Mark's Roommate

New Years Eve

Chapter 24-

I drive to Merida's house for a New Year's party. She planned it last minute when she heard that her parents wouldn't be home. I park on her street and walk in to her house and kick off my shoes. She greets me from the kitchen. I'm the first guest there, but that's fine. Mark's out with Bob tonight at a bar and grill. He plans to get a sober ride home and crash there, probably on the couch.

Merida calls to me a hello from the kitchen. I sit down on on the couch and turn on the TV to the channel that shows the ball drop at midnight. In comes Connor and Ollie who I guess carpooled together.

"Hey you have anything to eat Merida?" Ollie asks, wandering into the kitchen.

"I'm fixing a bunch of stuff. There are chips and snacks on the dining room table to tide you over until then," she says. Connor sits next to me and Ollie brings over a party sized bowl of Doritos and sits at my feet.

"Gimme," Connor demands, reaching for the chips. I grab a handful and pop some into my mouth. The others get here and chill with us on the couch, as we watch the celebs perform and all the speeches and excitement. We eat dinner, which is Walking Tacos and the little wiener dog things you stab with a tooth pick, which Bailey takes over, plus all the other snacky stuff. Kevin brought some sparkeling juice and Merida pours them into classy glasses for us. We sip and eat, chat and yell.

"Hey, please tell me no one is kissing when the ball drops..." Merida says.

"That would be so awkward!" RaeAnn shrieks. Kevin comedically shivers and Ollie laughs at the thought. I giggle and make fun of the idea. We're all so close , it would be wierd if someone kissed someone...

The hours pass and soon, we're in the half hour counting down time. Merida grabs all the noise makers and funny hats, the dunce hat going on Ollie's head. I slap a pointy hat on stick a noise maker in my mouth and blow right by Connor's ear. He jumps and laughs.

"Good one, Kiera," he winks. I laugh and do the same to Ollie and Kevin. I try for Merida but she just glares. Fifteen minutes until the new year, so we all settle down. We refill our glasses with sparkeling juice and stand around the TV spot, waiting as the final speeches are said and all the fancy TV stuff happens.

Finally, the last five minutes.

"New Year's Resolutions guys?" RaeAnn asks.

"To not fail senior year," Kevin says.

"To make at least one new friend," Bailey smiles.

"To get a decent boyfriend," Merida laughs as a joke and we all join in.

"To work out," Ollie nods, patting his old 6-pack, reminising.

"To collect all the Pokemon cards. Guys, I'm serious..." he says, straight face in all.

"I'll be serious here. To do the best I can do for my last year of high school and to expand my YouTube channel," I nod.

"Good one! Mine is to have a good year with all you guys," RaeAnn smiles. We all clink our glasses and sip. The final minute. We start to count down and get anxious.

"10! 9! 8! 7! 6! 5! 4! 3! 2! 1!" We scream and jump around. I hug my friends and when I hug Connor, he looks into my eyes then quickly kisses me. I stand there stunned and the room is quiet for a second, processing what happened.

"Woah..." Merida whispers.

"Umm... Thanks..." I smile.

"Happy New Years, Kiera," he smiles.