karaoke ➸ janthony

three

FRUSTRATED, Jasmine fell onto the navy sofa with a groan, her two best friends already situated on either side of her. An empty paper cup lay discarded on the glass coffee table, and her coat has been dumped haphazardly onto the wooden floorboards.

"Why, of all people, did I see him?" She whined, her head flopping onto Renee's shoulder.

The older girl laughed, wrapping her arm around Jasmine's shoulder, rubbing it comfortingly. Pippa laughed, swivelling to face the two other girls on the sofa.

"Well, it could've been worse, Jas! At least he's cute, and nice. And he likes you. He's really quite the catch." Pippa shrugged, picking up the empty cup and throwing it directly into the waste-paper bin with ease.

"Well that's the problem! I don't want to like him!" She sighed in aggravation, standing from the couch and beginning immediately to pace the living room of the flat.

"Maybe he'd be good for you! Seeing him everywhere has to be some sort of sign, Jas!"

"No! I just need to take my mind off of it. Off of him! Okay?" She ran her fingers through her messy mop of dark curls, gnawing at her lip with nerves.

"Well how about we head on down to the Christmas light-up? I heard it's going to be bigger than last years!" Renee suggested, bouncing up and down excitedly in her seat - Renee loved Christmas, and she never planned to hide it.

Pippa nodded in agreement, the idea of the brightly coloured lights illuminating the streets of New York, and the steaming hot cocoa they consumed every year being a huge deal breaker for her.

The two looked expectantly at Jasmine, waiting for the confirmation they were certain they would receive. With a slightly reluctant - and mostly incoherent - grumble, Jasmine nodded her head, her corkscrew curls bouncing around her like a mane.

"Fine. Wrap up warm. It's cold." She mumbled, stalking off to her room as her two friends rejoiced on the sofa.

--

"It's so cold I think my feet may freeze to the ground." Jasmine shivered, wrapping her warm coat further around her slim figure.

"You're telling me," Pippa stuttered, the cold making her teeth chatter as she spoke. "I think I can feel my hands turning into icicles."

Renee laughed, shrugging her shoulders. Her outfit, complete with puffy jacket, cosy scarf, gloves and hat, kept her incredibly warm, a warmth that Jasmine and Pippa were jealous of, to say the least.

"Hey, three minutes until lights on. How about we take some selfies?" Pippa suggested, always one to lighten the mood.

Jasmine nodded, wiping the specks of snowflakes away from her glasses as she pushed them further up her nose. She leaned in towards the camera, wrapping her arm enthusiastically around Pippa's shoulder as she grinned, eyes bright and shining. Renee stood on the other side, her laughter in the moment trapped forever as Pippa tapped the button.

They took several more photos to remember the moment, but they were swiftly interrupted by the countdown beginning. A voice was resonating around the crowd. Everyone seemed to be joining in as the numbers fell down from ten to zero.

Jasmine watched with delight, absolutely speechless as the light flickered on all at once. Beside her, her two best friends were cheering, their glee evident in both their voices and their faces. She looked around the crowd, taking in the excitement on the faces. She was most certainly a self-proclaimed people watcher.