H A R P E R

Last New Year's Eve

No one initiated the kiss. No one in particular, we both initiated, we both leaned in, we both felt like we were at the edge of a cliff, feeling ready to jump off and dive. Dive into each other until we lose our senses. Which is exactly what kissing Wyatt felt like, it felt like I was senselessly floating on an endless ocean.

And neither of us wanted to stop either. This wasn't just a simple, small kiss. It was long and passionate, and intense in the best possible way. So intense that it made me feel butterflies not only in my stomach, but all over my body.

Wyatt and I had a connection. One look at each other and we were hooked. It felt exactly like what you see on TV or read in romance books. But better.

His lips twirled with mine, not too slow, but not too fast either. Just enough that we could memorize each other's taste forever. When we pulled apart, breathlessly, we could see our eyes dance in the other's.

I took in the sight in front of me - my crimson lipstick smudged on his lips, his mouth slightly ajar, his hair disheveled, his cheeks blushed, his eyes dark.

None of us knew what to say. I mean, what do you say in a situation like this? We both went in for the kiss, we both kissed each other as if our lives depended on it.

"Happy New Year." He said.

"Happy New Year." I echoed.

We would have picked up where we left off, we were ready to taste each other again. We would have continued kissing and making out until our lips were so numb they couldn't move. We would have probably given each other hickeys, and we would have followed, wherever the night would take us. But we didn't.

Because Zoey interrupted us.

"Harper?" I heard, coming from afar. "Are you up there?"

I quickly removed myself from Wyatt's bedroom, stepping into the hallway. "I was in the bathroom!"

"Well, I need you! Come back down, please." I sighed, sad to have to cut this moment between Wyatt and me short, but went ahead and walked across the hall, to go downstairs.

Wyatt, who had heard the conversation, just showed me a small smile with a nod, indicating to me that it was okay, that he understood that I had to go. Because it's not like we were about to go downstairs, holding hands and telling our friends that, three hours after meeting, we couldn't get enough of each other, and felt like we could elope and get married in Vegas. At least, I did.

When I reached the ground floor, golden and silver confetis were scattered around the room, covering pretty much the entirety of the hardwood floors. Dance music was playing loudly, Chloé and Ben were heavily making out while dancing, Carter and Kyle were talking in a secluded area of the room, and Noah was looking down, focused on the cup he was holding, as if that was the most interesting drink in the world.

"Noah kissed me."

I gotta hand it to Zoey, she did have quite the emergency, hence why she needed me - her cousin slash best friend.

"What?" I asked, in disbelief. Not that I didn't think they wouldn't be a thing. I called it a long time ago. But I never thought he'd have the guts to go ahead and just kiss her all of the sudden, in the middle of our New Year's party.

But then again, I didn't think I'd have the courage to do that either and look at me now.

"He kissed me." She repeated, as if to make herself believe her words.

"And?"

"And I liked it."

"You know, if he was a girl, this would be the perfect moment to start playing Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl".

"Would you quit the jokes?"

"Fine." I groaned. "Are you happy he kissed you?"

"I don't know."

"Are you upset?"

"Definitely not."

"That's good, then. You're just warming up to the idea of him." She looked concerned, worried, as if I had just told her the worst news ever. "Was it a good kiss?"

"The best."

"That's all that matters." I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to me. "He's it for you. I just know it."

"What do I do now?"

"We drink." And God knows I need it.

"Let's go!" I pulled her hand and dragged Zoey with me to the drinks table, where I fixed ourselves a shot.

* * *

An hour turned into two, and eventually Wyatt came downstairs and joined the group, dancing to some songs, eating snacks and drinking. We'd steal glances from across the room, but nothing too flashy. Just enough that only the two of us could see it.

When I left the room, his eyes followed my every move and when he saw me alone in the kitchen, sitting on one of the high top seats that surround the isolated, countertop in the middle, he took a seat next to me.

We looked around us, to make sure we were really alone and no one would be eavesdropping on our conversation. It was as if what had just happened was our tiny little secret. A treasure. Something precious. Something that none of us, however weird this was, didn't want to share with anyone else.

"I'm never going to forget you and our kiss." He led with that and my heart skipped a beat. "I don't want to stop talking to you."

He really did not hide anything. Wyatt Stone was crystal clear about his feelings and intentions, totally transparent and straightforward. Wyatt Stone seemed to be a male main character straight out of one of the many romance books I like reading so much.

I don't know how I got courage to speak up or even say something after his candid confession, but I managed to say, "Me neither.", which was far more than I was willing to admit to myself, yet here we were.

His smile, although shy, on his face gave me the indication that he was happy that we were on the same page.

"Can I see you again?"

"Yes, I'd very much like that."

"I've got to fly back to New York and get back to Columbia. But I don't wanna go without seeing you again."

I let the magnitude of his words sink in, quietly.

"We could go out for a coffee or something. I never fly without getting my daily dose of caffeine anyway."

"When's your flight?"

"It was supposed to be on the second, but the airline emailed me, letting me know that the flight was canceled. They asked me to reschedule and... I have classes I need to get to. I had no other choice but to choose tomorrow."

Like Christmas, I usually spend New Year's day with my family, turning it into a definitely a busy day. I have my grandparents staying over for the holidays, Zoey and her dads were coming over tomorrow morning, and we were having brunch together and later on, dinner. But Wyatt and I could make it work. We kinda had to, because I wasn't willing to let whatever this was go.

"Why don't you call me tomorrow morning and we'll see what we can do?"

My suggestion put a smile on his face and he waved his phone in his hand before he slid it across the table in my direction. I put in my phone number and name and handed it back to him.

For the rest of the night and until morning, I couldn't stop thinking about how there was a massive possibility that Wyatt would think this was a big mistake. After going home, I tossed and turned in bed all night, overthinking everything that happened.

Wyatt was heartbroken and it was the holidays, after all. This time of the year simply does this to people, making them more vulnerable and more in touch with their feelings. People open their hearts a lot more than the rest of the year. And especially around New Year's because of the whole pressure of the resolutions.

I lived in fear the whole night, thinking that he'd wake up tomorrow and realize that that's all this ever was. He had been just another victim of the holidays effect, and I'd be the one being a victim of a broken heart.

But I couldn't be more wrong, because on New Year's day, Wyatt and I went on our first date, at a coffee shop in LAX, just before security. 

 * * *

author's note

ahhhh i just love it when i take you on a trip down to memory lane about this night in particular! you know, i thought a lot about whether or not i would post harper's version of the night their met but then it just felt right <3 

question: what is your favorite new year's day? or do you have any special traditions?

if you're enjoying LEOYAM, please don't forget to vote, and leave a comment with your thoughts! also follow me on ig - missmarswrites - for sneak peeks, edits, quizzes and so so much more!

xoxo, mars