New Year's Eve

o n e | f r o s t

December 31, 2014: 10:45 P.M.

Adriana stared up at the ceiling blankly. Today was the last day of December, the last day of 2014. Lying in bed, she couldn't think of anything great she had accomplished except for falling in love, of course.

"What are you still doing in bed?" Her best friend questioned, though her excitement for the New Year still in tact.

Letting a few tears slip, Adriana sat up giving her friend a tired smile.

"I'm not really in the mood, Rachel."

"Come on Adriana! It's New Years! Get up, go out, it's the end of the year!" Rachel jumped onto her bed. "Think about it! You can find the guy of your dreams tonight!"

I've already found him. Adriana thought bitterly.

Sighing, Adriana looked outside to see the snow falling. The last day of the year, she thought sadly. "I'm really not feeling to well. Maybe I'll catch up with you later, okay?"

Groaning in annoyance, Rachel nodded before getting up. As she reached the door, Adriana watched as Rachel turned towards her. "Fine, but I expect to see you there before that clock strikes 12. You're 26, it's time for you to have some fun. I'm sick of seeing you holed up in this apartment all the time. You're becoming a hermit and I'm not liking it. Remember what I said." And with that statement she watched her best friend leave, and she was alone once again.

December 31, 2014: 11:36 P.M.

Adriana resided to her couch in her cupcake pajamas and oversized sweatshirt watching the New Year's ball fall on her T.V. when her doorbell rang.

Frowning she got up, wondering who would possibly be at her door on New Year's Eve.

She opened the door to see the back of a male figure. "I'm sorry, can I help you?" She asked confused.

"No, but I can help you." A familiar voice answered. Adriana felt her heart stop and confusion take over her features as the man turned around. His brown - almost black eyes - staring back at her and his brunette hair tousled over his head; his lips pulled into a heart-stopping smile.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, shocked.

"Well, first, aren't you going to invite me in?"

Adriana's eyes widened and she quickly opened the door wider for his tall frame to enter through.

Taking her hand in his he lead her to the couch and sat her down.

"So." He started, staring at her.

"So? That's all you can say?" She asked, jumping up.

"Adriana, please let me explain." Colton begged.

"You left me, Colton. You promised you would be here for me. You promised." She trailed off in a whisper, letting a new set of tears brim her eyes. Laughing, she continued. "I waited for you. Every day for the past month but you never showed up. It's like you didn't even care."

"I know. I know. I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry. Please just, just let me explain."

Shrugging his hands off of her she walked past him. Adriana couldn't take anymore of the emotional quandary and hastily walked towards her balcony grabbing her coat on her way out. She opened the door letting in the coolness of the night enter her apartment. She sighed, closing her eyes.

"What do you really want Colton?" She asked tiredly knowing fully well that he had followed her out.

"I want you and I want to explain." He answered, turning her to face him.

Staring into his dark eyes she nodded. "I was scared. I was scared of my feelings for you. As cheesy as it sounds you were the missing piece of my heart. With you, I felt complete. You trapped me with that smile of yours that feels like it is only reserved for me. You trapped me with those eyes that make me follow your every command. And your laugh that rings out every time I try to flirt with you. God, you stole my heart and I didn't even know it." He whispered. "And that, that scared me.

You had my heart in the palm of your hand and you could have done anything you wanted with it. You could've crushed it at any given moment and as cowardly as it sounds I ran. I ran away. I was supposed to board a flight to London today but when I boarded that plane, I knew I was wrong. I wasn't happy.

The thing is Adriana; I want to be with you. I don't care if you break my heart into a million pieces because I will still want you. I want to hold you when you cry. I want to cuddle with you before going to bed. I want to experience life with you."

She watched him kneel on one knee before opening a velvet box that hid a ring.

Adriana felt herself gasp and her eyes grow wide.

"Will you marry me?" He asked, hopefully.

"No." She whispered.

"Why?" He asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"Because you'll get bored of me. You'll run away."

"You can always bring me back." He answered cheekily.

"See! You would run away." She confirmed sobbing.

"Jesus Christ Adriana. It is 15 degrees out here, I am on one knee with a ring in the palm of my hand asking you to marry me in what seems to be a pretty damn romantic setup to me and all you're doing is questioning me?"

She glared at him, tears still falling down her face.

"Why do you want to marry me?" She asked.

"Can't I just want to marry you because I want to?" He asked, annoyed.

"Shut up and answer the question." She sniffled.

Sighing he got up and spoke. "Time doesn't stop for anyone, Adriana. I love you, but I don't want to tell you twenty years from now when you're probably already married to some other man with kids of your own. I want to be that man, I want those kids to be my kids and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I'm happy with you Adri and I want to be happy with you forever. So now if you -"

Adriana cut him off as she wrapped her arms around him and whispered a silent yes, letting tears of joy fall onto his suit jacket.

"Didn't you know? You've had my heart the minute you first kissed me." She whispered in his ear.

They stood in each other's embrace in the bitter cold as people began counting down the seconds until the New Year but they couldn't seem to care any less. They didn't care that their feet were numb. They didn't care that there was snow in their hair. They didn't care that people were screaming below them. All they cared about was that they had each other. They were together and that was all that mattered.

"5." She whispered locking her eyes with his.

"4." He brought her in closer.

"3." She closed her eyes.

"2." He placed his forehead against hers.

"1." His frail, cold lips planted on her warm, full ones yet they fit perfectly together.

When they parted he whispered the one phrase she had wanted to hear.

January 1, 2015: 12:00 A.M.

"I love you."