Again, sorry for the delay...I usually update three times a day. In explanation, this morning I picked up the fourth book of Fablehaven I got for Christmas and well...it's all a blur...and now I'm halfway through and in a pickle as the fifth doesn't come out until March...but you probably don't care.

Thank you so much for your patience, subscriptions, favorites and reviews! It just warms my heart, it really does. Well, read on!

Cute Channy moment here, just sayin'. ;)

Sonny

I was just getting ready to leave my tinsel-clad abode when I opened the door to an unexpected knock. "Chad? Hey, come in!" I greeted, truly surprised. I looked around the apartment, worried it wasn't presentable. "I was just about to leave, actually."

"Hey, Sonny." He stepped inside, hands behind his back, keeping his front to me as I closed the door. "I decided we needed to switch things up a bit. So I came over here. Hope that's fine."

His smile was warm and genuine. I wondered what he was up to. "Oh, I forgot my manners. Would you like something to drink? I mean, I don't have amazing hot chocolate or anything, but…"

"Water's fine."

"It's tap."

He winced, then smiled. "That's fine."

Suspicious, I walked into the familiar kitchen and reached up into the cupboard for the last short glass. I'd have to run a wash soon. You keep forgetting things like that when you don't have a parent breathing down your neck—I mean…I love my mommy very dearly!

I put in a couple of ice cubes, registering that the ice tray was empty, and filled the glass with water, bringing it out to my guest who had taken the liberty of making himself at home on my couch. Typical Chad.

I joined him. "So…oh, I'm sorry I left this morning without telling you. Was that rude?" Wait, what exactly would Chad consider rude?

"No, I mean, you left a note, so…" He took a sip and grimaced, setting the glass aside and fixing his eyes on the false Christmas tree in the corner by the TV. "Fake tree? I thought you of all people would have a real one."

"Oh, well…this is my first Christmas here and my mom and I are still settling in, and this tree was like $10 so we sprung for it." I examined the deceptive pine needles and plain white fairy lights in utter disappointment. "Though it would be nice to have that fresh evergreen smell."

I glanced over at Chad. He was nodding as if he knew what I was talking about, but I could tell he didn't. I mean, would Chad Dylan Cooper, self-proclaimed Greatest Actor of Our Generation, stoop to trudging through a frost-covered tree farm for hours and yell for some sweaty guy with a saw to chop down a sappy tree? Most likely not.

But I loved it. I missed it.

"If you had the chance to replace this with a real tree," he mused, resting his chin on his fist without really looking at me, "would you ditch this one and put it up?"

"Well, yeah! In seconds! But…my hands are kinda tied at current, you know? It's already hard enough trying to live on my own my first year in this place. I mean, California's pretty insane."

"Yeah, ha…" he chuckled, partially listening. Did he always have to tune me out?

"You know, in most cultures it's considered rude to pay half attention to the host." He gave me an apologetic look and I softened. "But I can let it slide." A few monotonous moments passed without conversation. I noted this about us; we could talk for hours and hours at times, and then not have anything to say to one another. "So, what did you have behind your back when you came in?"

This sparked his interest. He looked at me in surprise, with a hint of guilt, and then narrowed his eyes with a skeptical look, a smirk playing on his lips. "Was I hiding something, Sonny?"

"Yeah, you were."

"Was I, Sonny? Was I really?"

I rolled my eyes and saw him conceal laughter. "Really, Chad? We're playing this game?"

"Oh, so…" He adjusted himself to sit up straighter. "We're playing a game, then? Why, is this fun to you?"

Facepalm. "Come on, Chad. Mature up." I stood and walked around to the back of the couch, behind where Chad sat. He got up and faced me, sofa between us. "Tell me what you had!"

He crossed his arms. "I don't know what you're talking about."

I grinned, subtly fingering a holly garland resting on the decorative table behind the couch. "Tell me!" I flung it at him and he put his arms up for protection. The festive garland draped itself over his shoulder for a second before sliding off.

He looked down at the decoration, then gave me a sideways look. "Oh. Oh yeah, it's on."

Before we knew it the entirety of the living room was a mess, holiday decorations on the sofa, sofa cushions on the ground, and garlands of tinsel draping lazily over furniture.

"You do realize who's cleaning all this up, right?" I asked, breathless as I relaxed myself against the armrest.

Chad's victorious smile vanished and he frantically checked his phone. "Oh, will you look at the time! I've gotta drive like…eight hours to Tahoe tomorrow, better rest up, bye!"

He dashed towards the door but I beat him to it, back to the wall and my arms spread out against it, my body inches from his. He backed up a pace.

"Let me through, Sonny."

"Clean the room, Chad."

"Let. Me. Through. Sonny."

"Clean. Up. First. Chad," I taunted, equally as stubborn. He stepped closer to me with a serious expression and my sure smile faltered. He placed his hands on my hips and my arms slacked.

"Let me through, Sonny," he repeated softly. My arms dropped more as our eyes locked. He grinned and took me closer to him, then moved me aside and opened the door, giving me his signature wink. "Thanks, you're a gem."

Unbelievable. Boy, he was cunning! I slammed the door, turned around and crossed my arms, assessing the room. He'd won twice in the same night.

But he was fun in a tinsel fight, I had to give him that.