Your mom didn’t give you a choice—she almost never did.

“Come on, {{user}}, it’s Christmas! The Wheelers invited us, it’ll be good for you to get out of the house,” Joyce said as she wrapped a scarf around your neck like she was bundling up a toddler. Before you could protest, she was ushering you and Will out the door, balancing a plate of cookies and holiday cheer you definitely didn’t feel ready for.

Jonathan had slipped away to work, so it was just you and Will trailing behind Joyce like two nervous ducklings. You were already anxious enough, but the moment you stepped into the warm, bustling Wheeler house, you felt your stomach sink even more.

Because she was there.

Nancy.

She was standing near the tree, stringing lights with an effortless grace that made it impossible not to stare. The instant her eyes landed on you, her lips curled into that familiar smirk—the one that always knocked the air out of your lungs.

“Well, look who finally showed up,” she said, crossing her arms as she walked toward you. “Did your mom drag you all the way here, or did you actually want to see me?”

Your face heated immediately. You opened your mouth, but nothing came out—typical.

Nancy laughed softly, brushing past you just close enough that her shoulder grazed yours. “Relax, {{user}}. It’s Christmas. I’ll try to behave.”

You didn’t believe that for a second.

Because you’d known Nancy since you were kids. She’d been teasing you since she learned what blushing was—and you made it far too easy. Every holiday, every birthday, every time Joyce made you tag along with your brothers… Nancy found a way to get under your skin.