Holidays

Chapter 4:New Yours: Will

Will met his girlfriend, Sarah at the comic book store downtown for the store’s New Year’s Eve costume party. Will dressed as Robin and Sarah dressed as Batgirl.

They walked into the store and they saw a Batman. Sarah didn’t recognize him at first, but then he took his mask off to take a drink of soda. She walked away and said, “Kevin, is that you?”

Will turned around and saw his girlfriend was gone, then he looked around and saw her talking to another guy. He stormed over to them. “And who is this?”

“Sorry to wander off like that. This is my ex, Kevin, and Kevin this is my current boyfriend, Will,” Sarah introduced.

“Oh, the ex. I’ve heard about you,” Will said.

“It’s nice to meet you too,” Kevin replied. “So, Sarah, how have you been?”

“I’ve been good. I went back into cheerleading for the town, instead of the for school, since they kicked me off the team.”

“Good, good. How did you — ”

“Excuse me, aren’t we supposed to be hanging out at this party together?” Will asked Sarah.

“We are. Give me second, Kevin,” Sarah replied.

Sarah took Will aside, “I’m trying to catch up with Kevin. It’s been a few months since we’ve been together.”

“And did you think how that would make me feel? Talking to your ex-boyfriend in front of your current boyfriend.”

“I’m sorry, but can’t two friends just catch up?”

“I guess — ”

“Now, go get me some punch.”

“I want to give him a punch,” Will said under his breath.

“What was that?” Sarah said.

“Nothing, honey. Just on my way to get you that punch.”

“Okay, good.”

A half-hour went by and then an hour went by.

“And now to announce the winners of the costume contest,” the store owner said in a Flash costume.

Everyone in the store huddled in front of the stage. Will stood next to Sarah and Kevin stood next to his ex.

Joel walks into the store in a Superman costume. He maneuvered through the crowd and found his cousin. “Hey, what’s going on?”

“They’re about to announce the winners of the costume contest,” Will said to who he thought was a stranger. Then he looked at him and recognized his brunette hair. “Joel, I didn’t recognize you at first.”

“And the winners are Batman, Robin, and Batgirl,” the owner announced.

Will, Sarah, and Kevin walked up the steps of the stage.

“What do we win?” Sarah asked.

“You each win a fifty-dollar gift card to our store, Super Comics,” the owner replied as he handed Sarah the three gift cards.

They stepped off the stage.

“Congrats guys,” Joel said.

“Who is this?” Sarah asked Will.

“Sorry, this is my cousin, Joel. I invited him.”

“Sorry, I came in late. I was stuck in traffic. I could’ve won the costume contest too. Is this the girlfriend I’ve been hearing about?”

“Yes, this is my girlfriend, Sarah.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“And nice to meet you.”

“Oh, and is this my ex, Kevin.”

“Oh.”

They started to play nerdy music, like Studio Skulls over the speakers on the stage.

Kevin and Sarah walked off to the snack table.

“Where are they going?” Joel asked Will.

“They’re going to talk. They’ve been talking ever since we got here.”

“Why don’t you tell her or join their conversation?”

“I tried to tell her, but she called him, her friend, who she needed to catch up with.”

“That’s cold. Then join their conversation.”

“I don’t want to intrude.”

“Come on, I’ll be a buffer.” Joel pulled Will by the arm over to Sarah and Kevin.

Will heard Sarah say, “I had to transfer classes because I hated the teacher.”

“Which teacher?” Will asked.

“Hey, Will. It was Mr. Cragmore or as I call him Mr. Crackmore because every time he moves his body crinks, cracks, and snaps. And because you can see his butt crack every time he turns around. I try to look away.”

Joel and Kevin laughed and then stared and squinted at each other in anger.

The clock struck eleven and Will asked Sarah, “Can I talk to you, alone?”

“Sure?”

“When are going to stop talking to this guy? He’s boring me.”

Sarah turned around and said, “He’s my friend.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Will stood on the sidelines of their conversation and listened, ready to butt in if Kevin made any flirty remarks.

“Are you okay, Sarah?” Kevin asked as she returned to the group.

“Yeah,” she replied in monotone.

“Good, I was just talking to Joel about the latest — Wait, do you play video games?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Oh, well — ”

Kevin continued to talk to Joel, completely leaving her out of the conversation.

Sarah walked back to where Will was standing.

“What happened?” Will asked.

“He’s just a jerk. Now I remember why I broke up with him. He didn’t care about my feelings, he only cared about his hobbies.”

“I’m sorry,” Will replied. He looked at the time on his phone. “Hey, it eleven-thirty. Thirty minutes to midnight. Have you decided who you’re going to kiss?”

Sarah laughed, “Hmm, I don’t know, maybe Joel.”

“He’s my cousin and he’s–” Will laughed. “you’re joking, aren’t you?”

Will gave Sarah a peck on the cheek. They looked at the comics and listened to the music until midnight.

“It’s one minute to midnight everybody. Get ready to countdown!” announced the store owner.

“Ten — nine — eight…” everyone in the store counted down.

After one, Will kissed Sarah and Joel said, “Fuck it!” and kissed Kevin. He unexpectedly reciprocated.