Theater Cubicles

New Year's Fears Pt. 2

"I don't like dancing," I told the trio for probably the trillionth time.

"Oh, come on! It's so fun when you get on the dance floor. Plus, Kyle is a stellar slow dancer," Madison pleaded.

Ethan wagged his eyebrows creepily, "The three of us took ballroom dancing."

"Nope!"

"Fine!" they said all at once and left for the dance floor.

Madison was jumping up and down on the way there. She was a lot like Germaine on steroids. Which reminded me... I should probably text her a Happy New Years.

As soon as I took my phone out, I could feel my parents glare without looking at them. Looking up I saw that both of them were giving me the eye to put away my phone. Reluctantly, I put it on my lap failing once again to enter even my pass code.

"Go! Dance," my mother said.

"You've know me for fifteen years now, mom. I hate dancing when I'm not in the confines of my room."

"You're right. But I'm glad you made friends, sweetie. She seems about your age the very kind and enthusiastic girl. And that older boy is absolutely dashing."

"Not as dashing as, hmm, let me remember...oh yeah! My boyfriend!"

"You're right. Sorry to forget about Nolan, Juliette. We should've had him come along but I believe Adel would have been too young to come along."

Yet, what she suggested went in through one ear and out the other. 

"Mom, look! The countdown on the screen!" I pointed out.

"Yes it says less than one hour sweetie. Oh, no! Not another one of your episodes. No, honey. Not here, dear. I'm next to my colleagues!" her voice reduced to an urgent whisper.

I took in deep breaths excusing myself from the table taking a long swig of the non-alcoholic champagne, as if that would help, and left to find a deserted place with less noise.

Approaching the ladies room I was faced with a welcoming sight. So these were what these randomly placed couches next to the flushing toilets were for! The couched that swallowed you in their plushness were a perfect place to read and text Germaine.

Me: Germaine! Happy New Year! I hope the following year together will be a happy, healthy, and successful one :)

Germaine: The same to you! Gotta go back on the dance floor. This part is pretty jamming and I'm trying to score a kiss for when the clock strikes twelve.

Typical Germaine.

Me: Then I'll leave you to it :)

I was hesitant in texting Nolan. During his visit we had become as close as family. I had never been super close with anybody before and I didn't know how to handle our situation. Under the circumstances of the environment we were in, and because how conscientious he was, Nolan had never displayed any obvious affection towards me. This made me wonder... had I now become more like another younger sister to him? Germaine was off being flirtatious and I was sitting here re-reading the same first sentence of a book on my phone, failing to process what it said because my mind was so rattled with thoughts.

In a far away tone I could hear the DJ's voice, "A special fifteen minutes before the year 2015!"

My heart beat accelerated. Tears that I could not help rolled down from my eyes. I found Nolan in my favorites and dialed Nolan.

He picked up the phone promptly, "Juliette?"

"Another year is leaving me. When a year leaves it never comes back. I am getting closer and closer each year to becoming an adult with responsibility and there is no turning back. The no-turning-back-part is what I fear the most. The new year means that the old one that was great is to be replaced with one that might not be great at all. This year was the best by far. What if the next is horrible?"

"Juliette, calm down. What are you saying? Are you alright? What's going on?"

"I'm at the college's gala far away from where you are. You can't help me," my breaths started getting shorter. 

"Listen to me. If you never entered this year you wouldn't have experienced it in all it's greatness. This year you accomplished brand new things and this year we will be performing in a big show. Together!"

"Nolan... do you like me as a sister?" I blurted.

"What where did you get that idea from?" he asked.

"Nevermind..."

"No, tell me what's on your mind."

"I... I feel... I feel as if lately because we barely saw each other alone that I'm in your eyes the equivalent of Adel. Just a freshman. Just like family."

"Juliette," he said.

The way Nolan said my name should of hinted to the fact that he did not, in fact, see me like a sister or friend. My heart melted into a helpless puddle.

"Juliette, I've had a couple crushes. In fact I've had a couple girlfriends. You might've had crushes but I know you've never had a boyfriend. I'm telling you: what I feel do you is very different. I know we're too young to feel anything serious but, Juliette, you're so very special to me. You're special to me in the most extraordinary way possible for a teenager."

"Nolan I think you can say what you're afraid to say. I know we're two years apart and you go to college next year but say it."

"Juliette, I l..."

Then on both lines our voices were trampled by the hundreds of chanting people.

"10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... Happy New Year!"

A new year. Entering a new year with Nolan over the phone. It was better than kissing someone that you barely knew for the heck of it, Germaine.

"Happy New Year, Nolan."

"Happy New Year, Juliette."

That was the last year I feared the New Year.

A/N: Some epic Jolan moments! I gotta tell you. Juliette in this chapter is pretty annoying. As I wrote her, purposley mind you, she got on my nerves. But then again it's in her character development. So comment comment comment and please vote!