MELODY (Book 1) ✓

chapter 5 (Superman)

The afternoon was still dragging ahead and Asha demanded that I'd start working immediately. There was no use of leaving and coming back in the morning and It was totally fine by me. It was two o'clock in the afternoon and it wasn't like I was eager to go back to the shelter. I also needed the practice and I felt grateful to the Divinity who took pity on me up there and let this happen.

Turned out that little Asha was only a few months younger than me. Exchange student from India. Second year in art school. Her parents insisted that she'd stay with her widowed aunt here in New York City and she seemed to forget that human beings are capable of closing their mouths longer than ten seconds. Especially at their workplace.

That normally annoyed me from other people, but strangely not from Asha. Her ability to carry on a nonstop, one sided conversation was fascinating. She didn't need help with articulation or imagination. She didn't ask personal questions or expect verbal interaction. She just went on and on in this energetic manner she had.

It was amusing and educational how she showed me the ropes around the place, told me her life story since she could remember, filled me in about the only waitress we have, the night shift workers and the kitchen sink that needed a plumber.

She told me she painted the pretty signboard outside by herself and that the lady in the painting is actually her aunt, the owner, Mrs. Chandra Charan. She also assured me that auntie Chan is a perfectly good employer and everyone loved her.

The amount of information was overwhelming, but it was great to have someone who can distract me from my own problems. I didn't even have to say a peep as I tried to keep up with her super fast hands handling the coffee machine, the way she dealt with the customers and the pour of words leaking through her lips. She was that good. She could do everything at once.

Clients dropped by at a comfortable pace that was good enough to call the place a successful business. Most of them didn't stay and just ordered their stuff to go. I kept myself busy familiarizing with my newly acquired workspace at the end of the counter while Asha was receiving occasional orders and helping me prepare them. The concealed spot made me feel comfortably invisible which suited my normal nervousness in strange places. Well, It wouldn't be strange for long, I hoped.

In the middle of the process of steaming milk for a mocha latte, I caught Asha getting fidgety in my peripheral vision as she started bouncing slightly and twirling the ends of her dark Rapunzel-like hair.

"Omygosh! Omygosh! Omygosh!" Asha repeated under her breath, shifting closer to me. "Omygosh! He's back!"

I turned my head, puzzled about her superfluous excitement, trying to have a furtive glimpse of who that might be. I only saw the side of his head looming from behind the edge of the coffee grinder. Asha had a mile-long grin on her face that made her dimples even more noticeable.

"Ouch! Sweet potatoes!" I exclaimed, trying to muffle my own voice when the magic wand slipped from the milk pitcher and scalded my skin.

"Good afternoon. can I have my usual order, please?" A rich male voice asked politely while I had to focus my attention away from him to finish making the latte as the burn on my arm hurt as hell. "You have sweet potato pie? I thought I heard that. "

I heard Asha snicker.

"Sorry. We're out of pie. But we have delicious blueberry cheese cake, Chocolate Chip cookies, chocolate muffins and Badushah. It's the Indian version of doughnuts. " Asha went on with an enthusiastic tone.

"No thank you. I'll just have the usual. " The polite voice replied.

"Grilled cheese sandwich and cappuccino?" Asha asked

"Right."

"I'll add a chocolate muffin. On the house. Just a welcome back treat," Asha chippered.

The guy thanked her, and I heard his footsteps walking away from the counter. I finished the latte and handed it to the server, cleaned up the splatter and then began to examine my injury. It wasn't as bad as it felt. Just a small pink patch on the base of my hand. The wand chooses the wizard, indeed.

"Oh my! Did you see him?" Asha asked and then gasped as she remembered to ask. "Oh! Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. Who is he?"

"Clark Kent," She whispered softly, holding her hands over her heart, "That's his nickname. He's my secret superman. Gosh, did you hear him say 'good afternoon' and "thank you' and 'please' all in the same conversation? Guys don't say that any more!"

I chuckled half-heartedly. "I bet he stands up for a lady, and opens the door for her too." I rolled my eyes at her and blew lightly on the throbbing burn.

"You bet he does. I saw him open the door for an old lady once." She said, nodding quickly and playing with a long strand of her ponytail. " I think he's really shy though."

"Are you stalking him?" I raised my eyebrows, astounded. She didn't look like a stalker to me. But she sure seemed infatuated.

"Why, excuse me for looking out for my clients, unlike someone I know." She placed her hands on her hips, grabbed a porcelain cup and walked to the grinder to prepare his coffee "I just watch from a distance, OK? He's a real eye candy, in a good way. He's modest too. "

"Seriously, how do you do that?" I asked, impressed by the way she brewed the coffee, frothed the milk, and wiped everything clean at the same time while chatting with me.

"I saw him turn down a couple of girls before. Clark is quite a catch, ya know." She went on, shaking the hot milk expertly before pouring it in graceful motions over the espresso shot, creating a perfect heart shape with the foam. My eyes popped, recording what she was doing.

"Maybe he's married, or engaged or, you know... A robot." I smirked as I picked a muffin from the muffin tray and placed it on a serving plate. I've got to have a look at this guy.

"Give me some credit, Sherlock." Asha brought the sandwich, assembled the order and finally handed it over to the awaiting server, Susie, who seemed to be bored of everything. "Just look! Between the coffee machine and the grinder. Susie is your compass."

She pulled me by the arm towards the thin opening between the two gadgets. The café stretched for a few yards before me from this narrow crack to the furthest corner. It felt safe peeping from my hidden lair, when no one could see me, just like how I felt hiding in the closet and looking through the cracks when I was a kid. A light shudder of adrenaline ran through me and I felt incredibly silly for being so thrilled over something so childish.

"He's right there, the last table in the corner, " Asha cooed next to me. " That's his favorite table. He likes privacy. "

Susie was blocking the view as she shambled ahead to serve him. I started biting the tip of my thumb in anticipation. Why was I even feeling anxious right now? This was like one of those slow motion moments in a movie before the lead character makes the first appearance.

"Move, Susie, move!" I mumbled as I bent closer. Asha snickered quietly.

Finally, Susie swerved to a side to place the order on the table .

And that's when my eyes fell on him for the first time.

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Salaam you all.. sorry for the 300 mistakes you're going to find but I hope it's not so bad and that you enjoy reading this chapter. Please vote and comment and let me hear from you :)

That's Asha up there. Just so you know I found the pic in random google search. I don't think she's famous. I don't know this person. but I have a word for the girl in this pic if she ever came across her photo in here. I just want to say sorry to use your picture without your permission but you really look like my character and you must know that when you post your pictures online somewhere people will actually be able to see them and possibly use them :D

Peace and love to all of you...

Inshaa'Allah.