Keeley rubbed her hands together for warmth and hopped from foot to foot, trying to ward off the chill as they waited for the ball to drop. To secure a good viewing spot, the group had left the karaoke bar fifteen minutes before midnight. It had been getting boring anyway.

Their last game of the night, a trivia contest at 11:15, had ended with Keeley's elimination in the second round. She couldn't remember the name of a 1900s vice president, so there was no point in staying.

Around 10:00, everyone grew tired of Truth or Dare after Brad dared James to eat an entire pizza in under ten minutes. James succeeded, but promptly vomited on an employee's shoes.

This killed the mood, so everyone sang at least one song (if they hadn't already) and spent the rest of the night watching games and dancing. Lydia and Jeffrey were arguing, and James's friends were chatting amongst themselves, leaving Keeley staring up at the giant sphere two minutes before midnight.

She wondered about the tradition's origins—it had been going on for nearly a hundred years, but she knew little else. It was an interesting concept.

At 11:59, the ball slowly descended, and the crowd stared upward in anticipation as the timer ticked down on a jumbo screen. Keeley craned her neck to watch.

39…38…37…36…

It was almost 2007, a brand-new start.

24…23…22…

The tension eased as she considered the positive changes she wanted to make that year.

11…10…9…

Suddenly, a hand clamped down on her arm, dragging her away from her group. Before she could react, she was swept into a princess carry and kissed as the crowd cheered, "Happy New Year!"

She struggled, hitting and kicking until he set her down. Furiously, she looked up, ready to confront the stranger, but recognition derailed her.

"Aaron?!"

He stood there in the same tuxedo he'd worn in her "first life." He must have just come from a party, but what was he doing there? How had he even found her?

Confusion momentarily replaced her anger. This made no sense. Aaron's gaze was as unfathomable as the depths of the sea—a common occurrence since her rebirth. She used to know his expressions so well.

"Happy New Year, Keeley."

Speechless, she gaped at him. That was all he had to say after kissing her? They hadn't seen each other since graduation! For all he knew, she might have a boyfriend.

Once a jerk, always a jerk.

"I heard kissing someone at midnight brings good luck," he said nonchalantly, hands in his pockets. "I could use some."

Her anger returned. He was toying with her. If he only wanted luck, he could have kissed anyone. He'd specifically sought her out!

"You're full of it," she snapped, crossing her arms. "What are you even doing here?"

"I was at a nearby party and decided to see the ball drop," he replied. "I've never seen it from the street."

"I mean, here, where I am," she said through gritted teeth. "You could have kissed anyone. Why me?"

He smiled, but it wasn't his usual cold smile. It seemed almost sad.

"Why not you? Isn't it better to kiss someone you know than a stranger?"

Keeley wanted to hit him. "We're practically strangers! Why me, Aaron?"

He stepped closer, looming over her. "Would you believe me if I said it was because you're irresistible?"

His breath warmed her face. She pushed him away. She couldn't think clearly when he was so close.

"No, I wouldn't. I didn't like your games in high school, and I like them even less now. You… I can't believe you! What is your problem?! What did I ever do to you? Why can't you leave me alone?!"

All her frustration of the past six months—her inability to forget him—came flooding back.

"I can understand your curiosity when we were seatmates, but we're adults now. Those games are childish. You have a life in Boston, and I'm not a part of it. I don't want to be. All I want is peace. Got it? Don't ever come near me again. Seriously."

She turned and marched away, but he grabbed her hand. Ignoring him, she stomped on his foot and sprinted to the safety of her friends. Six people would block him from grabbing her; he'd only gotten to her last time because she was lagging behind. They'd probably already noticed she was missing.

A few minutes later, after texting Lydia, she found her group, explaining she'd been separated by the crowd. Her friends noticed something was wrong. "What happened? You look like you've seen a ghost."

She had. The Ghost of New Year's Past. That maniac claimed to kiss her for luck? He'd just cursed her entire year!

What were the odds he'd kiss her both times she'd lived through this day? They weren't even talking! She thought he was truly behind her. If he could do this after moving for college, what would stop him from doing it again? How was she supposed to forget him when he kept forcing his way back into her life?