The more, the merrier. (New Year's Eve) In some ways, Arnold was somewhat used to playing host. He’d never actually done it, but he’d seen enough Purebloods host balls, dinners, and events that he thought he knew the basics at the very least. On the other hand, those were major functions, not a New Year's Eve party in an apartment barely meant for three people. And while not a major event, he was expecting to have seven or eight guests, including his brother, Ava, and most of their Sonora friends. Unfortunately (but understandably), Emrys couldn’t make it, but Arnold was grateful for the opportunity to spend time with his school days friend group.
He was, however, a bit nervous. It would be the first time he saw Ji-Eun since their quiet but fairly amicable breakup. Being at separate schools and wanting different things had led them to calling it quits, but maintaining their friendship was very important to him. Arnold had made a special effort to stay on talking terms, but after weeks of somewhat awkward just-friends-hood, he’d see her tonight. He just hoped he would be able to keep his cool.
Emery was going to be around Ava for, as far as Arnold knew, the first time since they’d started dating people, so that was also going to be weird. Knowing how bullheaded both of his Housemates had been during their schoolhood mutual crushes, he wasn’t entirely sure those feelings could or would ever fade, but obviously Emery was trying, since he had a girlfriend (who Chloe hated? He’d have to get more on that later). Ava was trying too, based on the way she had talked about Lauren and how she now talked about Fi, and also this Nolan guy? But whatever. Arnold had never met Emery’s girlfriend, nor had he met Nolan, but he was pretty fond of Ava’s friend Fi.
Sighing, Arnold decided it was best to go ahead and prepare. As he sat the bowl of pretzels on the counter, however, he heard a knock at the door. Surprised, he glanced at the clock: 7:23. Huh. He’d told people to start showing up around 8--late enough he didn’t have to provide a whole dinner, early enough to have a decent amount of time to talk before the actual new year--and expected just about everyone to come via Apparation. Ava was the only one he imagined would just walk, but there was no way in Hell that girl was forty minutes early to anything.
He opened the door, and to some surprise, it was Desiree standing on the other side of the door. “Oh,” he said, forming a smile. “Hey. Come on in.” He backed out of the doorway, giving her room to enter, and stepped back into the side of the same open room that was technically known as a kitchen. “You looking for Collin?” Arnold asked as he pulled a bag of chips down from a cupboard. “Because he said he was going to Hank’s tonight.”
“Oh, yeah, I know,” said Desiree. “And Smitty’s out too, right?”
“Is Smitty ever really ‘in’?” the redhead countered with a laugh.
Desiree echoed his laughter. “Fair point. But anyway,” she continued, offering him a smile, “since both of them are out, I thought you might want some company to ring in the new year with.”
“Oh!” Arnold exclaimed. “That’s really nice of you. I’m actually having friends over here tonight, though. But if you’re free, you’re more than welcome to join us.” He wasn’t exactly about to throw out his roommate’s girlfriend, especially after a kind offer. Plus, realistically, she spent about as much time here as he did at this point, so even though she wasn’t paying rent, it was almost hers too.
“Really?” she asked, her smile falling slightly. “Are you sure? I mean, I wouldn’t want to intrude on you and your friends.”
“No intrusion,” insisted Arnold. “You’ll fit in just fine. I’m sure my friends won’t mind one more person, and my brother’s sure to love you.”
“Jake?” Desiree said a bit too quickly. He had mentioned him before, but she had known his name for years. Arnold nodded, smiling. “Yeah, okay, I’ll stay.”