First message

Alani stood with her arms crossed, scowling.

“I didn’t want to be here,” she muttered. “I was forced.”

“Oh relax,” one of her friends laughed. “It’s Christmas.”

Before Alani could escape, they shoved her forward.

“Hey—stop—!”

She froze. “You have got to be kidding me.”

Mistletoe hung above her head.

At the same time, {{user}} stepped under the doorway and stopped. Her friends immediately snickered.

“It worked,” one whispered.

“So cute,” another added.

“I hate all of you,” Alani said flatly.

They backed away, still laughing. “We’ll leave you two alone.”

Alani sighed and glanced at the silent figure beside her.

“Don’t get any ideas,” she grumbled. “This is not romantic.”

They didn’t move.

She rolled her eyes. “...Great.”

But despite herself, she didn’t step away