Thomas gives his sister and mother a kiss on the cheek. 'I'll call you when I'm there,' Thomas says and leaves. He wanted to leave a week earlier "to study". Anna and Sookie know he's just avoiding any possible conversation with Paul. Poor Paul, Sookie felt really bad for him. But now she's mad that he won't even stay for New Years.
Anna looks at her daughter. 'When are you applying for college?' She asks. 'When Clara and Maia do, then the chances are higher we get into the same one,' Sookie says, even though she know that's not true. 'Maybe you three can have a conversation about it later?' Anna suggests. 'Yeah, maybe, bye,' Sookie says and gives her mom a kiss on the cheek before she leaves the house.
'Ugh, Paul, don't you have your own friends to hangout with?' Maia sighs when Paul joins Maia and Clara in the living room. 'Sookie is a friend,' Paul says and pets Nacho. 'No, she isn't, she's mine and Clara's friend,' Maia says. 'That's not true,' Paul says offended. 'What's not true?' Sookie asks as she walks into the living room above Valentine's Diner. 'Tell them I'm your friend,' Paul says and points at her friends. 'Oh, yeah he is,' Sookie says like it's common knowledge. 'Since when?' Maia asks confused. 'No need to be so dramatic,' Sookie says and sits next to Clara.
Maia drops the conversation and starts another one. 'So, is it okay for your parents that you stay here tonight?' Maia asks. 'Actually my mom wants it to be at her house, she doesn't want to be alone,' Sookie says. 'Then father would be alone,' Maia sighs. 'What about me?' Paul asks. 'Oh that's right, you can stay with dad!' Maia says happily. 'Oh,' Paul says disappointed.
'And what if your mother came over here?' Paul suggests. 'And then what?' Sookie asks. 'Our parents can celebrate New Years together and we can celebrate at the Hanlin's house,' Paul explains. 'I'll call my mother,' Sookie says when the others nod in agreement. The others start to plan their evening while Sookie goes downstairs to the diner to call her mother.
'Hi, Valentine, can I call my mom?' Sookie asks Valentine who's making coffee. 'Of course,' he says with his warm smile. 'Thanks,' she says and takes the phone. She enters the number and waits for the phone to connect. 'Hello?' Anna says. 'Hi, mom.' 'Is something wrong, Sookie?' Anna asks worried. 'No. No! I wanted to ask if you want to come over here to celebrate New Years, then you wont be alone.' 'Oh doesn't Valentine mind?' 'No,' Sookie lies. 'Okay then,' Anna finally says. 'Great! Bye,' Sookie hangs up and turns to Valentine. 'You and my mother will be together this evening,' Sookie says and leave Valentine surprised.
'It's all settled,' Sookie says and sits next to Paul so she can pat Nacho in his lap. 'Great!' The girls say.
After dinner the teens make their way to the other house. 'Paul, please tell me you were useful and took beer from dad's pantry?' 'I did,' Paul says and holds up a bag. 'You brought beer?!' Clara asks surprised and stops walking. 'You don't have to drink any,' Paul says carefully. 'Are you kidding? I would never be allowed if my parents knew. Of course I'm drinking,' Clara says with a lot of enthusiasm. They laugh and start walking again.
Sookie unlocks the door only to find her mother with her hands on her hips. 'I trust you four to behave?' It sounds more like a question than an order. 'Of course mom,' Sookie says and kisses her check. 'Okay. I put the extra matras in your room. Have fun and be careful,' Anna says and leaves. 'She definitely knows what's in the bag,' Sookie laughs.
The teens lock the door, get snacks and some other drinks and make themselves comfortable in Sookie's room. 'We should change in our pyjama's,' Maia says taking hers out of her bag. 'I'll go to the bathroom,' Maia says and locks the bathroom door behind her. 'I'll go to Thomas's room,' Paul silently says and leaves. 'I don't mind changing here,' Clara says. 'Me neither,' Sookie says. They turn their backs to each other and start changing.
Sookie accidentally drops her pants. She turns to pick them up and catches Clara in her underwear. Sookie thinks she looks beautiful. Her cheeks turn red when Clara catches her looking. Sookie turns away and puts on her pants. 'Were you wondering where my bra was from?' Clara eventually asks. 'Err, yes, yes,' Sookie lies, not looking at her friend. 'It's from Victoria's Secret,' Clara says with a smile. 'Okay, thanks,' Sookie says and puts on some comfy socks.
Paul enters the room after knocking. He looks sad. 'Are you okay?' Sookie asks. 'I'll be fine,' Paul says silently and puts his bag next to the wardrobe. 'Do you want a hug?' Clara carefully asks. 'Yes,' Paul says and starts crying. 'Oh, Paul,' Sookie says and gives her friend a hug. Clara joins the hug and tries to comfort Paul. 'Why are you having a group hug when I'm not here?' Maia asks and hugs them too.
When they are sitting comfortably on Sookie's bed, Paul takes out the beers. 'Clara, don't drink too fast,' Paul says and hands over a beer. 'Why don't you give them a speech?' Clara asks and takes a sip. 'Because I can assure you that your friends aren't that kind of a good girl like you.' Clara just looks at her friends who take more than one sip from their beer. Sookie puts some music on and grabs some cigarettes from her nightstand and throws them to Paul. 'But do open a window,' she says.
They each have a turn smoking. 'Sookie, did you ever smoke pot?' Maia asks curiously. Sookie looks like she got caught doing something she wasn't supposed to do. 'Err... Yes,' she says and looks down at her hands. 'You did?' Clara asks surprised. 'Yes, Oliver wasn't that clean,' Sookie says with a little shame. Oliver was her boyfriend a year ago. 'Why did you breakup again?' Paul asks with a frown. 'Yeah, you never told us why,' Maia and Clara say. 'Please, it's in the past. A year is a long time,' Sookie says and puts a blanket over her legs.
The three of them keep pushing Sookie to tell why. 'Okay, fine. I'll tell you!' Sookie says loudly irritated. 'One night we got high and there was booze too. He started kissing me and wanted to have sex. I didn't want to, but he didn't listen. It all happend so fast and my responses were really slow. After, I ran home crying. I locked myself in the bathroom because I was bleeding and didn't know why. I was too afraid to tell my mother. The few weeks after I was waiting in fear for my period. That's why I broke up with him. He raped me. Now you're all happy?' Sookie says in one breath and stands up from the bed. She walks out the room, downstairs to the garden. Her bare feet are freezing, but she doesn't care.
Paul, Maia and Clara sit there horrified by the story. 'No wonder she was so down those weeks when they broke up,' Maia says puzzling the story together. 'Poor child,' Paul says and puts out his cigarette. 'Someone should talk to her? Comfort her?' Clara says. 'Maybe you should go?' Maia asks her friend. 'Yeah, you're the most comforting of all us,' Paul agrees. 'Okay,' Clara says, stumbles out of bed to the garden. She really did drink that beer to fast.
'Sookie?' Clara carefully asks. 'I was so afraid to tell anyone. I was so afraid people would say it was my fault,' Sookie cries wiping away a tear. 'Oh, Soo,' Clara says and walks to her friend to hug her. 'It wasn't your fault, it really wasn't,' Clara says and holds her friend close. 'Thank you,' Sookie says and looks at her. 'Of course, I love you Soo,' Clara says and wipes another tear from her friends cheek. 'I love you too,' Sookie whispers and leans with her forehead against Clara's.
Clara wiggles her nose against Sookie's and smiles. 'I drank too much beer,' Clara says with a chuckle. 'Heh, you had one, you just drank it too fast,' Sookie says. 'Yeah I did.' They smile and look in each other's eyes. 'You weren't wondering from which brand my bra was, were you?' Clara asks silently. 'No,' Sookie whispers. 'Well, I had a perfect view from you mirror, but you didn't notice,' Clara smiles. 'Clara,' Sookie says surprised. 'Ha,' Clara laughs and moves closer to her friend.
'I want to kiss you,' she says. 'I think that's the alcohol talking,' Sookie says trying not to freak out. 'Mmmh, I don't care,' Clara says and kisses her friend. Sookie kisses her back without hesitation. Clara chuckles. 'How long have you wanted to do that?' She asks with a smile. 'A few months,' Sookie says looking at her numb feet. 'Do you want to kiss again?' Sookie nods and Clara kisses her again.
Clara's hands explore Sookie's hair and shoulders while Sookie explores Clara's waist and back. 'I can't feel my feet anymore,' Clara mutters against Sookies lips. 'Me neither,' Sookie mumbles. 'We should go back inside.' Clara was disappointed to hear that, but Sookie was right. 'Okay,' she says. Before going inside, they kiss one more time.
'Are you okay?' Paul and Maia ask worried about Sookie. 'Yes,' Sookie says and sits back on her spot on the bed. 'I'm sorry we forced you to tell that,' Paul apologies. 'It's fine, It actually a relief that I told someone,' Sookie says. 'Oh look at the time! Only one minute left!' Maia says and looks at the clock. They start counting down until midnight. 'Happy New Year!!' They shout to each other, toast with their beers and hug each other.
ns 15.158.61.54da2