I Got You ~ C.B

THIRTY-THREE

I wasn't meant to be coming home today, back to LA. I was meant to return in time for Colby's birthday party I've planned on the Second of January. But here I am, on the flight back to LA on New Years Day. Well, I'd be landing in LA on New Years Eve, which is perfect. As if I was going to miss mine and Colby's first New Years kiss. Besides, I was so sick of being there. I spent the whole week doing nothing, only to lead up to a night out with Tina I regret anyway. Not because I did anything wrong, but because it just reinforced why I don't want to go home. Everyone just wants to use me there, everyone is fake there. It's not where I'm me. I can't heal there. What's the saying- you can't heal in the place that broke you. I couldn't wait to get home again, to LA, to Colby. The place I am healed. I am me. Although, in hindsight, the week could have gone worse. At least dad was in a good place. We didn't really argue. It was good to see him. It was a good experience with him. And it was good to see Tina. It just dragged on. A week in LA time goes by in a blink, a week there is an eternity. The flight is cutting it close, I'll land at 10:30 pm LA time, which means I need to get back through customs, baggage claim and back to my place- where I told Colby to hold a New Years party- by midnight to kiss him. I hope the traffic isn't too bad. I should be okay, I'm a priority guest on this flight. Which means I get let off first and led through LAX by security. Speedily getting through customs and baggage claim. I've got Diana and my car lined up to pick me up straight away.

It all works out well, I get through everything and into the car with Diana in about half an hour. Leaving us with an hour to get back home. And just when I'm thinking this plan has gone down too flawlessly, we hit traffic. Typical. Why is LA so busy at this time of the night? Shouldn't these people be waiting to kiss someone right now- I know I am. I sit it out, driving us though LA as efficiently as I can. We reach our street with two minutes to spare until midnight. I don't even stop the car, putting it in park and getting out- leaving Diana to properly park it. She isn't in a rush. I run through the front door, the party is huge. Filling the house and back yard. Everyone one of my friends are here, merging the acting and YouTube worlds. Crazy. Liza sees me, exclaiming and opening her arms
"Alaska!"
I tell her as I hurry past
"I'll come back for that hug- I have to find Colby!"
She realises why I'm in such a rush, and yells at me
"I saw him out back!"
It's a start, I rush through the rest of the house and outside, they've started counting, everyone facing the overlook, ready for various fireworks off rooftops of buildings in the distance.
"Ten! Nine! Eight!"
I whip my head around, sighting Colby amidst the crowd at the overlook. Only visible by a touch of blue hair that catches my eye. Even if it was just party lights bouncing off someone's head, I still count it a chance worthy to take.
"Seven! Six! Five! Four!"
People see me coming, parting like the Red Sea. Brennan's eyes widening as they fall on me, and he taps Colby's arm.
"Three! Two!"
Colby has only just turned in the direction Brennan indicates, before I jump in his arms, legs around his waist and kissing him in time for
"One!"
Then the fireworks. Both literally and figuratively between us. They light up the LA skyline, and they light up my life. Sending electricity through me again. Colby's arms hold me to him, my hands in his hair. After a minute, he pulls away, asking breathlessly
"How the hell are you here!"
I giggle, pecking him
"Well I wasn't going to miss our first New Year's kiss was I?"
He kisses me again, setting me down, arms still wrapped firmly around my waist, bodies pressed together. My arms around his neck as I reach up on my tiptoes. This is it. This is the year of us. We're going to do amazing things. And we'll do them together.

With the party still going on around the house, Colby and I sneak ourselves away in my bedroom. Not to get it on, but because he says he left my Christmas present on my bed so it would be what I got home too. He's wearing my present I had sent to his family's house right now, the silver Cartier love ring. He sits me on the bed, hand over my eyes as he places a familiar feeling box in my hand. I open my eyes and look down to see the same Cartier wrapping paper, I grin- flicking my eyes up to him where he stands before me
"Great minds think alike?"
Opening it, it appears we brought each other the exact same ring. I giggle, slipping it on my finger
"Thank you. I love it."
Tilting my head back, he responds by kissing me, crouching down before me he comments
"I am so happy you came home."
I sigh
"To be honest, I just couldn't be away any longer."
He raises his eyebrow
"Not a good trip?"
"In a sense, it was one of the better visits. But it just isn't home anymore."
He pokes me in the side
"LA girl."
I shake my head
"I mean, LA is my home yeah. But I mean you. Home is with you."
He kisses my hand, and rises again
"We should get back out there. We are nowhere near drunk enough by New Years standards."
I follow him out, agreeing
"Yeah- catch me up baby."
Even though it's already the New Year, what progresses is a hell of a wild night.