I know I said I was taking everything off my FF account, but this story has been stuck in my head for so long, I can't think of writing anything else until this is down on paper. That being said, this story will probably be updated quite often since I have so many fresh ideas for it - and because TrinityFlower of Memories tells me this is a story that needs to be told. I think she may be right. Even if it doesn't turn out the way I'm picturing it right now, I haven't been able to get it out of my head for over a year now. I guess it's time to finally give in and write it.
If you remember the promos for this story, it is going to be dealing with a lot of darker topics: Rape, teen pregnancy, abortion, and adoption for example. If you don't feel comfortable reading about topics such as these, then please, don't be afraid to skip over this story. A few of you said in your earlier reviews you wouldn't be reading it. I'm not offended. Please understand that I'm not writing to upset anyone. I've come to a time in my life when I want to go beyond the realm of what Disney Channel would air. For anyone who wants to take the journey with me, I welcome you with open arms. For anyone who doesn't, that's fine, too.
With that being said, if you are going to stick with me and read this, there are going to be chapters when I need advice from you readers. For example, after I stop talking and let you actually read this update, it would be very helpful if you guys could let me know which writing style you like better: Third person point of view (like this prologue is written) or first person between Sonny and Chad like I did with COW and BULL? PLEASE INCLUDE THAT IF YOU LEAVE A REVIEW!
And now, since it's been such a long time since I've updated, I would like to remind you that this story takes place after COW (Crush of the Week) and BULL (Bottled Under Love's Labyrinth). For anyone who would like a little catch-up time: In COW, Tawni and Portlyn tricked Sonny into pretending to fall in love with Chad for a week. It turned out they really wanted Sonny to realize she was in love with Chad. After several chapters of drama, Chad and Sonny finally became boyfriend and girlfriend, celebrating their first year together at the very end by throwing cake in each other's faces. In BULL, everyone travelled to Wisconsin to celebrate Christmas with the Munroe family and Sonny had a scare with TB. Turns out she was healthy and then, the cliff-hanger you all probably recall: Chad Dylan Cooper asked Sonny Munroe to marry him. CALF (Caught After Love's Fall) picks up there.
Just a quick timeline:
The date Sonny and Chad first started dating: Late September, early October, 2009
First year anniversary at the end of COW: Late September, early October, 2010
The holidays spent together during BULL: Thanksgiving/Christmas, 2010
CALF Prologue: Around September, 2011
Assuming Chad and Sonny were 16 in the first season of swac, by September 2011, they are both 18 (Chad's birthday according to the season 1 episode he celebrated it in is on March 8. Sonny revealed in season 2 that hers is on August 20)
Keep their ages in mind if I ever write someone out of character. Right now, they are older than Disney has them and dealing with a lot more hardships, so I might not be able to keep everyone in character every second of every chapter. I'll do my best though, and if I do get too far out of line, let me know, okay?
With that being said, I'll let you read now. Don't forget to answer my question in your review!
Prologue
Sonny Munroe knew she was dying.
"You're going to be okay, baby," a voice kept whispering over and over again. "Everything's going to be just fine. Hang in there a little bit longer and you'll see!"
But everything wasn't going to be okay. Sonny had no idea where she was or who was kneeling beside her, trying to be the voice of reason. Her brown eyes, usually so full of happiness and laughter that she could spread great emotions around a room just by smiling, were knit shut. Her body shook uncontrollably and sweat lathered on her forehead as though she'd just ran ten miles.
Sonny wasn't concerned about the shaking or the sweat. She barely even realized she was doing either thing. All she cared about was the fire burning in her stomach, the one that made her wish she could put herself out of her misery. Why was she in so much pain? How come no one was making it leave?
"Finally!" A loud screech echoed through the room as the person sitting next to Sonny stood, pushing their chair backwards in the process. "What took you so long?"
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Munroe," a new voice apologized. "It's 2:30 in the morning. I was sleeping when the nurse called and told me you and your daughter had just arrived at the hospital. I wasn't expecting to see you for another few weeks yet."
"That's what my tax dollars are paying for? For my doctor, who I only hired in the first place because you're supposedly the best in all of Hollywood, can take a nap while my eighteen year old pregnant daughter suffers?"
"There are plenty of other doctors on shift right now who would've been more than happy to help Sonny," the second voice replied, staying calm despite Connie Munroe's rant. "It's my understanding you refused to let anyone in this room until I arrived."
"Apparently I was wrong to do that since you've been in here almost five minutes already and haven't even looked at Sonny!"
Stop! Sonny pleaded silently, not daring to say the words aloud. She would have to take a deep breath in order to speak, which would make her pain even worse. Stop yelling at each other and help me!
Almost as though the two adults could hear her, the screaming stopped. Sonny heard footsteps approaching her, felt fingers gently press on her stomach in different places. She wanted to tell the hand to stop; it was making the already unbearable pain even worse, the unquenchable fire spark up even more than it had been burning previously. If someone didn't help her soon, the fire would burn her from the inside out.
"So?" Connie Munroe spoke up, breaking the silence. "What's wrong with Sonny? Is she going into labor?"
"I'm not sure," the doctor answered. "If she is going into labor now, she's still in the early stages. How long has she been asleep?"
I'm not asleep! Sonny protested. I can hear every word you're saying. I'm just afraid of opening my eyes. What if the pain grows worse after I can see what's wrong with me?
"At least an hour," Connie said, breaking Sonny's theory that the people in the room could hear her thoughts. "I came into her bedroom to check on her before heading to bed myself and I found her like that. I carried her to the car and got here as fast as I could."
"Has she been shaking the entire time she's been out?"
"Shaking, sweating, crying…You name it, she's been doing it." Connie paused for a long moment. "You can figure out what's wrong with her, can't you?"
"Well, I don't think she's in labor quite yet considering the baby isn't due for almost a month. My guess would be that Sonny has some kind of a cold and it feels ten times worse than usual for her because she's pregnant, too." Sonny felt cold fingertips brushing her hair behind her ear. "I'm going to try waking her up. I want to run a few tests on her, just to make sure the baby's still doing good."
I don't have a cold! Sonny argued, desiring for the first time in her life to slug her doctor, a man she had come to really like in the past eight months, square in his face. If it was a cold, I'd be coughing and sneezing, not feeling pain in my stomach. Something's wrong with the baby!
Sonny heard water running and, a few seconds later, felt a washcloth being placed on her forehead. A hand she knew all too well clutched at her own, followed by another promise from Connie that everything was going to work out. Her stomach continued burning as the oblivious doctor began asking questions.
"Sonny, if you can hear me right now and you can understand what I'm saying, lift one of your fingers."
No! Sonny laid still, refusing to move any part of her body. Even Connie taking her hand, which was meant to be a kind gesture, moved Sonny just enough to send a new flame flying. No way was she going to risk it happening again just so she could move a finger.
It would be better if her doctor didn't think she was awake. Maybe if Sonny laid long enough, feigning a coma, the doctor and Connie would realize this was more serious than a stupid cold. Perhaps then they would finally figure out the real problem and they'd find a way to put the fire out.
Instead of asking Sonny to do some other stupid task, two fingers rested on her right eye. Sonny wanted to swat them away, but once again, the pain in her stomach kept her from doing anything. Pulling too hard, the fingers separated her eyelids, leaving Sonny blind as a bright light met her gaze.
"She's awake!" Connie Munroe rejoiced, squeezing her daughter's hand.
Sure enough, not wanting her other eye to be opened so ruefully, Sonny opened it herself, blinking quickly several times in a row. Where was she? Why were all the walls around her painted white? Had someone placed the hospital gown on her or had Sonny done it herself?
Before Sonny could answer any of her questions, a face popped into her line of vision. It was a male with a short brown beard and glasses too large for his small nose. He held a clipboard in his hands.
"Hi," he greeted, smiling broadly. "Can you tell me what your name is?"
I would if I could speak, Sonny thought, opening and closing her mouth. Her tongue felt dry like she hadn't had anything to drink in hours. Wait…Is it just me, or does my stomach actually feel better?
The fire, although still burning too much for her liking, was beginning to die the tiniest bit. Maybe Sonny could risk saying a few words…
"S-Sonny," she sputtered, her name coming out slurred. "Sonny Munroe."
The man scribbled something on his clipboard. "And what's my name, Sonny?"
"Dr. Peterson."
For the first time since opening her eyes, Sonny noticed her Mom, who was standing beside the hospital bed. Her eyes were lit up and she couldn't stop bouncing on the balls of her feet. She bent over, wrapping her arms around Sonny's shoulders in a tight embrace.
"You're awake!" she chanted over and over again. "Oh my gosh, you're finally awake!"
"Mom!" I cried out, both hands flying toward my stomach. "Let go of me, please! You're making the pain worse!"
Dr. Peterson looked up from whatever he was writing while Connie straightened back to her full height. They both stared at Sonny like she had just announced she planned on eating nothing but ice cream for the rest of her life.
"You're in pain right now?" Dr. Peterson asked. "Where does it hurt?"
"My stomach."
Without another word, Dr. Peterson nodded his head. He walked toward the door of the room, sending a reassuring smile over his shoulder.
"I'm sure everything's fine, Sonny," he promised. "It's possible the baby has been kicking you a lot, which could've led to severe pain and, in turn, the sweat you've been suffering from. I'll go see if I can find you some medicine to help." He turned his attention to Connie. "May I speak with you for a moment in hall, Mrs. Munroe?"
Glancing at Sonny first, Connie leaned over, kissed the top of her daughter's head, and swore she would return in a few minutes. Sonny nodded her consent, waving as first her Mom then Dr. Peterson left, closing the door behind them. She could hear them talking, but their voices were too muffled to make out anything.
Letting out a long sigh, Sonny looked down at her stomach. She could remember times when she would study her reflection in a mirror and start complaining about how fat she saw herself, no matter how many times Chad reminded her she was the prettiest girl he'd ever seen. She would give anything to have that body back. Now her stomach stuck out as though a beach ball was under her shirt, waiting impatiently for her to take it out and start a game of volleyball.
"We've been through a lot in the past eight months," Sonny said, resting her hand on the place she knew her baby rested, the same spot she'd felt it kick for the first time. "What do you think? Do you want to know the story of how you came to be? This might be my only chance to tell you if I die giving birth to you, after all."
Of course there was no answer.
Sonny didn't like to think about things as morbid as dying, but she'd watched enough movies, read too many articles, about teenagers in the birthing room. Many of them died while they were there, never even getting to see the beautiful baby they'd carried around for the past nine months. Granted, Sonny was older than most of the 15 year olds the stories were about, but if she was going into labor now, three and a half weeks before her due date…
Dr. Peterson, if he knew Sonny's thoughts, would tell her she wasn't in labor yet. Sonny knew the truth. She could feel the baby moving inch by inch, preparing for its journey into the world.
She was in labor whether she wanted to admit it or not.
"Where should I start?" Sonny muttered, knowing deep down she needed something to take her mind off the hospital. "Well, I guess if I'm telling your story, I might as well start at the very beginning, huh?" She chuckled as her memories came flooding back, each begging to be the first one to escape from her lips. "It all started last Christmas Eve, when Chad Dylan Cooper asked me to marry him…"
As the stories came back, Sonny found herself flashbacking to them, remembering them exactly as they'd taken place. The expressions on her friends' faces…the words that were spoken…the actions taken. Every tiny detail leading up to the moment she was now getting ready to face, when she would finally give birth, became as clear to her as though they'd happened yesterday.
It wasn't long before she was lost in her own memories.