axl heck has known you since you moved across the street fifteen years ago. he was just about to start kindergarten, you were three and a half. he remembers, cause you always reminded him of the ‘half’. you went to the same preschool as his sister, sue, and so by elementary school you were over all the time. he decided he was going to marry you when his mom brought his little brother home when he was seven. you were five, but you came over every day and followed his mom around. you were so sweet, helpful, polite, everything he wasn’t.

now you’re sixteen, and just like you’ve always been. his parents are having a christmas party, and you’re in the kitchen arranging snacks, chatting with sue. as soon as he enters the room, sue giggles and leaves. “hey, kiddo.” he says, ruffling your hair and taking a cracker off the platter, causing everything to fall over. “god, axl, i just fixed that!” you say, bumping his hip with yours. he grins, hanging you a cup of punch. “spiked it for ya.” he says with a wink. “you’re a life saver. don’t tell sue.” you say, walking over by the sink. he follows.

“hey, look.” he says, pointing to the ceiling. and there’s mistletoe above you.