I looked straight into his eyes and quietly said:

— You know, I need to tell you something important right away.

And without giving myself time to reconsider, I took off the scarf.

At that moment, I saw his smile disappear. His eyes wandered around the room, as if he were looking for the door to run out of the café. My heart sank. “That’s it… again…” I thought.

And right then, he did something I absolutely didn’t expect  To be continued in the first comment 

— I’m sorry… — I whispered. — You can leave. I won’t be offended. This isn’t the first time this has happened to me.

Silence fell between us. A few seconds that felt like an eternity. He just looked at me, at my head, into my eyes. I was already prepared for him to stand up and leave. But suddenly he spoke.

— You know… — he said softly but firmly. — When we first started talking, I didn’t even know what you looked like. I didn’t care – whether you were fat or thin, tall or short. That never mattered to me. I liked talking to you. You’re smart, easy to be with, you know how to listen and keep a conversation going. And I realized that the most valuable thing is who you are inside.

He smiled a little and added:

— If you don’t mind… may I just sit down next to you and order us something tasty? Honestly, I’m really hungry.

I froze, hardly believing my ears. My heart either stopped or raced a thousand times faster. All these years I had been waiting for exactly these words, this reaction. Not pity, not fake support – but simple acceptance.

I smiled – truly, for the first time – and nodded.
— Yes… of course.

And at that moment I understood: for the first time in a long time, I was truly happy. And it seems that soon we will be married.