I'm a big fail. Sorry.

This was supposed to be posted on New Year's Eve, but oh well...

Thank you, Lisa and Rags.

31th December, 2011

My father frowns. "What do you mean?"

I sigh in exasperation. "I'm spending my New Year's Eve with Kate and some friends. Besides, you'll have Emmett here, and he'll bring Angela, so… you won't need me here."

He scoffs, adjusting his tie. "Of course I won't need you. I want you here; there's a difference. And how long have you known that Kate person?"

I hate it when he talks down to people or insinuates, in some way, that he's superior to them.

"Long enough, Dad. We'll be having some friends over, so that's cool."

He shakes his head, muttering something under his breath.

"Well, it's decided," I declare, standing up. "I'll visit you tomorrow, and we'll all have lunch. How's that?"

"Fine," Charlie Swan retorts, in his manly, stubborn kind of way.

"Fine," I mimic, shutting the door on my way out.

;*;*;

When it's already eight PM and I'm finally about to sit down, my feet are aching and my back hurts too much. I turn on the TV and tell Kate to stop walking around, but it's no use. She ate too many Snickers and M&M's today, so she can't sit still for even just a second. It's like being around a little kid.

"Kate, calm down. You look beautiful. Stop worrying," she says to herself, looking in the large mirror we put on the living room wall.

"What is this all about?" I ask, settling myself to watch 90210. An old episode. Nice.

She sighs and sits beside me, and I swear I've never seen her so serious. "Do you promise not to yell at me?"

"You know I can't promise that," I tell her, chuckling quietly.

"I sort of invited Jacob to our party. It was stupid, I know. But I need to talk to him."

I look at her, completely baffled. She likes him more than I thought was possible.

"Kate, look," I say, turning to her and grabbing both of her hands. "You don't know Jake. I do, and let me tell you something: he's honest, kind and a life-saver when it comes to his friends, but it's not the same with girls. And honestly, I don't know how two people can exist inside of one, but that's the reality. He was an asshole to you, and he's not going to stop being one. So move on, please."

I notice the sad look on her face, and I can see that her guard is down. The self-assured, confident and feisty girl I met a few months ago is no longer; instead, she's being open, lovely and human. It's great, and it would really be flattering to me that she felt comfortable enough to speak honestly with me, but right now it doesn't make me feel any good.

"I know," she says. And then she sighs, puts on a fake smile and jumps up, scaring me like hell. "I have an idea! I'm going to buy more champagne, okay?"

"Okay, go ahead." I nod while I watch her pick up her coat and head out. Now I'm definitely worried.

;*;*;

It's not until a quarter to midnight that people start arriving at our party. Since ten PM, we've been worried sick that no one was going to come. To make things even worse, they all come around already drunk, holding a bottle or two of something cheap.

I open the door and find a few friends of Kate's staring down at me. I guess they're trying to figure out what kind of person I am, but I can't see how they can do that while staring at my clothes. I smile politely and let them in, secretly hoping that they like me enough.

"Where's Kate?" one of the girls asks. I think her name is Emma. She has wild and unruly red hair and it's all I can focus on, to be frank.

"She must be in the kitchen fixing some sandwiches. Can I help you with something?"

She scrunches up her nose and frowns, battling between telling me and going to find Kate herself.

"You know that guy she was fucking?"

I cringe, nodding.

She rolls her eyes and continues, "I saw him getting blasted at Reggie's. And he was making out with some chick," she drawls on, looking around the living room.

"What a fucking asshole," I mutter, shaking my head. "Thanks for telling me that, by the way."

She shrugs. "I like Kate. Seeing her with assholes makes me mad."

"It's understandable," I comment, grabbing a plastic cup and pouring myself some vodka.

Minutes later we're counting down the seconds to midnight. It's thrilling, actually, to be spending this night with friends and people who I don't know, but who seem super nice. We almost break our TV while jumping up and down, laughing and screaming "Happy New Year!", hugging each other and scrunching our noses in disgust at the couples around us.

Someone spills something blue on me, and I immediately go to the bathroom before it stays there permanently. Kate approaches me at the bathroom, and the music is so loud I can barely hear her.

"He didn't come! I can't believe he didn't come!" she says in frustration, but I'm slightly drunk and more confused than I was at the beginning of the night.

"Who are you talking about?"

"Jacob. He didn't come. Why is he such an asshole? Why?" Kate's rambling and making me dizzy.

"Do you want me to call him?" I ask, hugging her side. "I can call him."

"Yes," she says in a huff. "No, no! He should want to come."

I shake my head, sitting down with my back to the bathtub.

"I know he's my friend, but he doesn't deserve you. You'll find someone much, much better."

She crosses her legs, and I see her staring at the floor intently. "You think so? Because I'm tired of all these airheads. At least he got something going for him."

I laugh. "What, the sex?"

"No. Music."

I laugh even louder. "Those psycho, metal bands that he loves?"

She chuckles. "It was hot."

"I bet it was."

We smirk. It's good to have someone you can count on.

;*;*;

"Hey, hey, hey!" I shout, grabbing his arm. "What the hell are you doing with my phone?"

This guy seems scared, and he immediately gives it back to me. "Some dude called."

"No shit," I reply, turning my back on him and checking the caller ID.

Great.

"What? Are you deciding whether to continue making out with that chick or actually coming here to apologize for what you've been doing to my friend?"

"Hello?"

I don't recognize this voice.

"Hello?" I sigh. "Jacob?"

I hear some rustling and some background noise. Is that someone throwing up? "Hey, this isn't Jacob. He's currently very drunk and being a pain in the ass –"

"You're a pain in the ass!" someone yells.

"Anyway, could you come and pick him up? I don't drive," he says.

"Who is this?" I ask. "And why can't you drive?" I retreat slowly to the kitchen, frowning.

"I… uh… I kind of ran over a cat," he mutters, chuckling quietly.

"You what?" I may be laughing hysterically, but I know there's nothing even remotely funny about running over an animal. It's the alcohol kicking in.

There's some rustling and I hear a female voice. "Just tell her to get here. He can't drive like this!"

"So… hey, could you come? Please?"

I grab a bottle of water from the fridge and sigh. "Sure. Just tell me where you are."

;*;*;

I pull up the car slowly and watch as a group notices my presence. I think that's where Jake is. I quickly examine my face before leaving the car. I'm paler than usual and there are black circles around my eyes. I blink at my reflection and get out, already mad that Jake is still vomiting on the side of the road, and his group of friends is laughing. Seriously?

I continue walking when I spot Edward slightly behind him, frowning. I should probably turn around and let him take care of this, but he's probably too selfish to want to drop Jake home. Also, he doesn't affect me as much as he used to. Thank God.

As they see me approaching, their conversations die down. I slowly walk behind Jacob and tell him that it's time to go home. He convulses and vomits again, making me step back.

"Sorry about that," Edward mutters by my side. "I thought he was used to this."

"To what?"

"Drinking. Isn't that what we're supposed to do on New Year's Eve?" He frowns again, and I think he's all about frowning, isn't he?

I don't reply. I simply stare at Jake's bent form and wait for him to finish.

"And I'm sorry about calling you, too. That was weird," he says, glancing at me.

"That was you?" It comes out more as a statement. I'm shocked, but I guess I don't really show it.

He chuckles. "Yeah. I actually ran over a cat," he admits, looking sheepish.

"Then you must suck at driving."

His face scrunches up. "Oh, you have no idea."

I laugh out loud, and it's too late when I realize that I just let myself laugh at some joke Edward said. Wow.

Jacob seems to want to go home, so I help him get to the car.

"How's Kate?" The way he asks this makes me think he's not being an asshole. He actually might care. Huh.

"You should ask her yourself," I reply, shaking my head.

"Yeah, I was an ass."

I laugh, hiding my face in his chest. "Yes, you were."

He stops suddenly and stares at me. "Isn't Edward coming? He's sleeping on my couch tonight."

I cringe. A ride home with Edward. Nice.

I turn around and call after him. He turns his head and catches up to us, grabbing Jake's arm.

"I can just take a cab," Edward states, looking at the floor.

Sighing, I reply, "No, that's ridiculous. I'm driving him, so you should come."

He exhales and smiles sheepishly. "Yeah, thanks."

Thank you for reading.