New Year's Eve

Jamie looked at his phone. No new posts. Mrs. Garcia never showed up at the bridge that day. They had waited for hours, but she never came.

"Are you going to keep checking your phone all night?" Megan asked, hanging silver streamers across her living room. "It's New Year's Eve! Try to have fun!"

Jamie faked a smile. It had been a week since that scary night at the field. A week of jumping at shadows and looking over his shoulder. The threats had stopped, which somehow felt even worse. Like the quiet before a storm.

"Sorry," he said, putting his phone away. "Just waiting to hear from Elliot."

"They'll be here soon," Megan said. "They texted me five minutes ago. Now help me with these balloons."

Jamie blew up silver and gold balloons while Megan's parents set out snacks in the kitchen. It was a small party - just Jamie, Elliot, Megan, and two other friends from art class. Megan's parents had agreed to stay upstairs after midnight to give them privacy.

The doorbell rang. Jamie's heart jumped.

"That's probably them," Megan said with a knowing smile.

She was right. Elliot stood on the steps, cheeks pink from the cold. They wore a bright blue sweater that made their eyes shine.

"Hi," Jamie said, suddenly shy.

"Hi," Elliot answered with a small smile.

They hadn't talked much about what happened at the field. It felt too dangerous, like saying it out loud might make it worse. Instead, they had spent the break watching movies at Jamie's empty house, careful to always lock the doors and windows.

The party started slowly. They played board games and ate too many chips. Jamie kept his camera close, a habit he couldn't break. Sometimes he would take photos of the others laughing, catching moments of normal youth life that felt so rare these days.

Around 10:30, Megan's parents went upstairs, leaving them with strong instructions not to be too loud.

"Finally," Megan said, opening a cabinet and pulling out a small box. "I found something in my attic that you two need to see."

She put the box on the coffee table. It was old, with dust in the corners.

"What is it?" Elliot asked, leaning forward.

"A yearbook," Megan said. "From thirty years ago."

Jamie frowned. "Why do we need to see an old yearbook?"

"Because," Megan said, looking excited, "I found something weird. Look."

She opened the notebook to a marked page. It showed a school play, kids in costumes on stage.

"I don't get it," Jamie said.

"Look closer," Megan whispered. "Third row, second from the left."

Jamie and Elliot leaned in. The shot was grainy, but they could make out a teenage boy with a familiar smile.

"Is that...Principal Garcia?" Elliot asked.

"Yes!" Megan said. "And look who's standing next to him."

There, with an arm around young Garcia's shoulders, was a teenage boy who looked exactly like Coach Wilson.

"They were friends in high school?" Jamie asked, shocked.

"More than friends. Look at the caption."

The description read: "Best friends Mark Garcia and Thomas Wilson star in 'Hidden Treasures,' a play they wrote together about finding gold under their school."

"A play about finding treasure under the school?" Elliot said. "That's weird."

"It gets weirder," Megan said, turning to another page. "Look at the drama teacher who directed the play."

The picture showed a young woman with kind eyes and a warm smile. The caption read: "Ms. Rebecca Chen directs her first school play."

"Ms. Chen?!" Jamie almost yelled. "She knew them back then?"

"She never mentioned that," Elliot said. "Why would she hide it?"

Jamie's mind was racing. "Remember what Mrs. Garcia said? About them finding something valuable hidden in the school? What if it wasn't just a play? What if there really is something hidden there?"

"But what?" Elliot asked.

"I don't know," Jamie revealed. "But this connects everything. Principal Garcia, Coach Wilson, Ms. Chen...they've all known each other for thirty years."

"And they're all involved in whatever's happening now," Elliot ended.

The other two friends at the party looked confused. "What are you guys talking about?" one asked.

"Nothing," Megan said quickly. "Just some school drama stuff."

The party continued, but Jamie couldn't stop thinking about the yearbook. As midnight approached, Megan turned on the TV to watch the ball drop in New York.

"Ten seconds!" she announced.

Everyone started counting down together.

"Ten! Nine! Eight!"

Jamie looked at Elliot beside him. Their eyes met.

"Seven! Six! Five!"

Elliot moved closer to Jamie. Were they going to kiss at midnight? Jamie's heart beat.

"Four! Three! Two! One! HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

Everyone cheered. Megan hugged her friends. And Jamie...Jamie froze. He wanted to kiss Elliot. He really did. But what if someone was watching? What if hugging Elliot put them in more danger?

Instead, he pulled Elliot into a tight hug.

"Happy New Year," he whispered.

"You too," Elliot answered, their voice small.

Jamie could feel their sadness. He pulled back and saw it in their eyes too.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I just..."

"It's okay," Elliot said. "I understand."

But did they? How could Jamie explain that he was scared? Not of kissing them, but of what might happen if they got any closer?

After the party, Jamie walked Elliot home. Snow fell softly around them, making the world quiet and peaceful.

"That yearbook was crazy," Elliot said, breaking the quiet.

"Yeah," Jamie agreed. "I want to know more about that play they wrote."

"Me too. Maybe there's a copy somewhere in the school library."

They reached Elliot's house too soon. Jamie didn't want the night to end like this, with things weird between them.

"Elliot, about midnight..."

"You don't have to explain," Elliot said. "I get it. You're not ready."

"It's not that," Jamie said. "I'm just scared. Not of...us. But of everything else. What if whoever's threatening us is watching right now?"

Elliot looked around at the dark street. "You really think they're still watching?"

"I don't know. But I don't want to risk it."

Elliot nodded slowly. "Okay. But we can't live in fear forever, Jamie."

"I know. Once we figure this out, once we're safe...then we can..."

"Kiss?" Elliot asked with a small smile.

Jamie felt his face get hot. "Yeah."

"I'll hold you to that," Elliot said.

They hugged goodbye again, and Jamie watched Elliot go inside. Then he turned to walk home alone.

That's when he saw it. A small red light blinking from across the street. A camera. Someone was filming them.

Jamie ran across the street, but whoever was there had already gone. All that left was a small card in the snow. He picked it up.

It was a picture of him and Elliot, taken just minutes ago outside Megan's house. Written on the back were seven words that made his blood turn cold:

"Find the treasure or die trying. Tick-tock."