The grand Hotel Amanda Castro was home to the high society in the nineties. Women and men dressed in the finest clothes would dance all night long in the ballroom and sing along with the resident band. They'd eat and drink themselves silly. It was home for businessmen to talk business at the dinner table. Everyone knew it and everyone wished to walk through its golden doors.

Now, it was a shadow of its former self. What had once been shiny was now covered in dust, and what had been golden was now dirty grey. The large plate displaying the Hotel's name was missing the first A and M, an S, and an O.

"I think I drank too much," said Laura, pulling a green curtain that disintegrated under her touch. "Dude, the moths got here first."

Victória laughed, throwing herself onto a sofa and making a cloud of dust rise. Both of them coughed, but the sound was muffled by the soaring music in the ballroom. They had escaped the party to get more drinks from the kitchen, but Laura soon realised she needed to breathe some fresh air.

"I'm going outside. I'll be back in a sec."

Victória stared at her for a moment and then followed her into the wintry night. They passed through the heavy golden doors and leaned against the dirty walls. The redhead lit up a cigarette and pressed it to her lips, savouring it slowly.

"Want one?"

Laura nodded and took one between her fingers. She looked at the burning end, dazed by it for a second, and then brought it to her mouth. Before university, she had never touched one. Everyone smoked at parties, or at least the people she hung out with did. She figured trying once wouldn't hurt, but then she kept saying yes and yes and yes. It wasn't an addiction. She didn't even buy her own pack. But it had become more normal than she wished it were.

"How long until midnight?" asked Laura.

The other girl checked her watch. "Half an hour. I can't believe you're already drunk."

"American parties don't last until morning. I'm untrained."

"Are you liking it there?"

She shrugged. "Anything is better than living with dad. What have you been up to these past years?"

"I'm working three different jobs. It may sound stupid, but I actually like it. Being busy, you know? It keeps your mind away from the shit you're living in."

Laura nodded, but she didn't understand. Perhaps if she had said it to her sister and not to her, things would've made sense. But Laura was far from having that need. Her mind and her were in tune with each other. In some days, the ones when homesickness and anxiety hit, she would sit crying about her mum, but that wasn't stopping her from living her life.

"Was that how you met the kid? At work?"

Victória laughed. "Isaac? Yeah, he loves the theatre. Every time daddy drinks too much, he runs into a theatre room. Speaking of which, where is he?"

Isaac had had enough of the stupid party. If his friend hadn't dragged him to it, he would've stayed at the movie theatre. But, as usual, he couldn't say no to her. He ended up sitting in a corner, watching people dance and get drunk. Several declined drinks after, he was escaping the ball room to go home.

"Where are you going?"

He froze in the middle of the lobby, turning slowly to the girl in a large sweater and a heavy skirt sitting on the counter. Hundreds of old keys with yellow tags were hung on the board behind her, reflecting the dim yellow light of the lamps and making a faint hallo around her.

"I'm leaving," said Isaac, stretching his back to look confident.

"Vic is right outside. She's going to kick you in again."

He stared at the dirty windows, trying to find any silhouettes. As he couldn't figure out who was the shadow on the other side, he had to trust the girl's word.

"What's your name?" she asked, making him turn to her again.

"Isaac. And you are?"

She smiled, but it was a sad smile. "I'm Rita. One out of one. Because the other two have vanished."

He blinked, not sure what that meant. The only thing he cared about was to leave the party unnoticed. If Rita was only there to stall him, he had no wish to stay there and entertain her gloomy talk.

Isaac pulled a curtain aside, or at least tried, as the tissue ripped where he pulled. He tossed it to the ground and tried to push the rusty handle from the windows framing. It didn't budge, and he tried the next window, but it didn't work.

"You're supposed to pull it to yourself, not up." The girl's voice echoed in the room once more.

He tried her way, but he wasn't stronger than the corroded metal. A brown layer of dust and metal enveloped his palms, and he tried wiping them on his beige pants, but most of it never left his skin. He tried wiping harder, but the only thing he got out of it was the humiliation of Rita laughing at him.

"Do you know any way out?" he asked, annoyed.

She shrugged. "I know plenty. I also know where the bathrooms are. You should wash that."

"Well." He opened his arms as if expecting something. "Are you going to show me?"

She tilted her head sideways, silent for long enough to bother him. "Sure."

She leaped out of the counter, looking for a specific key in the middle of so many others. Once she found the tag that showed the staff toilets, she took him to a room on the other side of the room. She opened it for him and leaned against the doorframe as he washed his hands.

"It's almost midnight. Do you want to see it with me from the rooftop?"

He stared at her. "See what?"

She rolled her eyes. "The fireworks, dummy."

He waved his hands around, trying to dry them as there was no towel. She giggled and, for a moment, he thought that was the most beautiful laugh he had ever heard. He snapped out of it, though. Just because she sounded like Laura, it didn't mean he should place his love for her into one of her sisters. Plus, worshiping the girl had never worked well for him.

"I don't think so."

"Come on!" she whined. "Don't leave me alone, too!"

Alone.

The word echoed in his head and made him look at her differently. She felt alone, just like he did. It wasn't pity in his eyes when he finally told her yes; it was recognition. And she looked thrilled to have company.

He let her take him upstairs, and they sat at the end of the rooftop, waiting for the sky to light up.

Several floors under, the part was still going strong. The DJ had stopped the music and was now counting backwards, along with everyone else. Laura had found Nicole inside, and they tried to find Rita, but gave up after a while. They screamed too, every number from 10 to 1, their voices blending with the others.

"... 3, 2,1. Happy New Y-" Nicole yelled, but she was cut off by the girl next to her. Her body froze when she felt her lips touch hers. Her drunk brain took a moment to register what was happening, and then she stumbled back, away from her kisser.

Many couples were kissing too, celebrating the beginning of a new year and a bunch of promises they were bound to break. They were ecstatic, laughing, and screaming. The music restart and they all began dancing. And in the middle of the crowd, Nicole was lost, getting pushed and shoved from a side to the other, tripping on her own feet. She was too drunk, too confused to regain balance. Somehow, she survived the sea of people, crawling under a table and sitting there with a tight grip on her cup.

"What are you doing?" Laura asked, pulling the towel up to see her. "I lost you there for a second."

Nicole didn't answer, and her sister joined her under the table. She laid her head on Laura's shoulder, moulding her body to her side, and closed her eyes for a second.

"I want to go home. I hate this place."

🖤🤍🖤

Earlier that evening, Miguel had forced Andrew to attend to a party. Alice was also attending and forced the American to drive her to the club. She'd never strike them as a party girl, but when Andrew mentioned leaving, she forced him to wait for her to get ready. Not only that, she spent the entire car ride on the phone with Giovanni, convincing him to come.

Miguel saw them arrive from his spot high on the VIP section. Andrew had seemed glad to lose her in the crowd as soon as they arrived. Alice had pulled Giovanni by the arm and dragged to the bar. Andrew watched them leave, shoving his hands in his pockets and walking up to the bouncer of the club.

Seconds later, Andrew was arriving at his table, hands in his pockets and a not so friendly expression. Nothing that surprised Miguel.

Lúcia and Miguel had been sitting at their usual table for an hour now, drinking martinis and watching people downstairs dance. She smiled once her eyes found Andrew, calling him to their table.

"Hi! I'm so glad you could make it."

Andrew smiled, but Miguel could guess he wasn't in the mood to party with them. He couldn't understand that guy or what Nicole saw in him, but he was trying to, if only for the sake of his best friend's safety. She had got hurt right under his nose before. He wasn't about to do the same mistake again.

"Do you want to drink anything?" he asked as Andrew sat down.

"No." He shook his head. "I'm driving."

Miguel took another sip of the drink, leaning back in his seat. He had been eyeing across from them, where a few guys and girls were playing beer pong. Jenny and her boyfriend, or whatever he was, were in the middle of them, laughing, already drunk. Miguel's head was a mess since Jenny apologised.

"You're looking at her again," Lúcia whispered in his ear so Andrew wouldn't hear.

He shook his head. "I just don't know how to act around her anymore."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't know why. She still wronged you. You should be mad, not at all besotted."

Miguel almost choked on his martini. He couldn't believe she was suggesting something like that. Sure, he had been interested in Jenny when they first met, maybe more than just in a friendly way, but that had been a very long time ago and a lot had happened since. There was no reason for her to accuse him of liking someone else.

"Lúcia," he started, but she didn't want to hear it.

She got up and dragged Andrew to the dancefloor with her. He offered resistance at first, but gave in as soon as he saw her puppy eyes. Miguel couldn't blame him. He melted every time she did that to him.

"Is that Nicole's boyfriend?" a voice asked from his side.

He glared at the dark-haired girl leaning close to him. She was wearing the employee's usual suit — black skirt, white button up and a loose tie around her neck — and carried a tray under her arm. He'd seen her moments ago giving more drinks to Jenny and her friends, but he had hoped she wouldn't have the courage to approach him.

"Why do you care? So you can steal him too?" He cocked a brow. "If that's your plan, please hurry, so we can wrap this up quickly."

She rolled her eyes. "Come on, Miguel. We all know I did her a favour."

"You're just as bad as him, Diana. You knew what was going on and still did nothing. Why would you choose a psycho over your friend?"

Diana sighed, looking bored. "That's always the question, isn't it? 'Why?'." She looked at Lúcia and Andrew dancing. They had hit someone whose drink was now splattered over Lúcia's blouse. "There isn't always a reason."

Miguel stared at her and then got up. "I'm going to see how my girlfriend's doing. If you're here to test what'll take for me to hit a woman, I suggest you don't."

He joined Andrew by the bathroom door. Lúcia was inside, trying to clean the smudge. They had to pay another drink to the other girl for going against her.

"Who were you talking to?" Andrew asked, recognising the girl from another night.

"Nicole's ex-roommate," said Miguel.

"The one who stole your stuff?"

He nodded. Andrew could sense he didn't want to talk, so he didn't ask about it. It was something he wanted to know about, but he could always ask Nicole. Unless it was one of those sensitive subjects.

Jenny walked towards them, drink in hand, and grabbed Andrew by the arm, ignoring Miguel. She wore a lazy smile, stars in her eyes. Even the way she moved was slow, like the music now playing in the background. She looked beautiful in a black corset and loose jeans.

"Andrew," she called, "come play beer pong with us!"

Miguel stared between the two of them, wondering when had they become friends. He knew he went to The Bookmark during Nicole's shift, which was now also Jenny's shift, but that didn't mean they interacted.

"I can't drink. I'm driving."

"Don't be a buzzkill!" she whined, pulling his arm. "I want to get to know Nicky's boyfriend! I'll drink for both of us."

"I'm not-" he started, but felt Miguel's eyes on him. He knew they weren't official, but it felt like it. "Nicole and I have nothing defined."

She nodded. "That's okay. Now, come play!"

She yanked him away, and he followed to the table. Miguel stayed there, leaning against the wall with his eyes on them. Jenny's boyfriend was there, staring at Andrew in jealousy.

Downstairs, sitting at the bar, were Alice and Giovanni. She had kept on ordering the same sweet drink repeatedly since the night started, not knowing what it was. Either way, it tasted like liquid courage.

"And then, Isabel took me to KidZania." She laughed, taking another sip of the tall glass.

"That's nice. You had your happy moments with your sister, after all."

She nodded and looked at her phone. It was almost midnight. The last hour had been spent talking about their childhood and she had loved every second, but seeing the new year approaching so soon made her nervous.

"So, what's your goal for next year?" she asked.

He shrugged. "I don't know. Just doing the best I can in everything I do, I guess."

She nodded once more. "I want to live more. I don't want to be poor little Alice anymore. Everyone sees me as this stupid girl, especially since what happened with Andrew, but I'll show them I'm much more than that."

Alice was mad at herself for a lot of things. She knew it was time to take action, to make her life the one she had always wanted. All this time, she had just been doing what was necessary to survive only, waiting for the things she wished for to fall on her lap. Enough was enough, though.

Her dad hadn't said a word since that dinner, but she knew she had to fend for herself no matter what. She had to move out of Andrew's place, no matter how comfortable it was.

"I don't see you as a stupid girl."

She looked at Giovanni's warm eyes and smiled. He'd always been there for her since they met. Through time, they had created a bond she didn't have with anyone else.

"I know." She slid to the edge of her seat. "Gio, do you want to be my midnight kiss?"

He froze. She knew that question came out of nowhere, but it made sense to her. It wasn't a romantic kiss; it was a New Year's kiss. Everyone was going to kiss someone at midnight, regardless if they were a couple or not. She should be able to kiss the one person who had stuck with her through her worst and her best.

"I-Look..." he stammered.

"It's okay if you don't." She giggled at his reaction.

"I know, it's just that... I kissed no one before."

Alice didn't look surprised. She didn't understand what was the whole deal with having had relationships already when you got to university. She hadn't had a single one before and she didn't understand the shame in that.

"That's okay. To be honest, my first kiss was Andrew. So I don't want to end the year knowing he, of all people, was my only kiss ever," she explained. "But it's okay if you don't want to kiss me."

Giovanni looked down at his shoelaces. They were worn out, needing to be washed. His hands were fidgeting in his lap, like they always did when he was nervous.

"If I'm going to kiss someone, I think I prefer you were the first," he said. "But, just for the occasion, right?"

"Right."

They looked at each other, feeling awkward. A whole minute went by without either of them moving, making the whole situation more weird than it need to be. At last, Alice looked away, lighting the screen of her phone up.

"Oh, look at that. We still have 13 minutes. Do you want to dance?"

He nodded and jumped off his seat. She did too, but her head was dizzy and her feet lost balance as soon as they landed. Giovanni grabbed her so she wouldn't fall, and she started laughing.

"Damn. I will never understand why Nicole likes to feel this way."

They hard a loud sound upstairs, like a chair being thrown. Their eyes found the people in the VIP area and shock filled them once they spotted a fight between their friends. Jenny's boyfriend seemed to be very mad at Andrew, trying to punch him in the face. The rest of his friends were cheering him up or coming after Miguel for standing up for Andrew. Lúcia and Jenny were shouting at them to stop, though one looked more mad than scared.

"What is happening?" Giovanni exclaimed.

Alice shrugged. "They're bonding."

"Who's bonding?!"

"Miguel and Andrew. Look at them, all besties. I'm pretty sure that's how Miguel makes friends. By fighting by their side."

Giovanni looked at her as if she was crazy, but he soon turned back to the fight. Miguel had knocked out the guy who tried to attack him and security had done the rest, kicking the entire group, including Miguel and Andrew, to the street.

"Should we check on them?" Giovanni asked.

She shook her head. "Nah. Lúcia and Jenny are already coming to aid them, see? They don't need us. I need Andrew, though, because he is my ride back."

"So...?"

"So we dance for a little and then we go out to find them."

He nodded and let her envelop her arms around him and slow dance to the music.

This is not edited.

Maybe I'm back with updating idk. I gave up nanowrimo 

I'm a total mess but pls enjoy