From Mine to Ours

1: Invite Me to Dinner First

"Nice work today, Noah!" Lucy, one of my closest colleagues from my new job, calls out, "joining us for dinner tomorrow night?"

"Yeah, probably," She gives me a smile and I nod in return.

I wave my goodbyes to everyone else still remaining in the building until I reach the sliding doors at the ground floor, enjoying the crisp winter air biting at my nose.

It's been a couple months since I left Tyler and Lucas, in the end, we ended up staying 'together' for another month or so before I left. I thought it would get better, I really did, I even confronted them the morning after their date, telling them how I felt so left out. They said they acknowledged it and took me out on a date that same night, but ended up keeping a conversation between themselves leaving me little room to talk.

It went from secret dates without me to snuggling on the couch right next to me without inviting me. Feeling uncomfortable in my own home just wasn't right and my Dad called me the day I was preparing myself to break things off with both of them.

"Son, your mother and I are worried about you,"

"Why?"

"We may live in another state, but we're still the people who raised you," my mother' s voice rings out from somewhere near the phone, the sound resembling metal clattering on the floor makes me pull the phone away briefly. "Darling, I told you to leave the cooking to me..."

"Anyways, Son, you've been off lately, is something going on?"

I pause briefly, not sure how much to share, but ultimately decide to let everything out. So, I ranted. Telling them about Tyler and Lucas, and eventually outing the news about my new job.

"So, what I'm getting from this..." my Dad's voice trails off as my mother and him begin recounting the recent events of my life.

"You got a new job,"

"At the same company you really loved doing your internship with,"

"Found an open apartment nearby,"

"You'll get really good pay from what I heard,"

"And you're finally going to start living your dream life..."

What...?

"Sounds to me, Son, that leaving this relationship of yours would do you some good."

"Hey Noah, the regular?" Jasmine, one of the many employees I've befriended lately at this new café I've been coming to daily for the past few months.

"Yes please,"

"How was work?"

"Really good, they  got me to start a new social media account for them today,"

Her brown ponytail whips around, "that's so exciting, I'll make sure to follow it later!" I smile in response, grateful for the new supportive friends that I've made lately.

"Anything new around here?" We move over to the pick-up counter as she finishes making my drink.

"Oh, we've got a new employee,"

"Really?"

"Yup, he's honestly so funny," she shakes her head, handing me my drink as I take a seat near the counter so she can serve the next customers while holding conversations with me.

"When does he start?"

"He'll be here tomorrow," she hands over a bag of cookies to the kind lady before turning her attention back to me. "He's really cute too, make sure to come by tomorrow," she sends a wink my way, ignoring my gaping mouth at her comment.