Two imperfect individuals make a perfect relationship.

 

Toby served the coffee to the old woman with a smile. She paid him and went away. Even though people never acknowledged his smile, he still greeted every new customer with smile. He loved coming to work just to see her sitting in corner drinking coffee, engrossed in book. She had big round glasses on her chubby face. Her fizzy red hair were tied in a bun. She had a regular look. His colleagues called her “Corner Fatty”. He didn’t fight with them but never joined in too.

She walked up to him and took out money to pay. Giving the bill to her, he said, “Thank you ma’am”

She replied back with smile and took the change, “Thank you”

Her smile made butterflies flutter in his stomach. He had not felt like this for anyone. She walked away.

 

Katie was rushing down the street. She was late for class. She thought about skipping the run at Coffee House but coffee made her going. Standing at the door of the Coffee House, she stood there in confusion. She has test today. Glancing at her watch, she sighed and went in. Ordering the coffee for going, she called her friend that she will be late.

She paid for coffee and ran out. As she was hurriedly walking to the gate of her college, she observed something strange. Instead of her name, it was written.

‘Rosy Red’

She squinted her brows but throwing away the cup in garbage, she ignored it. She thought it might be a joke by one of the employees of the Coffee House.

 

He loved her red hair. He asked Cal, one of his colleagues to write ‘Rosy Red’ just to remind her that she has lovely hair. He was not well built like his other friends but had a decent heart. They used to tease him for his lanky body but he was fine with that because deep in his heart, he knew how to love people irrespective of their outer appearances.

 

Another day, Katie rushed to the Coffee House to get her coffee. As she was going to exit, she glanced at her cup. It was written…

‘You’re beautiful’

She glanced back and her eyes met with the black eyes of the boy standing behind the counter. This was the first time she noticed that he was worth a look. She walked back to him and asked, “Did you write this?”

He nodded with a smile. She narrowed her eyes, “Are you mocking me?”

He stepped back saying, “No definitely no”

She placed the cup on counter asking, “So what kind of sick joke it is?”

He shrugged, “It is my way of asking you out?”

She thought for a moment, “You want to go out with me? This is definitely a joke”

“No, it is not a joke. I like you and I want to go out with you” he replied nervously looking at the cup on the counter. She rolled her eyes, “Fine, tomorrow here at 4 in evening”

He nodded. She left drinking her coffee. He held the counter for support. She used to make him nervous. There was a magic about her.

 

Katie was sitting in her room with her best friend Gina. She said, “And then he asked me out. Can you believe that?”

Gina nodded, “Yes, I can believe that and I think it is cute”

Katie clutched the pillow hard saying, “Maybe it is some sort of prank. Oh, I get it. He’ll not come and I’ll be a joke”

Gina laughed, “Why are you not believing that someone can like you too?”

She shook her head, “No, it can’t happen. You know how many guys rejected me?”

Gina shrugged. Katie continued, “20. Yeah, I am only 19. Guys don’t like girls like me”

She pointed toward her body, “This is not what they want. They want girls like you, slim, sexy and beautiful. They don’t like girls who are fat. That is the reason models have a perfect figure and guys love watching fashion shows”

Gina sighed, “Genuine guys don’t care the shape or size of girl. They fall for personality. Even though you have a little weight, you are still very beautiful. Maybe he saw amazing you are, that is why he asked you out”

She held Katie by shoulders, “Now go and make me proud”

Katie stood up and put on her jacket. Gina said, “And don’t be in this stupid belief that you are not sexy. From my point of view, you are sexy and beautiful”

 

She slid in her regular seat. He came wearing a striped shirt. He looked good without his apron on and with his hair combed in a perfect manner. Slipping in seat next to her, he said, “Hi”

She smiled, “Hi”

“You look good today”

“You too without that logo of the shop”

He laughed. She asked, “What made you ask me out?”

He shrugged, “Since the first day you entered the shop, you caught my eyes. Unlike other girls, you were there sitting in corner, minding your own business and not caring what people say about you. I liked that”

She blushed, “You like me. That is new. No one ever said except for my family and my best friend”

He wanted to reach for hand but controlled himself, “Why is that? What is not there to like about you? You are beautiful. Judging by the choices of books, you are intelligent. The way you thanked me every day, say that you are kind and notice small gestures of people. You certainly are the girl of dreams…at least for me”

She laughed, “Wow that was cheesy. But you were really good in observing me”

He laughed nervously, “Some might find it creepy”

She shook her head, “No, I find it sweet”

He blushed, “Thanks”

She took the menu from the table. He asked, “Do you really have to look at menu. You come here every day”

She smirked, “I know but it is fun to pretend”

After some days, they went out to a park. When they sat on the bench, a ball came to them. A young boy around twelve said, “Hey Fatso, pass the ball”

Toby stood up saying, “Hey watch out kid that is my girlfriend you are talking about”

She was never bothered what people said about her but made fun of in front of him, broke her heart. She was humiliated. While Toby was talking to the kid, she ran away.

The kid said laughing hard, “Be careful, she can crush you with her weight”

Toby had her cheeks filled with anger. He was going to beat that kid but when he saw Katie running away, he thought about following her. He kicked the ball to the kid and ran after her.

 

She was sitting outside her dorm room door. When he reached there, he saw her crying with her head kept on knees. He sat next to her asking, “What’s wrong?”

She wiped her tears with her sleeves and looked up saying, “Gina is out and I forgot my keys in”

“Is that reason you were crying?” he asked. She shook her head. He raised his eyebrows, “Then what is wrong?”

She placed her head on his shoulder saying, “People make fun of me but that I can stand. But if you stay with me, they’ll make fun of you too”

He chuckled, “That is the thing. I don’t like it when they making jokes on you. I don’t care about me”

He took her hand and clasped it tightly, “But if we get bothered about them making jokes on us, then we will never be able to have fun”

She smiled through tears, “I love that you are not like other people”

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and kissed her.

 

“I think I am going to join a gym” Katie said tying up her hair. Gina was confused, “Why? Did he say something?”

“No, I just…I just don’t want the people make fun of him too and I feel kind of embarrassed to be made fun of in front of him”

Gina shook her head, “No, you don’t have to do anything stupid just because people don’t like the way you are”

Katie took her bag and opened the door saying, “You won’t understand”

As she was walking down the street, her stomach was paining. She knew she was hungry and that salad that she ate would not last even a minute but still controlling her urge to eat, she entered the Coffee House to say morning to him. He kissed her saying, “Good morning beautiful”

She smirked but a cupcake behind him caught her attention. He saw her so he asked, “Are you hungry? Do you want anything?”

She shook her head, “No, it is nothing”

She knew if she told him that she was dieting, he would give a big lecture to her. So kissing him goodbye, she left.

 

It had been three days since she started dieting. She had skipped their lunch dates and used to eat salad whenever hungry. One day, they were walking down the street. She was hungry but couldn’t eat anything that her diet plan didn’t allow. While walked pass a pizza shop, she had a soothing smell of food. She knew she had to control herself. Wrapping her arms around his arm, she took support of him while walking.

He knew something was wrong with her. Her face looked pale, her smile had vanished and she looked tired all the time. Then, when she held his arm, she seemed weak. They sat on a bench. He asked, “What is wrong? There is something odd about you”

She shook her head lying, “Nothing”

She hated lying to him. He shrugged, “Okay, then I am going to get us some snacks because I am hungry and you seem weak too”

“No, I am not hungry. You can eat if you want”

“What is going on with you? You don’t want to eat with me. Is there something wrong with the way I eat?”

“No, there is nothing wrong” she replied. She lowered her head, “I…I am dieting”

“What? Why?” he asked. She replied, “Because I am fat. That is the reason”

He started laughing, “There is nothing wrong with being a little over-weight. It is not like you are huge or anything. I like you the way you are. Fat or not”

She had tears streaming down her face. He wiped her tears and kissed her cheeks saying, “I like hugging my teddy bear the way it is. And you are not doing any good by going on dieting”

Suddenly, she collapsed. Toby rushed her to hospital. Doctors informed him that it was because of her improper food intake that her blood pressure went low. He sat by her side watching her sleep. When she regained her conscious, he started at her with death glare. She looked away saying, “Don’t stare at me like that”

He folded his arms across his chest saying, “I am mad at you. You scared the hell out of me”

She said with a faint smile, “Thanks for loving me when I couldn’t love myself”

He took her hand saying, “I want you with all your flaws. You are not perfect. And that is fine by me because I am not perfect either. If I wanted a girl with perfect shape or size, I would have dated a mannequin”

She giggled, “I know and I am sorry. From now on, you’ll see the Katie that you used to love. The foodie and nerd”

He squeezed her hand firmly saying, “I love you”

She gave a big smile, “And I love you too”

 

Sometimes, we want to change for the people we love because we want to be worthy of their love. But the ones who are worthy of you will never ask you to change a single thing about you. They will love every flaw, imperfection, mistake that you made.