Ned bumped the champagne bottle with his elbow as he hurried past the drinks table. The air was thick with perfume and cologne, making it difficult to breathe. Someone shouted when a glass broke and drinks spilled. The noise was too much. Desperate to escape, he pushed his way through the crowd, the exit sign glowing like a beacon. Outside, he leaned against the brick wall, gasping as he tried to calm himself. When his heartbeat returned to normal, he stood and spotted the red tip of a cigarette.

The girl holding it shrugged as she caught his eye. “Not really my thing, but people say it calms them.”

“Is it working?”

She chuckled and stubbed it out. “Not really.”

Ned joined her on the cold sidewalk. “Hate crowds?”

“Too much noise.”

He nodded. “And people.”

They sat in amicable silence, their breath forming puffs of cloud. 

“Nina,” she said, breaking the silence. “Wanna get out of here?”

The music inside shifted to something louder with a strong beat, its tempo triggering an instant headache. He ran a hand through his dark hair and stood. They set off down the street in their fancy party clothes, ignoring the noise pouring from nearby houses and restaurants. At the end of the block, they turned towards the river, the bubbling water distorting the reflection of the starry night. Nina shivered, and Ned offered her his tux jacket. Somewhere in the distance, a church bell rang.

“Happy New Year,” they said in unison.

Word: Champagne | Action: spilling