Best Mistake | Nicholas Chavez

Twenty six | happy nye

The next morning, everyone gathers in the cozy living room, excitement buzzing as they exchange their Secret Santa gifts. Laughter and teasing fill the air as each person hands over their presents.

Amara goes first, handing Drew a bottle of perfume. "Hope you like it," she says with a grin.

"Is this your way of saying I smell bad?" he jokes, earning laughter from the group and a glare from Amara before he gives her a side hug. "Kidding! Thank you, I love it."

It was Drew's turn to reveal who he got and he turns to Cooper, giving him his gift—three vinyl records from Milli Vanilli. Cooper's eyes light up as he gasps, "YES! I love it, thank you!"

Drew pats himself smugly. "See? I know my shit."

Cooper then hands Madelyn a small box. "For your love of things that sparkle," he says, and she gasps, opening it to find elegant earrings. "Oh my god, they're so cute!"

Madelyn turns to Nicholas with a sleek, leather wallet. "Here, for the guy who likes to look sharp," she teases. Nicholas chuckles, giving her a friendly hug. "Awww you know me too well, thanks, Mads."

Nicholas hands Jordan a designer beanie, adding, "You can never have too many hats." Jordan grins, slipping it on immediately.

Finally, Jordan gives Amara a pink lounge set, teasing, "For you, our Barbie." Amara squeals, "No way! I was gonna buy this!"

After the gift exchange, they chat about the day's plans. "Skiing sounds perfect again, yeah?" Madelyn suggests. Amara yawns, "Definitely. But after lunch, I'm crashing here." They all laugh, agreeing to go skiing, have lunch, then relax at the lodge before going to the party.

Later, after lunch, Nicholas pulls Amara aside. "Hey, I know I didn't draw your name, but I got you something," he says, smiling shyly. He hands her a baby pink digital camera.

"You mentioned you wanted one, so I thought..." he trails off.

Amara beams. "I love it, Nick. Wait here!"

She hurries to her room and returns with a wrapped box. "I got you something too." Nicholas unwraps it, revealing a pair of headphones. "For the gym," she explains.

He thanks her and wraps her in a warm hug, which lasts longer than expected. They pull back, sharing a quiet, meaningful look before heading back to join their friends.

—••—

They step into the New Year's party, the atmosphere is electric with excitement. The venue is decked out in twinkling lights, and a live band fills the room with upbeat music as people mingle, their laughter echoing over the beat.

Nicholas catches her eye, nodding toward the bar, and they weave through the crowd together, grabbing drinks. Their friends soon join them, and they all laugh, clink glasses, and share in the anticipation as the countdown edges closer. The energy is infectious, and Amara can feel the thrill of the night in every moment, with Nicholas beside her adding to the excitement.

As they settle into the party, Drew makes a beeline to the dance floor, dramatically breaking into a ridiculous, exaggerated dance that gets everyone laughing. Cooper groans, covering his face. "Drew, we talked about this," he mutters.

Jordan jumps in, joining Drew with even worse moves. "Who let the dads out?" Amara laughs, catching Madelyn's eye, who's nearly doubled over. Nicholas shakes his head, smirking. "Unbelievable," he says, nudging Amara. "We're friends with those guys."