This story takes place before the events of Lollipop Chainsaw. Story contains mild language.

"Happy New Year, baby!" She says with a blow of her horn. Juliet Starling, the pretty face of the San Romero Knights cheerleading squad. Pigtails, frilled top, short skirt, and flats. She was taking a stroll with her boyfriend on the first day of the year.

"I'm not happy about the new year." said Nick Carlyle, the resident school jock. Wearing his trademark varsity jacket underneath a rock band shirt, jeans and rubber shoes. Although he enjoys going out with his girlfriend, he's not that ecstatic about the new year.

"Why not?"

"It's the same old shit, every shitty year. What good is celebrating something new when the same old stuff anyway?"

"What do you mean same old? There's something new you see everyday! Yesterday, I came across this mini-circus, it was so much fun seeing all those weird and crazy magicians, clowns… there was even a trapeze act! You don't see that on any regular day!"

"I didn't really mean that literally. What I meant was, you wake up everyday, try to put a smile on your face, but in the end it's hard. Really hard. There's the everyday problems we face. Pressure. The stress. Everything…

…dates are just numbers, Juliet."

"How many have we been in, Nick?"

"What?"

"How many dates?"

"Three."

"But why are you keeping track? I thought dates were just numbers."

He sighs, as she cups her hand around his cheek.

"Listen, Nick. I know waking up everyday to the same old crap, but I'm still here. I'm still standing. It's hard to keep an image, especially if you're part of the cheer squad. It's hard fitting in. It's hard getting good grades. It's hard getting anything you want. But at least you try to, right?"

"Mr. Fitzgibbon gave me a D on our pop quiz last Thursday, by the way."

"That douchebag!"

"I KNOW!"

"I'm gonna f him up!"

"No, Juliet, don't. Remember the last time we stormed into the principal's office?"

Juliet doesn't want to remember that.

"Oh, yeah. That Swan kid. Dork."

Nick sighs again, as he tries to collect his thoughts. He's tired of his same old, dull, boring life, having to face the same pressures everyday. He just wants to take a break from it all, or to break away from it all… …but somehow, Juliet urges him to keep on going, by just being there for him and not doing anything else. By just being herself, she makes the sun brighter for Nick.

She makes his life brighter.

Just then, Juliet grabs his hands and leans forward to kiss him on the cheek.

"The great thing about having a new year? It's hoping for things getting better than last year. You'll always be hoping, won't you?"

"I will, just as long as you're here. Happy New Year to you too, baby."

The end.