New Leaf

Chapter 2

I woke up to the sound of the captain telling us that we have finally arrived and that we are going to start landing soon, I fixed my seat and secured my seat belt before looking outside the window.

I started to see the city, the tall buildings, the busy streets, the long highways, the gardens and the sea.

It's a mesmerising view, the plane made a turn and started decending. My view was now replaced by the runway, few minutes later the plane has finally stopped, the captain turned off the seat belts light, the flight attandants opened the plane door and we are now allowed to leave the plane.

I took off my seat belt, stood up and retrieved my bags from their assigned place before heading toward the plane door, there I was met by two flight attandants greeting all the passengers off.

I headed towards the welcoming counters to get my entrance stamp, after waiting in line for 30 minutes it was my turn. I walked towards the officer

"Hi" I said while putting my passport on the counter for him to take.

"Where are you coming from?" He asked me while opening my passport and typing in his computer.

"Lebanon" I replied

"Look at the camera please" he asked me, I obliged.

I saw the red light blink before hearing him stamping my passport and putting it back on the counter for me to take it back, and said "Welcome to Turkey" with a smile on his face. I nodded my head as a 'thank you' before taking my passport, putting it back inside my purse and walking off towards the claiming baggages area.

I get myself a trolley before waiting for my bag to show up on the baggage carousel assigned for our plane, 10 minutes later I find my suitcase and retrive it, I put it on the trolley along with my laptop bad and purse before heading towards the exit door.

Once the exit door opens I see a sea of people waiting, some are waiting for their family members, some are waiting for their friends, guests... there was a man holding flowers who just saw his girlfriend walk out of the exit door, there was also couple of kids holding a balloon that says 'welcome home' running towards there father who knelt on the floor opening his arms wide for them, a few others were on their phones, some just have their eyes fixed on the door, and a few at the far side are holdin sign with name of the people that they are waiting for.

I walked towards them slowly while scanning all the names until I've found my own, the man holding my name was around his forties, average built, has a few grey hairs all over his dark hair, he was wearing a white button shirt, a black tie and a black suit pants.

I walked towards him and said

"That is me" with a smile on my face while pointing to my name on his sign board, he nods his head and ask me for my reservation papers.

I retrieve them from my purse and give them to him, he take them and scan the content carefully before giving me them back and take the trolley from me before leading me towards his car saying

"Welcome to Istanbul".

Once inside his car he gives me a paper to sign it before starting the engine, once we are out of the airport parking lot the driver informs me that it's a two hours drive and that their is WiFi in the car if I wanted to go online so that I won't get bored.

I nod and thank him, I take my phone from my purse to turn it on but after a second thought I put it back and just got lost outside the window not really looking at the city but to think a little.

'A small part of me feels regret for doing what I did but once I remind myself of the things that I had to go through I start to feel better about my decision, it's just the way it supposed to happen' I tell myself over and over before continuing

'There was only one reason keeping me back, now once that reason doesn't exist anymore I knew that it was time, I know it's going to be tough and sometimes I might really regret taking this step but I have faith that the result at the end is worth this journey.'

***

"We are here" the driver informs me before parking the car and stepping down to help me with my bags, I pay him his fee, take my bags and head towards the main gate of the building while he drives off.

Once I reach the gate I push it open and observe the hallway, it has grey ceramic tiles all over the floor, white walls, two large mirrors hanged on both the left and the right walls, opposite to the main gate was a brown wood door before it was the silver elevator doors and the stairs.

"This is going to be my house for the coming few weeks" I mumble to myself

I head towards the elevator and press the call button, a minute later the doors opens, I step inside with my stuff, I press the forth floor button which was also the last floor, the doorsame close and the elevator start climbing up.

I hear the 'ding' sound of the elevator announcing my arrival to my required floor, the doors opened , I step out with my stuff before looking arround.

There was only two doors one on the left and one on the right, I read (4A) on the right side door and (4B) sign on the left side door.

I head towards the left, I stop in front the door taking a deep breath before ringing the bell.

Seconds later the door opens revealing a young woman I could guess she was in her twenties, brunette, she has a fit body like a model, tall brown hair that covers her back and brown eyes.

She looks at me for a minute before wearing a warm smile on her face and saying

"Hi, I was waiting for you" and reach for my suitcase and leads me inside the house.

Once inside I start to study my surrounding the front door leads to a small hallway that has on the right side a small mirror, coats hanger, a small umbrella basket, a small stand has two shelves that contains shoes and the top has a cushion where you can sit and wear your shoes.

A few steps inside and you can see on your right the kitchen, there was no door for it the floor has white and blue ceramic tiles, the left wall contains white wood cabinets, underneath them was blue marble counter holding a coffee maker, tea maker and boiler to the right side of the counter.

On the middle was the sink and the left side contains the cooking spoons stand, under the blue marble was one white wood cabinet just below the sink, the left side contained white wood drawers and the right side ha's a dishwasher.

On the wall opposite to the kitchen's entrance was the fridge on the left side a window in the middle and underneath it the stove, the wall opposite to the cabinets has a breakfast bar looking towards the living room.

The living room floor has brown parquet, white walls, a glass balcony door opposite to the kithem bar covered with white and blue curtains, facing the balcony door was two large blue couches making an (L) shape, a square white coffee table in the middle and 4 bean bags facing the 2 couches. In the small space between the couches and the breakfast bar was a yellow circular dining table with 3 red chairs.

The wall opposite to the couches has TV hanged on it and two shelves underneath it containing a dvd and few movies, to the left was hallway that leads to the bedroom.

"I recognised you from your picture, it took me a minute at first" she said pulling me to the present.

I turn to face her with a confused look on my face but before I could ask what she means she explains " when you talked to me to book your room I saw your profile picture" I nod my head in understanding but she just wave her hands dismissing the subject and offering me her hand introducing herself

"I'm Defne" with a smile on her face, I shake her hand saying

" I'm Iz" she looks at me confused before I tell her "Just call me Iz" I insist before taking my hand back, she nods her head and say

"Okay Iz, let me show you your room"

She take my suitcase again and head towards the hallway, there were five doors inside the hallway three to the left and two on the right She walked few steps before stopping and turned to face me

"that over there is the guest bathroom" she said ponting toward the door to the left at the entrance of the hallway

"this is my room" she said pointing toward the second door to the left

" this is Meryem's room our roommate" she said pointing toward the door next to hers

"this is our bathroom we share it" she said pointing toward the door on the right

"and this is your room" she said while opening the second door on the right.

I step inside taking in my surrounding while Defne puts my suitcase near the bed, the floor was blown parquet with white walls as well, the furnisher was made of white and light green colors.

Opposite to the bedroom door was another balcony door covered with white and light green curtains, on the bedroom door wall was a light green hairdresser, next to it was a tall white dresser and between them there was a tall mirror hanged on the wall.

On the wall to the right was the green and white closet, opposite to it was a green bed surrounded with two white night stands and at the foot of the bed there was a small white stand that contains two shelves and the top has a seatting green and white sitting cushion.

"This balcony is connextend with the balcony of the living room, and to the left side you can find the laundry room" she explains

I nod my head before she continues

"I'll let you get comfortable, change and empty your bags while I prepare lunch. Meryem will be back soon and than we can talk about the house rules" she said before leaving my room and closing the door behind her.

I look around me for few minutes before starting to sort my things out, I hang some of my clothes in the closet, fold some in the tall dresser, while making a place for my shoes and puses before putting my make-up kit, accessories bag, hair and body product on the hairdresser along with my blow dryer and babyliss.

I take my toiletries out to the bathroom before changing into some more comfortable clothes.

Once I'm done I hear a knock on my door

"Come in" I say, the door opens revealing Defne.

She enter the room holding a small envelope in her hand, she stop before me and hands me the envelope. I take it and ask her

"what is this?" Before opening it

"The house key, a new number for you to use and there is a small paper in there too that contains my and Meryem's number on it so you can call us if you want anything" she say

I nod my head and thank her

"Lunch is ready and Meryem is back, come on let me introduce you before we eat" she say before leaving my room.

I follow her, once I'm out of my bedroom I smell the most amazing mouth watering aroma coming from the kitchen.

I walk out of the hallway and look toward th kitchen, I see a tall blonde woman with shoulder length strawberry blonde hair which was up in a ponytail, she has a fit body that most girl envy.

She was serving the food on the plates, she places Defne's plate infont of her before taking the second plate to fill it but she stops and raise her head towards me, she must've felt me looking at her.

I was now standing next to Defne who was seated on the bar stool, once her eyes fall on me Meryem smiles a warm welcoming smile that reach her stunning green eyes.

"Welcome Iz, I'm Meryem" she said while filling the plate and placing it infront of me, I mirror her smile before sitting down next to Defne while she takes her plate filling it and placing it infront of her before sitting next to Defne.

I take a small bite of my plate and I moan as the food melt in my mouth

"This is really good" I say before taking another bite.

"Thanks" Defne answer with a small blush covering her cheeks.

We continue our meal in silence before I break it with a question

"What were the house rules that you told me about? " I ask

Meryem answers "we devide the house work between us since we both work, like today for example Define had to do the chores because I had a shift in the hospital"

"Are you a doctor?" I ask her

"No I'm a nurse and she is an assistant at an architect company" Meryem say

"OK so we device the chores between us like one day each we have to cook, clean, and do the laundry?" I ask

"Yes we devide it according to our work schedule" Defne agreeing

"We have on the fridge the groceries list, every weekend we go together and get them" Defne adds.

"Okay great, so we split everything" I say

"Exactly" Meryem say "Are you staying her for just one month?" She asks

"I came here with a plan to start over, so in this month I have to find a place for me to stay and a job" I say

"Well if you need to stay here more than month we can arrange that" Defne say

Meryem nods agreeing with Defne's suggestion, I smile and thank them both.

We continue our meal in silence, once we finish we help Defne cleaning before sitting on the couches and spending the night getting to know each other and watching a movie.

At 10 we each of us said our good nights and headed towards our rooms.

Once inside my room I change into my pjs and jump on the bed under the covers.

I sigh and start to think of my first day events, it was a great start, better than I hoped. I was lucky to have two wonderful roomates, I have a feeling that we will become fast best friends.

"I just wish to finally have what've always wanted" I mumble to myself wearing a satisfied smile on my face before finally falling into deep sleep.