the love pact

2013/14

It's New Years Eve and Chris' throws a party. I'm there. Sure I am, I am his best friend since I can remember. Like, he was 18 when I was 6, and our friendship began. He was always there for me, no matter what. And when I was 8, and he was 20, we made a pact. We will marry each other on 23.03.2023. Because why not? Like a backup plan on life.

He'll be 42 then and I'll be 30 then. Perfect time for a woman to marry, right? Like, everything should happen before, with 30 your body is slowly giving up and dying. It started off as a joke but now, like, 15 years later we're still talking about it. Kind of relying on it because we're both single.

We always have been single except small relationships here and there. He's a famous actor after all, it's not easy for him to stay in a relationship. Most has ended due to jealousy or too much distance, which is sad, because he's like the perfect guy. He's nice and gentle, he loves his family and dogs, and he would do everything for the woman he loves. Except giving up on acting. It's what he loves doing.

So, back to today, back to the party. It's a great party with a lot of friends, and the last hours are a blur of alcohol and games and more shots. Midnights coming near, only a few minutes left. Everyone's hushing around to be with their New Years Kiss partner. I take another sip of my beer and smile.

It's a sad smile tho. I've never had a real partner on New Years Eve and always ended up kissing some strangers in a bar or simply no one because... well, no one was there.

This time it seems like there are a bunch of people but no one for me though.

"New Year's Eve is coming! Damn, COUNTDOWN! It's 10... 9...!", someone shouts and the party guests start to count. 

"8..."

I look around, a numb feeling on my body as I drown the rest of the bottle. Everything is spinning.

"7..."

Some fireworks already start to go off in downtown Los Angeles, I can see the lights in the sky.

"6..."

I only have to endure some more minutes with everyone.

"5..."

I bite my lip and lower my eyes before grabbing a new bottle of beer, opening it with a lighter.

"4..."

"Y/N! Come here!", Chris shouts, waving at me to come to him. He's smiling, his eyes shine. He's drunk, just as everyone else here.

"3..."

I laugh and walk up to him, laying my arm around his neck. "I'm here... I can't believe it's going to be 2015 soon!"

"2..."

"Right?!", he shouts and we both count down with the other guests.

"1..."

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!", we shout and laugh, and I take a sip of my bottle just when he presses his soft and wet lips on mine. I put my hand in his hair, trying to steady myself. His hand is in my back, making sure I don't fall back. 

I softly lick his lips with my tongue, he's tasting like beer and shots. We've never kissed before. Well, okay, there was one time we kissed but I was 15 and he was 27. I begged him to show me what kissing felt like. 

"Chris, please! You can't just...", I sigh. "You can't just talk about kissing and everything. I've never been kissed. What is it like?!"

He laughed and shook his head. "I won't kiss you, Y/N. It's illegal. You're a child after all!"

"I'm 15! Come on, it's not illegal if no one will know about it. I want my first kiss to be with someone who loves me. And I know you do."

"But I don't love you the way someone should do for a kiss, kiddo. Just wait until you find the right one." He smiled at me.