Ring by Spring| ✓

six.

I SHOULD'VE RETHOUGHT THIS.

It's New Year's Eve, and I don't have a date. I'm frankly aware that I am a little boy crazy and that can be a good thing. Right? At least I hope being boy crazy can be a good thing because crazy goes with practically everything;  especially an asylum made for people who are not all the way there in the brain.

Okay, I can tone it down a bit.

"Annie! I'm glad you came to the party!" Della's hand latched around my forearm as she squealed with excitement.

Della Francis had been hosting New Year's Eve parties since our shared freshman year; everyone was always invited. And no one was ever excluded even if she might not have liked you. Della wanted drama and throwing a party to celebrate the new year made it easy for her to know the latest gossip firsthand. I took in her appearance her Princess Yue colored hair styled in waves, and her skin seemed too tan for the winter.

I placed one of my hands directly over her mouth and shook my head at her. "No. D, I know what you are about to say. Do not even think about saying it. Okay?"

"Come on, Annie! You didn't even get to meet the guy Emerald tried to set you up with a couple of weeks ago."

"Yes, I did! He was the worst possible match anyone could ever think of for me to consider dating."

"Ouch, Annie." Emerald appeared with a look of mock hurt plastered on her face.

"Well, I've got the perfect match for you; better than that other guy Emerald picked out for you." Della winked toward Grayson who was slurping on his fourth cup of punch. 

Della hooked her long arms through my own along with Emerald's tiny arms and weaved us through the crowded reserved restaurant. Della's father owned the venue.

Therefore, Della could use it for entertainment purposes anytime she wanted. The abnormally tall girl led us towards a table that sat a few people. A couple of feet before we arrive at the table, she stops walking. Della exhales a shaky breath which causes her bangs to fly up briskly and flop back down. Emerald narrows her eyes at our friend's unusual nervousness.

Oh, I get why she was nervous a few seconds ago.

Emerald's eyes widen, Della sighs and I, Annie Chance, cannot breathe.

Two words. One person with the ability to take my breath away. Charley Washington.

"C-Charley? Della!" I whisper-scream, whipping my head towards her in astonishment.

Della tilts her head toward the left and smiles an unnerving smile at me. It's one of the smiles your friend gives you before they push you into a super cute guy.

The three of us were now standing in front of the table infested with the leading student government members: Cole, Margaret, Henry, Aishwarya, and Charley.

"Hello, classmates." Everyone believes Margaret is programmed to say awkwardly robot like phrases to the rest of us human beings at Duke. For crying out loud, the girl wears a suit every day, except when she goes swimming she probably wears a peplum one piece.

Henry and Cole get up and ask Emerald where Grayson is, and they eventually leave to find him.

"Alright, Charley Washington, you're cute, and my friend Annie is adorable as well. You should kiss her when the clock strikes 12. Bye."

In a blink, Della pushes me into the chair opposite Charley.

Before I realize it, Emerald and Della soon disappear into the crowd. Oh no here comes weird-fact-giver Annie.