Thanks to my latest reviewers: Nels6354, Ansy Pansy aka Panz, CynthiaB, and cheerleader2006. Hope everyone enjoys this chapter!

Chapter 24: The New Year

DECEMBER 31, 1980- JANUARY 1, 1981

NEWPORT BEACH, CA

Kirsten was laying on her bed thinking through her "crazy" plans for New Year's Eve. Yes, very crazy, she thought to herself. Watching TV while eating pizza and ice cream and staying up to watch the ball drop with Dick Clark…oh, those are two words that should not be used in the same sentence.

She adjusted the pillow under her head and thought more about her very uneventful Christmas break. She hadn't seen or spoken to anybody, save Kelly, since school had gotten out…especially not Jimmy. As much as Kirsten wanted to just go over to his house right that minute and apologize for the way she treated him, she knew they both needed a little space from each other…and the comments that he made to her during their fight still stung a little.

The ring of the phone interrupted her thoughts and she groaned as she reached over to pick it up. "Hello? Oh, hi Kelly! No, I told you that I'm staying in…pizza, ice cream, TV…I just don't feel like going to the party…really? So, he's not coming…I don't know…you aren't going to stop bugging me, are you…fine, you win, I'll go…but I'm not guaranteeing that I'm going to stay very long…okay, see you then…bye!"

Kirsten hung the phone back on its cradle and sighed. She couldn't believe she was getting dragged to this New Year's party. Well, at least Jimmy isn't going to be there. And hopefully if I just stay for a little bit it will get Kelly off my back.

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Jimmy was sitting in front of the TV, watching nothing in particular in attempt to get his mind off his fight with Kirsten. Even though it occurred over a week ago, the fight continued to plague his thoughts.

He heard the phone ring in the distance, but made no move to go answer it. He figured someone else would get it, and this suspicion was confirmed when the ringing stopped after the second ring.

However, a moment later, Al entered the room with the phone. "It's for you, Jimmy," she told him.

Jimmy unenthusiastically grabbed the phone and started talking. "Hello? Oh, hey Matt…not too much, you? Nah, I don't think I'm going to the party…I don't really feel like it. I think I'm just going to stay in…oh…so she's not going…well, I guess I could stop by for a little bit…I promise I will…okay, see you there…bye."

After Jimmy finished his conversation, he looked up and saw that Al was still standing there. She grabbed the phone back from him and said, "So, I take it you and Kirsten still haven't talked."

"Go away, Al," Jimmy told her.

"Fine…but it's high time you guys figure things out…you are so miserable without her," she said as she left the room.

How true that is, Jimmy thought.

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Jimmy had arrived at the New Year's party only fifteen minutes ago, and already found himself seated in a chair. He was trying to be excited about the party, but he really wasn't in the mood.

"Hi, Jimmy! I didn't know that you were here already," Kelly greeted.

"Hey, Kelly. Yeah, I got here about fifteen minutes ago," Jimmy told her.

"Come on! Get up off the chair!" Kelly exclaimed as she pulled him up. "Get a little excited at least…I mean it is a party after all!"

"Okay, okay…sorry I'm not in a better mood," Jimmy said.

"Well, I hope this doesn't put you in a worse mood," Kelly said as she pointed toward the door, where Kirsten was.

"You knew she was coming, didn't you!" Jimmy exclaimed.

"Maybe…but it was for good intentions," Kelly sighed.

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Kirsten opened the door and made her way into the house. The party was in full swing, as if they had already had been going for hours. She glanced around to find Kelly. She immediately spotted her directly in front of her along with someone else…Shit. She knew he was coming…I should have known she would try something like this…

"Kirsten, hi!" Kelly called.

Kirsten walked toward her and Jimmy and said, "Hi…Kelly…Jimmy."

"Um, I gotta go," Jimmy said and immediately walked away and made his way out the front door.

Kirsten turned toward Kelly and said, "You set this whole thing up, didn't you! I should have known."

"Kirst, I'm sorry. It was all for good intentions. I just want you two to work things out…I know I probably shouldn't have butted in. I'm sorry," Kelly apologized.

Kirsten let out a long breath of air and said, "It's okay…so how's the party going?"

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Kirsten found herself still at the party an hour later, but she was totally withdrawn from it. Instead she focused her attentions on the spectacular view of the ocean from the backyard…arguably even better than her own. Even though it was dark out as the sun had set long ago, the bright moon and the starlight allowed Kirsten to recognize the greatness of the view. She then looked back around at the people at the party. Lots of couples together…happy. And those that weren't were with friends…laughing…having fun. In that moment, Kirsten realized where she needed to be…and it wasn't at the party.

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"Hey, stranger," Kirsten called out to the seated figure in the distance. As she stepped off the boardwalk into the sand barefoot, she felt her feet sink into the cool sand.

The figure turned around at the sound of her voice, and Kirsten detected a slight smile, even though he didn't utter a word.

"Your sister thought you might be here," Kirsten continued. "Listen, Jimmy…I know that you're mad at me right now, but I was hoping we could talk."

"Sure, why not," Jimmy sighed.

Kirsten sat right next to him on the sand and the pair turned and faced each other. "Jimmy, I'm sorry. For everything. For the way I was treating you the past couple of months. For yelling at you at the Christmas party. For being a horrible person to you."

Jimmy took one of Kirsten's hands in his and said, "You're not a horrible person. Far from it. I'm the one that should be sorry. I should have never yelled at you…said those things to you…that you just went and drank at parties too much instead of talking to me. You've always been upfront to me about everything you were feeling before…and it was wrong of me to make those accusations. And, besides, I'm one to talk about the partying, right?"

Kirsten laughed slightly and said, "No, Jimmy. This was all my fault. You were just trying to help me and I was pushing you away. And I'm so sorry that I reacted the way I did about that proposal thing."

"I'm sorry about that…I never meant to upset you…all I wanted was to make you happy. I should have known that wasn't a good idea. It's just that your dad kept saying it was."

"My dad put you up to that! I should have known! I'm so sorry, Jimmy! Why didn't you tell me?" Kirsten exclaimed.

"I don't know…I guess I just wanted to leave him out of it," Jimmy offered.

"Well you have nothing to be sorry about. If I wasn't acting so selfish, this whole thing could have been avoided. Will you forgive me?" Kirsten asked.

A huge grin crossed Jimmy's face and he said, "Of course. Just promise me that you'll talk to me if you need to. I'm always here."

"I promise," Kirsten said.

"You know I love you, right?" Jimmy told her.

"You know I love you too?" Kirsten said just before their lips met in a long passionate kiss. "I know of an empty pool house in my backyard," Kirsten whispered to him after they broke from their kiss.

"Well, I'm a big fan of those," Jimmy said before kissing her again.

"You know what they say… the way you spend New Year's Eve is the same way you'll spend the rest of the year," Kirsten whispered in his ear before grabbing his arm and pulling him toward her house to start off 1981 right.

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The quotes "the way you spend New Year's Eve is the same way you'll spend the rest of the year," and "staying up to watch the ball drop with Dick Clark…oh, those are two words that should not be used in the same sentence," are taken from the Season 1 episode of The O.C. called "The Countdown."