Not Your Best Friend

Catching up with old friends...

Nichole
Dave and I met for lunch after the event and his performance. He exchanged numbers and decided we would meet today to catch up. So far, it has been nothing but laughs and fun, and I was enjoying myself. It was always good catching up with old friends.
"So, do you like being a publicist"
"Yea, it's great."
"Is Kacen your only client, or are you working with others."
"Well, I used to have other clients, but right now, I work solely with Kacen, and sometimes I help a celeb or business clientele who may be involved in some type of scandal," I say
"That's what's up," he says
"You're doing really good for yourself, Nic. I'm proud of you."
"Well, thank you, I try, "I say, laughing.
"You aren't doing so bad yourself. You work for a record company, and you even perform yourself."
"Yep, I figure I like writing music. Might as well give it a try."
"So, any lucky lady in your life," I ask
"Nope, not at the moment."
"Why not"
"Well, not gonna lie, I just got out of a bad relationship a couple of months ago, so I'm not trying to rush into another."
"I can understand that."
"So, how long have you been in love with Kacen," he asked, and I looked at him, not wanting to answer that.
"I don't know what you talking about"
"Nic, it was all over your face last night. Be honest with me. It's me."
"Fine for a while now, but I prefer our friendship. I wouldn't want to ruin what we have"
"It's already on the verge of being ruined when you are being hurt by the chick he always has around him," he says, and I had to admit that he was right.
"So, since you can read me so well, what do you think I should do
"Have you told him how you feel?"
"No," I say
"Maybe you should start by doing that."
I nod my head. I probably should, but it was hard admitting these feelings. Thankfully he changed the subject, and we spent the whole afternoon just getting to know each other again.
#
Shanise
We were on our third movie when there was a knock on the door, and I opened it. There stood my childhood best friend, Jermaine. I hadn't seen him in years. We had grown apart and stopped talking, but how did he know where I lived?
"Nise, who's at the door? If it's Jake, tell him I burned all his things so he can leave," she yells from the sofa. I just shake my head.
"Is this a bad time?" he says
"Jay is that you, "she says, approaching the door. She most have been watching the whole time. I still hadn't said a word. It's been so long. We have talked since the beginning of senior year of high school.
"I forgot you were coming," Nei says, and I turn and glare at her
"You knew he was coming here," I say
"Yea, Mom called and said he was back in town and asked if it was okay to give him our address," she says
"And you said yes."
"Well, yea I thought you would like to see him again," she says
"Well, come inside, I say, unless."
"No, you two catch up," she says before sitting back beside Porshia.
He came in, and I closed the door behind him.
"So Nise, how have you been," he says as we sit in the kitchen away from Nehani and Porshia.
"Good. What about you."
"I've been good, just moving around because of work."
"And you moved back here," Yeah, permanently, it seems."
"Cool"
"So, how's life treating you? "
"Good"
"That's good. If this is too awkward, say the word, and I'll go."
"No, it's not. We haven't talked in so long, and then you moved, and what happened."
"Well, what do you mean?"
"I mean, you just stopped talking to us."
"Nise, I didn't want to stop talking to you guys. I just, well, we grow apart, but I figure you and Chris still talk."
"Yea, we do."
"That's good."
We spent two hours catching up after getting over the awkwardness. Honestly, I am not going to lie; I missed Jay. He was my other best friend. I was always a bit tomboyish, so I hung out with guys. It hurt when Jay stopped talking to us; honestly, it was refreshing not to hear someone complain about a relationship they were in. He was different from the Jay I knew in high school but hey we were all different now.
He stood up to leave, Nei came in, hugging him before he left, and I walked him to the door. She always liked him best. The only reason she doesn't like Chris is that he is protective of me, which also means her, and he beat up the guy she had a crush on in middle school. I mean, the guy hurt her feelings, and she was crying to me, and Chris saw that I was upset because she was upset, but because she liked the guy, she was angrier at Chris. So she started saying that she liked Jay better because at least he knew how to mind his own business. Shake my head, remembering our younger days.

He hugged me as I opened the door.
"It was great catching up, nice. We should hang out sometime."
Yea, I would like that," I say.
I closed the door behind him and went back to the living room Porshia had left, so that left just Nei and me.

"So you just gonna invite Jay here without telling me?" I question her once I realized Porshia had gone.
"Well yea I think it's stupid you guys stopped talking and I miss having Jay around" she replied
"Nei" I say " that wasn't cool"
"Didn't you miss him"
"That's not the point" I said
"Well it was mine" she says and throws herself back on the couch. I loved my sister but she could be a meddler when she wanted to be.
"Nise"
"Yea" I say
"Thank you I really needed this" she says and she has unshed tears in her eyes. The way I wanted to give Jake a piece of my mind for making my sister feel like this.
"Hey we're not just sisters you are also my best friend"
" oh yea where do I rank"
"Nei!!"
"What, I better come before Chris, Shanise" she exclaimed
I laugh and don't reply of course she did we weren't just friends we were sisters and I loved her but maybe they were ties because I loved Chris in a totally different way. I wondered how he would feel about Jay being back the two were like brothers when we were in high school.