When the Stars Align (Anthony Rizzo)

40| A Very Merry New Years

Anthony

New Years comes around and I decide to throw a little party. I had some friends still around Chicago and so did Kelsey so we decide to host a party in the apartment. Just a little something to ring in the new year and kick the year off right.

So I buy tons of champagne as Kelsey makes the snacks. She loved to cater things and if she wasn't so into space I feel like she would be a caterer. Doing stuff like this came naturally her, she was a planner and a helper and she's been doing great with her promotion too. I'm so happy that I get to have her around to do and create some amazing things. She decorated the apartment to look nice and festive and made some snacks to keep our guests happy. It wasn't a big party, nothing too crazy and I wasn't expecting it to go all night long. I just wanted to ring in the new year in this life we built together and I can't wait. Eventually people file in and we play music to fill the gaps in the conversations. By 10 the party was bumping and I was having a good ass time.

"Where's your girlfriend" my buddy Richard asks me and I squint my eyes. I look around the room for my sexy girlfriend in her little red dress but I don't see her long legs walking around anywhere. I tried to keep her by me for most of the night but she went to the bathroom and hadn't come back for about 10 minutes now. I wasn't worried about her, she's home so she couldn't have gone far. But I was starting to miss her and I didn't want to miss our New Years kiss.

"I don't know. Have you seen her around" I wonder trying to look past the alcohol. It's kinda hard to miss her, she always stuck out in a crowd. But I can't see to find her.

"No. That's why I asked" he chuckles.

I excuse myself from my group and look around for my girlfriend. I don't find her anywhere and after asking around for a while someone points me outside to the patio. It was December so I decide to find a coat and check out what she was doing out there.

So I step outside and I find Kelsey leaning against the railing with her coat on. Her eyes were fixated on the sky as she had a small smile set on her face. I don't think I've ever seen her not happy, not even for a moment. She was so positive and optimistic it's a wonder how she was genuinely happy given her situation. But she's smart, she's powerful and she's doing exactly what she wanted.

She had on a sexy outfit but it was covered since she had to her keep her on over it. Her long black hair whipped around as she just zoned out into the blackness in the sky. I join her next to the telescope as she leans over to look through it. I'm pretty sure she's memorized each star and where it's at, yet she never gets tired of it. Once she realizes I'm out there she stops looking at the sky and smiles at me.

"Are you hiding from all those people in there" I ask and she giggles.

"No" she shakes her head. "Just wanted some fresh air. A little bit of space to clear my mind" she insists.

"It's like 15 degrees out here. This air hurts if you breathe it too much" I insist.

"It doesn't bother me any. Helps me sober up a little and plus it's a clear night. This is the kind of company I'm used to, just the sky. I'm not good surrounded by too many people, that's not my scene" she starts.

"But when you're surrounded by stars" I say and she smiles.

"I feel right at home" she admits.

"Well I can't kick everyone out so we can be alone but I can hang out on the porch here for a little while before we have to eventually go back in" I admit.

"You don't have to hang with me. I can hold my own" she assures me.

"I know you can. But I didn't throw this party for them, I did it for you so I'm going to be with you" I insist.

"Me? Why did you do this for me" she questions.

"Because this year has been a lot of things. It's been long and it's been worth it and it's been eye opening. And a lot of those things that's made this year what it has been are inside that apartment right now ready to celebrate. But my whole world is out here with me, and it's you. And I know this kind of stuff isn't your scene. You don't get sloppy drunk and you like to have a few people who care than a bunch of people that don't. But that party is to celebrate what we've created in this big town where many people get caught up in. Where people have trouble being original because it's so easy to be just like everyone else. But we built a beautiful life inside those doors and I wanted to show you that. I wanted to show you just how incredible this first year has been to us. Those people love that you are here with us and a big part of their lives. They tell me every time I see them how lucky I am to have you under my arm and they're so right. In fact Richard told me to come find you because he loved to listen to your little fun facts or cool stories from growing up. You and I are just great separate, but together we're unlike anyone you've ever known" I explain.

"That's nice and all, the party is great and I'm so thankful for this life we built together, but you're all I care about" she assures me.

I smile as I pull her into a hug. She wraps her arms around me as we both warm up a little. I kiss her forehead as she buried her face in my chest.

"I love you baby" I remind her.

"To the moon and back" she promises.

Eventually we head back inside to do the countdown. Once the clock strikes midnight I grab Kelsey and give her a big kiss. As I dip her backwards all the cheers die out as I focus on the one thing in my life that matters most. And that's her.