Tom's POV
December 31, 1989

Doug and I had a nice Saturday afternoon in my apartment, drinking beer and watching the Los Angeles Rams versus the Philadelphia Eagles battle it out on the football field during the playoffs.

We had ordered wings and a pizza, and during halftime, Doug and I went to the sink to start doing the dishes. We were absentmindedly talking about anything and everything that popped into our heads, and finally came to the topic of our love lives.

"Speaking of, I have a question from you," Doug said.

"Penhall, I've told you, I don't want to join your super secret boyband."

"Remember when I invited you bowling and you didn't take it?" Doug asked, ignoring my joke.

"Mm-hmm?" I mumbled. It was the day that the perfect storm fell on Mickey. The day so many of her case files were due with no time to do them because she had so many court dates. I had declined Doug's offer to go bowling that night to stay and help her.

"What was up with that?" He asked.

"That was so long ago. You're still going on about this? I already told you, Mickey needed help so I stayed back to help her."

"You've never blown off bowling for a girl," Doug said.

"I've blown off lots of girls for lots of things," I said and grabbed a cup from Doug to begin drying it with a towel.

"Name one time you've blown off Mickey," Doug said.

I stammered but I finally got the ball rolling when I said, "I... um... well... oh, there was that time where she asked me to go to the movies with her and I said no. Just for kicks."

"How brave," Doug said sarcastically.

"Why?" I asked.

"Well, I've been thinking about taking her out. What do you think?"

I froze drying my cup in mid-dry. I finally asked, "since when?"

"Where do I even begin, man. She's nice... real nice. Awfully sweet and smart..."

"I don't think you are her type," I blurted.

"Oh yeah? What is her type?" Doug asked.

"Um... well..." I finally sighed and the lack of judgement that came from drinking beer on a football afternoon made me blurt, "we're dating."

A smile spread on Doug's face and he said, "I knew it."

"You didn't know it." I rolled my eyes.

"I knew most of it. I saw the way you looked at her during Ben's wedding. You were all blushing and stuff. You dog, you."

"Really?" I asked.

"See? You're doing it again. I knew you were going steady with someone. Ain't no one that happy all the time. Especially you."

"I'm happy."

"You are now. I'm not surprised, you two look like a couple."

"What does that mean?"

"I mean you're the same in the right ways, and you're different in the right ways. And you know that feeling you get when you're watching a movie and you just know that two characters are gonna get together because they have that chemistry, ya know?"

"Yeah?"

"I get that same feeling when I'm with the two of you. How long have you been chasing her tail?"

I chuckled, "not long."

"Why ain't you official?"

"We are official... I think." I didn't want to tell him about the promise ring I gave Mickey last week, because I knew he would accidentally point it out in front of everyone. Plus, he would be mad that I didn't tell him, and I don't blame him. I'd be mad if the roles were reversed.

"You think?" Doug asked.

"She met my mom a few times," I stated.

"That sounds pretty official to me," Doug said, "have you met her parents?"

I bit my tongue and said, "it's a little complicated."

"Oh."

"We've never really talked about it. But Fuller can't know," I said, "and Mickey will be mad when she finds out that I told you."

"Why?" He asked.

"Dating isn't allowed at Jump Street."

"Right..." his voice trailed off, but he sounded like he had a follow-up comment.

"What?"

"Judy and I had a thing a little while ago."

"You did?!" I asked, shocked. I almost dropped the glass cup that was in my hands.

"Yeah, right after Dorothy and I broke up. I thought it was obvious. She ignored me around the chapel for days," Doug said.

"Oh," I said, not remembering that at all. I'm really not that observant when I'm not being paid to do it.

"Are you two doing anything for New Years Eve?" He asked, "Freddy is hosting a party tonight."

"Freddy?" I asked, not recognizing the name.

"Freddy Wells. He's the guy with the blonde hair and the glasses. He started at Jump Street about a year ago. His brother goes to Metro City State University and they are throwing a New Years Eve party with his brothers college friends. He invited everyone at Jump Street too."

I said, "parties aren't exactly our style."

"But it's supposed to be fun. And black tie required," Doug said.

"We haven't talked about doing anything together tonight," I shrugged. "I was planning on either celebrating the Eagles win or drowning my sorrows at the Eagles loss. Both of which, occur at home."

"But it's New Years! You're not going to kiss her when the ball drops?!"

"Afraid not," I said and started putting dishes away.

"But it's tradition!"

"I don't know if you've noticed, but we haven't been the most traditional couple," I said.

"How long have you two been together?"

"Um..." I said and had to do some quick math, "ten months... I think?"

Doug's eyes grew wide. "Ten months?!"

"Yeah, about. Since February."

"February?! And you haven't told me?!" He seemed offended, but playfully offended.

"I'm sorry, all right? You weren't exactly supposed to find out. Look, until Fuller changes the rules, no one can know that we are going out. Not Judy and not Ioki."

"Why not those guys?"

"Too many variables."

"Then why'd you tell me?"

"It slipped."

"All right, all right, I won't tell. But it must be killing you to be keeping this in. Especially at the chapel."

"It is," I agreed. I zoned out a little and imagined Mickey and I grinned a bit. "I want to scream it from the rooftops."

"That's how I felt when I first got together with Dorothy," Doug said, snapping me back to reality. "I wanted the whole world to know."

"Right, well, I'm a patient guy. I was willing to leave Jump Street if I had to but she wouldn't let me. She makes me really happy, so if Mickey wants to wait, I'll wait," I said.

"Attaboy," Doug said, "I'm really happy for you, man."

"Thanks, man."

The television got back to playing clips of the football field so we knew that half-time was over. We finished up the dishes and Doug went around the kitchen getting chips and dip.

"Want a beer?" I asked as I opened the fridge.

"Sure. But I'd hate to tell you about my secret girlfriend I've been hiding from you for almost a year," he said. He clearly not over it.

"Very funny," I said annoyedly and grabbed two bottles. I used a bottle opener to take the caps off of them and walked to the couch. I kicked my feet up on the coffee table after I sat down and handed Doug one of the bottles.

We finished the afternoon watching the game where the Eagles lost 21-7, so I began to prepare my night of wallow and sorrow. Doug almost joined me, but then joked about having a life and left me in my apartment alone.

I sat in my silent apartment, thinking about what Doug said. It only took a few minutes before I called Mickey and asked if she wanted to attend that New Years Eve party with me later that night. She agreed, and I swung by to pick her up and drove her to the party.

It was bursting at the seams with drunk college students, and drunk undercover police officers from Jump Street. All I recognized, but none that I've ever really talked to or worked with. I saw Doug flirting with some girls in the corner of the living room, and Ioki was turning some girls off by talking about a boring play he recently watched. Being black tie required, it looked like a giant prom at someone's house. I wore a gray suit while Mickey was wearing the burgundy velvet dress she wore for the Christmas party the year before. She looks really good in that color.

Mickey looked around and chuckled, "Booker would have loved this."

"Yeah," I agreed. We both stood there for just a couple seconds before we looked at each other. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah," she chuckled.

I took her hand and we ran back to my car.

I started driving around the town, and eventually stumbled upon my favorite bowling alley. It didn't take much convincing for us to go inside.

I rented us bowling shoes, which she joked clashed with her dress. I think she is beautiful, no matter what she wears. She could wear a burlap potato sack and still be the most beautiful girl in any room.

We were the only ones there, besides one employee by the entrance. We started bowling, and I was absolutely creaming her. She was getting gutter balls after gutter balls.

I took my turn and turned around triumphantly after getting another strike. I lifted my arms up in the air and walked back to the front announcing, "another slamarino!"

"How do you do that?" She asked.

"Lots of practice," I said and walked to the book where I wrote down my impressive score.

"We should ask to put up those... those... what are they called... railings!" She snapped her fingers.

"You don't need the sissy rails," I said, "come here."

I wiggled my finger at her to walk over to me, and she grabbed her bowling ball in the process. I stood behind her and positioned her fingers in the holes of the ball and told her to lead with her thumb. She tried again, and the ball spun off to the side and knocked down one pin.

"How was that?" She asked as we waited for the ball to come back up.

"What was that?" I joked with a deadpan expression.

"Come on, I hit a pin that time!"

I chuckled softly and said, "it was better."

"Can I try with my left hand?" She asked.

"Your left?" I asked before I remembered that she is left-handed. "Oh my god, yeah."

She got her ball back and I helped her with her left hand. Almost as if she became a professional in a moments notice, she rolled a spare.

"That was great!" I said honestly. I was shocked.

"Must have just been using the wrong hand," she chuckled.

I took my turn quickly so I could see Mickey bowl again. She rolled a strike.

"I almost feel like I've been hustled," I said and recorded her scores in the book.

"Maybe I should start doing that," she joked and rolled another ball. I came up behind her and wrapped my arms around her in a hug and placed my chin on her shoulder. Together we watched her ball spin and knock down all the pins.

"Another slamarino!" She copied my saying while lifting her arms up triumphantly and spun around to face me. She giggled, "I've always wanted to say that."

"Don't get too good at it now," I said, "otherwise what else am I supposed to do to impress you?"

"If you think that bowling is the way to impress me, then you don't know me that well," she joked. She was radiant, it made me feel warm when she smiled at me. It still knocks me to my knees. I can hear beautiful music whenever I look at her. There was something about her that made my heart go haywire. She is beautiful inside and out. I was so proud to be loved by her, and I was so lucky that I could call her mine. Someday, she's going to be my wife.

I took my turn and realized I made three strikes in a row, a turkey. Mickey checked her watch and said, "it's almost midnight!"

I checked mine too and watched the clock tick away.

"5-4-3-2-1, happy New Year!" Mickey and I said to each other.

"Happy New Year!" A small voice came from the front of the alley.

"Happy New Year to you too, Neil!" I called out to the employee.

"You know his name?" Mickey asked in a low voice.

"I come here way too often," I chuckled. I took a step toward her and put my hand on her hip and the other at her jaw. I carefully grabbed her chin and tilted it up before giving her a kiss. In the safety of my arms, I felt her melt. Her hand rested against my chest, and I know that she could feel my heart beating fast. Our lips celebrated the holiday the best way they knew how. I've said that I would never fall unless it's her I would fall into, and I was falling hard.

It was our first New Years kiss. Hopefully, the first of many. To celebrate good fortune for our years together to come.