Tyler
New Years Eve came and with it came parties, worry, and regrets. Parties to celebrate the New Year and the growth we all experienced during the last year. Worry about what you'll do in the upcoming year, who you'll be with, what you'll learn, and what you'll experience. Regrets about what you had done in the last year. You suddenly realise that you've literally wasted 365 days on nothing, but petty problems. Temporary problems.
"Tyler, hurry and get dressed or we won't make it to dinner on time." Amari said as she rushed around the hotel room getting ready for our conjoined family dinner.
She looked stunning in the red dress she had chosen.
We were going to some big restaurant that Mr. Rose had read about a few months ago. He was dying to try the food there.
"I hope they don't try to feed me any slugs or we'll have a problem." Hunter mumbled fixing his tux in the full length mirror hanging on the wall.
"Like you'd know. The menu is probably in French anyway." Amari said standing beside him and examining herself.
Why do people have to look at themselves when they're getting dressed? Why not wear things simply for the comfort and not the fit?
"Jokes on you. Mom reads aloud and she knows a bit of french." Hunter nudged Amari. "I'll just sit next to her. Now get your boyfriend before we're late."
They both looked at me through the mirror. I had on my suit pants and a white button down that wasn't buttoned up. I wasn't exactly in the mood for a big family dinner out in public.
"Tyler, hurry up." Amari said as we made eye contact. "We have to meet the reservation in an hour."
"I'm not hungry." I shrugged.
"You don't have to eat. You just have to be there." Hunter said.
"You know you can legally drink here." Amari pointed out. "If you don't eat I'm not letting you drink at the party."
"He's still upset about that argument between him and Dad." Hunter mumbled. "Grow up."
"Shut up." I mocked his annoyed tone.
"Don't talk to me like that." Hunter said turning to look at me.
"I can talk to you however I want." I argued.
"Amari get your boyfriend before he gets beat up and I get locked away in an out of country high security prison." Hunter said shoving Amari in front of him before jumping at me.
"Stop." Amari said to both of us. "And why do you keep calling him my boyfriend?"
"Oh sorry." Hunter said raising one of his hands. "I meant girlfriend."
Amari rolled her eyes and threw me my suit jacket and tie.
"I'll tell my Dad you need ten minutes." Amari said walking towards the door. "Come on Hunter."
"Coming!" Hunter called after her. "Allow me to subtract myself from this problematic environment because in 2020, there is no stress. Just these hands."
He grabbed Amari's bag off the bed and followed her out of the room.
"You left this. Could've robbed you, but we're out of the country."
Amari
If he mentions going to an European prison one more time, I'm going to strangle him. Hunter and I both walked to my parent's hotel room and watched them rush around to get ready. Everyone was in a rush because we had all gone to see a movie earlier and lost track of time.
"Zip me up." Mom said pulling her hair over her shoulder and standing in front of me.
I reached for the zipper, but Hunter quickly bumped me to the side.
"I've got this." He waved me off.
He has always had a thing for my Mom. He says it's because he understands her better than anyone else, but that has yet to be proven. Tyler thinks it's because Hunter had a thing for me when we were younger and now he's at that age where cougars attract him, but I think it's because of my Mom's butt. Either she got it when she was pregnant with me or I didn't inherit it, but either way, she had it.
"Your Mom is so hot. When are you going to start looking like that?" Hunter whispered sitting beside me. "Don't take this the wrong way, but aren't you a bit too old to still be in your ugly duckling stage?"
"Shut up." I laughed slapping his chest.
Hunter hit me back and before I could hit him again, Tyler walked into the room. We watched him walk over and sit beside me.
"You clean up nice, Brooks." I said.
"Thanks Rose." Tyler pulled at his tie.
Hunter cleared his throat and I when I looked over to him he was gesturing to his himself.
"What about me?" He asked putting his hands on his hips and smiling off into the distance.
"Oh? You want me to compliment you?" I laughed turning to look at him. "I don't know. Sometimes you act unappreciative."
"Well, I don't enjoy being cat called." Hunter scoffed.
"I don't cat call you." I rolled my eyes.
"Sometimes you aggressively compliment me, Amari." Hunter stared at me seriously.
"No I don't!" I glanced at Tyler for support, but he was too busy enjoying the show.
"It's almost 2020. Just apologize and move on." Hunter shook his head. "It's really not that serious."
"Hunter..." I started but he cut me off.
"Move on, Amari." Hunter said covering his ears and sitting beside me. "It's in the past."
"Shut up." I laughed hugging him tightly as he awkwardly patted my arm.
Sometimes he really did behave like a brother instead of a friend, but how could I mind that? Hunter was the closest thing I had to a sibling or a cousin, considering I wasn't very close with the rest of my family. Even before things became so complicated between Tyler and I, Hunter was always the brotherly type. When people saw Tyler and I, they always thought that maybe we should've been together, but with Hunter, no one saw us as being romantically involved. We had a playful relationship. Even our arguments were sibling like. For example, when he had taken my socks and refused to admit to it despite them being fuzzy and yellow. Sometimes we'd fight and I'd swear up and down that I would never talk to him again, and although we don't live in the same house, I always found myself calling him later on that day to tell him that corny joke I read on a Laffy Taffy wrapper a while ago because I know he'd be the only person to understand why I found it so funny. He never made me feel like an outsider when it came to him and Tyler. Although they were blood related, Hunter never chose sides when it came to Tyler and me. If there was a big fight between us, Hunter would distance himself from the entire situation. He was full of himself, but he was the sweetest person you would ever meet. I hope he doesn't lose that within the New Year.
Hunter
At the Restaurant
We all sat at the table Mr.Rose had reserved. It was easily one of the greatest spots in here. It was softly lit so that you could see everyone at your table, but it was like no one else was here. I would have to remember to write the name of this place down and give it to Angel. Girls would go crazy for a date here!
"What're you getting?" Mom asked me quietly.
I grabbed the menu and looked over it. It was mostly in French, but it had some English words to describe the meal. I stared at the menu blankly before closing.
"A hamburger because this isn't working." I said sitting the menu on the table.
Mom laughed and opened hers before translating the words. When she was younger, her Grandma moved to France after retiring. Mom spent a lot of time there so she picked up on a bit of the language.
"That one sounds good." I pointed to one and Mom nodded.
"Good choice." She patted my cheek.
After Dinner
"Okay. We'll see you guys back at the hotel." Mrs. Rose said as they dropped us off at Angel's house.
"Remember that we're going to the airport at 6:00 am." Dad said through the window.
"Wait!" I said before they drove off. "Do I have permission to drink?"
"You're not even legal here." Amari laughed. "You have to be 16."
"But with adult supervision, I can drink." I pointed at Tyler. "He's 18."
"No you cannot drink." Mom said from the car. "You have a plane to catch and it isn't smart to let you have alcohol in your system when you take those sleeping pills for the flight."
"But they get to drink?" I scoffed.
"Amari can not." Mrs. Rose said.
"Amari better not." Mr. Rose jumped in.
"Amari isn't." Tyler added.
"Amari is right here." Amari said.
"Ain't nobody scared of you." I waved her off and she laughed grabbing my hand. "What about Tyler?"
"He's 18." Mom said. "He can legally purchase any alcohol here, so I think he should be able to drink."
She looked over at Dad for support and he just shrugged. Mom rolled her eyes and patted Mrs. Brook's shoulder.
"What do you think, Char?" Mom asked.
"He isn't driving, so I think that's fine." Mrs. Brooks nodded.
"Alright. Tyler can drink." Mom said before looking over at Tyler. "Don't go overboard."
"Yes ma'am." Tyler nodded and they drove off.
"Finally." I sighed swinging mine and Amari's intertwined hands as we walked. "I hope Angel has some cute friends here."
"I mean, he looks like a model. I think his friends would reflect that." Amari nodded.
"He doesn't look like a model." Tyler scoffed before glaring at Amari.
"To me." She shrugged with a smirk.
"You two should go out sometime." I spoke up.
"Who two?" Tyler asked.
"Amari and Angel." I said. "I can ask if you fit his type."
"No need to do that." Amari shook her head. "I already know I don't fit his preference."
"He told you his preference?" Tyler asked.
"Yeah. He likes tall, dark haired, people who are full of themselves sometimes." Amari nodded.
We walked into the party and loud music instantly filled our ears. Everyone was dressed nice and dancing around with drinks in their hands.
"Let's dance." Tyler said grabbing Amari's other hand and spinning her.
They danced off together and I barely stopped myself from throwing up all the food I had just eaten. They were so nasty sometimes.
"Hunter!" I heard Angel call.
I looked around and found him walking over to me.
"What's up?" I smiled stuffing my hands in my pockets.
"Hey." He ran a hand through his hair. "I have someone I want you to meet."
He started to walk and I followed behind him.
"Her name is Amy." He said pushing through the crowd.
"Amy? Is she hot?" I asked.
"You'll have to see for yourself." He shrugged.
We approached a blonde haired girl who was a lot smaller than me. Her hair was curly, but you could tell that she had been messing with it earlier.
"Amy." Angel called and the girl turned around.
Her eyes landed on me and a big smile spread across her face as her eyes scanned me from head to toe then toe to head.
"This is Hunter. The guy I was telling you about." Angel said pushing her forward gently.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Amy." She said shaking my hand. "Angel's closest friend."
"Nice to meet you." I said.
"You look really good." She said with her thick British accent. "And I love your haircut."
"That's enough." Angel coughed nudging her.
"Okay." Amy whispered through her smile.
"I'm gonna go look around or something." I said awkwardly.
"I'll come with you." Angel said shaking his head at Amy. "She's a weirdo."
"Yeah. She really is." I laughed as we walked away.