Sonny

"Alright, Sonny! Enough!" Lucy shouted. Hey, rude! I was in the middle of telling her a story. "I know I'm like a total CDC fangirl but could you please stop talking about Chad so much?"

We were in the prop house, which I had the key to. It had been Lucy's idea, and it hadn't been a bad one. "I'm not talking about him that much…am I?"

"Please! It's been three days and we've had a grand total of four conversations that weren't about Chad Dylan Cooper, and even still you mentioned him! Geez, Sonny, you're crushing so hard you can't even see it!"

I stood up and crossed my arms indignantly. "I am not crushing on Chad! It's just that he's practically been my best friend for the past week…I don't know." I could tell she didn't believe me. "Look, he spends a lot of time alone, and I don't think anyone should spend the holidays by themselves. And it's like…he doesn't want me to leave. I don't think he'll admit it, but he gets lonely." She thought this over. "How about we stop by for a quick visit before I take you to the airport tomorrow?"

"Okay!" Lucy's face brightened. Such a fangirl.

I picked up my phone immediately, earning a skeptical look from my friend. 10:30…that wasn't too late for someone living on his own, right?

"Why don't you just text him?"

"Oh…uh…I don't know. It seems less personal." She rolled her eyes and I grimaced. "Hello?"

"Hey…" He paused. "Do you have any bones that need collecting?"

I laughed. Mitchell Davis reference. "Hah! Hey, where are you? It's pretty loud."

"Oh, I'm at an Emery concert…" I was interrupted by loud screaming. "Sorry…that was Crystal…" I heard something else at the other end. "Sorry, Bonnie Bones."

"Oh…who's Bonnie Bones? And why are you at an Emery concert? Aren't they a screamo band?"

I heard more loud noises at the other end. "Hey, I'm gonna have to call you back…"

"Okay." I felt a punch to my arm and looked back at Lucy, who threw her hands up and gave me a "WTF" expression. "Oh, Chad, wait. Do you mind if I drop by tomorrow?"

"Uh, sure…okay! Bye, Sonny."

"Bye!" When I turned back to my friend she was glaring at me. "What?"

"You're being ridiculous right now." Half-mad, I still had to smile as I remembered how well Chad had said that. "Why are you laughing? This is serious! You're being a jerk!"

"Oh, was I laughing?" She just sat there with her arms folded. "I'm sorry, Lu. Look, maybe we should go back to the apartment. You know, in case we fall asleep or something."

She sighed. Would she just let it go?

---

It was three in the morning and Lucy was fast asleep. I couldn't get a wink. But that wasn't unusual; I was always the last one to fall asleep as others dozed off within ten minutes of lying still. I was staring up at the ceiling with one hand behind my head, the other on my phone when it vibrated.

Casting a glance at my friend in the tangled sleeping bag, I stepped outside my room and made it into the living room. "Chad?"

"Hey, Sonny," he said, yawning. "Sorry…I just got back from dropping off Peter and Vivi. So…oh, I guess I already answered your question and all…"

"Oh, no that's fine. So…how was the concert?" I asked, sitting on the armrest of my sofa.

"Uh, it was…loud."

I laughed. "Not really a concert guy, are you?" He returned a tired laugh. "So, who's Bonnie? And Peter and Vivi?"

"Oh, right. They're my…well, friends I guess. I met Vivi Violence a couple of days ago and she asked if I would drive her and her friends to a few concerts." My mouth dropped. What? "Um…Sonny? Are you there?"

"Oh, yeah. Yeah. Um…"

"You know what? I'm really tired. Can we talk when you come over tomorrow?"

"Sure. What time would you like me to come over?"

"Um, any time is fine." He yawned again. "Sweet dreams, Sonny."

I smiled. "Yeah. You…you too, Chad. Good night."

When I turned around it was to be greeted by a disgruntled Lucy.