Your 22nd New Years

14 Hours

Your 22nd New Year

I wake up to the sound of a blaring alarm clock that reads 10:00 am. "14 hours" I mumble under my breath. I fumble for my phone on my night stand nudging it off the edge and watching drowsily as it tumbles to the floor with a crash. Crawling out of bed I reach for the unfamiliar iPhone, an unnecessary Christmas present my parents got me. Wishing I had my sturdy, old, beat up flip phone I pick up my fragile new one. The screen displays a message from Sabrina

S: "Happy New Year's Eve! You excited for tonight!?"

Me: "I guess." I reply, In all honesty I will be savoring every last second I have in 2014, every last second before the switch.

S: "What do you mean 'I guess.' YOU'RE MEETING YOUR SOUL MATE TONIGHT!"

Me: "Possibly. Possibly meeting my soul mate"

S: "Jesus, Elliot. You WILL meet them."

Me: "Not everyone has a soul mate, Sabrina,"

S: "Be optimistic. This is supposed to be fun!"

Me: "Then why am I stressed?"

S: "Because you're a loser."

Me: "Thanks, always encouraging to hear you say that."

S: "Anytime. See you at lunch. Don't be late!"

Me: "No promises."

I walk downstairs, and like every morning, pour some cereal into a bowl. I open the fridge and seize the milk, just enough for one bowl. I quickly slurp my cereal then head to the couch. Trying to pretend that it's just a regular day I grab my laptop and open up Netflix. I watch a crappy chick flick about a loser guy who shapes up to be with the girl next door.

After finishing that generic train wreck of a movie I pull out my phone which reads 12:22 I remember I have errands to do, and I'm still in my pajamas. I walk upstairs shimmy into black jeans and a grey shirt, and my favorite flannel. I walk into the mudroom and slip into my Doc Martens, and a black trench coat. I grab my keys and duck out into the cold air.

First stop, Gabriel's Café for some coffee. I make a quick stop at the bank then bought some groceries and embarked on yet another cold walk to the car. I turn the car on and its 1:47 pm, seventeen minutes late for my lunch date. Driving faster than I should to get to Voss, my favorite Italian restaurant. I anticipate the often awarded 'you're late' as I pull in at 1:54, thanking the fact I live in a small town. I shuffle into the restaurant and the maitre'd greets me with a smile and I ask "Elliot, party of 3?"

"Right this way." She says with a smile and gestures to follow her.

She leads me to a booth in the corner of the restaurant. Where Nora and Sabrina sit deep in conversation, most likely talking about tonight. "Hey." I say while sitting down.

"Fashionably late, as always." Sabrina says with a smirk.

"I don't think 25 minutes is fashionably late, that's just late." Interjected Nora

"You knew what you were getting into when you became friends with me."

"Biggest regret off my life!" says Nora laughing.

I am immediately immersed into their conversation of tonight. How fun the party is going to be, how excited they are, how nervous they are, what they think their soul mate will be like. I contribute very little.

"Elliot, this has to be the longest you've ever been quiet. What's up?" Nora asks mockingly

"Ell doesn't think he's going to have a soul mate" Sabrina says smirking