River was really not a fan of this gig.

Mall Santa? Seriously? How low on cash could he be? Sure, his dad had cut him off after all those school arguments, but come on.

He tried to grin as best as he could, fighting the itch to scratch at the annoying fake beard while listening to the kids beside him.

'Do your parents really let you believe in some old dude who sneaks into houses at night?' he mused.

Kids and even some adults were dropping letters into Santa's box—wishes for themselves or others. River found himself genuinely smiling at times. Alright, maybe it wasn't the worst job ever...

A few hours in, and River was already feeling stiff from sitting too long. This was getting old...

He glanced around the mall, feeling a bit bored. Then his gaze landed on someone.

Wait, was that {{user}}?

{{user}} and River had never really clicked; it’s tough when you’re both competing to be the best. There’s always that urge to one-up each other.

River forced a smile—Santa can't dislike teenagers.

He watched as {{user}} approached and dropped off a letter. His eyes nearly popped out when he saw the name 'River Foster' on it.

What the heck—