoyed and she would hold onto that annoyance. “Thank god for that,” she murmured before looking back at Reyhan and shrugging, “that’s the thing though. I’m more just upset that he had the audacity to do it in the first place. You know?” Still, she let out a soft sigh because she could tell that her feelings were beginning to bother her friend and she didn’t want to do that.

It was interesting but it was in certain moments like these where she realized that by suppressing her own emotions, she would avoid others being upset with her or at the circumstances surrounding them and perhaps that was why she began silently shutting down, not wanting to annoy her friend anymore than she already had.

“Yeah, I think you’re right I’ll tell him how I felt about this whole thing. But that date isn’t going to happen,” she retorted before taking a small sip from her glass and turning to Reyhan she let out another sigh before nodding, “sorry…I’m not trying to frustrate you with my emotions about this whole thing. And I’m not trying to make it seem like my problem is bigger than yours. I guess you’re pretty much in the same boat. But at least your friend seems cute.” At least in the few moments she’d glimpsed him while he’d been bidding on Reyhan earlier.

When she spoke about men not thinking, Kaira finally cracked a smile before shaking her head. “That’s probably true and please…that would be a horrible suggestion. I don’t trust his judgement to set me up with anyone…besides I doubt he even knows anyone else here so that can’t go over well,” she chuckled softly before smiling at Reyhan and reaching over to hug the other with a smile. “I’m sorry for lashing out at you earlier, I just—it really pissed me off, but you’re right, I’ll tell him and then probably call it a night…” As much as she’d wanted to stick around and enjoy the evening, she really didn’t want to do it stuck with Roman by her side. | @reyhansolmaz

[aquar3gia]

The more Kaira spoke, the more it made Reyhan wonder why this man was considered a friend in the first place. She didn't trust his judgement, she didn't like how he had acted, this, this and that. However, it also occurred to her, that maybe, because Kaira was so angry at Roman, it could also be clouding her judgment a little, after all, she didn't think her friend would keep nasty people around, let alone call them friends otherwise. "Don't worry, I didn't think you were." The editor shook her head when Kaira apologized if it seemed like she was trying to paint her problem as bigger than Reyhan's. She knew Kaira long enough to know her friend wouldn't do that. At least, not knowingly. Frustrating her, too.

They had their differences, and sometimes, Kaira's actions frustrated Reyhan, just like the other way around did Kaira too, so it wasn't like Rey didn't know how to handle the situation.

She returned the hug when Kaira reached over to her and gave her best friend a light squeeze, before planting a kiss on the side of her head and then letting her go. "Try not to let this whole thing keep you from having a good night, you know? Take a walk around, see if you find someone nice to talk to." It didn't hurt to try. "If not, let me know once you get home, okay?" Old habits died hard. Living in a big city like New York, Reyhan had grown accustomed to check in on her friends whenever their left a place and went on their separate ways, so of course, even though Covington was much smaller, she would still worry about Kaira. / @kairaxjoshi