One Last Look

13

Footsteps echoed in the empty coffee shop.
Ben sat down at the table and began spreading out the papers and notes he had brought with him.
It was about an hour before the shop opened for the day, Ben still had a key, so a lot of times he liked to come down and work in the still atmosphere.
He had gotten his papers in before the deadline, but he still wasn't satisfied with the result.
"Why do I have to be such a perfectionist." He muttered to himself, voice echoing slightly.
He rubbed his temples, lines forming and erasing in his mind before his pen ever touched the paper.

El practically danced down the sidewalk, her head clear for the first time in a week.
She loved early mornings.
The slight chill of the air, the bird's sweet singing, the sleepy world awakening.
She paused for a moment.
Peering into the glaring window of the coffee shop, she could barely make out Ben's form, hunched over the table, sketching furiously.
She smiled softly, her eyes slightly saddened.
He couldn't put his work aside for an hour?
She shook her head.
Clearing her thoughts from her mind, she smiled once more.
The bells on the door rung cheerily as she walked through the door.
Ben turned around.

"Hey Elly Belly!" He jumped up, scattering some papers in the process, and wrapped her in a hug.

"Hey Benji" she murmured, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Are you ok?" He questioned, looking at her concernedly.

Lifting her head, their eyes met.

She hesitated.

"Yeah...yeah, I'm ok. At least, now that you're here." She sighed and nestled her head back onto his shoulder.

"I wish we could go take a walk but I really have to get this done. How about I make us some coffee and you can look over my design and give me your thoughts?"

"Sounds good to me." She grinned.

Both were reluctant to let go.

The rustle of the papers mixed with the busy sounds of the coffee process.

Ben's designs were incredibly intricate, each line drawn with precision.
El stared, trying to take in every detail.
His talent blew her away.
But she was worried that he spent too much time obsessing over getting every dot perfect.
His work would start pile up if he wasn't careful.