Lost Love

Chapter 29

"So, are you the only ones back?" I asked, hopeful. They smiled sadly at me.

"Yeah... I think Jack's still away" Lola says. Jesse looked like he was about to burst. I ignored it and changed the conversation.

"I'm a lover not a hater, not a fighter or a player. And I'll party 'till the sun comes up, getting a hangover without a cure. We could end up anywhere but that's all part of the rush" we sang along to 'Drunk on Love' while we danced.

"When the lights are shining that's where you will find me, getting drunk on love. That's what we do, when I see you dancing. Gets me so excited, gonna pour my love all over you. We're drunk on love" we jumped and danced, and immediately, the music cut off. There were grunts of disapproval, but as soon as the flat screen TV lit up with a live stream of the usual NYE countdown, everyone cheered and scattered around, finding their kiss partner. I smiled at Lola from afar, where she was with a guy she knew. I turned and saw Jesse with a random girl, who was leaning on him for support. Everyone had someone, so I moved to lean against the kitchen bench, looking out at the people waiting for the countdown to hit one. I sighed and turned my back when it got to 30 seconds.

"15! 14! 13! 12!" they started chanting. Tears clouded my vision, the feeling of being alone washing over me. "10! 9! 8! 7!" someone grabbed my arm and turned me around when it hit five, and before I could see who it was, their lips were on mine. "1!" everyone screamed and then it went silent, the noises of fireworks erupting very clear to us, as they weren't too far away. The kiss with the stranger was familiar. It was soft, and welcoming. No tongue, almost like he was afraid to. I thought it was Fletcher, but when the music started again and people began singing and shouting like earlier, his lips were off mine, and he was gone when I opened my eyes. I looked around, hoping to see the mystery man, but no such luck.

"Sammy! Did you get a kiss?" Gracie asked, rushing up to me, a grin plastered on her face.

"Yeah, but, I don't know who it was" she frowned. "He was just, gone, as quick as he was here" I say disappointed.

"That's weird... was it good though?" she asked and I grabbed a beer for myself.

"Yeah, it was" I smile. "It was so familiar. I've defiantly kissed him before" I say.

"Sammy, love, I adore you, but you've kissed a lot of guys in your time" she chuckled.

"I know, but... I don't know. This one, it felt... different. Like, I really enjoyed kissing him. And it was like, not one of the one night stands that I've had. It wasn't a sloppy kiss" I shake my head. "I thought it was Fletcher, honestly" I say and drink some of the liquid, letting it burn my throat as I swallowed.

"Huh. Well everyone's heading out. Most are going clubbing" she tells me and I down the rest of the beer and nod.

"I might just go home" I say, feeling a tad tipsy, but not too much. Over the years, I've learnt how to hold my drink, so I'm no lightweight like I used to be.

"Alright. Get a cab though" she says warningly. I nod and go back upstairs to the room where my bag was. I opened the door and saw a guy and girl making out on the bed. I switch the light on and cleared my throat.

"Alright, out. Take this to some other house" I say and they broke apart. The girl glared at me, but when she looked back at the boy who was straightening his shirt out, a foolish, try-hard sexy grin appeared on her face. He cleared his throat and turned around, and I squealed and jumped on him. "Blake!" I exclaimed, wrapping my legs around his waist as he held me tightly in a hug. I heard the girl scoff and storm out.

"Sammy! God, it's been too long!" his British accent rang in my ears.

"I know! I didn't know you were here! Jesse and Lola said no one else came" I say, standing on my own feet.

"They didn't say anything cause I wanted to surprise you. I uh, got a little caught up though" he says, referring to the blonde who was just here.

"Yeah, I saw that" I nudged him and got my handbag from under the bed and pulled my phone out to check it; nothing new.

"Oh shut up. Where are you staying?" he asks as we walked back down stairs, where it was like a bomb-site, people still hanging around, the ones that were sober that is, and talking with Gracie and Tom. I waved to them and left with Blake.

"I live in a loft not too far away" I tell him and we walk down the few stairs to the sidewalk.

"Sweet. You wouldn't mind if I crashed with you then" he says casually and hails a cab.

"Not at all! We have seven years worth of catching up to do!" I say and we get into the cab. I give him my address and we sit in silence, our hands held together, fingers intertwined, but it felt natural. We always held hands. We weren't together, God no. And we never have, and never will have feelings for each other more than friendship. It was just relaxing, playing with someone's fingers, or someone playing with yours, so we just kind of naturally did that now.

My mind drifted to the mystery guy and the kiss only half an hour ago, as I watched the busy New York streets as we drove through my most favourite city in the world. I sighed; everything seemed so easy. But, it wasn't.