Chapter Ten: Dropping the Ball

John had no idea how to react to the sudden development that Dave and Karkat were going on a date. It had come out of nowhere on Christmas night, and the event, as far as John knew, probably happened before he saw either of the boys on New Years'. Feferi was throwing another party to ring in the new year, and John was incredibly tempted to ask Dave or Karkat how their date went, but if he knew either of them mildly well, Karkat would just curse him out, and Dave wouldn't quite want to talk about it. At least not with him. There was a good chance he'd talked to Rose—meaning Rose dragged it out of him—but John knew it wouldn't be the best idea to ask. When he walked into Feferi's house, Sollux was slumped on the couch, staring blankly off into space, Feferi sitting next to him, and Rose and Kanaya were practically in each other's laps at the kitchen table. He noticed Vriska at the far end of the couch, and their eyes met for a moment, before John went to the drink table, where Terezi was pouring herself a drink.
"Hey, Terezi," John muttered, picking up a cup. He mulled over the punch ladle for a moment, then wound up pouring himself a glass of root beer.
"Hey John."
"Hey… you're pretty close with Vriska, right?"
"We used to be closer, but… I don't know right now, actually, the friendship's kind of been at odds. Why do you ask?"
John glanced back at Vriska again, who was tapping away on her phone, then let out a sigh. "No reason."
"Listen, she's a hard one to get a hold on," Terezi said, plopping her hand on John's shoulder. "Don't stress yourself out about it."
"Heh. If you say so." John could have found a place to sit next to Vriska, but decided against it. Instead, he found a spot at the table between Jade and Dave, who'd just walked in, and opposite Rose and Kanaya.
"Hey Rose, hi Kanaya!" John said, sliding into the chair. Dave nodded at him.
"Hello, boys," Kanaya said. She turned her attention directly to Dave. "So how exactly is it that you wound up on a date with my cousin a few days ago?"
Dave huffed. "It's a long story, Papaya." Kanaya frowned. "Karkat is a—"
"Karkat is a what, you useless fucking shitweasel?" Karkat said, appearing in the archway.
"Always with the pet names," Dave muttered.
John tuned the conversation out, as it mostly consisted of Dave and Karkat ranting at each other—endless rants was something they had completely in common. Instead, John couldn't help but notice Tavros as he rolled in. Tavros went immediately to Vriska. God, John was getting so tired of the love triangle bullshit, but still a twinge of jealous jolted through him as he listened to the conversation.
"Hey, Vriska," Tavros said.
"Oh, heeeeeeeey, Tavros. What's with that stupid grin? You look like you won the fucking lottery. Which is impossible, 'cause it implies you winning."
"I was just saying hello?"
"Yeah, well… ugh. Whatever."
"Sorry, uh, for bothering you."
"Hey, it's all good. Just got to remind you who's really in charge of the relationship here."
"R-relationship?"
John's face heated up in anger and jealousy as he overheard this conversation. "Please, Tav," Vriska said, "you know you and I have always had something." Vriska's eyes met John's, and John, incredibly flustered, turned away, back to Dave and Jade and Rose.
"John, are you okay?" Jade asked.
"Yeah… yeah, just thinking about my resolution for the New Year," John said, trying to keep his mind occupied.
"New Years' Resolutions are bullshit," Karkat grumbled. Dave leaned over, whispered something in Karkat's ear, and Karkat turned beet red, elbowing Dave in the stomach. "WAIT FOR THE BALL TO DROP AT LEAST, YOU ASSHOLE!" Karkat slumped off and found a place to sit next to Sollux.
"Jesus, what a crab," Dave muttered.
John furrowed his brow. He didn't fully understand anything that was happening with his friends. Dave and Karkat were becoming an item, apparently Rose and Kanaya were becoming an item, and Jade was happy with just herself. So John felt a little left out on the New Years' celebration. He'd wanted a midnight kiss, but the likeliness of that happening seemed slim. He felt very tense just thinking about Vriska.

Karkat's voice jolted John out of his thoughts after a while, the clock nearing midnight.
"You piece of shit! You spiked the goddamn punch!" John shifted in his seat, watching as Karkat threw his glass of punch in Gamzee's face. Gamzee just laughed.
"No wonder Tavros looks worse than usual," Vriska said. Holy shit, Tavros was totally drunk. John snickered a bit, then noticed Vriska's hand on Tavros' knee. His heart was pounding. Having romantic feelings was awful. John watched as Vriska sat on Tavros' lap. He wanted to leave the room and spare himself from having to watch, even if he was rejecting his own feelings, but his anxiety about the situation was leaving him frozen in his seat. Rose and Kanaya were sitting even closer together, if that were even possible as the countdown got closer. Dave was with Karkat. Sollux was with Feferi. And Tavros was with Vriska.
"What're you doin'?" Tavros slurred.
"I was gonna kiss you at midnight, you drunk fool," Vriska hissed. John's ears were attuned to every word.
"Ahah!" Tavros said. From where John was sitting, it looked like Tavros pushed her off. Was… was he rejecting her? Did John's chances suddenly shoot right back up again? Was that something he even wanted anymore? Vriska was standing awkwardly, glancing around the room at the attention Tavros was bringing to them. "I, uh, no. Nnnnno. You don' wanna kiss meeeee, you! Jus' wanna make… John… jealous." Vriska blushed, shooting a panicked glance at John, who, in turn, also blushed. "An anyway!" Vriska turned back to Tavros as his rant continued. "I don' think I wannaaa kiss you, anymore. You're uhhhh, a mean. Person. You are mean to me. I don' like it. And if I haaaad to geuss, I don' think that, uh, mister John likes it very much, either." Well, Vriska certainly had her moments, but John was still very much confused about how he felt about her. "I know… most of us? Don't like it either. And uh, that's just. Sad. Vriskers. That most of us don't really like you? You're… too mean, Eheheh. Gamzee! Can I have anudder drink?"
The room was absolutely silent, except for Gamzee's wild laughter. Holy shit, John thought. There was no way that just happened. Vriska, seeming incredibly embarrassed, ran out of the house, John still frozen to his chair with shock. He half-stood, but was having a difficult time wrapping his head around what he just witnessed. Feferi stood up, trying to shift focus back to the party.
"Hey guys! The countdown's starting!" she said before plopping back down next to Sollux. John watched the ball drop, trying to shake the image of Vriska, distressed, fleeing from the house, out of his mind as he counted along. "10. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1!" It was a dull moment, not nearly as climactic for John as he was sure it was for his friends. He hoped Jane, at least, was having a better time.

Jane was not having a better time. She felt just as out of place as John did, serving as what seemed like a fifth wheel. Jake and Dirk were not quite a couple, but it seemed like they were on a path of repairing the relationship. At least, that was Jane's take on it. At the very least, they'd become incredibly close again, and Jane couldn't help but feel on the outskirts. Roxy was being incredibly flirty with Calliope, who didn't seem to know how to handle it, but Jane admitted to herself that they would indeed be a cute couple.
"Thank you for inviting me, Roxy," Callie said, smiling.
"Of course, Callie, babe," Roxy cooed, leaning on Callie's shoulder. Jane noticed Callie blush lightly, but she didn't reciprocate Roxy's advance. Roxy was clearly disgruntled, but her smile never faded. "Jane, can you help me with something in the kitchen?" Jane was hoisted up by the arm before she could even answer, Roxy all but dragging her into the kitchen. "I don't get it, Jane. Callie and I hang out together, we both think the other is friggin' adorable… why isn't she… ugh." Roxy slumped her head onto the counter in defeat. If Jane didn't know any better, she'd think Roxy'd had too much to drink. Thankfully, there wasn't anything in the house.
"Roxy, there's always the possibility that she's… you know. Straight?" Jane suggested. Roxy guffawed at her.
"Janey, we met at an LGBT club."
"You told me you were in the same English class?"
"Right. Well we are but I noticed her in the club first. I mean like school club not like club club. Anyway, yeah, I'm pretty sure she isn't straight, but she's not responding and it's killing me."
"Hmm," Jane tutted, not sure how to respond.
"Janeyyyyyy, help meeee."
"Roxanne Lalonde, I am the last person you want to ask about relationship advice."
"Did you just call me Roxanne?" Roxy laughed. "Janey, that isn't even my name! You're ridiculous."
"Roxy, I'm afraid there's a good reason I haven't reciprocated your advances," Calliope's voice came from the kitchen doorway.
"Oh shit!" Roxy sat upright, and Jane froze in her spot. "Callie! I hope… you didn't hear too much of that."
"Pish posh, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. Your feelings have been made quite clear, and if I am to be honest with you, and myself, for that matter, I have a bit of a crush on you myself. The truth is, I'm afraid I won't be around much longer," Callie said, looking a bit morose, "and I would hate for you to get attached only to be later devastated."
"Callie, I'm already attached," Roxy said, smiling softly at Calliope.
"Why do you think you won't be around much longer?" Jane asked, moving the slightest bit towards Callie.
"Well, um, you see… I've been diagnosed with cancer. I've been doomed since the beginning." Jane had no idea how to react, and Roxy's hands were clapped over her mouth.
"I… I'm sorry," Jane managed to sputter out.
"Callie, no!" Roxy said, darting around the counter to hug Calliope. "Calliope, all I want to do is make you happy."
"But—"
"Shhh. Listen. Calliope." It was rare, at least in Jane's experience, for Roxy to use actual names. It was a sign of seriousness. "Calliope. However much time you have left, you don't need to suppress your feelings just 'cause you're afraid I'm going to be hurt later."
"But Roxy, I—"
"No, Callie, I want you to be happy! You of all people deserve it!" Roxy's voice raised, tears pooling in her eyes. "Let me take you out and kiss your face and tell you how beautiful and amazing you are."
"Wuh—I—um. If you want to do all those things…"
"And… and maybe you'll pull through, Callie. You've made it this long."
Callie smiled weakly at Roxy. It was a smile that Jane could read, saying 'that's unlikely but I appreciate the sentiment'. Roxy couldn't see this message in Callie's face, or if she could, she was choosing to ignore it in lieu of being pointlessly hopeful.
"Okay, Roxy, I… I want to be happy. With you. Since… since we both like each other, we may as well make the most of it," Callie conceded, still smiling softly at Roxy, but the emotion behind it shifted. It felt more genuine, and only got wider as Roxy nuzzled into her cheek, and then gave her a small peck on the lips. Callie's eyes widened in surprise, and then blushed. Roxy grinned at her.
"And you don't gotta wear these wigs anymore!" Roxy said, nodding at the curly white hair on Callie's head. Callie looked incredibly unsure as she slowly slid the wig off, revealing her natural hair, or what was left of it, barely growing back, Jane assumed from chemo therapy. Callie was clearly embarrassed, but Roxy assured her once again that she was adorable, and the two left the kitchen holding hands, leaving Jane standing in the kitchen by herself, absorbing everything that had happened in less than 5 minutes.
"Wow," she muttered.
Roxy and Calliope shared a kiss at midnight, and Jane could have sworn she spotted Jake peck Dirk on the cheek, but instead of feeling jealousy or awkwardness, she felt content. Yes, it sucked not having a kiss, but her friends were happy and Jane knew she had a place.

A fight broke out in school the next week, crowds of people clogging the halls. As John passed by, attempting to make his way to class through the clusters of people staring, or gossiping in the halls. John couldn't help but pick up on one piece of information.
"Did you hear? Aradia Drogg beat the shit out of Vriska Serket."