The New Year's Eve Party

House parties were always a drag, but Jackson always got forced into going to one. It was December 31, New Year’s Eve, the day that Jackson hated the most out of every year. To him, New Year’s Eve was just an excuse for everyone to get blackout drunk, makeout excessively, and set goals that would probably never happen. There was no real point to New Year’s Eve, yet he always found himself in the same situation every year. At a house party sitting on the couch with a glass full of wine, watching sweaty bodies dance like their life depended on it. 

His best friend Cael, an energetic and bubbly person, made it his “duty” to get him out of the house and have fun at least once a year. Obviously Cael was exaggerating, because Jackson left the house at least three times a year.

This year, like every other, Cael forced Jackson to go to his New Year’s Eve party. It was always the same, although this year he found someone sitting next to him. This was unusual for him, because usually everyone was up dancing and left him alone on his best friend’s couch.

Careful as to not spill his undrunken wine, he turned to get a look at the person invading his personal space. He had never seen this boy before, yet somehow the boy seemed familiar. Jackson knew that the boy had never been to one of Cael’s parties before, so he wondered who he could be. Did Cael make a new friend? It wasn’t unlikely. Cael was always making new friends. 

Curious to know who the boy was, Jackson spoke. “Who are you and why are you on my couch?” 

Startled by Jackson’s question, the boy winced a little. Before answering, the boy’s cheeks flushed and he licked his lips. “I’m Jorge,” the boy said with a shy smile. Jackson didn’t smile back. He didn’t like that Jorge only answered one of his questions, so he repeated the second question. “What are you doing on my couch, Jorge?” 

With a confused look and a small frown, Jorge answered Jackson’s question. “Well, I wanted to sit down. I didn’t know this was your couch... I don’t see your name on it.” 

Jackson frowned at that, “It’s obviously my couch. What’s Cael’s is mine. We’re best friends and we share everything; therefore, his couch is my couch.”

Jorge laughed at Jackson’s statement. “Why are you laughing?” Jackson questioned. Jorge, with a small smile, replied, “because what you said was funny.”

This caused Jackson’s face to crinkle in confusion and he looked away from the boy. He didn’t think what he said was funny, and quite frankly he didn’t like that Jorge found humor in his non-humorous statement. 

Jackson had resumed his party observation when he felt a nudge. Confused, once again, he turned to the only possible source. Jorge. It was quite obvious that Jorge wanted to say something so Jackson looked at him with an expectant expression. Jorge smiled a little before replying, “are you mad that I’m sitting on your couch? I can move if you want."

Jackson smiled at that, he liked that Jorge offered to move, but seeing as there was no other available seating, Jackson let him stay. He just hoped that Jorge would stop talking to him.

This did not happen. Jorge continued to talk. Jackson thought it was incessant and unnecessary, so he blocked out Jorge’s voice. It wasn’t until Jorge nudged him and asked, “so why aren’t you dancing and having fun at your best friend's New Year’s Eve party?” that Jackson actually paid attention to what Jorge was saying. 

The question made him think about why he wasn’t doing just that. After some thought, he answered, “I don’t like any of the people here.” This caused Jorge to laugh and ask, “including me?”

Similarly, Jackson laughed at what Jorge said. “I don’t know if I like you or not. In the short time we’ve talked you seem like a nice person. But I don’t know if you can make it onto my list of people that are tolerable.”

“Well, maybe we should keep talking then. I would love to make it onto your list of people that are tolerable,” Jorge said. Jackson smiled at the boy sitting next to him. Jorge seemed like a nice and genuine person.

“I would love for you to make it on my list of tolerable people.”

In reality, Jackson didn’t have anyone on his list of tolerable people. Cael was really the only friend Jackson had and he was on Jackson’s best friend list. It also didn’t help that Jackson never really interacted with people, so his list of tolerable people had never grown. 

As Jackson looked around the party, he spotted Cael dancing on the dining room table. He smiled fondly at his friend, remembering that they met in a similar situation. Cael dancing on the table and Jackson just observing, until Cael caught Jackson’s eyes and pulled him onto the table to dance. What a great night that was, Jackson thought.

Pulling away from his thoughts, Jackson turned his attention back to Jorge. He was animatedly talking about some television show that he had watched a week ago. From what Jackson heard, it was about six superhero siblings that had to save the world from ending. It seemed interesting from the overview that Jorge gave, and Jackson was genuinely interested in what Jorge talked about.

Jackson and Jorge talked about everything, from animals to favorite places and items. They continued to talk for hours not noticing how close it was getting to midnight. Jackson never knew he would spend his most hated holiday talking to a stranger on the couch. It felt relieving to finally talk to someone other than Cael. 

Jorge didn’t have a lot of the same interests as Jackson, but that’s what made Jackson like him more. He liked hearing about Jorge’s different music and style taste and the subjects in college that he was taking. This was an exciting experience for Jackson, and he could see himself becoming friends with Jorge. 

It wasn’t until they were doubled over laughing that Jackson had noticed the time. 11:58 pm. This time he was the one to nudge Jorge. 

“It’s 11:58 pm,” he said with a smile, “do you have any New Year’s resolutions?”

Jorge shook his head and replied, “no, I'd probably give up on them after a week.” Jackson smiled at that. He had finally met someone who felt the same way about New Year's resolutions.

“I don’t have any resolutions either. I think they’re pointless, because no one sticks to them,” Jackson stated and laughed lightly. Before Jorge could respond to his statement, a voice yelled that the countdown to New Year’s Eve was about to start. 

10...

Jackson and Jorge locked eyes. 

9...

They laughed at all the drunk people trying to count backwards.

8, 7, 6…

Jackson looked at Jorge with a small smile. He hoped that they could be friends.

5, 4…

Jorge hoped he had made it onto Jackson’s list of tolerable people.

3...2...1… “Happy New Year.”