Shifting Gears

New Year and Placing Bets

Incoming Call from Andrew 🍎

Deny or Accept

I let my ringtone go on for a bit as I put my earphones in my ear. Once I did that, I tap the green circle and my friend pops up. As I set up my phone so I can fold the clothes and talk, the 16 year old had this look on his face. The expression was full of grief and sorrow. I sat back down on my sofa in my living room.

"AJ! It's an emergency!" He yells playing with his soft dark hair.

"Oh no! What happened?!" I say as I stop whatever I was doing giving him my full attention.

"I ran out of my hair gel!" He falsely sobs with his fake tears. Such the drama king, I wonder if he'll ever change. I really did feel pity for him thinking horrible happened.

"I'm just gonna end this call," I threatened him. I had this "I'm so done with you right now" look on my face. This is like the 9th time he has done this since I met him. Yet again I fell for it. Sometimes he would complain about hair, or running out of chips, he would even complain about loosing his hat.

"Okay I'm sorry! Heeeyy!" He says dragging out the last part.

"Why'd you really call me Drew?"

"Well I was going remind you about the service hours we are planning to do with the others. It's on Saturday at 9."

"Oh yeah thanks man!"

"No problem."

"That's it?"

"Yep!" He laughs nodding his head.

"You need a life Drew!" I say shaking my head as I fold one of my favorite shorts neatly placing it with my other shirts.

"I could be a secret agent for all you know?" He attempts to convince me.

"Whatever homeboy! I have chores to do!" I roll my eyes while laughing a little bit.

"Oh okay bye short stack!" He waves as he ends the call.
---

"Happy New Year's Eve!" My cousin says as soon as I walked into his room. My other cousins quickly greeted me since they were very engrossed towards the game they were playing. I placed my coat on a chair near his bed and plugged up my phone near my cousin's desk. I sat down as my cousins and my brother kill zombies and hell hounds on the screen.

"Help I've been bitten and I can't get up!" My cousin, Michelle whines playfully. She didn't think much about it since she took this time  for the magnificent opportunity to eat some of her food.

"I'm coming my friend!" My brother yells as he helps my cousin up in the game. This continues on for a while till it's time for the countdown.

"So you're really going straight?" Michelle says around the 20 second mark. Her hand on my shoulder reveals how honest she wants me to be with her right now.

"Yup, a full 365 days without being attracted to girls. Can't be hard right?" I'm lowkey gonna regret it soon.

"Well yeah, but you are head over heels for the pretty ones-"

"10!" My family starts to chant. The whole room jump up to their feet to come closer to the television.

"I got this fam!" I yelled over the loud noise.

"9...8...7!"

"I'm praying for you!" Michelle yells back holding a noise maker in her mouth.

"6...5!"

"Have fun with that!" Yna, my other cousin says also ready to use her noise maker.

"4...3...2...1-"

Horns were blown and the ball dropped. Celebratory yells and cheers filled the basement floor. There was also beer bottles being chugged and wine glasses being toasted. I hope they'll sober up soon because some of them are driving us home later. Fortunately, I don't have to worry about driving till this summer. Then again this is it. AJ's straight year...I mean my straight year. Wow as much as I want to win this bet, I know I'm going to break some how.
---
"Gather around everyone," Shawn one of my eldest cousin says when we came back to Bryce's room. "Let's start this year off telling our plans for 2017." Most of us groan since it's like 10 past 12 and we've been here since 5pm.

"I'm going to Sinulog at NC this year," I informed them making them cheer. I barely come back to Windsor, NC since my folks likes Maryland a little too much. Sinulog to us a way to hangout and be together again just like when we were only in our single digit ages. It actually is a Santo-Niño Festival which is celebrated on the 3rd Sunday of January.

"Speaking of the new year how are you exactly going to execute this bet of yours?" Yna acknowledges stuffing her face with my cheesecake. She loves to eat off my plate and I don't mind since Yna hungry can be scary.

"Well according to the rules, I can't like a girl like I am used to and I gotta start hitting up the guys in my life," I spin around on the swivel chair. "And besides I was given a list of boys in the courtesy of my school friends. Basically, I'm going to hit up a guy like I would with a girl. Not reject him and maintain a decent relationship with him."

"Well then how about I place my bets. You can't last 3 months I shall place $20 in this." Yna then reveals a fresh and crispy 20 dollar bill for me to see. She taunts me by waving it in front of my face. I shake my head knowing she will just snatch it away if I try to grab the paper money.

"Anyone else?" A few mumbles here and there can be heard.

"AJ is unpredictable I'm going to go with $25 that she will last 4 months while Michelle is betting she will last 5 with the same amount." Bryce adds.

"Ooh I want join in this! Every girl that you look at for over 7 seconds above the level of desire you have to place a dime if not 10 cents in a jar. Place a nickel if not 5 cents for every girl that flirts with you. You have integrity since you're in that program. That way I can have some pocket money to give Salvation Army. You know the fake Santa at Walmart that rings that bell. I'll just give him the jars full of coins," Shawn declares with a smirk. "I'm coming over your place on your birthday if not the Christmas Party." My birthday is 6 days before Christmas and I tend to be proud of it since sometimes people give me two presents.

"Alright deal to each one of them. I'm kinda offended that no one bet on 7-12 months." Am I really going to lose this bet by the first semester of the year?