Disclaimer: You all know what this is supposed to be right? So I don't even have to say it? Fantastic.

"Hey Caity, come here," Nate called from the office of our New York loft.

I set down the tape that I had used to finish wrapping his New Year's present. It was a certificate for one solstice day. A day that was completely free of technology, work, everything, that we would spend together. It wasn't an original idea, Shane had given something similar to Mitchie for Christmas, but mine was a bit different, as it was a New Year's present.

"What's up?" I asked as I walked up behind him.

He pointed to a picture on his laptop screen. "Remember this?"

It was a picture of the two of us at a New Year's Eve party three years ago.

"Yeah, that was when we first met," I said.

"That is a bit of an understatement don't you think?"

"I have no idea what you mean."

"You fell on top of me."

"Lies!"

"Do I need to retell the story? Because, I am most certain you did fall on me."

"Go ahead," I granted him, secretly elated that I got to here the story again.

He looked at me with amusement in his eyes. "Well, it was three years ago. Mitchie had kept our New Year's plans a secret…"

There are a lot of ways to say Happy New Year. And that year was no different. I didn't know exactly what she had planned but I knew that it would be spectacular. She wasn't one to half-ass things.

"Mitchie!" I whined. "When are you gonna be ready to go?"

"Anxious for your New Year's surprise?"

"Yes!"

She laughed. "Well, you will just have to wait a little bit longer."

"Will you at least tell me where we're going?"

She poked her head out of the bathroom. "A club."

"What club?"

"A club."

"What are we doing there?"

"That would ruin the surprise."

"You are the meanest roommate in the world."

"What can I say? I am so awed at my own genius, that I want to keep it a secret until the last possible moment."

Mitchie and I were roommates, for awhile at least. She and Shane had officially become monogamous a few weeks before, and I had a feeling that things would be moving fast in that relationship. They were both "seize the moment" types.

I has allowed her to plan our New Year's activities. It was a momentary lapse in judgement. While I knew that it would be spectacular, I was still anxious about what we were actually doing. It worried me that she is so giddy about this. She must have something mischevious planned. Something that will most definitely end in me being embarrassed or raging mad. I don't know which is worse.

"Are we meeting someone?"

"Maaaybe," she sang.

"That's not an answer."

She rolled her eyes. "Calm down. You will see everything in about 20 minutes."

I sighed, impatient, because any range of awful things could happen to me that night.

…

It was less than an hour into the night and I was already horribly bored. Mitchie and Shane were acting all lovey-dovey and my "surprise" was seriously sucking.

"Mitchie." I said. "An exclusive party at a rooftop club is awesome and all, but, um, well, it sucks. I am really bored. There is nothing to do here."

"The night's not over yet," she replied, snuggling closer to Shane. "I'm sure you will find something, or someone, to do by the end of the night."

"Yeah, right," I muttered to myself.

"Don't doubt me, mister," Mitchie said. "There's a reason I chose this club. I felt that something good would happen to you here."

"Are you drunk?"

She glared at me. "I know where you sleep."

"But you're always asleep before me," I stated matter-of-factly.

"Hmph," she pouted. "Well, then think of your own threat and insert it here, for me to carry out."

"Whatever," I said half-heartedly, turning and walking away. I had a feeling that I had a long, lonely night ahead of me.

…

Another hour later and the party was still sucking.

I was sitting alone at the bar, nursing a drink, and writing depressing song lyrics. God, I was pathetic.

"How is everyone liking the party?" the DJ asked. An eruption of screams followed. "And the music?" More yelling. "Are ya'll ready to bring in the New Year in style?" The loudest chorus of noise came after this question. "Well, I'm glad. I'm Caitlyn and I will by your fabulous DJ for the rest of the night. Now, we've got a little less than an hour before the countdown and I've had a special request from a good friend of mine."

The crowd quieted down, listening.

"Is there a Nate Beale here?" My head snapped up at the sound of my name. I saw the bartender make a gesture to Caitlyn. "Looks like he is here. My friends M and S have asked me to have their friend Nate meet some new friends tonight. It appears that his New Year's Eve is a bit lonely this year. So how about we bring the man up here himself and let him introduce himself?"

I sank down lower. Maybe I can just disappear into my glass. I don't want…whatever Shane and Mitchie have in mind for me. That's not productive at all.

"Come on," Caitlyn pushed. "Don't make us drag you up here."

I tried to blend, however impossible that was. I hoped she would just drop it.

I saw the bartender gesture to the stage. Obviously telling her that I was refusing to answer her requests.

I heard her sigh into the mic. "Well, it looks like our sad little bachelor is choosing to drown his sorrows tonight, instead of face his fears." The crowd groaned and booed. "Now, now," Caitlyn scolded, "Don't let that get the rest of you down. Tonight is New Year's Eve! Let the partying continue."

The crowd cheered, and some hip-hop music starts playing in the background.

I paid my tab and started moving towards the back staircase to leave. I sent a quick text to Mitchie saying that I was going back to the apartment. I glanced in her direction and see her frowning at me but I go anyway.

As I was walking behind the raised sound platform the DJ, Caitlyn, tripped on the stairs and fell into me. I did my best to catch her and stay balanced so we both don't fall.

"What the hell? Are you okay?"

"Just fine," she said, her speaking was slightly slurred. At least someone can be drunk and happy on New Year's Eve. She looked at me intently. "Hey you're the guy who refused to come up on stage earlier."

"Er…yeah," I said, rubbing the back of my neck. "Sorry 'bout that, didn't want to draw attention to myself."

"Bullshit."

"Excuse me."

"That's a lie."

"Um…no, it's not."

"Uh-huh," she said in a tone that suggests that she didn't believe me. "Whatever you say depressed boy."

"Well…nice to meet you."

"Right."

"Happy New Years."

"You too."

I took a few steps past her before I heard an exclamation.

"Ah, bloody hell!"

Then something hit me from behind and I fell to the ground. Hard.

"Do you need help?" I asked, not necessarily nicely.

"Oh, uh, not at all. Just let me…" She tries to lift herself up and fails. "Maybe."

"Just stand up! It's basic human movement. Or are you too blubbering drunk to do that now too?"

"Well, someone's a little bitter aren't they?"

"Just get up!"

She was finally able to stand up. I rise too and turn around to glare at her.

In a total change in character she smiled. Then she spoke with the smooth voice of a DJ, unslurred now. "I'm Caitlyn, by the way."

I smiled too. "Nate," I say, sticking my hand out for her to shake.

"Ergo…you did fall on top of me."

"I think you told the story wrong, but okay," I say, throwing my hands in the air. "Just because it's our anniversary, I'll let you win."

"Ah…thank you," Nate says, leaning in for a kiss.

I quickly peck him on the lips.

"By the way, who took that picture?"

"Well," he says, contemplatively, "I can't say with certainty, but I have a hunch that it was a certain singer-songwriter who just happens to be my sister-in-law."

"What about your bestest friend ever?" Mitchie says, walking in to the room. She must have come in without knocking, typical.

"Oh, just talking about all of your evil plans of the past," I say. "The usual."

She looks at the picture in Nate's hand. "Ah, those evil plans. Although, I think you can both agree that plan worked out for the best."

"True," Nate says with a smile.

"Well, one thing's for sure."

"What's that?" Nate asks.

"It's the one New Year's Eve that I will never forget."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Shane adds, also coming into the room.

"Whatever do you mean?"

Shane and Mitchie just smile at me. I turn to ask Nate. Who is holding a black velvet box.

"Wanna make this one memorable too?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It's a few days late because I fell asleep writing this on the actual New Year's Eve/Really early New Year's Day.

I was planning on writing this anyway, but I figured I might as well enter in for the Winter Indie CR Awards. Shoutout to anyone reading because of that.

Hope everyone is having a great 2011!

Sami