Define: BITTERSWEET (Define #1) ✓

Bittersweet: Fifteen

"I'm driving away
And I, I guess you could say
This is the last time
I'll drive this way again."
- "Bye Bye Baby (Taylor's Version) (From The Vault)" Taylor Swift

~*~

I opened up the doors of the café. Immediately the eyes of the café staff landed at me. They lit up at the sight of me. I waved at them excitedly. One of the baristas came towards me, their eyes gleaming.

"Miss Iris!" the staff greeted with a beaming smile. "We all missed you! We thought you found a better café than us."

I chuckled, "No, I just apparently took a vacation from coffee."

"You're no fun, Iris," Tristan commented and budged in the conversation. "We're going to lose business when our favorite customer loses interest in coffee."

I rolled my eyes, "I really missed your coffee. I thought if I would once again indulge myself with it, this is the best place to do it."

The staff immediately took my order. They said it was on the house to celebrate the return of their favorite customer. I insisted that they shouldn't but they argued back saying it had been months since I last visited the café anyway. So I gave in. I'd just leave a tip later.

"So," Tristan began as he stood beside me. I was already sitting on a chair, waiting for the coffee. "What made you quit coffee?"

"It intrigues you?" I teased with a smile. "It's just a petty reason."

"Of course, it intrigues me," Tristan retorted. "You used to come here so often then suddenly, you never came back. We were all wondering why."

I sighed, "I just stopped because I was having a lot of adrenaline rush during those times. Bursts of anxiety, too."

Tristan nodded, "Well, fair. Caffeine does that to you. Too much of it can."

I hummed in response, "So I stopped. Now I'm coming back. I missed your coffee."

"I missed you though," Tristan said in a low voice, but it was enough for me to hear. I smiled to myself, pretending I didn't hear so he wouldn't be embarrassed for saying it. Now that I thought about it, Tristan's adorable.

I should stop. The problems of the heart could literally destroy you if mishandled. I wasn't looking for another heartbreak anyway.

"I'm waiting for someone," I revealed to Tristan. His eyes perked up with interest upon saying that. Probably because it's the first time I said I was meeting up with someone. I usually come here alone anyway or with Clarice.

"That's new," he stated. "Who are you waiting for then? A boyfriend?"

I chuckled, "No. Just an old person from the past."

I heard the café bell sounded, indicating that the door opened. Both me and Tristan looked at that direction. I smiled bitterly.

"Speak of the devil," I stated quietly enough for Tristan to hear. A man wearing glasses looked around the café. Upon setting his eyes on me, he immediately walked towards me. I could see Tristan eyeing him from my peripheral vision.

I stood up to greet this man. I had a polite smile on my face. I wasn't really glad to see him, but he insisted it's important for us to talk. He gave me an option to meet up here so I agreed. I needed the coffee anyway after months of no caffeine.

Theo held out his hand at me, "It's Theo. Nice to finally see you, Iris."

I shook his hand gently, "Nice to meet you."

Tristan cleared his throat. We both look at him, he had a suspicious gaze on Theo as his eyes switched from me to him. I wanted to laugh. He looked adorably weird.