Theater Cubicles

New Year's Fears Pt. 1

My parents and I were invited to a New Year's Eve party at a banquet hall. It was to be something where all my parents' colleagues would gather for the holidays. I was rather unexcited as the entire event was probably going to be bursting at the seams with boring professors, like my parents, in attendance. Anyhow, my mother took me shopping and purchased a much needed dress with the Christmas funds I had accumulated. It was an a-line, silver-sequined dress with silver tulle for the shoulders. I already had a pair of black wedges low in height that was a staple in all of my outfits. It wasn't everyday I was invited to parties like a normal teenager would be.

And so the day finally came. I spritzed my red-velvet perfume and applied my Holiday red lip stain for good luck.

"Darling, you look gorgeous," my mother said then leaning over to whisper in my ear, "Nolan would be jealous of all the young men that are going to be eyeing you tonight."

"Oh, yes," I said with great sarcasm, "I'm oh-so beautiful. The sparse smattering of teenaged human beings are definitely going to be the most pleasant of company."

"You are beautiful. Why would you not think so?" my father said as he and my entered the car confused.

"Maybe because the only people that I ever here that from are my parents whose opinions are muddled with maternal and paternal biases," I replied.

"You can't mean to say our Nolan has never hinted at your looks?" my mother inquired.

"He always says I'm talented, yes. Beautiful, never..." I came to the realization.

"He's a good boy. He sees with his heart not his eyes. You'll value people like that later in life. It might take you many years," my father spoke.

---

Upon our arrival, we were seated at the table specified on our family card. There, my parents immediately recognized the people they worked with. Unfortunately for my social anxiety, there was in fact a sister and her younger brother sitting adjacent to me.  I itched to sit down and pull out my defense mechanism, my smart phone. The mind occupying options were endless and I had purchased enough e-books to last me the night.

Before I could enter my pass code, the girl immediately next to me struck up conversation. Much to my chagrin she was a talkative one, I could tell.

"Hey there! I'm so glad there is someone around my age here or I would have died here alone with him, he pointed to the blonde-haired boy with the smirk next to her, "My name is Madison. This is Ethan."

I raised out my hand to meet hers half-way, "Juliette. Nice to meet you."

"Oh," she said placing her hand on her heart, "I love that name."

"Yeah," said Ethan winking, "It's a pretty hot name."

"Wait how old are you?" I asked the little kid who looked as if he was still waiting for puberty to hit.

"He's thirteen," said a tall guy with blonde hair to match the two siblings before me approaching our table and pulling his chair to sit down, "So back off kid."

"I'm not a kid!" Ethan protested in vain, "I'm a teenager."

Madison said, "I'm a freshman in high school and Kyle here is a junior. We're all bound to attend this university. Our parents are alumni and they teach here. The standards are high."

"Yeah... if I only I knew what I wanted to be. I mean it's so hard to choose and there is so much pressure to choose quickly," Kyle said.

"What do you want to be?" Madison asked.

"Well, I got to an arts specific high school a ways from here. I'm in the theater department."

"Fascinating," Madison and Kyle nodded their heads so genuinely one might think it was fake.

"Yeah, I want to be a race car driver but they don't teach that at the University," the kid named Ethan said.

"Oh, Ethan," they chuckled incredulously.

I looked over to my parents and they winked in encouragement.

Then a waiter in a tuxedo approached the table and said, "Good evening valued guests. I'm Jacques, your table's server for tonight. Is there anything I can start you guys off with drink wise? Adults, our special wine. Kids we have sodas, juices?"

He passed out the cream colored card stock that was our menu to each person seated. On it were the specifications of our five course meal: Canapés with black truffle oil and smoked salmon, Lobster Bisque, Risotto, Chicken, Chocolate praliné biscuit with hazelnut gelato. Classy and delectable.

"I'll take a glass of sparkling apple cider," I ordered boldly.

---

As soon as our first plate arrived I dove right in famished. However, the siblings next to me held hand and looked down. What were they doing?

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

A minute later came their reply by Madison, "We pray before our dinner meal and thank the lord for giving us our daily food."

My face turned red in shame. Not only was I dumb in wondering what they obviously looked like they were doing, I was embarrassed I never prayed before every meal myself.

I realized that not every kid around my age in this world was intimidating, selfish, and conceited. There are teenagers with humility left in this world. Like Adel and Nolan...

Taking into a bite into the elegant plate before me I knew that my taste pallet was going to be content. However, in previous years I had always celebrated the occasion similarly to Christmas; alone with my parents. Now, we were in the public with new people I just met. It was only a matter before I experienced the inevitable episodes that occurred every New Year's Eve.

A/N: Comments of people exited for my story and plot and characters are the reason why I write. My goal as an author is to receive positive feedback and, not so much in this light-hearted work though, make an impact in your life. Maybe this will help you get out of your shell in high-school by participating in the arts, as I did.