Ok so it's past midnight now when I'm done typing this, and I shouldn't even be up this late cause I got class at nine a.m. tomorrow. But I was surfing the web earlier trying to figure out what to do cause I was bored outta my mind. I was short on ideas for my songfics and story and I was afraid I wasn't gonna have any other ideas after those were done. So bam, that's where this came from. You know it's C&T. A bunch of oneshots that can reveal all the different ways to plop that question to that special someone. ^^
And as usual I do not own HSM or the characters. So each chapter in here after this one I will mention at least one thing I'd change about HSM cause I know all you guys would change more than one thing too, if you could.

Sunset. Summer. Four years. Time.

It was all Chad Danforth had thought of for some time now. He had the time of his life in high school and had completely lost it college. No, we're not talking about literally the best four years of a person's life and then throwing it away with wild college parties along with their future. He had a completely different picture in mind. High school wasn't the best time in Chad's life just because that's what it was to some people. It wasn't because he was named one of the best basketball players on East High's team. It wasn't because he became captain of the baseball team and then co-captain of the basketball team. It wasn't because he was one of the most popular guys in school. It wasn't because of any reputations he had. High school had been the only four years that he could ever get close to her. Yes, her.

Taylor McKessie.

She was the opposite of him in so many ways. She was smart and he was clueless. She was graceful and he was athletic. She was compassionate and he was egotistical. She was classy and he was crazy. She was serious and he was funny. She was stubborn and he…well, he was just as stubborn.

Break it down a bit, shall we? Chad had first met Taylor in elementary school. They automatically didn't like each other. They argued and were sworn enemies. In middle school they grew even further apart and were proven to be on opposite sides of the school's clique system. He a jock and she a nerd. And high school was when he fell for her. He got past everything they didn't have in common. He could see the real her. Taylor suddenly just have brains, class, compassion, or any of that stuff. She had beauty. She had real friends. She had passion. Chad looked at her and suddenly saw not just the smartest girl in school but the most beautiful. Those four years in high school were the closest he ever got to her. Chad knew then that it wasn't just some fling or a relationship that was never meant to last. He knew it was real. He knew it was love.

And when Chad Danforth fell, he fell hard.

Nearly two years they dated. Chad took a chance and asked her out one day. She could have sworn he was crazy. And then Chad gave her all the reasons why she should go on a date. He had kept a close eye on her; he knew that she never really dated anyone. As far as he knew, she never even had a crush. But it all changed with Chad. Something inside of her convinced her to say yes, and Chad promised her it would be the best night of her life. And it was. Chad let her see the real him more than even his best friend. He wasn't just another basketball player that night; he was so much more.

But thanks to the typical reminder that was their future, college had to ruin it all. Chad would be dorming upstate in New Mexico and Taylor would be going half way across the country. Keeping in touch would become harder. They would hardly ever see each other. The perfect relationship they had going would be over. And the one thing that Chad regretted the most was that he never told Taylor how he felt about her. How he always felt about her. How in love with her he was.

But tonight that was all going to change. It was the first night that college officially ended for both of them. Chad knew Taylor would be back in New Mexico today if she wasn't already. He was going to jump in and make his biggest move ever.

One could tell from his attire that Chad was serious. His outfit resembled something almost like a tux. He had a cotton white shirt covering his torso, he could describe, though he wasn't sure if he was describing the shirt or his body part right. Yes, that's how clueless he was. Either way it was a white button-down shirt made of a soft material. Over that he had a velvet black jacket with a dark gray collar and cuffs. His pants were just as black as his jacket, and around his neck was a red bowtie. Red was his favorite color, after all. And what looked like a corsage on his jacket, it was really a purple flower. Why? Purple was her favorite color. On his feet looked like black tap dance shoes, but they were really just fancy black shoes.

His chocolate colored eyes were filled with nothing but hope as he stared at himself in the mirror. The light from his bachelor pad only made his dark skin seem faintly lighter, though it still matched his eye color. And his abnormally curly hair looked more than decent for once. It grew much more in the past few years but he made it more than decent for the occasion. He stood tall at five foot eleven and if it weren't for his clothing one could see his muscular body so much better.

Chad took a long deep breath as he made sure he looked good. "This is it, Danforth. Now or never." He said to himself. "You can do this. You've been planning this long enough, you're gonna do it. Go get her." He nodded to himself as though he were really talking to someone else. He diverted his attention to his bed where a small velvet case lay. He gently picked it up and put it in one of his pockets. He snapped out of his thoughts once more as he looked down at his cell phone. It vibrated, telling him he had a new text message.

The cheetah has pounced.

Good; now Chad knew for sure where she was. Let's just say he called in a favor. Hey if he didn't he'd never know where to find Taylor tonight. And he needed to talk to her more than anything. He loosened his shoulders a bit and tilted his head a few times, then gently slipped one of his jacket sleeves up so he could see the watch on his wrist. 6:01.

"I'm goin in."

C T A H Y L A O R D

It was a gentle summer breeze. The sun was setting. The waves were gently crashing down onto the sand. There was a light aura in the air. It was comforting and relaxing.

That was what Taylor McKessie was focusing on now. Not the fact that she was a college graduate and now, in her opinion, an official adult. If she hadn't gone at it alone then college would have been the best four years of her life. It was Taylor's chance to start focusing on her dreams, to make them all come true. It was her chance to prove that she could live far away from home and stand tall and proud on her own. It was the next chapter in her life. A new journey. A fresh start. But that was just it. It meant she was going at it alone. She had gone to a completely different college from all of her friends. They were practically spread out across the country now. Taylor wanted to be at the top. She wanted to be the best in everything and anything that she did. But even she knew it was lonely at the top. And not a day went by that she hadn't thought of him. You guessed it, him.

Chad Danforth.

So many years ago Taylor thought he was just a lunkhead basketball man. He only cared for sports and himself like nothing else mattered. Taylor was appalled at how shallow and self-centered he was. All throughout elementary school she despised him from day one. During all of middle school the only time she would look at him was to insult him. And in high school…well, let's just say it was a big change for Taylor. At first he was still the guy she loathed with all her might. But something changed during those four years. There came a point where they had started arguing and it ended with him asking her out. Taylor thought it was completely ridiculous. And then he started naming all of the positive things about her. All the reasons why she should go out with someone and why a guy would like her. That's the last person she would have expected any compliments from. It was almost as though he cared. So she agreed to the date.

And the more time she spent with him, the more of him she got to see. Deep down, Chad was really so much more than just some popular jock who was full of himself. There was so much more to him deep down. He was funny. He was strong. He was caring. He was gentle. He was sweet. All of those things Taylor had never expected from Chad. And yet there they were in plain sight. And slowly but surely Taylor had begun to fall for him.

And when love struck Taylor McKessie the whole world stopped spinning.

Chad was the last person she would have expected to fall in love with. But much to her discomfort, or at least surprise, it happened. And she slowly began accepting it. From the first time they kissed Taylor knew what they had was special. It went on like that for nearly two years. But even she knew that all good things had to come to an end. She and Chad couldn't be together forever. Their futures were calling. Taylor was headed East and Chad was staying closer to home. And as much as it broke her heart, they had to end it. She wished that it had never happened.

So now here she was at the beach that she and Chad had gone to together so many times. She could remember spilling her heart out to Chad right on that very ground. Confessing to him that before her parents divorced the family would always come to the beach on summer nights to watch the sun set. Confessing her dream of one day owning a beach house or living by the sea. Her ambition to see the world and all it had to offer. Even confessing that she liked Chad more than she imagined. But much to her regret, she didn't confess her love for him.

And for such a wondrous place of memories she seemed to dress so casual. A lavender t-shirt covered the upper part of her body and a pair of black caprice hugged her long legs. On her feet were nothing but backless sneakers and around her wrist was a single bracelet. Her body was that perfect shade of coffee and her figure was slightly slim yet fitting. Her skin was smooth and hardly any makeup covered her face. Her once wavy and tangled black hair was now cut shorter and done straighter. Cut on a bit of an angle it went down close to her chin and her bangs hung towards the right side of her forehead, nothing located in the black sea but a single thin violet headband.

Taylor sighed to herself as she let the wind blow her bangs slightly. It felt so calming against her body even if she was so torn inside. But she had no idea that tonight was the night it would all be sewn up and her heart put back together.

It was almost time.

C T A H Y L A O R D

Chad slowly stepped onto the beach, his vision clear in his mind from the second his feet touched the sand. He had to find her; he knew he was here. This was the time. In the faint distance he could see her. She looked so relaxed. So at peace. So lost in her mind. If only he knew how wrong he was. Chad slightly cleared his throat as he stepped closer.

"Taylor."

She blinked and slowly turned her head. Taylor couldn't believe what she saw. Right there in the flesh, there he was. There was Chad. Practically a few feet away from her. But what was he doing here?

"Chad?"

He took a deep breath and walked over to her. He held out his hands to her and she took them. "Long time no see." He spoke, trying to fill the silence in the air even though they seemed lost in each others' eyes.

"You look amazing Chad." Taylor observed. "Why are you so dressed up? Did you get accepted to a good team?"

"Let's just say tonight's something really special." Chad stated.

Taylor seemed a bit perplexed. She lifted one of her hands and gently ran it down his chest. The texture of his jacket felt so comforting. Even through that and the shirt she could swear she felt his muscles. He had gotten so much taller, still towering over her five foot three figure. And his hair…man how it looked so good. She could remember running her fingers through those curls. And then he would put his hand over hers and promise her hand wouldn't be engulfed by his uncontrollable curls. It had always made Taylor laugh. He had always made her laugh.

"It must be something really special for you to dress up so much." She said softly.

"I dress to impress." Chad said with a small smile.

"It has to be important." Taylor stated. "Did you come to ask for my opinion?"

"Not completely." Chad admitted. "But trust me, I wouldn't be here with you if it wasn't important. And everything we do is important to me."

Taylor blinked. She knew he was trying to tell her something. But it felt like his odd basketball guy riddles or something. She just wished he wouldn't pick now of all times to toy with her mind. All Taylor wanted to do was wrap her arms around Chad and hug him close to her. She wanted them to be together again. And she was starting to get the vibe that it wouldn't happen.

"Where exactly are you going with this?" she wondered.

Chad took his free hand and removed the flower from his jacket. He smiled and handed it to Taylor. "For you."

Taylor's eyes widened as she slowly accepted the flower. "Chad it's beautiful." She gasped.

"Good." He smiled. "Cause there's more for you than that."

Taylor looked up at him. She couldn't help but smile. So he had something more in store for her. If he was luring her in then he was doing a good job of it.

"Where are you going with this Chad?" she inquired, amazed at herself with how calm she was being.

"Someplace that I should have gone a long time ago." Chad confessed. "Give me five minutes and I'll explain everything to you. When I'm done, all I'll need is one word. Believe me, you'll know what the word is when I'm done."

Taylor nodded. She was ready to listen. She's waited four years to hear Chad's voice again. It had to be something important or he wouldn't be dressed in fancy clothing in front of her right now.

Chad took a deep breath and began. "You have no idea how happy you always made me Tay. There are so many reasons why a person has to like you. There's almost no way a single person could hate you. I thought for so long that I really did hate you. You always said that there was no exact opposite to hate. But to me there is." he explained. "Hate is a strong dislike for someone or something, never even being able to do so much as tolerate it. The opposite of that would be to have a passion for someone or something and not be able to live without it. And that's what I have for you. That's what I've always had for you. It took me so long to realize that. And I had so many chances to tell you but I could never do it. Maybe it was because I was nervous for once in my life. Maybe I was scared of being rejected. Maybe I just never found the right time." Chad took a pause before he continued, making sure he had everything just right. "But I can't put it off any longer. This is the place and this is the time. I lost you once, Taylor. I'm not gonna take a chance and lose you again. This is where that one word comes in." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the velvet case. "I love you Taylor. And I don't want anyone else to have those feelings for you but me. I don't want anyone else to tell you that and I couldn't stand it if you told someone else those words. That's why I have to ask you this now. Taylor...is there any chance I could ask for you to marry me?" That's when he opened the case and revealed the ring inside.

Taylor's eyes widened. This was not happening. He did not just.... Everything she wanted to hear from him he was spilling out to her right now, in a spot so special to them. To say the least, she was in complete shock. Here they were, talking for the first time in four years and Chad was asking her the question. He was revealing his true feelings for her. He was saying everything he always wanted to. Taylor couldn't just answer wih one word. He had that whole speech prepared. And that ring...a perfect gold ring that was at least a couple of karots. Who even knew how long Chad was planning this? She had to answer with more than just one word. Not even the one word she wanted to say as much as he wanted to hear could truely express her feelings.

"Chad, that is..." Taylor paused and put her hand over her mouth to get her thoughts together. She slowly removed her hand and blinked back tears. "That is probably one of the most sweetest things I ever heard. I can't believe you went through all that trouble just for me." She took a step closer to him. "You don't need fancy clothing or big speeches expressing your feelings to impress me. If you had just come out about how you felt in two words or less and then asked me my answer would still be the same. You mean a lot to me and you can only imagine how long I wanted to hear anything like that. How long I was even thinking that. I love ou, Chad. You mean the world to me and that's never going to change. I could never have the heart to say no to you."

"So does that mean...?" Chad asked, his smile growing and hope rising in his eyes.

"Yes!" Taylor exclaimed. She jumped up to his level and wrapped her arms around his neck. Chad replied with a huge smile and wrapped his arms around her waist. He practically spun her around as he hugged her close. They pulled away from each other slightly, their arms still around each other. They leaned in and shared a passionate kiss. Taylor ran her fingers through Chad's hair and deepened the kiss. Chad kept one arm tight around Taylor's back and managed to slip the ring on her finger and then tucked his hand behnd her head, her hair falling on top of his hand. And then as soon as the water moved in and hit Chad's feet, he jumped and pulled away from Taylor.

Taylor only replied with laughter. "What, you really can't handle some cold ocean water?" she teased.

"Let's see how you like it." Chad teased with a smile. He playfully pushed her into the shallowness of the ocean and she ended up dragging him down with her. They could feel the cold water rushing through their bodies as they lay in the wet sand, Chad on top of Taylor. Taylor laughed and smiled and Chad replied with a smile of his own. He leaned in and kissed her once more and she kissed him back. Even the cold water didn't make then pull apart. And when they finally did a few minutes later all Chad could do was stare into Taylor's eyes.

"We have a lot of catching up to do don't we?" he asked softly.

Taylor smiled warmly as her eyes met with his. "Yeah we do."

So that wraps up this first one. What do you think? Kinda mushy for my taste, but it's also part of my new year's resolution. I'm learning to tolerate romance more by reading and writing it. ^^ Two years in a row now and it's still going strong. Man it feels good to try and get that part out that you never thought you could write, you know? So I'll leave the author's note at this for now and i'll see when the next update is, assuming this one is liked first. xD And I realized how many typos I had in my other fics so I made sure to check this one as carefull as I could before putting it up.