EX!

John got a hold of the bath robe, covered his body with it and walked out of the bathroom in a rush, then sat at the edge of his water bed.

Standing opposite him was Diva "She folded her arms and chuckled. "Are you surprised I was like that?"

"It's been ten years."

"Yes." She sighed and sat close to him. "I changed a lot, I accept the fact."

"How did my mom manage to find you? I thought our parents didn't want to see us together."

"Come on!! They were against us because we were fucking at that tender age of ours. They were just trying to protect us."

John shrugged his head. "And now they want us to start fucking again? They should have just left us the way we were then." He said in his mind. "Maybe the feelings wouldn't have died off the way it did."

Diva covered his hands in hers and smiled beautifully. "I missed you."

He looked at her from head to toe, she was still naked, he closed his eyes tightly and a picture of Julie being naked flashed through his mind. "Get dressed." He said and stood.

"What's wrong? I expected you to be so happy to see me and just hold me tightly."

"I am happy to see you, but trust me, I didn't plan on seeing you like this." He exhaled sharply. "I will wait outside, get dressed." He walked out of the room with heavy frown.

***************

Julie stopped walking when she saw a car parked outside her store. "Is that a customer?" she asked no one in particular and continue walking till she got to the car.

A man in his late twenties alights from the car with a designer sun shade and looking boogie. "You have the money to buy yourself your car, I guess you should buy yourself one. Walking around like this will damage the little goodness left in your old skin." He said to her with a heavy tone of bitterness.

She smiled and replied, "I will put that into consideration."

The man got annoyed with her calm reply, he wanted her to hurl insults at him and then do something crazy, like giving her a punch. He gently took off his shades and said. "I lived off you, but how come I look better than you?" He asked and won't stop being stupid.

"That was because I was busy working my ass out and giving you the money." she replied with a smile still.

"I heard your life became a total mess Without me." He looked at her store entrance. "You are even coming to your store late these days."

"I came late today because I moved out of the brothel to a better and reasonable apartment without you." She folded her arms and smiled again.

"Thanks for the money you gave to me and my baby, or should I say me and your best friend?" He giggled, entered into his car and drive off.

Julie watched the car until it disappeared with pains in her eyes. How can he change all of a sudden? Or did she happen to know him at all right from time? She had worked hard basically to take care of him, he was the one spending the money from her sweats, and afterwards, the only thing he could repay her with is to sleep with her best friend. There're probably engaged now.

Even when she was in her store, she couldn't stop thinking about him as she cleaned, how she had thought he did really loved her and cared for her. But she was wrong, all along, he was playing her and his real love was her best friend. She pulled out the metallic box from under her industrial sewing machine and wiped off the dust with the back of her palm. "I will work for my self now, I will stop caring about people and care about only myself alone, I will always put myself first and take good care of my self." She opened the box and picked out the old and already rusty scissorses and needles from it. "I have always assumed you fed me when I was hungry, and I cherished you so much, but I am going to have to let go of you now." she whispered sounding very deep and lost in thought until the unfriendly knock jolted her back to reality.

"Can I come in?" A five feat 6 inches tall lady asked through the glass door?"

Julie nodded as she watched the lady walk in with grace, she really admired the lady's shiny skin and nice hair. Her perfume filled the atmosphere with a lot of sweetness. "Welcome." she greeted and offered a seat.

The lady looked at Julie in an unsatisfied manner. "Where is your boss?"

"I own this place." She replied with a bit of pride.

"I am sorry if I sounded rude but you don't look like an owner." The lady remarked and took the sit she was offered earlier. "You should work on your skin and be more appealing to the eyes."

Julie sighed and sat close to the lady, putting both her hands on her cutting table. "I am going through a lot at the moment."

"This is where you all keep getting it wrong." The lady whispered and brought a pack of cookies she opened it and offered some to Julie, which she gladly took some.

"It tastes good." she said as she stuffed her mouth with them.

"Just because you are going through a lot doesn't mean you should look like what you are going through. You have to always look better than your problems because you never can tell what or who will come your way anytime. I shouldn't be able to tell you are going through a lot just by your look."

Julie was moved by this words, someone is finally telling her to do something about her shabby looks. A total stranger said something that well, something John, who she had been going intimate with for two weeks didn't even say. Could it be that he didn't notice or he just choose play dumb? Didn't he notice she looked very beautiful that first night than the rest of the nights? "Thank you." She whispered with a faint smile.

"A friend of mine recommended you, as a good fashion designer." She looked around. "Even this place needs a lot of upgrading, too old fashioned!" She emphasised more on the last words.

"I won't disappoint you."

After she had concluded with the lady, she promised to come with her fabrics a day after and for some reasons, Julie decided to close for the day almost immediately she arrived. Before leaving, she had a quick look at her bank account balance, and still had more than enough for what she wanted to use it for, and of all places, she headed to the beauty spa and salon.