Revamped!

Crystal Hepburn: Midnight

In Sister Jasmine's hands, I see a tall and skinny glass as well as a bottle of, what she and the Sisters call adult drinks From what I could read on the bottle, it's called champagne.

The thing about champagne is that it's different from other wines or adult drinks. According to the Sisters, wine is an all-year-round sort of thing and champagne is only good on New Year's Eve. I didn't understand that last part until now. As Sister Jasmine opens the bottle, it makes a soft hiss. Champagne sparkles with life as it's being poured with a crackling, fizzing sound.

That last thought makes me smile because my name is Crystal.

I watch as Sister Jasmine pours the drink into her glass. Oddly, it comes out in the form of the green magical sparkles I'm used to seeing. It piques my interest and confuses me a lot. How do I see those everywhere? Weird enough, champagne does seem magical already - both are exciting and popping.

"Can I taste some champagne?" I ask Sister Jasmine.

It's about 11:30 PM on December 31st also known as New Year's Eve. Most of the girls have already fallen asleep but a few of us remain awake. Last year, I was one of the girls who fell asleep early. This year, that was not going to happen.

I sit eagerly beside Sister Jasmine, hoping that she lets me.

"Please," I beg. I look into her dark brown eyes and blink a few times. I've learned during my time here that it adds some cuteness.

"Sure," she states. I cheer a little. "Why not; it's a holiday after all."

She gently passes me her glass and I hold the neck in my fingertips. I peer inside the glass and it's not green at all. It starts off as gold before dimming down to a greyish gold, kind of like crystals. It must have been another mind trick telling me that it's magic but whatever, it's still pretty. There are fine bubbles that sit in the glass. Suddenly, they whizz up to the top like shooting stars before vanishing. It's beautiful. Some of them shatter back down to the bottom of the glass like fragments of gold. Maybe magic just comes in different colours.

"It's a real eye-opener, eh?" She asks me rhetorically. I nod my head.

I take a small sip and the taste hit me like a slap to the face. It's so sharp. My tongue pops at the intense taste.

I give Sister Jasmine back her glass and she's laughing.

"Did you like it?" She asks me.

"I'm not sure," I reply, clapping my tongue against the roof of my mouth.

"Well, no more alcohol for you."

Honestly, I just needed something to stay awake till midnight. I think that sip of champagne will do it.

-o-

Sister Dominique gives us all a small paper tube with two twisted ends. I look at her expectant and she explains to us how to use it. It's a firecracker. Apparently, people open them on New Year's Eve for amusement. According to Sister Catherine, the proper way to open them is to cross arms, have your left hand on one end of your cracker and your right hand on your neighbours, and pull.

We all do that and everyone is hesitant to actually pull on it, but I go on full force, much to the dismay of the partner on the other end.

We all scream at the loud popping noise and the ones that followed mine. Many contents fly out. Moments later, we're all wearing small paper crowns and eating candy. Disgusting candy, but candy.

With about a minute left till midnight, all of us hold hands excitedly. Even the girls who fell asleep woke up so we can celebrate this occasion together.

Back when Jessica was getting adopted, I mentioned how the night before an orphan gets adopted gives one this sort of adrenaline kick. And how it's like a new chapter in your life. I wonder if it's the same energy you get in New Years as you wait for the second hand to hit midnight or when you get that sip of champagne. If you think about it, they're both new chapters in your life.

The countdown begins:

"Ten! Nine! Eight!"

I made it another new year.

"Seven! Six! Five!"

I've been in this orphanage for another year. It's not that I have any problems with that because I love it here. It's just a reminder that maybe I have no family or nobody has come looking for me.

"Four! Three! Two!"

Maybe no one ever will...

"One! Happy New Year!"

And a happy one it better be.

[2019: When I came back to this chapter, I didn't remember that tinge of sadness at the end and was so surprised to see it there].