Hi again! :)

Here's a little sequel to Best Gift. [the link is on my profile, if you haven't read it, please do!]

Femslash!

Ah, New Year's Eve, I thought as I walked over to a chocolate fondue fountain someone had brought. I picked up a ripe-looking strawberry from the array of fruit. I hesitated for a moment, trying to decide whether or not to actually cover the berry in chocolate, finally deciding not to and popping it into my mouth.

The community always got together on New Year's Eve and had a party in the high school gym, celebrating all together so no one would have to be alone. I didn't know who started it, but I knew my family and I had been going since I was really young. Alex and I had spent a few memorable nights here poking fun at the people that actually gathered around for the first kiss of the new year.

Alex still wasn't home from Mount Holly, where she'd spent Christmas. The last thing she'd done was press a light kiss to my lips before she disappeared, and thoughts of her had been plaguing me ever since. I'd come to terms with my feelings for her, figuring out that I loved her.

I paced around the gymnasium anxiously, trying not to look like I was stressed out. Alex had said she'd be home by now, and frankly, I was worried, not to mention lonely. Alex and I had spent the past six years goofing off during the New Year's party, and for the first time, I was alone.

It wasn't even really that I was lonely for her, it was more the fact that there was so much to talk about now that our relationship had changed, and I was itching to get to it, and Alex still wasn't here. I wanted to explore my newfound feelings for my best friend.

"What time is it?" someone asked as I walked past, pouring glasses of sparkling grape juice for the kids and champagne for the adults.

I checked the time on my phone. "Eleven fifty-one," I answered helpfully, my insides knotting up with anxiety. I tried to calm myself down by telling myself that Alex hadn't said for certain that she'd be home by New Year's, so I had nothing to worry about. That, of course, was also before the kiss.

I knew that she and I needed to talk. It seemed like everything had changed between us. I wanted to know what we were going to do now, and what we wanted to do about our relationship.

I headed over to the door, deciding I needed some fresh air to help calm me down. The weather had grown unseasonably warm, and the snow had melted off in the week since Christmas Eve. It wasn't exactly warm outside, but it wasn't frigid enough to make me want to go back in immediately, either.

Someone inside tuned the TV to Dick Clark's New Year's Eve show, and I groaned inwardly as they counted down the minutes. I didn't really want a reminder every thirty seconds that Alex wasn't here yet. The way it was going, she wouldn't get here in time. This was shaping up to be the worst New Year's I'd ever had.

I looked up to the stars, letting my mind drift a little bit. I started humming a soft melody, not really sure what I was humming. The sound of the three minute warning for the ball drop drifted to me, along with the barking of a dog from not too far away.

I sighed and walked over to the nearest car, leaning against the hood and continuing to gaze up at the sky. Music and laughter were audible from inside, even as the one-and-a-half minute warning sounded.

A strange sound caused to me look down from the stars and notice a figure moving toward the school at a speed too fast to be walking. I quickly placed the sound as that of a bicycle being pedaled at top speed, wondering who was out for a midnight ride; everyone was here already.

"Only 45 seconds until 2009 comes to a close," Dick Clark announced as the person on the bike cut across an intersection.

I watched interestedly as the person on the bike steered toward the school parking lot, jumping the short curb and racing toward the gym. The moment they rode beneath the parking lot lights, my heart stopped.

Alex was here. She saw me leaning against the car and skidded to a halt. We stared at each other for an extremely long moment, both waiting for some kind of signal from the other.

After the longest three seconds of my life, I reached up and traced a heart shape on my chest, trying to communicate what I felt for her across half the parking lot.

I was vaguely aware of people beginning the countdown inside as Alex threw her bike aside and sprinted toward me.

"Three… Two… One…"

Alex threw her arms around my neck and kissed me.

The only reason I knew it was finally 2010 when we broke apart was the cheering from inside the gym; I'd lost track of everything the moment Alex's lips met mine.

"Happy New Year," I murmured breathlessly, wrapping my arms around Alex's waist before she could disappear again. I was glad we were leaning against the car; my knees felt weak. Her kiss had been just in time to save 2009 from being the worst New Year's Eve party ever.

"Had to get that first kiss of the new year in," Alex joked, growing serious a moment later. "Kasey, I…" Alex looked away, an ashamed expression taking over her face. "Sorry about the way I just… left. That was awful of me."

I held her to me, still unused to being able to hold her like I was. "Alex, don't worry, it's okay. I get it. You were scared, and you had to leave anyway." I smiled into her hair, hugging her gently to let her know I meant it.

"…You don't hate me?" she asked meekly, sounding afraid of what I had to say.

"I could never hate you, Alex. You're my best bud." I didn't like the silence that came after my saying those words, but I couldn't think of what to say.

"Is that all we are?" Alex asked slowly.

"No… I don't know." I bit my lip, hating that I had to stammer like I was. "I wanna explore this and see where it goes. Do you?"

Alex nodded hesitantly, leaning away far enough to look me in the eye. My gut wrenched at the unease and confusion I saw swimming in her eyes, and I hated that she had to feel that way. I wanted to take on the emotional strain for her so she didn't have to bear it, surprising myself a little with that realization.

"Just tell me one thing," she said. "Tell me that you're not doing this out of pity or just to make me feel better. I really want whatever this is to work, but I only want it if your heart is actually in it." Her tone was serious and I could tell by the wrinkle in her brow that she was already preparing herself for disappointment.

"Alex, I care about you," I murmured gently, looking her in the eye to let her know that I was serious. I wasn't exactly used to pouring out my heart and soul, but I was prepared to do it to assuage Alex's fears. "Listen, I may not share the depth of your feelings yet, but we can get there. It's a change for me, but I want this change. It feels right when I think about being the one to hold your hand and kiss you whenever I want. There's no way I'm not falling for you, Alex, so… yeah." I trailed off there, wishing I wasn't so awful with words. That little speech could've had a much better ending.

She studied me for a moment, the buried her head in my shoulder and wound her arms a little tighter around me. "I love you, Kase," she whispered.

I heard people inside the gym beginning to sing Auld Lang Syne and started humming along, moving away from the car and swaying both of us to the chorus of voices.

Alex made a soft sound and looked up at me, confusion and amusement in her eyes. Upon receiving my questioning look, she grinned. "I don't think I've ever seen anyone dance to Auld Lang Syne before."

"Well, we're just starting a whole bunch of new trends here in our conservative little town, aren't we?" I joked. "Today, Greeneville, tomorrow, the world!"

Alex giggled and rolled her eyes. "You're such a dork."

I wiggled my eyebrows at her, a daring and somewhat flirtatious plan forming in my mind. "Isn't that one of my many endearing qualities?"

Before she could answer, the last few notes of the singing rang out, and I tightened my hold on Alex before dipping her like a professional dancer. She yelped, the laughter that had started to bubble up in her throat fading when I closed the distance between us and kissed her tenderly.

"Happy New Year, Alex," I whispered, straightening up and hugging her warmly. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she replied, resting her head on my shoulder and sighing contentedly.

I couldn't wait to get the new year started.

So that's it. They're finally together. Aww. :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! Be safe!

If you stuck around and read both parts of this, a huge THANK YOU goes from me to you. Without readers, I wouldn't be a writer. So you people are the reason I'm writing; I hope you enjoy my stories.

Review if you smiled! :)