Christmas Taboo

I’m sprawled on my bed, half-buried in a pile of clothes I’m supposed to be packing. My tiny apartment smells like laundry and the faint peppermint candle I lit to feel festive. At 23, I’ve got my life together—mostly. I’m smart, I know what I want, and I’m not afraid to go after it. But it's not about having it all figured out, I have crazy wild fantasies and secrets that could damage everything.But there’s this secret side of me, another side of me, the one I keep locked away, where I let myself be wild. Tonight, that side’s winning.My phone buzzes, and I grin, grabbing it. The app’s hidden behind a fake calculator icon, my little secret. It’s him, the stranger I’ve been texting for months. On the app, he’s ShadowWolf, and I’m FireVixen. The name’s cheesy, but it fits the vibe—hot, dangerous, no strings.“What are you wearing, FireVixen?” ShadowWolf asks.I glance down at my outfit: an old T-shirt that’s too short, barely covering my black lacy panties. I bite my lip, typing

The plane touches down after hours in the air, and the cold hits me like a slap as we step off. The airport is buzzing, but all I feel is the chill seeping through my jacket. Jess is bouncing beside me, somehow unbothered by the freezing weather, her backpack slung over one shoulder. I tug my duffel closer, my breath fogging in the icy air.As we head toward the exit, I spot my mom near the gate, holding one of those cheesy welcome signs with “Zara & Jess” scrawled in bright marker. She’s beaming, her energy way too high for someone standing in a drafty airport. Before I can blink, Jess squeals and runs forward like a kid, throwing her arms around my mom. They’ve always had this weird, super-close bond I don’t get. By the time I catch up, they’re giggling like old friends, their voices overlapping.“Ellen, you look more beautiful! Is it because you’ve got a man now?” Jess teases, still hugging my mom.“Oh, please, don’t start, my dear,” Mom says, laughing, her cheeks flushed.Mom

The lounge is still humming after game night, the tension from my trivia showdown with Kayden lingering like a bad smell. The fire’s crackling, and the sweet scent of hot cocoa hangs in the air, but I’m itching to get out. ShadowWolf’s message from last night—Miss me, FireVixen? Bet you’re thinking about me right now—has been looping in my head all day. My phone’s burning a hole in my pocket, and Kayden’s smug face across the room isn’t helping my mood.Mom’s rambling about tomorrow’s group hike, her voice too cheerful for the mood in here. Liam’s stacking scorecards with Richard, cracking jokes to ease the vibe. Jess is sprawled on the couch, smirking at me like she knows I’m about to snap. Kayden slouched next to her, scrolling his phone, his dark hair falling into his eyes. I hate how he looks so calm, like he didn’t just spend an hour trying to humiliate me in that stupid game.I mumble an excuse about needing air and slip into the hallway. The mansion’s quiet, just the creak