I feel myself wringing my hands in my lap while pretending to focus on the untouched margarita sitting directly in front of me. My leggings are becoming frayed and I decide to mentally pick off the fuzzy bits so that maybe, just maybe, I can relax.303Please respect copyright.PENANAktAcHcLMMj
It doesn’t work, so I decide to try to count the seeds floating around in my strawberry margarita before I realize how ridiculous I’m being. 303Please respect copyright.PENANAF2mCVh0pAb
It’s New Year’s Eve!303Please respect copyright.PENANAiPKWaetb3T
Wynn is emphatic as ever—her arms are outstretched as she explains how big the rat family she saw in the subway was. I decide to focus on her and get out of my own head.303Please respect copyright.PENANAXr6IvEiLj8
“I’m talking HUGE. And they were kinda cute! I thought about taking one home, actually. But I didn’t want to break up the family, and c’mon. Who needs four rats?”303Please respect copyright.PENANAqJS8aCxVXu
Our friend group groans in unison and I think that’s my cue. I grab my hefty margarita and stand, opting for the balcony to grab some fresh air and to not think about rat families.303Please respect copyright.PENANAtQa4xxd0SG
“Rozz? Don’t think you’re about to leave us to deal with Wynn’s stories!” Mira shouts as I make my way around the bar. I turn around and shoot her smile and yell back, “I wouldn’t dream of it!”303Please respect copyright.PENANA4e5pVg9fGx
My margarita sloshes in my hand as I expertly navigate through the crowd and fight not to look for you-know-who.303Please respect copyright.PENANAMJttIcdr7U
Wait. I guess you don’t know. 303Please respect copyright.PENANAgj36lMmioJ
I’m new to this storytelling thing, so be patient with me! He’s kinda the reason I’m so in my own head tonight. I was just expecting things to go so differently and here I am—going into the new year being the same ball of trepidation and anxiety. I want to be different. I want to be bold and confident. Wynn, Mira, all of my friends really, are go-getters. Confidence oozes off of them in vibrant waves while my insecurities feel glued to my skin.303Please respect copyright.PENANAkensKMLaTf
I’m outside before I realize it, my inner dialogue navigating me better than any auto pilot ever could. The railing of the balcony is adorned with fairy lights and I take extra care to lean my elbow in a vacant space before peering over the edge.303Please respect copyright.PENANAyG1NMZaVvd
We’re on the 16th floor and I feel like I can see the world’s perimeter from here. Something about being up high on New Year’s Eve night while being romantically depressed feels oddly magical. I feel like if I were to jump, I’d float.303Please respect copyright.PENANADyo1mXz5IW
God, what the hell am I thinking?303Please respect copyright.PENANAaX1XPsAnfW
I close my eyes and take a giant sip of my drink. Clearly I’m in need. Why did I reschedule my appointment with my therapist? Maybe—303Please respect copyright.PENANA9C8Vimdu22
303Please respect copyright.PENANA7svOElIlxz
“Rozz, Rozz, Rozz. I’ve found you.”303Please respect copyright.PENANAPX6pGEBYGN
I inhale and keep it there, shutting my eyes even tighter. I’m not ready. God, I’m not ready at all. My anxiety is so deep and palpable that I can see it melting into my skin in layers. 303Please respect copyright.PENANAgHM7Z7G1bO
Why did I come here?303Please respect copyright.PENANAdnlmMHh9cs
I’m so pathetic. He’s my light, my lantern. I look to him even knowing he’s way too hot for me to touch and come out unscathed.303Please respect copyright.PENANALxHNtHxrFu
I reach for him knowing that my hand will forever be outstretched, waiting for the warmth that only he can bring. I’m nothing more than a moth predestined to a scorching, unremarkable death.303Please respect copyright.PENANA5EJ9Tnc0xd
I force the exhale out, plaster on a fake smile and turn around.303Please respect copyright.PENANA2nZA4499BI
“So you have! You've been having fun, Ezra?”303Please respect copyright.PENANAcqfbZE0UR3
My voice comes out unnaturally high pitched and squeaky and I groan inwardly. I’ve got to get myself under control.303Please respect copyright.PENANAFjvV4ydrkj
Ezra leans against the balcony next to me, beer in tow, regarding me with a look I’m pretty unfamiliar with. After demanding eye contact with a gaze that could pierce any barrier, he finally speaks.303Please respect copyright.PENANApszFyw5IBO
“You’ve been avoiding me, Rozz.”303Please respect copyright.PENANAQRHZvDPTWM
Fuck.303Please respect copyright.PENANAfWgIUXyoGL
Always to the point, that Ezra. I’d been avoiding the fucker all night and of course he notices. Why does it matter anyway? The rumor mill (my friends) definitely said that Nadia had kissed him and he seemed pretty into it. What else did we have to discuss?303Please respect copyright.PENANAfO6rPUireO
We’re just friends, anyway. Always have been. Always will be. I’m the one that messed up and fell in love. I didn’t want this.303Please respect copyright.PENANA4zrBtXBvxy
My hand finds itself back on my leggings, plucking away.. I watch as his eyes follow the movement. I try to focus on the strawberry flavor of the margarita that’s still on my tongue. It’s my favorite one, I think. 303Please respect copyright.PENANAEqWXZTg3jm
What do I even say back?303Please respect copyright.PENANAgbDA1CvlFF
Lie?303Please respect copyright.PENANAbxuohWJAtX
“What? I’d never.”303Please respect copyright.PENANA7zdovPB2Xf
I smile and push the straw out of the way to guzzle my drink. I need the extra fuel. Yum, more strawberries.303Please respect copyright.PENANA3NyDAHly7C
Ezra smiles lazily and takes a sip of his beer.303Please respect copyright.PENANA44uDrNI7kq
“I gotta say. Lying and then chugging your drink doesn’t really sell it. Maybe workshop that for next time.”303Please respect copyright.PENANAuJfNN7RzkF
Okay, so lying didn’t work.303Please respect copyright.PENANAuNIr5GOYUp
I almost choke on my drink as laughter erupts from me and I punch him in the shoulder.303Please respect copyright.PENANAhyhflUp5ku
“Here’s a thought. You could’ve just let the lie fly?”303Please respect copyright.PENANA5Z445i940H
He chuckles and adjusts his glasses before regarding me more seriously once more.303Please respect copyright.PENANApe4ODiBfNV
“Or you could not lie to me? What’s going on?”303Please respect copyright.PENANATyWbm3K1Xb
The way his voice drips with concern for me makes my heart pulse and ache. My eyes focus on his lips for a moment before flickering back up to his eyes. He has no idea how emotionally devastated I am and his genuine concern is making me want to vomit. Or maybe it was the margarita. 303Please respect copyright.PENANACqmPtIl6gk
I can’t take it.303Please respect copyright.PENANAnJfWZSrGEm
My drink now completely empty, I begin to make my way back inside. The sudden movement causes warmth to go to my tummy and fog to my brain. Oh god, I’m buzzed. I can’t be alone with him like this.303Please respect copyright.PENANALO1v0kvmWx
“Why don’t we get more drinks? Also the countdown will probably–”303Please respect copyright.PENANAB5owEomwN0
I’m cut off by him wrapping his hand around my forearm and gently pulling me toward him.303Please respect copyright.PENANA1CGgfgGDJP
“We can do the countdown out here.”303Please respect copyright.PENANAtCWFEMCCew
Oh, he’s definitely been drinking. He’s never been this forward before. 303Please respect copyright.PENANAzmMNMCTxsV
I swallow.303Please respect copyright.PENANAj2Lmq1fVmh
“Just the two of us?”303Please respect copyright.PENANAS6XVKjIeV2
“Is being alone with me suddenly so bad?”303Please respect copyright.PENANAqKUC1DpGuy
“How many beers have you had, Ezra?”303Please respect copyright.PENANAOPt0d2QDvq
“Why does it matter?”303Please respect copyright.PENANAKnjtINoVwf
I can smell him and I feel my eyes fight to flutter close. Shit.303Please respect copyright.PENANAzbq7MDn0J7
He repositions his hand further down my arm and grabs my hand. I guess he thinks I’m going to make a run for it.303Please respect copyright.PENANA3IwrMiq6q2
“Okay, okay. It doesn’t matter. But since we’re out here, how are you? How have things been with–”303Please respect copyright.PENANA5a4Xw674nm
“Rozzlyn.”303Please respect copyright.PENANApE2XXO1ukI
The way he says my name makes my entire body tingle. It was almost a whisper, a secret that wrapped around only us and made me fall even further.303Please respect copyright.PENANA1gAg3xmssd
I lick my lips out of nervousness and watch as his eyes follow my tongue.303Please respect copyright.PENANADIvSOInt1o
Jesus Christ.303Please respect copyright.PENANAG6cWF2grSb
Why isn’t he looking for Nadia?303Please respect copyright.PENANAGdQGTBeOSx
“Ezra, I just..I can’t talk about it with you.”303Please respect copyright.PENANAnu4h5kk03S
His eyebrows furrow.303Please respect copyright.PENANAInPS2VFvQ3
“Why not? We’ve always talked about everything. Why is this different?”303Please respect copyright.PENANAcFMwpvnjAO
“Because this is about you and it’s my problem to deal with.”303Please respect copyright.PENANAlqjwh4ZLcc
“What does that mean?”303Please respect copyright.PENANAwEoCVGd88U
“Where’s Nadia?”303Please respect copyright.PENANAQEIdbcGtF3
I regret it as soon as I ask. I couldn’t help myself. Nadia is a damn scab that I can’t not pick, knowing the wound will only deepen because of it.303Please respect copyright.PENANAedKVFhW1v0
Ezra genuinely looks surprised and for some reason, it makes me irritated.303Please respect copyright.PENANAg8XoTz22ts
“What? Why are you asking about Nadia so suddenly? And why would I know?”303Please respect copyright.PENANAFpeKjhuoib
I can’t hide my irritation at this point so I huff and step away from his grasp.303Please respect copyright.PENANA8mm6b8e9jI
“Isn’t she your girlfriend? Or do you just kiss anybody?”303Please respect copyright.PENANAcWNHY2PqyE
I’m becoming uglier and uglier and I hate myself. I feel the warmth of the margarita loosening my lips and at this point, I just want another one. I might as well drown in my desolation.303Please respect copyright.PENANACdN62FDzlL
It’s all I’m worth.303Please respect copyright.PENANAd6ofiesNmH
I’m spiraling so fast but I encourage it. I feel the familiar black hole of despair starting at my feet to engulf me whole and I close my eyes and prepare to be overtaken. I will never be good enough for Ezra, for anyone. I don’t even like myself. I pretend to be charming, to be bubbly, to be mentally well, just so that no one finds out the truth. 303Please respect copyright.PENANAmtmjfhZhtf
I’m empty.303Please respect copyright.PENANA6WT8vaczb6
The black hole reaches my arms at this point and I smile sadly. I’ll just mentally retreat back into my familiar nothingness. I finally feel at peace about all of this. 303Please respect copyright.PENANA7aD9JkC6Eq
Before the black hole gets to my neck, I feel Ezra slowly cradle my face and look at me like he sees me. His thumbs are wiping at my cheeks and I realize I’m crying. He tilts his head and leans his forehead against mine.303Please respect copyright.PENANAYggu3Qeefz
“You stupid, stupid woman.”303Please respect copyright.PENANAjMKHRXzTpf
His lips marry mine and time stops. There is no bar, there is no balcony, there is no Nadia. 303Please respect copyright.PENANAtOd7darpdC
The black hole begins to retreat and my heartbeat is echoing in my ears.303Please respect copyright.PENANAk1qC24Vbg2
Is this real?303Please respect copyright.PENANAgiXgheUREN
He pulls away but our noses are still touching.303Please respect copyright.PENANAZ2wruRpD25
“You don’t have the right to be jealous, Rozz. I’ve been in love with you for years and now you decide to be jealous of Nadia of all people? She kissed me and I pushed her away. You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting just to be seen by you. I notice when you try out a new lotion, when you fixate on a new favorite color, when you’re in a depressive spiral…”303Please respect copyright.PENANAkSWPOyUncm
I’m still too speechless to speak, but I feel my hands warm up with embarrassment. I should really call my therapist…303Please respect copyright.PENANAjkOKvhECNf
He leans forward and marries our lips again, this time for much longer. I can’t hide my eagerness and I nip, lick and bite at him until he groans. His arms wrap around my sides, tickling the skin under my sweater and I lean further into him. Our tongues take turns exploring the other’s mouth in long, languid, licks.303Please respect copyright.PENANAQ7dGYAl15X
“You’re making me love strawberries, Rozz…” 303Please respect copyright.PENANAANufTfFKtk
I pull away and bury my face in my hands.303Please respect copyright.PENANAnui9NdPDXq
“I can’t believe you…feel the same way..”303Please respect copyright.PENANAhusMWuqNmE
Ezra pulls my hands away and looks at me while chuckling.303Please respect copyright.PENANAyazqAA36y9
“I felt this way first. I've just been waiting for you to love me back.”303Please respect copyright.PENANAA4hVqD1T7H
We hear people beginning to countdown and I look at my phone.303Please respect copyright.PENANAKjc9nZEWvG
“11:59. I love you back, Ezra. I love you so much, it hurts.”303Please respect copyright.PENANAIVQAjZigPk
Everyone shouts “HAPPY NEW YEAR!”303Please respect copyright.PENANAf1ygTjEjCJ
I wrap my hands around his neck and I promise myself that I will kiss him until I die.303Please respect copyright.PENANAYGj8M7pFYN
I’ve never wanted anything more.
303Please respect copyright.PENANAiuci4zRVpU