Riley looked around her apartment. Her parents and Auggie were at Shawn and Katie's place, ringing in the New Year with maybe two bottles of champagne and a quiet evening watching the ball drop on the tv. By contrast, she was standing in the middle of a wild mess. Several bottles of champagne had definitely already been opened and finished, and various other empty bottles- beer, cider, vodka- were scattered around the floor, mixed in with- and sometimes even covered by- the glitter and confetti that Maya had been throwing around for hours before the party even began.
Speaking of Maya… Riley glanced around wildly, trying to find her best friend. When she did, she just rolled her eyes in exasperation. Maya was making out with a red-headed girl in the living room window seat. Typical.
She glanced around, looking for the rest of their group, and found it harder than she'd expected to pick them out. Most of the Abigail Adams juniors had attended her party. Riley didn't really know when she'd become popular enough to throw a party that people attended. Probably somewhere between actually getting good at cheerleading and girls soccer. But nonetheless, people had actually attended her party, and were drinking underage (which her parents had said was fine, actually- "Rather here than at a liquor store" her father had warned). This meant that there'd be a huge cleanup job for them in the morning, and half of them were nowhere to be found.
Eventually, she managed to pick Zay and Lucas out of the crowd, playing beer pong on her kitchen table, which had been moved to near the door.
Still no Farkle and Isadora.
She made her way upstairs, slowly, weaving between her many guests, most of which tried to grab her shoulders and pull her into the dancing, or the beer pong, or push a drink into her hands.
By the time she got to her room, she was rather frazzled, but she unlocked the door and pushed it open anyway.
That was where she found Isadora, curled up at the bay window, reading. Parties weren't always her scene, and so Riley had given her a key in the hopes that she'd have somewhere quiet to go, should she not enjoy the party.
"Hey," she called softly, and Isadora looked up.
"You seen Farkle anywhere?" Riley asked, and Isadora shook her head in response.
"Not since I came up here."
"Thanks. I'm just rounding everyone up- it's about five minutes to midnight."
"I'll be out soon," Isadora told her, putting her bookmark in and smoothing down her skirt, "Let me know if you find him."
Riley smiled softly and left to continue her search, closing the door behind her.
She made her way through the rest of the rooms, and when she didn't find Farkle in any of them, she checked the fire escape. Just like the Bay Window was her and Maya's space, the fire escape had become hers and Farkle's. It had happened in sophomore year when they were going through breakups at the same time- her with Lucas and him with Isadora. They'd found solace in each other's company a lot in that time when she'd crawl out her window to take pictures of New York at all hours of the day and night, and he would come past her house, looking for company when his was so quiet.
That was where she found him, nearly at the top, overlooking a part of Greenwich Village. He smiled at her as she climbed up, cursing her choice of outfit, a short white dress, and heels that she'd kicked off as soon as she realized where she was going. The metal was cold and almost painful against her bare feet, but she persevered anyway.
"Hey, you," she said as he held out a hand to help her up the last couple of steps.
"Hey, you," he was softer and looked sad.
"What are you doing up here? It's-" she checked her watch, "-like, two minutes to midnight."
"Didn't want to ruin another New Year's," he muttered softly, and she frowned.
"You don't-" she started, but he cut in.
"I messed up in eighth grade when I told everyone about your feelings for Lucas. Then again in freshman year when I broke up with Smackle- at midnight, on New Years- who does that? And then last year when I got so fucking drunk that I got sick at midnight and couldn't help the next day. I did the calculations- it's easiest to remove myself from the equation."
"Farkle, you don't ruin things. You don't." She emphasized when he scoffed softly, "And even if you did- we would still want you there to celebrate with us- of course we would. You're our friend, and we want to begin every year with you. No matter what."
The countdown started to float up from her window, and she smiled again, taking his hand and squeezing it between both of her own.
"I want to ring in the New Year with you, Farkle."
She watched him closely, could just make out his eyes flickering down to her lips as the last dregs of the countdown floated out her apartment.
"Be my midnight kiss?" He rushed out, even as the shouts of " HAPPY NEW YEAR! " echoed around them.
She forewent answering by pressing her lips to his.
There's glitter on the floor after the party.
Girls carrying their shoes down in the lobby.
Candle wax and polaroids on the hardwood floor.
You and me from the night before.
I want your midnights.
But I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day.