Falling in Time [GxG] IN PROGRESS

1

Winter nights in New York City always made Rosemary Scott feel like she was brushing up against another world.

A winter-white wasteland of windswept streets, groups huddled in long, dark coats, clouds of breath whipped away in a frigid breeze, the moon on an icy clear night reflected eerily in puddles of melted snow like a backwards mirror that unsuspecting pedestrians fell into and disappeared.

When she was alone and walking down a quiet street, Rose would often stand over these pools of water, frozen at the edges, wondering if she wanted her boots to hit solid ground or fall into thin air.

"Damn it's cold," Rhys said, zipping up his coat. He eyed Naomi's that remained unzipped, proudly displaying ripped jeans and a crop top, with her dark braided hair reaching almost to her waist. When she noticed his look, she shrugged.

"You get used to it."

Of course, Naomi was born and bred in the City, while Rhys hailed from the sunny coast of Southern California. The former endured these brutal winters every year, whereas the latter shivered at a high of 65°F. Then there was Rose, from San Francisco, the middle ground, where she got the California summer with a much colder winter.

Rose glanced down at her short black dress, the material so flimsy and thin as to be nonexistent. The cold air bit past straight to her skin. Still, she felt good in the dress, and kept her coat open.

"Are we close?" Rose asked as they trudged down a crowded street in Soho.

Even with temperatures dropping several degrees every minute, the vibrant nightlife of the city cropped up like grass between cracks in the sidewalk, braving the cold commute for an overly heated bar or an underground club packed with other college students like them, scantily dressed beneath large, thick winter coats.

"It should be..." Naomi studied her phone; she was the appointed GPS while out and about. "One block more and to the left."

"Is Bo meeting us there?" Rhys asked, looking carefully at Rose.

Bo Lewis was the quiet, charming baseball star from Peachtree City, Georgia that she had been dating for a little over a year now. Rhys thought he was too much of a jock, but Naomi found him sweet.

Rhys could tell they had been fighting more recently, though fighting might not be the right word. Lately, Bo had been busier with baseball season approaching, and it always put a strain on their relationship.

"Yeah, he had a late practice," Rose said vaguely.

"I think it's down here," Naomi interrupted, shooting Rose an apologetic glance as if she knew it was time for a subject change. She led them down narrow concrete stairs in front of a large apartment complex to a door covered in graffiti. She knocked assertively, and the door opened a moment later. A girl with dyed blue hair, a nose ring, and tattoos winding up her arms and neck slipped into the gap. She would have looked intimidating if she had not looked so stoned.

"Here for the concert?" she asked in a bored drawl.

"Yes," Rhys said smoothly.

"IDs?" Apparently they did not want freshmen hogging all the beer, only to get so drunk and rowdy that the party got shut down.

They showed their IDs, trying not to look too eager; all of them were officially twenty-one, and it felt refreshing to not worry about flashing their fakes. The girl briefly looked them over, then stepped back.

"Come on in."

From inside, Rose could hear the music sending a steady thud through the floor. It smelled like sweat and beer and weed, and she grinned at her friends, stomach tight in anticipation as they neared the back room that was clearly being used as a makeshift dance floor and stage. She could see pitch black with pulsing lights and a thick crowd of people through the doorway.