Timing

Since the Amber Incident, I haven’t really gone out to do anything fun. I haven’t wanted to. The Halloween party Zoey had invited Molly and me to before everything happened wasn’t something I felt like going to in the aftermath. So I surprised myself when I accepted an invitation for a New Year’s Eve party from Steve.

Molly just wanted to have a quiet night in with her boyfriend, Calvin. That’s right, guys, I said BOYFRIEND. I guess after Molly told him what happened, his commitment issues hit him in the face and he realized that he wanted to label their relationship and make it official. I was there when they made it “Facebook Official” and they were SO adorable.

Anyway, Zoey and Anna both had plans, too. They offered to cancel and hang out with me but I declined. I really just wanted a quiet night in where I watched the ball drop and ate one of those cheap party platters you can buy at the grocery store all by myself.

“Faith, you’ve gotta come! There’s going to be all sorts of hot FAMOUS guys there!” Steve whined into the phone, “Suzy and Dina are coming, too! And Tom will be there with me!”

“I don’t know, Steve, it’s YOUR work party. Wouldn’t it be weird for me to attend a party for a place I don’t even work for?”

“No! Suzy and Dina are going to be there, too. You won’t be the only person who doesn’t work there at the party. Lots of people bring dates and stuff. Oh, come on Faith! You need to get out more!”

He convinced me; I agreed to go.

When the big night arrived, I decided to wear a simple pair of skinny jeans, black platform heels, and a silver bustier-like top. My hair was in long flowing waves and my makeup was simple and clean. It looked pretty put-together under my black wool knee-length winter coat.

“Alright, guys. Man the fort while I’m gone, okay? Don’t throw any unauthorized parties.” I said to Sasha and Murphy, who were sitting on the couch.

Sasha cocked her head and barked while Murphy flicked his tail. I gave them both kisses and left.

When I arrived at the hotel the party was being hosted at, it was in full swing. It was really loud and there was a dance floor that was super lively. I found Steve and Tom standing near a bar station with glasses of champagne.

“Hey guys!” I shouted over the noise. Tom hugged me and we tried to make small talk but couldn’t hear each other and laughed about it.

“Oh Faith! It’s an open bar!” Steve yelled pointing to the bartender.

I put my hand up to signal “no thanks”. I wasn’t really in the mood to drink.

“This is such great party!” I shouted, “Thanks for inviting me, Steve!”

He nodded and then headed to the dance floor with Tom after pointing me in the direction of Dina and Suzy. They were standing in a corner near a floor to ceiling window talking.

“Oh, geeze, it’s loud!” I said over the noise.

“Yeah, it’s not as loud over here.” Dina said.

“Faith, there are SO MANY hot guys here. We have to go on the prowl!” Suzy said practically dragging me to the dance floor.

I stopped before she could get all the way there.

“You go snag a hot guy!” I shouted to her before making my way over to Dina.

“Not into being a wing woman tonight?” Dina asked.

“No, just not really into partying tonight, I guess.” I shrugged.

Dina hugged me.

“We understand, Faith.” She smiled.

Dina and I stood and talked for a while but I excused myself to go find the ladies room and headed out of the ballroom the party was in and into the hotel atrium. I must have looked around for twenty minutes before finally finding it. When I came out, I ran into a guy while trying to make my way back to the party.

“Ow!” I said rubbing my arm.

“Oh, I’m so-”

“I didn’t know you were going to be here!” I said.

“Suzy and Dina invited me.” Adam gave a half smile. He was wearing dark jeans and a light blue sweater paired with some black and white Chuck Taylors.

“I see you made a big effort to dress up.” I joked.

“Eh, I didn’t really feel like coming but Suzy said there would be an open bar. Come to find out I don’t really feel like drinking.”

“I know what you mean.”

Adam and I both looked inside the ballroom at all the people dancing and then looked at each other before deciding to go sit on a bench in the hallway a few yards down.

“I don’t really feel like partying, either.” I said sitting next to him, “But I’m glad you’re here so I’m not the only lame party pooper present.”

We got to talking and I told Adam about the fight with my mom.

“I just can’t believe her! Who does that!?”

“Moms are weird sometimes, Faith. What she did was ridiculous but, to be fair, this whole situation was pretty ridiculous, too.”

“You’re right.” I sighed.

We talked for a little while longer.

“We should probably go make another appearance.” He said eyeing the door to the ballroom.

We met up with Dina, Steve, and Tom. Suzy was somewhere on the dance floor grinding with a new found hot male friend. Honestly it was a little boring. Dina’s husband showed up sometime around 11 and Steve and Tom disappeared on the dance floor again so Adam and I were left to be wallflowers together.

“I think I’m going to go home.” I told him.

“What? Before midnight?” He asked.

“Yeah. I’m just not that into this party tonight, plus I’m really hot and just want to go home and relax.”

“If you’re hot, let’s go outside.” He said mischievously.

He grabbed my hand and we snaked through the crowd until he found a window. Or, at least, it looked like a window, but it was a door to a large balcony that was completely empty and overlooked the lake.

“Wow.” I said walking out on it, “I can’t believe no one else is out here.”

As soon as I said that I realized why: it was cold as balls outside! But at least it was quiet. I was starting to get a headache from the loud pounding music that seemed to be non-stop all night. I pulled my coat around me and approached the balcony railing.

Adam came and leaned on the railing next to me.

“You know, Faith, you were right.”

“Well, I know that, but about what in particular?” I asked smirking.

Adam rolled his eyes and nudged me playfully.

“That day in the hospital. I know you said you needed time to figure everything out but I don’t think I ever stopped to think about how I needed time, too, to deal with what happened.”

He looked at the water as he talked, like he didn’t want to look at me because it would’ve been too honest, too vulnerable.

I cocked my head, crossed my arms against my chest, and leaned on the railing with my hip.

“And now that I’ve had time to do that, I realized that what I did was wrong. I want to apologize for unloading all of that on you. For making it awkward for you. For…kissing you.” Adam looked at me for the first time since he stood next to me and I could see how hard it was for him to tell me this, “I regret it.”

I looked down at my shoes and then back up at him. He turned his body to face mine and waited for my answer.

“You regret it?” I asked.

He nodded.

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m not.” I said taking a step toward him and simultaneously filling the space between us.

He looked down at me and smiled with surprise.

“Are you serious? Because I don’t want you to th-”

“Oh my God, Adam, I’m freezing my ass off! Would you just shut up and kiss me?” I laughed.

He pulled me to him and tilted his head down.

“Are you sure because-”

I rolled my eyes and kissed him mid-sentence just as all the fireworks started going off around us. His arms slid around me and his hands rested on the small of my back while mine slide over his shoulders. My hands ran through his hair and ended up on his chest when we broke apart. For a second I wasn’t sure if the fireworks were real or if the kiss was just that good.

“Happy New Year, Faith.” He said pulling me into a hug while we looked at the fireworks.

“Happy New Year, Adam.”

I have a lot more to tell you guys but that will have to wait until my next post because I have to get to work. Auditions start today and I need to go start setting up!