Charlie walked home, Linus trotting a little behind him. They took the path along the brick wall. Charlie stopped where the houses opened up and the sidewalk gave way to the frozen pond. He leaned his elbows against the little low wall and Linus did the same and the two of them were there against the wall as though against a bank counter. Only the snow was still falling.

"What if no one likes me?"

But Linus didn't reply immediately. They both looked out over the wall and let the question simmer in the silence and the snow.

Linus finally said, "what brings that question to mind, Charlie Brown?"

"It's always on my mind."

"But why now in particular?"

"It's always best to face one's problems in the present."

Linus thought about that for a moment.

"Sartre would say you're being inauthentic."

Charlie sighed and stood up and continued walking and Linus followed with his hands in his pockets and his head in the air.

The winter was getting fiercer now and tufts of sharp, dry snow flew from the roofs in billows. The sky was flickering, now cold as steel, now grey and sickly. It was the sky that would go all of a sudden from hard blue to pure twilight. The two hurried home off in to the distance, which was fading quickly. For a long time there was only the wind, and for sight there was only the shattered light bouncing off the snowflakes, too small and furious to see directly. It was full of noise but empty otherwise and it would have been lonely if anyone had been there. Soon the light vanished and it was just a snowy evening.

At Schroeder's house. Lucy was over; Schroeder's mom had let her in again against his complaints. On the other side of the window a furious New Year's Eve storm was swirling. Upstairs in Schroeder's room. Lucy could see the storm from the single window, odd bits of white spinning in the darkness. She shivered and closed the curtains and turned and sat on the ground, leaning against Schroeder's piano. Schroeder did not look up from the other side of the piano. The music was big and warm and blocked out the storm. Lucy crossed her legs and folded her hands and rested her head against the instrument, settling in. It stayed like this for a while and Schroeder almost forgot she was there.

"Schroeder, do you ever feel guilty?"

Schroeder kept playing. It was easier to face the music than the girl behind the piano. Glancing up occasionally, he could see her dark hair above the strings. He kept playing.

"Schroeder."

No. He didn't want to talk. The music made sense, and he didn't want to let that logic go.

"Schroeder!"

Why wouldn't she stop bothering him?

What do you want from me.

Lucy was silent for a long time, and when Schroeder finished his piece there was silence except he realized Lucy was crying. Very softly, but he knew she was crying. Schroeder walked over to the other side and sat beside her, a slight distance apart, not quite trusting her.

Still tears. This had not happened before.

"I was so mean to him."

Schroeder said nothing.

"What if he hates me now? Today is New Year's Eve."

Schroeder said nothing.

It was like that for a while, just the two of them and the storm outside. When she stopped crying she stopped very suddenly, as if waking up, and she wiped her eyes furiously like she was reprimanding herself.

"He deserves it, that Charlie Brown", she sniffed.

Schroeder did not say anything, but very gently pulled Lucy's hand away from her eyes and held it for a while as the old year ticked away.

"Do you think she meant it, Peppermint Patty?"

"I don't know. Girls never say what they mean. Listen, Chuck, I've got to go."

"Already?"

"This line is already getting too expensive."

"This telephone line?"

"Sure."

"…

But Patty, do you like me?"

"Sure, Chuck. Of course I like you."

"What does that mean?"
"It means that I'm glad you exist."

"…

I thought liking someone meant holding their hand on New Year's Eve."

"It also means calling him on an expensive line on New Year's Day. I've got to go. My dad's calling me. Happy New Year, Chuck!"

"…

Happy New Year."