Eriza's P.O.V.

"So late," I mumbled to myself as I dodged people in the hallway, this was all Emmy's fault. Ever since we moved here to Bestiaks, she had completely changed into a fashionista, everything has to be perfect about her whole presence before we head out, hence making me late for school. Life has been a lot better since we moved, but with my added responsibilities that were not mentioned in the contract Baba had signed, it also has been a lot hectic.

Baba is a receptionist at the hotel, Ferit Baba owns, and Anne actually got a part-time job as an elementary school teacher, which has made making the payment to the Aslan family a lot easier. I know am 18 years old, a legal age for marriage, as well as Mazhar, but he has a girlfriend, which I doubt Ferit Baba and Asiye Anne, will make him break up with. Baba did not like this fact when it came to him, but since I didnt care, Anna told him not to bring it up with the Aslan's in hindsight it was saving all of us from a lot of trouble. "Abla!" I heard Emmy call my name loudly making me turn back for a slip second, bad decision. I bump into a large individual causing me too let out a slight yelp as I stumble backwards completely ready to fall on my ass. I wait for the impact of the cold floor against my petite body, but I don't. Instead, I am jerked back up and pulled against the person, I breath in and out heavily. A few seconds go by, when the person. says, "You can get off of me now." Mazhar. Jerking away as if he was on fire, I make eye contact with him fixing my shirt that had ridden up. He rolled his eyes at me, before shoving past me roughly, not waiting for my thank you, not that I cared.

I leaned down and quickly grabbed my things as Emara came to stand behind me, "Your phone." She said quietly knowing I was going to be mad at her. Rolling my eyes I snatch it out of her hand. "Sorry,"

"The next time you are running late Emmy, you. can take the bus." Irritated at the situation, I walked off before she could add to her apology, and went to my biology class. Embarrassed by the. fact that he had saved me, and had to have an attitude. about it, I groan fixing my hijab's sides as it had become unpinned from some area.

"Psst," My best friend, Derya said from behind me. "Hey, Izzie." Sighing I turn my body slightly, to see her holding a note. I take it out of her hand and read it.

Rough morning?  That was an understatement

I quickly jot down, "Disaster of a morning," I discreetly pass it back to her, as our professor Mr Ozgur walks in with large books in his arms.

Derya giggled at the note, which caught Mr. Ozgur's attention, "Something funny girls?"

"No sir," I say quickly, "Sorry,"

He cleared his throat roughly, "Next time instead of sharing notes, I will ask you two to speak out loud, so all of us can hear what is so funny." Asshole.

"Sorry," Derya mumbled crumping the note up and tossing it in her back. Keeping quiet for the next little bit we all began to jot down the notes he wrote on the board when there was a knock on the door. Mr Ozgur walked over to the door and welcomed the late students in, Mazhar, his girlfriend, Azra, and his best. friend. Aydin. I kept my gaze down not wanting his attention on me, not after I completely bulldozed him in the hallway, but to my disadvantage, there were three seats left, all scrambled in the room, and on empty seat beside me.

"Please, please," I whisper not wanting him to sit beside me, I cross my fingers, and I unintentionally play with my necklace, which has our upgraded engagement ring on it. I wore it as a pendant, instead of on my hand, which. was a whole thin but it was defeated by the argument that he. doesnt even wear his. "Please."

"Your prayers have been answered." His hot breath brushed against my neck as he whispered in my ear. I moved away. from him quickly accidentally drawing attention to me again, something that Mr Ozgur hated.

"That is strike two, Ms Akbas." He said irritated,

"Sorry," I shrunk back in my seat trying not to die from embarrassment as Mazhar shook his head amused, taking out his textbooks and placing them on the desk. "Shut up," I mumbled.

The universe is really not having it with me today. Focusing on the lecture I continue to write notes as he blurts out information but for some reason, I notice out of the corner of my eye that Mazhar isn't writing anything.  I slightly my head to look at him to see him already staring at me. "What?" I whispered

"Where's your ring?" Excuse him.

"Where's your ring?" I repeat the question back to him causing him to roll his eyes.  I had mine hidden underneath my hijab and shirt so it wouldn't accidentally slip out and embarrass me in front of him. I do not want him to think that I am holding onto anything because honestly, I cannot remember the last time I even remotely liked being in the same room as him let alone wanting to spend time with him.

"Your habit still isn't gone." He shook his head pulling my notebook towards him so he could copy the material he missed when he was ogling me. Knowing he wasn't going to give it back until he was done with it I quickly pulled out some lined paper and continued to write notes not wanting to fall behind on anything. I know it annoyed him when I answered his question with a question but he asked me dumbass questions that only had dumb answers. We kept our communication limited and ignored each other in school and in the stupid family dinners our parents had decided to make a thing since our "engagement." He bullied me a lot throughout middle school though, his trolling and teasing stopped about a year ago now he just ignored me which I was really glad about.

I do not know what changed to make him stop but he did. Maybe he became more mature...I just don't know but there has been a change in him, a good change.

"Alright class." Mr Ozgur said turning around to face us as he took a sip from his water bottle, "Remember we have a midterm coming up so please be prepared and if you have any questions contact me through email or during my office hours." I looked down at all the gibberish I had written down and then looked back at Derya who looked just as confused as I did. 

Great. I was depending on her to explain all this to me but now I have no faith in her or myself. Breathing out heavily o begin to pack up my things but realize he still has my notebook. "Mazhar," I say slightly annoyed, "Give me my book."

"Wait." He replied fastening his writing pace, "I am almost done." I do not know why but I stay seated as Derya walks past me giving me a weird look. I furrow my eyebrows to see Azea and Aydin still sitting too.

"Mazhar." Panic sets in, "Just give it to me at the end of the day." This made me feel like I was back in grade eight all over again. The three of them had cornered me alone in a classroom and spat verbal poison at me. I stood up to leave but Azra rushed over to stand in front of me I gasped slightly looking away making the corner of the desk hit my back. "Ouch," I whispered as I tightened my grip on my backpack strap.

"Where are you going?" She asked tilting her head to the side.

"To my next class." I respond, "W-Why?"

"It's been a while since we all had a talk." I spoke way too soon. Mazhar chuckled as he pushed the notebook back on my desk. It's been a year, a year of peace why is he doing this now?

"Please just let me go to classes," I say as strongly as I can. I flinched as I heard Aydin's chair scrape against the floor. My grip tightened on the strap so hard that my knuckles turned white.

Mazhar came to stand beside Azra and he threw his arm around her shoulders. "We just want to talk," He said but the look in his eyes said something else. "So, tell me. have you missed us?"

I tried to look for an escape but they had me surrounded, by Aydin was standing behind me anticipating my move, while they stood infront of me, very intimidating, "No." I answer truthfully, "Come on Mazhar, I had thought we grew out of this stuff."

"Nope." He shook his head, "It just stopped being fun after alittle while, but last night. I was thinking, soon you and I will not be in the same school and then I. will never have a chance to bully you again, so I thought I would make the most of this last semester." This cannot get any worse,  "I mean, we only have two months left."

"So this is just fun?" I ask taken back, "Mazhar, grow up." I know I shouldn't be talking back right now, but there was something so twisted about this, tormenting me, was fun for him. "Just let me go to class."  

Azra smirked, as she shrugged off Mazhar's arm, she came to stand real close to me, "You have gotten braver."  I didn't know if that was a compliment, but a threatening declaration, "And prettier." Her eyes wandered my face, "Have you ever thought that if you just took off your hijab, you would look even better." They had never been physical with me, just words, a lot of cruel, cruel words. Some that still haunted me till this day. . .

"N-No." I stutter, "I want to wear my hijab,  Anne wears one, and she is proud that I am following in her footsteps." My heart was racing now, "Azra, please. You are a girl to-" 

"Hold her." She demanded, Aydin's hands sprung out grabbing my arms, 

"HELP!"I screamed as loud as I could as soon as I felt him touch me, but Mazhar jumped forward and slapped his hand around my mouth, "Help!" I cried against his hand but there was no avail. I looked over at him pleadingly, he should know the significance of a hijab, his Anne wears one! Tears formed in my eyes as I struggled against Aydin, "Mhm~" I screamed. but his grip got tighter, Azra eviling smiled at me and slowly began to unravel my hijab.  It felt as if someone was undressing me, "Help!" I cried, I looked over at Mazhar to see his eyes dropped to the floor. It was as if he was hesitant, "Mazhar," I called for him, "Mazhar," My chest tightened, as Azra unpinned the last clip and pulled off my hijab. I stopped struggling completely, my long locks fell against my back, and over my shoulders as she held my hijab in her hand. Aydin released my arms as I fell to the ground in tears. Azra leaned down roughly grabbing my chin she made me look at her, "Why?" I asked her tearfully as I scrambled for the long scarf, but there was no use, Mazhar and Aydin had already seen me bareheaded, she leaned foreward and plucked out my necklace. 

Her gaze dropped to the ring that was on the end of the chain, "Because of this." She snapped, "You hold that fake engagement close to your heart every day, I saw what you did this morning."

"This morning?" I questioned her, "I was about to fall!" I could not beleive it.  I shoved her away as hard as I could causing her to bump into the desks behind her, falling on her ass, "You are such a bitch!" I put out,  "I do not know how many times I have to fucking tell you that I do not want anything to do with Mazhar!"

She glared at me, "You-"

"Fuck off!" I screamed, I could not explain the anger  I was feeling,  "You are truly evil and cruel. person, your heart is just as ugly as your boyfriends."

"Eriza!" Mazhar said 

"Shut up!" I cried, "You had no right to do this to me, no right. Mazhar!" His eyes dropped to the ground, "I hate you." I shake my head, "I hate you, Mazhar Aslan!"  He kept quiet listening to me. 

"Hey-"  Azra said, but I paid no attention to her, 

"I have had enough." I continued, "The next time you do anything like this, I am going to go straight to Ferit Amca." I had never told him the extent of what he did or said, Mazhar's eyes filled with fear. 

"Who are you-"  Azra pipped in again

"So keep your bitch on a leash, and leave me the fuck alone."  I shove past all three of them, and whip open the door, rushing to the girl's bathroom hoping no one else sees me. I lock the door behind me and wipe my tears away as I look at myself in the mirror. My hair was all over the place, and my eyes were bright red. Sniffling I wrap my hair in a tight bun and begin to re-wrap my hijab around my head. I had no pins, to keep it in place so I tied the loose material in the back, I waited for alittle bit inside of the bathroom, so my eyes died down. It seemed as if someone had stripped me naked, and made me walk down a long strip of road. . .I didnt expect Mazhar to be an accomplice in this. . .

I didnt expect him to be so cruel. 

. . .

"Mehraba," I said quietly to Anne who held the door open wide for the two of us, as we came back from school. Emara had noticed that something was off about me in the car, but I didn't speak to her, I couldn't get over the trauma, that Mazhar and his stupid pets inflicted on me. 

"Mehraba," Anne said furrowing her eyebrows, I handed her my lunch bag and ran upstairs to my room ignoring the concerned gazes that were directed toward me.  Slamming the door shut behind me I make sure to lock it not wanting to be bombarded with questions. I shrug off my coat and slide off my unpinned hijab allowing my hair to fall as it did earlier in the day. 

I fall onto my bed, pull the covers on my body, and just shut my eyes, as I had a killer headache since the second period of school. I thought I would be able to take a quick nap before the chaos of my household began to overwhelm me, but I was wishing for too much. "Izzie?" Baba knocked on my door. What was he doing home so early? "Kizim?" (My daughter?)

"My head hurts Baba," I call out, "I'll be down in an hour or so." I just want to be alone, is that a lot to ask? 

"Kizim, kapıyı aç" He said firmly,  (My daughter, open the door)

Groaning I throw the covers off of my body and unlock the door, before going back to bed, letting Baba open the door by himself, which he does. He comes to sit down on the bed, Baba touches my head gently, "You have a fever." He said softly, as I felt my body melt into my bed, due to the high temperature I had. "Did you eat  something wrong?"

No, something happened wrong to me. I shook my head, "No Baba, I just am super tired." Baba sighed, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He replied smiling softly at me, "Let me go tell your Anne that you are not feeling well. She will come up with some medications for you."

 No there was something wrong. He stood up to leave but I grabbed his hand, "Baba," 

His smile fell, "The family dinner, got rescheduled for tonight." Just what I needed, it was mandatory that everyone went to these stupid things. "Ferit and I will be discussing the leftover amount I owe him, and then it will be decided whether we are going to-"

"Baba I want to go to college, I want a career, I do not want to marry that good for nothing-"

"He is your finance." Baba interrupted me, giving me a stern look. 

"Who has a girlfriend." I answer back quickly,  "Baba, please." I really didnt want to spend the rest of my life with that condescending, black-hearted asshole. 

He sighed, "Marriage is not on the table, not from what I understand, because they really like Azra, and she fits in with their family. This engagement is just a way to bind us to them so-"

"So we stay near, and dont run away with their given money." I add, "Got it." In a way, this was a blessing in disguise, but at times, it was a total pain in the ass. "Fine, I will go to the family dinner, but do not expect me to smile at him."

Baba chuckled, "No smiling, got it."

I smiled at him, "I do need those meds though." I felt as if I was dying. 

"Right away," He said before disappearing from my doorway. 

I know I should have told Baba what he did at school today, but that would just lead to an argument, which could catapult my life into more of a disaster. . .

The less drama happens, the safer I am and my future is. . .

That is all I need.