Kiss Me at Midnight

“I hate this dress,” Sofia muttered to herself while tugging on it.

Her friend, Kasey, came out of the bathroom, after finally finishing up her make-up, and watched as Sofia tried, without success, to pull the dress.

“Sofia, will you stop,” she said grabbing her hands. “The dress looks fine. You look amazing.”

She turned to Kasey with a sullen look on her face. “Kase, you told me that we were going to a party-”

“And we are,” she said moving towards the mirror to check her hair.

“Yeah, I thought you meant like a club or something chill.”

“This will be chill.”

“Doubt it, if you have to dress all fancy to go to a New Year’s Eve party, it’s not gonna be chill.”

She tugged at the formal gown once more, clearly uncomfortable; not just in the dress, but at the whole idea of going to some fancy party with some fancy people. That really wasn’t her idea of fun. She wanted to go bar hopping or a club with her friends, not be on her best behavior around a bunch of snooty people she didn’t know.

Kasey sighed and rolled her eyes at her in the mirror. “Sofia, will you work with me here? I’m trying to expand your horizons, expose you to something different. You can’t spend your life with the same friends going to the same bars all the time.” She turned from the mirror with her arms spread so she could take in her appearance. “Well, how do I look?”

Sofia looked her friend up and down, in her form fitting white, lacy dress and matching shoes. Her perfect make-up and perfect hair, as always.

“Perfect, as usual.”

She shifted to see herself in her full length mirror. Kasey had helped Sofia with her hair, she had vehemently refused to let Kasey do her make-up - she always put too much on, she thought - but she was a genius with hair. Sofia figured she looked acceptable. The dress, white like Kasey’s, but a little more classic, she felt was a little too tight, but other than that, she was satisfied.

“You look perfect too, Sofia, even if you don’t want to admit it,” she told her, grabbing her clutch and a coat. “Right, then, let’s go.”

Sofia grabbed her things and followed her out, the sullen look back on her face.

---------

In a ballroom across the city, three men were watching the decorator’s staff put the finishing touches around the room, sitting out masses of white flowers on tables, while the caterer made sure that all the waiters knew where to stand and what trays to carry. The bar was fully stocked and three bartenders were standing at the ready.

Zachary looked around nervously from the twinkling lights to the band that was tuning up. He reached up and started fidgeting with his tie again.

“Stop,” Carson said, reaching up to move Zachary’s hand from his bowtie. “You know how long it took me to get that right? Don’t mess it up.”

Zachary moved his hand. “I think you tied it too tight, and also why are we doing all this?”

“Because we wanted you to have a happy New Year’s eve,” Carson told him.

“And because we were tired of seeing you sitting around on the sofa to watch the ball drop,” James added.

“Even though you miss it,” Carson continued. “By falling asleep at 11:30.”

“Ten’s the earliest I’ve seen.”

“Besides, Zach, how will you ever get her midnight kiss?”

Zachary glared at his friends as they laughed. He didn’t like the idea of having some huge New Year’s party, he rather liked sitting on the couch, ringing the New Year in alone, never mind the kiss. Being around crowds of people gawking at him made him uncomfortable, but his friends had talked him into this and here he was in a suit he hated and a tie that seemed to grow tighter by the minute.

“I just think this is a little too much,” Zachary continued to argue. “Why not have something smaller with just our friends?”

“Because you need to meet new people, plus they won’t appreciate this new suit I’m rockin,” Carson said, posing this way and that.

Zachary watched his friend move around as if taking pictures on a red carpet and gave a reluctant smile. He still wasn’t one hundred percent sure he was going to enjoy this, but as long as he had his friends there it might not be so bad.

---------

“You know, if we tell her to turn up here, we can still meet Ben and the rest,” she whispered to Kasey in the back of her Uber. Kasey opted to ignore her, asking the driver if she could turn up the music a bit.

Sofia sighed as the sound from the radio increased. Sitting back against the seat, she folded her arms across her chest and looked out the window.

After a few more minutes of silence, Kasey said, “I know you’re not over there pouting, Sofia.”

“I’m not pouting, I’m sulking.”

Kasey snorted. “Same difference. Look my friend Carson invited me, I thought you’d like to come just as a change of scene. Sofia, please do try to have fun, if not for me, for yourself. You never know you might get your lucky kiss at midnight.”

She looked over at her friend. She was giving Sofia her pleading puppy dog eyes. She knew they always worked on her.

She slowly unfolded her arms, giving in. “Fine, Kase, fine. I’ll do it for you. I’ll mingle with your fancy friends and try to enjoy myself. For you. But you owe me.”

Kasey reached over to pull her into a hug.

“So this friend, Carson, why haven’t I met him yet?” she asked, still in the hug.

Kasey let her go. “Don’t start.”

“Start what? I’m just asking. I mean you did take extra care with your hair and make-up, what’s going on?”

“Nothing, nothing,” she said quickly. A little too quickly. Sofia smirked knowing her friend; she either was dating the guy or wanted to.

“Okay, if you say.”

“Ah, here we are,” she said as the car pulled up to the curb.

Sofia looked up at the hotel, The Regency. “Very fancy,” she said to herself. “And very expensive.”

She got out and followed Kasey inside.

---------

“See this isn’t so bad,” James said sidling up to Zachary at the bar.

“I suppose not,” Zachary muttered, taking another sip of his drink as he looked out at the people mingling with each other.

The men were all in black tie and the women had on white dresses of varying hues.

“Why did Carson want everyone to be in black and white?” He asked his friend.

James shrugged, “He said it was classy. Besides, everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.”

Zachary snorted and finished his drink. He turned to the bartender to ask for another one. When he had gotten his drink, he turned and saw Carson rushing over to the entrance to embrace one of the women who had just walked in.

“Uh-oh, looks like Carson has a girlfriend,” James teased.

Zachary smirked as he watched Carson grab the woman’s hand and lead her over to where they were standing. The other woman who had come in with her trailing behind, looking as if she’d rather be any place else.

“James, Zach, this is Kasey, Kasey this is James and Zach.”

“Nice to meet you both, I’ve heard so much about you,” Kasey said shaking their hands.

“If it’s from Carson, here, don’t believe a word of it,” James joked.

They all laughed while Carson rolled his eyes.

“I only speak the truth,” he said. “Anyway, this is her friend, Sofia.”

Kasey nudged her forward. She smiled and shook hands. “Nice to meet you.”

“Kasey, there’s some more people I want you to meet,” Carson said, pulling on her hand.

Kasey looked over at her friend, standing stiffly, “Sofia, will you be okay here for a bit?”

She nodded.

“We’ll keep her company, right Zach?” James said.

“Uh, yeah, sure.”

“Cool, hey,” Carson called over to one of the bartenders, “She gets anything she wants.” He then pulled Kasey away into the crowd.

“So, what will it be?” James asked her.

“Huh, oh, um, Jack and coke, please,” she told him.

He nodded to the bartender who went off to make her drink. She looked out at the crowd nervously. She was becoming more uncomfortable by the minute.

“Here you go,” James said, handing her her drink.

“Thanks,” she took a sip, hoping it would relax her.

“So how long has this been going on?”James asked her

“How long has what been going on?”

James nodded out to the crowd of people where Carson and Kasey were standing hand in hand talking to a group of people.

“Dunno, Kasey just told me about him tonight,” Sofia gazed out at her friend who looked happier than she’d seen her in a while and smiled. “They look happy though.”

“Yeah, good for Carson, eh Zach?”

Zachary nodded.

“Zachary here isn’t a fan of New Year’s Eve parties,” James told her. “Especially fancy ones. He’d rather be on the couch watching tv.”

“Mmm, well I understand that,” she said. Zachary looked over at her.

“Looks like you found someone you have something in common with, Zach,” James quipped. Before Zachary could retort, a woman came up and asked James something. “Be right back you guys.”

They both watched him walk off. As he disappeared into the crowd, she and Zachary stood there by the bar in silence, sipping her drinks. After a few minutes of awkward silence Zachary finally spoke.

“So, um, how long have you known Kasey?”

“Since sophomore year of college, we had French class together and just hit it off, been friends ever since.”

He nodded.

“How long have you been friends with Carson and James?”

“Years. I’ve known James longer, we grew up together. Carson and I met a few years ago in D.C. but it feels like I’ve known him just as long.”

“They seem nice.”

He nodded again. Before she could say anything else, he noticed James gesturing for him. “Uh, James needs me. Excuse me.”

“Sure,” she said at his retreating back.

She sighed. Looking around, she couldn’t spot Kasey anywhere so she decided to walk around to see if she could find her. After doing three laps around the ballroom, she gave up. She was probably somewhere off with Carson. No doubt she’d get her kiss at midnight. Sofia walked through the open double doors that led out to the patio. It was cooler out here than inside and she took a deep breath of the cool air.

She heard footsteps behind her and turned to see Zachary walking out. He stopped in his tracks when he spotted her.

“Sorry, didn’t think anyone else was out here.”

“Yeah, I had to get out of there, too many people, plus I couldn’t find Kasey anywhere.”

“She’s probably somewhere with Carson,” he said, voicing the thought she’d had earlier.

“Yep.” She turned back to the view, down below she saw people walking to and fro, cheering with their friends, having far more fun than she was. She sighed, wishing she was down there.

“Not enjoying yourself?” Zachary asked, walking towards her.

Sofia shook her head. “Not really, no.” And realizing she sounded ungrateful she added, “Oh uh no offense, it’s a great party.”

“So, why’d you come here?” He was right next to her now.

“Kasey, she said I needed to experience something different other than hanging around in a bar with our usual friends.”

“This isn’t something you usually do?”

“Me? Nah, I’d much rather be with people I know, in comfortable clothes.” She pulled at her dress again.

“That I definitely understand,” he said, tugging at his bowtie again.

“What would you normally be doing?”

“Watching TV most likely. In comfortable clothes.”

She laughed. “What? No one to kiss at midnight?”

“Me? Uh-uh.”

“Hard to believe,” she said under her breath.

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why is that hard to believe?”

“You heard that?”

“Good hearing… so, why is it hard to believe?”

“Oh, I, um,” she stammered then decided to just go for it. “Well you are a good looking guy. I figured there’d be a line to kiss you.”

He just shrugged but she noticed a blush creep up his face. “I could say the same about you.”

“Me? No way!”

“No, really.”

She laughed and said jokingly, “Well, if there’s no line you can kiss me at midnight.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said and tugged at his tie again.

“Why don’t you just take it off if it’s bothering you so much?”

“Apparently it’ll ‘ruin the effect’ according to Carson.”

She looked around at the empty patio and peered into the ballroom. “Well, I don’t see him soooo…” she reached up and undid the tie.

Zachary let out a sigh of relief.

“Better?”

“Much.”

She smiled at him, and looked into his eyes. They were a startling green. She cleared her throat.

“Lucky you, just a tie. This whole dress is uncomfortable.”

“Too bad you can’t take that off,” he said without thinking.

She looked up at him, he blushed in embarrassment, but she just laughed, hitting him on the arm.

“Honestly, I agree,” she said and he laughed along with her.

For the next half hour the two stood out there in the cool night air. They talked and laughed with each other. The music from the party mingling with the sounds on the street below. Unaware of the time, the two barely noticed the music stop until James stuck his head outside.

“There you are, Zachary, and you, Sofia. C’mon it’s almost midnight. We’re about to count down.” He then disappeared back inside with the woman he was talking to earlier.

“Shall we?” Zachary said, offering her his arm.

She hooked hers with his and walked in. She spotted Kasey and Carson looking a little disheveled but grinning hugely. She looked over and waved and gave her a wink. Sofia shook her head but smiled back.

“Okay, everybody here we go!” Carson called out looking at the clock. “Ten… nine… eight…”

As everyone joined in, she turned to Zachary and said, “Well, I don’t see a line forming for either of us…”

“Yeah…

“So how about it? Kiss at midnight?”

“Three… two… one! Happy New Year!” Everyone cheered and as an answer to her question, Zachary took her chin in his hand, leaned forward and kissed her. Not just a small peck, but a deep kiss that sent a shiver down her spine.

When they broke away, they both couldn’t help but smile.

“Happy New Year,” he said to her.

“Happy New Year.”

“Yeah, Zachary!!” They both looked and saw Carson, Kasey and James cheering them on.

With a laugh she kissed his smiling lips again.

----------

“Where are you off to tonight?” Kasey asked her a few weeks later.

Sofia just smiled at her as she grabbed her coat. “Nowhere special.”

“Right, going to see Zach again? This is the third time this week.”

She shrugged. “And you’ve seen Carson four times, are we keeping score?”

“Nah,” she laughed. “I’m just glad to see you so happy. Aren’t you glad I dragged you along now?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Sofia said heading out the door. “Don’t wait up.”

As she closed the door behind her, she couldn’t help but think that midnight kisses were truly lucky.