Partyers

Chapter 2

December 2016

The period that comes immediately after Christmas is anything but peaceful, especially when it comes to partying. There are many things to be organized for New Year's Eve and the night that follows. In other words, I have to bear with a whole load of relatives I can't bear with at all. So, I need a different plan.

Obviously, I expect Avyannah, Kayte and Melinda to help me, as usual. However, if there's someone who may not want to be involved with boring relatives, that's Laniah. She's in very bad terms with Haven - they're rivals - and she finds Alaiyah and especially Layla very unimaginative, as the latter always calls her a "grown-up muppet". For being just an eleven-year-old, she can be quite offensive.

Anyway, the hardest part will be convincing Mom and Dad. I know it's going to be anything but easy: Mom is the apprehensive type whereas Dad is very strict; furthermore, he's never trusted me in his fucking life. Sometimes, I suspect he's not even my father, for that he's so distant and cold; however, I really hope my impression is wrong, at least for his sake.

***

"So, are you saying that you prefer spending New Year's Eve with your friends? Don't you know that family is more important?" Mom hasn't taken my intentions very well, as I can perceive from her words. That's harsh. I expected her to be at least supportive of my actions, though she, once again, chose the strict line. Perfect. If she wants me to get bored with that bunch of snarky vipers called cousins, I'll accept that; yet, she mustn't expect me to be friendly to any of them.

"I'm very disappointed with you, let me say that, Rae'Lyn. Your cousins wanted to see you so much; in spite of this, however, you prefer staying with your friends. You're being ungrateful and unloyal," she comments coldly, hoping to have my sense of guilt raise to alarming levels so that I feel like shit, although she knows it won't work. I won't change my position, that's it.

"That's not true." In fact, my words are the exact contradiction of her absurd suppositions. "When I organized her party, Haven didn't even say a simple thank you. She didn't even make me feel part of the party; basically, I was just serving her!" Now, I'm snapping at my mother, which would grant me a punishment, but I don't care. I'm done with both her and Dad. "And what about Layla and Alaiyah? Only Alaiyah bothered even talking to me, yet she was rude. See? They're never nice to either me or Laniah!"

"I think you're exaggerating, Rae'Lyn," she points out incorrectly, as she seems to have been blindsided by their fake personalities, especially Haven's. Nevertheless, I decide not to interrupt her this time, believing that talking will just compromise my position in a definitive manner.

Defeated, I leave and go back to my room, accepting to have to deal with that coven of witches, accompanied by their respective mothers. Yeah. I've never liked any of my aunts, especially the twins' mother. She's too overbearing, not only with her own daughters, but also with everyone else.

What am I going to tell Avyannah and the others now? Does it mean that we have to celebrate separatedly from each other? If so, boredom will get the best of me.

***

Luckily, this won't happen. The girls have just promised to come round to my place to celebrate all together, including Laniah. Still, the latter doesn't seems to be happy with the arrangement made by my parents.

In fact, she complains, "At least you get to see your friends, Rae'Lyn! Why have you always got their support, while every decision of mine is rejected?"

"That's not true, Laniah," I snap back, also glaring at her. However, she looks away, before turning her back at me. I can hear her crying softly, but in a painful manner. I don't want her to suffer again.

I hold her left wrist and slowly turn her face toward me. "Don't cry. I want you to enjoy yourself, okay?" Still, she lets go of my grasp, while rushing out of the room. Oh no, she's definitely going to ruin everything. Let's hope she won't do anything silly.

***

The atmosphere at the so-called "party" is depressing. No-one is dancing, no-one is interacting with each other; when someone even tries to, they're shut up cold and given ice-cold daggers. Wow. My relatives are doing whatever is in their will to be unwelcoming.

This is why Laniah and I are staying behind with Avyannah and the others, occasionally serving the others and listening to their pointless gossip and backtalking. Seriously, have they got nothing better to do?

The five of us are currently studying a plan to make this day really matter, regardless of what that coven of bitches called "family" think of me. "We could have fireworks," says Avyannah in a dreaming tone, until I remind her that we already have those.

"Oops... I kind of forgot... Sorry." She giggles nervously, which at first annoys me, but then it sparks an idea in my mind. Hopefully, it'll work, regardless of what the others may think.

Meanwhile, Kayte is staring outside the window, lost in her thoughts. She occasionally glances at the rest of us; when I manage to catch a glimpse from her, she asks, "Why don't we just go out and watch the fireworks? Far from everyone else, just the five of us."

I smile back at her. "I think it's a lovely idea. Plus, I don't think my family will make such a big fuss out of it. Let's go," I say and, after putting my overcoat on, promptly leave the house, followed by my sister and my friends.

We walk towards a place we really know, the Rollercoaster. It's a well-attended bar with a terrazza on its top, where events are usually held; otherwise, it's an excellent place to admire the amazing sights of the city.

As we arrive, we, ignoring the crowd at the tables and at the bar, immediately reach for the stairs that lead to the terrazza. We don't even give a damn if it's dark or if someone is following us; what truly matters is that we're almost there.

Melinda notices that the terrazza right now is empty and suggests that we watch the fireworks, enjoy a cocktail and dance a little bit. "I love this plan," I comment. "Plus, it's a good way to say farewell to 2016."

"Yeah, we can't say it's been an excellent year," adds Avyannah, remembering that she's been dumped by two guys already, lost her part-time job at the florist's and even seen her parents divorce.

Though, this doesn't matter anymore. A new year is about to start, and a new life with it, hopefully. As we sit at one of the couches, we raise our heads towards the sky, attempting to count the stars and the fireworks. We sit all together, knowing that, even though shit happened, we all got through it together.