SS Xmas25 Chapter 2

The woman on the doorstep could not be cuter. Her Christmas sweater has dogs, her mom jeans work for her, the Uggs on her feet make Elsa want to vomit, and her rosy cheeks and round, gold-rimmed glasses turn her smile into something from a Hallmark card. This brunette proudly wears her hair down, and there’s glitter in her lip gloss. Elsa would happily saw off her arm to be hugged by someone like this just once in her life.

“Hi,” she says, wishing she’d taken a shower today.

“Hi. This is for Leni.”

“She’s not here.”

“What?”

“She’s not here. She went home.”

“Oh. Well, can you make sure she gets it when she comes back? It’s pretty important stuff for the sorority.” The envelope that she presents is heavy and thick.

Elsa narrows her eyes suspiciously. “You aren’t our sponsor.”

“No, but I used to be. I teach classics. Tracy Kerns.” The woman puts the envelope under her arm and sticks out her hand. Elsa shakes uncomfortably.

She shrugs. “Well, OK. I can put it on her desk if her room’s open. Or I can leave it somewhere with a note. She’ll get it.”

Tracy hands the envelope over. “Thanks, sweetie.”

“Um,” Elsa says.

“Yeah?” Tracy is about to go.

“I mean, uh—you know the rules, right?” Elsa points up at the mistletoe.

“Huh? Oh.” Tracy snorts. “Maybe ten years ago. Have a great Christmas.” She heads back to her car.

That stings a little. Elsa shuts the door and puts the envelope on the sideboard, taking a pad and paper from the drawer to scribble a note for Leni. She blows out her breath and sticks it on there, then picks up her mug and drinks deeply, wishing that T Swift would shut the fuck up about her Christmas tree farm. Who put this shit on shuffle?

“Elsa?”

It’s Ying’s voice, coming from above, and Elsa knows that intonation. It’s obvious before she even looks up that Ying wants something from her.

Elsa sets her jaw, takes a deep breath through her nose, and finds the right words. “Welcome to Arby’s. What can I get you?”

“What?” Ying is on the landing in a bathrobe.

“What do you want?”

“I need your help. Are you busy?”

Elsa valiantly does not sigh. “I guess not.” She trudges up the stairs. “What’s going on?”

“It’s better if I show you.”

She doesn’t like the sound of that, but she follows Ying back to her room. A YouTube video is pulled up on Ying’s pink MacBook, and she closes the door before beckoning Elsa over to the bed. Ying sinks to her knees, and Elsa joins her.

“I’m trying to do something for Wendy,” Ying says quietly.

Ah, yes. Elsa’s favorite. Being reminded that while she is miserable and alone, the smartest, sweetest, almost prettiest girl in CCL is giving all of her attention and affection to and possibly even having sex with the dumbest motherfucker alive. Well, second dumbest.

Elsa forces a smile. “Yeah?”