I'M HIS | BOOK 1 | BOYXBOY

22: "5!"

It just seems like big events are flying by this year. Thanksgiving came and went and my birthday and Christmas felt like the blink of an eye, and now it's the new year and we were planning on going out this year. It was a good thing we knew James because he hooked us up tonight. He was DJing at a restaurant right by time square and he promised us entry. Apparently, they had a rooftop view of the ball. I was more excited to finally experience that in person than on tv like every other year. This was also going to be my friend's New Years' kiss. I'm not sure how that tradition started but I knew I always wanted one.

    I was already over at Carolina's house and David and Angel were on their way. It was getting late and we were afraid of the traffic on the MTA tonight. Everyone and their mom makes the trip to come to NYC for the night. Then again I'm not even a new yorker yet. Right?

    "Lina, when would I consider myself a New Yorker?" She was fixing her hair.

    "Well, I think it's a few things. You either have to live here for ten years, get mugged, or hit by a taxi." She chuckled. "And if you get mugged and hit by a taxi on the same day you become the mayor." I busted out laughing at how ridiculous she sounded. "You're laughing but I'm not joking."

    "Enough!" I giggled. "Where are these guys!" The doorbell rang and we looked at each other wide-eyed. "I'm a psychic."

    We headed down and greeted the guys at the door. We didn't waste any time. We headed straight out the door and towards the bus. I was not excited about the trip because of how packed the trains were going to be once we hit the city.

    Angel and I chatted about the usual, he was showing me some photos of the sketches he's already done in his new book. I saw him sketch the view from our hotel room. He sketched the dinner table he had set up at the ice skating rink and of course some clouds. He started a sketch of the five of us. He and I with Lina, David, and James. I still am always so impressed with his ability to sketch realism. It was an incredible talent to have and the fact he can somehow also paint that way blows my mind.

    I could see Carolina looking over at us squinting like she was trying to figure out something. Since Angel and I had sex we were definitely acting a lot close. We weren't that afraid of light PDA anymore. I didn't care what someone had to say because I found confidence in what we had after that closeness we shared that night.

    We stepped out of the bus and transferred to the train. I could practically feel Lina breathing down my neck while we were walking.

    "You had sex." She didn't even ask us, she told us.

"What? No." I looked at her as we entered the train.

"Yes you did, when people have sex they look different. They change, they act different, more confident, you walk differently—"

"I'm not walking differently." I shook my head.

"Not anymore." Angel winked.

"Oop." Lina's eyes went wide and she started to laugh.

"Yeah, you either." I threw it back at Angel raising my brows because we both knew what happened that night.

"Big fucking Oop." David laughed. "I don't wanna make y'all uncomfy but was it fun?" He leaned in. "I'm a virgin, the least I can do is life curiously through y'all."

"Don't worry David, we can find a guy for you tonight." She scratched the back of his head.

"Promise me he'll be cute." He joked back not taking offense.

    Once the train exited Queens and hit Manhattan the crowds of people and friends groups piled in. Everyone was wearing festive new year hats, glasses, shirts, any kind of merch prop you can think of, they had one that read the new year. It was weird to say I almost felt insecure for not wearing some sort of glasses or hat--but like I said--almost felt insecure.