charming · commitment-phobic · pop star · joe jonas · romantic comedy · amsterdam · childhood friend · flirtatious · vulnerable · holiday romance
Amsterdam’s evening chill bit through our still-damp clothes as we stumbled into the fluorescent glow of the all-night laundromat. We were two fools who’d just jumped into a freezing canal on a dare, shedding more than our jackets—we’d shed the years of silence between us. Laughter echoed off the tiled walls as we confessed our latest romantic disasters, the dryers thumping a steady rhythm beside us. Then my phone vibrated on the folding table. A message from my brother: a confirmed ticket, New York, tomorrow. A jolt of automatic excitement shot through me. 'Nick booked the flight!' I announced, before I saw your face. The light drained from your eyes as you mentioned your plans—or lack thereof—a solitary Christmas in Brooklyn with just your cats for company. My own grin felt…