The aching encounter

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"A cup of Black coffee." My ex stood in front of the cashier, ordering the only type of coffee he drinks. I glared at him, lowering my head and voice. "What the hell do you think you're doing here?"

"I'm ordering coffee." Sasuke looked up at me indifferently, handing me his credit card that was slotted between his index and middle finger. His calm response only irritated me further as I snatched the credit card from him. Forcing a smile through my teeth, I muttered. "And what are you really doing here?"

I brewed his coffee the way I knew he liked it, and passed it to him. Sasuke toasted with the coffee in his hand, "Wasting my time." He uttered before taking a sip of his warm coffee.

Before I could lecture him, he walked off, taking a seat in the corner of the cafe. Is he actually mocking me after I told him that he'll only be wasting his time on me?

Does this guy have no shame?
Ugh, I would know.. I dated him for a year.

I shook my head, persistent to not allow his presence to distract me from my work. I consciously refused to look in the certain direction of the store that he was seated at. Thank the Heavens it was a weekend and I was kept busy by all the customers' orders. Yet, I had his presence lingering in the back of my mind.

"Can I get a strawberry frappe please?" Her perky voice gained my attention, pulling my eyes away from filtering the coffee. It was my gorgeous pink haired best friend. I dashed up to the order station, I was so glad to see her hoping she could release some of my tension and anxiety.

"What are you doing here on a weekend?" I asked as I entered her order into the register. She shrugged as she handed me cash, "I decided to stop by and see how you were doing. You seemed pretty shaken up just now."

I couldn't help but smile as I heard what she said. My best friend usually dislikes stopping by the cafe in the weekends because it was her daily morning work routine. Despite being a workaholic, she likes to be adventurous and try not to allow her life to be mundane. She takes the weekends to try out other cafes and drinks.

So when I heard she stopped by because of me..

"Isn't that your ex?" Sakura turned back to me after taking her frappe. My smile immediately dropped as she mentioned him.

"Look! He's looking over." She nudged me across the counter. I rolled my eyes to him, catching him staring right into my eyes.

Those cold intense eyes..
I never could really read them.

I suddenly recalled a joke that my pink haired friend made about Sasuke and rushed out of the counter to grab Sakura by her hand, dragging her over to Sasuke's table.

My ex seemed intrigued to know why I was walking over to him as he arched one of his eyebrows. Sipping his coffee, his coal eyes never strayed away from mine.

"What are you-"
"This is my room mate, Sakura Haruno!" I interrupted her, introducing her to now a mildly irritated Sasuke when he noticed what was happening. I stuck her hand out for him to shake. He continued glaring at me, ignoring her hand.

"What are you doing?" He clicked his tongue.
"Introducing you to someone new." I shrugged.
"Why?"
"Why not?"

Sakura awkwardly fidgeted between us, sipping her frappe.

Before I could bring this match making session further, I was interrupted by the sounds of my welcoming bells ringing from a push of the door. I looked over my shoulder to check if one of my team members were at counter to take the customers' order. My eyes landed on my colleague who was greeting them, before a sight of someone caught my attention.

Someone.. that made my heart plunge straight into my stomach.
It made my heart race with anxiety.

I wanted to run away.
To hide away.

It was Sai..
He was holding hands with..

"Ino?" Sakura called out to the mysterious blonde girl. She looked reminded me of myself, with soft locks of blonde hair and bright blue eyes. I guess he has a type too, huh..

"Sakura?" Her voice was elegant and demure, glancing at my friend who caught her attention. "What are you doing here? It's a Saturday!" She skipped over to my best friend.
"Yeah, just some errands.. Wh-what about you? Why are you here?" Sakura threw back the question to the blonde lady hastily.

Seems like they are colleagues..
What a small world.
I've never seen her in the cafe before, or maybe I've never taken notice of her?

"I had a design project to complete for our boss so I was in the office all morning!" She stretched her arms chirpily, unaware of the intense atmosphere in the air. "I kept telling my boyfriend how good the coffee was here so I brought him here to try it!" She clung onto his arm, smiling away.

Sai was as composed as usual through out the interaction, with his eyes indifferent and hands in his pocket. He didn't even look at me, it was as if I never existed to him.

I never felt so invisible.
So replaceable. So inferior.

It was almost as if like we never existed.
And everything we had together never mattered.
Just like that, within seconds, all of our painful memories that I have been trying to block out all weekend, flowed back to me.

My fist balled up, gritting my teeth in agony.
I was right.
I wasn't good enough.

He left me for someone.
He left me for someone better.

He deserves better.

I could feel my throat tightening up, vision getting blurry from the tears welling up in my eyes. My heart sinking ever so slowly and painfully.

Suddenly, from the sight of Sai, led to nothing but darkness. A hand was covering my eyes, the warmth almost comforted me.

"What's wrong, baby? Are you tired? Your eyes are getting red." The taller man gently spun me around with his other hand to face him before releasing his hand over my eyes.

Sasuke was now right in front of me, a slight smile forming across his lips. "You must be drained from last night."

As Sakura's jaw almost dropped, just for a second, maybe a split second, I saw emotions in Sai's eyes. And it made me elated, it gave me a rush in my veins. It almost felt like it wasn't one sided pain.

Felt like he was hurting too.

I gave Sasuke a quick peck on the cheek, "It was worth it." I flashed him a grin before heading back to the counter, he was left almost stunned before smirking. His eyes followed mine, those hungry eyes look as though they could eat me up right then and there.

Ino followed right behind me, ready to order for herself and her date, boyfriend, fling or whatever the hell they are.

After helping my colleagues with some orders, I took a peep to Sasuke's direction.
He wasn't looking at me anymore, his attention was now diverted to Sai and they exchanged some words. Sakura was seated awkwardly between them, but I knew she didn't excuse herself on purpose to eavesdrop on the conversation between my two past lovers.

Brilliant move, Sakura!
That's what best friends are for!

After Ino collected her take away orders I made, she waved goodbye to Sakura. Of course, Sai never uttered a single word to me. He simply glared and rolled his eyes away from Sasuke's as he left with Ino.

I was left staring at their backs behind the glass door of my cafe as they disappeared from my line of sight.

Her order was two cups of cold brew.
Sai never once visited my cafe, he said he didn't like coffee.

I guess people do change.
Now you're someone I completely even don't know anymore.

And maybe I never really knew you.

"Last night was worth it?" I heard a devilish voice creeping in from the side of the counter. I directed my eyes away from the entrance to Sasuke, who was leaning against the counter with his chin resting on one of his palms. He had a smile I didn't like the look of.

My eyes glued to the coffee I was brewing, "You know I only said that to.." I stopped myself from completing that sentence.
To.. hurt Sai?
To make him jealous?
To stir up some emotions in him?

I can't say that.
It sounds pathetic.
It'll make it seem like I'm still hung up on him.

"I know." His calm voice cut through my thoughts, "And I promise you, you won't feel that way for long." I returned his gaze, digesting what he said to me.

There's no use wearing a mask in front of him.
He sees right through me.

His hand still propped on the table to support his chin, as he admired me shamelessly. "After all this time, I'm still so in love with you." He mumbled seemingly to himself.

Taken aback by the sudden declaration, I poured too much steamed milk over the espresso and it overflowed, ruining the latte art I was making.

"Crap, can you stop distracting me from work?" Without thinking, I complained as I grabbed a new clean cup.
"Are you saying I'm a distraction for you?" He caught on quick and shot back with his grin now growing wider.
"No."
"Yes, you did."
"No, I didn't!"

"Then, what am I to you?" He slowly tipped my head up towards him from my cup of coffee with his index finger on my chin.

I jolted and spilled another good cup of coffee again.

"N-nothing! Alright, you're nothing to me! Nobody!"

Goddamn Uchiha!

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