Page 14 of Pomegranates and Olive

"It's all about chemistry."

"Sexual chemistry?"

"No, Russo, actual chemistry. Love is nothing more than a chemical reaction in your brain. It's not real."

"Of course it's real."

"Sorry to burst your bubble,askim. Dopamine, estrogen, serotonin, testosterone… these are the chemicals that decide compatibility. For example, dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a role in your pleasure. Estrogen and testosterone are —"

"Hormones!" Thank you Miss Keene's fifth grade personal development class.

"Which give us our sexual appetite."

He needs to stop saying the word “sex”. I don't doubt I am the colour of a tomato right now.

"And serotonin regulates moods. It's also a neurotransmitter that causes obsessive behaviour... like falling in love."

“So you admit it, love is real."

"Sorry. Love is —"

"But you can't help who you fall in love with. It's destined in the stars."

"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.”

"Julius Caesar."

He raises his eyebrows at me. "Correct."

"Well, if you've studied Shakespeare, you'd know that he wrote about destiny all the time."

"Shakespeare wrote about destiny, but it didn't mean he believed in it. He was very much a realist."

"Okay, Professor."

"You talk nonsense."

"And you're a bit of a know-it-all."

"No, I'm merely someone trying to understand why people, myself included, make such stupid decisions when it comes to love when it's all just chemistry which, let's be honest, can be extremely dangerous when they're in the wrong hands." He chuckles. "Don't get me started on the differences between love and lust."

"You're very cynical."

"I've had relationships, Russo. They're complicated, and in my case, they were all total disasters." Pain darkens his eyes for a moment and then it’s gone. The corner of his eyes wrinkle up and he throws that shit-eating grin in my direction again. "I've been in love, deeply in love, a love for the ages... andthatwas a complete catastrophe."

A smile sneaks across my face and I surprise even myself by my flirting. "Maybe you just haven't met the right one."

"Shakespeare said, 'always the wrong person gives you the right lesson in life'." This time my eyes widen and I gape at him as he repeated what Madam Magda (and Shakespeare) had said to me. "I think I'm starting to get through to you at last."

"Don't flatter yourself, Yilmaz." I am starting to lose my patience with this arrogant man. "I'm just curious what your credentials are in order to make such lofty statements? Are you a scientist? A teacher?"

"What makes you think I'm either of those things?"

"You seem to be very opinionated for a layperson."

"Let's just say that right now I'm between employment."

Total drug dealer.

---