Best + Bitter = Better

Twenty Seven days after

After, last night's ordeal, Geoff has been ghosting through the day until his shift started. Once it did, he plastered on a smile and told himself that he is a strong, independent man and carried on with his life.

"Have a nice day, Hazel." He smiled at a girl, called Hazel, who had just ordered a hazel nut latte. She gave him a dollar tip and carried on with her day.

The next customer steps up, placing her hands on the counter, smiling. She looks awfully familiar to Geoff, she looks like a face he saw this morning. Her defined features make her breathtaking to look at and at first Geoff lost his effortless charm.

"What can I get ya?" Geoff grins, his hands on the counter - mimicking hers. She distractedly plays with her necklace as she thinks and looks over the board on the wall behind Geoff.

She looks him in the eyes, almost defiantly, "Do you guys do the secret menu?" She narrows her eyes at him, as if this was the most serious interrogation in the world.

He simply smirked at her and copies her eyes, "So what if we did? What would you like?" He asks in all seriousness.

"If you did do the—" she puts a hand to the side of her mouth and loudly whispers, "Secret menu," She finishes with her order, "I would like a large cookie dough frappaccino, please."

Geoff can't help but laugh a little at with her. She was definitely charismatic and that familiarity came back again. "Of course, y'know, if we did the—" He utters then loudly whispers "Secret menu." He writes her order on the cup. "And can I take a name for that one?" He asks, a grin still covering his lips.

"Gracie." Then everything fits into place fore Geoff: the distracted fiddling; the beauty; the charisma; the familiarity. Gracie...

"Awsten's sister." He states, boy it would be embarrassing if he was wrong. He should have phrased it as a question. Then he would have been able to play it off cooler if he was wrong than what he's set himself up with.

"Yeah." Then something switches on in her brain. "Geoff. You started here a few days ago, you're moving in with your best friend."

Geoff frowns in confusion. "Those are odd things to know about me." He laughs awkwardly.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry. Awsten just won't shut up about you." A soft rose tint, covers his cheeks. "Anyway, do you know where his dorm is? My visit won't be such a surprise if I have to call him and ask him what dorm he's in." She laughs a little. Geoff hands the cup to Keith, not even looking at him. He can see the queue building up behind her, even though it's a small Starbucks, it still gets busy. He glances at his watch, Rose (another employee) will be here just about now.

"Uhh, do you want me to show you? I can just switch my hours up. The dorms are like a maze, anyway, wouldn't want you getting lost."

He doesn't give her time to respond before he's hopping in the back, telling his manager that he's switching up his hours. She doesn't seem too bothered, so he hops back to the counter. Rose is just getting in, so he rips his apron off and grabs his jacket.

"We'll grab your coffee and go, alright?" He asks slightly loudly, having to compensate for the noisy back drop.

"But I haven't paid." Gracie argues, waving a fiver in the air.

Geoff glances at her, "Don't worry, it's on the house." He announces. Not giving her time to think as he grabs her drink and hauls her out of the crowded(ish) place.