A/N: So if you cant tell, I saw the movie New Year's Eve this month, so this idea comes partly from there and partly from my inner romantic who believes in fate. Just something to pass the time and help me relax during my crunch time at school so enjoy.
"Three, two, one… Happy New Year!" And a horn was blown in my face.
I sat up in my bed. "Alice, I don't know if anyone told you this in the 22 years you've been alive, but you celebrate New Years at midnight, not noon."
She rolled her eyes at me like I was an idiot. "And I don't know if anyone told you, but you're not supposed to be in bed until noon! It has been a week, you need to move on. Besides, clearly Jacob was not that good of a guy if he just up and leaves you like that… On Christmas." I flinched and she shrugged. "Sorry." She wasn't. "Get up!"
"Leave me alone, you psychopath." I grumbled, getting up out of bed. My roommate was insane.
Alice started working on a huge breakfast while I showered. I scrubbed my body down and vowed not to think… Not to think about Jake. Damn it, I said not. I shivered under the hot stream.
Although I was absolutely miserable this morning, I took a moment to enjoy Alice's cooking. She was a superb cook and taking advantage of that was one of the perks of living with her.
Then again, it might be the only perk.
"Food trumps men any day, right?" She said softly, smiling from across the table. My annoyed eyes softened. Okay, maybe not the only perk.
Eating with Alice was a pleasant relief. I had human company, which makes me feel like I'm sulking less than I actually am, and yet I don't have to pay attention to anything she says or even talk myself because she is capable of going on and on without blinking, breathing or even noticing if you were still there. Today, she was filling me in on everything that was going on between her, Jasper- the older man she had been exclusively seeing- and his daughter, Maria.
"She is the most adorable thing in the world. She's starting kindergarten in September and Jazz already promised I could take her out school shopping… Well, for clothes that is, he can handle pencils and all that useless crap." Alice went on dreamily as I snickered. "Plaid dresses, bows and pink sparkles, oh I want a little girl!" I listened to her squeal.
"Oh!" I opened my eyes up fast, she was still talking? "Speaking of them…" Who's them? "Emmett's infamous little brother is in town for the week. He flew in this morning."
I groaned. "Alice, no! Please don't tell me you're trying to set me up, again! And with Emmett's brother? How could you?"
Her lower lip jutted out. "But Bell-ah! He's absolutely gorgeous! Close to your age, graduating medical school. You should give him a chance! Oh! I have a picture, here look!" She shoved a crumpled up thing in my face and I swatted her away.
"Get your hand out of my face before I bite it off. Alice, I love you, you are my best friend. But stop trying to set me up, I will date when I am ready. Okay, got it?" I chided her. "Now lets drop it."
"Fine. But you're still meeting him tonight, because guess what we're doing! We are all going to Time Square to watch the ball drop!" I opened my mouth to complain, but she cut me off. "No, you are coming with us if I have to tie you up and get Emmett to carry you there. Don't be such a buzz kill Bella. New Year's Eve is the start of a new beginning!"
"It's crowded there, Alice."
She rolled her eyes. "You're going." And that was the end of the story.
Soon after, Alice went to meet up with Jasper and Maria while I bundled myself up to take a walk. The weather was windy and nippy, but the snowfall from Christmas had melted away, making the sidewalk clear and easy for me to walk on without falling on my ass.
Just as I was starting to feel better about myself and clearing my head, I caught a glimpse of my ex-boyfriend. Of course, I would run into Jake when I was trying to get rid of him. The only thing is, he had a second part to him. A petite little figure with curly hair. A light bulb went off in my head, it was the girl he cheated on me with.
While trying to cover my face at the same time as attempting to subtly catch a glimpse of her face, I ran into someone who was walking in the opposite direction as me. I fell backwards right onto my back, hit my head and frantically looked over to see if they noticed me. Thankfully, they didn't and they kept walking until they were out of sight.
My head was throbbing, so I closed my eyes in pain. A man's voice was throwing out apologies to me and I couldn't help thinking about how wonderful his voice sounded. Soon after, two gloved hands were pulling me to my feet. "Are you okay?" He asked me again.
I rubbed the back of my head while looking at my feet, embarrassed. "I'm fine, you can go."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes please go…" I paused, feeling rude. "Thank you." I mumbled softly. I did glance up in time to see a pair of the brightest green eyes I've ever seen, before he was gone.
I blinked frantically and kept walking.
"Put this on."
"It doesn't matter what shirt I'm wearing Alice… I'm going to be wearing a coat. And a scarf, and hopefully gloves. It is still winter, you know."
She threw the sparkly top at my face. "But what happens if you take that coat off, hmm?"
"I'm not a slut, Alice."
"Or any fun, apparently."
"There's a difference between boring and safe." I pointed out.
She rolled her eyes. "And a fine line, too." Then she turned to Maria, who was sitting on the bed, chewing on a piece of liquorice. "Maria, don't you think Bella should wear the pretty, sparkly shirt?"
Maria nodded with excess enthusiasm. I frowned. "That's no fair Alice! Maria is biased."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Alice said indignantly.
"She's three. She likes you, sparkles and pink. So not fair." I frowned at her, but obliged and tossed off my Harvard sweater. Putting my hands on my hips, I turned to face them both. "Well?"
A low whistle came from the door frame. "You look beautiful, Bella. Alice is a fashion genius." Of course, it was Jasper. Suck up. Alice happily ran over and kissed his cheek.
"At least someone appreciates me. I dressed him too, you know."
I helped Maria put on her coat while snickering. "Well congratulations to you, Jasper. May your balls forever be in Alice's coach bag." Maria yawned and rubbed her eyes, sleeping reaching out for me. I lifted her up and passed her on to Jazz, and she laid her head down onto his shoulder and closed her eyes happily.
"Well, we should go." Alice announced. "If we're going to get Maria off at her grandmother's and make it to Time Square to meet up with Emmett, Rose and Edward before 10, we better leave now."
Even if she was wrong, no one would have bothered to argue with her. Alice is right even when she's wrong.
It was quarter to ten by the time we arrived at Time Square, and it was packed. Thankfully, Rosalie was easy to spot. Just look for the prettiest girl in the crowd, with the shiniest, curliest hair, the longest legs and the most men staring at her. "Happy New Years!" She exclaimed happily, giving each of a kiss. "Emmett and Edward are around here somewhere…"
She grabbed my hand and lead me along and I tried to help her out by looking for Emmett. We found him someways into the crowd, standing by himself and frowning. "Em! Where's Edward?" Rosalie asked as we approached him.
"Your guess is as good as mine… I lost him the minute you went to find the rest of them." He wrapped my in a brotherly Emmett bear hug. "Good to see you out of bed, Bells. I wanted you to meet my brother, but I guess he evaporated into thin air. Or some girls got a hold of him, he's a looker. Not as attractive as me of course." He winked and I nudged him in the side jokingly.
"Missed you too, Em."
Being around my friends made me a lot happier than I had been in a while, joking and laughing together even though we were in the freezing cold. Even though we never found Edward, it was still turning out to be not too bad of a night.
But then it started to get closer to midnight, and the couples were getting "couplely." Jasper was holding Alice close, rubbing his hands up and down her arms to keep her warm and whispering in her ear every so often to make her giggle, and Rosalie and Emmett were flat out making out.
Ten minutes to twelve and I decided to slowly slip away into the crowd without them noticing, so that I could get away from their midnight kisses and then I would find my way back after.
Big mistake. I managed to end up right next to Jacob. And his mystery girl.
Damn, she was pretty. There go my hopes of her being a troll.
We locked eyes awkwardly, and I half waved. "Hi."
He smiled remorsefully. Fudge, I wish this was a dream. "Bella, hey. This is Nessie."
Her smiled dropped and her eyes shot up to my face. Yeah bitch, you know who I am. I became the better person and reached out to shake her hand. "Hi, I'm Jake's recent ex." Yeah, emphasis on the recent.
"I'm his new girlfriend." She shot back. Touché, new girl.
I wanted to leave, because at that moment, the one minute countdown started and Nessie squealed. "Our first New Year's kiss, Jakie." She crooned.
He smiled down at her. "Many more to come, baby." I wanted to cry. I tried to push forward in the crowd but everyone shoved me back, accusing me of only wanting to get closer to the ball dropping and saying I should of gotten there earlier. I was trapped.
Ten seconds… I watched Jake's eyes flicker up to my lost gaze before he smiled down at his new pet. Then, I felt a hand on my shoulder. The man who had been standing next to me, quietly observing turned to look at me, and I was met with the same pair of green eyes from earlier in the day.
"Bella, was it?" He whispered to me.
Six, five…
"Yes." I answered
Four… Three.
"Happy New Year, Bella."
Two, one…
He brushed my hair back and pulled my lips to meet his as everyone around us erupted into cheers and laughter and screaming. The mass of people disappeared around me as I brought my hands up to clutch at his jacket, holding him closer to me as our tongues met.
Absolute magic. Absolute perfection.
He pulled away, leaving a hand in my hair so he could bring my head back towards him, to plant a kiss on my forehead before letting go, and disappearing into the crowd.
I touched my lips, they still tingled.
I didn't even know his name.
After the mass haze of people celebrating calmed down, and bodies started to trickle away, I made my move back to find my group of friends, who were waiting across the street. Alice ran at me and ambushed me first. "Bella, I am so sorry that we scared you away with all our couple stuff. We thought Edward would be here, and it would be less awkward! I'm so sorry, please don't hate me." She was nearly in tears.
I hugged her close to me. "I'm not mad." I said cheerfully.
She eyed me closely. "Your lips are swollen… You totally kissed someone! Oh my god, Bella! Who was it? Was it someone you knew? A handsome stranger! Tell me everything!"
"Alice, shut up. Don't ruin my high." I grinned at her.
She pouted and led me over to where our group plus one were standing. "There's someone I'd like you to finally, officially meet. Bella, this is Edward. Edward, Bella."
Our eyes met for the third time today and he extended a hand out to grab mine, which he brought up to his lips and kissed it. My body was jello. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Bella."
I smiled. "The pleasure is all mine, Edward."
The beginning of a new year.