His sketchbook was filled with Leyla. Not just portraits, but Leyla as a storm cloud, Leyla as a bright poppy in a field of grey, Leyla as a fox outsmarting a hunter. His love was secret, but it was alive, playing tricks on his mind and making him walk three miles out of his way just to catch a glimpse of her shadow.
"They say a secret is a burden," she said, stepping toward him with a playful tilt of her head. "But a mischievous secret... that sounds like a lot more fun." Menim Asqim Cox Sirdi Deceldi
One afternoon, a sudden, "mischievous" gust of wind—the kind Baku is famous for—ripped through the courtyard. It snatched Elchin’s sketchbook right out of his hands, flipping the pages wildly. His sketchbook was filled with Leyla
He lunged for it, but the wind was faster. The book landed face-open right at the feet of the blue carved door. Leyla stepped out at that exact moment. "They say a secret is a burden," she