Sarah sat on the sofa at ten to twelve on the thirty-first of December feeling that the coming of the new year had lost it's shine since she was little. She used to feel such anticipation back then, even in her mid teens, but now she was nineteen and it was same old, same old. It never really changed from year to year. Her parents invited people over to the house, there'd be dip and breadsticks and turkey sandwiches, and then when twelve o'clock arrived she'd kiss her dad on the cheek and various other people she didn't usually know would kiss her. And of course, she'd kiss Toby, even though he insisted girls smelled and were horrible.

She sighed, listening to the party from where she sat. She had found a room that was fairly quiet to escape into, but it probably wouldn't stay that way. She had learnt from previous years that she wouldn't want to be somewhere she thought was quiet without a lock on the door, as people had the embarrassing tendency to fall into rooms drunk and making out. It had been particularly scarring last year when it had been her father and Karen, an image she wanted to burn from her memory and kept insisting to herself never happened.

The other thing was, as she was getting older she still had never had a boyfriend around new year, so she had never had a new year's kiss at midnight. It was awkward seeing so many couples, friends of her father and Karen, who were old and gross, making out while she stood there. Just once she wished she had someone to kiss at midnight.

She could hear the people outside her sanctuary start to gather, and figured it must be almost be time. With another sigh she stood and went out into the hallway where her parent's friends were standing around. She made her way through the crowd and found herself a quiet corner out of the way. Toby was asleep on a chair next to her, despite his hyperness earlier that night. She smiled down at him, thinking he would probably wake up with all the noise the adults would make in a short while. He would probably end up being her first kiss that year. She didn't know whether that was more or less depressing than it being her dad like usual.

"Okay, get ready everyone, it's nearly midnight!" She heard someone call. It was hard to tell through all the chatter, but it was probably her dad.

Great, so here she was with the coming of another year, on her own again with nothing but strangers surrounding her. Just the same as last year, she thought. And the year before that, and the year before that…

"What are you going to wish for this year?" Someone close by said.

"What, you don't make wishes at New Year, you make resolutions," someone else replied.

"Same difference," the first person said.

"Hmm, well right now I wish I had another beer," the second guy said, making them both laugh.

Sarah thought about it. Wishing for something for the New Year, it didn't sound like such a bad idea.

The countdown started.

"Ten! Nine!"

She wished she had better plans for next year's New Years Eve.

"Eight! Seven!"

She wished that she could be at some nice party with people she knew rather than people her parents knew.

"Six! Five!"

She wished she had someone to be with…

"Four!"

She wished…

"Three!"

"I wish," she started, mumbling.

"Two!"

"I wish I had someone to kiss at midnight."

"One! Happy New Year!" Everyone cheered.

"Yes, happy new year, Sarah," said a sly voice in her ear. She turned, startled, and found lips pressed against hers.

She was too shocked to react and just stood there, sort of twisted round, staring at the patch of skin she could see belonging to the person whose lips were pressing against hers. Around her the familiar strains of 'Auld Lang Sine' were being sung, and she was aware of people crossing arms and shaking in big groups, but mostly she was aware of the smell of whoever it was kissing her, a dark smell full of mischief, if a smell could be that…

The lips left hers slowly and softly, and she stared dizzily at the man before her. He had wild blond hair, eyes that weren't the same colour, a wide open ruffled shirt and too tight tights... "You…" She trailed, before passing out.

The goblin king caught her smoothly, grinning like the cat who'd got the cream. Wish granted, he thought, his grin turning into more of a smirk. He looked up and met the young eyes of Toby, who had been staring at them for who knows how long. Jareth grinned at him and then raised a finger to his mouth in a shushing motion. Toby continued to stare, so the king ignored him. He lay Sarah on the chair Toby was in as Toby still watched him.

"If anyone asks, she just fell asleep, all right?" Jareth asked the young child. He said it in such a way that brooked no argument. Toby nodded. "Good," The Goblin King said with a smile and patted Toby on the head before disappearing.

When Sarah woke the house was empty with the mess of a party left behind. Streamers, paper cups, paper plates, party poppers and their explosions and other such stuff lying around the place.

"Ah, you're awake finally!" Sarah turned to see Karen with a bin bag in her hand. "You can help clean up then."

Sarah jumped up, remembering what had happened. "Karen, did you see someone here, someone dressed strangely with wild blond hair that you didn't know?" She quickly asked.

Karen, standing up and shoving some confetti into her bin bag, said, "No, why?" She smiled and said, "Oh let me guess, he stole a kiss from you at midnight and now you want to know who he is?"

I know who he is, Sarah thought darkly. And when I get my hands on him…

Toby said, "She was asleep."

They turned to him. "What was that Toby?" Sarah asked.

"He said if anyone asked, you were asleep," Toby said, picking at the debris.

"Who said?" Sarah demanded.

Toby shook his head, adamant that if he said anything else bad things would happen.

"Toby!" Sarah exclaimed, making a move towards him. He ran away, self-preservation instincts kicking in. Sarah ran after him, shouting, "Toby! Get here now!"

"Would you two stop!" Karen said as they looped around her and then made for upstairs. She sighed, giving up, and continued to get as much cleared away as possible before she went to bed.

And far away, in the Undergound, the Goblin King smirked, watching everything from his crystal. How fun humans could be.

Not one of my best works, I'll admit, and it's probably been done before. Well, never mind, this is mine. I'd appreciate any comments, and I'd like you to bear in mind this is supposed to be kind of humorous. Thank you, and have a great new year!