"Hey, do you want to come to Nick's New Year's party in a couple of days?" I asked Chantel as I cleaned a table near the cash register.

She shrugged. "I don't know. My mom is out of town and I haven't seen Bryant in almost a week. I don't trust him with Beck right now anyways."

"Mom and Dad can keep him. They're already having Jake and his parents over."

"I don't know Cor. I feel bad for just dumping him on your parents all the time"

I took the trays from the table into the kitchen. "You're not dumping him on them. They enjoy watching Beck and Sky play together. They seriously don't mind it. They understand that you're young and you want to have some fun." I told her.

"Are you sure?" she asked again.

I nodded. "Chan, I'm sure. My parents love Beck." I walked up to the cash register with her.

She looked at my hand. "Cute ring did you get it for Christmas?" She asked me. It took her a second to realize it was on my ring finger. "Wait a second. Who's that from?" She gasped.

"It's from..." I was cut off by the bell on the door ringing. In walked Will with his cousin from Karla's baby shower, Liam. "Speak of the devil," I whispered and put on a smile.

"Ay Will's girl. No wonder you begged me to come here" he looked over at Will.

I could've sworn I saw Will's cheeks turn a little red. "Shut up man" he pushed Liam playfully. "Hi Cora" he looked at me.

"Hi Will" I gave him a soft smile.

A throat cleared, bringing the two of us out of our trance-like state.

"Anyway, we'd like two number twos, hold the onions and two number ones everything on it. Four drinks and I think we're good to go." Liam ordered while Chan punched it in the register.

"$26.47, here or to-go?" She asked him.

"To go" he answered and handed her a card.

She ran the card and handed it back with a receipt. "It will be ready soon. I'll call it out when it's ready." She smiled and they walked away.

"Okay as you were saying. Will have you the promise ring. Does that mean you're back together?" She asked.

I shook my head. "No, we're not. I don't know why he gave me the ring. I think he already got it and didn't want to let a present go to waste. It didn't mean anything."

"It means something, Cora. He gave it to you. It has to mean something."

"Right now we're just friends. Nothing more nothing less. There's just a lot of history behind us"

"Cora, no boy looks at you the way Will does and just wants to be friends. I should know. No boy ever looked at me like that before."

I rolled my eyes at her. "Whatever. Can we drop the conversation? I really don't feel like talking about this."

She sighed. "Yeah of course we have to get back to work anyway."

The bell rang and I looked up. It was some guy that went to the school. He's in a few of my classes I don't know his name though.

"Hey. Cora, right?" He asked. Evidently, he knows mine.

I nodded. "That's me. What can I get started for you today?"

"Number 6 no pickles, please."

"What you don't like pickles?" I asked as I punched the buttons on the register.

I shook his head. "No, I don't too sour for me. What about you?" He asked.

"Oh I'm deathly allergic to them if I eat them, so I tend to stay away from them. What else can I get you?"

"That's all," he said.

"$8.51 is your total. For here or to go?" I told him.

He handed me a ten-dollar bill. "Keep the change." He told me. "Oh and to go"

I handed him his receipt. "I'll call you when your order is ready."

"How will you call me if you don't have my number?" He winked.

I laughed. "I'll call out your order and you'll come running. Guys always do when it comes to food." I said and he walked away.

I looked over at Will and he clenched his jaw. Was he jealous?

"Will's order" Chan whispered in my ear and handed it to me.

"Why are you giving it to me? Call him" I told her. She nodded her head to the to-go station. I rolled my eyes and walked over there.

"Will, your order's ready," I called to him.

He walked over with Liam in tow. He grabbed the bag from my hand and as our hands grazed, I felt a shock. We both popped back.

We stared at each other for a few seconds.

"God, stop ogling her, and let's go. Your dad wants his food." Liam pushed Will away.

He looked back at me. "Bye Cora" he waved at me.

"Bye Will" I waved back as Liam pushed him out of the restaurant.

"Just friends my ass" Chantel muttered under her breath.

I rolled my eyes and lightly shoved her away from me and my burning cheeks. "Shut up"

***

"Happy almost new year" Remi squealed as she came into my house. She could basically walk in wherever she wants and my parents would be okay with it.

"Rem, you can just say New Year's Eve, you know that right?" I asked, laughing as I ate a bowl of popcorn on the couch. I tried to throw a piece up and catch it in my mouth but I missed.

She rolled her eyes at me and jumped next to me. She took a handful of popcorn for herself. "Of course, I knew that I just wanted to say almost new year" she stuck her tongue out at me.

"Child" I muttered under my breath just enough for her to hear it. A smirk found its way to my face.

"Can I borrow some clothes? I don't feel like going back home to get ready." She asked and laid her head on my shoulder.

"Yeah of course. I don't know how much I have that you'll like for the party though." I told her.

"Okay, I'll pick later. Is Carter here?" She asked me.

I nodded and pointed upstairs. They've been kind of inseparable since he found out she was going to Columbia next year.

"I'll be right back." She said and got off the couch and ran upstairs.

"Keep the door open" I called out to her half-jokingly.

I turned back to the tv and played on my phone for a little bit. Chantel would be here soon with Beck. Rem and I still have to get ready.

The doorbell rang and I knew it had to be Chan and Beck. I answered the door and I couldn't help but chuckle at Beck's decked-out in new years decorations. He had a paper crown and colorful beaded necklaces.

They came in and I got a better look at Chantel's outfit. She wore a black lace cami, a pair of jeans with a white belt, and white chunky heeled ankle boots. She also had a cream winter coat.

"You look so cute, Beck. Sky's upstairs in her room." I told him and he full-on sprinted upstairs calling her.

"That kid is something else I swear." She laughed. "I saw Remi's car, is she here?"

"Carter's room" I answered and she nodded in understanding. "I don't know what I'm gonna wear but I want to be kind of casual."

"I can help you pick it out now," Chan suggested and I nodded vigorously. I need help.

We went to my room and she looked through my closet and found a one-shoulder long-sleeved black shirt. I didn't buy that. It must've been Remi's that she left here or something. She found a light acid-washed pair of jeans.

"It's so cute. Thank you. I didn't feel like picking anything out" I thank her.

She shrugged it off. "No big deal. I'm happy to do it. I like dressing people up. That's probably why I want to be a designer." She laughed.

"Oh, are you gonna go to fashion school or something?" I asked as I changed out of my PJs to my outfit Chan just picked out.

She shook her head and sat on my bed while I changed. "I don't think so. At least not until Beck is a little bit older and can take more care of himself. He is always my first priority. My situation works for now and I'd like to keep it that way for a while. I wouldn't want to rip him away from Sky. They've really bonded and she's broken him out of his shell."

"I understand. It makes sense. You found your groove and it works for you, so why change? Unless you want something more." I answered and pulled on my jeans.

There was a knock on the door and I opened it. It was Remi with Carter behind her. No wonder she knocked and didn't just walk in.

"We're leaving in about an hour so be ready or I'm leaving you," He said before walking away.

Remi walked in and shut the door. "Okay I have to pick out my outfit now or I won't be ready in time"

We helped Remi find an outfit. It was a black long-sleeve top under a sparkly silver, tight, mid-length dress and pantyhose. She wore a pair of black heels with sparkles on the heels.

After we found her outfit we worked on both of our hair. Chan helped a lot. Remi left her hair in her natural fiery red curls and I put the top half of my hair up in a bubble braid. I knew I was going to be sweating all night and I didn't want my hair in my face. I did more natural makeup with some sparkly eyeshadow.

One hour later and we were all ready and headed downstairs.

Carter tossed the keys in the air and caught them. Chantel decided to go in her own car just in case she wanted or needed to leave early. I drove with her and left Carter and Remi alone.

We got there and there was quite a few people here. Not nearly as many as there will be closer to midnight.

We hugged everyone in our group. We've been hanging out all Christmas break so everyone knows Chantel from when she came along.

I didn't feel like drinking much after what happened at the Christmas party. So when everyone else got drinks I got a coke. Logan wasn't invited to this one, because Nick and the boys were really protective over me.

"Hey Cora" Will said as he came up to the friend group. "Happy New Year's Eve. Are you excited for the new year?" He asked me.

I shrugged. "It's not that different. I'm worried about college and graduation, but I've already sent in all my admissions. I'm just waiting on some answers. But for tonight, I am excited."

"No drink?" He asked and motioned to the coke in my hand.

I shook my head. "I volunteered to be the DD tonight. I don't feel like drinking."

"I not either. I actually have a few things to get done tomorrow and before I go back."

My heart sank a little at the realization that's he's going back to Indiana in three days.

The conversation kind of stopped abruptly and we joined in awkwardly with everyone else.

The more people came, the more energy was in the house, and the hotter it became. We danced and screamed to the lyrics blasting through the speakers.

It neared midnight and all the couples started getting closer together, anticipating the new years kiss.

In all the commotion, I got pushed along the side. I nearly tripped when Will balanced me.

"You okay there?" He asked with a slight chuckle and a big smile. It sounded like heaven. I remembered how much I loved his laugh and smile.

The countdown started at ten.

"Nine!"

"Eight!"

I tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear and chuckled a bit myself. "Yeah, I'm all good."

"Seven!"

"Six!"

He smiled at me. "Good we wouldn't want you to get hurt"

"Five!"

"No I guess we wouldn't."

"Four!"

"THREE!"

"TWO!"

"ONE!"

"Happy new year!" Everyone yelled then kissed their significant others. I looked around at everyone. They all had smiles on their faces.

I turned around and before I could process anything Will's lips were on mine. My arms instinctively wrapped around his neck and his around my waist. I smiled into the kiss. I've definitely missed doing that.

"Happy new year, snowflake" he whispered as our lips were parted.

"Happy new year, Will" I whispered back.