Drew gasped in mock horror. “That’s not a red flag. It’s a siren.”
“But imagine if people were this honest on every first date.”
“Are you saying this is a first date?” he asked, lowering his voice.
“Hypothetically speaking,” she said, meeting his eye. “If everyone shared their red flags on a first date, we would all know what we were getting ourselves into from the start. It would save a lot of disappointment.”
“But would you still like me if I told you all my flaws?” he asked.
“Who said I liked you?”
“You did, when you said this was our first date.”
“Yousaid that, Drew. I was just speaking in hypotheticals.”
He was about to reply when he noticed her shivering. So, he wordlessly took off his blazer and handed it over to her. She hesitated for a moment before taking it, but they both knew she needed it more than he did.
“So, hypothetically speaking, would you stay on the roof if I told you all my secrets?” he asked.
“Honestly, if I knew them, I’d probably enjoy the rest of the night more.”
“Why?”
“Because then I could just talk to you without trying to figure out if you’re flirting with me or if there’s a spark.” She shrugged.
“I’mdefinitelyflirting with you.”
“I know,” she said as their eyes met.
“And I’m pretty sure there’s a spark,” he said, surprising himself.
“Yeah, but if I knew all of your flaws and you knew mine, then we’d quickly realize that this”—she gestured between them—“me and you? It would never work out. So, the end of the party would mark a clear ending, and nobody would leave disappointed.”
Drew understood what she meant.
“If it’s doomed from the start, there’s nothing to lose.” He nodded.
“Exactly.”
Their eyes locked. They were in the middle of one of the busiest cities in the world on the loudest night of the year. But for a moment, the world fell silent. All he could hear was his heartbeat and the gentle winter breeze.
“So where do we go from here?” he said. Her mouth twitched into a small, knowing smile.
“How about… you show me your worst parts, and I’ll show you mine.”
7Ari
DECEMBER 31, 2025
Ari didn’t have anyone to confide in. Gracie, the one person who could give her advice on how to be the new team captain, had sustained a career-altering injury, and Ari didn’t want to call her to fret about being handed the kind of job that people spent their whole lives dreaming of. Her teammates were her best friends, but she played the role of the stable, responsible one and rarely told them what she was worried about. And because her family was always in the middle of some sort of conflict, she never told her mom, dad, or sister anything meaningful.
Ari only allowed people to see the most polished version of herself. She refused to be anybody’s burden. But even she could admit that silently sifting through the messy details of her life got exhausting. Sometimes, all she wanted to do was talk it out.
The cute American guy on the roof couldn’t solve her problems, but she reasoned that maybe telling a stranger the truthwould take some weight off her shoulders. They’d met randomly enough that she knew she was never going to see him again. So there was no harm in opening up. As long as he went first.
“So, what’s the big one?” Ari asked. “Your whistle-blaring siren of a red flag.”
“You’ll judge me,” he said, shaking his head.
