A LEAP OF THE EARLY BIRD

A staple of (mis)approval...

Not much can be said about vying for attention where none is given. Because words seem to fail to describe such behavior. It is one thing to seek hopeful recognition from an object of affection, but it is a different matter altogether to be so blunt and straightforward that it begs for total disregard and turning a blind eye to it. Especially, if the other person does not seem at all interested. Especially, if the other person seems so in love with another that they don't even consider others' advances at all...

If Can Divit had to describe his beloved, he would describe her soul. He would describe her spirit. And he would describe the kindness he felt bestowed upon him when the beloved was near him. For a man who made a living by noticing the smallest of details, those details mattered. And who mattered to him, was Sanem. It mattered how she loved him. It mattered how she made him love her. It mattered how she could make him fall at her feet and make his mind wonder how on green earth she was able to function completely illogically. It mattered how she understood him without words and made him feel misundersood all in the same moment. It mattered how she made him feel alive. It mattered how much she was able to bring out of him as compared to all other women he met in his life.

And then, there was Ceyda. He was never after women that pursued him. He was a man who knew what he wanted and what he was after. He was a man's man and HE was in charge of the pursuit, not the other way around. He thought he liked Polen. He did, and he did so mostly because she did not vie for his attention - their relationship was mutual. When he met Polen she acted as his equal. And that was what drew him to her. But Sanem? He was drawn to her because she did not seek his attention at all. The fact that he had to go out of his way to even make her admit that he was not indifferent to her made his world spin. And it captured his heart and made him long for her in ways he never even imagined. That was why Polen no longer mattered. She no longer meant anything to him because she turned needy and possessive. He chose Sanem, and that was that. And his heart knew it. And so did his gut. Only Sanem mattered, whether she understood it or realized it - or not...

It was in the "not" part of it that was beginning to bring him more and more joy. To see her come out of her shell and become more and more of a woman. For him, and only for him. But, he also realized that there was an unpredictible part to Sanem's affection toward him as well. And that was even more fun to see. Especially when it came to Ceyda. Yes, Ceyda...

Can realized and knew quite well that if it wasn't for Gamze that Fikri Harika would not have landed the Compass campaign. He also knew that it was in part for Ceyda and whatever it was that she was feeling toward him. That was as clear as day, a cloudless, sunny day with perfect air conditions. And he could not believe Ceyda was so unappologetic about the way she was coming onto him. He also could not believe that Sanem picked up on that in less than a hearbeat. He also could not believe that although Sanem was shy and delicate about her feelings for him, she spared no effort in making sure she guarded him and their friendship against Ceyda's sleazy claws. And that was more appealing to him more and more.

This became evident the time that Ceyda and Gamze came to visit Fikri Harika and the progress of the campaign preparations. Can was a little apprehensive about Ceyda visiting the agency again, but a client was a client, and she was an important one. As they settled in his office, Ceyda went straight for blunt attack and offensive. She spotted Can's photograph. Nevermind the very expensive professional camera he was holding, or the forest around him that made even less an impression on her. Because what got Ceyda's attention was how Can was dressed. Or, quite frankly, how undressed he was. Wasting to time and unnecessary pretenses, Ceyda asked Can where the photograph was taken, even though such details were of no interest to her. To Can's surprise, he did not get to even speak because Sanem pointed out, in a perfectly sarcastic way, that the photograph was clearly taken at the Mecidiyeköy bus stop. Oh, was she a clever one, Can thought, and so much smarter than Ceyda was giving her credit for. And he could not hide his grin.

Amuzed beyond words, Can explained that the photograph was taken in the rainforest of Peru. He had visited a small tribe there for no leas than two months. He taught the tribe how to take photographs, and the photograph that Ceyda pointed to, which Sanem expertly took over from her, was taken by the tribe's chief. That was why he held onto the photograph. But Ceyda paid little attention to those details. All she cared about was that Can's attention was on her and she hinted that she could get her way into any excursion she set her mind on. Can did not know whether he should be more thankful to Sanem for interrupting Ceyda in her expertly refined monologue, or to Emre for showing up when he did.

If Can thought that would make Ceyda stop, he would be mistaken. Because Ceyda threw in a curve ball. She mentioned that she knew Maks McKinon, a world renowned photographer, and that he would come to the Compass add campaign premiere party. And all Sanem could do was watch as Can's eyes gleamed with admiration for a chance to meet his idol. Worse, she helplessly watched as Ceyda moved closer and closer, inch after inch, celebrating a silent victory by placing her hand atop Can's. But not for long. This time it was Sanem who was thankful to Emre, for leaving and offering the promise of his empty chair. She scooped up that chair and happily rolled it all the way up to her rightful place by Can, right in between him and Ceyda.

To ease the growing intensity of her utter misapproval of Ceyda's disregard of limits of good manners, Sanem picked up a stapler and an innocent piece of paper. Can did not know if he should let her staple her simmering temper away, or if he should take his chances and ask her to stop. He chose the safe option, and chose to wait until she ran out of staples and then asked her to stop. And she did, much to her own surprise that the stapler ran out of its 'fuel'. And just in time, because Ceyda and Gamze had to leave, but not before Ceyda got to request a totally underhanded question. She asked if Can would not mind giving an interview in a gym setting for a reporter she knew. Since he agreed, she decided to stop at nothing and asked if he could give her a private gym lesson since they both liked to go to the gym, and, after all, exercising alone was not as much fun as doing so together...

If Can did not know better, he would have sworn that he saw boxing punches in Sanem's eyes being thrown at Ceyda at that very moment. But he knew better, and he really was convinced that the fire in Sanem's eyes matched the blow of boxing punches being thrown by her at Ceyda. He was not mistaken, indeed, and realized with perfect clarity that Sanem offered to Ceyda her complete staple of misapproval. He watched with complete amuzement as she tried to remain as calm as humanly possible after Ceyda left. And could not help but smile, knowing with full pride, that Sanem would not have acted the way she did if she did not have feelings for him...