We meet at Dawn

Chapter twenty eight- Asher

My heart stopped the moment I saw her standing outside the restaurant, smoking a cigarette. Her hair had grown out to her shoulders, and even in the dimmed light her auburn hair looked like a wildfire.

I thought that I had seen her for the last time all
those years ago. But here she was, standing merely a couple feet away from me.
I didn't hear a word what Hannah was saying, my eyes were stuck on the one that got away. There isn't a day where I regret not telling her how I feel, how I wish I could've been there for her through everything. But sadly, I cannot change the past. I paid the price for not telling her how I felt sooner.
But then came Hannah, and honestly? She's
been very comforting, we're very different but she is a nice woman.
''Babe, did you hear the news?'' I snapped out of my daydreaming, jumping back into reality. But I still noticed when Dawn went back into the restaurant.
''Hmm, what news?'' We talked a little while before getting seated, right next to Dawn and some strange man. And I couldn't help by noticing the argument. So did Hannah as well. ''How rude of him, right?'' But before I could answer Dawn was throwing her wine right at him, screaming and storming out of the restaurant.
The man was about to follow her, but a waiter came and told him to pay for the meal and the broken glass. He paid quickly and rushed out of the restaurant. I tried to hold back, not to intervene. But every bone in my body told me to go, follow them. Make sure that she's okay. Like I was not in charge of my own body.
''I'm so sorry, but I have to go to the Gentlemen's.'' I gave Hannah a reassuring smile
as I stood up and walked away.

Every horrible thought rushing through my mind. And I was right to be worried about her. I could see her fall down as he pulled her back; he was a big guy and it looked like he used all of his force to pull her back. It was like seeing her fall in slow-motion, and I could feel my heart stop. I was full of wrath, and there was no stopping me. I pulled him up by the shirt, and before I knew
it, I was beating him raw. I was frantic, and I wouldn't have stopped if Dawn hadn't pulled my shirt. ''It's okay, thank you.'' she said, and the broken smile she gave me made my heart break.
She bent down over him and whispered something I couldn't hear. And by the blink of an eye, she hit him on his bloody nose once more before turning to me. Asking me to take her home.

Dawn didn't look at me once, and I could notice how she was trying to hold back tears, until she couldn't anymore. The quiet sobbing sound coming from her was killing me, so I reached over and stroke her tears away. Showing her that I am right here, that I will always be there for her. You know how they say that love comes fast?

It's true, I have been in love with Dawn since the first day I saw her. But no one said that love comes hard, all they said is that love will mend every broken heart. But somehow things is never easy, for me love comes hard. Love is scary, but I do know that I love her. That I have always loved her, so maybe it's me who's hard. Hard to feel that I too deserve to be loved.

I was never thought how to love easy; I was
thought that love needed to be earned. And that if you ever failed, no one would love you. That as a man I was to be hard and show no emotion. And if my father ever saw me cry, he would beat me until I was quiet. And my mother did nothing, she was too high to ever bother. And if she ever did notice, she said nothing. I had never known of love until I was 18. But that didn't work out to great.
I have never had a sense of home, but when I look at Dawn, I feel like I'm home. I feel a little less broken.

So, when I saw her hurt, I wanted to shield her with me. Making her too, feel at home. I look at her and see beauty where others might see something broken.

And I wish I told her that night that I do not see her like a broken soul, in need of fixing. But that I see her like home.

That I see me in her.