New York was a lot different in winter than it was in summer. Last time Bae had been in the city with his parents it had been really hot and there had been people everywhere. There were a lot of people this time, too, but somehow it felt different with snow all over the ground. Plus August had come, too, so now he had someone to talk to about stuff at the museum. He wasn't sure why Mom liked museums so much, but she did and his dad liked to take her to them so they went. She was completely absorbed in paintings and sculptures, and it wouldn't have been so bad except Dad was completely focused on her.
What was really surprising wasn't that Bae was bored in the museum, it was that August wasn't. He was talking to Bae, but occasionally he'd ask Bae's mom a question and wait for an answer. It was kind of weird and Bae wasn't really sure what that was all about, but by the time they finally went to lunch Bae had to ask.
"Dude," he said as they waited for Bae's parents to come back with their food. "What are you doing?"
"What?" August replied. "What'd I do?"
"Why were you asking so many questions about the paintings?"
"I dunno," August said. "They were nice."
August wasn't looking at Bae anymore and Bae wasn't really sure what to think about that.
"You're acting weird," Bae said.
"No I'm not," August replied. "You're weird."
"Your face is weird," Bae shot back with a grin.
"Is your mom dating anyone?" August asked, still not looking at Bae.
"Why?"
"No reason," August replied. "Just curious."
"Dude, do you like my mom?"
"Shut up, no!"
"Oh my God you do!"
Bae really didn't know how to handle that. He looked over to where his mom and dad were coming back towards them with plates and cups and smiling at each other.
"That's my mom," Bae exclaimed. He wasn't sure what to think about August liking his mom at all. He knew that obviously she didn't like August that way or anything, but still. Friends weren't supposed to like your mom.
"Shut up," August hissed as Bae's parents got closer.
Bae couldn't stop looking at August even as his parents put the food on the table and sat down.
"What were you guys talking about?" Mom asked.
"Nothing," Bae said instantly, and August nodded in agreement.
"Nothing seemed pretty interesting," she teased and Bae didn't really know what to say to her. He didn't want to let her know, mostly because he didn't want to think about it too much.
"It was nothing," Bae said and he knew he sounded angrier than he meant to but he just didn't like having the thought in his head.
Mom looked between them and narrowed her eyes a little and Bae knew she was mad, but he just hoped she'd let it go. She made a little humming noise in the back of her throat.
"I'm not going to make you tell me," she said after a little bit. "But you need to apologize for snapping at me."
Bae sighed. She was right, but he was still annoyed and the last thing he wanted to do was apologize. God, why did his mom have to be the one guys liked? This wasn't the first time this had happened and he hated it.
He finally mumbled an apology, hoping she'd drop it. Oh please, let her drop it.
Bae glanced up and saw her and his dad looking at each other with a weird look on their faces. He knew that look. His friends' parents who lived together would look at each other like that when they were trying not to argue in front of the kids. Bae hadn't ever seen his mom and dad look at each other like that, and he wasn't sure what that meant but something was pinging in the back of his head but he didn't want to think too hard about what it meant yet.
Finally, his dad shrugged and his mom smiled at both boys and everyone started eating and that was it. Still, though, Bae couldn't quite shake the feeling that he was missing something.
The superstition was that whatever you do on New Years Day is what you'll be doing the rest of the year. Arthur hoped to God that was true, because he couldn't think of anything he'd rather be doing for the rest of his year - or the rest of his life - than standing next to Belle as the boys looked through the souvenir kiosks that littered Times Square. Belle had her hand through his arm and Bae had on a pair of those ridiculous novelty New Years glasses and a silly hat and the happiest Arthur ever remembered being in his life.
He'd woken up this morning with the scent of Belle still on his pillows. She'd spent half the night in the room with him and when she'd left it had been all he could do to let her go. He hadn't expected her to come to his room, but having her there had been the answer to a prayer he'd never dared to say.
"I think August has a crush on me," Belle whispered into his ear as the boys looked through slightly irregular t-shirts.
Arthur glanced over to the boys where they were chatting animatedly and casting the occasional glance towards the adults. Sure enough, August's glances were lingering on Belle and Arthur had a hard time containing his smug grin. He couldn't put an arm around Belle or let anyone really know that they were together, but at least he still knew she was with him. Honestly, he wasn't entirely surprised at this latest development. Belle was beautiful, and sweet - exactly the kind of mom who tended to end up with all the boys at her house after school. He could definitely imagine that he'd have been right there with the other boys in trying to finagle invitations to stay for dinner if any of the neighborhood children had a mother who looked like Belle when he was a boy.
"I can't say I blame him,"Arthur whispered back as soon as the boys had turned back.
She blushed prettily at his flirting. He loved that he could say these things and know that she wouldn't run screaming from him. The only thing that would make it better would be if they could tell everyone about it.
"Excuse me!" a perky blonde with a microphone called to them, rushing over with a cameraman behind her. "I'm Maggie Swift with channel 10 news. Can we get a shot of you for our midnight broadcast?"
"Oh," Belle said, looking to him quickly. "Um, sure."
"Great!" the reporter said as the cameraman pointed the camera toward them and started filming. "We just need a kiss for midnight."
Well he hadn't anticipated that and he wasn't sure why. It was New Years. What the hell else would they be filming?
Bae and August came trotting over as soon as they noticed the camera, because that couldn't make things weirder.
"What's up, mom?" Bae asked.
"Oh this is perfect," the reporter said. "The boys can be in the shot, too. It'll be great."
"They want your dad and I to kiss on the camera," Belle said, but the boys were already too enamored with the prospect of being on television to even listen to her, hopping up and down and waving enthusiastically at the camera.
Arthur looked at Belle who turned to him and shrugged. He'd never kissed her in front of anyone else before, and now he was about to do it in front of the entire city of New York. He didn't think he'd have had the nerve to do it even as a joke, though, if she hadn't flashed him that little smile and fallen into him with a grin.
He didn't even realize the boys had noticed the kissing until he registered the fake vomit noises coming from them. Belle pulled away with a giggle and a quick wave to the camera.
"That's great," the reporter said cheerfully. "Thanks so much!"
She quickly gestured to the camera man and dashed off towards another group before Arthur had time to register she was gone. He wasn't entirely sure if this still counted as keeping things secret from Bae or not, but Belle seemed to shake it off easily.
"So that was fun," she said to the boys. "I've never been on the news before."
Bae and August seemed to be willfully ignoring the adults, instead focusing on their own brush with fame. August in particular was excited for his dad to see him. Arthur was mostly worried about Bae's reaction to his parents' kissing, but the boy didn't seem particularly inclined to focus on it. Arthur wasn't sure if he should be worried or relieved about that, but there wasn't too much time to focus on it, though. This was all such uncharted territory still for everyone, and he just didn't want to push anything too far too fast. Maybe this wasn't all bad. It could ease him into the idea before they broke the news.
But the ball would be dropping soon and it was time to go find a good place to stand and hear the music. Belle held his hand while the boys were excitedly watching the pop starlet he didn't recognize.
This year, he promised himself, he'd never let them go. Looking between Belle and Bae he was struck with how much he loved both these people. This was going to be the best year of his life.