HALIME ADEM. 30.
Realtor / Aspiring screenwriter.
Mount Pleasant.
Like the earth I turn in and in on myself in a violent effort to grow. It is a slow unyielding process, a millennia of reformation, of renewal and ravaging and yet, my russet veins still carry those ancient imprints. Those archaic fault lines ready to split open waiting just waiting for life to come again.
❛ Like the earth I turn in and in on myself in a violent effort to grow. ❜
Name: Halime Adem
Nicknames: Hal & Hali
Age: 30
Gender identification: Cis female, she/her
Sexual orientation: Bisexual
Relationship status: Single
Residential area: Mount Pleasant
Occupation: Real estate agent / aspiring screenwriter
Two positive traits: Clever & imaginative
Two negative traits: Discontented & indulgent
Length of time in Vancouver: 26 years
Faceclaim: Bensu Soral
Father: Yusef Adem, age 62
Mother: Ela Adem, age 60
Older sister: Nesrin Adem, age 32
Younger sister: Yasemin Adem, age 27
Born in Antalya, Turkey, Halime’s family moved to Seattle, Washington when she was just two years old. Her father was a banker, looking to get involved in investments and real estate developments stateside. The family was moved with the promise of an easier way of life due to a more prosperous employment, something Hali’s father’s cousin promised. Two years after arriving in Seattle, Hali and her mother, along with her two siblings, found a home in Vancouver, British Columbia pending a possible divorce. With her parents marriage on the rocks long before she was born, the space was decided upon to hopefully give her mother and father time to figure things out. He would come home to Vancouver on the weekends and stay in an apartment in Seattle during the work week. It actually worked quite nice for the family, given the peace between parents and the ability for the Adem daughters to connect and be close with their mother. What Hali remembers most was a strict, old world upbringing with her father’s values based in Islam. The separation of her parents might’ve given her the wrong impression on relationships and marriage. Especially since neither she nor her sisters were allowed to date as teenagers when all their peers were. There was no such thing as casual dating in her father’s eyes, and it didn’t help that Hali had very confusing feelings when it came to attractions. She liked girls the same way she liked boys, more than that, Hali might’ve liked them more. However, that wasn’t acceptable in the Adem family, so aside from her sisters, she kept her desires secret. In school she worked hard, studied language and went to the local university in the hopes of eventually becoming a screenwriter. Hali’s always loved writing and has dreamed of developing shows and movies for the screen, especially being so close to it all in Vancouver. During her time in university, Hali dated a woman for the first time and had fallen madly in love with the woman. Unfortunately it had been doomed to fail given the fact that Hali had to keep the relationship secret due to her fear of her father finding out about the relationship. When she had been only sixteen years of age, she saw her beloved older sister cast out of the family for falling in love with a boy and becoming pregnant. Their father saw it as a sin and a shame on her and the family. Hali figured it would be just as bad for her if she revealed her true heart, so living in the closet had become her way of life. Once she’d graduated university pursuing her dream of screenwriting has been a tough road. No real interest in her original works and only a few paid gigs in adapting other writer’s work brought Hali to seek a stable income. So, Hali got her real estate and brokerage license and has been enjoying making her own business that way. Still, with the hopes and dreams of writing original works for the screen.
The Vine had become her go to stop after work since she had been in town - it always provided the perfect balance of calm and a liveliness that she liked. It also helped that one of her close friends owned it. What she hadn't expected was that this was where her and Hali would find themselves in the same place for the first time since she'd landed in Vancouver. There was no more avoiding the inevitable, and she didn't want to. "I didn't expect to see you here." Her heart was racing as she approached her ex, her laid back tone contradicting how she was feeling in this moment. "Are you here with anyone?" A pathetic attempt at checking in if she was still with that guy she had been seeing the last time she was in town. The question briefly reminded her of the sinking feeling that came with finding out about it from her sister. Not that she was in any place to talk, her engagement still something she hadn't brought up to Hali.
What did she even want out of this interaction she had built up in her head for the last few months? Did finally bumping into Halime mean she was meant to get on a flight and go back home? "I was just about to leave." As it had been a year ago when she saw the other woman for the first time in what felt like decades, her thoughts were in shambles. The fact that she was a few drinks into the night certainly didn't help. "But I'm really hungry and could go for something greasy. Feel like grabbing some pizza? I think that place I used to love in university is still on the corner."
From the moment she'd come in and been seated at a table Halime had been aware that her ex-girlfriend and first real love had been present. Perhaps it was odd that she could sense Olivia's presence and when she was near, especially with no idea why, after their limited run-ins the last time Liv had been in Vancouver she'd given up trying to figure out why. Even though it had seemed childish, Halime had kept her gaze averted and focused on anything other than the visual of the woman who'd torn her heart up. Well, until Olivia had made that unavoidable. At the voice she could never forget, Hali looked up and settled green hues on the tall brunette. "Neither did I," Halime volleyed back. "Are you?" The question came in quick fire before delivering an answer, unsure why she already felt on the defensive. "I'm just here having some wine and unwinding following a long day of work." A hand gently directed to the open seat across from her, indicating that she was alone.
The last time they'd seen one another, one year prior, Halime had been fortunate enough to stand tall and claim that she was with someone. A good man, even if the relationship didn't work out in the end. There was too much unresolved on Halime's end. Aside from losing the partner, there was no big change that Olivia would be looking for and happy about. She'd come out in the last year to her sisters, and her sisters only. Not her parents or anyone else in the world. "You're leaving a tapas restaurant to go get pizza?" A brow arched in challenge and also some confusion. "The place is still there but," she paused, looking around thinking she missed something, "what's wrong with here?"
Shreya was smiling back at the other who she'd collided with and shook her head, glad that they were both apologetic over the little collision and really...no harm done. "No please..don't even worry about it. I should've been watching where I was walking as well and you definitely didn't ruin anything," Shreya chuckled before shaking her head. "But to make amends--can I get you a coffee or something?" The weather in Vancouver wasn't too bad, asides from the occasional rain which was to be expected but that usually meant coffee was always a good idea. Besides--she needed to be doing something now that most of her afternoon was suddenly free.
The invitation for coffee was completely unexpected and thus put an immediate curve onto her lips, grateful for the gracious way in which the other took the collision. "You're so sweet," came her relief. "I'd love to grab a coffee and maybe we can get each other a cup, that way we both get to make up for not paying attention." It had been a busy day thus far and Halime considered how relaxing it would be to sit with a cup of something warm while getting to know someone new. "How do you feel about Oz Turkish Coffee and Bakery? Their coffee is wonderful and they also have very good teas." Spoken like a regular patron. "I was already headed that way," most due to her apartment being within the same neighborhood, "we can certainly go elsewhere if you have a different preference."
status: open for @vancitystarters (capping at 3)
location: just outside the bookstore.
It wasn't like she was dreading leaving when she had purposely taken some time off for herself but honestly it was hard to force Shreya to stay away from the place she'd deemed her second home. But all her employees had all but pushed her out the door and told her to try and enjoy the rest of her afternoon. And so with her purse in hand, she stood on the sidewalk, unable to decide which way she wanted to go. As soon as she'd made the decision though, she happened to walk into someone. A faint pink blush coloured her cheeks as she quickly spoke up, "I'm so sorry--I'm so clumsy...are you okay?"
Headed to the market on her way home following a showing with a promising client, Halime was walking along texting her sister when she'd gently collided with another human behing. For a moment she was simply thankful that it was a person and not a pole or parked vehicle, as it would serve her right for not paying attention to her surroundings and what she was doing. "Ah, hayır, çok üzgünüm!" The words tumbled from her upon contact, coming out in her native language given that she had been speaking with Yasemin. "I mean, sorry! I'm so sorry! That was my fault," Hali assured, "I was texting and —" While her phone was dropped into her pocket, her free hand came to her chest and a smile curved her lips. "You're okay? Here I am about to ruin a good day for everyone," Hali tacked on with a bit of humor.
maybe one day you’ll relate to the poems about being in love and being loved back. and not the ones about longing for it like it’s something distant & unattainable for you.
