MERRY CHRISTMAS!

(Shall I start singing?)

This year I got Hunger Games stuff! Calendars and action figures! (Even my favorite character- can you guess?) Speaking of him, here's the last chapter of Christmas!

Chapter 29: It's a Very Skeeter (and MARVEL!) Christmas

Skeeter wakes up feeling down on Christmas day.

He just went caroling on Christmas Eve, and had a feast with all of his friends, but deep in his gut he knows what's been going on.

In fact, it's not even Skeeter that wakes himself up; it's Annie.

"Skeets, it's Christmas! Are you OK?"

"Yeah, I'm OK."

Annie, working with children all her life, doesn't accept this as an answer.

"Something's wrong."

"Annie, is it true that nobody wants to adopt me?"

She hugs him, "It's not you, Skeeter, trust me! They all love you, they're just not ready for the responsibility of another child. Besides, didn't Finnie and I tell you not to worry about this?"

"It's because I sing, isn't it?"

"What? No, no, no! In fact, that's why Finnick and I love you so much, because you're so creative!"

"I thought it was because-"

"There are many reasons, Skeeter."

He's frustrated with this. Frustrated with how Finnick and Annie keep saying that's why they've "come to love him."

Why can't other people see him like they do?

"You have presents under the tree for you. Why don't you go down and open them?"

He heaves a sigh, but knows that this will make Finnick and Annie happy.

As they're walking down the staircase, Annie points to a nativity scene on a shelf.

"See that? Do you know what that is?"

"It's a nativity. What does it have to do with anything?"

"Who's in that manger?"

"Baby Jesus," he says, "So?"

"He's watching out for you, Skeeter. He'll make sure everything turns out just fine."

Skeeter nods, but doesn't believe it.

Finnick greets them in the kitchen.

"Good morning, you two!"

"Hi, Finnie!"

"What took so long?"

"Skeeter is really worried about the whole adoption thing."

"Oh, but he shouldn't be."

"Don't play with me. I'm mature enough. I can handle it."

"I think you should open this present first, then."

He hands Skeeter a very thin present, which the freshman takes with shaking hands.

When he peels back the bow and the paper, he finds a stack of some papers.

'What the-'

He reads the first couple of lines and realizes what they are.

Adoption papers.

For him.

He starts to laugh now, a harty, happy laugh, as he throws his arms around Finnick and Annie, laughing.

"We just couldn't let you go, Skeeter."

"Wh-why did you wait to tell me?"

"Well, we weren't planning on it," Annie mentions, "Until the first couple came in, and we suddenly realized that we couldn't stand it if you were to live with anyone else."

"Thank you! This has been the best Christmas ever!"

"And to celebrate, a feast!"

"A feast? For us three?"

"For us and some friends and some other families."

Finnick winks.

"So, Rue?"

"And, Theo and Nathalia, if you want!"

"I'll be right back!"

He gets out his phone to text his friends.

When he comes back, he sees Finnick and Annie welcoming in three other people. One of them looks to be his age.

"Skeeter, these are close friends of Annie and I. Meet Johanna, and her man Gloss, and his nephew, Marvel."

Skeeter waves.

Marvel stays close to Gloss.

Skeeter stays close to Finnick.

Neither boy says a word.

"Well, we don't have to all stand here! Let's go into the TV room!"

They all exit the parlor.

The four adults sit on the couch.

That leaves the two boys to sit on some chairs.

All four adults starts a conversation about things that neither of them understands.

Skeeter decides to make a stop in his room, to grab a notebook, and Marvel decides to follow.

Skeeter's surprised to see Marvel standing there.

"Oh! Hi. You're Marvel, right?"

"Hey, weren't you supposed to decorate for the Halloween dance?"

"Hey, yeah!"

"But instead, you-"

"Ended up here, yeah."

"Oh. That's too bad."

Neither of them says a word for a second. Then, Marvel speaks up, thinking to himself.

"I never really talk to my parents that much anymore. As I draw closer to Gloss, I just-"

"Don't lose them. It hurts."

They sit in more silence.

"So, I'm a sophomore. How about you?"

"Freshman."

Marvel chuckles, "I remember those days. I hated them."

"Really? Why?"

"Well, no, I guess I didn't hate them back then. I sure as hell hate em now."

"Do you think I'll regret some of the decisions I make right now in the future?"

"Hard to tell. I've been making tons of regrettable decisions lately."

"Like what?"

"Making friends, romances, flunking school- let's just say I have a hard-knock life."

"Really?"

"I don't have any friends. I did, but I guess I hung out with the wrong people."

"When did you figure all this out?"

He thinks. Marvel truly strains his brain to think.

"When… When I first started… going to… church."

It all makes sense now. When Poppy told him that he's 'changing in a good way.'

Now he understands it.

"Well, I'll be your friend. I guess I maybe need guy friend. And Theo barely counts, because he tells Nathalia everything."

"So, how do you declare someone your friend?"

"I don't know. I guess we're just… friends."

"So, what do you like to do?"

"Art- drawing, mostly-"

"Like Poppy."

"Hm?"

"Nothing, never mind."

"I also like to sing."

"Yeah, my mom took me to see the glee club. You're really very good."

"Oh! Well, thanks! What do you like to do?"

"Sports. Everyone says I'm a good writer, but, I don't like to believe it."

"You don't? Why not?"

"Because, Skeeter, only nerds are good at writing! Me? I'm just going to be a…

Flunkie." He puts his head down.

"You're only a sophomore, you can turn things around."

"Boys, how about some lunch?" calls Finnick.

As Skeeter and Marvel walk down the stairs, Skeeter points to the nativity across the shelf.

"See that baby, Marvel? He's watching out for you. He'll make sure everything turns out just fine."

Just as the two boys arrive downstairs, they see Theo and Nathalia, with their parents.

"Hi, Skeeter!"

"Hey guys!"

Skeeter runs up to them, hugging them.

"What's the big news?" asks Theo.

"We have to wait until everyone gets here," Skeeter adds.

"Well, who's missing?" asks Marvel.

Everyone else already knows who.

And she walks in just then, with her tired mom and cheery dad.

Skeeter hugs his best friend, who stops in her tracks.

Marvel isn't so thrilled, either.

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet my friend, Marvel. He's a sophomore!"

"Yeah, we've met," Rue adds.

"Marvel, this is my friend Theo and his twin sister Nathalia. They're seniors. And, this is one of my other best friends, Rue."

Marvel chuckles nervously, "Hello."

There's a moment of awkward silence.

"Again, with you all standing here in the parlor! We can't have a feast in here! I guess we can all admire Skeeter and Rue's winning painting, but-"

"Speaking of," Annie adds, "That's why Finnie and I have invited you all over tonight."

"We're having a party," Finnick says, "To celebrate our adoption of Skeeter!"

Everyone smiles, and applauds.

"Come, everyone, into the dining room for a feast to end all feasts!"

Skeeter holds Rue's hand, walking into the dining room together.

She's so happy for him that she decides not to mind Marvel's attendance for now, and give him a second chance.

She proves to have chosen wisely; by the time the music, feast, and festivities are over, she finds that maybe Marvel isn't such as bad a guy as she thought.

The last song of the night is a message for all to hear,

"We wish you a Merry Christmas,

We wish you a Merry Christmas,

We wish you a Merry Christmas,

And a Happy New Year!"