Sonny

It was December 8th and I still hadn't gotten any presents for my friends. Now, since we weren't doing the show until the New Year, I had been spending much more time with my mom in our little apartment.

"Mom? Hey, I just realized I need to buy presents for Grady, Nico, Zora, and Tawni. I should be back before dark."

"Wait, wait, wait a second, Sonny Munroe!" my mom called, making her way briskly from the kitchen to the living room, where I was just walking to the door. I stopped and turned around to see her hand on her hip. "Since when do you just waltz out of the apartment on such short notice?"

I froze up and my eyes darted around the room. "Uh…yeah? Is that okay?"

She put her other hand up to her temple. "Only in Hollywood. You know what, you have your cell phone, right?" I held it up. "Go ahead. But next time, please tell me before the second you go out the door."

---

So I hadn't really been successful. First, I had looked for something for Nico and Grady, but…they're Nico and Grady. What could I get them that they would actually use? Then, I had looked for stuff for Zora…well, that was hopeless. And I had attempted to get some make-up or something for Tawni, but I didn't know what she already had, what she would hate, or anything. Who knew that finding Christmas presents would require so much homework?

"Where to go?" I asked myself once I had left the shopping center empty-handed. Some kids were looking my way and I pulled my hoodie further down. Well, I could visit my friends from So Random!, but they all lived too far from where I currently was. Well, I could go home, but that was no fun.

Maybe I would visit Chad? I mean, he lived nearer than the others, and it would be nice to see a familiar face. Sure, he'd probably hate it, but he'd just have to deal.

---

"Sonny?" Chad observed puzzledly as he hesitantly opened the door for me. "Uh…come in…?"

I stepped inside with a bounce, nodding to him and smiling and looking around his apartment. "Nice place…though, I expected Chad Dylan Cooper to be living…well, not in an apartment."

"Oh, this is just where I stay in the winter," he explained as he closed the door behind us. "Nice and cozy."

I crossed my arms as I looked at the wall opposite the window. "Chad, you seriously have a working fireplace?"

He shrugged as he walked up next to me. "Well, I have the cash, so why not?"

I rolled my eyes, plopping myself down on his white leather sofa. "So you live here all by yourself?"

"For the most part. I mean, my mom claims she lives here but mostly she's on 'vacation' in Colorado or Montana, or Tahoe. You know, places completely different from LA."

"And you don't go with her? Even during Christmas?" I asked. I looked up to see him leaning on the back of the sofa, shaking his head, kind of staring at the fireplace. "Well, don't you want to have a white Christmas?"

He gave me a look of disgust. "Chad Dylan Cooper doesn't do cold."

"Even with your mom?"

"Especially with my mom."

I could tell we were done with this subject. It was getting warm so I took off my sweatshirt and tossed it onto the chair against the wall adjacent to the couch, along with my sunglasses, revealing my pink-and-black striped long sweater.

"Hey, hey hey! This isn't the prop house!" he shouted. "You can't just fling your junk wherever you please," he snapped, grabbing my sweatshirt and examining it, then flinging it against the other wall.

"Really, Chad?"

He gave me a hard look, and then his brow wrinkled. "Hey, do you want some hot chocolate?"

---

"Hah! Nuh-uh!" I laughed, holding my empty mug in both hands. The fire was raging and he was sitting opposite me on the sofa.

"That never leaves this room," Chad warned with a completely straight face. "Ever."

My laughing came to an awkward end and my gaze wandered to the raging fire.

"So…" he said. My head snapped back up to him. "Why'd you come? I mean, not like we're not having a fun time, but…"

"Oh…well, I don't know…you're my friend and it's the Christmas season, so, you know." Why had I gone down there? I checked my phone. It was nearly nine. "Oh, well, I'd better go, Chad. Thanks for the…the hot chocolate."

"Oh, so soon?" He got up as I collected my things. "But we were having an actual conversation!"

I pulled my hood up and pushed my glasses on, reaching for the door handle, and turning around to look at Chad. "It's getting pretty late. My mom will be wondering where I am. Besides, I'll come back tomorrow!"

"But Sonny!" he called as I stepped out the door. "It's…it's cold outside."

What kind of excuse was that? "I've got a sweatshirt, Chad. I'll be just fine. I'll see you tomorrow."