Hey hey everyone! So I've been home sick for the past few days (a nice way to start my holidays) and had an idea for a Channy story! Hope all of you like it :D
It was so much fun to write...it's probably one of my favourite stories so far! :D
As I took in Chad's figure standing in my doorway, one thought went through my mind: this was most certainly just a weird hallucination brought on by the fever.
"Whoa. You look sick." He walked in, closing the door behind him as casually as if he were in his own house.
"Brought you some oranges. You know, vitamin C and all that. Oh, and other sick-day stuff: tissues, chocolate and a Mackenzie Falls box set." He smiled at me, waving the DVDs in front of my face. "So, where are we being sick? Couch?" His eyes flicked to the mess of blankets I left behind on my way to the door and he nodded, already making his way to the DVD player.
I stood at the door, still frozen. My reaction times had been severely slowed down and all I could do was stand there and gape at Chad. What was this? I already saw him every day at the studio, and now he was at my house too?
"What are you doing here?"
"Just visiting my favourite Random!" He winked at me. Then, sensing that I was not in the mood for jokes, he pursed his lips and put on a serious face.
"Fine, your castmates were busy so they asked me to pass on some things for you." He held up the bags.
"And one of those things was a Mackenzie Falls box set?" I raised my eyebrows.
"Okay, I added that part in. Personal touch." He winked again.
Now I was even more confused. Chad was visiting me because my friends had asked him to? Since when was he taking orders from them? Since when were they giving out orders?
I sat down on the couch, my head spinning a little. It was probably time for a nap.
"So you're here because my friends asked you to come? And you said yes?"
"Oh, I'm not doing it for free." He scoffed.
He sank down into the couch beside me and pressed 'play'.
Oh, joy – Mackenzie Falls from the very beginning...in HD! How would I ever contain my excitement?
I groaned and pulled the blanket over my head. A few seconds later, Chad lifted up the corner of the blanket and peeked in.
"Hey, Munroe. What we doing down there?"
"Suffering." I replied bitterly.
Chad rolled his eyes. "Oh, give it a chance. It's not so bad. I know it doesn't seem like your thing, but you'll never know unless you try."
I knew he was right. Sure, it was the cheesiest and most overrated show on TV, but maybe I'd like it. Or at least tolerate it, like I tolerated Chad on a daily basis. But telling Chad that he had a good point seemed like just another unneeded boost for his already over-inflated ego.
"No." I grumbled.
"Fine."
"Fine."
"Good."
"Good!"
He let go of the blanket and left me alone in the darkness.
The show, however, could still be heard through the material. Mackenzie and Portlyn's voices rang out from the TV, sounding more like mumbling than English. There were some distant screams, then gunfire. Then a slow, romantic song and more mumbling. I think I heard a horse neigh somewhere in between all that.
"What…what's going on?" I whispered from under the blanket.
"Mackenzie's step-father's in town." Chad whispered back, sounding deeply engrossed in the show.
"And?"
"And Mackenzie has to save Portlyn from his long-lost sister!"
What was this show even about? Were the writers just using one of those random plot generator things?
I pulled down the blanket just enough to see the screen.
Wow, that really was high definition.
Portlyn was now in a carriage, looking out of the window with a longing gaze. Why wasn't Mackenzie with her?
The blanket was now pulled over my shoulders like a cape.
By the time the credits came on, my eyes felt a little prickly.
"Uh…Chad? Could you, uh, hand me a tissue please?"
He looked over at me and smirked.
"I need to blow my nose!" I defended, my voice cracking.
"Sure, sure." He handed me the tissues and lifted himself off the couch.
"Where…where are you going?" I sniffed.
"Making you some tea. I see there's some cough syrup here – you should probably take that with something. How many sugars?" He finally turned to me, watching me dab at my eyes with the damp tissue.
"Two."
He looked away and I smiled to myself. Chad in the kitchen was quite a sight.
But before I could make any "movie star in the kitchen" jokes, my phone lit up with Tawni's photo.
Hmm, maybe she was finally calling to check up on me?
"Are you better yet?" Tawni barked down the phone the second I picked up.
"Getting there. Why, Tawn? Do you miss me already?"
"Ew! I have better things to do." I could hear her rummaging through her makeup drawers. "But hurry up and get better – you're holding up rehearsals!"
I nodded, forgetting that she couldn't see me. "I will, I will. Thanks for sending Chad here, by the way. He's actually being really helpful." I made sure to lower my voice at the end so he wouldn't hear me.
"Chad? Sonny, how high is your temperature?"
"What?"
"I said "how high is your temperature"! Why on earth would I send Chad over to take care of you?"
I laughed, waiting for her to join in.
She didn't.
"So…wait. He's not here because you sent him?"
"No! I have to go now, Sonny, I think Grady has my lipstick…" Her voice trailed off and she immediately hung up.
I sat there, unmoving, trying to make sense of the situation. Chad was here of his own free will? He was making me tea? Grady needed lipstick?
It was all too much for a sick person to handle.
Chad emerged from the kitchen a few minutes later with a tablespoon, cough syrup and my tea. He set them on the table in front of me.
I opened my mouth to question him about what Tawni had told me, but decided against it.
"Drink up."
I took one look at the medicine and instantly felt queasy. I had no idea what flavour it really was, but if I had to guess by the taste, I'd say "Polluted Sea Water" or "Tears of Orphaned Children".
"I'm not drinking that."
"Oh, yes, you are."
"Oh no I'm not!" I crossed my arms.
He gave me a stern look and tried to pry them from my body, but gave up after a minute or so.
"Come on, Sonny. Please? Do it for Dr Chad?"
I giggled, but continued shaking my head.
"What if I feed it to you?" He smiled devilishly and filled the spoon up to the brim with the sickly green-coloured syrup. "Come on, Sonny…Dr Chad has a PhD in persuasion!"
I burst out laughing at that one.
"Nope!"
"Aw," he pouted at me, "well what can I do to make my most stubborn patient take her medicine?"
I shook my head, smiling.
"What about some chocolate?" He wiggled his eyebrows.
"Oh, it's gonna take more than that."
"A So Random! marathon?"
I pretended to consider it. "Tempting, but you haven't tasted this stuff." I pointed to the cough syrup and made a gagging motion.
Chad's eyes lit up. "Okay, then how about I taste some too? Will you do it then?"
"Oh no," I laughed, "I don't wanna put you through that."
That was true. Even Chad didn't deserve that.
He leaned in a little closer, pushing me into the back of the couch.
"Then how about a kiss?" He whispered into my ear.
"Wh…what?"
Now I was sure I was hallucinating. And Chad's warm breath on my neck probably wasn't helping, either.
He put his hand on my fevered check, gently turning my face towards his. And, as suddenly as he'd appeared at my door today, Chad's lips were on mine. Our mouths were moving together, as in sync as two complete opposites can be. The arms that I had stubbornly folded across my chest had now fallen limp at my sides.
Chad pulled away gently, his breathing uneven.
The next moment, he was at the door, his jacket slung over his shoulder.
He looked back at me, his expression unreadable.
"Take your medicine, Sonny." He murmured, his voice unsteady.
And then he was gone.
It's a shame I don't have a Dr Chad to look after me when I'm sick ;P Grr, lucky Sonny.
Let me know what you think, darling readers! :D