1 One

Neese POV

It's been four years since I last saw or heard from Joshua Rossi. Knowing he was far off in New York was at least relieving, though it was not far enough from Maryland.

I shut the door to my apartment behind me and hurried across the backyard. The grass which has not been cut this week tickles the bottom of my feet in my strappy sandals.

I hear the sound of familiar voices which brings delight to me.

Narrowing my eyes, I scan the cars in the parking lot, but I don't see Joshua Rossi's old blue pickup from four years ago anywhere. I don't get any relief from the knot of nerves which has been there from the time I had he was back in town .

Why was he back after four years?

I shake my head and shut my eyes and quickly open them. It's not like there is anything between us that I should be this anxious to meet him after everything he did to me.

Everything he did, like treat me like garbage.

Like kiss the towns beautiful and hot divorced mother of two, Mrs. Lawrence several times.

Like leave town without even telling me.

Like break up with me through a phone text which only read ", Am out in New York, school and meeting people, gotta move on."

Just like that

I did not even know he had left for New York.

"Just breath , breath". I say to myself as I walk over to the table my cousin, Eve had set.

Eve was older than me by three years, my favorite beautiful cousin with a stable relationship and a nice job out in New Orleans. She had come back to town to host a mini reunion for our class of 2015 and just relax from all the stress she had had from work.

I did not want to ruin this for her even if it meant coming face to face with my ex.

That arrogant, good for nothing twit.

Why did he have to show up?

There is a Beyoncé song blaring through a pair of speakers next to the pool. I grab a bag of chips from the table with snacks that Eve had set up and dump it into an empty bowl.

"You are late Neese", she hisses under her breath. I grab a handful of chips and put it in my mouth and chew on it.

The taste of oil, salt, the cheese, some onion, delicious.

Of only relationships tasted like that .

I glanced around before answering her looking at the crowd. I knew these people from high school and some from college, but they had changed, their haircuts, their faces and way of dressing.

Was Josh in the crowd?

Breath.

What if he is?

I see Quin with her two brothers, Matt and Kelvin ,old friends from high school turn to wave at me

"Hai Neese."

I wave back at her and she carries on conversing with the people she was talking to.

"Oh don't act like you didn't hear anything I said". I hear Eve hiss again.

I turned to face her "I am sorry I was caught up with a client and tried to get here as fast as I could". I grin after.

Eve narrows her eyes at me as if looking for lies on my face.

"Whatever, come here and help me serve this to our guests''. She gestures to the snacks table.

The song changes to that by Drake. I see some of my friends drinking the tequila, some enjoying the snacks, others the music and others just each others company.

I wish I could drink again. Last time I tried it, it didn't turn out so well. Maybe it was all in my head but I literally felt sick and besides, I have work and clients who need my nutritional advise.

I really needed something to help me get Josh of mind for the day.

Just that the side effects of liquor, like puking on my carpet. Gross, EWW

So I decide to play bartender.