BETWEEN US

I was lost in a dreamland when I felt someone tapping me and calling my name. “Vivi…” My eyes fluttered open, and I turned to see Aunt Susan standing over me. A wave of relief washed over me, and without thinking, I wrapped my arms around her. “Good morning,” I mumbled, my voice still laced with sleep. She smiled, brushing a hand over my hair. “How was your night, my beautiful girl? Now, get up and freshen up—you’ll be late for your flight.” My flight. Oh my God. I sat up in shock as reality hit me like a ton of bricks. I’m moving back to New York today. How could I have forgotten something this big? But before I get ahead of myself, let me introduce myself properly. My name is Veronica St. James but everyone calls me Vee. I’m 25 years old, with smooth, coffee-colored skin that glows effortlessly. I inherited my mom’s body—curvy in all the right places—and my dad’s sharp, striking features. My nose is perfectly pointed, my lips full, and my eyes? Dark brown with a fire that’s hard to ignore. I know my worth, and I know what I bring to the table. But I also know what it means to feel lost. How I Ended Up in London Growing up, my parents fought every single day, and I was caught in the middle of their never-ending battles. Then came the divorce. I was seventeen when they finally split, and before I could process it, they both remarried and started fighting over custody. But I was old enough to make my own choices. And I chose to be alone. While other students went home for the holidays, I stayed back at school. The university became my safe place. I poured myself into my studies, avoiding the mess of my family situation. But I wasn’t completely alone—I had my best friend, whose home became my second home, the only place where I felt like I truly belonged. After graduation from New York University (NYU), I had one goal—leave New York. I needed distance. A fresh start. A chance to breathe without being suffocated by my past. That’s how I ended up in London. My Aunt Susan and her husband took me in like I was their own. They gave me the love and stability my parents never could. Her husband even helped me get a job at his company, and for the first time in a long time, I thought I had finally found a place to settle. But Life Had Other Plans. The company opened a new branch in New York under a new CEO, and I was among the employees transferred. I don’t know if this is luck or fate, but I have no choice—I have to go. For months, I had been searching for a new job in London, hoping for something better, something different. But nothing seemed to fit. And now, here I am, heading back to the one place I tried so hard to leave behind. New York. A city full of memories I’m not sure I’m ready to face. As I zipped up my suitcase, my phone buzzed. Andy: “Ready to leave this cold, miserable city?” I rolled my eyes. Andy was the only person I got along with at work. We weren’t exactly best friends, but she was the closest thing I had to one in London. She had been transferred to New York too, but unlike me, she was excited about it. Me: “Not really. You?” Andy: “Are you kidding? I can’t wait. I’ll finally be with my boyfriend full-time! And you, my dear, will be starting fresh.” I sighed, not bothering to reply. Andy had been dating her boyfriend for two years, and now she was moving in with him. Good for her. I, on the other hand, had no one waiting for me in New York. Well, except for Bella. I had called her last night, and the moment I explained everything, she screamed in excitement. “Girl, you are moving in with me! End of discussion!” Bella and I had been best friends since college. We were alike in many ways—crazy, independent, and completely uninterested in love. Her reason? A toxic ex that left her emotionally drained. Mine? My family’s disaster of a marriage. When her parents started pressuring her to settle down, she did what any sane woman would do—got her own apartment and left. She only visited them when she felt like it. I envied her for that. And now, I was about to live with her again. Maybe New York won’t be so bad after all.