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The air had become increasingly frigid. A layer of fog had been formed on each windowsill and puffs of smoke could be seen from neighboring chimneys. The ground beneath had been covered with a fresh blanket of snow. The sky above was lit and clear creating a delicate glow. The atmosphere had become drastically different - calm and pleasant. There was an indescribable feeling that came with the fresh snowfall. Moods shifted and postures straightened. 

His apartment was a complete contrast to the blistering outside winds. He wrapped himself with a knit sweater while clinking the ice cubes of his aged whiskey. He felt the liquid as it burned down his throat causing a familiar sensation. He had been writing. At least, he was attempting to do so. 

Whenever his pen hit the paper, his mind began to wander. Instead of wandering back to familiarity (like he needed it to do), he was brought to a place of unknown. He was brought to a pair of brown eyes that could see into your soul and a smile that caused a ripple of butterflies to explode within. This feeling was unfamiliar; a feeling that he long forgotten. Instead of the green eyes that he once knew so well, Ava's brown were the replacement. 

He was unsure why she kept coming back to him, but she did. This, however, did not help him with writing. He knew that he had to bring his mind back to the girl that haunted his dreams. It's for the book, was what he kept telling himself. It had been his initial decision to write about his life - his life with Delaine. This was their story after all. But it was a story that he had kept pushing back and avoided with everything within him. 

Maybe that was why he kept bringing his mind back to her. To Ava. It brought back a sense of happiness, a feeling that he had long forgotten. However, tonight he needed to go back to familiarity. He needed to go back to his past, the one thing that he tried to avoid every single day. 

The days went by and New Years Eve had approached. Harry had become so engrossed with writing his novel that he forgot that the year was coming to an end. It wasn't like he had many plans to celebrate the new year. That was why the date had almost slipped his mind. It wasn't until he got a phone call from a particular brown eyed girl that his days finally caught up with him. 

"Harry! I was wondering if you were doing anything tonight." Her voice was smooth with a hint of excitement. 

"I was planning on solving world hunger. I figured it was a good time to do it." 

"Ah, yes. World hunger. It is a problem," she laughed. "But no! Do you have plans for tonight to ring in the new year?" 

"I'm not much of a New Years kind of guy." 

"You don't seem to be an anything kind of guy. Except a world changer, of course", she giggled in response. 

"Well, someone has to do it," he bantered back. 

"I was wondering if you wanted to join Jacey and I. There's a New Years party going down at The Lounge. It'll be pretty relaxed- nothing too crazy. Would you like to join us?" The thought of hanging out at a lounge didn't sound too appealing to Harry. However, the thought of hanging out with Ava outweighed it. 

"Yeah, sure. I guess world hunger will have to wait." She couldn't help but giggle. The giggle that released the butterflies that Harry was becoming too accustomed to. 

"Meet us at ten. See you soon!" With that she hung up the phone. 

The night carried on and before either one realized, the clock struck ten o'clock. The outside air had decreased to zero causing every girl to reconsider their outfit choices. Pulling down the loose fabric of her navy dress, Ava let out a curse for listening to Jacey's constant persuasion to choose her New Years outfit. "It's New Years Eve. This is the only time when vampy is classy." This had been her excuse for the mid thigh ensemble. 

It had seemed like everyone had received the memo that "vampy was classy". A sea of mid thigh dresses flooded the streets of downtown Vancouver, causing every man to stumble and every lady to freeze up. Ava knew though that once she downed a glass or two that the heat of the alcohol would soon take the place of her newly gained frost bite. 

"This place is packed! I thought you said nobody was going to come to The Lounge." Ava yelled to her friend trying to match her voice above the loud, thumping music. 

"I thought so too. I guess everyone had the same idea as us. It's okay! This will be fun. Just relax and have a drink." They walked up to the bar ordering around of gin and tonic. 

"Gin and tonic, good choice." She could feel his raspy voice against her neck. It sent a series of chills down her spine.

"I only drink the best," she remarked. "How was saving world hunger?" She couldn't help but hold back the grin that wanted to grace her lips. 

"It's a lot harder than it sounds," he smirked. "I thought you said this was a little thing." 

"Apparently all of Vancouver heard about this too." She couldn't help but let the grin expose on her lips. There was something about the way his dimple surfaced when he gave her a sarcastic, yet playful, smirk. Or the way he always was quick with a witty response. Whatever it was, she was glad that he was there, with her, bantering over world hunger and gin and tonic. 

The night continued on- shot after shot, joke after joke, and smirk after smirk. They continued to enjoy each others presence completely lost in a sea of people.

"You know, I'm a fantastic dancer. I got the moves like Jagger." Harry couldn't help but laugh at her drunk-induced joke.

"Oh really? I have to see this for myself." She grabbed onto his arm and led him to the dance floor. He couldn't help but smirk down at her as she steadied herself. 

"I like to call this the running man." She began to run on spot while thrashing her arms side to side drunkenly. He held in his laugh while he watched the brown haired girl show him her moves.

"Ah, you are too good. What else you got?"

"This is the box dance. You just keep it all right here." She began to move her arms up and down creating the illusion of a box, while making serious faces. It was then that he couldn't help but laugh.

"You look ridiculous, you know that right?" She let out a fake gasp.

"How dare you make fun of these moves. This is 23 years of intense dance move making magic?"

"You make no sense, you do know that right?" His accent thicker and voice raspier due to their previous drinking.

She couldn't help but let out a high pitched giggle. "Yes, that's what five shots and a gin and tonic can do to you." He couldn't help but laugh with her whilst agreeing. It was then that a slower song began to play causing the surrounding bodies to couple up. Harry looked at Ava hesitantly before wrapping his arms around her small frame. She didn't flinch as he did so. This gave Harry the reassurance to keep going. She wrapped her arms around his neck thanking the gods above for wearing high heels. For she knew that if she had not been, her 5'4 frame would not have been unable to match his 5'11 built. 

The air between the two had not been awkward. Rather, it was pleasant with a lace of playfulness . Their bodies matched as they swayed to the booming music above. She felt his muscles relax underneath her hands with each movement. She laid her head on his chest drinking in his scent. He smelt of cologne and laundry detergent - a scent that she began to enjoy. He nuzzled his face into her soft hair taking in the her sweet scent. He began to memorize every inch of her body as they moved. He couldn't help but feel the familiar feeling of being this close to another being. It was a feeling that he had loved and secretly missed. 

As the song came to an end, Ava and Harry remained fastened together. Neither one wanted to let go. The music began to pick up but they didn't noticed the shift of tone. It wasn't until the DJ announced the year end countdown that they began to release the other. 

The lounge was booming with ecstatic voices as drunken party goers yelled along with the flashing numbers. 

Ten

Nine

Eight

Seven

Ava's voice was filled with excitement as she yelled along with the packed crowd. Harry couldn't help but watch the excited girl, as she squeezed his hand. 

Six

Five

Four

With each passing number anxiety began to creep into Harry's stomach. 

Three

Two

One

A chorus of Happy New Years and cheers echoed throughout the lounge. Many couples began to tug at the other. It was then that Ava looked at Harry with a bright smile. She quickly grabbed him and without giving it a second thought she pressed her lips softly against his own. Her dainty fingers fisted his curls as she deepened the kiss. He was caught off guard but soon gave in to the gentle touch of her lips against his. It was then that their relationship was no longer the same. For in that moment they had taken a turn that neither one were expecting to take.

Blame it on the gin and tonic.