I saw him, Asher. His hair seemed like threads of gold meandering down his shoulders covering the left side of his face artfully. He sat perfectly still as still as a beautiful painting…etched in reality. His eyes were the colour of solemn winter skies, sad eyes; cold enough to pierce into someone’s soul. His lips were puckered up in a beautiful pout and were the colour of dewdrops on top of red roses.

He wore black pants and a white shirt that showed off the wide expanse of his shoulders in a complimentary fashion. He wore a black sweater on top, which was made of a thick material that I could not identify but looked expensive and appealing. His shoulder length gold hair almost covered the burn marks on the left side of his face and neck reminding him constantly of his dreadful past. Whilst the visible and the right side of his face remained beautiful and unaffected, the other side was like a heart wrenching tragedy.

I sat huddled under my thick woolen sweater, sipping a tall cup of coffee a few feet away from him, watching him like hawk watches his prey. Contrary to popular belief, I did not find this man the least bit disgusting or repulsive because of his burn scars. I found him to be rather alluring and lovely; so beautiful and pure that I could almost imagine him sprouting two huge feathery wings and taking off into the heavens. He had the loveliness of an angel.

His long fingers kept smoothing his thick wavy hair, a nervous habit I assumed, along the scarred side of his face making sure every inch of the burn marks were covered. He sat there trying diligently to hide the anticipatory almost frightened look on his face while he too sipped a tall mug of steaming black coffee, unsweetened.

“You’re early again, wow you really must love workin’ here on Tuesday mornings,” exclaimed a slightly slurred male voice behind me. I didn’t even turn to acknowledge who it was.

“Yeah Blake, it’s a whole lot better than Saturday, Tuesdays ain’t that busy,” I continued “drinkin’ early again, one of these days Ms.Thomas will fire your sorry arse back to your dingy little flat and you would be jobless again, betta’ keep this one as long as it lasts.” I said in an uninterested tone and got up before Blake could even summon up a smart response; not taking my eyes off the man that sat just a few feet away from me.

I walked swiftly towards the kitchen in the back making sure I wasn’t spotted. I took off my sweater and threw on my apron on top of my clothes, grabbed a kettle and bustled out of the doors, trying my best to avoid Blake.

“Leaving so soon today Asher,” I exclaimed slightly breathily making sure that I hid the disappointment in my voice.

“Reem, Gosh, I thought you weren’t working on Tuesdays now,” he said grinning sheepishly and continuing “that guy Blake told me your schedule was changed,” he uttered in defense.

I stared at his beautiful face and tall frame, taking note of everything he did; he was exquisite in my eyes, a golden angel, untainted.

“Blake is a little idiotic so don’t take him seriously,” I said making sure I didn’t sound annoyed “He’s out to destroy me,” I said in a matter of fact voice which made Asher laugh rapturously. He was the only one who got my jokes. I couldn’t help it and joined in his laughter beaming, almost glowing.

“Another cup of coffee then?” I asked.

“Why not, you’re here now,” he said teasingly.

I just smiled and sighed, pouring hot coffee in his mug as if it was the most important thing in my life…to serve him…coffee on Tuesday mornings.

“Well well lookee here, Reem has boyfriend,” Blake almost yelled, his voice grating on my nerves. I couldn’t help it and gave him what he deserved and also what I could afford my trademark Reem Khan slaughter-inducing look. His reaction however surprised me because he stumbled backwards and crashed into Bharti, my only friend at the coffee shop. I couldn’t help it, and grinned, Asher was messing with my hard to please exterior quite artistically.

I could hear him trying to control his laughter behind me and that just worsened the situation. I could feel my jaws aching, begging to be set free, to expand into a smile, which could extend into a full-throated laughter. Guess what I chose to do? I laughed. Blake cringed. Bharti beamed. My heart sang. Sigh! What bliss.

Blake darted out of sight. I went behind the counter then, trying not to look at Asher but it’s usually very hard to avoid the inevitable nature of your eyes. As a rule, they only think about their own pleasure. I had once tried to talk to him about how he got his scars, not that it affected me in anyway but he seemed to have blocked that incidence out of his life and asking him questions about it relentlessly seemed pretty stupid.

“So Reem do you like garlic?” he asked stirring his coffee.

I raised my eyebrows in return.

“Well I was just wondering,” he said with a smile, “how about chilies?”

“No I don’t fancy chilies”

“How about flowers,” he questioned me as if it was quantum physics.

“That, I like,” I said while I concentrated on cleaning an already clean table. I was blushing; I felt like hitting something, obviously Blake was the only person who came to my mind.

“What else do you fancy?” he inquired nonchalantly.

“Chocolates.”

“How about Mushroom Ravioli?”

“I love Mushroom Ravioli,” I exclaimed, my excitement surprised him forget that I surprised myself. I was stunned for a half a minute it made my heart put on armor getting ready for a bombardment of screaming from my over protective brain.

“Well, umm…Macaroni Grill has great Mushroom Ravioli,” he muttered sheepishly.

“Right,” I said, playing it safe. I could not, look at him not now; I think he was finally going to embrace some nerve and ask me.

“Umm…I think you should definitely go there with your friends…it’s a …nice place.”

I looked at him then, and saw the helpless look on his face. He almost looked defeated. This had been going on since a week now and I wondered why he didn’t have the guts to just ask me to dinner. My brain was still scudding from one thought to another when I realized that he was leaving.

“Well then I guess…I’ll see you later…Reem,” he said sighing with both relief and regret.

“Asher,” I almost yelped. He looked up at me expectantly, while he tried wearing his jacket.

“Erm…I’ll see you tomorrow,” I replied, my nerve staggering.

“Oh yeah, sure, take care Reem,” he replied slightly confused.

I didn’t want to watch him leave therefore I trudged back inside the kitchen looking for Bharti, in order to update her on the latest. My search however remained fruitless. I returned only to find Asher outside catching his breath, dazed. He held his hand up before I could say anything and uttered in one long breath “Lets have Mushroom Ravioli sometime?”

I looked at him astounded. He smiled and it was as simple as that.

“Tomorrow at 8, don’t be late,” I said and went inside the kitchen. Beaming.