The office Christmas party was everything Juniper expected it to be: beige. The conference room was dressed up with a sad strand of tinsel, a lopsided fake tree in the corner, and a buffet table of store-bought cookies and lukewarm cider. The holiday playlist crackled through an old speaker, Jingle Bell Rock battling the hum of office chatter. Juniper leaned against the wall, nursing a plastic cup of cider and trying not to look too bored. Around her, coworkers milled about in clusters, swapping polite holiday greetings and half-hearted compliments about the decorations. Max, her editor, clinked his glass loudly, calling for attention. “All right, everyone, listen up! I just want to say how proud I am of the team this year. We’ve hit some big milestones, and I couldn’t ask for a better group of writers, editors, and photographers.” The room applauded dutifully. Juniper clapped twice, then took another sip of cider.