Chapter 29: Who Kissed Ross?
When Monica started to introduce everyone's New Year's Eve dates, Bruce held up a hand. "Wait, let me guess—you're Paolo, you're Bobby, you're Janice, you're David the scientist guy, and Audrey. We met before. Hi, I'm Bruce, and this is Grace."
Everyone responded warmly: "Hi, Bruce and Grace!"
Monica's eyes widened. "Okay, I'm impressed—you got every single one right. Anyway, there's a bartender friend from the restaurant over by the table making drinks if you want one, and we've got plenty of food, so help yourselves."
With that, Monica took her wine and drifted off to mingle.
Bruce grabbed two drinks and handed one to Grace. Janice, standing nearby, turned with interest. "Bruce, I don't think we've officially met. How do you know everyone?"
Bruce replied, "I live in the apartment right above this one. On my third day here I ran into Monica and Rachel at Central Perk. Turns out Monica, Rachel, and I all went to the same high school, and Grace here is an old family friend."
Janice said brightly, "So you're like the newest addition to the group?"
Bruce nodded. "Yeah, we hang out pretty regularly. They're all great. What about you, Janice? I heard you and Chandler have some history. Are you guys back together?"
Janice's face lit up. "Oh yes! Chandler inviting me tonight definitely means something special. I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot of each other, Bruce." She finished with her distinctive laugh.
Bruce grinned. "So he'll be kissing you at midnight then."
Janice beamed. "Of course! It's New Year's Eve—everyone gets a midnight kiss!" Her laugh rang out again, attracting Chandler's attention from across the room.
Before Bruce had finished his first drink, Grace was already halfway through her second. Seeing this, Bruce said, "Easy there—you don't want to end up crashing at my place tonight."
Grace raised an eyebrow playfully. "What, your apartment doesn't have room for guests?"
Bruce explained, "No, I've got two bedrooms. If you can't make it home, you could take the spare room."
Grace leaned in closer and lowered her voice. "Maybe I don't need the spare room... maybe just the other half of your bed."
Bruce felt his pulse quicken; the flirting had reached his limit and he wasn't sure how to respond.
He laughed nervously. "Well, uh, we'll see how the night goes!"
Grace smiled. "We'll see indeed."
Just then everyone started gathering around the TV. Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve showed the famous Times Square ball ready to drop; when the countdown began, the ball would descend down the pole, triggering fireworks and confetti at midnight.
The atmosphere grew more excited as the moment approached.
Suddenly every light went out and the TV went dark; the room erupted in surprised shouts.
Bruce instinctively looked outside and saw that the rest of the building still had power.
Monica called through the darkness, "Okay everyone, stay calm! It's just the circuit breaker. The New Year's still coming right on schedule. Just make sure you kiss the right person at midnight! Boys, keep it appropriate—kiss your own dates only."
"How will we even know when it's midnight?" someone shouted.
Another voice answered, "I've got a watch with a glow-in-the-dark face, and it's synced perfectly with the Times Square countdown—still about three minutes to go! I'll count us down!"
"Monica, where are the candles?" someone called out.
"No time! New Year's almost here—the midnight kiss takes priority. Everyone be quiet so Watch Guy can do the countdown."
Silence fell. Bruce softly called, "Grace?" and heard her respond nearby. He reached out and found an arm. "Is this you?"
"Nope, that's me, buddy!" a guy's voice answered—Monica's bartender friend.
Bruce pulled back quickly. Then his left hand was caught by someone else. Grace's voice whispered, "I'm right here."
Bruce moved closer. "So... can I kiss you at midnight?"
Grace laughed softly. "I think we both deserve a good luck kiss for the new year, don't you?"
Though he couldn't see her face in the darkness, Bruce could tell from her voice that she was smiling.
Watch Guy announced, "Okay everyone, here we go—ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one—Happy New Year!"
"HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!" Cheers and whistles exploded through the dark apartment.
Bruce and Grace said quietly to each other, "Happy New Year."
The next moment Bruce stepped forward, put his arm around Grace's waist, and kissed her softly in the darkness.
Just then, someone outside started singing a New Year's song. Someone inside began humming along, then more voices joined in.
After a moment, Bruce and Grace separated naturally and joined the singing with everyone else.
As the song ended, a candle flame appeared in the darkness, then another. Monica had found the candles and was lighting them throughout the room.
Monica smiled. "Hey everybody—candlelight party continues!"
But someone said, "Monica, it's after midnight—we should probably head out."
Several guests began saying their goodbyes and leaving.
Soon only the core group remained with their dates, plus David's friend Max. Ross's "date" was Marcel the monkey.
Chandler looked around. "So, everyone got their midnight kiss—well, except you and Marcel, Ross."
Ross protested, "Actually Chandler, you're wrong—I did get a midnight kiss!"
"With a human?" Chandler asked skeptically.
"Yes, with a human—what's wrong with you?"
"What?!" Everyone crowded around. "Who'd you kiss?" Joey demanded.
Ross hesitated. "That's the problem—I don't know!"
"You kissed someone and you don't know who?" Phoebe said, confused.
Monica asked, "What exactly happened?"
Ross frowned, thinking back. "Right after the countdown, someone whispered 'Happy New Year' and kissed me."
"And then what?"
"I kissed back! She was kissing me—what was I supposed to do, push her away?"
Joey asked suspiciously, "How do you even know it was a 'she'? Could've been a guy!"
Ross looked horrified. "It was definitely a woman!"
Chandler asked the key question: "So—who did you kiss?"
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