Tommy looked up from the cardboard box as Chuck stumbled in the front door, laden down with bags.
"Hey."
"Hey." said Chuck.
"Need some help?" Tommy offered.
"Yeah. Thanks." He handed some of the plastic bags to Tommy. "Mom insisted on buying me all this food."
Tommy started unloading the groceries, while Chuck carried the overpacked duffel bag to his room. When he returned, Tommy went back to his packing. "How was your Christmas?" he asked.
"Fine." Chuck replied, stashing some canned vegetables under the cabinet.
"Yeah, mine too." said Tommy. He taped the box shut with several layers of packing tape. "Sorry I didn't hang out more. Wanted to get back and get all this packing done with."
"Yeah…so you're sure about this, huh? Moving in with Lil?"
"Absolutely."
"I can't believe you guys found a place so fast."
"Well, her friend's subleasing us her apartment while she's studying abroad. Then, we'll probably have to find someplace else."
Chuck sat down on the couch. "Well, I'm happy for you, Man."
Tommy labeled the box in blue Sharpie—'kitchen stuff.' He set down the marker and looked up at his best friend, and soon to be former roommate. "You sure you're cool with this?"
"Absolutely."
Tommy looked at him incredulously. "You just seem kind of down lately."
"I swear I'm fine." insisted Chuck. "The time alone could do me good."
"So," persisted Tommy. "Things are cool? Everything's good for you?"
Chuck grinned. "You're worse than Lil."
Tommy threw a coaster at him.
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Susie's fingers shook as she put in her white gold hoop earrings. They had been a gift from her parents for high school graduation and she only wore them on extremely important occasions. Like tonight. She looked her reflection up and down critically, adjusting the simple black dress that she wore.
"You look just fine, Carmichael." Angelica said, scrutinizing her own reflection.
"I can't settle for just fine, I have to look amazing…though…yes…understated is good. Don't want to take away from my singing."
"Exactly," agreed Angelica, adjusting her own dress, which was the exact opposite of understated. Silver sequins sparkled in the mirror. Susie grinned. "You sure are sparkly, girl."
Angelica shrugged. "It's New Year's Eve."
Susie gave her reflection another worried look.
Angelica put a hand on Susie's shoulder, in a rare moment of sweetness. "You're gonna blow them away, Carmichael."
Susie smiled. "Thanks, Angelica." She picked up her purse and checked to make sure she had her wallet, keys and other essentials. "So," she said, grabbing her jacket, "If all goes well, Peter's friend is gonna love me and I'll be signed to a major record label before the end of the night. So, after this, we're gonna head to Tommy's for his party and—"
"Oh—I don't think I'm going to—"
"Angelica—come on, everyone's gonna wanna see you! We all miss you…we do…"
"Is Chuck gonna be there? With his girlfriend?"
Susie's smiled faded and she sank to the bed.
"Angelica…"
"What?"
"You do still love him…don't you?"
This time, Angelica didn't deny it. She sat down beside her roommate.
Susie sighed. "Well…you gotta tell him."
Angelica shook her head furiously. "No…no, it's too late."
Susie clasped Angelica's hand in hers. "No, it's not…but, if you wait any longer, it will be."
Angelica sighed and pulled her hand away. "I can't think about this now. We have to go, right now. You're gonna be late for your big show."
Susie nodded. "We're not going."
Angelica snapped her head back to look Susie in the eye. "Don't be ridiculous! Of course we are! We have to! You have to! You've been waiting your whole life for a chance like this."
"This is more important," said Susie. "We gotta get you to Chuck. You have to tell him how you feel. There might still be a chance for you two."
"Well, I'll go, then. I'll go on my own. I'll talk to him. You go to Peter, tell him I'll be there a little later."
"No, you won't do it if I don't go with you. You'll chicken out." Susie insisted adamantly. She stood, pulling Angelica with her. "Come on, we're going to Tommy's party."
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Emmy opened the front door. She smiled as she saw Chuck standing there, dressed in a suit that didn't quite fit his lanky form. His hair was as untidy as ever as he gave her a weak smile. "You're here early," she said. She let him in. He sat down on the worn couch and she locked the door behind him. She glanced at the clock. "Actually, you're quite early. So you'll have to forgive me for not being ready." She indicated her dressing robe and half-curled hair. "I actually came early, because I wanted to talk to you about something," he said, letting out a breath nervously.
She crossed her arms over her chest and eyed him quizzically. He couldn't help but smile. Her eyes were questioning, yet not accusing. No, never accusing, no matter what. She was always sweet, and loving, and wonderful. She really was perfect for him. And, as the realization of who he loved sank in, really sank in, Chuck clasped Emmy's hands in his.
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Angelica felt extremely self-conscious as she walked in the front door with Susie. It felt like Chuck's graduation party all over again. She felt that everyone would see her pour her heart out all over again, except this time it would be worse, this time she'd probably be rejected, in front of everyone. However, no one looked at her as she made her way across the living room. It was, after all, a different crowd. Not a single person from high school was there. She peered around discreetly as she poured a ladleful of punch into a red plastic cup. She didn't see Chuck, or Tommy, or anyone she recognized anywhere. Susie grabbed her arm. She took a whiff of Angelica's punch. "Whew! That stuff is spiked, you know. And strong."
"Good." said Angelica, taking a large swallow.
Susie rolled her eyes. "That's not a good idea. You'll need your wits about you."
"I just need to relax a little," Angelica insisted, pouring more punch into her cup. "I'm nervous."
Susie groaned. This was not going to end well.
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Angelica shrieked as a horn blew loudly right next to her. She grabbed her ear with her hand and scowled at Dil. He gave her a goofy grin.
"What is your problem, Freakazoid?"
Dil rolled his eyes. "Cheer up, Ang, it's New Years Eve!"
Angelica eyed her cousin up and down, who was wearing at least five different New Years hats and tiaras layered upon his bright red curls, and several horns and noisemakers on various plastic chains around his neck. He put a glittery silver tiara on her head and walked off before she could object. She reached up to remove the tacky thing, but her cell rang. She pulled it from her purse and groaned.
"Yes?"
"Angelica? Where are you? Where's Susie?"
Angelica pressed a hand to her temple, suddenly feeling very overwhelmed. "I—we're not coming."
For the first time that she could remember, Peter sounded agitated. "What the hell do you mean, you're not coming?" His voice softened. "I mean…Angelica…what's going on? Tell me…tell me what you've been hiding from me all this time…"
Angelica swayed a little in her silver Manolo Blahnik wedges. She was a little drunk and she didn't know if it was the best time to be having this conversation. But, she really had no choice. It was now or never.
"I can't be with you anymore." she said simply.
Peter was silent for a few seconds. "I figured as much." he said finally.
"I'm in love with someone else." she said. It was the first time she'd said it aloud. And it felt strangely good, to admit it, even though it couldn't possibly end well.
"I see."
"With my ex." she clarified. "But he has a girlfriend, who he adores, and it's just…one big mess, to say the least…."
She grasped the back of the couch for support. "I'm sorry," she finished lamely.
"It's alright." he said quietly. "I understand."
"You do?"
"Angelica…life's not worth living if you don't take chances. Tell him how you feel."
And with that, he hung up.
Angelica stared at her phone incredulously before finally putting it away. Then, she made her way over to the table, where a couple of rowdy guys were doing tequila shots. "Let me get one of those." she said.
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
"I just can't believe it." reiterated Phil.
Susie took a sip of her champagne. "What can't you believe?"
"The whole thing. That she's still in love with him, and that she's gonna tell him. And, most of all, that you missed your audition to bring her here."
Susie shrugged. "It's no big deal…My big break will come someday. That kind of thing comes and goes. This is more important." Phil wrapped an arm around his girlfriend, beaming brightly.
"So, she's really packing them away there, huh?" said Tommy, taking in his cousin's debauchery with obvious amusement.
Angelica took one more shot, squinting as she sucked the lime wedge.
"She's gonna be so sick tomorrow." observed Lil.
"Or tonight." chimed in Kimi.
"I tried to tell her." said Susie.
"Look," said Dil, "Chuck's here."
They all looked toward the front door, where Chuck stood, a big grin on his face. However, as he saw Angelica, his grin faded.
She was here. And she was standing right in front of him, looking extraordinary, more beautiful than he'd remembered. He couldn't believe that he had just seen her at Thanksgiving. Maybe he didn't really take her in that day on the library steps. How could he have not noticed how breathtaking she was? And, tonight, she looked absolutely ravishing. Her dress was short and sparkly, a concoction of silver sequins that stopped just above her knees. Her long blond tresses were loose, cascading nearly down to her waist. Her eyes were done up in glittery dark make-up, her pouty lips were as pink as ever, her little upturned nose as adorable as ever. Like the rest of her hair, her bangs were very long now, just at her eyebrows. And, to top it all off, she wore a cheap, tacky New Years tiara on her head. He just smiled at her. She smiled back and made her way, a bit unsteadily on her precariously high shoes, toward him.
"Chuckie." she said quietly, one hand on his face.
He pressed his hand against hers. "Angelica." he whispered.
"I broke up with Peter." she said.
"I'm…sorry." he lied.
"I know you have a girlfriend, I know this." she said.
"Angelica—"
"It's ok." she cut in. "I fully expect you to reject me, and I won't blame you…" She suddenly pressed a hand to her forehead and the aluminum tiara fell to the floor. She bit her lip.
"Are you ok?" he asked, holding on to her as she wobbled.
"Because," she continued, "I've put you through…so much. And I know this. And I'm sorry." A tear fell down her cheek. "I'm really sorry, I swear, Chuckie. And I know that it's probably too late, but—"
"But what?" Chuck asked. He cupped her chin in his hands and smiled at her. And Angelica smiled back, just before she threw up all over his shoes.