Half of a Whole

When we met

A/N: This chapter has been edited and mistakes corrected.

NELOFER

Nelofer looked at the clock on the wall. Just one more hour, then she could close the shop and go home since her shift would be over. When she thought "home" her parents' house came to mind. She sighed. Would she ever get used to living in the small room of the shares-house? Because it was her new place now, at least for a while. 

The café was empty so Nelofer just played her favourite playlist on Spotify while cleaning the surfaces of the kitchen area and stacking away washed plates and cups in the cupboards, ready to be used the next day. She was humming along with the song and slightly nodding her head to the rhythm.

When the bell on the shop door rang through the store, she turned around to greet the customer. "Hi. Welcome to Riri's Café-" Nelofer forgot what she was going to say next as she met the stranger's intense blue eyes. 

'Wow' Nelofer immediately thought, taking in the man walking towards her. He was very tall and fit. His face well proportioned with high cheekbones and sharp jaw lines. Her eyes went to the scar across his right cheek extending to his neck and disappearing under his T-shirt. It was faint, showing it was quite old. His lean yet muscular built was evident from the well fitting lather jacket. He was good looking. No, he was drop dead gorgeous.

'Tobah, tobah,' Nelofer mentally reprimanded herself 'Ya Allah, forgive me for these haram thoughts.'

The man stopped in front of her and smiled "I see you everywhere."

That immediately shook Nelofer out of her thoughts "Excuse me?"

He seemed to freeze for a second. The smile almost disappeared from his face. He blinked a couple of times and then slightly turned his face to show Nelofer his earphones. 

"I'm on the phone" he explained to her.

"Oh" she nodded realising that comment wasn't directed at her.

The handsome man smiled at her politely before looking down and replying on the phone "Hey, I gotta go. I'll call you later man."

Nelofer couldn't help but be taken aback by his voice too. It had a growly, rough edge to it. The vibrations of his deep voice wasn't helping her keep her thoughts halal. She mentally sighed. Why did this handsome man have to have such an attractive voice too? Hopefully he was just a tourist and wouldn't become a regular customer. She really didn't have the energy for a secret crush on some random man would never even see her like that.

Nelofer stopped her train of thoughts from going any further and put on her professional smile again "Hi. What would you like to order?"

He broke eye contact with her to look at the glass window behind which there were cake pieces, brownies, biscuits, sweets and savoury.

When he finished scanning the products on display, his voice turned disappointed "Hi, I was going to order a chocolate cake. But it seems you only have a fruit cake left."

"Oh" Nelofer looked at the only remaining cake on display "Actually we just finished baking tomorrow's cakes. I've got 2 chocolate cakes at the back. If you give me ten minutes I can finish icing one for you."

He met her eyes again and nodded surprised "Only if you don't mind."

She smiled "Is it for a special occasion? Do you want me to write a message on it?"

The smile on his face didn't quite reach his eyes and she could tell he wasn't actually smiling "Nothing that special: it's just my birthday."

Nelofer felt a weird pang of sadness in her empathetic heart "What's your name?"