Another Year Over and a New One Just Begun

Happy New Year everyone!

I had a wonderfully fanstastic night to welcome the new year. It was spent lying/sitting around on a rug on top of a hill with perfect views of the fireworks, with yummy snacks and great company. It was everything I always wanted to have - enjoying life with great friends and having an extra great guy right next to me.

Felt just so lucky.

David and I met April on the train where they got along really well which was so good. We kept laughing the whole way by teasing each other constantly.

Even though we knew approximately where the fireworks viewpoint was, we didn't know the exact way. When we came to a staircase next to a tunnel, I logically assumed that since it's a hill, we should take the stairs while David kept saying he thought it was through the tunnel. So we dragged ourselves up the seemingly neverending stairs to realise that wasn't the way to the hill. I asked one of the security people what the best way to get to this place was and the man said to take the tunnel. David couldn't resist with his "I told you!" I was like, "You didn't insist enough!" and April said, "It's [puff] good [puff] exercise," then looked like she was about to collapse. The boiling hot weather didn't help.

Once we got to the hill, we dropped our rug on the ground and fell on it. I think we managed to take a few sips of water before doing so. The next half an hour or so was spent by April and I gossiping while David pretended to sleep and only let out a laugh when either of us said something stupid (usually that was me). Over an hour later, Christine and Evan came. Haven't seen Evan in ages. Was kinda surprised that they came at all 'cause I know they usually like to get dressed up and do something expensive on New Year's Eve. I think Christine was only motivated to come to meet David.

Soon afterwards, Claudia came with Mike. I was so worried about April feeling uncomfortable with all the couples, I might've unintentionally not paid enough attention to David. I guess I could just easily put myself in her shoes. Every time she got a bit quiet, I'd get worried that she was feeling the pain of not only being single but of never experiencing a relationship. But I guess everyone was pretty good and didn't separate too much into couples.

Later all the girls were huddled together and David went to talk to Mike. Evan was with us but not really talking. We started to notice that Mike and David seemed to be in a very intense conversation. We got wondering what they were talking about and got Claudia ('cause she was sitting closest to them) to pretend to get something where the guys were sitting. She did this a few times but didn't catch anything.

Then we tried to recruit Evan to help us. Christine said, "Why don't you go and see what the man talk is about" but Evan was like, "Nah, it's ok". Then Christine said, "Oh, he's just a big old girl". So the big old girl sat with us and listened to our girl talk. It was so weird but greatly satisfying to see that we were growing up and changing. Before, it'd always be just the girls but now there was the addition of three guys. And not just any guys, but boyfriends! Was this a glimpse into what our future outings would be like?

At around 11pm, Amelia came after work. She looked exhausted because she went the long way and she had 4 inch metal spike heels. David and I went to get her but she turned out to be walking from the opposite way. When she saw us on the grass, she stopped on the sidewalk and kneeled down. We were all a little confused as to why she wouldn't come over. Then we realised she was taking off her shoes because they would've made holes in the grassy area. That's how sharp the heels were!

When we asked her why she wore them, she looked aghast and said, "They're snake skin and I got them for $19.90 so I'm going to make every cent worth it!" Gosh, perfect logic. What even possessed us to ask!

Afterwards, we sort of split into couples while Amelia and April chatted. This was when David got a little annoyed at me for something very stupid which made me annoyed back at him. Then I started getting worried that we were going to end 2005 annoyed at each other and even though I'm not superstitious I like to have a good start to the new year. I told him this. He sulked for another minute, then gave me a hug and I knew we were fine.

The fireworks always manage to awe everyone. Not sure what it is about them, but they make me happy. Maybe all the bursts of bright colour are hypnotising. They bring out the children in us, seeing something beautiful and not taking our eyes off it.

Just felt so happy watching the lit-up sky, leaning on David, with his arms around me. Only had a tiny sad inkling of remembering how April was feeling. Hope Amelia was making her feel better by acting totally happy being single.

Afterwards we made our way to the train station three times longer than we should've had thanks to Amelia's shoes. I said to her, "Don't you remember how the heels stuck between the wooden boards last New Year's Eve? Didn't that teach you anything?!" and Amelia said, "No! I'm wearing these shoes to the beach tomorrow!" April and I could only sigh.

Halfway to the station, Amelia decided to take off her shoes. April and I tried to threaten her of the dangers of walking barefoot where there were so much broken glass, invisible to the eye in the dark. I even exclaimed, "You can get diseases!" Amelia just waved her hand and said, "Anything's better than this pain!" I said, "I'm surprised you can even feel your feet" and Amelia replied, "Fortunately not so much anymore." I tried with some helpful suggestions like, "Try putting pressure on your toes" but Amelia said, "I don't feel like I have any toes".

Then she started describing how hot she was. She felt the need to tell us that her sweat patch on her back made her feel like she put on her clothes after going swimming. April tried to comfort her by saying we were almost there. Amelia whined, "When?! I have a sweat moustache now!" That made me laugh really hard because only Amelia could use words like that. My laughing made April laugh and say, "Stop it! I really need to go to the toilet and laughing isn't helping!" which made me laugh more. I know I know, not very nice to laugh at your friends' pains, but so much fun! David was just rolling his eyes at this stage.

Finally got to the train station and said goodbyes to Christine, Evan, Claudia and Mike. We got on Amelia's train so she wouldn't have to go alone some of the way, especially with her special talent of attracting freaks. Later David said he was surprised Evan didn't offer to give Amelia a lift home this late at night. I told him, Evan was going in a different direction but David said, "So? I would've if I had the car." I don't know why David gets so protective sometimes (I'm sure Amelia would've been fine since we've been going home late all the time before by ourselves), but I guess it's sweet of him.

On the way back, when it was just April, David and me, April and I chatted, while David got a seat in front of us. April told me of how Amelia went to the beach the day before and went swimming with her contacts (which were a different colour to her natural eyes) and of course she lost one contact in the water so for the rest of the day her eyes were different colours. Amelia is absolutely crazy but we all love her.

After April got off and David came to sit next to me, he said he could see Amelia didn't have a boyfriend because she was just such a free spirit but he wasn't sure why April didn't have one. I really wish she could find some guy who will adore her for her wonderful nature. I'm really hopeful this year.

I asked him if he had a good time and he said he did. I know it's not really his scene to sit around and talk but he said he knew it was important to me and my high school friends were really special and close to my heart so he was happy to be there with me. And so was I.