New Years Eve

New Year’s Eve found me outside on the mini-balcony of my dorm room, sitting against the wall, looking out over the campus while holding a beer bottle that I took to shut my dorm mates’ whining and wheedling. I had taken a couple sips just to seem like I was getting drunk like the rest of them; the bitter taste definitely didn’t suit my taste buds. Getting drunk was not one of my prerogatives on New Year’s Eve. It would never happen, but my dorm mates would never know, they’d be too drunk to notice.

The evening had started with a party on the floor below my room. The entire dorm was invited due to the fact that not many of us had stayed behind while everyone else went home for the holidays. Half of us had stayed because we had no place to go home to while the other half had no money to go home with. I happened to fall into the first category.

Anyways, for me, parties are awkward social gatherings with too many people, too many drinks, and a ridiculous volume of music, laughter, and conversation. I can’t stand them at all. But since it was New Year’s Eve, I relented to my roommate’s persistent persuading and went with her. I think I stayed for about an hour. It got a little too much for me. Dirty dancing and I don’t quite mix together.

I escaped to my dorm room without anyone noticing to my relief. A sense of peace engulfed my mind as the silence of the room reached my ears. It was a beautiful silence. What possessed me to go outside in the winter weather, I haven’t a clue, but that was where I ended up. My school-spirit hoodie was barely keeping out the cold air and my butt was absolutely frozen after a couple minutes. My brain must not have been working properly because no sane person would’ve been outside.

Not long after I had gotten use to the cold, my thoughts began to wander. It turned to the reason why I was still on campus and they weren’t very happy. I had no where to go for the most part. My parent almost literally kicked me out after I had told them I would be accepting the Minority Scholarship in full which included full tuition, free room and board, and free books. They didn’t want me to move out. But the key word in that sentence was ‘almost’. They gave me permission to stay until July and then I had to move out. It ended up being three long, hellish months.

The day I moved out was my day of freedom. Except that there was a catch to all of it. “You can’t come back while you’re in college. Ever.” Said my parents. Well, that was my mother. My dad just stood by her side, saying nothing, doing nothing except looking at me. I was okay with that catch; I had no desire to go ‘home’ anyway. So I was stuck here in my dorm because none of my close friends cared enough to invite me and save me from my loneliness.

The beer bottle dropped from my fingers and hit the floor, rolling to the railing, clanking and clattering against the metal, effectively breaking me from my train of thought. I made no attempt to save the beer that was draining from the bottle and freefalling to the ground twenty floors below. I didn’t like the drink anyway. I sighed a sigh full of the emotions wanting to burst out from inside me.
The balcony doors below me opened and the loudness of the party that I had left invaded the silence of the night. It made me a little angry. I muttered, “Bet anything that half the girls are so drunk they’re having…” The sound of the door next to me stopped my rant. “Go away. I don’t want to go back to that party.” I didn’t bother to look up. I figured it was my roommate who finally figured that I left and had come to get me.

“I’m not trying to get you to go to a party. I know you don’t like them.” Instead of my roommate’s girly voice, it was a familiar male tone that spoke. I froze. I wasn’t sure whether to believe my ears or not. I felt him settle next to me, but I didn’t look at him as if I feared he would disappear and it would all be a dream if I did. As if he knew what I was thinking, he turned and placed his hand under my chin. “Dayna, look at me. I’m not going anywhere.”

I hesitated for a few seconds, but his hand guided my head and I found myself looking into his stormy blue eyes. As our eyes locked, I felt some of the tension ebb away and I gave him a small smile. “Hi, Zane.” He returned the smile and suddenly, I felt stupid for my actions. But the warmth of his hand that had moved to my neck pushed away this stupidity and befuddled my mind. His eyes seemed to be hypnotizing me, or maybe it was his smile. My heart pounded loudly in my ears and there was a roaring noise crowding my senses that were already overloaded with the scent and warmth of him. My brain managed one word in all of my confusion and questions. “How…?”

He laughed like he knew about my giddy turmoil within, like he knew what he could, would, and was doing to me. And I knew he did, just like I use to know about him. “Denise tried calling you and texting you, but you didn’t answer. She got worried and called me, figuring that I would find you easier than she would. She’s right. Finding you is like finding a piece of myself. Easy.” There was glint in his eye, maybe a twinkle or something, but I couldn’t tell.

I blushed and looked away towards the bright stars in the night sky. It felt so awkward and I began playing with my fingers while searching the sky for constellations. My heart jumped when I spotted a shooting star. I got up quickly and stuffed both of my hands in my jean pockets. With my eyes squeezed shut, I made a wish for the coming year. I opened my eyes and sighed.

“Why did you do that?” Zane chuckled as he stood behind me.
“Has no one ever told you? If you see a shooting star, you have to put your hands in pockets and then make a wish.” I smiled, thinking of my wish.
There was no reply and I gave him a look. With the view of the campus behind him, and the moonlight shining on him, all I wanted to do was to savor the picture forever, but I was trying to stay mad. “What?” I snapped.
He grinned. “You’re cute. And you’re checking me out.” I scowled. “Just kidding, just kidding.” He held up his hands in surrender.

Anything we would’ve said was halted and lost as the music faded away from the party below and people were shouting, “One minute left! One minute left!” We looked at each other and simultaneously moved and hugged. His arms were around my shoulders and mine were around his waist. That’s how we were when the countdown from twenty began.

“20…19…18…17…16…” This was a way better ending to this year than I had thought it would be. “15…14…13…12…11…” I couldn’t have wished for more. “9…8…7…6…5…” Goodbye, old year. Hello new year. “4…3…2…1…0!!!” Cheers and clinking of bottles were heard all over campus.

I pulled a little away from Zane and looked up. Time stood still as he bent his head slowly towards mine. My heart stopped for a moment as our lips met in a cool, brief, but meaningful kiss.

His blue eyes met my hazels and there was the full smile within as he whispered, “Happy New Years, Dayna.”
I lay my head upon his chest, perfectly content, heart bursting with happiness, and whispered back, “Happy New Years to you too, Zane.” No one could’ve asked for a better beginning.