river kartal.

As much as he really tried to ignore it, there was one thing that had been bugging River all week. Or rather, since last week in fact. Normally, he was excellent at brushing things off and pretend they didn’t exist in the first place, but this time was different — this time things were more serious. Finding himself at Romeo’s place for the night, having ordered back home pizza that they had just been indulging in front of the TV, River had just finished up his own piece, wiping off his hands on a sheet of paper before tossing it back on the table. “I need to say something.” The words came suddenly, blurted out on the spur of the moment, leaning back against the couch once more. “And can you just not—” Trailing off, he frowned slightly, soon rephrasing his words. “Don’t yell at me, alright? I swear to god I’ll fucking leave if you do.” He wasn’t angry, nor annoyed. Truth was that River just needed to talk to someone, and if not even Romeo would listen, then who would? He wasn’t looking for a lecture, after all — Romeo had given him plenty of those already, even in the short time they had been back on speaking terms again. “It’s getting worse.” In the end, his confession was simple, though also somewhat vague. However, when he went on to clarify, it was obvious that those words certainly came out a little heavier than the first. “I’m getting worse.” And there it was — the hard truth. For these past few months, every mention of River’s condition had been brief, and always ended up with Romeo calling him an idiot one way or another. They hadn’t really had a more serious approach to the conversation yet, despite the fact that River knew that it was probably what he needed. After last week’s not one, but two incidents, he had just been forced to come to terms with his own mixed feelings and realize that he had to approach the subject anyways. Romeo was certainly the only one who came to mind — the only one who he felt truly comfortable with. “And I’ve tried to ignore it, but—” Once again, his words trailed off, unable to finish his trail of thoughts, cautious eyes instead wandering back up to peer at Romeo, a certain helplessness lingering underneath the surface.

Despite the look of confusion—of concern, that crossed his face, the harshness of River’s tone was startling. As it always tended to be, such a fact dropped Rose’s gaze, eyes falling to the ground briefly as she shook her head. Drew a short breath through her nose. She hadn’t planned on saying more as she turned away from him. Away from that female voice that she had heard. She had heard it, that much was true—though she wouldn’t have put it past her current state to have conjured such a ghost. Escape was in sight as she took that first step away from him, yet that hand upon her wrist drew her feet to a stop. An anchor—he had always been one—trapping her feet against that cold ground. Drawing beneath the waves. Where was she going—she didn’t know, and silence was the answer to his question. Rose had always been quiet, an extroverted introvert—a shy girl to his enigmatic energy—yet there was something more within the still of her lips. A weight.

Rose couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen him. In the flesh at least, for the young woman rarely counted those FaceTime conversations. There had been the calls, and the text messages—cards on his birthday or at Christmas. Yet, they had failed to be in the same room, not since that ugly incident. Her fiancé’s face failed to cross her minds eye then—that man a blur within the memory of that altercation, and the fight that had followed with her soon after. The relationship hadn’t lasted long after that. River had gone far too quickly after, and they had once more fallen into their pattern of silence. Silence until his voice came calling, and the dance began again. But that was not why she was there—no—why was she there? Inside now. Her mind finally began to work then, jogged to life by the order as he began to lead her towards his home. To that woman. “It’s fine,” she tried with a shake of her head, “You have company…” the words were small but they were there. Rose had no want to be in that place—not when there was someone else in his—

She couldn’t fight him. Never had been able too, and so her dutiful steps followed his lead as he closed the door behind her. Dark hues watched him—focused only on him for anything else would be dangerous in that moment. “It’s okay, I shouldn’t have—” she tried, though stopped herself for hadn’t he done the same? Far too many times River had called and she had come running. Dropping everything. Pausing her life because he needed her. Well, now she had needed him—and look at where it had gotten her. “I can see that,” she said then to his frustrated words, unsure what else to say to his acknowledgement that he had missed her call. The brunette unable to apologize again. Though more so unable to chew him out—though a part of her wanted too. Not yet. He let go of her wrist then, the coolness that replaced the warmth of his fingers replaced by the gentle touch upon her face. The space in which they stood fell away then—those seconds of time filled by him. His voice. That touch.

For the briefest of moments, the world ceased to be, and there was only the way he looked at her. His hand lifting her own eyes to meet his, and Rose couldn’t help but admit that in that moment she had felt safe. But then that voice called again, the frame of a scantily clad woman made her way slowly towards them—and Rose stepped away. Breaking the connection that had threatened to consume her as she put  a little distance between them. Eyes lingering upon the image of that woman, what she saw speaking plainly to what Rose had interrupted. Her lips parted as if to speak, but she looked away instead. Gaze briefly meeting his own—a fire in those eyes—though also a void. The pain she had come with easily doubled by the heartsick weight that piled on.

“We can talk later,” she finally said to his question, managing to meet his gaze once again. She was embarrassed, of course she was, yet such emotion was hidden beneath the hurt. “You’re busy—” she added sharing a smile with the other woman, whose impatience at the interruption was apparent in her frame and that look that sat high upon her beautiful face. She was beautiful, even Rose could see that. A fact which although far from being surprising seemed to twist that pain more. River had an affinity for beautiful things—Rose the exception, her own self-loathing corrected for Rose had never been beautiful. Cute perhaps, but she knew where she stood. The young woman’s mind grew transfixed then, comparing her own frame to the one that stood out of reach. The urge to pinch her thigh—to smooth the sides of her cardigan down and to make herself more presentable, came to her hands then. Though those arms sought the comfort of crossing over her chest—her torso—instead. “No one’s died,” she clarified, perhaps bluntly, as if that alone could cool his concern. Though this was a partial lie, for the woman couldn’t help but feel that someone—or at least a part of someone—an image of her father had been taken from her. “It can wait. I’ll go,” she told him, taking a step towards the door in a second attempt to leave him that night.

Technically, she was right — he did have company. Only that Rose’s presence had caught him off guard, rendering his other guest unimportant. Forgotten, even. That was, until the third voice was heard again, and then another presence was added to the mix. While it didn’t do much to distract River, it had all the more effect on Rose. He was still watching her as her head turned to the side, looking right past him, very clearly discouraged by the woman behind him. He couldn’t blame her for feeling that way — had he known she was coming, he would have disposed of the problem before she arrived. Despite their currently friendly standing, the fact remained that he didn’t want to add on to her heartbreak. Not right now at least, when they were in a somewhat better place for once. But in his defense, there was no way he could have known she was coming. Perhaps if he had managed to get to his phone in time, but even then there was no guarantee that he would have picked up on her arrival. It was just one big case of bad luck — but when he wanted to, River was good at cleaning up the messes around him.

"Not anymore.” Perhaps he had been busy before actually opening the door and greeting her, but now? Even if he would have allowed her to leave, there was no way he was still in the mood to finish what had been going on earlier. He saw her smile then, smiling towards the other woman, and he wasn’t sure whether he should laugh or call her dumb — who really smiled at your ex-boyfriend’s hook-up? Rose tried her best to make it seem like nothing. To brush things off as something that could easily wait for another day, but he knew her well enough to be able to see that wasn’t the case. It can wait. The brunette had always been bad at voicing her own problems and putting herself before other’s (even though River technically had been part of the reason why she was), so her words really didn’t come as a surprise. “You’re not going anywhere.” The statement was more of a direct order, and letting his gaze linger on her figure a little longer, he then finally turned around to deal with the third party.

Had there been some sort of attraction shared between them before, River certainly didn’t feel it now. Even with the light clothing the woman had put on for the sake of being able to follow behind him, he truly couldn’t see the appeal anymore. She was just one of many. “You have two minutes to get your shit and get the fuck out.” For someone who he had been so deeply entangled with just ten minutes prior, his tone was suddenly harsh and unwelcoming, and not at all the charming, flirting version it had been earlier. He didn’t continue to explain what would happen if she didn’t, but the stern look he gave her surely spoke well enough on its own. She didn’t really have a choice — whatever fun they had shared before was now abruptly brought to an end. It was instantly clear that it wasn’t what the other woman had been expecting to hear — and that she was far from pleased to hear it. It took her a few seconds to realize that River was in fact deadly serious, and once she did, a frown started creeping up on her features, washing away every last trace of politeness. “For her?” The statement was supposed to be mocking, as if the other didn’t at all understand what he could possibly see in Rose compared to herself. But it was far from the right thing for her to say in that moment, only making River’s features harden even more. “One minute.” Limiting her time in a threatening response, making it clear that the clock was ticking and if she didn’t get out of his sight before then, they would have a problem. Only then did the other brunette start to move back away. Perhaps had she heard enough rumors about River Kartal to know that it was best to stay on his good side.

Impressively enough, it barely took her even a minute to come back, storming into the hallway while pulling on her shoes. Brushing right past him, he could hear the word ‘asshole’ being muttered as she did, then yanking at the door handle and exiting the building. Left was River and Rose, now officially alone. “There — problem solved.” Or at least the problem Rose had been referring to earlier, even if River hadn’t really viewed it as one. “Now try to tell me again that there’s nothing going on.” In a way, he was daring her to try to lie to him again — especially since she knew that he would most likely be able to see right through it.

It wasn’t necessarily uncommon for Remy to notice her surroundings and actively look for someone who needed her help. She, above all else, was a helper. She felt compelled to do so as if she was had she not been doing it. Which meant, per usual, Remy’s blue hues were subtly scanning over the bumbling bodies around the beach. It was supposed to be nothing but a normal morning too. A single day off where she could spend it doing something that wasn’t staying cooped up inside with her animals rewatching a TV show she had seen a million times. In the spirit of having a good time, Remy was really trying here. It was her complete intention to just try and be the person she wanted to be. However, fate clearly had other intentions when out of the corner of her eye, Remy watched as one of the runners around the beach, was clearly having a difficult time with their jog. Seeing them was a struggle herself as she didn’t want to go over there and butt into their life. If anything, she wanted to brush it off and say fuck it. They were running, that’s good enough reason for them to be out of breath. Simple as that.

Until of course, she noticed who it was when she adjusted her body around and looked directly in their direction. That was when she gave in and went into mom mode. Which, yes, wasn’t fair, but did that stop her? Not a chance. As soon as she showed up, however, Remy found herself being brushed off instantly. Which wasn’t a complete surprise. If he was still anything like the version of him she met at the hospital, he wasn’t going to want to talk to her or perhaps anyone about this. So at first, she stood there silent. Concern written all over her face as watched him stand straight up and brush off the fact that she was right there. Because of such, Remy was at a loss of what to say. He clearly didn’t want to talk, but it wasn’t in her nature to just let something like this slide—especially not when she knew what was going on with him and knew he had no intention of having the surgery he so clearly needed. “It’s your heart, isn’t it?” A statement she said loud of enough to hopefully get his attention. Perhaps he didn’t want to deal with it, but now she was forcing him to, considering they were in public and surely he wasn’t the only one to hear it. Which yeah, wasn’t exactly nice of her to do, but when it came to someone’s health, there was no way she wasn’t going to inject herself into a situation like this. 

In a perfect world (if such a thing even existed), River would have been left to deal with his shit on his own without any interference. But perhaps in the perfect world he wouldn’t have had to struggle at all in the first place. Either way, River wasn’t given any of it that day. Instead, he found himself with an aching chest and a stranger approaching. Or, at least he thought it was a stranger. He still hadn’t properly looked at her, because as mentioned already, he would rather prefer to deal with the situation on his own. Yet, the other person wasn’t as eager to leave, lingering behind and finally speaking up to bring back his attention. Had she asked him anything else, anything more normal, River probably wouldn’t have reacted at all. It was that word, that mention of his heart that made him listen more closely, until he finally stopped completely and turned back around.

Marching back up to the blonde, his breaths still short and heavy, his eyes narrowed, a frown spreading across his features. “Keep your voice down!” Hissing, the words were poisonous, fueled by the frustration he felt over his own internal struggle. One hand had raised to his chest, as if keeping it there would somehow ease the tension he was feeling underneath, and forcing himself to breathe through his nose instead, it was certainly easier said than done. “It’s none of your fucking business. Not here.” Pushing the words out quickly, if she hadn’t already gathered as much, he didn’t want her help. What could she even do, really? He had been through similar situations enough times to know that this was something he had to work through on his own. And besides — this really wasn’t her problem. Maybe it was when he was at the hospital, but out here she was off duty and River was just another person on the streets. “You can’t do shit anyways.” Why bother at all when she had nothing to offer in return?

There had always been a method to her madness, she was sure of that, as she strolled through the doors of the restaurant leading her to her dinner date with the Kartals. River was standing there, impatiently waiting for her. And while, she couldn’t help noticing how handsome he looked upon first glance, she refrained from saying so out of stubbornness. Reminding herself that he doesn’t deserve to be showered with compliments right now. Not after their last conversation and the way it unfolded. It didn’t end on the best note and there had been little to no resolve since. When Lola kicked him out, she had given River an ultimatum. To which, she was hoping he would have an answer for by the end of the night. He’d had days to think it over, and she refused to give him any more. Besides, it wasn’t like it was a complicated question to answer. It was either yes he wanted to claim her, or no he didn’t.

At the initial comment about her dress, Lola peered down at herself once they were seated. He was right. It was a bold choice. She was thrilled he at least, took notice and the sentiment behind her attire had been properly conveyed. She was signifying that she meant business. After all, that’s all she was to him, right? Maybe the reason she looked like an expensive hooker was because that’s how River treated her. She may as well, play her part. Give into what was expected of her. If that’s not what this was, or not what she was to him, then perhaps River should’ve been more clearer about his intentions. She wasn’t his girlfriend, thus she wasn’t going to dress like she was. “Easy,” she hissed. The grip he had on her thigh was firm and unwavering,  she recognized it as a show of force. Had she not of, his threat thereafter would’ve vividly painted that picture. Lola, of all people, didn’t respond kindly to his threats. It made her more defiant against him and basically set her previous plans for him in motion. Once again, there was always going to be a method to her madness and River would see that madness play out tonight. But first, Lola traced the outline of his jaw with her fingertip, softly caressing the tanned skin with meager tenderness. “Oh baby, you know I don’t beg.” As her fingers then found his lips, she carried on – “Least of all, I won’t be begging tonight. However, you’re right. Someone else will. And that someone may just take me home and make me theirs. So, be a gentleman now, will you? And don’t bruise me. I want to look good for that someone. Whoever that lucky man or woman, shall be.” With the added force of a shrug, Lola reached under the table to peel River’s fingers off her thigh. She was warning him with a single look to keep his hands to himself or he’ll regret it. At the same time, she smirked to herself once he finally seemed to soften up. She was thrilled all the same, that he also took notice of how hot she looked. It was further proof that her efforts weren’t entirely in vain.

Her appreciation, much like his though, didn’t last. It was intercepted however, by Sophia who approached their table first, with Demir trailing closely behind. River’s mother was just as elegant and as graceful as Lola remembered her to be, maybe even a little more so – as she bestowed the young couple with equaled hugs. Meanwhile, Demir himself, was a little more stiff in his approach. He’d at least, greeted Lola though. River had been snuffed by his father yet, didn’t seem entirely put off by it. The edginess he was feeling and had been visibly caught up in, was the product of his own, impending apprehension. He didn’t know what to expect from this dinner any more than Lola did. “Yes, my aunt. She sends her love. Had she not left us this morning on business, she would’ve certainly loved to have you both over for tea. Maybe, next time you’re in town, though.” Not to say that Lola was expecting there would be a next time. Although, maybe? With the bomb she had strapped to her sleeve and was preparing to set off – who knows? There was a good chance, there could be depending on how River chose to react to it all himself.

For now, Lola decided to broach the subject matter carefully. She was biding her time, of course, waiting for the right moment to strike. She knew with a glass of champagne, that moment would come a lot sooner. She’d have the liquid courage to back her, as an added stimulant to her festering defiance. Something, River himself, could relate to right now. He was looking and feeling pretty defiant himself, neglecting general pleasantries with his parents with an added layer of irritation. Lola, though she felt he was undeserving of it, had extended an arm out underneath the table, to give River’s thigh a reassuring, calming squeeze. It was too early in the night for him to pop off. Lola was hoping he could stave off his tantrum for a little bit longer, until after they’d successfully managed the first course. “It’s a long story,” Lola explained. She looked to River expectantly, as if it were some form of silent assessment before carrying on, “Needless to say, we’re back together and better than ever.” Or not quite. That wasn’t entirely true. They weren’t back together, nor were they better than ever. But, neither of River’s parents needed to know that. And besides, the devil was in the details. Who may the devil be, you ask? Well, it was Lola, obviously. She had her own set of horns to prove it. Not only that but, she was gearing up to dig the hole of River’s grave, even deeper. After all, this whole evening was his idea. Maybe not the dinner itself but using her as his buffer. He might’ve blamed her attendance on the fact that she couldn’t keep her mouth shut while he was on the phone with his mother but, the truth was – he was too chicken to admit he didn’t want to come out here alone. And out of everyone he could’ve brought along with him, Lola was the best option.  The only option, really. His parents adored her and that’s because Lola spent many occasions winning them over. She had to, if she ever wanted to brand herself as being irreplaceable in River’s eyes. She succeeded of course, because without her, River wouldn’t have gotten his money back. Just as he wouldn’t have gotten his impending good standing with them, too. Lola was preparing to help him out. Of course, that good standing didn’t come without a price, or a catch. One that, Lola had planned all along. River truly underestimated her and the damage she could do should she be given a reason. 

“Actually, since you mentioned it. We do have a reason to celebrate. Your son is just being modest.” Here it goes. The moment, Lola has been waiting for all week. While, she ran over the many possibilities of how this conversation could unfold, nothing would truly compare to the real thing. No form of fantasy she concocted in her head, would ever be able to live up to the reality set to amass on each of the surrounding faces. Particularly, River’s. Before, Lola could properly spit it out though, Sophia had noticed that despite the offer for champagne, Lola had hardly touched her glass. This had led her to use her woman’s intuition, only to suspect something wicked and dastardly. At least, it would be considered dastard to someone like Lola. “Are you two pregnant?” It wouldn’t come as a shock to her, much less to anyone else at the table, if Lola had been. She wasn’t, of course. And it took a great level of strength for Lola to hold back her scoff, along with the look of true horror that threatened to stretch across her face at the mere thought. “No no, oh gosh, sorry no! We’re not… or well, I’m not–” Lola could only speak for herself. Not necessarily for River or the countless other women she wouldn’t put it past him to fuck. “But, we do have big news to share. Other news. And we wanted you both, to be the first ones to hear it.” Lola turned in her seat, to steal a quick glance at River’s face, wondering if he might’ve suspected or caught on to where she was going with this. The only other thing that would make his parents happier (aside from being given grandchildren) was, to be given: a daughter in law. And who better suited for that role than Lola? Instead of blurting it out at that moment though, Lola was giving River a chance to stop her. Although, by now it was too late even if he had tried. Lola had already twisted their gears. And now they were just waiting for one of them to spit it out. “Do you want to tell them the good news now or shall I?” In a mock attempt at being sweet and loving, Lola reached out to grab ahold of River’s hand. She gave it a silent squeeze. And then, when it took him too long to spell it out himself – Lola did so for him. “We’re getting engaged!” The shriek that left Sophia’s mouth was imminent, and loud enough to pierce the ears of everyone at the table and a few surrounding eavesdroppers. Lola knew she’d be ecstatic, just as she knew Demir would be pleased to see that perhaps, his son really was changing and making strides. While, it might’ve seemed like Lola was strengthening the view of River in their eyes, what she really was doing was setting him up for failure. She knew, he wouldn’t go through with it. And the moment he realized that, or he was forced to break the news later that it didn’t pan out – Lola would’ve won. She helped paint a brighter portrait of River in their eyes and just as easily, proven to him that she could rip it away if she wanted to. Should he cross her, or betray her, she wouldn’t hesitate to ruin his life by walking out on him, forcing him to break the news of their failed engagement to his parents. Who took this kind of commitment seriously. Especially, his father. Sure, he could try to ruin her life back or do so first but, Lola had already gotten her headstart. He’d have to catch up. 

He wasn’t sure which part he found more amusing — the fact that she claimed not to beg, or that she would even imply that someone else would be taking her home that night. Lola had begged, perhaps not tonight but on one or two occasions in the past; as per his request, of course. Maybe in some sense she was right to voice that she might be going home with someone else, only because after her comment, River wasn’t as much in the mood to have her himself. She wanted to be in charge after all, wanted him to keep his hands to himself. It seemed like she was counting on the fact that River wanted her so badly that he just couldn’t have it any other way, and perhaps that was true for the most part, but her mood seemed somewhat contagious and he was happy to play her wicked game along with her. The goal of tonight wasn’t to land Lola in bed, after all — only to entertain his parents long enough for them to think he was changing for the better.

Despite her initial mood, it seemed like Lola was still able to play her role perfectly, the reunion quick and harmless with nothing but smiles and positive feelings. For everyone but River, perhaps. A certain impatience laced his features, and perhaps that was one of the things Lola picked up on. Her hand on his thigh came unexpectedly — she wasn’t really there for moral support, or rather, it wasn’t part of the deal. Yet, it might have been what he needed right then, and for a brief moment, River forced himself to take a deep breath, letting go of some tension as he slowly breathed out. Perhaps he had been right to pick her as his company after all. Perhaps Lola had more of an effect on him than he had previously realized, outside of the bedroom too. She could read him. Which meant she was maybe able to prevent some of the bombs from ticking off before they actually did. The gaze the blonde threw his way before giving it a shot at answering his mother’s question was brief, and while he knew she was looking for some sort of hint from him, he left it for her to answer on her own. Perhaps back together and better than ever wasn’t the phrase he would have used himself, but the forced, stiff smile that formed on his lips after, somewhat confirmed that he agreed with her. However, what he didn’t know was that Lola had far more up her sleeve, waiting to let the real fun begin. Warning bells started ringing in his head already by the time Lola claimed that they had reason to celebrate after all, and as his gaze steered back to the blonde next to him, surely, she would have no trouble picking up on his cautious look. Telling her to tread carefully with her next words. To not do anything crazy. But, he should have known that Lola had always been more than happy to provide a little crazy.

It wasn’t often that River found himself struck with horror, but in the same moment his mother mentioned the word pregnant, that was the sole emotion running through his body. Even if he technically knew that it was impossible, it still felt like he had his heart up in his throat, feeling every rapid heartbeat. The question had been phrased by Sophia, but when his eyes landed on Lola it was clear that he was asking the very same thing. Was she pregnant? It wouldn’t be completely unbelievable after all, even if she had surely chosen the worst possible time to let him know if that was the case. Not to mention, a child was the last thing on earth River would ever want, and maybe that was why he was more terrified by the idea of that, than what Lola actually had in store for him. In mere seconds, his features had turned incredibly strained, and it wasn’t until Lola confidently corrected the mistake and claimed not to be that he realized that he had been holding his breath, or at least partly. Luckily, with the serve of their drinks, the glass of whiskey was now in place before him, and suddenly reaching out for it, he knew he needed something strong now more than ever. That little cu—... As it turned out, River had underestimated just how angry with him Lola actually was. She was out for vengeance, and the smile on her lips told him that she was only getting started. Other news. The words echoed in his head, and already then, he was starting to get a feeling for what those news would be. But she wouldn’t... would she? Putting the glass back down on the table, now half empty, he looked up to meet with Lola’s gaze, forcing a fake smile, simply letting out a hum to verbally agree with her. River wasn’t stupid — it was far too late to interrupt her now after she had already built up the expectations. And she knew that too, reaching for his hand and grasping it so lovingly, playing her part impressively well. She could have fooled him, had the circumstances been different. And then there it was — we’re getting engaged. This time, he was more prepared. And while her grasp of his hand had been supposedly sweet and loving, River’s hold in return only tightened by the second, not visibly, but Lola would be sure to feel it. Letting his feelings shine through, if not with words then through action.

And the damage was already done. His mother was clearly ecstatic, and even Demir looked positively surprised when River’s gaze turned to his parents. In a way, it was making him look better in their eyes, but the choice to do so hadn’t been on his terms. Lola wanted to set him up for failure, and it seemed like she was about to succeed with doing just that. “She’s right.” When River finally spoke up again, it was to back up her news. His features were slowly getting less tense, not because he was learning to relax, but rather because he was getting better at playing his part again more convincingly. “That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?” Yet, he still had to leave a remark for his father, his gaze bitterly meeting with the other’s, forcing a crooked smile on his lips. “Besides—” His head turned to the side then, giving Lola’s hand a hard squeeze as she faced her. “Lola is... something special.” For his mother and father, that surely came off as something said in love or affection, however to Lola, the meaning wasn’t at all intended to be of the positive sort. Looks could easily deceive, and if River had been tense already before Lola’s confession, it was nothing compared to how he felt now. “It’s wonderful news. Congratulations!” Most of all, River nearly felt bad for his mother who so clearly was genuinely happy about the news. Smoothing their lie over even more, River leaned in closer to press his lips to Lola’s cheek in a show of affection, only he steered slightly to the side by the end of it, hovering above her ear for an extra second or two. “You’ll regret that.” The words were low, and the smile on his lips made it seem like he was whispering something far more loving into her ear — leaving both his parents clueless to what was actually going on.

While it seemed like the dinner went on in a far lighter mood from there on, River remained the opposite. Of course, multiple questions regarding the engagement followed — all of which were somewhat vaguely answered. At least the topic was interesting enough to get them through the first course, now currently half-way through the main one; by which River had already managed to get both champagne, whiskey and wine into his system. “I wasn’t going to mention this today, but with your good news, it only seems fitting.” When his father suddenly spoke up and abruptly changed the current topic, River’s gaze instantly diverted, caution smeared all over his features. “I know you’re looking for investors, and I want to invest.” It was an impressive feat, to have words that would genuinely take him by surprise. So much, that an involuntary scoff escaped his lips, mocking the other’s statement altogether. It was interesting how quickly the air could change in a room, soon proven by the time River’s response arrived. “I don’t want your money.” The response was harsh, cold even, because to him, the offer in the first place had been an insult. Demir found him weak, incapable of getting his own business successful, and the last thing he was going to do was to help prove him right. “From what I’ve been told, you need it.” Demir’s words brought another grim smile to River’s lips, putting down his knife and fork, quickly losing his appetite. “You’ve been told... Good to know you’re keeping tabs on me.” His tone was sour now, but feeling a hand on his own, his gaze steered to the side to glance at his mother who was squeezing his hand lightly, reassurance in her gaze. “The offer came from a good place, Zeki.” Unlike his mother, River’s faith in Demir wasn’t as big, and another scoff slipped through his lips, quickly pulling his hand back. “From a good place?” His skin was itching now, and with his voice growing louder, it was starting to become more apparent to everyone around the table. What his mother failed to take into account was that Demir Kartal rarely invested in other companies — and when he did, it was mostly as his own, personal charity case. “The hell it did. What else have you been told, huh? That I can’t run my own business?!” His voice grew sharper with each word, and for a moment he completely forgot about Lola or whatever anger she had caused him earlier. Maybe he was fueled by it now, though — which wouldn’t prove to work in Demir’s favor. “You’re forgetting you hired people from my company — you think they wouldn’t tell me what’s going on?” Demir’s response was just as condescending, but in that moment, River didn’t really have the energy to contemplate the words of a possibly discontent employee. “I really don’t give a fuck what you’ve been told. And I sure as hell don’t want you involved. Keep your fucking money. You think a ring on my finger is gonna change anything? That I’m suddenly worthy of your investment? You didn’t want to be here tonight any more than I did.” Practically spitting out the words, he pushed back his chair, causing it to screech loudly as it scraped against the floor. “This is a fucking waste of time.” In an matter of seconds, River was up on his feet, and without anything else said to announce his departure, the male marched off towards the exit, his steps fueled by brewing anger.

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, the HOME of @riverkartal

That night had been hard—harder than expected, despite the warning that had been issued a month ago. Her father’s behavour, the changes, small to the daughter who could easily explain everything away. Mask and plaster over the forgotten pieces of time—of a shared past. But the anger. Tonight had been the first time she had truly seen him like that. Rose couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen him angry, or if she ever had—yet now, those few short hours stained the well loved memories she curated of the man that had loved her through hell and back. The words that had spat from his lips—that venom—still had her trembling as she sat there upon the sand. He hadn’t known her.

Rose sat in near darkness. Shadows cast by the street lamps by the boardwalk, as the sun had descended beneath those distant waves hours earlier. Despite the coolness of the wind, the brunette hadn’t been able to bring herself to stand. To move. The nurse had told them to leave, to get some air—a break was what he had said, and both she and Janice had jumped at the chance. Janice gone to visit her brother or some friend, Rose had only been half listening as she declined the offer and set off towards the welcoming embrace of the sand. The beach.

Yet it was not that grainy substance—that warmth that she needed. Dark hues peered down at the brightness of her cell phone then. That screen illuminating her slight features as her digits moved without thinking. Dialing his number. One ring, two—four rings came and went without an answer. That mechanical voice of the machine prying forth the broken sound of her voice. “Where are you?” she asked, words thick as she swallowed the greeting she should have started with. Rose’s lips parted then, trying to find something more to say, “I suppose I should have said that it was me, um…” a broken laugh tumbled free from her then, as her eyes found the ground. Mind focusing on picking out the small piece of earth that stood out amongst the sand around her feet. A twig. Bottle cap. “It’s been a bad day—.” She hung up then, shaking her head at her own inability to get the words out. To tell him. To breath life to the fears that still had her trembling. Enough of this. Her thumb swiped across that screen as she brought her phone back to life, before tugging her aching frame up from the sand.

Before she knew it she was standing before that door. The time it had taken her to walk there unknown—nor had she registered that she had already knocked. Twice. Rose didn’t know what she had expected. In fact she hadn’t been sure why she was even truly there–yet when he answered—what she saw was far worse than she thought it could be. 

Her lips parted slightly as she turned her head in an attempt to hide the glassy sheen that her eyes had held, “I called,” she said then voice small, still thick—frame still trembling. Those words fell between them as she looked back at him. Took in his appearance. The disheveled look she had seen before. No shirt. Hair fussed in a way that spoke of someone else’s hands. A female voice came then, from somewhere behind that door. Rose had heard it—the way her eyes had snapped to the space above his head had screamed that she had. “Sorry I—I didn’t mean to interrupt—I’ll go—” she turned then, seeking escape. Needing to be anywhere than there.

In a way, it wasn’t like River to be unavailable on his phone. Perhaps it was a bad habit from having your own business, always expected to be only a phone call away and ready to handle a crisis, always interrupting whatever activity he was doing for the sake of answering that damn phone. Yet for some reason on this particular day, his phone had ended up elsewhere. He hadn’t even heard it buzzing — or maybe the woman accompanying him for the time being had been smart enough to get the device out of the way early on. Out of sight, out of mind — or so was the idea, at least.

Only it wasn’t so easy when the distraction itself made its way to his front door instead. Admittedly, by the time he heard knocks on the door and was deeply entangled with the slender brunette underneath the sheets in his bed, he strongly considered not getting up at all. It was only when the second knock was heard that he came to his senses, telling himself that it could be important, and that she wasn’t that good of a fuck anyways. Somehow, a pair of sweatpants made their way onto his body, loosely hanging at his hips. With a somewhat ruffled look but not a care in the world, River then marched over to the front door, determined steps only witnessing of his impatience and the fact that he didn’t want to be interrupted. However, by the time the door swung open and his gaze landed on the figure on the other side, the initial, irritated ‘What?!’ that was supposed to have come out got stuck somewhere along the way, leaving him with lips tightly pressing together instead, eyebrows furrowing within seconds. Rose?

She was just about the last person River ever expected to find standing on his porch, especially at this time of day. She had called... Yet, River didn’t seem to have gotten her message. The timing was horrible, and long before she ever spoke her first words, he could easily see that something was wrong — she was upset. And if Rose’s timing in general had been bad, it was nothing compared to the woman behind him’s timing to call out asking for his return. Rose didn’t want to interrupt, yet she had, but with that look on her face he just couldn’t let her take off already. “Hold on a sec—” Stepping forward, he reached out to grab her wrist, pulling her back as she was about to leave. “Where do you think you’re going?” He didn’t mean to sound harsh, but ended up going down that route anyways. He hadn’t seen her in over a year, not in person, and she wasn’t even supposed to be in town as far as he knew — and now she was just going to take off? “Inside, now.” Much like he always did, River took control. It was an order more than anything, but the tug at her wrist was gentle, guiding her through the door until he could close it behind her. “My phone is...” Starting on a sentence he couldn’t finish, he quickly gave up, going down a different route instead. “I don’t know where the fuck my phone is. Point is I didn’t get your call.” As if that part hadn’t been made obvious already. The grip on her wrist loosening, his hand lifted to land on her cheek instead, with tender movements steering her gaze to meet his. If only for a brief moment, he completely shut off everything else around them, focusing on nothing but the depth of those familiar, hazel orbs.  “What happened?” The question was firm, but came from a place of worry; asking what had happened so he could figure out who to go after to make it right again.

Jenny’s spun the stool slightly so she was facing him completely as her hand reached over to pick up the shot glass next to her. She brought it to her lips, downing the entire thing in one swift motion as she glided her tongue along her lower lip, her gaze not leaving him at her. “Okay, only question I have.” She started as she leaned a little closer to him, a little smirk coming along her lips. “Your place or mine?”

If the woman was that easy, or if she was in fact just testing him out to mock him was impossible to say. Whichever it was, River wasn’t going to let it bruise his already unwavering confidence. “Your call.” The fact remained that if it was up to him, there wouldn’t even need to be a place; he could easily go with a bathroom, closet, or hell, even the backseat of a car. “If you really do need a bed, that is.” The words were mildly teasing, implying that there were other places to go to without actually voicing them out loud.

“Why me?” The question restoked her anger and gave way to mild irritations. Lola was still perturbed over last night, even though she failed to address the matter to River directly. Granted, the idea of being his date to another formal event only reminded her of the fire she was so hellbent on releasing herself from. On the outside, Prom may have seemed like it had gone off without a hitch, because ultimately River landed in her bed – but, Lola knew, like River did, that she wasn’t the only one who had captured his attention that night. Flashes of River and Cesar exiting the dance together permeated her mind, preventing her from flat out saying yes to his demands. The promise to make it worth her while, hadn’t been clear nor straight forward and promising enough to persuade her into giving in either. She didn’t even know what those words meant. But, if she had to guess – he was propositioning her with sex. Which yes, she knew, felt great. Lola thoroughly enjoyed her tastes of River. Every time he parted ways with her, she only seemed to crave him more in his absence. But, it wasn’t just his body or what he could do to hers, that did her in. There were a lot of other things she enjoyed about him, too. Many of which made her feel special at times and yet, she suspected they were all just part of some big game. A way for River to have his cake and eat it too. 

While Lola pretended not to have a heart most of the time, River making it race in the moment, was further proof that she did, in fact possess one, and he knew precisely how to get to it. He was doing so now, as he used her physical weaknesses against her. Every part of her was consumed with the desire to give in. She knew she shouldn’t, but it was almost as if her body had a mind of it’s own. It was fueled by River’s touch and ignited by any simple gesture of his lips to her skin. Lola had to practically hold on, just to keep herself upright and together or refrain from coming apart as his teeth sank into her neck. Her fingers even, clasped around the hairs along the back of his nape, pulling, while her own craned to grant him more access. The hypnotic feel of his lips coating her skin caused a shudder to ripple down her back and as a result, sent her body into an arch above the bed. Lola was practically molded against him now, savoring the heat of his warmth trapped tightly between their chests.

“Isn’t there someone else you can rope into being your date?” Like River, Lola refused to share what was hers, unless she otherwise warranted it. And last night, she hadn’t. Yet, River did as River wanted, with no regards to what it would cost her or himself in the process. “Like that guy from last night…” His name echoed on the tip of her tongue but, Lola refused to voice it. Besides, River would know exactly who she was talking about, with no distinctions necessary. Alas, that didn’t stop her from elaborating, in case he needed the refreshing reminder. “The one you fucked when you left to go get air.” Lola was just being crass now as she ripped her head away from the pull of his lips and leaned it off to the side, breaking the connection between River’s teeth and her neck. “I have no doubts you found it, of course. In his lungs. Where, I hope you enjoyed yourself.” The bitterness she felt towards his sloppy affair was obvious. There was really no use in denying it. Nor did she attempt to for his sake. “Is that what I have to look forward to by being your date again? It seems you have issues following your own set of rules, don’t you?” By that, Lola meant – River wouldn’t allow her to go home with anyone else without his consent but River could fuck someone not even ten feet away from her. How was that fair or just? Really, it only made her realize that their history together was on the brink of repeating itself. Where Lola would be forced to barely survive walking in on him again, buried between the legs of another, just as she had the first time. She was not about to go there again. River could either have her or he could have someone else. But, not both. Not unless they agreed on that and they haven’t. Besides, she wasn’t an accessory he could swap out whenever the event called for it. 

“I need more commitment from you than the promise to make it worth my while. Preferably an equal set of ground rules. Or perhaps, better clarity. What am I to tell the Mr. and Mrs. when they ask us questions about our relationship? Or lack thereof. Should I tell them the truth? Because really, what’s to stop me from doing that?” What ever, would Sophia and Demir have to say about River’s transgressions now and the fact that he hasn’t learned a thing from past mistakes? He was just as volatile and fickle as he’s ever been. If not more. “I’ll go,” Lola agreed. Though not without conditions of her own. “But, I expect you to chose where you wish to go from there once it’s all over. You can have me, no feelings attached, out of your control or you can claim me and make me yours. But, you can’t have me both ways. Not anymore.” To show that she was being serious, Lola pushed on River’s chest until enough space existed for her to roll out of bed between them and back onto her feet. She was no longer in the mood to cater to his morning wood. He could take care of that himself, or perhaps, bury it in the soul of another. It wasn’t like he was against it less than twelve hours ago. “I’m going to go take a shower. I trust you can see yourself out.” After pivoting on her heel, Lola echoed the same words he clapped back to his mother over the phone, “Text me the details when you have them. I’ll see you at dinner.”

"You’re the one they just heard on the phone. If you didn’t want to go, you should’ve kept your mouth shut.” To him, his reasons for choosing Lola were obvious. She had made herself heard while talking to his mother, which made her the very clear first choice. The fact that she was also a familiar face that his parents both enjoyed improved the situation further, much like they were people Lola knew as well. The matter of fact was that River didn’t take just about anyone with him to see his parents — not anymore, when their relationship was already in a somewhat delicate state. Perhaps it was unfair of him to ask her to come with, given that their own relation was growing more complex by the minute. But it was a choice. Kind of. Funnily enough, Lola became his first choice because he felt he could trust her around his family. And the list of people River felt some sort of trust for wasn’t particularly long — counting the ones he was or had been somehow involved with, that list grew even shorter. Lola was the rare exception; and for once, she seemed too blind to notice that much herself.

While there had never been any question about whether or not Lola had noticed River’s small detour last night, going off to pay attention to a second party, he hadn’t expected her to actually bring it up. At least not so soon. “I don’t want someone else.” His words were clear, firmer this time, as if to tell her straight. While the idea of bringing a guy to dinner with his parents was somewhat amusing, he knew that it was far from something that Demir Kartal would appreciate. All he wanted for his son was a stable relationship, marriage and a few grandchildren — the last of which any male companion wouldn’t be able to provide him with. When Lola finally pulled away, River lingered a bit longer, a little taken by surprise by the sudden shift of her tone. She knew what she was in for, being with him — so why the hell did she act like she didn’t? After the blonde tipped her head to the side, River reached up to grip her chin, forcing her head back close. “Oh, I enjoyed myself very much.” She should know him well enough by now to know that the last thing he would do was to apologize for his actions, and even as he spoke the words right into her ear, his voice was spiteful. He wanted her to know that he had no problem being with others; he wasn’t hers exclusively, after all. “You know I’m not much for following rules.” A scoff slipped through his lips at her accusation, and letting go of his hold, he suddenly wondered where all the jealousy came from. If she hadn’t bothered to bring it up last night, then why do so now? Why be jealous at all? While he knew that Lola was all about getting his undivided attention, that was only when the two of them were together. And while he had always strived to take her home the night prior, their time spent at prom had been more loosely defined. Would he have enjoyed seeing her flirting with someone else? No, definitely not. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t still do it. River would have her when he wanted her — and all the time in between, she had been free to spend as she pleased (... more or less).

However, when the word commitment came into play, it became all the more obvious just how agitated Lola had grown. Perhaps she was right to ask for more in return than a simple promise to make it worth her while, but that was just it — keeping it vague was what saved him from promising more than he knew he could give. “You want to tell them the truth? Go ahead. But if you make anything worse with my parents, I’ll ruin you.” The threat weighed heavy on his lips, and was very much serious. Yet he voiced it so easily, like he wasn’t bothered at all. Lola, if anyone, should know better than to underestimate him, and know that when he was out for revenge, things had a way of getting ugly quickly. Luckily, she had just never really been around to live through it herself so far. “I trust you’re able to improvise.” He added then, as if to clarify and give a better answer to her question on what to say. Improvisation had always been a strong suit of theirs in the past — there were many ways to answer a question by simply twisting the truth a little. Prepared for an argument and having to talk her into going, when Lola suddenly agreed willingly to come with, she took him by surprise. However, it was the next set of words that surprised him the most. You can have me, no feelings attached, out of your control or you can claim me and make me yours. The words were still ringing loud and clear in his head by the time Lola pushed him aside, escaping the scene. A light frown landed on his features, contemplating her words. What Lola and River had was nothing serious. Perhaps it had been once upon a time, but River had done what he did best and crashed their relationship right into the ground. He had cheated on her. So, the mere mention of claiming her as his own, was pretty much the last thing he expected to hear from her. River was disaster incarnated, and yet Lola was willing to get back in bed with the devil permanently? Rolling around to his back, he pushed himself up on his elbows, eyes steering towards her body as she stood up. It was hard to believe, but the fact remained that River was genuinely confused. “All of this because I fucked someone else?” Disbelief laced his tone, perhaps even mockery — mocking her for getting so worked up over something so little. “Jealousy was never a good look on you, Lola.” Pushing himself up to sitting, she blew him off with ease, putting an end to a conversation they had barely even started. “Make sure you wash it off before next time.” Throwing the last comment after her as she disappeared out of the room, his tone was drier now, almost said as a warning. The last thing he wanted was for her to ruin things for him because she was jealous, which she shouldn’t even be in the first place. Jealousy meant you cared, and if she cared, that meant things weren’t as simple as he would have thought between them. Either way, he wasn’t about to address that conversation any sooner than he had to, and for now, all he selfishly cared about was her playing her part at dinner — and he hoped that the trust he put in her wasn’t completely misplaced.

Lucas had been dealing drugs since he was in high school so he had been exposed to all the meet-ups gone wrong which left him a little too cautious and careful when it came to the same dealings now. Although not a regularity in his life now since he had stepped up in the club over the years, River was an exception. From what Lucas had known about the guy he seemed to have money which was always good for business. “Good luck, I don’t just get that feelin’ with anyone” Lucas jested back with a faint expression of amusement. Keeping things light was usually a must in these situations since the last thing anyone wanted was someone flying off the handle. Thankfully Lucas had never come across a particularly bad exchange with River so he wasn’t as worried as he would be with someone else. However, when River implied that he cared about his clients, Lucas couldn’t help but scoff at the idea. He was always taught to distance himself from his clients and for the most part that remained true even now. “I wouldn’t go that far” He shrugged his shoulders. After all, on some level, he had to care that his clients weren’t putting themselves into a grave but that was the extent of it. Given the quantity and dosage of what River asked for, Lucas couldn’t help but wonder what the hell River was even using all that shit for. Still, he didn’t ask, it wasn’t any of his business. “Yeah, I’m sure” Lucas added a bit skeptical when River said he was capable of handling his shit. Lucas had heard that line about a thousand times from various people who purchased from him and most of them didn’t make it out alive so it didn’t seem like the odds were in River’s favor from that perspective. 

At the other’s response, River’s grin widened, not really discouraged by his words. Something told him that River wasn’t his type anyways, but maybe that was just him getting the wrong vibe. Since things had always been strictly business between them, he certainly couldn’t claim to know much of Lucas’ character. And in the same sense, Lucas couldn’t pretend to know River’s; but even so, the blonde didn’t seem too convinced after River’s reassuring words. Granted, he didn’t doubt that just about any addict would tell anyone who was asking the very same thing. That they were fine, that you didn’t need to worry. But River wasn’t an addict, or at least not in that same sense. At least not if you asked him. But like anyone who was addicted to something, he just hadn’t come to that realization yet. “You don’t wanna believe me, that’s fine.” He commented then, the skeptical tone of the other’s voice not at all slipping by unnoticed. “I don’t really care as long as you keep selling.” And for Lucas to not keep selling, he was pretty sure the signs would have to be a little more obvious, or the missteps a little more consistent. So far, River’s actions were only affecting his own health, and no one else’s. “I’ll text you when I need some more.” Taking a step backwards, the smile on his lips grew a little wider again, adding in jest, “Give me a hint on what cologne you’re into and I’ll have that taken care of too until then.” It would barely count as flirting, but with Lucas having commented on it first, River couldn’t help but to keep going down that route. “Until next time.” And with that, the male spun around on his feet, steering towards the exit instead, seeing no reason to stick around for much longer.

The fact that River stubbornly kept working out at the same pace as before (more or less) despite his doctor’s recommendations, probably only made him incredibly stupid. Here he was again, after all — running along the beach, steering back up towards the streets to take the final route back home. But his body was his whole image, after all — relisihing in desiring others and being desired by others, he simply couldn’t afford to let himself get out of shape. But then on the other hand, his body perhaps couldn’t afford the hard workout sessions he kept pushing himself through. He had lasted a little longer than usual this morning, because it was only five or so minutes back that he had first started to notice it getting harder to breathe, along with milder palpitations. Brushing it off as it simply being harder to run in the sand, by the time he reached the sidewalk, his breathing was so heavy that he was sure he was going to run out of air altogether. And so, River was forced to a halt; bending over forwards with his hands falling to his knees, loudly gasping for air. A frown weighed heavy on his features, frustrated over his own weakness, his face turning into a grimace at the aching feeling in his chest, a displeased grunt rolling off his tongue. His legs suddenly felt a lot weaker, so it was somewhat of a miracle that he kept himself standing at all. Still bent over, he really only saw the legs and feet of someone approaching — a woman, by the looks of it — and instantly forced himself to straighten back up, despite still struggling with his breathing. “I’m... fine, so just fuck off.” He really had to push the words out, and while it probably wasn’t the best way to greet a helpful stranger, the last thing on River’s mind right now was certainly to act polite.

If his memory still served him right, it had been over a year since River last met his parents in person, if not more; River certainly wasn’t one to keep count. The visit was sudden and out of the blue, but even so, he was in no way turning down a chance to get another feel for his standing within the family. Despite his acting, River did want his place back in the Kartal family. Lola had helped him get his money back, once upon a time — it was ironic almost, how she might help him get back his standing too, in the present. Although she hadn’t willingly accepted, River knew that the blonde would never have been able to turn his offer down in the end. Deciding to meet up at the restaurant, the two of them hadn’t seen each other since the call itself happened; and back then, Lola had still been annoyed with him. His hopes had been that the time apart would wash those feelings away, but as his gaze drew up and the blonde walked through the entrance, it only took him one look to see that it hadn’t, not entirely. River had deemed her trustworthy enough to be able to put on something appropriate on her own, but with her burning red, silky outfit, there was no doubt that she was trying to make a statement — basically, she was telling him to fuck the hell off.

Surprisingly enough (but perhaps thankfully), they were the first ones to arrive. Holding off on a proper greeting, they were instead shown to their reserved table, River making sure to walk behind the blonde to take in the full sight of her. At least he had to compliment her for having been thorough in her choice. Taking a seat next to Lola, allowing his arm to rest on the back of her chair behind her, his other hand quickly landed on her thigh, slipping underneath the soft fabric to grasp firmly at her skin, leaning in close to her ear to finally get a word in. “Bold choice.” The words were bitter, almost. And while far worse things wanted to roll off his tongue, he intentionally held them back; despite how inappropriate he deemed her outfit, making her even more vengeful wouldn’t work in his favor. He needed her to cooperate, if only for a night — it was funny how the thought of spending the night with his father was the only thing that managed to make River tie himself down for once. Out of respect, even if that respect was sometimes close to non-existent. “You look like you’re begging for someone to fuck you.” Which, was a far nicer comment than telling her she looked like an expensive hooker, which had been his initial trail of thought. His grip on her thigh tightened then, his tone morphing into something far more serious. “Don’t make me regret bringing you here, or we’re going to have a problem.” The threat weighed heavy on his tone, and there was no doubt he meant it. Then, just a few seconds later, his grip suddenly softened, much like his gaze and tone did, adding, “You look incredibly hot, though.” And despite the fact that she had already managed to get his heart to pick up its pace a bit because of her rebellious act, he couldn’t deny that the dress suited her — in a far different setting, he would have been a lot more appreciative.

By the time he heard steps approaching their table, River slowly pulled back, his gaze lifting to land on the sight of his parents. Demir Kartal, a tall, proud, dark-haired man, and Sophia Kartal, a somewhat shorter, slender, beautiful brunette. The woman’s look was softer, but they both gave an impression of confidence and wealth; much like River did, in a sense. “Zeki.” Getting back up on his feet, his mother approached him, bringing him into a quick, but strong hug. “Mother.” After nearly two decades, River had since long given up the discussion of getting his parents to call him River instead, making them just about the only two people who went with his birth name. “It’s good to see you.” She commented then, a genuine smile facing him as they finally pulled apart. As Sophia moved on to Lola instead, River wondered if his father would be able to say the same, the two men settling with a curt nod for greeting instead of something more personal. “Lola — you look...” For a moment, it was as if she was trying to find the right words. “... as stunning as always.” His mother’s words drew his gaze back to the two women in time to see Sophia pull the blonde in for a lighter hug as well. “I’m so glad you could join us.” Funnily enough, Demir seemed more inclined to greet Lola than his own son, steeping forward to offer her a handshake along with a crooked smile. “It’s been too long. I was surprised to hear you were in town as well — your aunt, was it?” Apparently, they had all done their research, or maybe their memory served them far better than River’s had back when he first ran into Lola again, having completely forgotten about said aunt himself.

Getting the greetings out of the way, they all started to settle down around the table instead, River between both women, with his father on the other side of the table — as much distance as possible seemed like the safest bet in this scenario. “So — champagne?” The question was thrown out by Demir to everyone around the table, rhetorical more than anything. “Didn’t know we were celebrating something.” The dry comment was perhaps unnecessary, but voiced nonetheless, River’s eyes steering up to meet with his father’s. “Since when do we need a reason for champagne?” His mother had and always would be the peacemaker between the two males, steering them both to reason, or at least trying to. She was right, though — River was just trying to act defiant. And while he didn’t respond to her statement, he made one of his own instead by the time the waitress came to take their drink orders, making sure to add a glass of whiskey to that list for himself — if only to point out that he would drink whatever he wanted to. The air between the two males was already tense, and for anyone who knew River (which certainly included Lola at this point), it wasn’t hard to tell that he was tense too, perhaps even on edge. And generally speaking, River being on edge never seemed to end well. “So, tell me — how did you two find your way back to each other?” It didn’t come as a surprise that his mother would start with approaching that subject; both to lighten the mood a bit, but more so to satiate her own curiosity.

Jenny only drifted her gaze from him when he had given up his card to pay for their drinks, not needing to tell the bartender her order since she practically lived here  most nights. She glided her tongue along her lower lip. Dark hues flickering back towards the male as she leaned against the bar, her hand moving up to tuck a few strands of her hair behind her ear. “Most women suggest on booty callin’ you when you sit near them?”

Clearly, the woman was a bit more literal in her interpretation than most, putting up some resistance to the obvious flirting River was throwing her way; or maybe she just wasn’t interested. It wouldn’t be the first time he came onto someone playing for a different team — but he was also flexible, not opposed to inviting a third party for the sake of keeping everyone happy. “The calling part feels a bit unnecessary, don’t you think? I’m right here.” Gesturing briefly towards himself, a smile lingered on his lips. “But whatever makes you feel comfortable.”

The invitation to meet River at a hotel wasn’t exactly out of the ordinary, but upon pulling up to the vast landscape right off of the beach, having his car parked for him, greeted by the male’s handsome face a if it was the most normal thing in the world – well, Cesar was a bit surprised, to say the least. Especially as they walked out to the otherwise empty restaurant, Gloria off-leash but dutifully staying by his side, the sunset view one that he hadn’t really looked at in quite a long time, even after living in Wrightsville beach for all these years and growing up in the area. Of course, it didn’t hurt either that he had those pearly whites shining over at him, elevating the scenery even more. “Did you – what?” he narrowed his brows, albeit confused over the entire ordeal. “You did all this, just so we could have a night alone?” The corner of his lips twisted into a bashful smile, allowing himself to be pulled into River’s arms for a gentle kiss. He’d had relationships before; hook-ups, friends with benefits, boyfriends, but never before had any man ever put in this much effort to spend time with him. Not that it took much to begin with, but that just showed the kind of person that River way – or, at least, the kind of person that Cesar thought he was. Either way, he was vibing with it. “You’re a crazy son of a bitch, you know that?” he smirked against River’s lips, hand sliding up to press against his cheek. “But a sweet one, at that. This is…more than I could have asked for.” His thumb lightly rubbed against the stubble there, a short chuckle leaving his lips. “You been brushin’ up on that spanish, I see. Sounds good comin’ from you.”

It was probably true that a lot of people would consider his actions a little bit over the top, but when you weren’t limited by money, there seemed to be no such thing. While River had a way of flirting his way into someone’s heart (or pants), he liked to maintain that same affection he received by spoiling the other. It was always easier with women; they seemed to enjoy it far more. Buy them a dress or some jewelry and they would be thrilled. Men, however... That called for a little more effort. “Uh-huh.” However, Cesar appeared to be positively surprised, meaning the whole thing had certainly worked out the way it should so far. Pulling away from the other’s lips, he chuckled at the statement. “Crazy have more fun.” He’d definitely been called worse, and even as Cesar went on to call him sweet, River wasn’t sure that was the word he would use himself. River Kartal could certainly be sweet, but when he was, it was almost always for selfish reasons. “I’m learning.” He commented back, a confident smile overtaking his features. It was funny how both Cesar and Lola shared the same native language too — making it so much easier for him to pick up on new words or phrasings from both of them. “Sounds a little more attractive than Turkish.” Truth was that River rarely used his own language in everyday life; perhaps growing up in the States had made made him feel more comfortable with English than the opposite. “You hungry? They’ve got a killer steak at this place. I’m sure we can hook Gloria up with one as well — wouldn’t want her to think I forgot about her too.” Perhaps Gloria was the one who got the most genuine approach from him out of all of them — it was no secret that he had grown quite attached to the shepherd over time.

Lucas and River both knew that friends would be pushing it. However, truth be told, Lucas didn’t actually hate the guy and seeing as that had become a more and more rare occasion, it was worth noting. After all, he might’ve been late on a few meet-ups from what he heard, but at the end of the day, he paid in full and kept his peace. What more could he value from a client? “Yeah, I’m sure you’ll make it through the heartache somehow, River” Lucas replied, sarcasm obvious in his words. “Can’t tell you how many people are pretty fucking stupid” Too many, that was for sure. In the past, people had tried to show up with not enough cash or think they could talk their way into a discount. In the end, they lost more than what they were trying to save. Given the club had established a bit of a monopoly within the area, the days of runners and cheaters were behind them. Lucas reached out to grab the wad of cash and ran his fingers over the end, silently rounding the numbers in his head. Soon enough his gaze went back to River, “Alright. I trust it’s all here” And he did. River hadn’t ripped them off before and the cash looked about right for what he was offering so it seemed to be an easy enough exchange. “Number one comment on our Yelp reviews,” Lucas said with an amused scoff. He gathered the drugs made him feel better, even though most people used them as an escape, it seemed River was using it for some healing, emotional, or otherwise. Lucas reached into his jacket pocket to pull out the hefty bag of pills and drugs and tossed them onto the crate between them, “Have a nice day” More sarcasm but it was embedded in his personality so he couldn’t help it, “By the way, you look like shit…” He was about to tell him to take it easy, to maybe reconsider what his limits were, but having a soul in this industry wasn’t a good thing and Lucas had learned how to censor himself over the years, “Maybe get a different cologne, this one ain’t doin’ it for me.”

While he had no doubts that some people did show up without the money, it just wouldn’t make sense to him — not if River was the one who had asked for the meet-up it in the first place. Addiction could be a costly thing to maintain, but money had never been a problem to him, and he was willing to pay whatever needed to keep a healthy business relationship between them. After all, he really couldn’t afford losing access to all the good stuff if he wanted to be able to maintain a working, pain-free everyday life. “Good.” At least the fact that he hadn’t been trouble so far seemed to earn him some sort of trustworthiness. “Consider the extra an appreciation for the smooth exchange.” River too could appreciate a mutual respect, and more so the ability to meet up and deliver on such short notice. A chuckle rolled off his tongue at the other’s comment then, eyebrows raising slightly. Reaching up to grab the bag Lucas offered him in exchange, his hand remained on the crate, fiddling with the contents. “Gee, thanks.” Irony laced his tone, perhaps paired with a little surprise over the fact that the other commented on his looks at all. “I’ll remember to clean up better next time to give you that tingle you’re looking for.” Sarcasm was clear on his tone, but had Lucas known his character better, he would have also known that River coming onto him wasn’t so out of question; maybe if River wasn’t so dependent on Lucas to get the stuff he needed, he would have thrown in a flirty remark or two just for fun. “Don’t tell me you suddenly care about your clients.” Plucking a pill from the contents of the bag he’d been given, he examined it briefly, then popped it into his mouth, swallowing down with ease, satiating the aching need for more. “That won’t do you any good.” Tucking the bag safely into a pocket of his jacket, his gaze steered back up, a smile curving his lips upwards as he confidently added, “I can handle my shit.” Or at least, so he thought.

⇾  AT DIRTY DAN’S FOOD TRUCK .                     ft. @riverkartal​.

Downtown was beloved by Charlie. She hadn’t grown up in this part of town, but beside being beachfront, she loved the stores that lined the streets, the pieces of a place that made her feel like home. And now that she and Jiji lived around these parts, it felt all the more real. She loved skating in and out of the people, weaving through the commotion on her board, like some sort of intrepid sailor; constantly searching for the best path forward. 

It was a day like today where Charlie had nothing to do. She made sure she was nice and stoned, and then brought her board out into the summer air. On days such as these, she’d roam as she pleased, saying hi to passersby, and the like. But after a while, as she felt her stomach grumble, and the munchies set in… Dirty Dan’s was the necessary stop.

Charlie craved a lot of things, but there was nothing like a craving for one of Dirty Dan’s Meatball Subs. It was like… a lifestyle, getting a bit high and devouring one of them. So she made her way there, finding herself a spot in line. As she dawdled, she spun on her heels, coming face to face with the lucky man in line behind her, River Kartal. “Oh… it’s you.”

Sticking to his doctor’s recommendations was definitely not something River did often, and despite the fact that he had been recommended countless times to eat healthy and think twice before resorting to fast food, nevertheless, that’s where River found himself now. Dirty Dan’s was good enough to be able to make an exception for it after all, and he was highly convinced that one or two burgers from there wouldn’t end up being the cause of his demise.

Minding his own business, mindlessly browsing through his phone while waiting in line, the voice suddenly speaking up directed to him was the thing that finally brought his attention back up, eyes landing on the brunette before him. “No need to look so happy to see me, Charlie.” Much like the other, River had no trouble recognizing her — their encounters in the past had been many, even if it had been a while now since the last one. “Despite that frowny face, I know you’ve missed me.” While their relationship had never been particularly friendly for more than one reason, River always had a tendency of enjoying to mess with the other; driving people insane one way or another was what you could say a specialty of his. “Don’t tell me it’s illegal to stand behind you in line now too?”