𝗞𝗜𝗦𝗦 𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧 // mcyt apply fic // ᶜˡᵒˢᵉᵈ

⁰⁰² ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇᴡ ʏᴇᴀʀ's ᴋɪss.

𝟶𝟶𝟸. [𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚢𝚎𝚊𝚛'𝚜 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜.]

𝚏𝚕𝚘𝚛𝚊 𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚎.

-

Flora weaves through the crowd like an expert, craning her neck to keep her eye on a certain brunette as she follows him, shouting over the music to try and get his attention. She still has his varsity jacket wrapped tight around her shoulders, his name sprawled across her back.

It's not like she needs his name or his jacket though, everyone knows she's his, even if they aren't official. Even if they never have been. Everyone's known since freshman year, their hands intertwined in the hallways. They'd slowly become the "it couple" at Silver Hills, and suddenly the whole school was in on all their drama.

And God, was there a lot of drama.

Flora had never wanted anything all that serious with him. She didn't mean to make him fall in love with her. She didn't mean to fall in love with him. But things happen. And things did happen between them. They fought, they kissed, they screamed, they held hands. No one was surprised when they came into school sending each other dirty looks. Even less people were when he was spotted driving her to school.

They were the definition of an on/off relationship. Minus the relationship part, of course.

"Karl!" She cries, finally catching up enough to tug on his sleeve. He swirls around, shooting her a toothy smile.

"Well, hello there," He takes her hand, spinning her. He tugs her into his chest, pecking her forehead.

She pouts, glancing at him through her lashes. "What?" She juts her bottom lip out, wrapping her arms around the back of his neck. "Not on the lips?" He inhales sharply, and she knows she's got him.

He shakes his head, looking around the room before leaning down to whisper in her ear.

"A vixen. You're like a vixen, you know that?" She grins.

"So? You gonna be my New Year's kiss?" Another sharp inhale. It's teasing, and very much an offer. Who is Karl to decline?

"Oh... I dunno," He hums in mock thought like it's a hard decision. It isn't. "Who can resist?" She giggles as he finally kisses her - on the lips this time.

It's not anything special, Flora's been kissing Karl since freshman year, and if we're really being honest it's not the first time she's being paid for it either, but it's the first time in at least a month. It sounds stupid, but it's probably one of the longest times the two had been broken up. Flora hates thinking about it.

Karl had wanted something, something with labels, something long-term. He'd slipped up, called her his girlfriend and she'd gotten defensive. It wasn't his fault, but it wasn't hers either. She thought her intentions were clear - she just wanted to have fun, she never had wanted anything serious before. Before.

The fight had escalated quickly, Karl begging her for something real. For a relationship. She'd freaked out on him, yelled, and ran out. He left her calls and texts and snaps and even DMed her on Instagram, anything to get her to talk to him. She never did, not at least until he promised her it'd been a mistake, he didn't mean a bit of it. They both knew she didn't buy it, but he dropped the whole relationship thing, and eventually, things had gone back to normal. Ish.

"C'mon! I wanna go out on the balcony," She tugs his hand, leading him up the steps and through George's parents' room, and onto the terrace. He slips a hand onto her lower back as she gazes out into the sky, both hands on the railing.

But the space between them had gotten her thinking. The fight wouldn't stop replaying in her head. Karl was shouting how her loved her, how he'd always loved her, and how couldn't she love him back? And Flora, Flora had her head in her hands, begging him, to please, please just stop talking. It got her thinking. How couldn't she love him back? What was stopping her?

Maybe, just maybe, she did love him. Would it really hurt that much to let him have another shot?

She can hear the chanting slowly start from below them, in the house and in the backyard, the party starting to count down to midnight.

"TEN!"

She turns to look up at him, his hand still resting on her back.

"NINE!"

Karl can't help the smile that graces his lips when she shuffles closer until her front is pressed against his.

"EIGHT!"

She notes that in the three years that Karl and Flora have been Karl and Flora, this is the first time they hadn't been fighting on New Year's. Their first New Year's kiss.

"SEVEN!"

Idly, she wonders if it's symbolic. Next year is college, for both of them.

"SIX!"

She watches his eyes, flicking between her lips and her eyes. She stifles a giggle at how down-bad they both are as she notices her own eyes dragging her gaze to his lips.

"FIVE!"

The chanting's getting louder, and so is her heartbeat.

"FOUR!"

She wonders if it would really be all that bad to be called Karl's girlfriend.

"THREE!"

She hears the sizzle, then the bang and flash of a firework come from down the street. She jumps, and he steadies her.

"TWO!"

Another firework. Karl cups her face.

"ONE!"

His lips meet hers and it tastes like home. She barely recognizes the fireworks exploding in the background.

-

[𝟶𝟿.𝟹𝟶.𝟸𝟸.]