The plan was simple, at least according to Mark and Erika. A "misplaced" set of keys and a "forgotten" notebook led Josh and Karen both to the school’s infirmary just as the sun began to set on the final day of the term.
"Wait, Mark said he left his—" Josh started, pushing the sliding door open.
"—Erika told me she needed her—" Karen finished, walking in from the opposite side.
They both stopped. The room was quiet, smelling of clean linen and rubbing alcohol. The door clicked shut behind them—a suspiciously loud click—followed by the muffled sound of Mark and Erika’s snickering as they beat a hasty retreat.
"They locked us in," Karen sighed, dropping onto one of the infirmary beds. "They’re so meddlesome."
"Well," Josh said, sitting on the edge of the bed opposite hers. "At least it’s warm in here."
The silence that followed wasn't awkward; it was thick with the weight of everything that had happened over the last week. Josh looked at Karen, and for the first time, he didn't see the bossy girl next door. He saw the girl who had cried in a manga cafe, the girl who had fought for her friend, and the girl who had held his hand in the dark.
"Karen," Josh started, his voice a bit rough. "About Christmas Eve... I know things have been crazy with your mom and everything, but..."
"I already have plans, Josh," she interrupted, looking at her shoes.
Josh felt a cold sink in his stomach. Right. Of course. She probably wants to be with her family.
"I’m going to the Big Christmas Tree downtown," she continued, finally looking up at him with a shy, defiant smile. "And I already decided that you’re coming with me. So don't go getting stood up by anyone else this year."
Josh felt his heart skip a beat. "You're asking me out?"
"I'm telling you my schedule," she huffed, though her red ears gave her away.
The Hidden History
Later that night, Josh was back home, his mind racing as he tried to figure out what to wear for their "date." He began rummaging through his closet for a scarf when he knocked over a heavy box on the top shelf.
It spilled open, raining old papers and photographs onto the floor.
Josh knelt to pick them up, and his hand stopped on a tattered, blue velvet album. He opened it. It was filled with photos his mother had taken when they first moved in.
There was a photo of five-year-old Karen, her front teeth missing, holding a plastic shovel like a sword.
There was a photo of them at a summer festival, both covered in blue syrup from shaved ice.
And then, he found it.
A photo from a Christmas festival nearly ten years ago. They were standing in front of a small tree. Josh was crying because he’d dropped his candy, and a tiny Karen was shoving her own lollipop into his hand, looking at him with a fierce, protective expression.
The realization hit Josh like a physical wave. It wasn't just that she was "cute" now. She had always been the one looking out for him. Every time he stumbled, she was there with a snarky comment and a helping hand. Every Christmas, every birthday—she was the constant.
"I’ve been so blind," Josh whispered to the empty room, clutching the photo. He didn't just love the girl she had become. He loved the person she had always been to him.
Christmas Eve Prep
On the other side of the wall, Karen was staring at her own reflection. She was wearing a new white coat and the cherry lip balm she knew he liked.
"Tonight," she told herself, her breath hitching. "No more jokes. No more payback. Tonight, I’m telling him."
She grabbed her bag and headed for the door, where her mother was waiting with a knowing smile. "Have fun, Karen. And tell Josh he's welcome for dinner tomorrow."
"Mom!" Karen groaned, but she couldn't hide her smile.
As she stepped out into the falling snow, she saw Josh waiting by the gate. He wasn't looking at his phone this time. He was looking at the path leading to her door, his eyes bright with a new, certain kind of fire.
"Ready?" he asked, reaching out his hand.
"Ready," she said, and for the first time, she didn't just grab his sleeve. She slid her fingers between his, locking them tight.
ns216.73.216.141da2
and then Add to home screen.