“Why’s he dressed like that?” DeShaun says with disgust in his voice and a frown on his face.

“Because it’s Vance,” Juliana replies. This is the part where we’d usually laugh together, but watching Vance stiffly walk over to us with that smug look on his face is enough to smother our usual happy mood. That’s Vance—the mood killer. Even in a laughable pair of brown cargo shorts with a pink, white, and black argyle sweater vest, nothing about Vance’s presence is funny.

I don't know why it takes me so long to make the realization, but it isn’t until Vance is only a few steps away from our table that I realize what’s about to happen. It’s not just that he is crashing our weekly happy hour—he's doing it while Nas is sitting at the table. Once it dawns on me that I’m seated next to Nas, who Vance already had an argument with over the phone, my heart rate goes berserk and fear bubbles in my belly, making me nauseous. This could be a complete disaster, because I have no idea how Nas is going to react to Vance’s bullshit. Knowing Vance the way I do, I expect nothing less than complete immaturity and passive aggressive behavior. Somehow, some way, I have to get him out of here.

“Good evening, everyone,” Vance says as he reaches us. He smiles as he eyes every person at the table, and when he lands on Nas, the smile instantly vanishes. He doesn't know who Nas is, but I can see him trying to figure it out—his mind working so hard I expect smoke to billow from his ears.

“Vance,” DeShaun says, and never has there been a more unenthusiastic greeting in the history of the world.

“Don’t sound so happy to see me, DeShaun,” Vance says, trying to bring his smile back to life. That’s when I smell the alcohol on his breath.

“Vance, what are you doing here?” I cut in, glaring at my ex. The last thing we need to do is make him feel like he’s welcome, so I don't intend to.

“Wow, it’s nice to see you too, Alina,” he replies just as I thought he would. He looks at me for a second, but can’t fight the gravity Nas’s presence warrants. He looks at Nas and I see his cheek twitch before he extends his hand to greet Nas. “Hi, I’m Vance Whiteman, sports journalist at Dover News Journal. It’s nice to meet you.”