circles // laucy

new years

The entire house is filled with chatter and music but all Lauren's paying attention to is Lucy's voice as she tells a story of a past New Year's where her and her brother ran around the blocks with their suitcases and her brother stole hers. As if the Colombian New Years customs didn't sound silly before. She's actually enjoying it though. All the stuff people have to pay attention to here makes it seem like an even bigger deal than it's made out to be in America.

When they went shopping this week, all the supermarkets were filled to the notch with grapes from all different kinds of brands while all the clothing shops held sales on yellow and red underwear.

The grapes, okay she'll participate in that out of respect and because she likes grapes but the underwear is too much for her. Alas she's wearing a regular pair of her own panties as she sits on the couch next to Lucy surrounded by the girl's younger cousins, each holding their own cup of grapes, exchanging stories and cracking jokes.

Before either girls know it Carlos announces that the countdowns about to start and the TV's volume is turned up. Lucy bursts out laughing as she watches Lauren panic and reach for her cup of grapes.

Right after the clock's strikes midnight Lauren's mouth is stuffed with grapes, her head filled with wishes and Lucy's lips on her cheek, if only for a second. The next thing she knows she's hugging and kissing people and bottles of champagne are popping.

When they finish watching the kid's run around with their suitcases and the biggest part of the fireworks is over Lucy takes Lauren's hand and drags her inside and upstairs, into her room.

"Wanna go to a party?"

"Last time I checked I'm at one."

"I mean a party with significantly less old people whose last name is Vives and more young, fun people."

Lauren cracks up that before responding, "Sure, why not."

"Sweet, I'll pick you up at 1."

"You mean pick me up from the room right across the hall."

"Yeah, that one. Now I gotta get out of this cheap yellow underwear."

As Lucy playfully pushes her out the door Lauren feels like she's 16 and drunk on cheap wine instead of 20 and drunk on expensive champagne.

Apparently the party is a house party hosted by a friend of Lucy's cousin and it's a 30 minutes walk, which, okay, Lucy could've told her before she fished her high heels out of her suitcase but it's sort of made up for by Lucy's hand in hers as they walk, a playful sway in both their steps, while they wish every person they pass a happy new year.

When they get there Lucy introduces Lauren to some people and they also meet a lot of new people, overall the vibe is cool but everyone is extremely shitfaced and Lauren really wants to catch up.

Lucy seems to be reading her mind and she's pulled through the crowd until they're at the booze table. The older girl fills two solo cups to the brim with wine and hands on to Lauren.

"Cheers.", Lucy grins at her.

"Cheers."

Lauren's barely taken her first sip, or chug whatever, when the song that was previously playing transitions in a trumpet tune she knows all too well.

"Oh my god, Lo! You gotta do the routine!"

Okay, Lucy's definitely drunk.

"Not before I down this." Lauren declares before doing exactly that and reluctantly letting Lucy lead her into the crowd where a few people are starting to notice who she is, which honestly never stops being weird.