for, liar

Chapter 95

"You bitch! I thought you weren't coming this year!" Rayna yells, pulling me into a hug.

"What made you think that?" I question and hug her back.

Rayna was my best friend in elementary school. We both got put in timeout for kicking sand on the playground and the rest was history. Unfortunately, we didn't end up going to the same high school but I still see her every year for this party.

"Henry said you'd probably be too busy with your boyfriend and I said that that wasn't true because you don't even have a boyfriend. Then he said that he heard from Peyton who went to Justin's party that she saw you kissing some dude and fighting with Maddy, so I figured you would either be too mad about whatever argument you're having with your bestie or caught up in your wild young adult whirlwind romance."

This girl talks a mile a minute. Before I even get the chance to respond, Miles gets out of the car and walks around to where we're standing.

Rayna's eyes move over to him and her mouth drops. "This is your boyfriend? He's hot as fuck! How did you manage that?"

She also has no filter.

Miles laughs and puts his hand out to introduce himself. "Miles Hart." He says in the same shy, yet sophisticated, manly voice he uses when he meets new people.

"I'm Rayna! I knew this girl when she was still kicking dirt and picking her nose."

I really thought that no one could embarrass you more than your own parents. I was wrong.

"Rayna, with all due respect, shut up." I snap.

She laughs and shakes Miles' hand.

I turn around to check out the progress of the setup. Henry's dad brings out his portable jumbo screen every year to broadcast the Times Square ball drop. My mother manages the dessert table while her neighbor, Pamela, prepares finger foods, and Rayna's parents take care of the drinks for everyone.

A few other families around the area bring in games and fireworks to shoot off. I usually spend New Year's Eve baking with my mom but she told me Pamela wanted to assist her. They tag teamed most of the food that wasn't store bought by Henry's father.

It's comforting to be back here with everyone after another long year has passed by. Although a lot has changed, this is the one constant thing in my life that usually stays the same so I try to hold onto that as long as I can.

I love starting the new year with my old friends but I might be even more excited to start it with Miles this year. I'm not going to make a big deal out of surviving a new year together as a couple because he will surely judge me for it. It does mean a lot to me though.

"Sandy brought Cards Against Humanity. Want to play?"

"Of course!" I shriek.

I grab a hold of Miles' sleeve and drag him to Pamela's house. Rayna pulls open the screen door and lets us in. The entire young adult squad had already gathered in the living room to play cards. Sandy and Henry are sitting on the floor shuffling the decks.

"It's about damn time you showed up!" Henry yells over the speaker blasting early 2000s pop songs.

"Dude, it's like 6. We weren't planning on being here until 10, we just decided to leave early."

I didn't want Miles to have to endure six hours of maniacal behavior from these losers but he insisted we get here before the time all the activities started. Henry's eyes graze past me and fall on Miles.

"Is this the dude Peyton told me about?" he asks.

I laugh under my breath and gently roll my eyes. Peyton is the biggest gossip I've ever fucking met. I didn't even know she was at that party.

"Yes, this is my boyfriend Miles."

Miles looks at me uneasily. Maybe it was a little weird for me to introduce him to my friends instead of him introducing himself. I don't know why I feel the need to do that like we're twelve.

"Nice to meet you, man. I'm Henry. This is Sandy and her living room. You've already met the caffeine addict, Rayna. Peyton is actually coming later tonight, she just had a few errands to run first. Over on the sofa is Tyler and his girlfriend Aaliyah. They don't really talk much so don't expect anything from them."

Miles' awkwardness seems to leave him once Henry is finished introducing everyone. I thought this was going to be weird since I've known all these people when we were still watching Disney Channel and I've only known Miles for about half a year, but thankfully he adjusts rather quickly. I should've known better considering how he acted at the few other parties I forced him to go to.

Sandy gets up halfway through round five of Cards Against Humanity to get a bottle of strawberry rum and a sleeve of plastic shot glasses. She's really about to start pregaming at 6:30?

"Let's make this more interesting." she says and plops back down next to Henry with the bottle in her hand.

"We're playing cards. Literally adding anything to this makes it more interesting." Henry scoffs.

Sandy laughs and nudges his side with her elbow. I just realized that there's not a random strange girl to accompany Henry and his unamusing jokes. Could this possibly be the first year he didn't bring a date?

"Henry, where's your date? I hope you didn't decide to break tradition without telling anyone." I interrupt.

He bites down on his lip and glances at Sandy again. Both of their faces had turned the same deep shade of red. I almost start to question what was going on until my brain makes sense of it.

"You two are dating?" I blurt.

"I didn't say that! We're just...teamed up with each other this year."

Rayna makes fake vomit noises and Tyler bursts into a fit of laughter. Henry is visibly embarrassed but Sandy isn't phased at all.

"That's cute so now I have to be the one without a date for the team games? Bree was supposed to be my ride or die!" she nags.

"Nope, you'll just get Peyton." Sandy says unhesitantly.

That was the last thing Rayna wanted to hear. Everyone hates teaming with Peyton.

"Did you guys set up Spotlight this year?" I ask.

Miles raises his eyebrows and looks at me. Henry grins, lifting up a plastic bag full of flashlights only making Miles more perplexed.

Revised;