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A/N: I'm not really sure what the updating schedule for this story is, but I plan to be finished by next Friday. Just say. Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! :)

Enjoy:


Age 15

"Don't be stupid, Joe," Nancy laughed at her friend. She was sitting on the couch in the Hardy's family room, her legs crossed neatly and her skirt draped over them lightly. Frank sat on the other side of the room on the floor, his legs sprawled out in front of him. He was torn between watching his brother put up mistletoe and staring at Nancy. He hadn't seen her in a whole year and she had grown more beautiful than he ever could have imagined. Her pale skin looked flushed in the dim light, making her eyes seem bluer and her hair more red. She had grown several inches since the Christmas before, making her even taller than Frank. She wasn't as ridiculously skinny and had filled out in a way that made Frank very, very, very aware of the fact that she was a girl. He had never really looked at her that way before; he had always seen her as his friend Nancy, the girl he had known since he was 5, the girl who was always willing to go on an adventure or question people or laugh at his stupid jokes or make her own. But suddenly…there she was. Beautiful, smart, funny and a…girl.

"It's pretty hard for a fourteen year old boy not to be stupid," Frank cut in, running a hand through his hair and looking around the room. Chet was lying on the floor not too far from him, his hands resting on his stomach as he groaned in agony. As he did every single year, Chet had eaten insane quantities of food and now he was suffering the repercussions. Iola was sitting on the couch next to Nancy, her knees covered in bandages and her hair in a ponytail. When she had stalked in, her feet stuffed into beat-up high tops and chewing a piece of gum loudly, she had told him that it was a form of rebellion. His parent's called it a phase. Joe called it awesome. But Frank knew that Iola was just trying to be different. She lived and breathed different and she wanted everyone to know it.

"Like being eleven months older than me makes you so much smarter," Joe snorted, making extra sure that the mistletoe was secure. "You know, eleven months ago you would have laughed."

"No," Frank flushed, looking at Nancy. She grinned back at him and brushed a strand of long hair behind her ears, which were adorned with her mother's pearl earrings. She had been given them the Christmas before and they were the most special thing she owned.

"Who exactly do you plan on kissing, Joe?" Nancy questioned, leaning back and crossing her arms.

Joe winked at her and ran a hand through his hair. "Perhaps one of the lovely ladies on the couch…?"

"Perhaps your mother…?" Iola retorted, making Nancy and Chet laugh. "I can't speak for Nancy, but I'm not about to kiss you."

"Ouch!" Joe clutched at his chest, mock-wounded. "Why not? Do you not find me utterly kissable?"

"My name is not Samantha Rosenblatt," Iola replied dully, staring at her nails. "I do not find and exploit every opportunity to flirt with you. Thus forth…no."

"That's just rude, Iola," Joe cried, crossing his arms. "Samantha Rosenblatt is a very nice girl who simply enjoys talking to me. Many people do. They say that it's my quick wit and charm that draws them to me."

"Or your humble modesty," Chet scoffed, rolling his eyes. Nancy laughed and re-crossed her legs, drawing Frank's eyes back towards her. He felt his stomach turn a little and he chalked it up to bad stuffing. She caught his eye suddenly and he looked away quickly, trying to pretend that he hadn't just been staring at her. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her make a confused face and say something quietly to Iola, who laughed. He felt his face flush red, certain that they were talking about him.

With a sigh, Nancy stood up and stretched. "I'm going to the other room to get a drink. Does anyone else want one?" Everyone in the room piped in with a resounding yes and Nancy raised an eyebrow. "I guess I'll be making more than one trip, but okay…"

"I'll help you," Chet offered, rising slowly to his feet and exhaling loudly. "I need to fit a little exercise into my day anyways."

Frank's heart hammered as Nancy passed through the doorway and into the living room. He suddenly had an image of her coming back and him walking up to her to help her with the drinks. They would get caught under the mistletoe and, with a shy smile and red cheeks, Nancy would turn her face up towards him and kiss him gently. With the confidence of a much more experience kisser, he would deepen the kiss and she would be surprised, dropping the drinks so that she could wrap her arms around his neck, but neither of them would care as he backed her slowly into the doorframe. His hands would slide slowly up from around her waist, gently moving up her ribcage towards her…

"Frank's a horny teenage boy," Joe said softly in a singsong voice as he sat down next to his brother. Frank felt his cheeks burn bright red as he scoffed and shook his head.

"I am not," Frank replied, his voice cracking and making Iola burst out laughing. The brothers shot her dirty looks. She shook her head and stretched out on the couch so that she was lying down.

"I'm sorry," she giggled, burying her face in her hands. "But it's just so funny when that happens to you guys."

"You know what's funny?" Joe retorted. "Periods. And childbirth. They're just hilarious." Iola rolled her eyes and yawned. Joe turned back to Frank.

"Stop looking at me," Frank mumbled, swatting at his brother's arm.

"It's written all over your face, man," Joe laughed, dodging Frank's flailing hands. "You like Nancy." This was sung again, just a little louder than before. Frank's eyes widened and he smacked Joe again.

"Shut up," he hissed, giving Joe the dirtiest look he knew. "I do not."

"Oh," Joe grinned, oblivious to Frank's withering stare, "but you do. Could you stare at her legs a little more? Or maybe her chest? That would certainly be a nice break for her legs."

"Shut UP!" Frank cried, knocking his shoulder into Joe's just in time for Nancy to come through the door and give them a questionable look. Frank's heart beat quickly as he slowly stood to help her when…

Chet burst through the doorway, stopping beside Nancy. Joe and Iola made noises of excitement and joy, both of them jumping to their feet and pointing.

"Mistletoe!" Joe cried, dancing around giddily.

"Kiss! Kiss!" Iola cried, doing her own little dance of excitement. They locked eyes and giggled before turning towards Chet and Nancy, staring at them in anticipation. Frank's heart sunk and he hoped that they would roll their eyes and walk away. But instead, both of their cheeks turned pink and they looked towards each other. Chet looked extremely bashful as he gave Nancy a questioning look, who merely shrugged her shoulders and put down the drinks on the counter beside her.

She turned her face towards his (Frank felt his stomach sink).

He titled his face towards hers (Frank mentally told Chet to STOPSTOPSTOPSTOP).

They both closed their eyes (Frank closed his as well, but opened them again. Because he's a masochist).

Their lips met for a long, slow kiss (Frank's stomach dropped and he could have sworn that his eyes turned green).

They pulled away and flushed, much to the delight of Joe and Iola, who began cheering and clapping.

"See, Frank?" Joe cried, turning towards his brother. "It wasn't stupid!" Frank nodded blankly and Joe gave him a concerned look. He stared at Frank for a moment before the penny dropped and he winced, mouthing 'sorry'. Frank shrugged and rolled his eyes, trying to pretend that he hadn't been extremely jealous of Chet and wasn't planning his murder at that very moment.

Frank sighed deeply, shutting his eyes for a moment and trying to clear his mind. When he opened his eyes, Nancy was standing in front of him and holding out a clear glass full of cranberry punch.

"Sleepy?" Nancy asked, smiling as she sat down beside him. He took a shaky drink from his glass and shrugged.

"Not really," Frank replied, smiling back at her.

"Well, I am," Nancy announced, snuggling close into his side. "There has been a little too much excitement for me." With that, she nestled her head into his neck and sighed softly, closing her eyes as she did.

Instead of his heart beating rapidly as he expected it too, he suddenly felt very calm. So what if Nancy was hot? It didn't mean he loved her or anything. He just liked looking at her. Anyone would be jealous of Chet for kissing her. Right?

Right, he told himself, looking down at Nancy.

He smiled.


A/N: Reviews? :D