It just seems like big events are flying by this year. Thanksgiving came and went and my birthday and Christmas felt like the blink of an eye, and now it's the new year and we were planning on going out this year. It was a good thing we knew James because he hooked us up tonight. He was DJing at a restaurant right by time square and he promised us entry. Apparently, they had a rooftop view of the ball. I was more excited to finally experience that in person than on tv like every other year. This was also going to be my friend's New Years' kiss. I'm not sure how that tradition started but I knew I always wanted one.
I was already over at Carolina's house and David and Angel were on their way. It was getting late and we were afraid of the traffic on the MTA tonight. Everyone and their mom makes the trip to come to NYC for the night. Then again I'm not even a new yorker yet. Right?
"Lina, when would I consider myself a New Yorker?" She was fixing her hair.
"Well, I think it's a few things. You either have to live here for ten years, get mugged, or hit by a taxi." She chuckled. "And if you get mugged and hit by a taxi on the same day you become the mayor." I busted out laughing at how ridiculous she sounded. "You're laughing but I'm not joking."
"Enough!" I giggled. "Where are these guys!" The doorbell rang and we looked at each other wide-eyed. "I'm a psychic."
We headed down and greeted the guys at the door. We didn't waste any time. We headed straight out the door and towards the bus. I was not excited about the trip because of how packed the trains were going to be once we hit the city.
Angel and I chatted about the usual, he was showing me some photos of the sketches he's already done in his new book. I saw him sketch the view from our hotel room. He sketched the dinner table he had set up at the ice skating rink and of course some clouds. He started a sketch of the five of us. He and I with Lina, David, and James. I still am always so impressed with his ability to sketch realism. It was an incredible talent to have and the fact he can somehow also paint that way blows my mind.
I could see Carolina looking over at us squinting like she was trying to figure out something. Since Angel and I had sex we were definitely acting a lot close. We weren't that afraid of light PDA anymore. I didn't care what someone had to say because I found confidence in what we had after that closeness we shared that night.
We stepped out of the bus and transferred to the train. I could practically feel Lina breathing down my neck while we were walking.
"You had sex." She didn't even ask us, she told us.
"What? No." I looked at her as we entered the train.
"Yes you did, when people have sex they look different. They change, they act different, more confident, you walk differently—"
"I'm not walking differently." I shook my head.
"Not anymore." Angel winked.
"Oop." Lina's eyes went wide and she started to laugh.
"Yeah, you either." I threw it back at Angel raising my brows because we both knew what happened that night.
"Big fucking Oop." David laughed. "I don't wanna make y'all uncomfy but was it fun?" He leaned in. "I'm a virgin, the least I can do is life curiously through y'all."
"Don't worry David, we can find a guy for you tonight." She scratched the back of his head.
"Promise me he'll be cute." He joked back not taking offense.
Once the train exited Queens and hit Manhattan the crowds of people and friends groups piled in. Everyone was wearing festive new year hats, glasses, shirts, any kind of merch prop you can think of, they had one that read the new year. It was weird to say I almost felt insecure for not wearing some sort of glasses or hat--but like I said--almost felt insecure.
We hit forty-second port authority and followed the natural flow of the crowd as they stepped out of the train. Angel held my hand to make sure I wasn't going to be swept away. As much as I take the train to school I still haven't gotten used to how fast or slow to step off. I sometimes get confused with the directions I have to exit out of. Like really, how do you find the southwest corner of a street? I barely even know what that means.
I did take the subway in California but it was no way near as large, intertwined, or complicated as the NYC subway system. I also noticed one thing that I found to be interesting. In Cali, people would wait for you to get out of the subway carts before everyone on the platform loaded in. In New York, it was almost the opposite. People on the platform will wait for a few seconds and then start pushing in as people are unloading. It was crazy to see that one slight difference in people's behavior. New York was busy, constantly moving, that also included its public transportation. A bus driver will drive off without you if you're not there on time, they will shut the train door on you if you're a second too late in slipping in. The biggest shock to me was all the jaywalking. The second we entered New York and drove through time square people were crossing the street as the lights were green.
"Cultural shock huh?" Angel gripped my hand.
"Have you been here before? During new Year."
"Never. I never saw the ball drop in person." Angel spoke up above the subway performer. "I know Lina hasn't either."
"It's true. Most New Yorkers who were born here haven't ever really done the basic new york stuff. We see time square year-round, the Statue of Liberty is off in the distance so we don't visit it, even eating at the view restaurant is something I've never done."
"But I would be down for that," Angel added in. "To eat at a rotating restaurant? That's so cool."
We stepped out of the subway and David led the way to the restaurant James was already at. We couldn't walk through time square. I was able to slightly peep the ongoing live broadcast of the show they have every year. Someone was singing but I couldn't hear who it was. We all were holding hands trying to wiggle our way through the crowd and around to the other side of the street. I felt myself almost trip on someone's feet but thankfully I caught myself before I was trampled.
We crossed the street and headed into the building. We spoke to the man in the front and he told us what floor to head up to. We took the elevator to the top floor and stepped out to blasting music. James was trying his best and you could see. From here we can see the sweat drip off his forehead. He was either working hard or the place must've been hot. We made our way to the host and told her about us being there for the rooftop view. She pointed us to the area and we said hello to James in passing.
Stepping out our breaths were taken away by the view. We were angled pointing right towards the ball. The crowd could be heard from under us and the music was blasting. The balcony was decorated with chairs, tables, and some love seats. They strung lights across the entire area and somehow still had living plants in the middle of winter.
It was an hour away from midnight and we needed to kill some time. I nudged Angel and pulled out the flask I had in my jacket. He smiled and brought it to Carolina and David's attention. David chuckled and he pulled out one, and so did Lina.
"Am I the only one who doesn't own a flask?"
"Yes." The three of us said in unison.
As we all sat and chatted counting down the hour I turned to Angel and handed him the flask for him to take another shot. "Nervous? The hearing is in a few days."
"Nervous? No. I'm honestly terrified. Part of me is telling me something bad is gonna happen and I think that might mean my dad not being released."
I held his face and got close to him. "Don't you worry, if anything happens we'll go through it together? But I can almost promise you that nothing bad is gonna happen at that hearing. You guys got a solid cast, a tight profile, and a great argument about that racist judge if anything goes south."
"I know, I just can't help it."
"I understand." I gave him a quick peck.
Our heads turned to the door that flew open. We quickly hid the flasks and outwalked James and Beth. We had ten minutes left before the ball dropped and he definitely needed some air.
"It is HOT in there!" He said, patting the sweat off his forehead.
"My hard-working man!" Beth laughed.
We all got up and hugged them, finally greeting them correctly. It was nice seeing them after that party. It was such a disaster and poor James got the shit beaten out of him. Beth was obviously doing a lot better. She looked like she was glowing. From what they told us the bouncer ended up getting fired. They sent in forms for a restraining order and she's now living with him temporarily.
"I wanted to tell you guys something before the ball drops." James headed over to us and David handed him the flask. He took a big gulp and looked at us. "We found a place."
"What?" David stood up and hugged them.
"That's incredible, I'm so happy for you guys." We all hugged them but they still sounded unfinished.
"Thanks, guy, but it is a bit further than we'd like." James took another shot.
"What? Like the Bronx?" David raised his brows.
"Jersey?" Lina sat up wondering.
"Like Maryland."
We were quiet, we didn't know what to say. "We can finish school there and I already have a job lined up at my uncle's mechanic shop. We want to get away from the city, go out somewhere where we can be together." James looked at David. "I'm sorry."
We all looked at David, he took a deep breath gathering his thoughts, and stood up once again. "I really couldn't be happier for you guys, distance doesn't mean anything, you're still my brother James."
We watched the guys hug it out. It was a hard thing to hear. How do you digest that your friend is moving away? How are you supposed to not feel selfish for wanting them to stay? We all hugged them congratulating them on finding something so soon.
"I do need your guy's help. We're leaving next week and I'd appreciate some help with packing things up."
"Of course, we'll help you guys out," I spoke up now feeling tipsy. "You've done so much for us, I think this is the least we can do.
"10!" Our attention turned to the counter now realizing we were just seconds away from the ball dropping.
"9!" The crowd under us screamed.
"8!" James scrambled to Beth.
"7!" I scrambled to Angel, sitting on his lap as he laid in the love seat,
"6!" We saw Carolina turn to David.
"5!" They shrugged their shoulders and decided why not, it's just a kiss.
"4!" Our heads turned to the ball, inching slower and slower to the bottom.
"3!" My heart started pounding.
"2!" Angel grabbed my chin and turned my face to his, he licked his lips.
"1!" His head moved towards mine and I wrapped my arms around his shoulders.
The ball dropped, confetti rained from the sky and I locked lips with Angel. The crowd cheered and the music blasted as alarms sounded all around the city. Everyone had a New Year kiss and it felt magical. James had dipped Beth backward and planted a kiss on her. Carolina and David only gave each other a little peck kiss at first and then took a shot and went in for a quick makeout session.
Angel wrapped his arms around my waist and I could feel our hearts bumping together as I tightened my grip. It was exactly what I wanted in a New Years' kiss.