Chad Dylan Cooper didn't like people. He didn't care for other people, and he certainly would never fall in love. He was far too busy being in love with himself—he knew that.

And that meant that he certainly didn't have a crush on Sonny Monroe.

Of course, he may have admitted to himself once or twice that Sonny was kind of cute; and, while she did appear to hate him, she would show random acts of kindness to him that made him want to return the favor.

But he didn't have a crush on her. No way.

That's why it couldn't possibly be bothering him that she was at his party flirting with other boys. I mean, it was to be expected, right? It wouldn't be putting at damper on his mood!

For reasons he couldn't explain (or maybe just couldn't admit), though, he ended up alone in the corner without company for half the night, watching miserably as Sonny danced with one of his co-stars and had a good time without him. He sat there for what felt like hours.

"Hey," a familiar voice broke into his thoughts. Chad jumped slightly and looked up to find Sonny gazing down at him, frowning a little.

"Uh…hey," Chad answered, uncharacteristically lacking in his usual malice.

"You OK? You've been sitting here alone for a while now. Something wrong?"

Chad ignored the fact that his heart started to beat faster at the fact that she had been paying attention to his whereabouts. He wanted more than anything to return her concern with some nice comment about her hair or ask her if she was having a good time—

"I'm allowed to sit by myself if I want. Why do you care?"

—but that was hardly his style, now was it?

Sonny glared at him and shrugged, rolling her eyes. "I don't know. You just looked lonely. But next time I won't bother to ask."

"Good. Don't."

His friend Drew appeared out of nowhere and asked Sonny if she'd like to dance. She smiled and nodded, glancing once more down at Chad.

"You know, you should ask a girl to dance. Maybe then you wouldn't be sitting by yourself," she said, before turning and stalking off.

Chad knew he wouldn't take her advice. At least, not tonight. It was much easier to sit and wallow in his unexplainable self-pity.

And as he watched Sonny dance, he realized something: he didn't like her, but he just might have given anything to be in Drew's position right now.

Huh. Jealousy was a funny thing.