Retrouvaille (noun): joy of reuniting with someone after a long time apart

The line was unbearably long.

Overhead, the fluorescent lights shone a little too warmly. The aimless conversations of salarymen and blue collar workers seemed to poke her like miniature needles. Amidst of the dense pack of people, she felt as if she couldn’t breathe.

She heard the barista call her name.

Immediately, she rose from her window seat and made a beeline straight for the counter, carefully navigating so she didn’t touch anyone. The door was swinging shut behind her as soon as she picked up her strawberry açaí.

Outside, she winced at a new influx of heat and sunlight, the iced drink in her hand feeling rather inviting.

She took a quick sip.

Oh-

That was definitely a good five dollars wasted.

The gentle pink of the drink itself and the vibrant red of the strawberries floating in it were seemingly friendly, for the taste of the liquid was insufferably flavorless with a sickening sour aftertaste.

However, she bit her lips and drank on.

Memories of her old friend came fluttering back; past adventures around the enormous city, all day, everyday, sharing nothing but a strawberry açaí.

The ice cubes in the cup did nothing to ease her scorching body, but the welcoming, ancient thoughts made her relax her shoulders.