Naughty New Year

“What are you talking about?” I ask, although I’m fully aware of what she means.

“That could’ve been you.” She nods toward the new couple, their tongues fighting for position as I stand to make room for their intimate interaction.

“Stop playing, Maggie! He was so into you, and you chose to be unavailable, for what?” She holds her hands up like it’s impossible to grasp my reason for denying a stranger.

“He ordered me a free drink, Beth, not exactly an act of chivalry,” I argue, but she seems less than accepting of my explanation.

“Maggie, one day you’re going to have to open up if you want new experiences. You can’t keep doing the same things, expecting to go to new places,” she giggles, finishing her drink before tugging at my wrist.

Sure, Beth has a point. I could definitely open up and enjoy the opportunities like tonguing down a stranger in a Hollywood nightclub. However, it’s difficult for me to accept advice from someone who has never endured life as I know it. Everything has been handed to Beth, and she’s easy going because of it. The idea of anything going so gravely wrong that she’s left without options is foreign to her, but that’s all my recent history has included.

“I thought this was your new year for a new you,” she reminds me, pouring drinks for the both of us.

“It is,” I agree with an obvious lack of confidence.

“So then let’s party! We can worry about the details tomorrow, Maggie. Tonight, we live it up!” She hands me a small glass before raising hers into the sky, our elbows rubbing as we both throw the shots back with excitement.

“I’m all in!” I yell, slamming my glass on the table in front of us.

“There’s my girl!” Beth cheers, rising to her feet to lead us to the dance floor.

Following cautiously, we make our way through the VIP tables before stepping onto the hot and sweaty dance floor. Reminding myself that this is the section I’d be in without Beth’s status, I try not to hold my nose high in the air as the men approach me from every angle, hands groping all over my body as we make our way through the crowded floor.

Beth announces the game plan over her shoulder. “We’ll pick two guys and take them to our table.”

“Look at them!” I point to two men dressed in black suits.

With her fingers grasped around my wrist, Beth drags me as quickly as my feet can move. The dance floor seems to open for her, the crowd splitting to make room for the diva. If I were leading us, I’d delay the collision to think up a clever introduction to the hot guys, but my best friend needs no delay or finesse.

“You’re coming with us,” she boldly proclaims, her hands on her hips as she pulls me to her side.

“Is that so?” the dark-haired man asks, looking over to his companion for an opinion. When the blond nods, I know Beth has hit the gold mine once again.

“It is. Let’s go.” She nods, exchanging my wrist for one of the men’s before marching back to our abandoned VIP table. Using my liquid courage, I grab the other muscular man and follow behind Beth.

The next two hours fly by as we all flirt and drink until the room begins to spin slowly, and my eyes grow heavy with fatigue.

“It’s time for the ball drop!” a feminine voice screams into the microphone before a loud countdown commences.

“Ten!” I feel myself come alive, realizing that it’s finally the time I’ve been waiting for. This year is coming to an end, and I can finally start anew.

“Nine!” Beth rushes from the sofa, pouring another drink for the four of us, spilling vodka liberally, as the cold liquid splashes across my exposed toes.

“Eight!” She crams the drinks into all our unstable hands. The guys shake their heads at her stamina, since she’s led us to finish two bottles of liquor already.

“Seven!” Rushing out words, Beth throws the drink back, and all of us follow suit, laughing at her inability to pull it together any longer. There’s no denying how drunk we are.

“Six!” The club falls into oohs and ahhs as the spotlight flashes on a guy kneeling in front of a girl, proposing before the New Year hits.

“Five!” Sharing a glare with my best friend, we silently wonder who could be so corny to accept such a cliché proposal.

“Four!” Glancing around the party, I realize this is life. It’s not trying to figure everything out, or wanting the best from every situation, it’s accepting what comes and finding a way to smile through the worst of it.

“Three!” With a slight turn of her hips, Beth goes sailing into the air. I leap to catch her, but miss her flailing body and she collides with the glass table hard before hitting the ground as everyone around us turns to check on the loud thud.

“Two!” I jump to help her, along with the two guys we’ve partied with, while the rest of the party returns to their regularly scheduled programming.

“One!” Confetti slowly trickles from the ceiling as I hover over my best friend, watching her writhe in pain.