The Suite Adult Life

New Years (4)

The week between Christmas and New Years was always a mix of anxiousness and lethargy. Adults were always wishing for a winter break from work and their lives - similar to what they had in school. Even though Christmas music started on November first as soon as December 26th hit, they went off the air. It was always a discombobulated feeling. So many of the holiday songs were about finding love on New Years yet their ears were denied such release.

Cody was no different. The streets of New York became too crowded again. Stores overrun with shoppers trying to return unwanted presents and securing last minute sales. Christmas lights still hung in windows and dead trees lining sidewalks - discarded as if they were a nuisance instead of a symbol for peace and joy. The weather began to turn icy during this week. Gone was the feeling of snow softly falling and twinkling under colored lights. He hated this week of the year.

He pulled up to the gay bar Zack and Jackson had chosen for this year's festivities. He didn't mind all the men drunkenly hitting on him. What he did mind was them thinking that he was somehow closeted because his brother was not. And the questions about if their dicks were the same size. He was very glad to say that he honestly did not know the answer to that and did not want to know. But the drinks were always strong and he could spend a few hours making small talk with people he barely knew.

He still didn't know if London was going to make an appearance. He hoped that she would. To him, it meant that they could find an equilibrium and think of their few weeks together fondly. Something to joke about in the distant future. It also meant that he had a chance of kissing someone of his preferred gender instead of Jackson forcefully grabbing his face and telling him to "trust him" because this was the one moment of the year he could "double his pleasure, double his fun".

Just once he wished they could find some hole in the wall where they took up the entire bar and ring in the new year with their friends quietly. One year they did appease him by going to a straight club. The best part of that night was when Zack loudly announced to the group that he was "drunk, uncomfortable, and that he found a tampon on the floor". The implication being that it was used. Cody especially liked the hypocrisy that "his" people were gross and ignored all of the fact that Cody couldn't use the men's restroom for fear of being propositioned.

Thankfully he was not the first to arrive but he would not be the last. He scanned their party and barely recognized a few and was glad to see that some of his old classmates had made it. But, no London. At least not yet. He braced himself for the inevitable as he approached the bar and slightly shocked that the bartender seemed very uninterested. That was new.

It wasn't long before his eyes caught a glimpse of chocolate locks. He said a silent thank you up to whoever was listening. But as he looked again that stunning head of hair wasn't alone. "Bailey." He hadn't meant to say it outloud. He had hoped the pounding bass would drown it out, but no luck there. Her eyes met his and she waved hello. His eyes darted back towards the entrance waiting for her large linebacker shaped fiancé to appear. He only looked away when he felt a slender hand grab his. London.

He leaned down to her ear "I'm glad you made it!"

"Me too!" she yelled back. "I brought you something." She nodded her head to Bailey. He looked at her confused. "You should talk!" She clarified. Again, he gave her his patented confused look. Because, why would he? The past was the past. He was ready to move on. She had already moved on. Also, the nightclub was noisy as hell and the weather outside was not conducive to a long conversation. Then there was the fact that he didn't want to discuss it at all.

Bailey had shown up on London's doorstep the day before with a bag and a determined look on her face. "I'm guessing going back home didn't go as planned?" London asked, letting her in.