Chapter 13: New Year's Eve
Alex had promised Piper to pick her up for the New Year's party at Polly's place but when she arrived Carol just send her up to Piper's room. Alex knocked on the door and went in after a short "Come in" from Piper.
"Hey Pipes. Are you ready?" Alex asked her. Piper was standing between the doors of her closet so Alex couldn't see much of her.
"Not yet. Would you believe me if I said I have no idea what to wear?" Piper asked and looked at Alex who only now noticed that Piper was standing in front of her in only her underwear. 'God, Alex, self-restraint.' she told herself when she felt the urge to go over to Piper and her mind went crazy.
"You do have a closet full of clothes. So I'm sure there is something that'll fit the occasion." Alex chuckled. "Let me help you." she said and looked into Piper's closet trying to get an overview. She picked out jeans and a sweater that she always found Piper very cute in. 'Let's dress that girl, that'll make this easier.' went through Alex's mind even though she'd prefer the opposite but that wasn't a choice at the moment.
"What do you say to that?" Alex asked.
Piper looked at it and smiled. "I like it. But don't you think a sweater is going to be a bit warm."
Alex threw a shirt towards her. "Then wear this underneath and when it gets too warm you can still take off the sweater."
"Great idea. Thank you." Piper said and started dressing. When she was done they went down, said goodbye to her mother joking they'd see her next year and left the house.
The New Year's party was good. For food and drinks everyone coming to the party contributed something. Some brought a salad, some brought chips and snack and others brought drinks. All in all they were well supplied with food and drink. They could eventually convince Nicky to come too. Alex was happy she could celebrate with both of her friends. But she also wanted to have a word with Polly. It had been a while since the party but Alex couldn't just let it go. Piper was her oldest and closest friend and, crush aside, the most important person to her. They went into Polly's house and went to the basement where the party was taking place. After they came in they quickly found Polly and said hi.
"Hey, Pol." Piper greeted.
Polly smiled when she saw her friend. "Hey, Piper. Glad you're finally here."
"Polly, I think you haven't met Alex yet. Polly- Alex, Alex- Polly." she introduced her friends.
"Nice to meet you." both said.
"I'm gonna put the salad on the table with the other stuff." Piper said.
""Of course." Polly said and was about to go with her when Alex stopped her.
"Hey. Wait a sec." Polly looked at her confused so Alex went on "I know it's been a while since the school's fall party. But you went there with Piper and if you want to stay friends with her I'm going to need you to look out better for her than you did that day. That shouldn't have happened."
"I am sorry what happened that evening. And I feel bad that I wasn't there but I'm also not her babysitter." Polly explained.
"Well, it's too late anyway. I just wanted you to know that you better do better." Alex replied and went to find Piper.
A while later also Nicky arrived along with a few other party guests and the group got bigger. Nicky, Alex and Piper sat in one of the couches in a corner of the room when someone turned on the music and after a while the first people started dancing.
"Well I'm going to go and get something to eat." Piper said as she got up.
"Yeah, me too." Alex joined her and looked at Nicky asking her with a questioning look on her face if she wanted something too.
"Let me join you." Nicky said.
After they got something to eat they sat back down and ate in silence. Somehow all three of them were quite comfortable with not having a conversation.
"Who feels like dancing?" Piper eventually asked after they had finished.
"Not yet. But I'll join you in a bit if you want to go already." Alex said.
"Okay." Piper smiled at her and left.
Alex scooted over closer to Nicky so they could talk. Nicky however started the conversation.
"So how is it going with you and Piper?" she put the finger on the topic Alex was about to bring up.
"Well nothing is going on. But I really wish she would feel the same. I know it's idiotic but I told you about our conversation. So there is hope." she explained though somehow feeling like an idiot for thinking she had a chance.
"I can totally understand that. But don't get your hopes up too high. There is a chance she'll figure out she likes girls. And that could mean she might like you and you too live happily ever after and I know this is all maybes and coulds because that's the point: it could also go the other direction and it's you who gets her heart broken." Nicky said. She felt sorry for her friend for having to go through this whole uncertainty.
"Urgh. I know. Earlier when I picked her up, she wasn't ready yet. She literally stood in her room in only her underwear. Like it's nothing. I know that we've known each other forever but gosh, I doubt she even thought for a second about what that could do to me. I mean she knows I'm into girls. But I bet that it could be weird for me didn't come to her mind." Alex told her friend trying to push back the pictures of a half naked Piper in her mind.
"She stood there half naked? Knowing you like girls?" Nicky was surprised.
"As I said, I don't think she made that connection at that moment. She seemed more desperate about what to wear." Alex replied.
"Woah. What did you do anyway?" Nicky chuckled. "You guys seem okay. So I guess you got some self restraint."
"Got her some clothes out of her closet. That made it a little easier. Plus, yeah I got to have that. I don't want to weird out Piper. I'm going to lose her if I act on it and she doesn't feel the same. Then it'll be just awkward and it'll all go downhill." Alex crunched her face at the thought.
"I'm there for you whenever you need to talk about it or just swear out how mad it makes you that a cute blonde doesn't like you that way." Nicky offered.
"Thank you." Alex was indeed thankful to have Nicky who understood her and who she could talk to about all this.
"Well I would advise you to keep some distance to help you keep your feelings in check, but I already know your answer to that." Nicky chuckled.
"Like that would ever work. Piper is my oldest friend. And along with you my closest. So not going to happen." Alex replied.
Alex got up to join Piper on the dancefloor. Nicky shook her head. The evening went on, everyone had fun and Piper, Alex and Nicky danced a lot. Five minutes before midnight the self announced dj turned the music down and said she'd play one more song and then it would be about time for the countdown. Everyone was excited and the atmosphere was loaded with gleeful anticipation. The song played and soon the countdown started.
"Ten - nine - eight - seven - six - five - four - three - two - one! Happy New Year!" everyone screamed and it got noisy with everyone talking at the same time.
People hugged and wished each other a happy new year and couples kissed and wished each other the same. Alex felt the urge to kiss Piper too, but knew all that was possible was a hug.
"Happy New Year, Al!" Piper said and smiled at her.
"Happy New Year Pipes." Alex returned.
The party went on. Alex and Piper danced for a while and sat down in a corner and talked.
"What do you want to happen this year?" Piper asked.
"I don't know. Many things. Having a girlfriend would be nice." Alex admitted.
"How should she be? I mean I don't even know what your type is." Piper realized.
'You.' Alex's mind screamed. But of course she didn't say that. "I don't know if I have a type."
"You have someone in mind already?! I can see it on your face! There is someone you like." Piper noticed wide eyed. Alex blushed. 'Should I tell her?' she contemplated. 'No. I can't. not until Piper figured out who she wants. If I tell her and she doesn't like me back like that I'll ruin our friendship.'
"I.. Uh.. Yeah… There is someone. But I don't want to tell." Alex answered.
"Why? Please, Al. I'm your best friend. You can tell me anything, I promise I won't say anything to anyone!" Piper was curious.
"Pipes, please don't. I'll tell you when I'm ready?!" Alex offered.
"Okay." Piper finally gave in but looked a little hurt.
"It's not because I don't trust you or I don't want to but it's… it's complicated." Alex explained.
"It's okay. I get it." Piper answered.
"What about you? Did you come any closer to figuring out what or better who you want?" Alex cautiously asked.
"I don't know. I mean I could imagine both. I am curious about how it is to be with a girl but I also like boys, so I guess putting a label on it would mean I am bisexual?!" Piper said. "But I am still waiting to you know find someone who makes me feel the butterflies I am missing out on so far."
"It's good that you got closer to know what you want and I am sure you will find someone." Alex said half happy and half said. She was glad for her best friend that she figured out that she liked both but from the sounds of it her hope of Piper maybe liking her was for nothing.
"Thank you." Piper said and yawned. "Woah. What time is it?"
"About 2:30" Alex answered.
"Wow. I, uhm am kinda tired. I think this party ends for me here. I wanna go home. Do you want to come with me, or do you want to stay?" Piper asked.
"Nah, I think I'll go home with you." Alex decided quickly. She had enjoyed the party but without Piper it would be boring anyway. "Let's go find Nicky and say goodbye if she wants to stay."
"Good idea." Piper replied. They found her - of course - talking to some hot girl close to the table where all the food was set up. She didn't want to end the conversation so Piper and Alex said goodbye and turned to leave when Piper said she wanted to say goodbye to Polly too. They went both looking for her but somehow couldn't find her.
"She wouldn't leave her own party early, would she?" Alex asked.
"I didn't think so. I'll just text her and maybe she'll tell me when we next see each other." Piper replied and got her phone out to text her friend.
They walked to the Chapman's house mostly silent. They were both pretty exhausted and tired. When they arrived Alex was about to say goodbye to Piper to go home but Piper asked her if she'd like to stay over, then she wouldn't have to walk home.
"It's not that far, Pipes. I think I can handle." Alex chuckled.
"Yeah. But if you stayed here you wouldn't have to walk further and just fall into bed." she tried to convince her. Alex was tempted. She would love to sleep next to Piper but knew it'd be hard.
"That's true. Urgh. Okay." Alex eventually agreed.
"Yay." Piper was excited. Alex was a bit surprised and wondered where that sudden excitement came from, after all staying over wasn't really a big deal, they did that all the time.
They went to Piper's room and quickly got changed. Alex remembered to send her mom a quick text that she'd sleep at Piper's place so that she could read in the morning and not be worried when she couldn't find her. They quickly got changed and jumped into Piper's bed.
"I really enjoyed the party. And I loved dancing with you. Thanks for agreeing to come. Good Night, Al." Piper said her eyes slowly closing. She was overwhelmed by tiredness and could barely keep herself awake to even say goodnight.
"Night, Pipes. I really enjoyed that party too. I enjoy all the things that we do together." Alex replied but Piper was already out like a light. 'How can someone be so beautiful and cute at the same time?' Alex thought looking at her sleeping friend. Eventually she fell asleep too.
The next morning Piper woke first. She took a moment to open her eyes while she enjoyed the moments of being warm and cozy in her bed with an arm across her side - wait! - arm? She suddenly remembered that she had persuaded Alex to stay over. She opened her eyes slowly and saw Alex laying in front of her sleeping soundly and half hugging her in her sleep. She had to admit she felt good laying like this. She looked at her friend sleeping so close to her so peacefully. Alex was a beautiful girl. It's not like she didn't notice that before but this time it was like she really saw it for the first time. 'Any girl that's going to end up with her will be a very lucky and happy girl.' Piper thought but then felt a weird feeling in her stomach. Where did that come from? She again tried to imagine Alex with a girl again and the feeling returned. A weird feeling that made her feel sick somehow. Polly's parents had checked regularly that the mostly around fourteen year old party guests didn't have any alcohol so nobody drank anything like that, so Piper couldn't pin it on drinking something. Not that she ever had drunk more than a gulp of anything alcoholic anyway. Was that jealousy? Why was she getting jealous when she imagined Alex with someone? She tried to imagine herself with Alex and the feeling changed and became more excited and were that - no - it couldn't be. Those weren't the butterflies in her stomach she was waiting for. This was Alex. Her oldest and closest friend. No way. She tried to quickly focus on something else. What was she doing this year? Alex and she would turn fifteen this year. Piper wanted to finally join the track team. She always enjoyed when they would do that during their PE lessons so she figured she might try it.
"Good morning, Pipes." Alex said her voice hoarse from the sleep and got her out of her thoughts pretty quick. "What are you thinking about?"
"Good Morning, Al. I was thinking about joining the track team this year finally." Piper quickly answered.
"Isn't a bit early for starting your New Year's resolutions now?" Alex chuckled. Piper tried to ignore the tickling feeling. Since when was it there anyway? She didn't just develop a crush at Alex overnight. Wait - crush? No. She didn't have a crush. 'This is your best friend, for goodness' sake.' Piper urged herself.
"It's never too early." she just returned and slowly got up. "But I'm hungry. I'm gonna go and make something to eat. Join me, whenever you're ready." she told Alex.
So Piper went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for her and Alex. Soon Alex joined her.
"Did you sleep well?" Piper asked to break the silence.
"Pretty well, actually. You?" Alex asked back
"Me too. But obviously we're the first people up this morning. I guess everyone else is still sleeping." Piper said.
"Yeah, seems like it." Alex replied. "What are you making?"
"Eggs with bacon and toast was my idea." Piper told her.
"Sound great. How about I get something to drink. What do you want?" Alex offered.
"Uhm, I can't decide. Okay. I'll go for a tea now and maybe hot chocolate later." Piper answered.
"Okay. Then let's start with the tea. The strawberry one?" Alex walked up to the cupboards. She had been at the Chapman's house often enough to know where things were.
"You know me so well." Piper smiled.
"Great. So what are your plans for the rest of the day?" Alex wanted to know.
"Nothing actually. No idea. Watch a movie? Start a new series? Read? Basically something that contains chilling on the couch or my bed for most of the day." Piper replied.
"Sounds relaxed." Alex said.
They made their breakfast and ate. They didn't say that much but that was the good thing about being with each other: they understood each other without words and it wasn't awkward if they were silent and no one was talking. Alex joined Piper and they spent the day reading and watching movies.
A couple days later Polly and Piper sat in the cafeteria. Piper had wanted Nicky and Alex with them at the table but Alex had to stay home due to a cold and Nicky sat somewhere with the girl she had talked New Year's Eve with. So it was just her and Polly.
"So. New year new luck. I actually met this really cute guy at the party, Scott. And we've been talking for most of the night. Oh my god. You got to meet him, he is amazing." Polly gloated.
"Is that why we couldn't find you to say goodbye when we left?" Piper asked incredulously.
"I guess. When did you leave? And we?" Polly wanted to know.
"About 2:30. Me and Alex." Piper explained.
"She's a bit weird, you know that?" Polly started.
"What? Why do you say that? What should be weird about her?" Piper said, not sure where her temper came from right that moment.
"Woah. I don't know. I just get a weird feeling in her presence." Polly answered surprised by Piper's sudden outbreak.
"That's not a valid reason. But you'll have to get along with whatever feeling that is because I'm not going to split my time between you so you two don't have to do anything together. If you want to hang out with me you need to be okay with the fact that Alex might be there too." Piper told her her voice making clear this was not something that can be discussed.
"Okay, Okay. What is it about you two anyway. When we met you two barely spoke with each other and now all of a sudden you're putting her above everyone else?" Polly asked curiously. They hadn't talked about that much.
"Alex is my best and closest friend. Has always been. We grew up together. We met the first time the day I was born and grew up like sisters after. We used to do everything together. Some time when I was younger I was convinced she was my twin sister. We always celebrated our birthdays together cause we are just two weeks apart. But when we started at this school we weren't in the same class anymore and even though we didn't want it we kinda drifted apart. You know, making different friends, developing different interests and so on. But after all she is the person who knows me best and is the most important person in my life. So if you should ever have the stupid idea to ask me to choose one of you because you don't like her, I can tell you: don't. You probably noticed by that talk who's gonna win this decision easily. That doesn't mean I don't want you as a friend and we can't be good friends or anything, but you need to be okay with Alex being there." Piper explained.
"Okay. I get it. I'll do my best to get along with her." Polly said. "Anyway. Back to topic. I think Scott likes me too. It could be that I got a boyfriend soon." Polly told her excitedly.
"Great. I am happy for you. Seems like the year starts good for you." Piper smiled at her friend.
"Yes, it does. But it's about time we find you one!" Polly said enthusiastically.
"Ah, I don't know if that's what I want right now." Piper answered. It had been a couple days since Alex had stayed over and Piper still hadn't figured anything out yet.
"What? Why? Uuh. Do you have someone already? Tell me!" Polly was excited.
"No. I don't have an eye on anyone. But I kinda enjoy things the way they are at the moment." Piper said evasively.
"Really? Well however you please. Tell me if anything changes, I actually know a few guys that you might like." Polly offered.
"Thanks, I guess. I'll let you know." Piper answered.
The next weeks actually were pretty uneventful. Polly did go on dates with Scott and they soon became a couple, Polly kept asking Piper if she was sure about staying single right now, Alex contemplated whether it was a good idea to go out with any girl just to possibly get over her crush on Piper but couldn't get herself to actually do it, and Piper still couldn't figure out what exactly it was she felt towards Alex, so she did what her mother had been a good role model for: she ignored it, knowing it wasn't the best option but didn't know what else to do.