Goodbye, Friend

     There was dance music blasting in my ears.  It was about to hit midnight, the big, colorful ball in New York was about to drop.  People were counting down excitedly. “10, 9, 8…” However, I wasn’t focused on anything else, I couldn’t register what song was on, and I wasn’t joining in on the countdown. All I could think about was him.     

    The strange man with whom I shared the evening with. We talked, danced, laughed, and just before I could start the new year with a new friend, he left.  Now all I could do was stand about, like everyone else, eagerly awaiting a new year, and a new chance at life.  But I wasn’t feeling very eager, I was feeling rather lonely.

    I should probably start this story by going back to the beginning of this night, and back to how I actually got there.  You see, I was promised a fun night, full of non-stop laughter, and alcohol.  Usually, I didn’t enjoy parties, but that year was super shitty.  I feel like everyone needed a drink or two just to get to the end of the year at all.

    My two best friends, Christy and Macy were the ones who promised me such an amazing night.  It was a little weird that me, the guy, was asked to go to a party by two girls, but either way before I could stop myself from saying no I ended up dressing nicely and getting into Macy’s car.

    “We promise to stay by your side the whole night.” Said Christy as she fixed her makeup in the passenger side mirror.  “Yeah, we’ll all be like three peas in a pod.” Said Macy who was driving with a smile on her face.  

    I didn’t ever really believe their promises, not when it came to parties.  I mean yeah, they were my best friends, but they were also young girls who couldn’t resist a good party, and they also couldn’t resist good looking guys.  By the time we arrived at the party they had already left my side.  

    “Hey Nicholas, we’ll be right back, we’re going to go get some drinks…” Said Macy as she grabbed Christy’s hand and pulled her away towards a group of others girls and guys. They did not go to get drinks, and they certainly did not end up coming back.  

    Which was fine, I already had planned to leave, it felt like they invited me just because they pitied me.  However, I would've been fine just staying in that night.  But after they promised me a fun night, and to not leave my side, no matter how much of a lie I knew that was, I still had hope.  I also felt as if there was another reason for being there, but that feeling wasn’t ever quite explained.

    Just as I was about to walk out of the club, however, a hand landed on my shoulder.  “Hey mate, where are you going?”  I turned around as soon as I heard his Australian accent, and saw a guy, about the same age as me, with dark black hair, bright blue eyes, and a very kind smile.  “My friends promised me a fun night, so far I’m not getting that, so I was just thinking of leaving.”  I don’t know why I told this strange man my business, but when I did he just sort of chuckled.

    “Just because your other friends left your side doesn’t mean you can’t still have a fun night. C’mon mate, let’s go get you a drink.”  I hesitated.  “I don’t know, parties aren’t really my sort of thing.”  I looked around the already very loud crowd.  “Look, you’re here already, you might as well enjoy yourself.”  And he was right, but I really didn’t want to spend my night with a stranger.

    “I still don’t know, I mean you’re a complete stranger.”  And he chuckled again, this time a little louder than the last.  “And what’s your point? I may be a stranger, but I also may be the only reason you actually enjoy yourself at my party.”  His party.  He was the owner.  I had a dumbfounded look on my face and I looked around at everyone again.  Everyone was smiling, and laughing, drinking, coming together, and all because of this man?

    He tapped my shoulder and pushed me forward.  “C’mon with me mate, you won’t regret it.”  And for some reason I did walk with him, I walked right over to the bar with him beside me.

    At first, you could tell I was very tense.  But after about five large shots I ended up being pretty calm.  At that point I was no longer thinking about wanting to leave either.  I still hadn’t seen Christy or Macy, and I wasn’t too worried, they had their own friends, and by the way it was beginning to look I had my own friend too.

    “Now, don’t take any offense to this, mate.” He started, and chuckled again, which was something I noticed he did a lot.  “But you really don’t seem like the type to go to parties at all.”

    He was right about that, but I decided to tease him a little bit.  “What do you mean? I thought I was fitting in with you just fine.”  I bumped my shoulder against his.

     He looked up at me with a smile on his face.  “I meant before, smartass.  Before me you looked quite miserable.”  I then decided to stop being a dickhead.  “Two of my friends wanted me to come with them.”  I downed another shot and looked around.  My friend waved his hand to the bartender and asked for another.  “I feel like they only invited me because they feel sorry for me.”  

    “So use that to your advantage.”  I looked at him curiously.  “Use what?”  He smirked.  “If they invited you because they feel sorry for you they probably expected you to say no, or to come but have no fun.  So instead of showing off that you’re miserable show off that you’re actually having a fun time.”  He made a really good point.  This time it was my turn to chuckle.  “I think that’s the best advice I have ever received about how to party.”

    He raised his eyebrows with a smile on his face.  “Hey, you’re learning from the best.”  I suppose I was.  I mean he was the host of the party which had picked up a lot only within an hour.  The music was louder, the people were drunker, and at 10 o’clock we were about one more hour away from a completely new year.  

    “I’ll be right back, I’ve more fun in store for you, mate.”  He said before walking away.  He had more fun in store for me? At the time that sounded quite creepy, but I think I eventually just learned that he talked a bit different than everyone else.  Still, I watched him walk around curious about what he had in store.  At that point I would have been up for almost anything.  I just wanted to have a fun time, like he had advised.  

    I also couldn’t help but wonder if he would come back, I was always so worried about being too boring.  And while he laughed nonstop with me and seemed to have fun I couldn’t help but jump to conclusions.  

    I saw him walk over to a group of people, and I started to think about Christy and Macy.  They walked over to a group of people and they didn’t really ever come back to check on me.  Which honestly, kind of hurt.

    However, he was the host, he probably had to make rounds to everyone that he could.  They all seemed drunk off their asses though.  After he talked to them for a few more minutes I watched him walk over to the DJ.  I was trying not to be creepy by watching, but I wanted to know what was going on.

    I sat back on the sticky red bar stool that I had been sitting at.  I started listening to the music.  It was very fast dance music.  Perfect for hyping up a crowd, but not my favorite type of music.  I liked rock music and personally thought that also would have been perfect to hype up the crowd.  

    And almost as if the DJ was reading my thoughts a rock song came on.  Jesus of Suburbia, by Green Day.  One of my personal favorites.  I looked and saw my new friend walking away from the DJ.  That’s when I realized it wasn’t the DJ reading my thoughts, it was him.

    I laughed and stood up from the stool to go and meet my friend halfway.  “So this was your plan, huh?  We just met, how did you know I love this song?”  He smirked in a way that kind of creeped me out, looking back.  “I don’t know mate, you just look like the type of guy that would enjoy it.  Hell, I know I enjoy it too, that’s another reason I chose this song.”  

    He was right about how I looked like I would enjoy the song.  I had a Green Day shirt on and dress pants.  That was my idea of dressing nice earlier before the party when I had to get ready.  

    “So, the crowd also seems to be loving it.”  I mentioned, as I looked at everyone new on the dance floor.  Of course, they probably didn’t care what was played, as long as the music didn’t stop.

    “Yeah, wanna join them?”  My friend asked with a smile.  “Are you asking if I want to dance?”  I fanned my face as if I was blushing like a schoolgirl, which made him crack up.  “Yes, I am.  C’mon mate.”  

    I let him push me through the crowd for the second time that night, right onto the dance floor.  Instantly, I started banging my head to the music and singing along.  And he was right beside me.

    In that moment I didn’t care about how crazy I looked, I didn’t care what anyone thought of me, not that I cared a whole lot before.  Either way though, I just wanted to take my new friend’s advice again.  Dance, and most importantly, have fun.

    And so we did, we danced to song after song for a good thirty minutes.  It was now officially 11:30, I was officially drunk, and I no longer felt bad about coming to this party.  My friend and I stepped off of the dance floor, sweaty, out of breath, and with a smile on both of our faces.  

    “That was fun. Thank you.” I said to him, truly meaning it.  “For what, mate?” I looked him the eyes. “For helping me to forget about my problems for one night, for helping me to let go of myself, and for helping me enjoy myself, and for not letting me leave the party. You’ve been a spectacular host.” I smiled at him, and he smiled back.  

    “Listen mate, it hasn’t been a problem at all. You’ve been a spectacular guest.”  

    “I need to go make a few more rounds.  I’ll try my hardest to come back.  If I don’t, make sure to enjoy your night, because I have just proved that you can.”  I stopped him just before he turned around.  

    “Wait!” He turned to look with a smirk on his face. “I never got your name. I don’t know anything about you.” He looked at me for a long moment until he finally said, “just call me your friend, that’s all you need to know about me too.” He was my friend.  But didn’t friends share basic things like names?

    As if he was reading my thoughts he smiled at me one last time, did his now known signature chuckle, and walked away.  

    So that brings us back to the present. About twenty minutes after all that happened.  I still haven’t seen him or heard from him. I honestly didn’t think I was going to again.

    People were still counting down, “7,6,5…” I still felt lonely, but less so when thinking of him. He really showed me how to have fun.

    “4,3,2…”

    I think that no matter what happens, I’ll be able to get through this next year, all because of a stranger, no wait, a friend.

    “1..”

    “Happy New Year!”

    Everyone shouted at the top of their lungs, and because I didn’t get the chance to see him again I do say Happy New Year to you friend.  I don’t really know who you are, I don’t know where you came from, or where you went, but I do thank you for being there.

    Happy New Year to you all, may you all have random experiences with random people that are life changing.