It was one of Olivya's smaller get-togethers. Under a dozen people, this time came to the party. Partly due to her friends taking a winter vacation, she no longer wanted older non-high schoolers at her place. Her parents forbade her, and Axel was no longer welcome.

As Teresa walked in, she approached her friends and received several hugs. And it didn't take long for some music to kick in, along with drinking.

"Alright, two hours to go," Olivya said. The clock had just turned ten, and Olivya wanted to keep everyone on track so they wouldn't miss the countdown. "Any new year's resolutions?"

"To get fucked up," Christian said.

"Dude, you're always fucked up, literally," Neville said.

"Resolution met," Christian said. "And your resolution is obvious, to fuck our physics teacher for the new year."

"Fuck that bitch," Neville said. Teresa glanced at him but stayed quiet.

"Whoa," Olivya said, "some intense words."

"Don't worry about it," Neville remembered the ripped ear she gave him earlier in the school year. Christian never seemed bothered by it.

"I've heard rumors about her and Connor, fucking schizo," Olivya leaned against the couch. "But whatever, I just want a good start at college."

There wasn't much in-depth conversation. Teresa joined another student named Samantha, playing caps on the coffee table.

"Nice," Samantha said after Teresa bounced a cap.

Teresa has seen her here often, but her tone, her gestures, the lack of concern, and her lack of conversation. Where had she seen them before? From someone else, the week before, on Christmas eve. Was it from Alice? It felt like she's experienced this exact scenario before. What if Samantha weren't here? Would she still have the same experience but with someone else? It never made her smile as much as getting spun around by Connor in the snow.

"I'm just glad we don't have to listen to how poorly our football team is doing," Neville said. "The coach kept trying to recruit me. Like, fuck that, literally. My parents have the money to pay for college."

"Here here," Christian raised a bottle.

Samantha raised her's along with the rest, and Teresa followed suit after she bounced a bottle cap.

"Yours is still full," Olivya said to Teresa.

"I'm working on it," she took a pretend drink as she kept her lips closed.

Groups gathered, and beer games began.

As Teresa watched and participated—still on her first drink—with everyone, she realized what Stephanie had said about partying too much rang true. It's not that she didn't like her friends. What would we be doing without drinking? They did something similar on Christmas Eve. And it's not like she had any spontaneous fun moments or funny conversations, cheering, drinking, lounging around, and laughing at anyone who stumbled too much. She behaved that way with any of them. But differently around Connor. She could feel it. She got a rideshare and went outside to wait for it.

"Hey, what's up?" Olivya texted her.

"My stomach is hurting. Sorry, I didn't want to interrupt."

"No worries. Happy New Year!"

"Happy New Year!"

Teresa did feel a slight connection with Olivya. She was always friendly. Always partied.

The driver was quiet, and she leaned against the glass window, watching the lights and the snow flurries fly by. Once the rideshare pulled up, she spotted Connor's light on the second floor. Gaming, she assumed. She opened the garage and checked on her latest invention. It's something she's been working on since moving in, a saucer that uses her anti-gravity technology. She's never flown it out of the garage, but today was New Year's Eve.

The glass dome covering the cockpit was in two halves. Each half can open one at a time. She lifted the front half, which slid over the back half, creating a half dome and a lot of room for her to get in. She sat and scooched to the center under the F1-style steering wheel. It was surprisingly simple to use. She turned on a switch, which automatically caused the saucer to float a few inches above the ground. Keeping the glass dome open, she stepped on a pedal, and it moved forward. She had to step out of the saucer to close the garage, and once back in, she pressed on a third pedal to cause it to rise vertically. Now matching the height of Connor's window, she moved the saucer next to it.

"Check your window," Teresa texted Connor. She watched him swivel in his chair, and he raised one eyebrow.

He opened the window, "Nice," he said, observing her hard work in action, "seems to be working."

"Get in. And bring a winter coat. I don't have a heater in here."

"Hmm, I don't know," Connor said.

"Why not?"

"Are you going to show me the world?"

"I'm not Aladdin, now stop being sarcastic and get your coat."

He grabbed his coat from his closet, along with some gloves and hand warmers, and hustled back to the window. Carefully, he stepped onto the window ledge and, with the other foot, stepped onto the small portion of the roof. "And this is safe, right?"

"Not at all."

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He chuckled as he waved bye to Joules, who was sleeping, and stepped onto the saucer as he closed the window.

"Careful," she said as he leaned in. She extended her hand, and he grabbed it as he got in and sat next to her. "Alright, I have something in store for you." She pulled the dome down and sealed it. Connor stretched his legs, his feet could reach the petals Teresa was using, it was surprisingly roomy given its size. The couch didn't arch or curve, just straight down the middle, and behind it was just a small metal case.

The saucer went up and rotated smoothly. "Whoa," Connor said.

She paused the saucer in place. "Pretty cool, am I right?"

"It's smooth," Connor said, "and makes no noise. You made this in a few months?"

"Yeah. I prefer the suit, but I don't think everyone would be comfortable flying around like that. I'm going to try and convince Stephanie to send this to Mars."

"You two are something else," he said.

Teresa smiled. "Alright. Let's get going."

As he felt the saucer move forward, he braced himself briefly. "Is it okay to go around in this thing? Won't people see us?"

"There are no lights, and it makes no noise. We should be fine."

She steered it towards the nearest interstate and followed it to the city. There was no pressurization, just some filtration on the sides. So she kept it high enough not to be spotted but low and slow enough to be comfortable and allow them to breathe.

BBbbbzzzz.

Teresa checked her phone, and a message from Mr. Furyk opened up. "You're not to leave Blue Ashe."

"Chill," she texted back.

"Make it quick."

Whatever, old man, she put her phone back in her coat.

The moon reflected off the glass in the dark saucer, and the two could only see a dark silhouette of each other. As they flew along, lights arose on the horizon as Denver's buildings grew. Teresa raised the saucer as they got closer to browse around. She spotted a crowd and parked the saucer—still hovering—on top of an adjacent skyscraper.

"The ball drop?" Connor said. "Is this where you're taking me?"

"That's right. I want to start the new year with you."

That tugged at his heartstrings. With me? Stephanie made plans with her former classmates from high school, she did ask Connor to go, but he didn't feel up to being the odd person out. And, of course, his family didn't message him.

She opened the glass dome, and they both stepped out of the saucer.

"Teresa," Connor stared at the saucer, "I'm so impressed by this."

"Thank you."

"Thank you for inviting me. Though, weren't you at a party? Did you drink and UFO?"

She hadn't thought about that. "Eh. Don't worry. I only had a third of a beer."

Connor walked to the edge of the building and stood against the thick partition, looking at the view. He could hear the crowd and cars honking their horns. "Is that the ball?" Connor pointed across the street to another building with a spire.

"I hope so," Teresa said.

Connor chuckled. "You'll have to teach me to fly that thing."

"Sure. However, there's no key, lock, or anything right now. Anyone can just walk up to it and start flying it."

"Sounds insecure."

"Optimal would intervene immediately."

Connor nodded and didn't want to know what that would entail. "I would have gotten you a steering wheel lock for Christmas then."

"You said no Christmas."

He looked dejected for a moment, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small rectangle with a ribbon.

Holy shit—she nearly lost her cool as her knees went weak. "You got me something? Oh my God."

"Yeah. A few gift cards. Massage, chocolate, that sort of stuff. I was actually feeling good yesterday, so I went out. It's about a week late for Christmas, but what the hell."

"Thank you. I'm so happy."

Despite how dark it was on the building, it was apparent she was glowing because of his gift.

She leaned her back against the partition next to him. "Next year, I'll make it up to you. So, any New Year's resolutions?"

"I haven't thought about it. Stephanie couldn't get me in early for college. I just want to leave. Though I'm considering staying to keep working for Stephanie, she's been hinting at it. You?"

"I think you know." She approached him, so much so that she pressed her chest against his, and their breath warmed each other's faces. He looked stunned, frozen as if the cold had consumed him. She reached into his pocket, he flinched, and she pulled out a hand warmer. "To stay warm."

"Real funny," Connor said. "I see you took a few tips from Olivya."

She didn't like hearing that. It felt terrible that she was at a party earlier on New Year's without him at Olivya's.

"What exactly happened? With you and your friends?" Teresa asked.

Connor was surprised by the question. It's different from her goofy self. "They ghosted me and spread a few rumors. Some stupid stuff, too, like I'm poor and have a mental illness like schizophrenia or something."

"But why?"

"I don't know. We got older. I think Neville liked Olivya, and all it took was for her to show some interest in me freshman year. I wasn't into school sports or anything. I'm not sure why."

"She thinks school sports look childish," Teresa said. "Maybe she likes your look, the jeans, the rolled-up sleeves, the natural muscles. I do."

"I guess that still wasn't enough for you."

Teresa pushed off of the wall and held her head. "Connor, if I could go back and handle that differently, I would. I wish I had jumped into the pool after you. I wish I spoke to Olivya differently about you."

"Shoulda woulda coulda." He went quiet as the crowd below began cheering, and the synchronous countdown echoed throughout the buildings in the city. The ball lit up, and fireworks shot off behind it. "Whoa," he said, "Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year!" She tried to sound cheerful. She put her hand on his arm and looked up at him. "Happy New Year."

It was apparent what she wanted. It was the same feeling back at the dance. A kiss. "Sorry, but this didn't work well for us at the dance."

"There you go again," she backed away. "You just apologized. You told me you don't believe in that or excuses, but you apologize to me often. If you don't let me apologize, you're a hypocrite."

"What you didn't do and how I talk to others aren't the same."

"Oh really?" she said. "I'm trying to make friends. You want to, too. But your animosity to Neville and Christian bled out to others. I've heard what other students have said about you and your negative attitude. You pushed people away while I tried to pull them in at any cost. And it cost me, you, and it cost you, everyone."

Everyone, he heard the tone shift.

She continued, "And how am I supposed to make friends? I feel like I'm having the best time with someone like you. My personal best friend hates everyone else. I like you for some reason. I can tell as I keep getting drawn to you. But I want friends as well."

He stood quiet, not knowing what to say to that as she let it out. "I'll work on it."

Teresa lowered her voice. "What do you want, Connor?"

"I miss my friends," he didn't hesitate. "My family. But most of all, I just want a friend."

Leaning her head against his chest, "I'll be your friend. I want to be your friend. I miss you."

He hugged her back. "I miss my dad."

And she squeezed even harder.

So do I.