New Year’s Eve has always been Leah’s kryptonite.

At first, she thought the pit in her stomach was always the result of lovers throwing themselves on one another, pressing tender lips against one another in an intoxicated embrace. She thought it was the feeling of stepping from her rickety car, the chilled air that froze bared skin, the vastness of the inky driveway blending in with the twilight, and ringing the doorbell and forcing a smile to tear tightly pressed lips from one another for only a few hours before a friend escorted her inebriated mind into a car.

Her phone lights up with a plethora of texts.

Hey, you there?

Can I pick u up yet? Carly’s waiting :)

…Princess Leah? U there?

Imma drive to your job and steal u lol

Call me

Him.

She can almost imagine him typing on his phone, sitting in his car with music lightly playing. He tips his head forward, nodding his head to the bass line, as he stares upon the text conversation. Though the car is obscured by darkness, the light of his phone illuminates his gorgeous features and his platinum hair shines. His cheeks and his nose are rosy from the cold, but he only wears a light jacket along with a neat, button up. It’s pressed and the creases of the new article of clothing are barely visible.

His emerald eyes look into the twilight.

“Leah!” says Michelle, slapping her back with a remarkable amount of force. “Dude, we’re done closing up. You’ve been so useful today.” Leah huffs.

“Sorry,” mutters Leah. “I’ve just been a little…preoccupied.”

“Oh, thinking about you and your dreamboat Will?” She nudges her. “If I wasn’t in college, I’d crash your little party just to get a good look at him.”

“Michelle…”

“Oh, stop!” She tosses her electric blue hair over her shoulder, shining in the lights. “If I didn’t already have a girlfriend, I’d be on the hunt for a guy like him. He’s hot and so goddamn…nice! A little preppy, but you’re still lucky.”

“It’s just really awkward with him, you know?” To say that was an understatement – they were perfect together, but her heart wasn’t into their interactions since summer vacation.

They walk to the staff room. As Michelle hangs up her apron, her eyes land on a scarlet ribbon peeking out from her locker.

The breath is sucked from her lungs.

The door swings open to reveal a Mason jar, filled with cocoa powder, marshmallows, chocolate, and pieces of peppermint bark. It’s small, wrapped with a striped ribbon and tied in a perfect bow. And next to it –

A can of coconut whipped cream.

She distinctly remembers making an offhand comment about the absence of coconut whipped cream at the café. It was a passing moment, one that would slip over the heads of most, one that she’d swept away. Her hand wraps around the can, the cold aluminum pressing into her palm. A small note, ripped from the corner of a blank sheet of paper, says a few words.

Merry Christmas, Leah!

- Sam

His furtive, blushing glances suddenly made sense.

Michelle bounds over her, snatching the piece of paper from her hands.

A moment passes.

“You should invite Sam to that party.” She looks towards her, a mischievous glint frolicking through her eyes. She laughs. “Think of it as charity – he’s cute and he needs a girl. He’s definitely a charmer.”

“He doesn’t even like parties.” Suddenly, her arms are crossed around her ribs. “Why?”

“Hey, Sammy!” hollers Michelle. Leah muffles the yell with an apron over her mouth, but not before Sam sticks his head in the room. He has a beanie covering his head before he looks around nervously as Leah drops the apron and looks to the ground as Michelle throws her hands in the air. “Are you busy tonight?”

“Uh…” A blush creeps into his cheeks as his bites his cheek. His fingers twiddle with a paper in his hand. “N-not really. Uh…um…ah…w-why do you ask?”

Michelle steps closer to him before playfully touching his nose. “Because, silly, you’re going to a party! With Leah!”

How condescending.

Sam still stutters. “Uh…I…it seems cool, I… g-guess.” He turns away. “Um…my sister is waiting in the parking lot. Can I go ask her?”

“Go for it!” says Michelle. “You guys can meet up somewhere and go together with Will?”

“Will?”

“Her boyfriend.”

Suavely, Sam waves before smiling sheepishly and slamming the door.

“How adorable.” Michelle picks her coat off the stand, sliding it over her sweatshirt and adjusting her beanie. “Have fun at the party!” She slings her black, leather purse across her shoulders, pulling Leah to her feet in a moment.

“Oh – and don’t leave Sam alone for too long.” She grins. “He’s not used to the party lifestyle.”

Laughing, they open the door and part ways.

And as much as Leah wants to sigh, she can’t help but smile.

She wouldn’t be alone.