Disclaimer: I don't own.

:}

"Festus, surprised you could make it." Helen greeted the food truck vendor.

"You forget, this is tradition." The man replied, even as his truck continuously prepared food for the students. As a school sponsored event, the students didn't have to pay, the bill already taken care of by the committee assigned to this event. His truck just made fresh food, as well as chilling the special treat for later.

It was the last night of the year. New years, and Hollywood Arts new principal was dealing with her first Hollywood Arts New years Even celebration. Faculty, all volunteers, prowled the hallways, keeping the students safe as they counted down to the end of the old, and the beginning of the new. Even Festus was happy to be there, or anywhere, as his social calendar was usually pretty empty around New years. He enjoyed the one night per year where he was an authority figure, helping to keep the kids he relied upon for his income safe.

Sikowitz was somewhere, making sure everything went smoothly. Several off duty police officers were also around, as the campus was not secure with the kids there. Too many freaks out there, looking for an excuse. The acting teacher knew this, and the New Years committee had even budgeted for the extra security. This was, oddly, the safest night of the year at Hollywood Arts. 'Lets just hope the new committee has the same commitment, as many of the leaders will have graduated by the time their New Years Even party comes around…' Helen again thought. Her eyes scanned the setup, the volunteers from the faculty, and a few parents, and she felt oddly a part of the school for the first time since she got hired.

'There's Beck. Not quite newly single, guy knows he can't hide behind his ex any more, so a kissing booth? Yea, way to make some cash for the school, for next years party. Wasn't aware he was a part of the committee. Still, those lips are doing a service for us all, and all it took was…'

Her eyes locked on Tori, sitting with her sister. 'Funny, I'd have thought it was his girlfriend moving on, but no. Boy wanted him the true get of the school, miss Tori Vega, and when she said no, that's when he was open for the market. Loads of girls looking to win him, win his heart. Only, for now, they pay a small fee, and get a kiss. Thinking we'll be able to afford an extra security guard next year, cause those guys are expensive. But the cops, so worth it…'

Not far away, she found the rest of the main people, doing whatever. Cat was running a "Hot Durgers" stand, the food creating money for the next year. Helping her was Robbie Shapiro, talented but creepy. Andre Harris, one of the poorer students, was there, talking to his friends, but not helping. The boy worked hard enough at his part time job, and felt no desire to do much more than enjoy the few hours before midnight.

"Hot coco?" Helen asked the vender, Jade west. "Festus has coco, and food. The durger thingy, I accept that, because it's different, and Cat is a good cook. What makes you think you'll sell a lot of coco?"

"Are you kidding, I'm already on my second batch." Jade crowed. "Each small cup of this premier Belgian coco comes with whipped cream, and a one time get out of Jade card, see back for details and exceptions. Of course, a small cup only gets you out of a small annoyance, so I do recommend those students who get on my nerve regularly buy a second, or more, cups, to add up to a major annoyance. Like Rob there, who's thinking of actually dating Cat. I suggested he buy in the gallons…"

"So you're selling indulgences?" Helen wondered.

"Only in that, being on my bad side can be it's own form of hell." Jade smiled. "But no, that's against school rules. I'm selling overpriced Belgian coco, and the card, it's a bonus. Again, I do recommend reading he back, cause one of the prime voids is if I haven't had my coffee that day."

Helen smiled, Turing and walking back to where the Vega sisters were talking with some friends. 'Funny, the only thing I ever saw most of those kids do was reacts, all without saying a word.'

"Helen?" Sikowitz greeted her. "This years shops are doing brisk business, but I expect that to calm down around eleven thirty. Then they'll close up and gather for the ball drop. Love the big screen. Our kids can watch, enjoy the new year, several times, and we'll have the joy of knowing the kids are safe."

"What are those two for?" Helen pointed to a pair of police officers, wearing what could be riot gear.

"They drew Jade Watch." The quirky teacher said. "But as she's selling indulgences this year, I think she'll be okay, We made sure she had no direct viewing of the kissing booth. Thinking a couple of the girls might be willing to work that booth? There are guys here who'd love to pay for a kiss or two…'

"I'll ask the Vega girls." Helen said, only to watch the acting teacher tense up. "What?"

"Nothing, just…" He glanced to the side. "There's this rumor that maybe Jade was okay with this breakup because she has eyes on a certain prize. I'm told that, as of this year, there is a student who is valued above even Beck, and that's Tori. Not saying Jade's interested, but it would explain why she's not scoping up a view of the kissing booth with a high powered rifle. Or some kind of modified crossbow that launches scissors. Not sure how that would work, but our physics teacher assures me that Jade has been working on the balancing problems this year, and she really is a promising students when it comes to future super villainy..."

/

Helen just shook her head, walking off to find the Vega sisters and seeing if Tori, the more popular of the two, would do a shift in the booth. "Miss Vega, I was wondering…"

"No, they said we couldn't do a dunking booth, despite it being California, because it gets too cold at night." Trina told the principal.

"That wasn't what I was gonna… Wait, people wanted to dunk you?" Helen looked hard at the older girl.

"You'd think." Tori let out. "But noooo, turns out, most of those asked, they wanted to dunk me. ME!? What did I ever do to deserve that kind of treatment, I ask you? What?!"

"Tori, down." Trina was again the voice of reason, something that disturbed Helen the more she heard it. "I'm sure there are plenty of people jealous of my talent who wanted to dunk me. But the head of student services said no, so…"

"So Sikowitz said no?" Helen asked, trying to keep up. "Whatever, that was the right call. No, we have a kissing booth, and were thinking if we could maybe get a girl to do a sift…"

"I'll do it." Trina announced. "For the school, I'll do it."

"She's graduating, and wanting to give back." Tori tried to explain. "But also, I think she just wants to see guys pay to kiss her."

"I was thinking maybe you, being one of the popular kids, might…" The principal hesitated.

"Haven't bought enough overprices Belgian coco for that." Tori said, blushing just a touch. "What? Do you have any idea how many get out of Jade card's I'm gonna need just to make it through the rest of the school year? No, not risking my safety by being in a kissing booth with Beck. Staying safely away from that, and withing sight of Jade, up until the ball drop, when I have a use for my get out of Jade cards…" Her smile was borderline evil, something Helen understood.

"And if this plan doesn't work?" She asked the girl, watching Trina talk her way into a spot at the kissing booth. Already a surprisingly long line, mostly nerds like Sinjin, but oddly dotted with a couple of the girls, formed to have their go at Trina.

"Run and hide?" Tori guessed. "Any idea how far along she is on that scissor launcher? It makes the difference between twenty yards, her maximum throwing range, and fifty yards…"

"She can thrown them how far?" Helen asked, doing the math. "That's sixty feet."

"Yea, impressive, right?" Tori nodded. "Okay, looks like Trina is doing brisk business. Only, whats Meredith doing in that line?"

"Same thing as Mandy Baxter and Quinn Headly." Helen said of two of the popular girls in Trina's class, who seemed interested in either humiliating the Latina, or just kissing her. "Should I be worried?"

"No, those two I get." Tori shrugged. "Trina has this vibe, and for whatever reason, some girls, like them, they respond. Sigh, if only Treen would settle for a girl, she'd be dripping with dates."

"Speaking of, you and Jade…"

"If all goes well tonight." Tori promised, even as she watched the clock ticking down. "Just an hour and a half left, and we'll see if I'm in hiding for the new year, or maybe, if I'm finally ditching that single status…"

:}

I have two unrelated New years stories, and this is the first. Hope you enjoyed the Hollywood Arts New Years celebration.