#ab.newyear

location: nye ball @ seascape hotel

"I think the amount of champagne I had will surely catch up, but at least it's not the cheap ones because lord knows I will not be able to walk in my heels end of the night." April said laughing lightly. She smooth out her dress and nodded towards a near by couple who looks like they were fighting, "Should we make up scenarios about people?"

"Happy New Year." Comes up from behind with two flutes of champagne. She took a little creative liberty with the dress this year, as ball gowns weren't necessarily Layla's cup of tea. But they let her in regardless. Handing over the drink to Kaede, she leans in to give him a kiss on the cheek, happy to be out of the bar queue with enough time before the stroke of midnight.

location: nye ball @ seascape hotel

It surprised Eddie that since arriving at the ball, his eye had been scanning the room for the brunette. Since their date, the two had chatted a bit, getting to know each other better. He followed her on social media and got to see a bit of how she presented herself to the world. Edmund felt it was a great way to get to know a person . Like his says he enjoyed traveling, luxury and living his best possible life. Hers...well, he definitely liked what he saw. With her being his friend's sister, he never thought of making a move before. He would've continued respecting that had their circumstances not changed. Would it make him a bad friend to be glad that they did now?

Their eyes had caught each other a few times throughout the night. Not wanting to appear too eager to see her, he played it cool. They were socializing with different people so the first time he winked at her, then it was either a smile or raised his glass at her. Finally, he caught her as she stepped away from her companion. Before he could lose her in the crowd once again, he made his way towards her after excusing himself from his lads.

Maverick fidgets, but it isn't nervous energy. Honestly, he can't pinpoint what it is. He just is busy trying to make sure he doesn't stray too far to give off the impression of not wanting to be by Celia's side all because he doesn't usually stay in one place.

The date thing, he wasn't certain about it, but after what Celia said to him at Sharky's Halloween party, he toyed with the idea of going on some sort of actual date. He subsequently sought out Astrid for advice and a pep talk, because oh he's doing this, and it's the possible start of more than friends.

"So, you should totally go stay next to that backdrop and I'll get a bunch of pictures of you being the best dressed person here." He's already run through so many compliments, trying to hype her up, that trying to reel it in might be an option too far gone. "Or we can hit up the food to see what they have out."

He does try to not suggest champagne or the bar too soon, not wanting to give off the wrong impression by accidentally giving her too many drinks too early in the night.

where: outside seascape

It was only when Keo was finding something to wear for the evening did he regret not spending more time in the arranging with Tabitha locking down how they were approaching the dress code. He knew they would be strict on enforcing it but there was a world between just about hitting the mark and exceeding it in a way that could either be come off as well-executed or disastrously try-hard.

Managing to convince her to attend something of this nature on a rare free night in her calendar felt like something precarious, like if he circled back to it it might having her thinking that it was more trouble than it was worth and her original chill plans were a better use of time, so he hadn't.

Instead, he decided to take the risk that he might fall into that lame try-hard category and he went with a suit and tie that he had actually taken care to pick out and was only on the finishing drag of a half-joint outside Seascape that he had brought along with him when he stubbed it out as his date for the night arrived text that she was just about there.

He had texted back a quick 'cool, outside' just to almost miss her arrival entirely. The double take that he did at an approaching brunette had been instinctual, stemming from an incapability to not appreciate a pretty face when it passed him by. Except this one wasn't passing him by and he feels mildly dumb for not recognising her quicker.

The only reason Jude was attending tonight, was Ramsey. One, because he knew she'd drag him out anyway, and two, he had an older brother role to play. Focusing on the other small amount of relationships in his life was the only thing keeping Jude going apart from beer and re-runs of Formula 1 races. "How much have you had to drink tonight?"

"Hey loser," Tabitha weaved her way through the crowd after spotting a familiar tall and lanky figure. "Feel like a smoke break? I could use some not-fresh fresh air." A hand raised, holding a fresh pack of cigarettes and giving them a little shake to entice him further.

'out of place' didn't seem like an adequate phrase to describe just how alien it felt to be at this hotel she'd never been to, in a place she had only lived a few short weeks, and in a dress she had thrifted once wes had convinced her to attend. saying 'yes' to that invitation now seemed like a grave error and evangeline did her best to fade into the crowd; unwilling to stand out or warrant any unwanted attention.

maybe she was better than she thought at camouflage or the room was truly that crowded because suddenly, she felt a small push on her side and another body lightly colliding with her. the champagne flute she had merely stared at for a while was rendered almost a lava lamp as the liquid jumped inside (though thankfully staying in the glass). "I'm so sorry." her voice still finding itself; nothing more than a small melodic chirp. "I feel like I'm totally in the way." she admitted to the other, looking down at the lengths of fabric falling from her waist. "while beautiful, I don't think ballgowns are a good choice for this large of a crowd."