The Red String Theory

A New Year's Surprise

Despite still feeling under the weather, Luna managed to muster enough energy to find herself in the presence of the entirety of the Ferguson family and their friends. The house seemed to be full to the brim for New Year's Eve, black and gold decorations taking over the empty spaces in the best way they could. Glittering streamers stretched across the room, draping in elegant dips that met in the center of the ceiling, fanning the brilliantly sparkling chandelier. Massive, fat balloons in white were tied in bundles to the banister of the stairs and scattered across the floor. Each step a person took threatened to pop the fragile latex as the balloon would stretch underfoot or would be sent off with a kick that was frequently punctuated with a squeaking noise. If Luna was lucky, she would detect the hint of an ear-piercing ssqquelchhh that somehow managed to echo over the noise. It was the only thing that was holding Luna's attention.

Of all the holidays, Luna hated New Year's Eve the most. It felt like family members came out of the woodwork every year and questioned what she hoped for the upcoming year. Every year Luna would smile and say, "Oh, you know, maybe finally getting married," and each year, whoever she spoke to would laugh as though she told the funniest joke in the world. Maybe she did; she was starting to feel the same.

This year felt a little different, however. Luna sat on one of the many couches in the house with the Ferguson's black lab sitting at her feet, relishing in her petting him. Max seemed to always be her constant companion at family gatherings. At least he enjoyed her company when the others seemed to ignore her.

Luna took in the raucous laughter of Sam's uncle, Joe. She suppressed the urge to pull a face as spittle flew from his mouth and landed in the cup of Sam's cousin Briar. By sheer luck – good or bad, Luna wasn't sure; it seemed that Briar was unaware of what had happened as she took a drink from her cup. Luna shivered and immediately looked away, trying to search for Sam in the crowds around her.

It felt like it had been ages since she had seen Sam. They had walked into the Ferguson family home, and he had scurried off. He told her he would be back shortly but hadn't returned nearly two hours later. Luna considered getting up from the safety of her sofa, but the house was massive, and she didn't want to be corned by someone else. Clearly, someone had caught his attention; perhaps his aunt Carol who could talk for hours without really taking a breath.

As if pulled away on cue, Max lifted himself off the floor to saunter off towards whatever room currently held his bed in the house. With a sigh, Luna reached into her small clutch sitting by her side and pulled out her phone. A small smile crept to her lips when she saw messages waiting for her.

| Hey, hope everything is going all right.

| Just let me know if you need entertainment. I'll be here all night.

| If I don't hear from you, happy New Year.

Luna smiled at Erik's messages. She knew that he was planning on staying up, and she wouldn't mind some sort of entertainment while she waited. With Max no longer around to distract her, she wouldn't mind.

| Hey.

| Hey there.
| I was wondering if I would hear from you tonight or not.

| Well, not like there's much to do.

| It's New Year's Eve. There's always something to do.

| Not when you're here.

| Did you want to talk about it?

| Maybe tomorrow? How was it with your family?