Bonus Chapter: A Laughable New Year's Countdown

A/N: In celebration of New Year's Eve, this volume contains two holiday themed bonus chapters that tie together as a two-parter. I hope you all enjoy and have a very Happy New Year!!

New Year's Eve, 2018

Mandy sat cross-legged on the couch in her cozy apartment, a mischievous smile playing on her lips as she carefully decorated the bare soles of her feet with bright red marker. Happy New Year! 2019, she wrote, the letters sprawling across both feet. She leaned back, admiring her handiwork and wiggling her toes to ensure the ink was dry.

The idea had been spontaneous—typical of Mandy's quirky sense of humor. She planned to reveal her "artwork" at the stroke of midnight as a silly surprise for her closest friends, who had gathered for an intimate New Year's Eve celebration.

The party was in full swing, with laughter and music filling the air. Mandy's closest friends were scattered around her living room. Liam, the self-proclaimed comedian of the group, was helping himself to snacks in the kitchen while Rachel and Dani debated the best pop song of the year. Chris, ever the photographer, was busy snapping candids of everyone.

Mandy stretched her legs out on the couch, her feet propped up on the armrest as she scrolled through her phone. She was so engrossed in responding to messages that she didn't notice Liam entering the room—until he let out a loud laugh.

"Uh, Mandy? What's going on here?" he asked, pointing at her feet.

Mandy froze. "What are you talking about?" she replied, feigning innocence.

"Your feet!" Liam said, gesturing to the bright red letters. "Is this your big New Year's Eve statement?"

The rest of the group immediately turned their attention to Mandy. Rachel and Dani burst out laughing, while Chris grabbed his camera. "I've got to document this," Chris said, crouching down to snap a close-up of Mandy's soles.

Mandy groaned, half-embarrassed but mostly amused. "Okay, okay, I was going to reveal it at midnight, but I guess the cat's out of the bag now."

Rachel grinned mischievously. "You know, Mandy, if you're going to go this far for a laugh, you might want to see how much laughter you can handle first."

Before Mandy could protest, Rachel darted forward and lightly ran her fingers along the arch of Mandy's foot. Mandy squealed, pulling her legs back. "Rachel! Don't even think about it!"

But Rachel was already laughing, and the others quickly joined in on the joke. "C'mon, Mandy," Liam said, grabbing one of her ankles. "If you're going to display your feet like that, you've got to expect some feedback!"

"Guys, no! This is not what I signed up for!" Mandy cried, her words dissolving into laughter as Rachel and Liam tickled her feet mercilessly. Dani joined in, running a feather from the coffee table across Mandy's toes.

Mandy writhed on the couch, tears streaming down her face from laughing so hard. "Okay! Stop! I give up!" she managed to gasp, her voice nearly drowned out by the group's laughter.

Finally, they relented, letting Mandy catch her breath. She sat up, her face red but smiling. "You guys are the worst," she said, shaking her head. "I'll remember this when your birthdays roll around."

"Worth it," Rachel said with a smirk, handing Mandy a glass of champagne as a peace offering.

As the countdown to midnight began, Mandy decided to lean into the moment. She propped her feet back up and grinned at Chris. "Alright, photographer, get your camera ready. Let's make this one for the books."

Chris snapped the photo just as the group began shouting, "Ten, nine, eight..."

When the clock struck midnight, Mandy raised her glass along with her friends. The room echoed with cheers and the sound of clinking glasses. "Happy New Year!" they shouted in unison.

Later, as the party wound down, Mandy reflected on the night. Despite the ticklish ambush, or maybe because of it, she couldn't stop smiling. Her friends' laughter and camaraderie had made this New Year's Eve unforgettable. She felt a deep sense of gratitude for the bond they shared and the joy of ringing in 2019 together.

"Here's to another year of laughter," Mandy said quietly, raising her glass one last time.