our tradition. I can spend New Year's Eve without watching that movie. I betcha this New Year's Eve, we don't watch it. I bet you $100 I don't ask to see it."
"Harry. She looked at me with big brown eyes. "I know you're sentimental and I know you're going to want to watch it."
"Okay, so then let's bet. A hundred bucks."
"Fine. I bet you $100 that you ask to watch Love Actually this New Year's Eve." She paused. "Well.. Actually, there's one thing."
"What one thing? Are you backing out already?" I laughed.
"No." She pulled away from me slightly and I could feel that my body was sad at the loss of her heat.
"What?"
"Well, if I have a date this New Year's Eve, we won't be together so then you can't ask me. So do I pay you then or not?"
"What are you talking about, if you have a date?" I stared at her through narrowed eyes. Since when did Sarah have a date? She didn't date.
"Well, I don't have a date right now. I'm just saying if I happen to have a date."
"What'd you mean if you happen to have a date? I thought you were concentrating on your career right now. Isn't that what you've been saying?"
"Well, I mean, that's what my parents say. They wanted me to concentrate on school and now they want me to concentrate on my career, but I don't want to do that anymore. I'm ready to live my life."
"What do you mean you're ready to live your life? You are living your life. You're not happy with your life? You're not happy that you spend almost every weekend with me?"
"Harry, I love spending time with you. You're my best friend. You know that, but I didn't want someone so I can have a bit more than that."
"What do you mean you want a bit more than that?" I pulled back and looked her over at her face. She was blushing now, a deep, red tinge that made me feel warm inside. Her familiar face with something I'd always loved staring at. Whenever I was upset or angry, all I had to do was look at Sarah to calm down and feel better.
"Is there something you're trying to tell me, Sarah? Is there something going on that I should know?"
"There's nothing going on that you should know. I'm just saying that it's about time that I lost my virginity and it's about time that I met someone."
"Hmm. I don't think so." Even as I said the words, I knew I was being selfish. What did I care if Sarah found herself a boyfriend? Maybe that would be even better for me. Maybe then she'd want to double date and she would attend the society events with me.
"I mean, if you think that's what you want, well, yeah, go ahead." It didn't occur to me that Sarah getting a boyfriend would mean that we would spend less time together. That just wasn't possible. We were best friends and had been forever. Yeah, she was three years younger than me. And yeah, some people thought it was weird that my best friend was a girl. But it was cool. We'd grown up together. She'd always been there. Her and my brothers. I expected to live the rest of my life with her as one of the most important people in it. And I expected to be one of the most important people in her life. That's just the way it was.
"Harry, let's not talk about this right now. I mean, it's not like I have anyone yet and I haven't had my make over yet, so."
"What makeover? What are you talking about?" I looked at her properly and that's when I realized that her glasses were different.
"Did you change your glasses?"
"Yeah, like two months ago."
"Oh, okay. They did look a bit different."
"They're very different. I used to look like I had four eyes now I just look like I have two eyes."
"Well, you still look like you have four eyes," I laughed and she hit me in the shoulder. "I'm joking. I'm joking. You're beautiful."
"Actually, I'm going in for surgery. I'm going to get LASIK so I won't have to wear glasses soon."
"You're going in for LASIK? Huh? But you said you would never do that."
"I just need a different look, you know?"
"I don't think you need a different look. You're beautiful." And then as I studied her body, I realized what I was saying was