The streets of the city shimmered under the glow of a thousand fairy lights. It was New Year’s Eve, and everything felt charged with anticipation. Khianna stood near the edge of the crowded apartment balcony, her breath misting in the chilly night air. Behind her, the party buzzed with life—voices rising in laughter, music thumping steadily, and the clink of glasses marking celebratory toasts.
She fiddled with the hem of her navy-blue sweater, scanning the horizon. The fireworks wouldn’t start for another hour, but her gaze lingered on the dark sky as though it held the answers to the questions swirling in her chest.
“Khianna, you’re missing out!” a familiar voice called out behind her.
Khianna turned, her heart skipping a beat. Maxie was standing there, her dark curls loose around her shoulders, a mischievous smile tugging at her lips. She was dressed in a flowing maroon dress that seemed to catch the light of every candle and bulb in the room, making her look radiant.
“I didn’t know I was supposed to be entertaining everyone,” Khianna said, smiling lightly to mask the sudden rush of emotion.
Maxie’s grin widened as she approached. “No, but you’re supposed to be having fun. Isn’t that the point of New Year’s Eve? New beginnings, fresh starts, endless possibilities?”
“Is that how you see it?”
“Of course,” Maxie said, leaning against the railing next to her. “It’s the perfect excuse to do something bold—something you’ve been putting off all year.”
Khianna’s stomach twisted at the words. She glanced sideways at Maxie, who was now looking out at the cityscape, her profile illuminated by the lights. For a moment, Khianna imagined reaching out, brushing a stray curl from Maxie’s face, and saying what had been stuck in her throat for months. But then the moment passed, and she stayed silent.
“What about you?” Maxie asked, breaking the silence.
“What about me?”
“Any bold moves on your agenda tonight?”
Khianna shrugged, taking a sip from her drink to buy herself time. “I don’t know. I guess I’m just... waiting.”
“For what?”
Khianna hesitated, her fingers tightening around the glass. “I’m not sure yet.”
Maxie tilted her head, studying her with a look that made Khianna feel as though every secret she’d ever kept was suddenly visible. “Well, don’t wait too long. Midnight waits for no one.”
---
The party grew livelier as the night wore on. Khianna found herself swept into conversations and games, but her attention always drifted back to Maxie. She wasn’t sure when her best friend had become the center of her universe, but she knew that tonight felt like a turning point—a chance to do something about it or let it slip away.
Around 11:30, Maxie found her again, this time holding two sparklers. “Come on,” she said, grabbing Khianna’s hand and pulling her toward the apartment’s rooftop.
The city was alive with noise, the streets below bustling with people celebrating in their own ways. On the rooftop, it was quieter, save for the faint hum of distant music and the occasional cheer from the crowd.
Maxie lit the sparklers, handing one to Khianna. The golden sparks danced in the air, their glow reflecting in Maxie’s eyes.
“You’ve been quiet tonight,” Maxie said, twirling her sparkler in lazy circles.
“Just thinking,” Khianna replied, the words feeling hollow compared to the weight of her thoughts.
“About?”
Khianna hesitated. The truth was too raw, too dangerous. “The new year, I guess. Resolutions.”
Maxie laughed, the sound warm and familiar. “Let me guess. Read more, eat healthier, and finally finish that painting you’ve been working on since last summer?”
Khianna smiled despite herself. “Something like that. What about you?”
“Hmm.” Maxie paused, her sparkler burning steadily. “I think I’ll try not to let things go unsaid this year.”
The words struck Khianna like a bolt of lightning. She looked at Maxie, trying to decipher the meaning behind her words, but Maxie’s expression was unreadable.
“Anyway,” Maxie said, breaking the tension with a grin, “let’s make a wish.”
“A wish?”
“Yeah.” Maxie held her sparkler up like a wand. “For the new year.”
Khianna closed her eyes, the cold air biting at her cheeks as she made her wish. She didn’t need to think about it—she knew exactly what she wanted.
When she opened her eyes, Maxie was staring at her, the sparkler’s light casting shadows on her face. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then, Maxie reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair from Khianna’s face.
“Khi—”
The sound of cheers and laughter from below interrupted them, signaling the countdown. Maxie pulled back, her cheeks flushing as she stepped toward the edge of the rooftop.
“Come on,” she said, her voice a little too bright. “We don’t want to miss midnight.”
---
The countdown began, and the partygoers on the rooftop joined in. Khianna stood next to Maxie, her heart pounding in her chest as the numbers ticked down.
“Ten... nine...”
She glanced at Maxie, who was staring at the skyline, her lips parted slightly in anticipation.
“Eight... seven...”
Khianna felt a surge of courage, her pulse quickening.
“Six... five...”
She reached out, her fingers brushing against Maxie’s.
“Four... three...”
Maxie turned to her, her eyes wide with something that looked like hope.
“Two... one...”
“Happy New Year!”
The cheers erupted, fireworks exploding in the sky above. But all Khianna could focus on was Maxie, whose hand was now intertwined with hers. Before she could second-guess herself, Khianna leaned in, closing the distance between them.
Their lips met softly at first, tentative and unsure, but then Maxie kissed her back, and the world seemed to fall away. The fireworks, the noise, the crowd—it all faded into the background, leaving only the two of them and the electricity sparking between them.
When they finally pulled apart, Maxie’s smile was radiant, her cheeks flushed. “Bold move,” she said, her voice teasing but full of warmth.
“New year, new me,” Khianna replied, her heart soaring.
As the fireworks continued to light up the sky, Khianna knew that this was a beginning she wouldn’t let slip away.