Angles with White Hair

Cappuccino Crush

Cheesy Christmas music is playing in the mall. Children are enjoying the lights and decorations scattered all over the walkways and store windows. It is only the end of November and yet the holiday season comes early every year to entice all the hard-working folks to spend their salaries on lavish and expensive gifts for their loved ones. 

It is eight o clock in the morning and Nicole is busy packing ring trays into the beautiful display cabinet in the front of the jewelry store she works in. Pendants of glittery, ice blue snowflakes dance in the display lights as she places the trays at a slight angle. The diamonds glisten like drops of water on the polish white gold rings and her 17-year-old heart longs for the day she will have one of them on her finger. 

Nicole left school earlier that year. Partly due to bullying, partly because of being too intelligent for the advanced classes she took, and mainly because she did not enjoy school very much anymore. She was glad her parents asked her if she would prefer to work or finish school; they could see how miserable she was. The bullying was constant in Nicole's school career. Her small mousy stature made Nicole an easy target for the more athletically built Popular's. Light brown, almost blonde hair was always short in a pixie crop, her eyes were grey and yet some days blue. a light dusting of pale freckles patterned her slim straight roman nose that slightly pinched and upturned at the tip. Her cupid bow lips that were a pale rosy pink were the kind of lips you saw in magazines on celebrities that had the look enhanced with the hands of a surgeon. So in all effects, Nicole was considered beautiful. Perhaps that is why she was so tormented in school. After all, beauty is a target for pain. It could also be that she had a real relationship with a guy in the college down the road from her high school. When the Populars found out about Crowe, the rumors spread like wildfire and she was quickly dubbed a slut. No one could believe that an incredibly handsome 3rd-year college student would be remotely interested in a loser like her. Crowe made her feel alive and cherished until a year into her relationship he was tired of Nicole being a virgin and wanted to break that. after the breakup the Populars made wild-fires turn into infernos with rumors. She had a thick skin towards the Populars but when the bullying started to come from the teachers, Nicole couldn't take much more and that is when her parents realized how unhappy she was and proposed the arrangement of work or school. Naturally, Nicole jumped straight into the opportunity to start working and get away from those horrible people. She was determined to make herself successful and learn as much as she possibly could.     

After packing out the ring trays, Nicole retrieved a box from the safe to pack into the watch display just under the window she packed the engagement rings into. She carefully unwrapped each watch from its protective sponge, wiped it with a soft cloth to make sure there were no fingerprints on them, and placed each timekeeper into its spot. She heard her boss on the telephone in his office. He was ordering his usual breakfast of creamy cappuccino and 2 slices of white bread and anchovy toast. 

'Don't let them screw this one up again!', the little man who owned the successful company warned down the phone. 'I want it hot when it gets here. If it's cold, I am going to send it straight back to you on the waiter's clothing!' 

He slammed the phone down and looked satisfied with himself.  Brent Holders really had little man syndrome. He was short, middle-aged, balding, and greying terribly. That morning he was dressed in a navy blue suit with a deep purple tie that made his speckled red and purple face stand out even more. His fat hands picked up an expensive watch that he was appraising for a good friend and Nicole shivered. She couldn't imagine how his wife handled those thick sausages with long unkempt nails on her skin. In Nicole's mind, a man should always be groomed and neat. Clean and cut nails, shaven or well-kept beard and always smell good. She always believed one could tell a lot about a man by how he keeps his nails. 

As she finished up packing out the watch display, Nicole heard a faint knocking on the security gate that was used to keep them safe while they unpacked the store. She realized it must be the waiter with Mr. Holders breakfast. Nicole quickly placed the now empty box onto the counter and turned to open the gate. Whoever this new waiter was, was not only a lot faster than any other that came but also smelled amazing. She could tell it was a man just by the smell of the cologne he wore. It screamed with confidence, mystery, and passion. The smell was intoxicating. 

As she opened the gate, Nicole caught sight of what she could only believe was a man sculpted from marble. He was tall, almost as tall as her father. He was muscular and power swam off him in waves. He was definitely the kind of man that would have many whispers following him at a party. He has styled short brown hair and a perfectly shaved styled beard. His eyes were as blue as the ocean pictures she had seen from the Caribbean. The kind of eyes that made you feel safe and at ease. His skin was a lightly tanned brown and flawless. Almost as if he had the best makeup coverage on. His lips were perfectly were a perfectly shaped bow colored with a faint rose tint; they were the kind of lips you wanted to kiss. Nicole felt slightly weak in the knees. Crowe was a waste of making next to this perfect creation and he was a 10 in most girls' standards. He held the tray with the coffee and toast as if it were a feather. His one hand grasping the side. Nicole noticed with happiness he had long strong fingers and perfectly manicured nails. No white crescents showing at the tips. 

'Hello.' the waiter said smiling down at Nicole. 

She opened her mouth to respond but her voice refused to work. She simply blushed. 

'I am from Cafe Cup. I am delivering a creamy cappuccino and 2 slices of toast. Am I at the right store?' He asked. 

Again, Nicole opened her mouth to respond but nothing wanted to come out. 

'Nicole! Is that my order?' she heard Mr. Holders shout from his office. 

'Y-yes Mr. Holders. I will send... ' She read his name tag 'Byron to you now.' She called back

'Nicole. That is a good name for someone so beautiful.' Bryon whispered to her. He winked and walked toward where he heard Mr. Holders' voice. 

Nicole's knees grew even weaker. Byron had an incredibly deep baritone voice that slides across her mind like velvet. The way he said her name echoed in her mind a few times. 

He called me beautiful. Me! she thought to herself. This has to be some kind of joke. 

Nicole walked towards where she left the box the watches get stored in feeling as if she had been pranked yet again by someone from school. she hoped it was not some sort of horrible joke though. Physically she was very attracted to Byron. His voice echoed in her mind yet again and she shivered. 

How would she ever manage to get through the day with that glowing, perfect God-like man constantly on her mind?