I'm on the couch wrapped up in a cheap, fleece blanket I bought at the grocery store on Black Friday. They had a bunch of them in a bin by the registers for ninety-nine cents. This one is a deep green and red tartan, and I don't really know why I bought it, except that it was only a dollar. Well, that and the fact that it looked Christmassy.

There's nothing really on TV aside from this cheesy holiday movie. So, I'm watching it and wondering why my life is nothing like the woman being portrayed. She's single – obviously. And she's also poor. Not that I'm poor. I have a place to live and the extra money to buy small luxuries like ninety-nine cent blankets, of course. But clerking at the grocery store doesn't afford me much of anything else. Not that I'm complaining. Anyway, this woman – this poor woman – well, she's really down on her luck. And of course, there's some quietly heroic man who secretly has more money than God, and he just happens to be hopelessly in love with her. You know, just in time to save Christmas…and her clearly inferior, poverty-stricken life.

Men like that don't exist.

And even if they did, I'm not sure I'd want a man and his money to save me.

I'd like to think I'm capable of saving myself.

Not that I need saving at all.

I think about this as I snuggle deeper under my blanket and quietly drift in and out of sleep. I'm unsure if it's because I'm tired or the possible concussion I have. Although, my head's not really hurting anymore, there's just a dull ache over the bump. I'm sure I'm fine…

A loud bang on my door startles me awake. At least I think it was one bang. It takes a minute for my heart to start beating again, and for me to gather the courage to go over to the door. No one ever knocks on my door. Not that that forceful sound was a knock. It sounded more like a kick…or a punch. And who would want to punch my door?

My neighbor.

I peek through the peephole, but thankfully, no one is there. And when I open the door, my plastic container is on the step with a torn strip of white paper taped to the top. And on it, written in the most precise, handwritten script, are two sentences. Eight words.

The cookies were good.

But we're not even.

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I know I sound like a broken record, but thank you for reading! The feedback has been amazing, and it makes me smile so hard. I'm so happy you're enjoying the neighbors.

Jaime, Kourt, Laura and Raina - y'all are the best! And ILY

Marvar is the best beta ever. And so pretty.

See you all later today!

Reviews are love.

xo