{ Between Words and Fire}
Her phone buzzed.
A message.
…İan.
"Are you awake?"
—
Tyla stared at the screen for a few seconds.
Her heart started beating faster again… for no reason she could explain.
Of course she was awake.
How could she sleep… after everything?
She bit her lower lip lightly… then typed:
"Yeah… I am."
She hesitated.
Then added:
"You?"
—
The reply came almost instantly.
"Couldn't sleep."
A pause.
Then another message.
"You're the reason."
—
Her breath caught.
Her fingers froze above the screen.
A warmth spread through her chest… stronger than before.
Dangerous.
Real.
She stared at the words… reading them again… and again.
Then slowly:
"Me…?"
Three dots appeared.
Disappeared.
Then came back again.
As if he was thinking… choosing his words carefully.
Or maybe… not carefully at all.
—
"Yeah."
Another message followed immediately.
"I keep replaying everything."
A pause.
"The way you looked at me…"
Her heartbeat stumbled.
—
"The way you held onto me…"
Her fingers tightened slightly around her phone.
—
"And the way you kissed me."
—
Her face flushed instantly.
Heat rushed to her cheeks… to her ears… to everywhere.
She buried half her face in the pillow… as if that could hide her reaction.
But it didn't stop the feeling.
Not at all.
—
She typed.
Deleted.
Typed again.
Deleted.
Then finally:
"…you're saying it like it was only me."
—
A few seconds passed.
Long ones.
—
"It wasn't."
Her eyes softened slightly.
—
Then—
"But you affected me more."
—
Silence.
Heavy.
—
Tyla slowly sat up in her bed, her back resting against the headboard.
Her breathing… uneven again.
Why did his words feel like this?
Why did they reach her this deeply?
—
Another message.
"Tyla."
—
She stared at her name.
Something about the way he wrote it… felt different.
Closer.
—
"If I was there right now…"
Her heart skipped.
—
"…I don't think I'd be able to stay this calm."
—
Her breath hitched.
That was not light.
Not playful.
That was… something else.
—
Her fingers trembled slightly as she typed:
"…ian."
—
She paused.
Then:
"You're making it harder to sleep."
—
He replied instantly.
"Good."
—
Her eyes widened a little.
—
"Because I don't want you to forget tonight."
—
Silence filled her room again.
But this time…
It wasn't quiet.
It was loud with everything she was feeling.
She leaned her head back against the wall… closing her eyes.
His voice… his touch… his closeness…
All of it came back at once.
—
Her phone buzzed again.
—
"Say something."
—
She smiled without realizing.
A small… shy smile.
—
Then slowly typed:
"I'm trying to calm my heart first…"
—
There was a pause.
Then—
"Don't."
Her breath stopped for a second.
—
"Let it race."
—
Her hand moved to her chest instinctively.
Her heart… was already doing exactly that.
—
And for the first time…
She didn't try to stop it.
Her phone buzzed again.
A new message.
…İan.
This time— a picture.
She opened it.
And froze.
He was lying on a dark, luxurious bed, wearing clear glasses… his hair slightly messy, still damp. No shirt.
His right arm… covered in tattoos, the ink stretching up toward his chest.
There was something effortlessly intense about him.
Something… dangerous.
Her cheeks flushed instantly.
Then his message appeared:
"This is how I look right now… and I miss you."
—
Her heart skipped.
She stared at the screen… not knowing what to say.
So instead—
She sent a sticker.
—
A second later…
Another picture.
This time—with a funny filter.
She laughed out loud.
A real laugh.
—
"You're funny… and handsome at the same time." she typed.
Then added, teasing:
"I didn't know you weren't just a cold, strange guy."
And sent a selfie with a silly filter.
—
He replied almost immediately.
"With you… I became happy again."
She blinked.
Her smile faded slightly… turning softer.
—
"After my parents died… in a terrible accident… right in front of me—"
Her breath stopped.
—
"I never laughed again."
—
Her heart tightened.
—
"I became cold."
A pause.
—
"But with you… I went back to who I was."
—
"Thank you, Tyla."
—
Her eyes softened deeply.
For the first time…
She understood him.
His silence. His distance. That coldness…
It wasn't who he was.
It was what he went through.
—
She typed slowly:
"How did you handle all that… at such a young age?"
—
He replied:
"I'm strong… you know that."
A second message:
"And my brother raised me. He never left me."
—
A small smile appeared on her lips.
—
They kept talking…
Longer than they planned.
Lighter… warmer.
Until—
They agreed.
Coffee. Tomorrow.
—
And slowly…
They fell asleep.
—
The next day…
İan stood in front of the mirror.
Black t-shirt. Black jeans.
Simple.
But perfect.
—
Outside…
He leaned against his motorcycle, waiting.
He called her.
"Where are you… my babygirl ?"
—
Her voice came, soft… shy:
"I'm coming… one minute…"
—
Inside…
Tyla rushed.
Fixing her hair. Adjusting her makeup.
Today… mattered.
She wore a fitted black top, slightly revealing, a short black skirt, a sleek leather jacket, and black boots reaching mid-calf.
—
She stepped outside quickly.
The moment she reached him—
He pulled her into his arms.
Close.
Warm.
"I missed you," he whispered.
—
She smiled softly.
"But we were together yesterday…"
—
He leaned closer.
"You're my eyes that I see with it… how do I live without you?"
A pause.
"Every moment without you… feels like slowly dying."
—
She didn't respond.
She just looked at him.
Her eyes shining.
His words… had reached somewhere deep.
—
Suddenly—
He lifted her
his hands on her West —
And placed her gently on the bike.
She gasped softly, surprised… blushing.
He put the helmet on her carefully.
Then got on.
Guided her arms around him.
And they rode off.
—
At the café…
They ordered:
Iced Americano for him. Vanilla iced latte for her.
They chose a quiet table… away from people. To not know him . Because if they see him the fans will come.... —
They laughed.
Talked.
His hand… never left hers.
—
Then suddenly, she said:
"Do you remember when I danced at the club… when I was drunk?"
She laughed.
"I must've looked so silly."
—
He didn't laugh.
He just stared at her.
Quietly.
—
"You don't remember… everything, do you?"
—
She frowned slightly.
"What do you mean…?"
—
A smirk appeared on his lips.
"You danced… yeah."
A pause.
"But you pulled me with you."
—
Her eyes widened.
—
"You moved close… touched me everywhere…"
His voice lowered slightly.
"you was Bold and . Dangerous."
—
Her face turned red instantly.
"No— I didn't—"
—
He cut her off softly:
"And when someone tried to touch you… I almost lost control."
His gaze darkened.
"Anyone who gets close to you… I'll burn them."
—
Her breath hitched.
—
"And when we ran away…" he continued,
"You held onto me on the bike like you'd never let go."
—
She covered her face now.
Completely embarrassed.
—
"And when I took you home…"
A softer tone.
"You called me handsome."
A small smile.
"Hot."
—
"Stop—!" she laughed, hiding her face more.
—
"And then…"
He leaned slightly closer.
" and you also You kissed me."
—
Silence.
"But I stopped it," he added.
"You were drunk."
—
She peeked through her fingers.
Still blushing.
—
"And when I carried you…"
His voice softened again.
"You rested your head here…"
He touched his neck.
"And said I smelled good."
—
She couldn't take it anymore.
She hid her entire face.
—
He laughed softly… then pulled her into a gentle hug.
"Don't be embarrassed…"
A pause.
"I liked it you was cute ."
Then teasing:
"Especially the way you touched me… danced… and that kiss."
She lightly hit his arm.
"Stop!"
They both laughed.
—
Later…
They took pictures at the café.
Then walked outside.
Her eyes caught something.
"Photo booth!"
She smiled.
"Let's take pictures!"
—
He didn't hesitate.
"Okay."
—
Inside—
First photo: Close… holding each other.
Second: Funny faces.
Third: Soft… cute.
Fourth: A kiss on his cheek.
—
Then the last one…
He pulled her closer.
Hand at her waist.
And kissed her.
On her soft lips .
—
The camera flashed.
—
They stepped out.
The strip of photos printed.
Two copies.
She took one.
He took the other.
Both smiling.....
—
Days turned into weeks… and without realizing it, a three month had passed. Not quietly— but filled with laughter, late nights, and moments neither of them wanted to end.
Their relationship grew.
Warm. Soft. Real.
Cafés. Movies. Shopping together.
No tension.
No games.
Just… them.
In just a 3 month… they became something more. Not just two people who liked each other… but two hearts that got used to each other.
They hadn't even reached a year yet but there relationship get deeper...
Tyla woke up to a message.
Like always.
From him.
"Good morning…my babygirl "