"Last Evening of 2004" Nearly all of Miss Madsen's first hour Literature and Writing class had been invited to Janine Bautista's house for the last evening of 2004—all, except for Ivory, Yuki, and Alexandra, who had each declined, saying they had other plans, and Miss Madsen herself, of course. But everyone else was there, and even a few others: Usha came courtesy of Blake and Mira, June naturally tagged along with her sister. Janine's parents were out, leaving her more or less in charge of the chaotic mass of young women. Gathering and greeting them was one thing; providing entertainment and refreshment was another. Janine enlisted Olivia and May to help, and soon Zane stumbled into the kitchen, laughing and offering her assistance. Drinks had to be filled and refilled (and marked with names to prevent confusion), so she filled that role. She set about her task humming, and wished that some good Bluegrass music was playing. Olivia limped across the kitchen, ducking the occasional leftover Christmas decoration as she helped prepare and make the food; May dispensed it as it was needed. In terms of house size, Janine's could barely contain the party of twelve, much less any antics they pulled. Even quiet people like Usha and Vicki were getting rowdy as the hours wore on and night finally approached. The few games Janine tried to start to pass the time all ended up becoming wild fiascos, and eventually she just let everybody socialize and grab whatever they liked from the kitchen. "I'm stressed enough as it is," she lamented as she joined her friends on a couch. "I didn't need to add fuel to the fire." "Here, relax." Olivia massaged her head and temples, Blake ran off to get her a lemonade, and Gabrielle, who had been previously "occupied" with Lilian, went to grab her friend a snack. "A hostess as good as you needs a spolin' too," she said. Janine sighed happily. "Thanks, guys. Now...what form of entertainment should I partake in first." "Spin the bottle?" suggested Blake. Janine gave her a weird look. "Oh, don't be such a prude, Jeanie, come on! You need to loosen up, girl!" She growled playfully and rubbed her friend's leg, then slapped it. Janine tried to grab her, but Blake was way faster, and was already running off to rejoin her friends. A few shouts and hollers from the other room told her that everyone else had forgotten their inhibitions and was having a good time. She sighed. "I guess you can't beat them," said Olivia, "so we may as well join them. Hopefully the couples can forgive me if the bottle lands in my area." "Wait, you're really going?" "Of course. Even I, prude that I am, need to let my hair down and loosen my shoulders. Come on, it's not like we're playing truth or dare." "Oh, that's next," said Gabrielle, rubbing Janine's feet. Olivia tackled into her and gave her a playful headlock. "Oh no it's not!" ...... Janet Keys had invited the whole Blair family over to her house for the New Year celebration, but only the father accepted. He dropped quite a bombshell on his daughter Alex by revealing he had been dating Mrs. Keys not long after her "rehabilitation", which of course made Alex reconsider adapting her old moniker again. Christmas had dulled her rage, Corona had quieted it completely, and had it not been for the enjoyable Latino's presence in her life, Alex would've taken up Mrs. Keys' offer to join them. Alisha and Erica had accepted, mostly because the older sister had nothing better to do, and Erica, of course, wanted to be with Jocelyn for the turn of the year. The gang numbered five then—not as impressive as the party at Janine's house, but intimate and sweet all the same. Keys busied herself until about 10:00 with snacks; Alisha hunted down Jocelyn once things calmed down and took her to her room so they could talk. Erica was in the bathroom at the time, so she didn't see them go. "I heard you broke up with my sister," she stated, her arms crossed firmly. Jocelyn's hands fidgeted. "Umm...listen, Alisha, it's not what you think." "Oh? Tell me how it is then." "Look, I love Erica, probably in the same way you do. She's a great friend, and for what it's worth, she was a wonderful girlfriend. She's going to make some woman happy in life, but it can't be me." "Oh? And why not?" "First," she said meekly, "I'm really not into girls." "Is that a fact? So you were just messing with my little sister's mind all that time? You were leading her along, seeing where you could get your kicks, and dumped her when she becomes an inconvenience?" "Would you let me tell it?" she snapped. "Just listen, and don't assume anything. I mean what I say, Alisha. I love Erica, and I always will. She was...like my guardian angel for a long time, especially since I learned I was gonna have a baby. She was there for me when my boyfriend was killed overseas, and helped drag me out of depression. I owe her everything." "So why'd you break her heart?" "Let me finish. Erica and I talked about this. I told her it couldn't work out. Alisha, I'm not gay. Being with Erica was wonderful, but it couldn't work out." "And why not? She not good enough for you? Don't cut it in the sack?" "Will you listen?" she shrieked. "There's nothing wrong with her; I'd just be lying if I kept this relationship up. I can't. I can't be romantically involved with her. It'd be like...like you falling in love with her." "And who says I'm not?" Jocelyn visibly made a face and shook her head. "Don't say that, please." "So what? What if I was in love with her? You obviously don't care." "That's not true!" Jocelyn was crying by this point; she had to wipe her face with her sleeve. Alisha felt pretty good for breaking her like that, making her feel the pain that Erica had went through, making her cry as Erica had cried. She sneered happily—but was quickly turned around by powerful arms and slapped on the cheek fiercely. Erica's eyes burned with fury. "Leave her alone," she threatened softly. "Jocelyn is right. It couldn't work out. I've accepted this, Alisha; why can't you? Do you have to come to my side and defend me every freaking time something happens?! Let me fight my own battles, bitch! Start minding your own business." She apologized to Jocelyn, glared at her sister one more time, and stormed out. Alisha felt the familiar weight of guilt pressing down on her—that same burden she had felt many times before, every time she failed her little sister—and went after her. "Erica, wait! I'm sorry!" Jocelyn was left alone in her room; she collapsed on her bed and continued to weep. Her foster mother came in a few minutes later, having overheard pieces of the spat, and sat down to comfort the young girl. Meanwhile, the siblings had another conflict to overcome, but it was Alisha who was most heartbroken. The woman she loved more than anything had just torn her apart. Happy New Year, stupid, she thought to herself, as she tried opening the bathroom door. Erica had locked herself inside. ...... Ayanna knew her mother was worried by now. She had spent a whole week straight at Hero's house, and looked ready to stay over again for the New Year. Of course, she was welcome, and the Loves got to know her very well in that time, especially Hero's mother, who had liked young Ayanna almost from the start. The two talked about Hero mostly—mom told embarrassing stories, girlfriend shared a few as well—and bonded well whenever they weren't out working. Ayanna's job kept her busy most of the day. She worked as an assistant in a photo lab for eight hours, and figured she had things pretty good compared to some other girls, who were either out flipping burgers (like her cousin), stocking shelves, acting as janitors, or bussing tables. Hero was unemployed at the moment, and wasn't putting much of an effort to change that, even though she was bugged on all sides. Montgomery could not stay focused, not even on New Year's Eve, not even with the whole Love family involved in some silly game to pass the time. She thought about her mother too much, about how she was doing and how she was coping with the loss of her daughter, and whether or not she was ready to take her back. She had sounded pretty fierce on the 24th. Ayanna decided to call her. "Scuse' me," she said as she rose. She had forgotten her cell phone when she left, but the Loves let her use theirs. When she called, as she feared, nobody answered—and the machine was full, presumably from all the messages she had left. Well, her mother had caller ID, so she'd know that her daughter had called. Ayanna gave up for the time being and returned to her surrogate family, and the couch. Feeling a little playful (and amorous), she scooted over and sat in Hero's lap. Hero chuckled and hugged her girlfriend from behind, and refused to let go unless she was screaming to go pee. Just trying to make the best out of a sticky situation. ...... Most of the teachers in Stanton spent New Year's at a club—specifically, a gay women's club. The scene was hot and dark, burning bright at times when the lights flared (or the flares lit up); the DJ was a sexy short-haired woman with a black leather tube top whom Dr. Andrews was currently hitting on. Nearly every teacher was there, wild and unchallenged, dancing either with their current love interest or a new face they had found while meandering. Sarah Johansson watched glumly as Doc Andrews flirted with the DJ, and couldn't help but feel disconsolate. Hadn't they shared many wild and passionate nights together, or were those just all made-up? Hadn't they carried a wonderful romance, or was that all just from Sarah's point of view? Did Dr. Andrews love her, or did she just make others feel that way? Johansson forsook the teetotaler's life that evening and gulped down at least three different alcoholic beverages. She found random strangers and danced with them to fill the void, and got "hastily acquainted" with at least two. Anything to escape that dreadful feeling. Sonia Verela was nearly as pathetic. She had brought no love, while Sarah did, and so had no high plateau to fall from. Rather, she felt low enough already, lovelorn and hopeless, and invisible despite her height. This place was not her style. She was awkward and heavily introverted, and preferred quieter evenings, perhaps lost in some wonderful woman's arms by the crackling fire... Oh, what a fantasy! And like a fantasy, she knew it could not happen. Nobody could ever... "Lonely?" said a familiar British voice. Sonia grinned shyly and waved at Elspeth Post. "Yes. Crowds make me realize just how little social skill I have." "So why'd you come here?" "Foolish hope," she answered. Hope that, despite my reason, somebody would come up, smile, and ask me to dance—or take me in the back room and...! "I came because I didn't have anything else to do," noted Elspeth, holding her drink as she watched her fellow teachers interact with the crowd. Em and Janna, now probably a couple (and lovers, too, from the way they were dancing), were intertwined with each other and looking hypnotized; Abi was off with some cute long-haired woman; Andeira, surprising everybody by coming, was chatting with the bouncer; Hitomi and Abby had hidden themselves from view, probably off to give each other a "tonsil inspection"; that left the two of them by themselves. "And now," added Post dryly, "I still don't have anything to do." Sonia laughed out loud, her merry face brightening even the darkest corners of the mind and face. Elspeth was charmed by it, and perhaps out of desperation, she asked Sonia if she wanted to dance, just for fun. "All right!" said Verela enthusiastically, "Why not? It beats looking like a wallflower, even though I'm as graceful as a drunken nun." "I...don't think that will matter," murmured Post, noticing some of the more...unique way the clientele were going about it. She and Sonia went out on the floor, aiming not for sexuality but for fun, anything to keep their minds off the fact that they were possibly the only single women in that whole place. Well, single and interested. Andeira couldn't tear herself away from the bouncer; the two of them laughed like old friends. And he was clearly not a lesbian. ...... Ivory couldn't remember the last New Year's she spent in some quiet little home, instead of a wild rave—let alone the last time she spent it with the same girlfriend she had known and loved since, it seemed, time immemorial. A year ago, she probably would've been hopping around on a dance floor, stripped to her underwear, screaming wildly, a hot young woman in each of her arms. What an empty, terrible life she had led! How many years had she wasted on that nonsense—in hollow, dark rooms dancing with girls who didn't care who she was, long as she was good where it counted? Playing a quiet game of Monopoly with her girlfriend, her girlfriend's mother, and the older woman's lover might've been a boring idea for a New Year's party, but Ivory had to admit, she had never had more fun. While the rest of Ancelin's family went out bowling, the four women stayed at home, involving themselves in quiet activities, such as the very game they were playing. It had been so long since Ivory did something so simple, especially with people she loved so much! "You having fun?" Ancelin asked during one round. Ivory grinned. "Are you kidding? This is a blast!" "What, Monopoly on New Year's? Wouldn't you rather be partying?" "Not me," she said, sipping her lemonade. "I know better than that now. The real party is here with my chicky!" She grabbed Ancelin by the neck with her elbow and squeezed in a kiss; Ancelin chuckled and tried fighting back. They ended up clasping hands roughly, grinning, and eventually kissing, all in the presence of Madeline Yi and Kiki. If the kids bothered them, they didn't let it show (heck, half the time, they were the ones teasing each other and stealing smooches!). "Not long now," sighed Kiki as she looked at the kitchen clock. Ancelin and Ivory exchanged warm glanced, and leaned in close to rub noses. "Gonna kiss me when the clock strikes twelve?" "Yeah, several times." "Oh." They giggled and shared a pre-midnight smooch, then went back to the game. Ivory didn't even cheat (though she did stage a "prison break" when Ancelin accidentally landed in Jail). Meanwhile, Bernadette Marbel and her wife Joanna Langston were spending the evening alone. Bernie felt like she was being devoured from the inside: the quiet atmosphere forced her to reflect on the brief affair she had with Sonia Verela. It was still impacting her, like a blow to the gut, even as her lover cuddled her head on her stomach. There was no doubt in her mind that the situation would worsen when she returned to work—she and Sonia had avoided each other heavily since the Winter Social, but they couldn't keep it up for long—and worse still, what if Jo found out? Relax, old girl, her mind told her. You and Sonia didn't go far, and you stopped yourself. All you really did was exchange a few kisses. Now granted, they weren't exactly harmless, and your eyes did glitter when she took her shirt off... Oh, stop it, I shouldn't be thinking of such things! There, now. Get it out of your mind. Focus on your wife. You're not going to throw away a lifetime of memories and love for a...fling, are you? Clearly not. Maybe if I helped poor Sonia out, in finding a worthier lover, this would all end well. "Something on your mind?" murmured Joanna. Bernadette smiled. "Oh yes, there's always something on my mind. A matter I'll have to face when school starts again." "Oh. That. Well, do conclude it when the time comes; there's nothing we can do now. Or nothing we should do. It's almost time." Bernadette agreed, held her wife close, and kissed the back of her head. Still, in another house, Nomi and Amina were absently playing video games. The New Year meant little to either one of them, but they figured, why be lonely when the world aged another year? Besides, they were still trying to come to terms with each other—whether they wanted to push their relationship into romance or merely stay friends—and investing time with each other was a good way to find out. Nomi had told Amina she was attracted to her. It sounded unbelievable, but Amina liked the attention. And Nomi, unlike Alisha Fox, wasn't pushy at all; she let Washim go at her own pace. When they were playing together, however—ah, that was a different matter. ...... It was the day after her birthday, and Vai Knox was still amazed. Avelina had apparently made more friends than she let on. She claimed that Vai was still her closest (closest female friend, she said, giving Ethan a smile), so it was little wonder she congregated around her the most instead of everybody else. Kula Nanahara had been asked over; theirs was a relationship that grew out of empathy. Like Kula, Avelina knew what it was like to be uprooted from a home she loved and forced into another one, and so the two shared a common pain, making them good friends. "She's really not a cruel person," Avelina said to Vai. Knox had seen what Kula was capable of (at Homecoming), and was afraid of her a bit. But she seemed all right, and was actually very sweet to Avelina. Apparently the girl's experiences wore away her aggression, and staying friends with her in spite of the battle she had started was a wonderful gesture. Nobody had wanted to be around Kula after she decked Usha, except for dear Avelina, who listened without speaking as Nanahara vented her frustrations. Farrah Kwong and her boyfriend were also there, though they had nearly went with Ivory instead. Farrah decided that "It was time I gave that girl some space, let her wander around without me for awhile. Besides, the way she and Ancelin give each other the eyes kind of makes me sick." She liked Avelina because she was one of the few girls who not only was vehemently straight in the school, but had a boyfriend she loved to prove it. Tristan and Ethan didn't quite hit it off, but they were civil to each other, and to the other's girlfriends. Farrah busied herself with Vai now and then; Kula seemed occupied with Yuki. Ah, Mihoshi Kogure, a strange case and a girl who could not be easily defined. Schizophrenic yet sweet, eccentric but endearing, aggressive and kindhearted, it was difficult to endure her, much less be her friend. Ethan practically had to shove Avelina in her direction, and even now, they still weren't having a good relationship. Mihoshi was really there thanks to Kula, who had taken an odd shine to the Japanese girl. She apparently liked aggressive girls, and had "challenged" Kula to a duel multiple times (the first time she won, but Kula demanded a rematch and reclaimed her "honor"). "So what's the deal with this whole Bushido stuff?" asked the Hawaiian native. "It is not merely stuff, Kula-san," answered Kogure. "To me, and my family, and my ancestry, it is a way of life. Loyalty, piety, honor and servanthood are its key components; it dictates my entire life, and helps me become a better person." "Oh, so really, it ain't much different from a religion." "It could be approached in that fashion. It's more of a secular view than a religion; I'm not quite a Shinto, if that's what you're asking." "So do you have a religion?" Yuki shrugged. "More of a mix. Shinto and Zen Buddhism, mostly. I try to uphold my family's beliefs." "So ya don't think for yourself?" "I do, Kula-san; I have come to agree with what they agree with...for the most part." "So what's missin'?" Mihoshi hung her head, fumbling with her hands. "Kula-san, you are my friend, so I will trust you with this information. My parents are strongly against same-sex relationships. Sort of like Farrah-san," she gestured, "but on a greater level." "Greater than her?" she remarked in disbelief. "Farrah the Intolerant? Farrah the Violently Straight? Farrah the...ah, you get the idea." "Yes, greater still." Kula frowned. "Now why would that be a problem? ...Unless you're..." Mihoshi blushed, which made Kula jump and squeal at her. "Yuki Kogure! Don't tell me ya like women too!" "Not so loud!" she whispered frantically. "What, why not? It ain't like the gay police are here. You shouldn't be so ashamed of who you are when you're around friends. Of course, since I don't have friends..." "But you have myself, Kula-san, and Avi-san." "Okay, two then. But still, you should feel more at ease. So!" she exclaimed merrily. "Any hot chick I know of that'cha like?" Yuki stammered and shied away too much, so Kula just dropped the whole thing. She had to wonder, though, if Yuki would mind kissing her when the clock struck twelve. She certainly didn't have long to wait; it was just past eleven. ...... Kathlyn Parkin knew who she was spending the evening with, and how they were doing it: wrapped neatly in each other's arms, nestled on the couch, heads craned towards the television. She was still reeling from the fantastic sexual escapade she had undergone with Leena—what a night that had been! She was still smiling from the experience, even though, to date, that had been their only time together as lovers. She didn't mind the absence of sex; Leena's gentle touch, her soft breath, her sweet kisses and her adorable smile were more than sufficient. Their relationship was like a big wonderful cake; sex, at that point, was merely the candles. "Kathlyn." "Yes, honey?" Leena giggled. She adored the sweet-talking. "I've been thinking. You know how I said I visited Finland around every spring break?" "Yeah." "Well, I was thinking, maybe I could take you with me this time." "Really?" "Yeah, I'd love that. And I'd love to introduce you to my parents." Leena could feel Kathlyn's concern, so she dispelled it with her endearing smile. "Don't worry, they'll love you. I'll tell them about you soon, let them know who you are and such, and see if they'd mind you coming along. You'd really like them, they're great." "So...they don't mind that you're gay?" "Not really," she said casually. "They were surprised at first, but they came around. I guess they were wondering why their beautiful strong daughter didn't have a boyfriend yet!" She laughed at herself; Kathlyn smiled and kissed her jaw. "So...would they mind if I was...y'know, younger?" "They didn't mind my last lover, and she was twenty years older than me." "Twenty?!" Leena laughed at Kathlyn's shock. "Oh yes, almost as old as they were. Oh, but we were good together. My parents eventually learned to like her. Now, of course, we all hate her guts." "Why?" "She's the one who lied to me," Leena whispered. Her face had sunk, indicating the pain was still great. Kathlyn softened and gave her beloved a gentle hug. "Oh. I'm sorry." "Nothing to be sorry for. I'm much better off with you." Parkin grinned—oh, she loved the way Leena doted on her—and held the older woman tight as the television blared, the clock's hands wound, and the world held its breath. ...... Ana and Rai were right in the middle of making love to each other as the minutes sounded off. They had been apart from each other too long, Rai going to some other state for Christmas and Ana staying home. The older girl had just come back that very day, and only because she had begged her mother so much. Rai still hadn't told her about her relationship with Ana, but for good reason. She had never found reason to "come out of the closet", since she had never felt attracted to other girls, but Ana... It would be one huge bombshell to drop. "Mom, I'm gay, and I'm in love with another girl, and we've been lovers for awhile." Well, maybe it could be a little more subtle than that. It was a matter for the future; at present, the two were sharing a bed in Ana's room, and more specifically, they were sharing each other. Rai was drunk on Ana; she couldn't get enough. The beautiful, slightly ditzy blonde girl was addictive, and she felt she owed it to Ana after the horrible way she had treated her. She wanted to let Ana know just how desperately she loved her, how sorry she was, and how devoted she was becoming. Naturally, Ana was ecstatic. Maybe a little too ecstatic. After all, she had been the one to rip Rai's clothes off, not the other way around. Not that Zanders minded... ...... It was just past eleven-thirty, and Alexandra Blair was growing impatient. She didn't expect to be this lonely this late at night, because Corona had promised to come over and spend the evening with her. She expected Marcos to arrive sometime around nine or ten—the two didn't specify a time—but those hours were gone now and so was much of Alex's patience. Corona had a good twenty-five minute grace period before Alex started getting upset; she wanted to fool herself into thinking somebody could care enough to at least be punctual. Without her father or girlfriend in the house, she was all alone, and miserable. Alone, alone, always alone. Eleven-thirty became eleven-forty. And then turned to eleven forty-five. And then eleven-fifty. Alex must've jumped every time a car drove by. She groaned softly as the clock showed eleven fifty-five. Three minutes later, she became sick with anger. Where was Corona? Had she been stood up? Did she no longer care? Was she going to spend another semester all alone, wallowing in grief? Alex plopped down on her bed and stared at the silent ceiling. The clock in her room turned to eleven fifty-nine. ......... The girls cheered as the empty glass bottle spun around the circle, wondering who it would land on next. Everyone was now in the game, and everyone had been given a chance to pucker up with somebody. Those who had girlfriends in the crowd were having too much fun to care that their significant other was locking lips with somebody else; the point of the whole game was wild, childish fun. And when the bottle stopped, pointing directly at Janine, everyone grinned. May took a deep breath. Well, at least she was going to kiss somebody she had kissed before this time... "Hey, wait!" exclaimed Blake. "Slip her the tongue! Slip her the tongue!" "Yeah, give her a Frenchie!" hollered X Walker. The crowd of girls chanted, much to May's embarrassment. "Slip her the tongue! Slip her the tongue! Slip her the tongue!" "Quiet!" she shouted. "None of you did that!" "Okay, new rule!" exclaimed Blake, holding her hands up. "You now have two options: whoever the bottle ends up pointing to, you can either have a three-way kiss with the girls on both sides, like if it's pointing to Zane on one end and Mira on the other, or you can French kiss the one girl it's pointing to." "Yeah!" The girls seemed to love this rule, even the most prudish, which of course made the two "victims" turn even redder. But whether it was the large, casual social setting, the rising sexual electricity in the room, or her own startling lack of inhibition, Janine found herself smiling and quite willing to go along with it. "You want me to?" she egged them. The girls cheered wildly; she stood up and garnered their attention more. "You want me to?? Sure, why not?" She gave May a defeated smile, for which the other returned shyly, and held her in her hands. "We gotta see it now, Jeanie!" shouted Gabrielle. "We wanna see them tongues rassle!" "Pipe down, you crazy leprechaun; you're next." The girls hooted and howled; Gabrielle chuckled nervously and fanned herself. She was hoping to have a chance with Lilian first... Suddenly, May found herself grasped fiercely, and instinctively opened her mouth to extend her tongue out for Janine to touch. When the two met and became entwined for all to see...wow! ...WOW! It was like every single Independence Day celebration she had ever seen, right in the pit of her soul. May lost herself and returned the kiss passionately, sometimes closing her mouth over Janine's lips to touch her inner mouth, sometimes opening to visibly show everyone their tongues were, in fact, embracing. They stopped after what seemed like a quarter hour, their faces red, their hearts thundering, and their mouths curved in smiles. Janine kissed May's cheek "for good measure", and left with a smile to return to her set. June and Mira, who were sitting next to May, congratulated the jittery girl on a good show. "Oh!" exclaimed Lilian suddenly, "It's time! It's almost midnight!" "Pair up!" said Gabrielle, "And turn the TV on!" The girls did, most of them finding somebody to be with as the clock turned twelve. Janine, her face still flushed with color, happily skipped over to May and took her hands. "Uh, you mind?" "I guess not," she wheezed. Blake noticed that Olivia was lonely, and Zane and X were distanced from each other, so she excused herself and joined her friend; Mira and Usha were later claimed by the two lonely jocks, who stated that they were still in the ruins of their own relationship to consider each other good company. Mira didn't really seem to mind, seeing as how it was only for a few seconds; Usha was a little more nervous. "Don't worry!" Zane assured her. "I'll have you back with Blake in one piece! Besides, I heard you have a thing for soccer girls." "Uh, yes..." "Quiet!" shouted Vicki. "They're starting the countdown!" And in unison, the twelve girls at Janine's house called out the numbers. "TEN!!" ...... "Erica! Could we at least talk?" Finally, her little sister opened the door, looking angry, shy, and hurt all at once. Alisha came inside, sighed, and leaned against the wall. "Why do you always do this?" squeaked her little sister. "Do what?" "Hurt me." Silence. "You know I don't mean it, Ricky. You know I love you. I just..." "I don't want you defending me, especially from my friends. I'm not weak, Alisha; I can take care of myself. Why can't you understand that? I wish you could just learn to butt out." "...I don't want you hurt," she whispered. "I know I act like an asshole, but you're the most important person in my life. Come on, let's not fight. It's New Year's. Come on, let's be friends." "You always say that," she sighed, "and you always end up hurting me again. I can't do this anymore, Alisha." "Well, I'm your sister, so there's no getting rid of me." Erica frowned and crossed her arms. She looked up after a few more lapses. "I overheard more of that conversation than you think. Alisha...tell me the truth. Are you in love with me?" "What if I am?" "Just tell me." Alisha closed her eyes. So, Erica suspected. Okay, it took a bit of eavesdropping to find out, but at least she had something figured out. "...Yes. I'm in love with you. You're actually the first person I fell in love with. The catalyst of my homosexuality." Erica quietly shook her head. "Alisha...that's just not right." "I don't care. You wanted to know how I feel, so don't get mad at me." "If you love me, why don't you ever show it? And not in this...defensive, sisterly, ‘I gotta protect her no matter what' state you're always in. Why don't you ever...love me? I mean...god, Alisha, you can't do this. You can't. I mean...I'm your sister!! You're really in love with me?" "With all my heart," she whispered. Erica sighed sadly. "So you're jealous. When I had Jocelyn and you didn't have anybody, you were jealous." "No, I was happy," she stated. "I love you enough to be happy for you when you found the girl who was clearly right for you. And I was hoping you two could live together forever. But obviously, that didn't work out, so I...got mad. At Joss. For breaking up with, in my opinion, the most wonderful girl in the world." "Alisha, don't." "It's just the way I feel," she whispered huskily. "Look, I know I get defensive, but it's the only way I know how to express my love. And I know I pick on you, but it's the same deal. I always do say you look really cute when you're mad." "Well I don't have to be mad to be cute, stupid." "I know, it's just...I dunno, I guess it is kind of a juvenile way to show you I care. Like if I stuck a worm in your lunch or put a whoopee cushion on your chair." "Which, if I recall, you have done," she stated sharply. Alisha smiled weakly. "Yeah, those were great." "No, they were horrible. A nice card would've sufficed." "You know me," she whispered softly. "That mushy stuff isn't my style. Look. If you honestly want me to go down that path, I will. Erica, you know I'd do anything for you, even change who I am." "Don't do that," she groaned quietly. Erica stood up and hugged her sister numbly. "Just...be a little more kind to me. And to Jocelyn, okay?" "All right, I'm sorry." She kissed her cheek. "Apology accepted." Alisha smiled. "Erica? Can I...kiss you on the lips?" Erica's ears burned. "You've never asked my permission before." "I mean a...kiss. Not the sisterly things we do whenever we fight and make up; I mean a real one." Erica let her sister go, leaned back, smiled, touched the older girl's mouth, and playfully squeaked, "No." "Damn it," laughed Alisha, "you're so cruel." Erica smiled sweetly and gave her sibling a friendly peck on the mouth. "Well, now you know how I feel. C'mon, we should go talk to Jocelyn. I want your apology to be sincere this time, Leesha." "It will, it will." They found Jocelyn in her foster mother's arms, and Alisha humbly apologized. Never one to hold grudges, Jocelyn saw how sincere the older girl was and forgave her. The whole family, extended and adopted, then congregated in the living room to watch the last seconds of 2004 dwindle down. Alisha, Erica, and even Jocelyn all grouped together and embraced, as they counted down with the clock. "NINE!!" ...... Hero and Ayanna smiled at each other warmly, and in spite of the troubles before them and the troubles behind them, their love was allowed to triumph for that one moment as they embraced, shared deep kisses, and called out the last moments of their old year. "EIGHT!!" As one, the teachers in that wild bar—Andrews, Cerio, Johansson, Keeping, Madsen, McGowen, Post, Raulson, Torvald, and Verela—along with a few of the clubbers, huddled together and let their voices be heard. "SEVEN!!" "Boardwalk!" shouted Ivory victoriously. She stood up and screamed, "Henshin a go-go, baby!" and bought the property; Ancelin and her mother laughed; Kiki noticed how much time had gone by. "Oh my. We should stop. It's almost time." "You're right." Her lover smiled and embraced her, and the two were quickly joined by the kids, making one big bear hug. They all sang together as one year ended and the other began. "SIX!!" "Joanna? I have...something I need to tell you." "Can it wait just a few seconds?" she asked. Marbel smiled and noted that it was almost January the first. "All right." She squeezed the woman she loved, and together they whispered their year away. "Five." Nomi paused her game and changed the channel—not because she was losing, but because December 31st was on its last legs. She and Amina grinned, clasped hands, and spoke in unison. "Four!" Avelina and Ethan were kissing, Farrah and Tristan were kissing, even Kula and Yuki were kissing (just for the new year, it seemed). Vai sighed glumly to herself and felt lonelier than ever. Holidays always did bring out the worst in her. They effectively reminded her just how lonely she was. Noticing their friend, Ethan and Avi looked at each other, smiled, and suddenly took Vai in their arms, each of them planting a kiss on her cheeks as the New Year crept up on them. She grinned wildly and squealed out in honor of the lost year. "Three!" "Two," whispered Leena and Kathlyn, staring deep into each other's eyes. "ONE!!" shouted Ana, glomping Rai ferociously. Rai almost choked. "Gahh!!" Gabrielle O'Shannon, embracing Lilian Nachtheim, piped her voice up in the midst of the wonderful chaos, and began to sing in her lovely Irish voice. Soon, it seemed, the voices of all the girls in Stanton joined her in welcoming in the year 2005. Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot and days of auld lang syne? And days of auld lang syne, my dear, and days of auld lang syne We'll drink a cup of kindness yet for days of auld lang syne Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot and days of auld lang syne? And days of auld lang syne, my dear, and days of auld lang syne We'll drink a cup of kindness yet for days of auld lang syne ...... Alexandra Blair, alone in her dark, empty room, blew into her noisemaker, creating a lame-sounding toot as midnight came and went. "Happy fucking New Year."
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