The New Girl

NYE/NY

Gabby

Happy New Years Eve.

In a mere hour, we will be swinging into 2017 - a new year for fresh starts.

I honestly don't think there is anything I need to start fresh with in my life right now. I'm the happiest I've been in a while with who I am and who I am with.

I'm a better person with better friends, an spectacular boyfriend who I love, a stronger bond with my mom and brother than I ever thought possible, and I'm at better terms with my father than I was when I first got here.

I'm living, breathing proof that you don't have to wait for a new year to make an immense change to your life.

We are all over Ayden's tonight - my mom, brother, Mrs. Mary, Mr. Chambers, Audrey, Ayden, Bennet, Colton, Dakota, and Emma - to celebrate the start of 2017 together.

Everything seems to be falling back into line for Ayden, too. His mom is unquestionably happier and more comfortable with Mr. Chambers around. Mr. Chambers' eyes light up every time he looks at Mrs. Mary and he smiles whenever Ayden or Audrey smile at him. Eric is gone for good: now the guys come back around often again. They, too, have been really enjoying having Mr. Chambers back around temporarily.

"Come on, Dad, one drink won't kill me." Ayden pleaded his dad to allow him to have a single shot. My mom already said if everyone else could, I could, too. Since Ayden's dad was the father figure of the 4 boys in our presence, he was calling the shots for them 4. Literally.

"Fine, Ayden. One." With a chuckle, Mrs. Mary poured 6 shots of the Bacardi, passing one out to each teenager in her presence - leaving out Dom because he cannot consume alcohol with his meds running through his system.

Audrey had turned in early, claiming she was too tired to make it to the new year. No way would we be drinking in front of her - that is certainly not setting a prime example for an 11 year old.

"On the count of three..." Colton trailed off as he held his small glass between his thumb and pointer finger.

In unison, we counted up to the value of three before we all swished the shot down our throats in one gulp.

"I feel like you all are almost too good at that..." Ayden's mom trailed off skeptically, clearly messing around though.

I'm sure each and everyone of us have been to our fair shares of high school bangers.

The adults stayed on the main floor while the rest of us fled to the basement to joke around before midnight struck.

By joke around, I mean play "never have I ever" with alcohol that Ayden managed to sneak away from his parents. They were undoubtedly getting their drink on right now though, so when we come up in 40 minutes for the countdown, they won't even be sober enough to identify if we are slightly tipsy or not.

"Who starts?" Bennet asked with a smirk.

Luckily, Ayden had his own supply of shot glasses, but he only had so many. We each were supplied with one glass and it would be filled and gulped down each time we had to put a finger down for completing a task that someone has not.

"Dakota is the only completely and utterly single one here, I vote he starts." Ayden threw his friend under the bus. Dakota flipped him off and began looking around the circle of us, his tongue clicking against the roof of his mouth in a debating manor.

"Never have I ever had a girlfriend." Ayden, Bennet, and Colton all filled their shot glasses up and swished the drink down. They all now had 9 fingers up.