FICTION: A NEW EVERYTHING
Title: A New Everything
Author: Eertyecal
Rating: G
She was sitting in a room full of people, yet she felt so alone. She shouldn’t have let Dinah talk her in to coming. She didn’t want to be here. She wanted to be home in her comfortable pjs curled up on the couch with Moxie at her side waiting for the large ball to drop from the sky and usher in the new year.
A new year. It had to be better than this one, right? 2008 had started out with many challenges, but at least those challenges were met with Coop by her side. Now, her life was simply out of rhythm and no matter what she did she just couldn’t seem to bring things back into focus.
She stood up from the sofa she was sitting on and walked over to Dinah. “Hey boss, I think I’m gonna call it a night.” She rubbed her forehead lightly “I have a headache coming on and I think I’m just going to go on home.”
Dinah placed her arm around Ashlee’s shoulders and said “I certainly hope you feel better”, “Do you need a ride home?”
“No, I’ll be fine, I have my car.” She thanked Dinah for the party and said “Happy New Year” as she walked out the door.
Back at her apartment, she curled up on the couch and wondered what Coop was doing tonight. Based upon her conversation with him a few days ago, the relationship with his “new girl” wasn’t going anywhere. He seemed so alone and a little heart broken. She thought about calling him. She even picked up her cell phone and hit his number, and then hung up at the last moment.
She missed Coop. She wanted him back. She needed him in her life. She wasn’t living, without him. She was simply existing. She laid her head back on the pillow and pushed the hair out of her face. She hated the thought of starting a new year without him.
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Coop was sitting in his apartment all alone. It was New Year’s Eve. He should be out on the town with his friends. He should be having a few laughs and a couple of beers. He should be happy. But the fact was he was miserable. The relationship with Beth was over. Hell if he was honest, it never really began. He realized that as soon as he talked with Ashlee. He didn’t really know just how much he missed her until he saw her a few days ago. God, she was beautiful. She just lit up the room when she smiled. Ashlee and what they had together, now that was real love. The only real love he had ever known.
He had wanted so much to just take her in his arms and never let her go. There wasn’t a party, or friends or alcohol that could make that want go away. He still loved her. He wanted her. He needed her.
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Ashlee grabbed the remote control and flipped on the television set. The New Year’s Eve show from Times Square was just getting started. She patted Moxie on the head as she listened to the commentator talk about the new ball to be dropped at midnight. Moxie growled when the doorbell rang.
She got up off the couch and walked over to the door. She looked through the peephole and her heart came up into her throat. It was Coop. He was standing on the other side of her door. She took a deep breath and turned the doorknob.
She looked up and into those piercing blue-green eyes. “Hello Coop, what are you doing here?” Her insides turned to jelly as she waited for his response.
“Ashlee, I miss you.” He looked at her blue eyes and soft lips and his hands ached to touch her. “I miss us”.
“I miss you too Coop”. She took a step towards him and that’s all the invitation he needed. Coop pushed her inside, closing the door with his foot as he took her in his arms and kissed her deeply.
On the television screen the countdown was chanted as the ball began it’s descent to a new year. A new year and a new start, they’d make it this time…….together.