Like A Bullet [P.M.]

Chapter 44

"Oh, sorry." I smiled sheepishly. The woman just stared at me, obvious annoyance in her eyes. I had been there for like ten seconds and she was already done with my shit. Guess those are the perks of being Pietro Maximoff.

"Are you going to order something...sir?" She placed her hand on her hip, sighing at my presence.

"Do you have strawberries and lemonade? And chocolate?" I asked.

"We have strawberries, and we have lemonade. But no chocolate."

Fuck.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Are you completely sure?"

"Yes, sir!"

"I am sorry, it is just that my girlfriend is waiting for me in the cold, with a craving for chocolate covered strawberries! Do you know what she will do to me if I do not arrive with chocolate covered strawberries! She will kick me! And I will lay there, all bruised up because you did not give me the chocolate covered strawberries!"

All eyes were on me. I had exploded in front of everyone.

"Look, sir, how about I give you your strawberries, and your lemonade, and you move along. There are people waiting, and you are making them mad."

"Fine. I will have the strawberries with no chocolate then." I scoffed, harshly crossing my arms.

She handed me a cup full of very red strawberries and another cup full of lemonade. She charged it and I paid it. I left, with everyone's eyes following my trail. Next time, I'm not asking for what Laurel wants. Now I squeezed myself through the huge crowds once again. I got yelled at, again. Nudged, again. Pushed, again. I finally found myself standing next to Laurel, who was staring intently at the colorful ball that was placed overlooking Times Square.

"Here are your delicious strawberries and your refreshing lemonade." I said, handing her both cups.

"Why aren't they covered with chocolate?" She raised her eyebrow, staring into the red filled cup.

"Do not ask." I muttered, taking a huge bite of my cotton candy.

"Eh, a strawberry's a strawberry." She took one, threw it in the air, and caught it with her mouth.

"Nice!" I said, giving her a thumbs up.

"Thanks. I'm still better at it than you."

"Ha. Ha. So funny." I said sarcastically. I took another big piece of my snack and shoved it in my mouth. Laurel stared, weirded out by my ability to take a piece bigger than my face and shove it in my mouth.

"What?" I said with my mouth full.

"Nothing." She rolled her eyes and kept eating her strawberries, one by one.

"So, when is this thing going to start?" I asked.

"Pietro, it's only ten o'clock. Two hours left for the new year to come."

"We should have gotten here much later."

"It was your idea to come here."

"And I do not regret it one bit. Well, maybe a little."

As soon as Laurel opened her mouth, a band started playing on the stage. They started rocking the whole place, their music blasting throughout the whole area. Laurel took my hand and started dancing to the beat. We took hold of each other and started dancing in harmony. We "popped" and we "locked" as some kids say, but we didn't pop and lock so innocently.

It was like that for the rest of the hour, just different bands and singers playing their songs, the whole crowd singing along and dancing to the beat. It was literally a party for the whole city. It was great. We had put our trash in Laurel's bag. We didn't want to contribute to this city's litter. Unlike us, everyone else had probably dropped their food and beverages. But we didn't care about them. Right now, I was focused completely on the most perfect girl dancing right in front of my eyes.

"Laurel, there is something I want to tell you." I spoke, but the loud music, plus the crowd's roar blocked out my words.

"What? I almost can't hear you!" She yelled.

"Forget it! I will tell you later!"

She nodded and continued to dance on me. Then the music stopped and the crowd roared once more, applauding the singer. The host of the event came on, talking about stuff and whatever. He looked like a really nice guy. Then, after his speech, he introduced the last song of the year. A little girl came on and started singing "Aude Lang Syne". Her voice echoed throughout the whole place as the crowd quieted down. You could hear a pin drop right now. I held Laurel in my arms as the girl's voice touched every heart of everyone here.

"We'll take a cup of kindness yet, for days of auld lang syne..."

We swayed from side to side, Laurel's head resting on my shoulder and her arms around my neck.

"But seas between us broad have roared since days of auld lang syne..."

I gently placed a small kiss on her forehead, leaning my head against hers afterwards.

"For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne..."

The beautiful piano that played with the girl's voice played wonderfully. It accompanied her voice very well.

Then, the song came to an end, and so did the silence that was present before. The crowd roared once more for the little girl. She smiled and bowed sheepishly, then she exited the stage as soon as the host reentered. He had a warm smile and walked to the middle of the stage.

"Well, folks, the time has come, there are only twenty seconds left for the year to end, so let's start the countdown! Ten!"

"Nine!" The crowd chanted.

I smiled at Laurel.

"Eight!"

She smiled back, placing her hands on my cheeks.

"Seven!" The crowd roared louder.

"Six!"

"I love you, Pietro."

"Five!"

"I love you even more, Laurel."

"Four!"

We placed our foreheads together, turning our heads towards the lit up ball.

"Three!"

"Two!"

We got closer, silently chanting with the crowd.

"One! Happy New Year!" Confetti fell upon us, thousands of screams blocked all the sound, the fireworks lit up the sky, and music played all around.

But all my attention was to Laurel, and as my lips touched hers, and we had our midnight kiss, right now, she was the only person that held my heart.