A Perfect Midnight

Yesterday was New Year's Eve, in case you didn't know. And yesterday I did a really rad thing. Like, really super rad here folks, you don't even know.

You see, Somebody-Very-Important had himself a birthday yesterday. And I was missing him something fierce to boot. I had been planning this since before I left for home after finals week and I was super stoked that it was all going to work out.

I left town at 2:00 on the dot headed south. I put on some rocking tunes and sang my lungs out while blasting the heat on my poor little frozen piggies. I'm sure it was a sight to behold, but then again, I usually am pretty awesome when I try to drive and sing and heat up all at the same time. I multitask like a champ.

Casually I texted SVI...."Hey what are you up to today? :)"  And I chatted him up off and on to find out where he would be when I got to town. He ended up back at his house a couple minutes before I got there which was perfect timing. I walked in the door to two very surprised boys, which totally and completely made my entire day.

To further my award of best girlfriend of the year, I took him out to dinner at a nice restaurant. I caught him staring at me a couple times from across the table. "What?" I asked him with a smile. He put his hands on the table and said, "I just didn't expect you back so soon!" as I placed my palms on his.

I had been asking him about his birthday to keep up the ruse that I wouldn't be there for it. He said it was a good day, but that it didn't feel different really from any other day. I wanted to make it special for him. Sitting next to him in a quiet moment he whispered the word thanks in my ear. "For what?" I asked, my voice low. "For coming down here. For dinner. It was the best present," he answered. My heart melted a little bit.

 I think my favorite thing to do is surprise people. I can be a pretty rough and tumble person when I want to be...I mean, I mostly hang out with boys so you kind of have to be that way. But I really like being nice and sweet too - it scores you a lot of points. Plus it makes me happy to see other people happy. I like to think we are all that way.

Because his birthday also coincides with that somewhat famous holiday, you know the one, to celebrate the incoming of a new year and all, we went to a party with a bunch of friends. I was sitting on the back porch with my friend Kevin and his cigarette when I heard them start the countdown. SVI was somewhere inside and my only thought was that I had to get to him before the stroke of midnight. Without even looking at Kevin, I turned in my chair and threw open the door. My eyes darted around the room, scanning, analyzing.

7...6...5...

I spotted him in the doorway of the kitchen, his back was turned to me.

4...3...2...

I grabbed his arm and turned him around to face me right as the countdown ended. And good gravy, I tell you what, that was the best New Year's kiss I've ever had in the history of being old enough and having someone to actually kiss at midnight. We were all giddy from the excitement of the moment, and some of us from the booze too, as is tradition. But I can't explain the rush of emotion I felt when the ball dropped and we lip locked and then he just held me, just for a moment. And then it was 2012, and it was perfect.

Today I went back to his house for a while before I drove back north to hang out with my family for a couple more days before school starts back up. I was reading a book on the couch while the SVI and his roommate were playing COD. Lost in my story, I was jolted back to reality when SVI's finger started poking my leg. Let the record show that I am loath to be poked, and he is the only person in the history of ever that gets away with it.

I turned my attention from the print on my page to his unshaven face and this is what he says to me: "Hey, I'm bragging over here. Pay attention!" At which point my eyes get wide, my mouth drops and I look over at our other friend as if to ask "Did he really just say that?" When all of a sudden SVI is wrapping me in his arms, laughing, with his face buried in my neck.

Yes, I picked a real keeper. Told you. And that is the story of how I earned the best girlfriend of the year award. Jealousy. You know you have it.

How did you ring in the new year?