Mirror, Mirror

Chapter-Nine

         Six days later I was cleaning and decorating my apartment for the celebration on the horizon. New Year’s Eve was riddled with traditions that started during our high school years and stuck by us on accident. The first tradition was that nobody was to be alone at midnight; the second constitute a resolution, and third was tell a secret from that year that you most want to change or just a secret. The third was the one that happened on accident, that’s what happens when you get a hold of champagne when you are young. As much as the group hated it somehow it always got brought up.


         The party didn’t get started until sometime around 10. A few people came and went party hopping not knowing where they would land for the ball dropping. The regulars, Keely, Leo, and Andrea and her boyfriend, Brian, were the ones who stayed the whole night through. Leo seeming innocent began the ritual interrogations, making sure he was never on the answering side of things.


         “Keely, what happened this year?” he did not need to fully ask the question for almost everybody to know to pay attention and to get ready to review the years misdeeds.


         She took a sip from her glass, “Oh hell I might as just tell you, I dated a 43 year old.” She smiled as the crowd winced. “He got me into places for free. All I had to do was go to dinner a couple of times.”


         “Please tell me you didn’t sleep with him!” Delilah demanded.


         “No I didn’t. If he had a better body then maybe I would have but he’s almost as old as my dad.”


         I glared at Delilah and busted out laughing.


         “What?” she asked only me.


         I kept laughing to myself, “Nothing.”, smirking. I just felt like laughing for some ironic humor that I barely understood.


         Keely raised her glass, “To knowing what you want and getting it for free… and then never doing it again. Cheers!”


         Everyone laughed and clinked sipping at their varied drinks.


         “Ok, ok next victim is…” Keely pointed around the room looking for anyone who was hiding attempting to get out of it.


         Andrea, my older sister from California was sitting next to her boyfriend, Brian, she raised her hand. “May I?”


         “Oh my we have a volunteer, go ahead Andrea tells us your deep dark secret.”


         Andrea smiled with a frown, “Well it’s not a deep dark secret. It’s just a regular one. …Brian and I are engaged! You guys are the first to know!” She squeezed his hand as she smiled from ear to ear.


         “Congratulations!” rang from all sides of the crowd.


         “Mom and Dad don’t know?!”


         “Nope we were going to tell them as a New Years gift but you guys beat them to it.”


         The party scattered refilling drinks, grabbing snacks, and hugging the engaged couple.


         Once everyone was seated again Andrea questioned, “So little sister what did you do this year?”


         I looked down thinking of something to tell, “I’ve been sleeping with my best friend’s brother…”


         “Oh Abby,” groaned the room.


         “That is so last month.” Keely complained. “Wait did you say sleeping?”


         Leo followed up, “We don’t want to hear about your sex life just your confession.”


         “Actually, I um…I got into The Art Institute in Atlanta and Virginia Beach University for Interior Designing.”


         Landon’s eyes grew wide as he turned toward me, “What?”


         “I’m either moving to Atlanta or Virginia in the fall. They were my top two choices. I just found out.”


         “Congratulations!” the group stated.


         “Oh Abigail, I knew you would get in.” Andrea encouraged.


         The one person who I thought would be the most excited was the quietest; it was like sitting next to a brick wall that forced a smile when you were looking.


         I thanked them but turned to Landon, “What’s wrong? I was gonna tell you but I didn’t have anything to tell them.”


         He came alive, “No, no it’s fine. I’m so proud of you. It’s just you are going to be so far away.”


         I placed my hand on his, “That’s a long time away.”


         He picked it up; kissed it, “You are right, let’s focus on tonight.” He whispered, “You need to pick somebody.”


         “Right,” I turned my attention back to the party, “Okay whose next?” There was only one person who I wanted to see come clean.


         Our eyes locked, she knew I was coming for her. I gave her a ‘you’re next’ look.


         Delilah glanced at B.J. then back at me and shook her head.


         “Delilah.”


         She gasped but not at me, “It’s almost time!”


         We all had not noticed what time it had become. With minutes to spare everyone refilled the glasses once more and put on their party hats…


         “…10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!” Auld Lang Syne serenaded us from Times Square.


         I took a sip of champagne then kissed Landon who had replaced his quiet demeanor with a gigantic smile that was set to party mode. “I love you.” I stated hugging him.


         “I love you, too.”


         “This is going to be a great year for us.” I said with my head on his chest still in his embrace.


         He nudged me to look in the direction on B.J. and Delilah.


         I believe they tried a friendly New Year’s kiss but it lasted longer than just a peck. At first no one noticed as the seconds passed it became more than obvious.


         Keely took pictures thinking they could be blackmail when the two weren’t so drunk.


         B.J. and Delilah were so inseparable that they continued to make out forgetting the party and everyone else there.


         The party was dumbfounded assuming it was the alcohol doing the kissing but realizing that might not be so. They began to laugh, gawk, and stare. This was what brought the couple back into the real world.


         B.J. and Delilah smirked. She grabbed his hand holding it up for the world to see. “My secret is B.J. and I are dating! Happy New Year!”