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these are never beta'd by the way. not supposed to be. that said, should you see an error, feel free to tell me...

Word Prompt: Countdown

Scenario: The time is counting down to the New Year. Confetti twirls around you. Your champagne glass is full, your best friend is making out with some guy you don't know, and you're alone tonight. As the countdown reaches ten seconds, someone catches your eye. He or she makes his or her way through the crowded room. Nine… Eight…

Ugh. She always does this.

I doubt she means to, but she does. Boys are attracted to the fair Alice as bees are to honey. It isn't that she's the hottest tamale in town – although she is quite, quite cute – it's that she's got this sweet, welcoming, flirty aura. I'm more closed off, I guess. Perhaps it's my face; maybe it's bitchy.

And so, like Alice doesn't mean to invite them in, I don't mean to shut them out. I just do.

I glance again at the blond haired Romeo in the corner, twirling his fingers through Alice's glamor curls. She's all done up in a flapper theme tonight, not overdone like a costume, but subtlesexy. They're kissing again. I'm both grossed out by her/their lack of inhibition and jealous by their connection.

Confetti and glitter float down from unseen sources; the ceiling lit and made to look like a night sky. It's a swankier spot than usual for us, and everyone is dressed to the nines. Even me. I eye the glitter collecting on my décolletage, knowing my bed will be covered in it later.

Suddenly someone yells "ten!"

The countdown begins, picking up vocal momentum as it descends. I mouth the numbers but I don't really say them. I hate being alone. I don't begrudge Alice her little happinesses, but I do resent her for leaving me alone, once again, especially here, where we know no one.

"Three…"

But then I see him; I've seen him before. Like me, he is all in black and there is glitter and confetti in his hair. Even from where I stand I can see that his eyelashes are so-long, and I wonder briefly if the glitter has stuck on them, too.

My mouth is justbarely open, probably from when I faked saying "two". He stops in front of me and I know him, I do. We met on a train one night, coming back from the city. There had been nowhere else to sit, so I'd offered him the spot beside me. I'd never seen anyone as pretty as him and the thought of never seeing him again burned enough that I'd spoken up.

It didn't matter; after that I night I never did see him again anyway. Despite the frenetic shiver between us and the subdued-excited chatter, we'd neglected to exchange numbers. It had been late, so late, and I was exhausted and he'd been too and my stop appeared suddenly, so suddenly I'd nearly missed it.

The room explodes in to cheers and, impossibly, more glitter. I wonder absently if anyone has ever died from glitter inhalation. "Auld Lang Syne" oozes sentimentally from the bandstand. This man's eyes are even greener that I remember.

He isn't even smiling when he reaches out and takes my hands, when he pulls me closer and very brazenly kisses me.

Thank God.

Alice chooses now to call my name and I pull away from the best kiss of my life. He doesn't blink, doesn't look surprised. Alice calls for me again, and I love her but I swear to God I wish her mouth was still attached to Blond Guy's.

I pull Green Eyes, Black Tux with me, around a corner, to where it is quieter and void of people. He looks like he's going to talk to me and damn it we did that on the train and look where it got us. I kiss him this time, crushing him to my body, lacing my fingers 'round the back of his neck so he leans down to reach better.

He kisses back, with tongue this time, and Alice's voice, which has followed us to the quiet place, ceases.

"What's your name?" he whispers, eyes closed, forehead resting against mine.

"Bella," I whisper back, staring at him from thisclose and he's still so fine.

"I'm Edward," he says, and straightens up.

"I'm glad you're here," I say.

He nods, and finally smiles at me. "I'm glad you're here," he echoes.

"Bella?" Alice is timid now.

I look over at her. Blond Guy is behind her, his tall and lanky dwarfing her petite and tiny.

"Are you…" she trails off, speechless for once.

"Come with me," Edward says, just for me, his lips at my ear.

"I'll call you," I say to Alice, giving her a quick kiss. "Promise."

She nods, puzzled and then smiling.

Outside, it is icycold. Edward opens my door for me and hurries to the driver's side.

"I can't believe I found you," he admits, turning the heat on.

"I know," I say, and it's this sacred, hallowed moment, realizing that maybe things like fate do exist and maybe we were supposed to meet, not just once but twice. Randomly, but not.

We pull up to what must be his house, and he turns to me.

"I… I don't really do this… and I don't want you thinking I brought you here for sex. I just saw you tonight and I didn't feel like losing you again."

He is so upfront and honest, his words so naked, that it startles me. I nod dumbly, trying to come up with the best response until I realize that he's said just what I feel.

"Me too. All of it," I blurt, glad that night cloaks even the darkest of blushes.

He grins, and gets out of the car.

Inside is a blur. Shoes off, shawl, purse by his bed. We try to talk but kiss instead. He kisses so good, hard and thorough and sure and sweet.

When I wake up in the morning, there is in fact glitter, all over the bed, and confetti too. But it's his bed, not mine, and i bleary -eyed think about the moments that got me here, glad there is nothing to regret.

He's asleep, fully clothed as am I. I remember his hands, how I wanted them everywhere but was glad when he didn't try.

I turn to get up and feel his fingers wrap around my arm.

"Don't go."