"New Year, New Drama"

Christmas came and went with very little drama, but this year, I was determined to make New Year a blast. After making plans, cancelling plans, and making more plans, I decided I’d best spend it with family – the people you can always count on. Too many self-made cocktails later, I was ringing in the New Year with a Christmas wreath as a hat, making myself first foot.

Several days, and several hefty hangovers later, I was invited for another night out in Newcastle.

“I really shouldn’t go,” I told Kiri over the phone, “I mean, not only is my bank balance seriously suffering, but I think my health is too!”

“Are you kidding? How many times have you been out?” She asked.

“Is it bad that I can’t remember?”

After some gentle persuasion on Kiri’s part and some heavy cravings for a bit of a party on my part, I was off out into Newcastle. Already the night had started rocky.

“Aren’t Haley and Brooke coming?” I asked, referring to the Carmientti twins, who knew a good night out.

“No, apparently Brooke is down, and Haley wants to try and cheer her up.” It was no secret that there’d been tension between Haley and Brooke, and Kiri and Samantha ever since their “girly holiday” to Zante ended with arguments over whether to sight see the Old Town or shop in the New Town, “where the shops are actually open.”

Fifth wheeling tonight, I thought to myself, thanks twins! Since the feeling of fifth wheeling isn’t exactly pleasant, I thought several red bulls might numb the awkwardness...OK, several vodka red bulls...OK, OK, several double vodka red bulls. Several turned into a number, and a number turned into me being really drunk. Alas, me being really drunk turned into dancing on podiums with random strangers while Kiri, Samantha, and their boyfriends, looked on, and of course, the obligatory drunk dial/text.

“In my defence, Jaime started it.” I told Kayla, as if I needed a defence. “She texted me saying that she couldn’t stop thinking about me. And it would be rude to not reply, would it not?”

A Caesar Salad, and a glass of water, due to my health binge, later, I was still recounting the tale of my drunken text spree to Kayla, who like me, is romantically confused.

“Well, then I thought it would be a great idea to quote One Tree Hill, but come on, when is it ever a great idea to quote a TV Show, let alone One Tree Hill?”

“What did you say to her?”

“Haha in my drunken stupor, I thought it was romantic but don’t judge me. I texted her saying ‘I’m the guy for you Jaime Green.’ Well after that several more texts were passed back and forth and then I fell asleep in bed.”

“Noah, you can’t just fall asleep on what could be the love of your life you know.”

“I’m sorry.” I said, smirking.

“Well what did she think to your little quote?”

“She thought it was cute, but she was drunk too so...”

That night I received a text message.

J: Are we just gonna pretend we didn’t text what we did then?
N: That could work for me. I get shy when I talk about my emotions.
J: Well, what do you want to do?
N: Well, I think we should go for it.
J: What happens if it doesn’t live up to all this hype that everyone’s built up.
N: Fuck everyone else Jaime, this is us, I know it can work. We can make it happen.
J: Do you want to come to Lancaster sometime, you know, to see if it can work?
D: I was thinking that. Great minds.
J: How about next weekend?
D: I kind of already have plans with my friends from home who I never get to see. Sorry! But don’t take this as a sign. This is not a sign.
J: Bad start already. Well I’ll text you.

Uh-oh, not good, I thought to myself. But I simply couldn’t ditch my friends for the potential love of my life, or could I? It would go against everything I believe and everything I’ve preached, but I guess this is what love feels like. Then there it was, the question I’d always dreaded. I may have dreaded it, but I couldn’t help but ask: so this is what love feels like?

Wait, what?!?!...was I in love?